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Bethesda, MD
A staunch believer in recovery, this newsletter provides consumers with the opportunity to express themselves both creatively and intellectually. We welcome your feedback! Please leave us comments :)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

COURAGE

Obama and Courage         

The definition of courage to me is the willingness to get things done on time and to be precise at what you are doing.  Obama shows a lot of courage and the willingness to get the job accomplished.  It is Congress that has to make the move and pass these bills to get things moving again.  Also the American people have to make a decision about whether Obama’s economic policy  is right for the country.  Many people think he is spending too much money, but that is no reason why Congress can’t act?  I feel myself that if the right people were in the Congress that the country would be better off today.


By Juanita M.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

BOOKSTORE

A Novel Idea

There exist three used bookstores in Montgomery County that sell used donated books and old library books.  They are located in Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Wheaton; and they are open seven days per week.  The Wheaton bookstore is the largest of the three bookstores, and it is located within the Wheaton Library.  It follows similar hours to the Wheaton Regional Library.  The Gaithersburg bookstore is the newest of the bookstores.  It went into existence just two years ago.  These bookstores are not for profit:  All proceeds go to the Montgomery County Public Libraries.  These bookstores take in more money from the sale of books than they spend on their expenses.  Expenses include employee salaries, utilities, fees for discarded books, and rent.  Since these bookstores never pay anything for their books, prices are extremely low.  Furthermore, since these bookstores are not for profit they are free to charge less than the profit maximizing price.  This also reduces the selling price of the books.  The purpose of the bookstores is not to make the largest profit possible, but instead is to provide the Montgomery County Public Libraries with funds while performing a service for Montgomery County citizens.  These bookstores utilize many volunteers to further lower expenses, therefore reducing prices, and to arrange the bookstores in the most suitable way for the customers.

These bookstores sell books of all kinds.  The two major categories of books are fiction and non-fiction.  Fiction books are divided into multiple categories including mystery, ordinary fiction, science fiction, romance, historical fiction, and classics.  These books are mostly arranged in alphabetical order by author.  Categories of non-fiction books include foreign language, science, cooking, health, religious, biography, history, computer, reference, and business.  These categories are further subdivided.  Non-fiction books are arranged by subject.  Children’s books can be found in each of the bookstores as well.  Some books are sold in sets.  Prices are generally one dollar and fifty cents for paperbacks, two dollars for large paperbacks, and three dollars for hardcover.  Some valuable books are sold at a slightly higher price.  The merchandise is sold so cheaply that dealers purchase and distribute thousands of dollars worth of books.  However, merchandise for sale is not restricted to books.  DVD’s, Cassettes, records, games, puzzles, maps, greeting cards, and C.D.’s are also available for sale.  Tapes cost one dollar per tape.  C.D.’s are sold for three dollars.  Comic books and records can be purchased for one dollar, and they have been sale priced at fifty cents in the past.

There are many reasons for a person to read including as an outlet from the hardships of life, as a means for obtaining information, as a way to improve either your vocabulary or your reading comprehension, or as a way to experience certain aspects of life when financial or other limitations prevent that person from having such experiences.  Friends of the Library is a reader’s paradise; it is well organized; has a large variety of books and other merchandise available to the public, and sells books more cheaply than any other bookstore.

By Michael K.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

MD Football

Winds of Change

The 2011 University of Maryland football season brought many changes to College Park.  After taking his teams to seven bowl games in ten years Head Coach Ralph Friedgen was unceremoniously fired after last season’s Military Bowl.  He would go out a winner in his final game with a 51-20 victory over the East Carolina Pirates.  During the offseason Randy Edsall would leave the University of Connecticut to become the Terps next head honcho.  Also, in a move that I didn’t care for he got rid of Terp Alley which I had become accustomed to attending.  This was where the team got off of two big busses that said “University of Maryland” on the side and was led by the band and cheerleaders down to the locker room to change.  It was replaced with Terp Town that features giveaways, inter-active games, and autograph sessions from other sports.   The jerseys were changed as well to put more emphasis on the word Maryland.  Coach Edsall also removed the last names from the back and put the word “Maryland” at midfield instead of “Terps.”  This year alone there could be thirty two different uniform combinations among pants, jerseys, and helmets.  The season began on Labor Day night with an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) showdown with the University of Miami Hurricanes.  For that game the Terps came out with white pants, white jerseys, and white helmets with one side red and white and the other black and gold to look like the state flag.  The jersey shoulders design matched the helmets.  In the Washington Post Sports section dated Tuesday, September 06 a columnist said that they looked like they had come out of a box of Crayolas.  The Terps would come away with a 32-24 victory in Edsall’s debut.