On-the-money

Even for someone who is building a non-commercial site (without requirements for SSL, firewalls, encryption, and the complex security needed for electronic payments), I thoroughly recommend reading Chapter 10 at the very least, with all of its valuable pointers and concrete examples of both good and bad. If more sites complied with these, I would find navigating the web a far more pleasant experience than it has come to be over the past few years.

The section on contracts, electronic rights, and negotiating with editors is illuminating and applies to both online publications and print. It teaches writers how to conduct themselves professionally and to ask for better pay and better treatment.

The book is also funny. From the introduction: "I know, I know. The Internet is basically a big hype sandwich."

The short profiles of 25 writers and editors will also give you lots of ideas about how to make a living as a freelance writer.

I hope they write a follow-on book about writing for print.

This book has only a few key points, but they are the most direct, to the point, and fundamental points in making huge money. This book isn't the end all, but it is absolutely essential.

I guess the reason I'm so excited about this book is it had the one key that I had been missing all these years. So many books I've read talk about discipline, delayed gratification, and million different ways to try to motivate yourself. What this book taught me, was that the very foundation of all success is doing what you love.

It sounds simple. Most people hear that and they respond "Of course." but few people really take it to heart. Everything gets really easy when you are doing what you love. Motivation is a snap. Discipline is a snap. You follow everything through because you are having so much fun.

That of course is just the foundation, the beginning. But what a beginning! Buy this book right now, it could change your life.

Like other works by Blanchard and Knowles, the points are
presented in a parable . . . here, we're introduced to a man struggling
to make ends meet . . . he goes on a journey to discover the secret
to becoming rich and meets three wise (and successful) people
who present simple truths that can be applied to virtually any
situation.

I liked the above fact; i.e., that when listening, I found myself
thinking that this stuff makes sense--and I should and could

apply it to my situation . . . there's nothing overly earth-shattering,
yet I should add that it got me thinking . . . and it made sense.

Also making sense was the conclusion, in which the authors
reviewed the simple tests that should have been learned from
either reading or listening:

The test of joy . . . you can't make money unless you're having fun.

The test of purpose . . .you can't make money unless making money
is more important than having fun.

The test of creativity . . . incomes, less expenses = profit.

And, lastly, there's perpetual prosperity . . . which comes to those
who help others.

Steve Carella and Ollie Weeks join forces to head up the homicide investigation, which becomes a lot more involved as they uncover more about the victim. Counterfeit $100 notes are found that are somehow linked to the victim, as are drugs - a lot of drugs, actually. The irreverent Ollie Weeks provides the lighter moments of the book as he imposes his charm on the unsuspecting public. Steve Carella still has family problems as well as personal ones, providing a more sober and darker sub-plot.

This is yet another strong case for the cops from the 87th Precinct combining a fast-paced story with amusing banter from the investigating officers as they go through their standard police procedures. I get the feeling that Ed McBain is becoming more and more happy with his creation of Ollie Weeks and seems to have delighted in developing his character over recent books. His personal hygiene, interviewing techniques and view on minority groups are all so bad, it's good.

Cass Ridley, Gulf War pilot, earns some quick cash flying in a few loads of she-asks-not-what from Mexico. When an ordinary burglar steals some of her hard-earned loot, feisty Cass tracks him down and grabs it back - most of it. Only to wind up at the zoo, in the lions' quarters, being eaten.

Grisly. At least she was dispatched by ice pick first. To make matters worse, Fat Ollie Weeks of the 88th precinct, shares the lead with Carella when a lion drags Cass' leg into the 88. Worse yet, in the course of the investigation, Fat Ollie, vulgarian misanthrope extraordinaire, a man to make your skin crawl, saves Carella's life - twice - leaving him beholden.

The plot is fast-paced and complex, the money trail branching off into various avenues of depravity and greed, involving double crosses, murders, and conspiracies, from street-level thugs to international terrorists and governments. McBain never misses a twist and his dialogue is trademark crisp. The terrorism aspect strikes a more visceral note than it would have when McBain was composing his plot and for this reason a bit of the humor falls flat, especially that having to do with the competence and cynicism of federal agents. Nonetheless, this is top-notch McBain; spare, baffling and deftly done.

Cassandra Jean Ridley, ex- Gulf War pilot, is trying to make a quick buck. She has agreed to fly drugs out of Mexico under radar for a cool quarter of a million dollars. The work, though not without risk, appears quite easy. In fact, life is great until Cass is robbed by a burgler who makes off with two of her fur coats and some cash she was given. This eventually leads to a run in by the burgler with the treasury department questioning whether the cash is counterfeit. All roads lead back to Cass.

Carella and Fat Ollie Weeks investigate the death of a woman mauled and eaten by the lions in the local zoo. Her death appears drug related and after finding the body of a bookseller in Diamondback, the "almost exclusively black section of the city" their investigation takes them to the doors of Wadsworth and Dodds , a book publishing company that sells books that nobody wants to read.

One of the major strengths of Ed McBain's writing style is his propensity for creating unforgettable characters. He does so through dialogue and descriptions. For example, Steve Carella is always described as having "eyes that slant downward giving him a sort Chinese appearance, though he certainly wasn't Oriental". Meyer is bald and Cotton has a white stripe through his red hair where he suffered a knife injury many years ago. The dialogue is extremely realistic and powerful. The story is quite fast paced which is another McBain trademark vs. the more languid introspective writing of Evan Hunter. In this volume, however, I think McBain may have been attempting to do a bit too much as another plot gets intertwined into the primary investigation. This leads to some improbable coincidences. Nonetheless, nobody writes as good as McBain even when he is not quite at his best.

Well Mr. "Reader from Chicago", if you truly bought the book, you should have reviewed it quickly at the book store like I did and I assume the others did as well. I enjoyed Rich Dad Success Stories and felt that it was five star material based on the content. You feel differently, that is your choice. Enough!

In Becoming Rich .... Without Cutting Up Your Credit Cards Kiyosaki expands on the philosophy that you don't have to cut up your credit cards and can do quite nicely by using your credit cards properly. This is also a five star book. Too many other so called financial "experts" seem to think that the answer to credit management is "just cut up your credit cards."
Sorry, wrong answer.

A certain amount of debt is good when used responsibly. Cutting up credit cards is not responsibility, it is only a feel good experience that gives temporary relief while you still have the long term pain of debt.

Excellent book Mr. Kiyosaki. I hope you keep them coming. Oh, "reader from Chicago", perhaps we will meet someday in Chicago. I frequent Ophrah Winfrey's restaurant and other places where people who do not cut up their credit cards but do own their own businesses and real estate frequent. Perhaps this section of Chicago is unfamiliar to you.

While some of the contents are similiar to the other Rich Dad e-books and programs, there is also new material here. The concept of not having to cut up your credit cards is interesting.

Too many so called "financial experts" are touting "cutting up your credit cards." My grandparents used to tell me the only way to lose weight is to push away from the table. Doesn't work - neither does cutting up your credit cards.

What Rich Dad teaches is responsibility - how to responsibly use credit cards and other forms of debt not only to stay out of trouble but actually to create wealth.

I highly recommend this e-book and will buy the paperback when it comes out next month. The stories were inspiring and a joy to read.

Kiyosaki has done it again - another winner.