This book, Volume I, contains true short stories from the real world as experienced and seen through the eyes of the author. Its purpose is to share many of this life's lessons which accentuate thinking and thought production of the reader. Within these contents, there are true stories with which readers can relate, i.e., there is something for nearly everyone. By the time most of us have reached the latter part of our lives, we have experienced and seen things which can be helpful to those whom have not reached our ages. This book is a learning tool. Between these covers, you will find stories which deal with politics, power, pettiness, ethics, morality, spirituality, legal and illegal behaviors and practices with which we are all faced on a frequent basis. It is the intention of this author for this work to be helpful to those who follow. Even before my teens, something drew me to older people. Somehow I knew that they were aware of things which could be helpful to me. Most of the time, when I paid attention to their advice and instruction, I was able to learn how to avoid making the mistakes they had experienced before me.

This is a nonfiction book which addresses the exploitation of adjunct faculty and the higher education system. The term "academic sharecroppers" is used synonymously with the nomenclature "adjunct faculty" because of the minimal financial and other support given to adjunct faculty by institutions of higher learning. This book is a result of the research, personal observations, and experiences of an academic sharecropper that spans nearly three decades. The issues of what is right, just, and fair are addressed relative to the failure of the academic system to properly recognize and reward adjunct faculty-academic sharecroppers. This book maintains that ethical and moral breaches by administrators in the higher education industry needs to be addressed at the societal level. Chapter one is titled "This Is the Way It Is-Believe It or Not" because of the outrageous exploitation of academic sharecroppers, students, and the general public. Chapter two is concerned with the issue of outsourcing of college and university teaching, Chapter three shows that the education industry is primarily a big business which rivals the healthcare industry. The influence of sports is highlighted and discussed. The plight of the adjunct is dealt with in chapter four. Chapter five is concerned with the efficacy of online courses. Chapter six expounds on the problems with the vagaries of student grades and the games people play. Chapter seven examines the issue of Student Faculty Evaluations (SFEs). Chapter eight provides insight into the administrative incompetence and strategic bungling of administrators in higher education. Chapter nine discusses the student customer and customer student dilemma. Finally, chapter ten is comprised of a series of vignettes experienced by the author in the execution of his teaching assignments in various geographical locations, and lastly, the epilogue contains final thoughts and reflections about the higher education system.

This is the Second Edition of THE CREDIT UNION WORLD: Theory, Process, Practice--Cases & Applicaton. The First Edition was released just prior to the financial melt-down and the skyrocketing debt of the United States. As a result of the political and financial upheaval, both in the U.S. and abroad, it was imperative that a second edition be published at this time. Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac, federal government backed mortgages, have been a disaster in the mortgage and housing market, leaving home owners all over America in foreclosure, underwater, or in serious distress. Since the federal government has become so intrusive into the corporate world by taking over entire industries such as automobile factories and meddling directly into the banking industry and Wallstreet in general, these issues do effect the credit union world.

After a quarter century of serving in the credit union movement-industry by this author, this book is more comprehensive than his first book on credit unions in 1994-THE CREDIT UNION DIRECTOR: Roles, Duties, and Responsibilities. This work examines the milieu of the credit union world as related to current theory, process, and practice. In addition, fictional, composite cases provide the reader with the opportunity, through the application process, to analyze the performance and behavior of fictional credit unions and that of the reader's credit union by using the case analysis approach.

This is the Second Edition of THE CREDIT UNION WORLD: Theory, Process, Practice--Cases & Applicaton. The First Edition was released just prior to the financial melt-down and the skyrocketing debt of the United States. As a result of the political and financial upheaval, both in the U.S. and abroad, it was imperative that a second edition be published at this time. Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac, federal government backed mortgages, have been a disaster in the mortgage and housing market, leaving home owners all over America in foreclosure, underwater, or in serious distress. Since the federal government has become so intrusive into the corporate world by taking over entire industries such as automobile factories and meddling directly into the banking industry and Wallstreet in general, these issues do effect the credit union world.

This book, Volume I, contains true short stories from the real world as experienced and seen through the eyes of the author. Its purpose is to share many of this life's lessons which accentuate thinking and thought production of the reader. Within these contents, there are true stories with which readers can relate, i.e., there is something for nearly everyone. By the time most of us have reached the latter part of our lives, we have experienced and seen things which can be helpful to those whom have not reached our ages. This book is a learning tool. Between these covers, you will find stories which deal with politics, power, pettiness, ethics, morality, spirituality, legal and illegal behaviors and practices with which we are all faced on a frequent basis. It is the intention of this author for this work to be helpful to those who follow. Even before my teens, something drew me to older people. Somehow I knew that they were aware of things which could be helpful to me. Most of the time, when I paid attention to their advice and instruction, I was able to learn how to avoid making the mistakes they had experienced before me.

