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November 28, 2006

MY BOOK/DIRECTORY IS NOW AVAILABLE

The most common activity for web users isn't online shopping or auctions, and it isn't downloading MP3 files (and believe it or not, it isn't even playing online games or viewing dirty pictures). No, the most common web-based activity is searching. That's because the Internet is big and disorganized, so you have to actively search for just about anything you want to find. The reality is that most Internet users spend at least part of every day searching for some type of information. But I digress.

After working for two leading publishers--Pearson / Penguin USA / Alpha Books, and John Wiley & Sons--where I signed dozens upon dozens of authors to book contracts, and at various stages along the way held their hands and managed their work, I am finally able to say that I now have a book of my own:

The 2007 edition of the Internet Yellow Pages is now available in bookstores all across the U.S. (as evidenced by this picture, taken on Saturday at a Borders bookstore near my home in Provo, Utah), as well as through Amazon.com and a host of other online retailers.

Having worked in the publishing business myself, I thought I knew how hard it was to write a book and compile information for a major directory, but in reality, I did not. Simply stated, I now have a much deeper appreciation for the sheer hell I put my authors though. For two-and-a-half months (from May through mid-July of this year), my co-author, Joe Kraynak, and I spent between 12 and 16 hours a day, six days a week, doing nothing but researching and writing about some of the best websites on the Internet today. The days were long and the work was overwhelming, and in the end, Joe and I produced one heck of a book.

If you're wondering if anyone actually buys a book with the words Yellow Pages in it, the answer is yes. Amazon has already run out of copies, and despite Google's attempt to take over the planet, no website that we're aware of does a better job of providing a handcrafted, unbiased review and rating of as many sites as Joe and I managed to cover. In all, we submitted 2,177 pages worth of editorial content to our publisher (which amounted to about 9,000 website reviews and rankings, of which the publisher printed nearly 7,000 over the course of 971 pages). In all, including the introduction and index, the book totals out at nearly 1,125 pages.

The value of the Internet Yellow Pages lies in the fact that the Internet is constantly evolving, presenting users just like you and me with new tools, new forms of expression, and new annoyances. Make it easy on yourself; pick up a copy of the book today. In the short term, you'll have fun reading about websites that cover everything from Accounting and Beer to Yoga and Zoos (and everything else imaginable in between, including sites that focus on Religion, Reiki, and Real Estate, and Nursing, News, and Needlecrafts). Then, 18 months from now, when you find yourself needing a really good doorstop or a big time paperweight, you'll be glad you bought my book!

Posted by Mikal at 11:02 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

November 26, 2006

Book Week on The BeliBlog

I was thinking today about what I'd like to blog about this week, when all of the sudden a common theme appeared. All this week I plan on blogging about books...books I worked on as an acquisitions editor; my own directory/book, which was just published by Pearson/Que Publishing; a book my ghost blogging was featured in; a former colleague's new book; and finally, a book I just started reading.

If you don't like books or reading about books, this week's posts will likely bore you to death. And if you do like books, well, this week's posts could bore you to death, also.

Posted by Mikal at 6:32 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

November 20, 2006

The actor Richard Dreyfuss (think Jaws, Mr. Holland's Opus, and What About Bob) spent the last two years studying civics and democracy at St Antonyís College at the University of Oxford (England). This past Friday night, Dreyfuss appeared on the season finale of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, where his words literally silenced Maher and his usually uproarious audience:

Bill Maher (speaking of President Bush): And you think he should be impeached? I mean, what would that get you? Cheney as President?

Richard Dreyfuss: The two reasons that one would argue against impeachment are the Vice President and the Democratic Congress. But I'm not in favor of impeachment. I am in favor of the process. And I believe that unless the society stands against certain things, they will have endorsed certain things. Like torture, leaving the Geneva Convention...

Bill Maher: Right. That's well said.

Richard Dreyfuss (continuing): ...and lying to the Congress about the reasons for war. And once the Republicans are placed in the position of having to endorse torture, you've got a bad problem on your hands. And we do not realize that this is not about impeachment; it's about the other branches of the government doing their duty so that you don't hand off to a liberal or a conservative--the President--swollen powers when no one ever turns power away. No one ever says, "Oh no thank you - we're not going to use that." And so whoever gets to be President will use the power handed to this President. And we will rue that day unless we stand in some way against that, even in a minority report. Even if we; if you lose an impeachment hearing--whoever "we" are--then at least you have a body that says we stand against these things. And unless you do that, then you're for them.

