"Want us to sell your books? Then you'd better let us print them, says Amazon. And oh, by the way, this is not an ultimatum."

Amazon pulls a Microsoft | Computerworld Blogs: "According to a Wall Street Journal story today, Amazon is demanding that any publisher that uses on-demand printing in publishing its books use Amazon's BookSurge print-on-demand services if they want their books sold on the top-ranked book e-tailer's Web site."
Some POD publishers have already had their "Buy Button" pulled on Amazon.

Authors and small press publishers are in shock. A veritable firestorm is brewing on the web as threats of boycotting Amazon spring up on blogs and websites of publishers and authors. Some of the sites blogging or posting about this include several Yahoo groups: SelfPublishing, Pod publishers, with a response from Amazon's CEO , on WritersWeekly , which has a growing list of other online posts, such as "Amazon Deletes Competition", "Use BookSurge or Die!"

PublishAmerica is first to feel the shock as many of their "Buy Buttons" have been replaced by "See All Buying Options" button.

Check results on Amazon by publisher, author or book title at Aaron Shepherd's amazing tool: SalesRankExpress.

What is dismaying is how poor BookSurge and CreateSpace sales rankings are on Amazon. Researching a POD or small-press publisher, use the SalesRankExpress tool for fast results.

What is amazing is some of the authors who do show up now using BookSurge or CreateSpace. Mostly for their Long tails/backlists.

All this clarifies what POD publisher to use for my first books. CreateSpace has little or no novels on their list yet. Maybe I'll be the trailbreaker.

René O'Deay

UPDATE: Warning! If you go the PhotoshopExpress site, it will tell you you need FLashPlayer 9. Don't download it from Photoshop Express! All your flashplayers will disappear. You will not be able to view any flash on websites, etc.
And to top that off, the Adobe site where you get the downloads/upgrades, won't let you get the earlier versions!
You can successfully get the new flashplayer by following instructions for uninstall and install from the Adobe site, remeber to run Repair Permissions between each operation.


By AMANDA FEHD, Associated Press Writer Thu Mar 27, 9:45 AM ET
SAN FRANCISCO - The maker of the popular photo-editing software Photoshop on Thursday launched a basic version available for free online.
San Jose, Calif.-based Adobe Systems Inc. says it hopes to boost its name recognition among a new generation of consumers who edit, store and share photos online.
While Photoshop is designed for trained professionals, Adobe says Photoshop Express, which it launched in a "beta" test version, is easier to learn. User comments will be taken into account for future upgrades.

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Best way to control the price of a highly desired product is to claim it is scarce.


Scientists have known for many years that oil is not a fossil fuel. Recent reports have revealed that.





The Peak Oil Deception: Squeezing Energy for Profit


While energy needs are set to grow inexorably for the next decades, production of hydrocarbon fuels is being throttled down to a trickle. The resulting shortage finds us - the consumers of energy - at a distinct disadvantage. We are paying the price for not paying attention.


The Peak Oil scenario was first announced in 1956 by a petroleum geologist - M. King Hubbert - who was at the time working for the Shell Oil company. Hubbert's prediction was that oil production would peak in the US between 1965 and 1970 and that internationally, the peak of production would be reached around the year 2000. Hubbert's peak, as the inexorable winding down of oil production has also been named, is universally recognized as a threatening reality, but is the theory based on actual physical principles?


Peak Oil artificial?


My argument is that there is no actual physical shortage of

hydrocarbons. There is indeed a drop in oil extraction, but it seems

that this is more a forced reduction of output, rather than a

consequence of having exhausted liquid hydrocarbons as a resource.




Google: "oil not a fossil fuel"


Oil Geopolitics


More interesting links on FreeEnergyNews


Truth will Set you Free?


I don't know about that, we are locked into our suppliers and this government and the war they started to control Iraq's oil. The control is succeeding, it is practically shut down.


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by Sheila Grissett and Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune, Thursday March 20, 2008, 9:06 PM

Recent heavy rains in the Midwest, combined with the last melting winter snows, will swell the Mississippi River to an expected crest at 16.5 feet in New Orleans by April 9, high enough to place local emergency officials on guard for potential river levee problems.


The crest will be about half a foot below the point designated as official flood stage at the Carrollton gauge in New Orleans, although a combination of levees and floodwalls protects the city to 20 feet at that location.


Hydrologists with the National Weather Service's Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center in Slidell warned Thursday that, although no rain is forecast in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys in the next few days, if heavy rains fall in that area during the next three weeks it could push the river even higher in New Orleans.


"Once it gets to 16 feet, we start getting a little worried," said Bob Turner, regional executive director of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East, after briefing the authority Thursday.




At least this time, the Times-Picaune is not trivializing the threat to New Orleans. I refer to the terrible flood of 1927, which led to the policies which deal with the river, levees, and other 'protections'.


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How did I ever miss this?
Amazon has gone beyond BookSurge to help authors publish and sell on their site!