This is a ten-year collection of poems (1999-2009), thirty-four in all, with each being preceded by a preamble. It is a poetic story about a man and a woman who found love late in life, when neither was looking for a lasting relationship, because both had essentially given up finding that "someone special" with whom to share their intimate dreams and hopes. They both had ongoing relationships which had escaped rainbows from the heart, and neither of them were as happy as they wanted and needed to be. It all began so innocently, resulting from perhaps serendipity or possibly even divine preordination. It was an encounter in a work environment by two graduate professors who, until then, were complete strangers. It was like a film or movie about when a man meets a woman and they live happily ever after, because when their eyes met that day something happened which is inexplicable. Just ten days later, they attended a faculty meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, and their lives changed completely and gloriously. As they sat in the Atlanta Airport, waiting for the their respective flights, taking them to different places, he told her, "I know you might think this is crazy, but I think I love you." She merely smiled and said, "I knew what you were going to say, because I feel that way, too." So, the journey began, and now ten years later and their eventual marriage, they have a relationship of fairy tale proportions.

After a quarter century of serving in the credit union movement-industry by this author, this book is more comprehensive than his first book on credit unions in 1994-THE CREDIT UNION DIRECTOR: Roles, Duties, and Responsibilities. This work examines the milieu of the credit union world as related to current theory, process, and practice. In addition, fictional, composite cases provide the reader with the opportunity, through the application process, to analyze the performance and behavior of fictional credit unions and that of the reader's credit union by using the case analysis approach.

This book is about building a house in the southwestern part of the United States; though, there are many things which are in common to building a similar structure in other parts of the country. This author conducted two years of research before embarking upon such a venture. Additionally, for the following nine months, I filmed and photographed all aspects of the task of building the structure, including performing many tasks myself. Yet, despite that, it quickly became obvious that those who plan to either be an owner-builder or have a house built by others, need a book like this, because it is truly an eye-opener. In fact, it is a practical guide which provides the reader with invaluable information about the process to be followed (contained within are many images/illustrations to help the prospective house owner). The book examines best construction practices while exposing shoddy workmanship, costly shortcuts of convenience, communication and coordination problems, and the use of inferior building materials. The work also discusses some of the nuances unique to building in such states as Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and even parts of California. It is the intention of this author this will help those who seek to build a southwestern house avoid many pitfalls which lie ahead; because, this is a book I wish I could have had before I began the journey. The book also contains an index and a list of Recommended Service and Product Providers. If you are about to build or have a house built, please see the last page of the book titled SPECIAL OFFER REGISTRATION, because as a purchaser of this book, once you have registered, you will have an opportunity to speak with the author byphone for consultations or exchange e-mails regarding the construction of your house.

This is a nonfiction book which addresses the exploitation of adjunct faculty and the higher education system. The term "academic sharecroppers" is used synonymously with the nomenclature "adjunct faculty" because of the minimal financial and other support given to adjunct faculty by institutions of higher learning. This book is a result of the research, personal observations, and experiences of an academic sharecropper that spans nearly three decades. The issues of what is right, just, and fair are addressed relative to the failure of the academic system to properly recognize and reward adjunct faculty-academic sharecroppers. This book maintains that ethical and moral breaches by administrators in the higher education industry needs to be addressed at the societal level. Chapter one is titled "This Is the Way It Is-Believe It or Not" because of the outrageous exploitation of academic sharecroppers, students, and the general public. Chapter two is concerned with the issue of outsourcing of college and university teaching, Chapter three shows that the education industry is primarily a big business which rivals the healthcare industry. The influence of sports is highlighted and discussed. The plight of the adjunct is dealt with in chapter four. Chapter five is concerned with the efficacy of online courses. Chapter six expounds on the problems with the vagaries of student grades and the games people play. Chapter seven examines the issue of Student Faculty Evaluations (SFEs). Chapter eight provides insight into the administrative incompetence and strategic bungling of administrators in higher education. Chapter nine discusses the student customer and customer student dilemma. Finally, chapter ten is comprised of a series of vignettes experienced by the author in the execution of his teaching assignments in various geographical locations, and lastly, the epilogue contains final thoughts and reflections about the higher education system.