Later in the show, Dreyfuss added the following (warning, it's long but well worth the read):

Richard Dreyfuss: That's the constancy that you can learn. You can actually learn the constancy of curiosity, and the constancy of outreach. You can learn that it is ok to keep asking the questions, and to be dissenters. And if you don't...if you're not taught it...then you don't know it. But we owe ourselves and the United States that we will pass off to our children to re-learn the tools of reason, logic, clarity, dissent, civility, and debate. And those things are the non-partisan basis of democracy, and without them, you can kiss this thing goodbye.

And what happens now in this partisan-addicted country of ours is that Democrats are afraid that if they send their kids to civics classes they might not come back Democrats. And Republicans are afraid their kids won't come back Republicans. But civics--the expertise needed to understand western enlightenment and civil liberties--is not something you're born with; you have to learn it.

And we teach our kids what we want them to know and we don't teach them what we don't want them to know. And that's not a conspiracy...that's human nature. And you have to---WE have to remember--that unless we teach the ideas that make America a miracle in government (a miracle that everyone knows is a miracle); unless we teach what that means, then it will go away in your kids' lifetime. And we will be a fable. We will be a tale told about this place that used to stand up for blah, blah, blah.

You have to teach it. You have to find the time and creativity to teach it in school. And if you don't, then you will lose it to fundamentalists of any stripe; you will lose it to stupidity; you will lose it to the darkness. And what this country represents is a tiny twinkle of light in a history of oppression and darkness and cruelty, and if it lasts for more than our lifetime or our kids' lifetime it is only due to the fact that we put some effort into teaching what it is.

The ideas of America--the idea of opportunity, mobility, freedom of thought, freedom of assembly--and if you don't teach it, it will go away and in the middle of the night; and when the towers fall, we will not say "what am I responsible for?" We will say, "Tell us what to do!"

Here, here...while I've never been one to side with Hollywood's self-anointed elite, Dreyfuss is right...in every single part of American life, would could all stand for a little more reason, logic, civility, dissent and debate!

November 19, 2006

I just heard that India successfully test-fired a medium-range nuclear-capable missile today, just three days after its neighbor and rival, Pakistan, did the exact same thing. Where's the self-righteous indignation and outrage that the United States has become so popular for expressing and showing when tests such as these occur? Why, two or three days ago, didn't the U.S. come out in opposition to Pakistan's test, and will it say anything about India's? Had it been a North Korean or Iranian missile launch, much of the world--led by the U.S.--would be up in arms (no pun intended).

Why is it okay for countries that have already developed nuclear capabilities to continue to pursue their defense ambitions, but it's not okay for all the other nations on Earth to do the same? (Interestingly enough, India and Pakistan have never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, whereas Iran and North Korea have.)

November 17, 2006

Q1 - Thanksgiving: Eleven percent (11%) of Americans admit to unbuttoning their pants before, during, or after their Thanksgiving day meal. How about you...do you keep it buttoned up or do you enjoy a little extra room when eating a hearty meal?

Q2 - Education: How well do you think math and science is being taught in American schools?

Q3 - Politics: If you could choose the major candidates for the 2008 U.S. presidential race, who would you designate to run, and who you like to see win out?

Q4 - You're in Charge: If you could run any corporation, college or university, or organization in the world for one month, which one would you choose and what sorts of changes do you think you'd make?

November 15, 2006

There are 41 workdays between the 1st of November and the end of the year, and if everything goes according to plan, I'll be walking to and from work on all but five of them. Why? Good question (and no--inside joke to my co-workers--it's not because someone stole my car keys).

I live just 3.1 miles from my office (it's a 40 to 45 minute walk straight down one street, up another, and through a few winding avenues in an office park). With Utah County's 10,000 and 11,000-foot mountains serving as a backdrop, the walk feels more like a journey than anything else; and while the cold weather is starting to settle in (I froze my you-know-whats off for about five minutes this morning), the benefits of walking far outweigh the costs. According to numerous sources, walkers have less incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases, and have an easier time managing their weight, going to the bathroom, and maintaining stamina throughout the day. With benefits like those, why wouldn't you choose to walk more often?

Taking into account days off for Thanksgiving and Christmas, along with two days for a staff retreat that I'll have to drive or car-pool to, as well as five or so days for unexpected circumstances (like severe weather and errands), I figure I can put in around 216 miles before the end of the year. So far so good...since the beginning of the month, I've walked every day except or two (one day I overslept--probably from all the walking, right; and I had to run an errand on another day which required the use of my car).