CreateSpace, an Amazon Business, Launches Books on Demand Self-Publishing Service for Authors
–Also announces free online setup for books, CDs and DVDs–

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. – August 8, 2007 – CreateSpace, part of the Amazon.com, Inc. group of companies (NASDAQ: AMZN), today announced the launch of a new online Books on Demand service. Also announced today, the company is no longer charging setup fees for books, audio CDs and DVDs. Authors, filmmakers and musicians can now offer their works to millions of customers on Amazon.com, CreateSpace.com and via their own free customizable eStore without any inventory, setup fees or minimum orders.

"The new CreateSpace Books on Demand service removes substantial economic barriers and makes it really easy for authors who want to self-publish their books and distribute them on Amazon.com," said Jeff Wilke, senior vice president, North American Retail, Amazon.com. "The service will also give millions of Amazon customers access to an even greater selection of books, just as CreateSpace's DVD and CD on Demand services are adding significant selection to our movie and music catalogs."

Books on Demand works the same way as CreateSpace's DVD and CD on Demand offerings. CreateSpace books sold on Amazon.com are printed on demand, display "in stock" availability on Amazon.com and can be shipped within 24 hours from when they are ordered. The books are automatically eligible for Search Inside!™, Amazon Prime™, Super Saver Shipping™ and other Amazon.com programs as well.

"I've been using the CreateSpace DVD on Demand service since the company was founded in 2002. I am now selling 15 DVDs on Amazon.com published on demand and I've been looking for a similar print-on-demand option to self-publish my book, Radiant Source," said Jeremy Corbell. "Books on Demand is just as easy to use as the other CreateSpace services – I just uploaded my files, purchased my proof copy, and within days I was selling my book, along with my DVDs, on Amazon.com."

There are no setup fees or minimum orders for the CreateSpace on-demand service. Members are required to purchase and approve a proof copy of their book, CD, and/or DVD before titles can be produced on demand. Books published via the CreateSpace Books on Demand service are printed with high-quality, full-color paperback covers. Black-and-white or color interiors in multiple trim sizes can be selected as options. Members can also order high-quality copies of their book, DVD or CD at competitive wholesale prices.

For more information on CreateSpace, please visit www.createspace.com. For more information on the CreateSpace Books on Demand service, please go to www.createspace.com/BooksOnDemand.
CreateSpace - On-Demand Self Publishing, DVD on Demand, CD on Demand, Books on Demand, DVD Duplication and DVD Replication

Have any of you heard about this? Or any have used this CreateSpace? Mostly they have been doing musical CDs and video DVDs.

René O'Deay

How did I ever miss this?
Amazon has gone beyond BookSurge to help authors publish and sell on their site!

CreateSpace, an Amazon Business, Launches Books on Demand Self-Publishing Service for Authors
–Also announces free online setup for books, CDs and DVDs–

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. – August 8, 2007 – CreateSpace, part of the Amazon.com, Inc. group of companies (NASDAQ: AMZN), today announced the launch of a new online Books on Demand service. Also announced today, the company is no longer charging setup fees for books, audio CDs and DVDs. Authors, filmmakers and musicians can now offer their works to millions of customers on Amazon.com, CreateSpace.com and via their own free customizable eStore without any inventory, setup fees or minimum orders.

"The new CreateSpace Books on Demand service removes substantial economic barriers and makes it really easy for authors who want to self-publish their books and distribute them on Amazon.com," said Jeff Wilke, senior vice president, North American Retail, Amazon.com. "The service will also give millions of Amazon customers access to an even greater selection of books, just as CreateSpace's DVD and CD on Demand services are adding significant selection to our movie and music catalogs."

Books on Demand works the same way as CreateSpace's DVD and CD on Demand offerings. CreateSpace books sold on Amazon.com are printed on demand, display "in stock" availability on Amazon.com and can be shipped within 24 hours from when they are ordered. The books are automatically eligible for Search Inside!™, Amazon Prime™, Super Saver Shipping™ and other Amazon.com programs as well.

"I've been using the CreateSpace DVD on Demand service since the company was founded in 2002. I am now selling 15 DVDs on Amazon.com published on demand and I've been looking for a similar print-on-demand option to self-publish my book, Radiant Source," said Jeremy Corbell. "Books on Demand is just as easy to use as the other CreateSpace services – I just uploaded my files, purchased my proof copy, and within days I was selling my book, along with my DVDs, on Amazon.com."

There are no setup fees or minimum orders for the CreateSpace on-demand service. Members are required to purchase and approve a proof copy of their book, CD, and/or DVD before titles can be produced on demand. Books published via the CreateSpace Books on Demand service are printed with high-quality, full-color paperback covers. Black-and-white or color interiors in multiple trim sizes can be selected as options. Members can also order high-quality copies of their book, DVD or CD at competitive wholesale prices.

For more information on CreateSpace, please visit www.createspace.com. For more information on the CreateSpace Books on Demand service, please go to www.createspace.com/BooksOnDemand.
CreateSpace - On-Demand Self Publishing, DVD on Demand, CD on Demand, Books on Demand, DVD Duplication and DVD Replication

Have any of you heard about this? Or any have used this CreateSpace? Mostly they have been doing musical CDs and video DVDs.

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