Mutts Of The World Unite!

The wife and I enjoyed watching the Westminster Dog Show the past few nights. However the thought occurred to me that they only show dogs of rich people. The 1% that everyone is occupying and demanding more tax revenue from them. However the other 99% of the country have dogs that are considered unsuitable for consideration because they are not part of one of the 186 dog “Master Races”.

Yes I am talking about those dogs we all had growing up and enjoyed greatly (a lot of people I know still do) as part of the outcast breed commonly known as “Mutt”.

Now as a disclaimer I must admit I am more of a cat person, being the second son my older brother claimed the dog, but that doesn't keep me from liking and appreciating dogs in any way shape or form.

Also I am not presently a dog owner, as when I got married 6 years ago I was animal less and my wife is a proud owner of a “Lemon Crested Green Amazonian Parrot”. Regretfully this creature is very jealous and would not allow any other animals in the house (unless they were there first that is).

However it seems to me that USA channel and other stations should jump on the bandwagon of the popularity of the Westminster and other high faluting dog shows and produce one for the rest of society.

The categories could be similar, although they might need a little tweaking to fit the entrants.

For example (keeping in mind the 7 categories used by the AKC):

1. Sporting – Dogs that chase sticks, tennis balls, Frisbees etc. when thrown by the owner/handler.
2. Non-Sporting – Dogs that ignore any of the above, and possibly run the wrong direction.
3. Working – Guide Dogs, Rescue Dogs, Watch Dogs, etc., as well as dogs used as companions for terminally ill children and the like.
4. Herding – Dogs that chase after all the little varmints (squirrels, rabbits, door to door salespeople) and run them up a tree or into bushes.
5. Terrier(ish)- Well let's face it most of what we call “Mutts” have some Terrier ancestory in their family tree.
6. Hound – Well these would include any of the above that just won't do anything but lay around on the porch, couch, yard etc.
7. Toy – No not miniatures, but actually stuffed and robotic toys. This category would be open to children only.

The proceeds raised would of course be donated to various shelters and humane societies etc. In fact the winner would have a donation made in their name to a shelter of their choice.

I am open to anyone who would like to help fund and donate to this cause and I would be open to help organize this. Let me know what you think.

Mahalo.

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Rens' real name is Michael Rener who is a freelance writer, computer programmer and author of numerous business and self help books as well as a number of novels.

His web site is : http://www.renspubhouse.netii.net .

This is just one of 4 blogs he updates regularly.

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A Day At The Library

An afternoon at the Rochester Minnesota library can be very interesting.

Being a very avid bibliophile, a library is my sanctuary. The knowledge one can assimilate, if they just open their minds to it, is unlimited. Whatever you want to know, you can find reference and other material to help you learn.

Libraries are definitely one of the top five inventions of all times.

However regretfully this public resource is woefully underutilized, and there are actually people who feel that they are a waste of money and should be shut down. Can you believe that? But that is a rant for another day.

The library here in town is about a little over 2 miles from our house and the wife and I gladly walk down for the exercise. We like to peruse the magazines and pick various written material, audio books and movies for our enjoyment. Sometimes I bring down a computer and do my writing and other business stuff using the freely available WiFi.

First a little background info. Rochester MN is a town of around 90-100k. The main claim to fame is being the Headquarters of the Mayo Clinic which employs most of the people. The other main company in town is the IBM plant where they develop and build their minis like the AS400 and its successors. The population is very diverse in every way possible. So there is a lot of interesting and varied things going on all the time.

The library sits at the eastern end of 2^nd Street, where it meets Civic Drive. We like to sit in the comfy easy chairs along the second story windows which overlook the government center and Mayo Civic Center. To add to the scene, the Zumbro River snakes its way through town at this point.

This is at the Eastern end of the second floor where the magazines and newspapers, as well as the new nonfiction selections are located. The easy chairs line and curve along the open widowed area, and behind them are tables where people can write or use their computers or whatever. There are also a few chairs away from the windows.

It is fund to watch the people scurrying along and the pigeons roosting and many times amassing on top of the Government center while leafing through a magazine or deciding if a book is worth the effort to take it home.

But the real fun is the people watching.

