Author Archives: Shawn E. Bell

The first Republican President’s speech: the Gettysburg Address

On this day, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg address to a deeply divided country.  It wasn’t a long speech – 278 words, total – but it continues to be one of the most enduring.

Not once does the President use “I” or a teleprompter.  He doesn’t come to divide the country based on the color of skin.  He comes to unify.  He uses the word “we” over and over again to talk about a unified country.  Both the idiot who occupies the White House and all elected members of Congress could learn quite a bit from this speech and this man.

Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president, and his ideas weren’t popular; liberals didn’t want to end slavery.  They were fighting and dying to save their way of life.  Republicans were a new party, and didn’t garner much favor in the south.  In fact, it was specifically because of the Republican party that liberals created the Ku Klux Klan.  Liberalism was then, and continues to be today, the most divisive and un-American ideal that was errantly imported to this great country.

The country has drifted far from where it was in 1863.  Liberalism continues to be a disease that spreads hate among the uneducated, and continues to insist on dividing people based on race, creed, color, religion, and sexual preference.  Once liberalism and all of it’s vitriol is removed from the landscape, we can have peace, unity, harmony, and a nation based on the belief that all men are, truly, created equal.

Continue reading

Rim Fire Hazard Trees Project Announced

Stanislaus Forest Supervisor Susan Skalski today announced that a proposed action for the Rim Fire Hazard Tree (Rim HT) project is available for comment. The project proposes to improve public health and safety by removing standing hazard trees and other trees previously felled during fire suppression across 7,630 acres of National Forest lands within and adjacent to 148 miles of high use roads and other developed facilities.

Forest Supervisor Skalski stated: “I am requesting your specific written comments during this initial 30-day designated opportunity for public participation, from November 15 through December 15, 2013. It is important to the Forest Service and the NEPA process that you submit your comments at this early point to allow us the opportunity to incorporate your thoughts, concerns and issues into the analysis.”

Continue reading

Free – Expanded Distribution Options for CreateSpace Members!

From Createspace:

We’re excited to announce Expanded Distribution is now Free. You can make your books available through more channels including: online retailers, bookstores, libraries, and academic institutions within the U.S. at no cost. Enable these distribution channels today so you can reach a wider audience and increase the discoverability of your books. 

Createspace normally lists your book on the Createspace website as well as Amazon.

Continue reading

Big Bear Lake, CA – Hot Dogs & Hay Rides for Old Miners Volunteers

From KBHR 93.3:

The Old Miners Association (OMA) is holding their Annual Membership Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation Open House on November 18 at 40877 Stone in the Village (corner of Stone Road and Knickerbocker Road).

If you’re a new or renewing member, a sponsor or a volunteer, you’re welcome to attend with a guest.

The Annual Meeting & Election of Officers will run from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m., then from 4:00 – 7:00, volunteers can enjoy gift bags, hot dogs and hayrides courtesy of Stagecoach Lines & Duke Michaels.

You can read the whole article HERE.

To keep up to date on what’s going on in Big Bear, listen to KBHR 93.3 and visit the KBHR website HERE.

France Passes New Law With Higher Tax Rate for DRMed eBooks

Nate Hoffelder is reporting on his Digital Reader blog that France is going to be lowering taxes on DRM-free ebooks:

Hardly anyone likes DRM on their content, and its various opponents respond in various ways, whether by public advocacy or by voting with their pocketbook. And then there is France, which decided to express their displeasure with a new tax law.

France has amended their tax laws with a new lower tax rate for DRM-free ebooks (or a new higher rate for DRMed ebooks, depending on how you look at it). The new law won’t go into effect until 2015, but once it does Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and all the other major ebookstores will all be penalized for selling DRMed ebooks to French customers.

Under France’s new tax laws, DRMed ebooks will be taxed at a higher rate (currently 19.6%), while DRM-free ebooks will be taxed at the lower 5.5% rate.

You can read the whole post HERE.

You should really visit Nate’s blog; it’s chock full o’ useful eBook information!  You can visit it HERE.