Why I'm no longer promoting Bernie Sanders
Back before the primary season got going — before anyone had even declared — I decided that this year I would write in Elizabeth Warren in the democratic primary and then vote for Hillary in the...
View ArticleAMA about the Healthcare Marketplace
While researching my latest book, I've spent a lot of time reading about the healthcare marketplace (aka the exchange). Surprisingly, even with the exchanges opening on Tuesday, it seems like most...
View ArticleBook review: Double Down - Game Change 2012
In early October 2012, things seemed to be going very well indeed for Mitt Romney. He faced an unpopular incumbent presiding over a still-lethargic economy. He had access to a staggering amount of...
View ArticlePublishing ebooks, part I: Promotion
Since summer 2012, I've published three Kindle books on Amazon; they make enough to pay for a meal out once or twice a month. In October 2013, I had, by far, my best month ever, with 88 sales. This...
View ArticlePublishing ebooks, part II: Pricing
Ebook prices are all over the map, from free into hundreds of dollars. For independent publishers, however, Amazon has set the standard: for the highest return, books shall be priced at between $2.99...
View ArticleSix Amendments: How and Why We Should Change the Constitution: A Review
In the wake of the unprecedented level of gerrymandering that followed the 2010 elections, as well as the Supreme Court’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act and campaign finance laws, it has become very...
View ArticleA Fighting Chance by Elizabeth Warren: a review
I don't usually read a lot of autobiographies, but I'm a fan of Elizabeth Warren and I've heard good things about this book, so I decided to give it a try. I figured I'd start on it this weekend and...
View ArticleHealthcare Exchange rates are available now
Just for fun, I went to healthcare.gov and put in a household income of $30k (not my actual income) for two adults, both age 34, no children, and got plans starting at $24/month after the subsidy....
View ArticlePreparing for Retirement, Part I: the 401(k)
Every so often here, there's a diary discussing how terrible the 401(k) is. These diaries inevitably bring up some good points, such as how the average worker is underpaid (true) and financially...
View ArticlePreparing for Retirement, Part II: Running the Numbers
So you're convinced that you need to be funding your 401(k) (if not, go read Part I). But how much should you invest?Well, that's an easy one. You should invest as much as possible.Ok, that's not...
View ArticlePreparing for Retirement, Part III: Lower Risk, Higher Return
In part I of this series, I recommended putting your 401(k) savings into an index fund (or more likely, a target date fund that gradually shifts assets from an index fund into bonds). In part II, I ran...
View ArticlePreparing for Retirement, Part IV: Social Security
So far we've talked about the parts of retirement saving most under your control: the 401(k) and IRA. Now let's turn our attention to what, for most people, will be a major part of their retirement:...
View ArticleWhy I'm no longer promoting Bernie Sanders
Back before the primary season got going — before anyone had even declared — I decided that this year I would write in Elizabeth Warren in the democratic primary and then vote for Hillary in the...
View ArticleHow to write (and self-publish) a book, part 1: What to write
I always wanted to write a novel.There have been a few things stopping me. First, although I used to write for magazines I generally am a horribly slow writer. Second, I absolutely hate either reading...
View ArticleHow to write (and self-publish) a book, part 2: Getting ready to publish
Congratulations! You’ve written a book! ...now what?The first thing to do (after celebrating, of course) is to put it down and walk away. It’s been said that the first draft of anything is crap. I...
View ArticleHow to write (and self-publish) a book, part 3: Making your book available
When it comes to selling books (particularly ebooks) in the United States, there are two categories: Amazon, and everybody else.It’s been estimated that Amazon controls around 2/3 of the ebook market...
View ArticleHow to write (and self-publish) a book, part 4: Telling people about your book
You’ve written a book. Gotten it edited. Come up with a fantastic cover. Made it available for sale.Congratulations!Now, how do you get people to buy it?As difficult as it can be to write a book, it’s...
View ArticleHow to write (and self-publish) a book, part 5: Realistic expectations
We’ve all heard the stories of people who self-publish their first book and become instant millionaires. And of course, everyone knows how Harry Potter was rejected a dozen times before the series went...
View ArticleA Fighting Chance by Elizabeth Warren: a review
I don't usually read a lot of autobiographies, but I'm a fan of Elizabeth Warren and I've heard good things about this book, so I decided to give it a try. I figured I'd start on it this weekend and...
View ArticleHealthcare Exchange rates are available now
Just for fun, I went to healthcare.gov and put in a household income of $30k (not my actual income) for two adults, both age 34, no children, and got plans starting at $24/month after the subsidy....
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