That of course means giving up our seats and moving to a set that is more towards the interior of the section, but still in the same basic area.

Of course the windowed area are the most popular and one finds that these fill up very fast and are almost always fully populated. Well that is they are set in pairs and often a single person will sit in one and it gives them a buffer against others sitting next to them.

Yes the interactions of the people do get my interest. I mean the people one sees are basically the same, yet they act as if the others don't really exist except as barriers to sit in their favorite seats.

Now I am a friendly person and say hello or nod to anyone I see that is even remotely familiar. But this action sometimes gets me weird results.

Oh we do get the usual combination of those who think the library is their personal bedroom and can just sleep wherever they want. There are also the clueless who talk loudly on the phone, usually complaining about a lack of privacy or how people can be so rude.

Also a lot of students utilize the semiprivate desks for their studies between classes at the UofM-R.

For instance there is this one older gentlemen who looks very much the bookish type who is always looking around in a very paranoid manner. He clutches his books and personal bags as if everyone there is out to get him and steal his tuperware of eggs.

Then there is one guy who likes to talk to, well anyone. He feels if you are there you must be a lonely old sot like him and therefore are only there to talk to strangers, as you, like him, have no friends.

Then there is one lady who is always complaining how nobody cares and everyone is against her, often causing a librarian to come and ask her to leave.

Then there are the Goth Black Overcoat Army, as my wife likes to call them. They tend to hang around the Graphic Novel section, all in their oversized black overcoats looking like death warmed over. But they are harmless,or at least they don't bother anyone else.

Of course in the movie section, there is always one person who is so inconsiderate that he or she, bangs the plastic holders so loud that one can feel the vibration coming off the racks.

I mean c'mon you can look through these things with a bit more care. It's as if they want someone to pay attention to them and show they are watching a movie. Maybe they are trying to find a date or someone to watch the movie with them? A fellow inconsiderate slob maybe?

You also have the regular people scurrying in and out at their lunchtimes picking up their reserved books and the like, so not all is lost to the freaks I believe.

Now I am sure a lot of these same people who see me and the wife regularly have opinions as to who or what we are, but you know I really don't care.

To quote Popeye:

“I yam what I yam and dat's all that I yam”.

Use the library people, read, research, have fun, learn and stay educated.

Mahalo.

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Rens' real name is Michael Rener who is a freelance writer, computer programmer and author of numerous business and self help books as well as a number of novels.

His web site is : http://www.renspubhouse.netii.net .

This is just one of 4 blogs he updates regularly.

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How To Tell if You Are A Tea Party Republican

I have a lot of friends who are confused. They are definitely brainwashed by the liberal left and their propaganda machines CNN, MSNBC and The New York Times amongst other major newspapers. Of course all these media outlets claim they are fair and open, but alas they are just as FOX News when it comes to skewing the news to fit an agenda.

SO to clarify for the closed minded liberals (sorry for being redundant here, but alas that is the only way to get through those thick Neanderthal foreheads of the liberal left), I will give you a list of true Tea Party Characteristics.

You know you are a Tea Party Republican if:

• You believe in the rights of individuals, and individual freedoms over special rights for groups.
• You care about your family.
• You care about your community.
• You care about other people.
• You believe in and take personal responsibility for your own actions.
• You believe that all able bodied adults should be and are responsible for their own actions.
• You want government out of your house and personal affairs.
• You itemize, but still want to pay your fair share of taxes, but not overpay.
• You are for programs that help the truly needy, but don't believe in helping the lazy.
• You take people of all races, creeds, colors, genders, religions, etc. at face value and treat them one on one as individuals instead of expecting them to behave as stereotypes because they belong to a “Political Correctness Group”.
• You realize that the term “Political Correctness” was invented by a certain government in the 1930's Germany and used as a reason to justify the Holocaust. It was later used by the American South and South African governments as the basis for their racial policies after WWII.
• You accept all religions and let people worship and show their devotions openly, not demanding that they take down displays because you are so closed minded as not being able to accept others people being happy.
• You don't accept junk science as real, instead you dig for the truth through multiple and diverse sources.
• You don't blindly accept any political dogma.
• You treat other people with respect.
• You just shrug your shoulders and laugh when one tries to label you as they aren't open minded enough to realize people are complex and can have many differing views and opinions about, well, really just about everything and anything.
• You are so sick of the talking heads of all persuasions as they are the ones dividing the country. Yes the right and left are equally guilty of this and no one (well except me of course) has a monopoly on the truth.
• You just laugh and wonder about the maturity when liberals use bigoted gay slurs to describe the want for freedom.
• You invite all and are not only open to, but actually celebrate the diversity of peoples on this planet.
• You care about the future of the planet and know the truth and act accordingly to help clean it up.
• You don't really pay attention to party labels. If the political candidate shares your values, you vote for her or him regardless.

I now a lot of people are going to cry foul or call this a bunch of lies, but that is because of the brainwashing they allowed themselves to accept. But this is the real truth behind the movement, not what the press wants you to believe.

So if you are in fact a true human being that is open minded you are welcome. If you are closed indeed and offended by people being individuals, well come around anyway and maybe you'll get better.

Mahalo.

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Rens' real name is Michael Rener who is a freelance writer, computer programmer and author of numerous business and self help books as well as a number of novels.

His web site is : http://www.renspubhouse.netii.net .

This is just one of 4 blogs he updates regularly.

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Those Darn Government Employees

The United States Government is running record deficits but, according to President Obama, not because of financing multiple wars and other “police actions” throughout the world as well as overbloated entitlement programs for the rich donors and supporters of the President and Congress.

But the true culprits (according to the President yesterday) are all the cheap t-shirts and coffee mugs given to employees as recognition gifts.

 Yes it is the little coffee mug that is given out for recognition of a job well done that is causing the record deficits. Yes lets cut those out and all will be rosy and the deficit will disappear. Maybe its because they are doing their jobs well and embarrassing the President and his crony entitlement centric incompetent cabinet?

 Yes blame the office workers who are dealing with the common people trying to make sense of the massive confusing unintelligible executive orders or 10,000 page legislation that has been coming out of congress. No it's the low level clerk's fault for accepting a token of recognition for doing a good job.

It is the low level employee's fault for showing up and doing their job well. It is the low level employee's fault that the President and the cabinet hand out multi million dollar grants to their cronies and duplicate cabinet posts with “Czars” that do nothing but suck money out of the treasury. We have a Department of Energy, Department of Education, etc.,so why do we need an “Energy Czar” or a special “Education Czar” who are appointed by the President and is unaccountable to Congress or the people?

That is what the Cabinet Secretaries are for. If they can't do their jobs, then they shouldn't be in the cabinet. Oh wait the powers that be told the President in order to get their support they have to put this ally or wife of theirs into these positions.

 Get real people the problem isn't on Wall Street, the Banking system or the corporations, but in Washington DC where the elite are stealing YOUR money and laughing at you as they enjoy their lives while setting the people off against each other by mucking the waters with their class, sexual and race warfare.

 Wake up people and really get involved in protecting your freedom before any more are taken away by the larcenous meglomaniacal corrupt politicians calling themselves your President and Congress. 

Mahalo.
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 Rens' real name is Michael Rener who is a freelance writer, computer programmer and author of numerous business and self help books as well as a number of novels. His web site is : http://www.renspubhouse.netii.net . This is just one of 4 blogs he updates regularly. *********************************************************************

How To Cure The BCS Mess

Here we are again at the beginning of the College Football season and all the talking heads are hopping mad at how the champion is selected. Every year they start the season complaining, but what do they actually accomplish? Nothing. Do any of these talking heads offer up a realistic alternative to the BCS? Not a chance, They all talk about a playoff, but they are very fuzzy about the details as to how to carry it out in a fair and just manner. I propose a plan to cure this mess.

The Rener Plan offers up a 16 teams playoff system that takes into consideration all the arguments for and against the present system, to include preserving the tradition of Bowl Games.

The current system is called the “BCS” (Bowl Championship Series) and it uses two human opinion polls and runs data through 5 computers to determine rankings. At the end of the year the top 2 teams meet in a special bowl game called the “BCS Championship Game”. The system was put into place in 1998. Before this system went into place the national Champion was determined by just the 2 opinion polls. One poll was made up of sports writers from around the country, the other of the coaches of all the Division 1 (as it was called then) schools. Whoever was number one in either or both polls (yes there have been times there were split results) was declared the National Champion.

Of course there was lots of gnashing of teeth and wailing and accusations of cheating and favor granting, so the college presidents got together to develop the BCS. As it stands right now there are 6 conferences that participate, with occasional “at large” bid going to any school outside of these conferences (there are 11 conferences in the division 1A, or the FBS as it is called now), that goes undefeated in their regular season. But only if there aren't 10 teams to fill out the 5 BCS bowls (Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, BCS Championship Game, with each bowl rotating to host the Championship game).

The opponents of the BCS system want an expanded playoff system like they have in the other Divisions (Division 1AA, II, III, etc.). They all claim they want an 8-10 team playoff. The problem is that no one ever states how these seedings are to be made. If we go to just the human polls, then we're back to the old broken system of favor granting and biases. If we use the current BCS system to determine the seedings, then why not just keep this system as it gives us the top 2 and they play anyway, so why waste time and money.

The opponents to the playoff systems claim the players will be away from school for finals week, and that the bowl structure will be hurt and a lot of lesser schools will be denied playing in bowl games (for which the schools and conferences gets money from the sponsors for showing up). They also love the arguing and debates over the ambiguity the present system creates.

So what is the solution? Well I have one that will please everyone.

I call it “The Rener Plan”.

First of all we keep the current system for ranking teams, as this will become important later. Since there are 2 human polls we get input from those emotional intangibles that can't be measured by numbers. We also have the benefit of the non-emotional computer rankings based upon the raw numbers, yards, wins, opponent records, strength of schedule, etc.

Next we cut out 1 or 2 meaningless early games and limit the teams to 10-11 games instead of the 12-13 they play now. This will end the season, including Conference Championship games to the weekend before Thanksgiving.

We set up a 16 team playoff, using BCS rankings. Included in this is all 11 of the champions from the FBS conferences, and 5 “At-Large” teams.

The first round would take place the weekend of Thanksgiving (or the week after if you wish), using 8 of the present “Minor Bowl Games” as the sites of these opening round games (the sites can be rotated on a yearly basis). The second round would be played at 4 more of these “Minor Bowl Games” (again rotated yearly). This will bring about the final 4 teams at the same time the current bowl bids go out. The remaining bowls can then choose from the remaining teams as they wish and play their games in the normal rotation between December 20th – January 2nd.

The final 4 teams will play the “Semi Finals” on January 1st using 2 of the current BCS bowls as the sites (rotating on a yearly basis as the current championship game does now), and the Final Championship Game will be played January 8th (as it now stands).

What this does is to placate those who love the bowl system, worry about academics/injuries and want a playoff. It also allows all the schools to participate.

Sure the first few years the “smaller” conferences might not give a good showing, but t does allow for a “Cinderella” team to manifest (who doesn't cheer for the Cinderella during March Madness). But since these teams are now in the running, the weekly games on ESPN will be more enticing to the casual viewers as they will want to watch for a Cinderella to show up. This means more money from advertisers as ratings increase for these non-Saturday games. Talent would start to even out as players will be more willing to go to these non-traditional schools as now they will know they will be on TV and a chance to showcase themselves in a possible National Championship Game. They will get better and the games will even themselves out over time.

Oh yea for those who love the ambiguity and arguing that goes along with College Football, well there's always the 6th team that should have gotten an “At-Large Bid” to concern themselves with (ala March Madness arguments about snubs).

I feel this is a fair and equitable way to choose teams for a playoff system. It leaves no one out and there is something for everyone.

Come back next week for more tips, tricks, techniques and rants.

Mahalo.



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http://www.renspubhouse.netii.net/services.html

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Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

There are no guarantees.

You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent. There are too many possible outcomes, which your really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight.

Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

Take the risk: decide.

Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life. But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:

Get as many information as you can about your situation.

You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

Identify and create options.

What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

Weigh the pros and cons of every option.

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.

Trust yourself and make that decision.

Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.


Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.


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Rens' real name is Michael Rener who is a freelance writer, computer programmer and author of numerous business and self help books as well as a number of novels.

His web site is : http://www.renspubhouse.netii.net .

This is just one of 3 blogs he updates regularly.

