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A Textbook Case
This is what the professor had to say about bundles:
"Bundles are one way the textbook publishers really try to make money -- it's quite sneaky, actually. I was at a convention and was checking out the textbooks. For the text that I am required to use, the publisher was offering what looked to be a really cool atlas that could be bundled with the text. I asked how much it would cost the students, and they said, 'It's free, we don't charge at all for it!' I was very excited about getting a deal for my students, and in fact took some extra copies of the atlas home to share with the other professors in my department. ... But then it hit me. The bundle would have a different ISBN, and that would mean the bookstore would not stock used copies! What a sneaky way for the textbook publisher to stop students from buying used copies! (Plus, I took some time to look at the atlas more thoroughly, and it was actually based on data from 1998.) ... I would personally welcome a law that required textbook publishers to make it easier for professors to know the prices of books, it would save me a lot of hassle!"
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OK, get busy e-mailing your legislators!
New Post Column Coming
You may know that several long-time Washington Post columnists have retired -- Al Crenshaw and Don Oldenburg, to name just a couple.
At least you still have me -- and for a long time. I've got three small rug rats to send to college.
But there's another columnist coming soon. Martha Hamilton, a longtime Post reporter and editor, will be starting a column in September on financial planning for retirement. It'll be designed to help individuals who are increasingly expected to provide for their own retirement through savings plans.
Hamilton is now looking for folks who are about to turn 30 and who would be willing to talk to her on the record about their finances. She wants to know what you've done, if anything, to start saving for retirement. You have to be willing to have your full names used in the newspaper and to speak in detail about your finances. In return for putting all your business out there, experts in financial planning would assess what you have done and what you need to do.
Anyone who is interested in participating can call Hamilton at 202-334 6166 or e-mail her at hamiltonm@washpost.com.
So You want to Be on TV?
In the last several weeks I've been searching for residents of the Washington metro area willing to share their personal stories on my television show "Singletary Says," which airs on TV One.
Well, I'm still looking for guests. Here are just some of the guests or families I'm looking for:
