Most people agree that since the founding of American society the bounds of what is acceptable have been stretched. Victor Baltov, Jr. uses the strike zone in baseball as a metaphor for this boundary stretching in BASEBALL IS AMERICA: Origins and History, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (AuthorHouse), the second in his BASEBALL IS AMERICA trilogy. In this well-written, thought-provoking book the author challenges the American cultural current toward materialism and uses experiences from a genuine account of the life of a baseball player as described in the first book, A Child of Baseball, from the Glory Days through the Synthetic Era to address baseball, corporate America, American politics, and the culture wars.
Laced with satirical humor, this book urges readers to redefine actions they consider acceptable, or to ‘Reclaim the Strike Zone,’ based on American founding principles by electing officials who uphold the Constitution. In BASEBALL IS AMERICA, Baltov highlights the parallels between American culture and baseball. His fierce passion to restore integrity and character to baseball, as well as to the country, endows Baltov with the skills of a great speaker. This acknowledged expert in the history of the game is uniquely qualified to offer an educated opinion about many issues facing Americans today.
This self-professed baseball crusader’s goal is to use founding principles as moral guides and to judge by content of character, not celebrity. He questions the motives and actions of so-called role models and addresses the prevalence of cheating in the game as well as in American culture. There is a sense of urgency in Baltov’s writing that reflects the current American cultural crisis. He prepares readers to respond if and when disaster strikes.
To learn more about this insightful author and inspiring lecturer and his riveting book series, visit http://www.baseballisamerica.com .
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TIP SHEET:
Roger Zotti of TheResident.com: “Baltov is a knowledgeable, insightful and forceful writer…who has hit a homerun…an informative, passionate, humorous and scrupulously-researched autobiography; it’s concerned with the good and bad aspects of baseball, along with the sport’s link with religion, history, politics, music, movies and his family and friends.”
Frank McKinney doesn’t attribute his phenomenal success over the past twenty-five years to ‘risk-taking,’ although when it comes to real estate there is always an element of risk. He understands that it’s not just about pricing but more about the cycles of real estate, and he has mastered this with precision! He has identified six distinct cycles over the last thirty-five years, sifting out recurring trends that highlight huge opportunities while signaling where history might repeat itself.
In Burst This! Frank McKinney’s Bubble-Proof Real Estate Strategies (Health Communications, Inc.), McKinney shows readers how he has managed to successfully ride the ups and downs of this volatile market using his own financial and investment strategies and sharing with them how to avoid getting caught up in the ‘ups and downs’ associated with boom and bust times that are really nothing more than recurring market cycles!
McKinney built a majestic waterfront masterpiece, Acqua Liana, on speculation at a time when naysayers said it couldn’t be done. He proved them wrong – again – when he recently sold this 15,000 square foot architectural vision, certified as the “greenest mansion in America,” for a cool $23 million when all the experts said ‘no way!’
Undoubtedly his flamboyant ‘rock star looks’ have opened doors for McKinney as evidenced by appearances on Oprah, 20/20, CBS Evening News and USA Today, but once an audience hears him speak, they realize he backs it up with innate business savvy and proven methods. In his latest timely best-seller, Burst This! McKinney’s advice gives readers the best possible chance of becoming their own success story by sharing his proven strategies in a simple process that allows readers to avoid all the negative assumptions of the predictors of real estate bubbles.
Rich DeVos, co-Founder of Amway and owner of the Orlando Magic: “A true real estate artist, McKinney continues to make markets where others don’t dare to tread. Now this visionary contrarian shows you how to prosper in any real estate market.”
Thomas A. Griffith: “Classic Frank McKinney. Frank tells it like it is. Real estate runs in cycles, booms and busts…relevant information for the real estate investor or anybody interested in becoming a real estate investor, or just thinking about purchasing property. Frank uses real-life experiences in real estate strategies not Ivory Tower or Television B.S. Frank is definitely a maverick but a contrarian? How about a realist with an ability to see the future by studying the past. Great book!”
John Assaraf, bestselling author of The Answer and former RE/MAX of Indiana CEO: “Dismiss what the so-called experts tell you to do and listen to Frank McKinney, who has taken more risk and has made it big regardless of market conditions for nearly 25 years. McKinney has the goods to help any real estate investor thrive anytime, anywhere. Read Burst This! now and stop the naysayers cold in their tracks.”
When Jim Lange talks about ways to make the most out of money set aside for retirement – people listen, as evidenced by the thirty times his expertise has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal. Studying IRA laws throughout his career, testing his strategies, and then having his analysis peer reviewed by the AICPA, has made him a nationally recognized expert on IRA’s, Roth IRA conversion and estate planning. In his new book, Roth Revolution: Pay Taxes Once and Never Again (Morgan James), Lange outlines top strategies so that readers may learn the benefits of Roth IRA conversions.
In Roth Revolution, Lange uses both the time-tested, well-established approach as well as new, cutting-edge strategies that actually result in enhancing the classic methods, in order to get the most out of IRA’s or retirement plans by converting a portion of IRA’s to a Roth IRA. The book provides invaluable advice on how to avoid running out of money, how to not pay too much in taxes, and how to leave as much as possible to family members with as little cost as possible to the investor. Since 2010 is the first year we can make a Roth IRA conversion regardless of income, and because tax rates will likely go up in the future, this is the perfect time to begin!
The new bill that was recently signed into law will allow employees to convert their pre-tax account balances into Roth-designated accounts, the official title for a Roth 401(k) or Roth 403(b), that will have a tremendous impact on retirement accounts. These conversions are great even if you never retire because they allow owners to create an income tax-free dynasty! Yes, you do pay taxes on the portion of the IRA or 401(k) that is converted, but then that money can grow income tax-free for the rest of your life, your spouse’s life, and even your children and grandchildren’s lives! Now that qualifying income limits for IRA owners have been abolished, all IRA and retirement plan owners should consider Roth IRA conversions. Oftentimes, even though a family stands to be better off by hundreds of thousands, possibly even millions, of dollars – the money manager may not make his clients aware of a Roth IRA conversion because he will make less money. This is why it is imperative that people become informed and get more involved in their own retirement and estate planning.
As well as being a best-selling author, Jim Lange is a nationally renowned speaker who has given Roth IRA conversion workshops to literally thousands of financial advisors at some of the country’s largest financial companies, and is well-recognized for the expertise he shares on air every other Wednesday on KQV 1410 AM at KQV.com. These are just some of the many examples Lange expands on in interviews and speaking engagements.
Kiplingers, Financial Planning, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and many others, often rely on the financial abilities of Lange to quote on new opportunities for readers. Eminent IRA experts such as Ed Slott, Natalie Choate, Bob Keebler, Gary Picker and John Bledsoe also agree with Lange in believing the worth of converting to Roth-designated accounts. Jim’s books have also been endorsed by top names that include Charles Schwab, Jane Bryant Quinn, Larry King and CPA Ed Slott, America’s IRA Expert, who also contributed the foreword in The Roth Revolution.
Clearly addressed in The Roth Revolution are topics such as: how much, whether/when to convert, the costs and benefits of a Roth IRA conversion with advice for taxpayers in each income tax bracket, the impact of future tax increases, the pros and cons of delaying Social Security, and Roth IRA conversions; every strategy is covered to maximize one’s return on investments in retirement plans.
As Jim Lange will often ask his audience/readers: “Who in their right mind would pay taxes before they have to?” His own answer is always: “Me, thousands of my readers and clients, all the top IRA experts and, I hope, after reading his book, you and your audience too. “
Diane McCurdy, CFP, best selling author of “How Much is Enough? Balancing Today’s Needs with Tomorrow’s Retirement Goals: “An amazing, comprehensive explanation of the hows and whys … with real life examples by Jim who has set a new standard in retirement tax planning.”
Jonathan Clements, author of The Little Book of Main Street Money: “It is tough to pick stock-market winners, but it’s relatively easy to lower your investment tax-bill. Looking to keep more of your portfolio’s gains? Read Jim Lange’s ‘The Roth Revolution’ – and you could make your financial life a whole lot less taxing.”
Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D., author of Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich and Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: “Jim Lange hits another homerun with The Roth Revolution. Anyone concerned about ensuring his or her nest egg is enough for retirement needs this book…”
Brian Tracy, author of The Way to Wealth: “This book shows you how to plan your finances so you don’t run out of money in retirement – perhaps the biggest single consideration of your life”.
Bill Losey, CFP, author of Retire in a Weekend! The Baby’s Boomer’s Guide to Making Work Optional: “Jim’s specific advice to taxpayers in different tax brackets…Chapter 13…makes a complicated topic easy to understand.”