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It's time to start a Healthy life

The media is pounding us these days with all kinds of fad diets, strange workout routines and diabolical looking workout equipment. But with all these ads being forced upon us why are we also hearing doomsday news reports (from these same sources) about the “Obesity Crisis”? Perhaps it is just a marketing ploy as they are making their money selling all these strange programs/equipment/routines. Or maybe it is just another way the government is overreaching and interfering with our lives to distract us from the bad job they are doing running the country.

Yes it is always easier to shout about a made up problem than to actual fix the problems one started in the first place (but that's a rant for another day).

Being healthy and fit helps a person enjoy their life better. They feel like doing things to keep their life interesting, they feel sexier and therefore increase their self esteem. Also one spends a lot less on pills, drugs and other avoidable health care costs related to problems of an unfit life.

How many times have you gone to sleep at night, swearing you'll go to the gym in the morning, and then changing your mind just eight hours later because when you get up, you don't feel like exercising?

While this can happen to the best of us, it doesn't mean you should drop the ball altogether when it comes to staying fit. What people need to realize is that staying active and eating right are critical for long-term health and wellness -- and that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The more you know about how your body responds to your lifestyle choices, the better you can customize a nutrition and exercise plan that is right for you. When you eat well, increase your level of physical activity, and exercise at the proper intensity, you are informing your body that you want to burn a substantial amount of fuel. This translates to burning fat more efficiently for energy.

In other words, proper eating habits plus exercise equals fast metabolism, which, in turn gives you more energy throughout the day and allows you to do more physical work with less effort.

The true purpose of exercise is to send a repetitive message to the body asking for improvement in metabolism, strength, aerobic capacity and overall fitness and health. Each time you exercise, your body responds by upgrading its capabilities to burn fat throughout the day and night, Exercise doesn't have to be intense to work for you, but it does need to be consistent.

I recommend engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise four times per week for 20 to 30 minutes per session, and resistance training four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session. This balanced approach provides a one-two punch, incorporating aerobic exercise to burn fat and deliver more oxygen, and resistance training to increase lean body mass and burn more calories around the block.

Here's a sample exercise program that may work for you:

* Warm Up -- seven to eight minutes of light aerobic activity intended to increase blood flow and lubricate and warm-up your tendons and joints.

* Resistance Training -- Train all major muscle groups. One to two sets of each exercise. Rest 45 seconds between sets.

* Aerobic Exercise -- Pick two favorite activities, they could be jogging, rowing, biking or cross-country skiing, whatever fits your lifestyle. Perform 12 to 15 minutes of the first activity and continue with 10 minutes of the second activity. Cool down during the last five minutes.

* Stretching -- Wrap up your exercise session by stretching, breathing deeply, relaxing and meditating.

When starting an exercise program, it is important to have realistic expectations. Depending on your initial fitness level, you should expect the following changes early on.

* From one to eight weeks -- Feel better and have more energy.

* From two to six months -- Lose size and inches while becoming leaner. Clothes begin to fit more loosely. You are gaining muscle and losing fat.

* After six months -- Start losing weight quite rapidly.

Once you make the commitment to exercise several times a week, don't stop there. You should also change your diet and/or eating habits. Counting calories or calculating grams and percentages for certain nutrients is impractical. Instead, I suggest these easy-to-follow guidelines:

* Eat several small meals (optimally four) and a couple of small snacks throughout the day

* Make sure every meal is balanced -- incorporate palm-sized proteins like lean meats, fish, egg whites and dairy products, fist-sized portions of complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread and pasta, wild rice, multigrain cereal and potatoes, and fist-sized portions of vegetable and fruits

* Limit your fat intake to only what's necessary for adequate flavor

* Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water throughout the day

* I also recommend that you take a multi-vitamin each day to ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

I suppose that's all I can think of for now. I should extend my thanks to a doctor friend of mine. Without him, I wouldn't be able to write this article, or keep my sanity.

Enjoy life, we all deserve it.



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Rens' real name is Michael Rener who is a freelance writer, computer programmer and author of numerous business, and self help books as well as a number of novels.



His web site is : http://www.renspubhouse.netii.net .



This is just one of 3 blogs he updates regularly.



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