Wish me luck. The way I'm choosing to look at it, anywhere is walking distance, as long as I make the time!

November 10, 2006

Q1 - Iraq: On Monday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he opposed the death penalty for former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein but that his trial had reminded the world of the deposed leader's brutality. Even if Hussein loses his appeal and dies on the gallows, it probably will have little effect on the future of Iraq, experts say. What do you think...should Saddam Hussein's death penalty be carried out, and if so, what kind of impact do you think it will have in the U.S. action in Iraq?

Q2 - College: If you went to college, did you learn more from the social or academic aspects of the experience? If you didn't go to college, do you wish you had?

Q3 - Life and Religion: A friend's teenage son recently said that one of the problems he has with fundamental religion is that it teaches that we are all bad and that we are only going to be rewarded if we make all the right choices and do all the right things. He then said, "Life isn't the test; it's a time for learning." Your thoughts?

Q4 - Whodunit: If you could solve any unsolved crime in history (or prove with certainty that a particular crime was incorrectly solved, and resolve it), which one would you choose?

November 8, 2006

Me: "Knock" "Knock" "Knock" (with my hand, on the door of an empty Alpine School District school bus that was parked alongside one of the roads I took yesterday morning on my walk to work)

--door opens--

Elderly Bus Driver: "Yes!"

Me: "Good morning! I don't mean to pick a fight but do you mind if I ask you a question?"

Annoyed Bus Driver: "Ahh, okay!"

Me (pointing to the window immediately to the left of the door): "Well, I couldn't help but notice the picture of President and Mrs. Bush that's covering up this window. I was just wondering, do you really think it's appropriate for that picture to be hanging in the window of a public school bus?"

Really Annoyed Bus Driver: "I most certainly do. George Bush is our President and I love him, and I'm not afraid to show my support and love for him and our country."

Me: "But you realize of course, don't you, that the picture is in recognition of your support of the Republican National Committee? Right here it says (reading from the inscription at the bottom of the 8" x 11" photo) 'Thank you for your support of the Republican National Committee'."

Growling Bus Driver: "Well," putting down his newspaper, "I'm just sick and tired of all these damn Democrats calling President Bush a crook, a thief, a liar, and a murderer. It's bullshit, and I'm not gonna take it down for anyone!!"

Me: "Alrighty then. Thanks for your time, and have a nice day." (Note to self, as I walk away: If you choose to call the Alpine School District, be prepared to take a different route to work, because that guy will probably run you over with his bus, or his car if they fire him.)

November 4, 2006

I just took a quiz that was supposed to help me self-select whether I'm informed enough to vote in Tuesday's election. My results:

According to the results of my test, I "should definitely vote" (I scored 342 out of 350 possible points, or 97.71 percent). The only question I missed--in case anyone's interested in taking the test and comparing scores--was #53, which cost me eight points.

DontVote.org was started by Internet entrepreneur Philip Ferreira to combat the "Get out the Vote" movement that he says is pushed by organizations that would like to increase the number of uneducated voters to help their cause. According to the site, DontVote.org encourages people to vote, but only after they have educated themselves on the policies and individuals for which they are voting.

That being said, I do not agree with how DontVote.org goes about testing one's ability to know enough to vote. Wanna see why? Take dontvote.org's test for yourself.

While dontvote.org may be well and good for the MySpace crowd, a much better site is the AARP's DontVote.com (that's dot com, not org), where you can select your respective state and receive information on state and national races, find districts, and register to vote. Additionally, visitors to DontVote.com can view the AARP Votersí Guide, which presents national, state, and local candidatesí unedited responses on key issues.

November 3, 2006

Q1 - Faith: Nearly half of all Americans are not sure God exists, according to a poll that also found divisions among the public on whether God is male or female or whether God has a human form and has control over individual or worldly events. The survey conducted by Harris Poll found that 42 percent of U.S. adults are not "absolutely certain" there is a God compared to 34 percent who felt that way when asked the same question three years ago. What do you think? Does God exist, and if so, do you think God has control over events?

Q2 - Work: Do you socialize with co-workers outside of the office?

Q3 - Holiday Travel: Are you traveling for the upcoming holidays or are you expecting family and friends to come to your home for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas?

Q4 - You Choose: Which would you rather have...a personal assistant or a personal trainer?