Michael T. Palmero, attorney and author of AARP Crash Course in Estate Planning: “…a clear and comprehensive guide to a financial planning tool everyone should understand. I highly recommend it.”
Burton G. Malkiel, author of A Random Walk Down Wall Street: “Jim Lange has done it again… he clearly explains the remarkable advantages of Roth IRAs and their role in estate planning. Everyone considering conversions of traditional IRAs to Roths should read this book.”
Natalie Choate, Esq.: “There are few advisors as IRA-knowledgeable as Jim Lange. His book is chock full of creative Roth IRA planning ideas to help every client”.
Jon Gallo, co-author of Silver Spoon Kids and The Financially Intelligent Parent: “Jim Lange has done it again! The Roth Revolution is a worthy follow up to Retire Secure, written in a highly readable style that provides an excellent guide for all of us whose clients want to know whether they should convert to a Roth IRA. We were particularly pleased to find a thoughtful discussion of combining Roth IRAs with philanthropy.”
Steve Leimberg, CEO of Leimberg Information Services: “With charts, graphs, checklists and examples, Jim Lange, an advisor’s advisor, presents the answers to the Roth IRA puzzle in clear, concise terms… loaded with solid answers to the very questions your clients are sure to ask.”
Bob Keebler, CPA: “…an invaluable tool for any advisor assisting a client with a decision on whether to convert to a Roth IRA. With the expanded opportunity for taxpayers to take advantage of a Roth IRA regardless of their income, this …resource should be on every advisor’s desk.”
Barry C. Picker, CPA/PFS, CFP “…must-reading for anyone contemplating moving money into a Roth IRA, which in my opinion is everyone. Jim is one of the few people who has the knowledge …on IRAs and also has the ability to put this knowledge into understandable language.”
Homeboy’s Soul: Pride, Terror, and Street Justice in America (Publish America) invites readers into the bizarre and deadly lifestyle of gangbanging in the barrios of Pomona on the eastern edge of Los Angeles County during the 70’s through 90’s. Written by Don Armijo and Fred Stawitz, Homeboy’s Soul tells the story of Armijo’s rise to power within one of L.A. County’s most violent street gangs, Calle Doce Los Sharkies. Minus the usual hype and sensationalism, this provocative tale invites readers into one of the most misunderstood lifestyles in America. It delves into the private thoughts, doubts, and fears of a normal Chicano ‘kid turned killer’ with an inside look into what life in the world of gangbangers is really all about.
Inspired to write Homeboy’s Soul as a way to reveal the truth about the influences that shaped life in the barrios surrounding Los Angeles, Armijo provides answers to why Chicano youth are easily attracted to the homeboy’s lifestyle and ultimately to gang warfare. Homeboy’s Soul neither blames nor defends barrio youth for their decisions, but rather provides a basis for understanding the culture and influences that lead them to the choices that have shaped their lives.
Cruise the barrio with a true vato loco. Face the deadly consequences of a movida on a rival gang. Experience the love and mistrust, the terror and boredom and, ultimately, the sense of hopelessness that there will be no bright tomorrow at the end of all the violence. Homeboy’s Soul provides a chilling account of how Armijo lived as a gang member, killed as a gang member, and wound up in prison abandoned by his homeboys where he experienced a personal transformation.
This book’s frank revelations offer civic leaders whose communities are plagued with gang violence a foundation for engaging the public in a conversation about how to address the socio-economic factors that feed gang activity. It gives parents and school officials incentive for a renewed commitment to provide all children the resources, support, opportunities, and acceptance they need to develop into contributing members of society.
Honored at the 2010 Hollywood Book Festival with an “honorable mention,” Homeboy’s Soul helps readers realize that each of us can alter our situation for the better through the choices we make and by taking responsibility for the consequences of our actions. Don Armijo has made peace with his past and has dedicated himself to helping those lured to the web of gangbanging, and those already ensnared by it find their path to a brighter future.
Danny De La Paz, actor (Boulevard Nights, American Me): “Homeboy’s Soul deserves to take its place among the best literature available today on the complex and fascinating subject of what draws a promising young life to such self-destruction.”
Jim Bohannon (nationally-syndicated radio talk show host), The Jim Bohannon Show, Washington, D.C.: “Good luck in your efforts here. If you can turn this [gang situation] around the country will be better off because of it.”
Evangelina Vigil-Pinon, Viva Houston, KTRK-TV 13 ABC: “It’s a great book, cuts the edge in assessing gang issues and what needs to be done. Keep up your great work!”
Michael King, King TV, NBC Seattle: “Phenomenal. Really a great read. Took us ‘ inside.’”
Michael F. Shaughnessy, Professor of Psychology at Eastern New Mexico University and Senior Columnist EducationNews.org: “If you are a sociology instructor or teach classes in gangs, juvenile delinquency, probation or parole, you need to get this book for required reading. Your students will appreciate it.”
Midwest Book Review, “Don Armijo brings readers his own experiences where he saw many people close to him die violent deaths. Homeboy’s Soul is a choice pick for those wanting insight on the plight of the Los Angeles Underworld.”
Birga Alden, The Morning Show, KDAZ-AM 730 Albuquerque: “I pray that this book will continue to make a mighty difference!”
Tommy Briggs, Host of the AM Mayhem Show, YES-FM, Detroit-Toledo: “A fascinating book!”
Trent Redekop, The Morning Show, CKSW-AM 570 and CJSN-AM 1490, Canada: “Amazingly addictive!”
Richard Reyes, Pancho Claus and Gang Prevention Activist, Houston: “This book should be required reading for students, parents, school administrators, police officers and community leaders.”
Acclaimed author, syndicated columnist, and entrepreneur Farrah Gray offers readers Reallionaire: Nine Steps to Becoming Rich from the Inside Out (HCI) just in time to help them keep those so-often abandoned resolutions for the New Year. Raised in the projects on the south side of Chicago, Gray defied the odds and became a self-made millionaire by the age of 14.
Gray began his entrepreneurial, personal and civic development as a stellar young citizen at six years old selling homemade body lotion and his own hand-painted rocks as bookends door-to-door. At age seven, he was carrying business cards reading “21st Century CEO.” He went on to foster companies as diverse as a venture capital fund to food manufacturing.
His rise from poverty to international renown as an entrepreneurial icon and preeminent power speaker has inspired millions around the world and is now available to readers in Reallionaire; Get Real, Get Rich; and The Truth Shall Make You Rich. Gray’s books have been translated into Russian, German, Polish, French, Korean, Indonesian, and Vietnamese languages with book sales in Africa, Australia and Europe and in Central and South American countries. Grays books have also become required reading in university classrooms at Harvard and Princeton, among others.
Gray has extensive experience advising readers about personal and professional matters. He is a syndicated columnist with the National Newspaper Publishers Association federation of 200 weekly newspapers reaching more than 15 million readers. As an AOL Money Coach, Gray gives daily leadership, personal and professional development, diversity, strategic planning, creativity, and financial management advice to millions of AOL subscribers.
His sense of social responsibility motivated him to create the non-profit organization, The Farrah Gray Foundation, which focuses on inner city community-based entrepreneurship education and provides financial assistance for students from at-risk backgrounds to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He donates his speaking engagement honorariums, which can be upwards of $15,000, and the proceeds of his book to his foundation.
At the age of 21 in recognition of his ingenious economic mind and distinguished commitment to values such as leadership, integrity, and scholarship, Gray received an Honorary Doctorate degree of Humane Letters from Allen University. He holds Keys to the Cities of Dallas, Shreveport, and Cincinnati. He has also received Proclamations from the Governors of Illinois and Nevada, the Mayors of Louisville, Kentucky, Chicago, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Wilmington, Delaware, and St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Dr. Gray’s Awards include The National Urban League Whitney M. Young Jr. Entrepreneurship Award, The Alabama A&M Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Award, and The Davidson College Love of Learning Lifetime Educational Achievement Award, Central State University Award of Appreciation for contributions made in the area of entrepreneurship, NV Magazine Vision Award, and the American Red Cross Award of Appreciation.
Reallionaire is available online and in bookstores everywhere. Learn more about this inspiring figure at: www.Farrahgray.com
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TIP SHEET:
Bill Clinton, (Former) President of the United States of America: “I know Farrah Gray and we have discussed his future. His motivation determines what he will do. His attitude determines how well he will succeed at making a difference.”
O: The Oprah Magazine dubbed Farrah Gray an “all-star” with “priceless advice.”
Suze Orman, New York Times Bestselling Author: “You are just the best and the real thing.”
Good Morning America:“Farrah Gray is the ultimate American success story.”
ABC 20/20:“America’s Reallionaire.”
CNN:“Farrah Gray the youngest African American of his generation to make his mark on Wall Street and to become a millionaire.”
MSN.com placed Farrah Gray on its 2010 Young Tycoons List along with Mark Zuckerberg.
SocialTerrain, Inc., a social networking group of which Ringdahl is President/CEO, recently launched DirectoryCentral.com, an online business directory that connects businesses to customers via social media. This innovative system allows businesses to use the larger social networks like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for communicating new products, updates, blogs – even coupons.
SocialTerrain, Inc. was founded in 2008 to develop tools to integrate social networking with businesses. DirectoryCentral.com, working directly with SocialTerrain, will allow businesses to post information on the directory that can automatically be sent to all its followers on the social network sites. By reaching millions of potential customers, small to mid-sized local businesses will be able to intensify their online marketing efforts.
What makes this system unique is that it integrates the communication with other social networks between the consumer and business and provides a centralized marketing platform to get the best results. This efficient and well-designed service, provided at no charge to either business owners or consumers, is a simple process that is proven to work! DirectoryCentral.com not only gives business owners a way to increase their visibility on the internet and not be overshadowed by larger companies, but also provides a way for them to reply directly to customers who have posted reviews or questions on their profile, thereby reducing the time needed for a business to communicate with its customer base.
DirectoryCentral.com goes way beyond what typical online services have offered in the past. With its simplicity, it has made the process a virtual ‘one-stop marketing solution.’ With over thirty million active businesses online that are just waiting for their owners to claim their profile, the process is as simple as 1-2-3! A business owner goes to the DirectoryCentral.com website, finds the business name, clicks on the link, and goes through an easy verification process that allows the profile to be set up usually within 24 hours. This will allow the business owner to link up their various social media accounts to their DirectoryCentral.com account – and they are off and running! If a business is not already listed, no problem, just add it!
Keeping in mind that good business is all about customer service; DirectoryCentral.com has made it equally simple for customers to use the site. They just search for a business by name or category in a particular city, click on that link, and be presented with a location map, reviews, and even coupons, for that business. A customer can also post a review, become a fan, or even message that business directly.
DirectoryCentral.com links business owners to customers in what is probably the most efficient method available on the web today. For more information, please visit http://www.directorycentral.com
Almost everyone has experienced the painful coming-of-age feelings that high school tends to invoke. Coupled with drastic physical changes experienced by teenagers, the pressures and demands of high school can seem overwhelming and eternal. Now there is a guide to help students overcome these powerful feelings. Just in time for the holiday season, First Day to Finals: A Guide to Surviving High School (George House Publishing) is Brittany Camp’s gift to all those teenagers who feel the all-too-familiar pressures of coming-of-age in high school.
Camp wrote First Day to Finals to help prevent bullying, encourage healthy self images, discourage drug and alcohol abuse, and combat peer pressure. Camp’s goal is to help other teens survive and transition into healthy and productive post-high school lives. The book works like a journal and allows students to choose their own ending in each chapter. The book also features artwork by Kathleen Arendt, whose tragically young death inspired Brittany to write First Day to Finals.
Brittany Camp graduated from Carroll Sr. High School in 2010. As she pondered her project for the Girl Scout Gold Award, Camp knew exactly what message she wanted to deliver. She is proof that students can survive high school and that life does continue. Brittany is currently a freshman at the University of Arkansas. She tours middle and high schools encouraging students to support each other through the various challenges of high school life.
In order to help prepare students who will soon face the challenges of high school, Camp donated several copies of the book to her own high school and she invites charities to coordinate with her to sponsor students and schools to receive copies of the book. She is also donating a portion of the book’s proceeds to the Carroll Independent School District (CISD) special needs department.
First Day to Finals is available in bookstores everywhere and online. Visit this inspiring young writer’s website at: http://www.firstdaytofinals.com .
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Darla Chupp, school counselor, “Brittany is truly an inspiration and I feel certain this book can and will help thousands of students build a firm foundation to happy, fulfilling lives: from developing a healthy body image to knowing what an appropriate dating relationship should look like, and so much more!”
