Letting Life Live

I remember before my third child was born, my wife was already past her 30s. As a precautionary measure, our gynecologist recommended we do a pre-natal testing called amniocentesis, or 'amnio' for short. The purpose of the tests is to determine whether there will be birth risks for pregnant women who are past their 30s. One of the key concerns was the risk of having a Down's Syndrome baby. What the tests does is to insert a needle into the uterus so as to extract out some of the liquid in the abdomen, called the amniotic fluid. The fluid will then be tested for various possible problems. It is not a dangerous procedure, but it sure makes me squirm at the thought of a needle hurting both my wife and my baby. Anyway, much to my relief then, the results came back without problems.

This story reminds me of that moment. I am not sure if I would have testified the same way as the writer here, but I sure felt encouraged that this couple acknowledged their decision bravely as the most important day of their lives. See the Hsu family photo below.

[Photo Credit: Christianity Today blog for women]

On hindsight, we should have saved the additional money. After-all, we were planning to keep the baby regardless of the test results. Probably, at that time, I was simply being too cautious and lack faith. In "her.meneutics" today, there was a blogger by the name of Ellen Hsu who were able to testify that the day they let their son live was the most important day of their lives. Entitled, "The Day We Let Our Son Live," it is a testimony that love overcomes all, including what the world defines as birth defects. It is an inspiring post on how one's faith plays a part in very important decisions.

Life when defined solely by effectiveness, efficiency and excellence can cruelly make parents choose to abort babies with ANY kinds of birth defects. Life when defined by love in Christ will love all for Christ loved all, and died for all. Some decisions may be tough. However, love triumphs over the toughest challenges.

ks

White Ribbon Campaign

Here is a link to the White Ribbon Campaign, a movement that aims to raise awareness to end men's violence against women worldwide. Each year from Nov 25th to Dec 6th, you can wear a white ribbon to register your support. I think it is a great idea. Maybe, we can also have 2 ribbons, one for women and the other for men. Perhaps, we need a 3rd ribbon, to protect children. Maybe a fourth for animals. Oops. I got carried away.



ks

Other Side of Predatory Pricing

Price is the easiest way to win or lose a customer. As the large retailers like Walmart, Amazon and Target (WAT) fights among themselves by lowering bestselling book prices among them, they also attracted the unhappiness of the American Book Association (ABA) as discussed in my previous blog post.

Apparently, not everything seems to be going for the WAT. Their strategy of low prices has backfired on them, as small retailers buy their books in bulk so that they can re-sell them for a tidy profit. Talk about entrepreneurship and opportunists. Check out the news below:

- "Amid Price War: Three Retailers Begin Rationing Books" (Wall Street Journal, Nov 2nd, 2009)
- "Book Wars come to Grinding Halt" (Vox, Oct 30th, 2009)

Allow me to apply Newton's law, that with every action, there exists an equal and opposite reaction. Likewise, with every benefit offered by the retailers, there is a corresponding cost they have to pay. That's Newtonian dynamics applied to predatory pricing.

ks

Predatory Pricing - Slow Demise of Book Publishing?

This is worrying. Big box retailers (BBR) like Walmart, Amazon and Target are pricing bestselling books at below cost (link). We need to remind all, consumers especially, that nothing is for free. Short term gains does not necessarily mean long term benefits. Alas! Our culture thinks that way. It is downright self-deception. May we look more at FAIR pricing rather than low pricing. Didn't we read that we need honest scales and balances? Fair pricing reflects that. Life is not cheap. Why should we cheapen the works of other people? See the video below, and my comments later. In my comments, I will suggest some ideas for publishers to take note of.

"Honest scales and balances are from the LORD;
all the weights in the bag are of his making." (Proverbs 16:11)

My Comments
I think we have to educate the consumer public not to become perennial 'low-cost' seekers but 'FAIR-price' minded people. This current economic climate may encourage more people to justify their purchasing decisions based on price alone. However, good or bad economic situations do not absolve us from ethical decision making. We are responsible not only to ourselves but our neighbours as well.

Though the customers may be happy with the short-term cost benefits, I wonder what damage it may cause in the long run. Will customers eventually be 'spoiled' by low pricing? BBRs' main line of business is not books. It is mass marketing of different product. They excel in getting people to buy many things in bulk, not single items.For writers and publishers, this development is downright ugly and discouraging. This is another example of big retailers using the easiest P to win marketshare: Pricing. In management studies, the marketing mix consists of 4Ps:

• Product
• Price
• Place (or distribution)
  
• Promotion

Every successful marketing campaign needs all of these components. A product is needed otherwise there is nothing tangible to offer the customer. An appropriate place is needed so that customers can easily and conveniently get what they want at distribution outlets, both online or offline. The product or service needs to be adequately promoted especially in the light of keen competition. Finally, a proper price point needs to be set so that the consumer can be enticed and persuaded to choose one over others.

Of all the 4Ps, the easiest to adjust is the price. Price alone can move mountains. Look at how certain companies have even put the word 'Price' in their corporate naming. Think "Price-Smart" supermarket, "Fair-Price," "Low-Price Foods" and so on.

The big box retailers like Walmart, Amazon and Target are rocking the publishing industry with their loss-leading pricing. The American Booksellers Association are accusing them of 'predatory pricing.' I think the ABA has a point. Consumers may be happy with the cheap books, but writing and publishing books are never cheap. Good quality books require time and investment in good research. If the book industry alone cannot sustain its long term viability, the book industry that we know now will disappear for good. Blogging and the blossoming self-publishing industry may be one answer. However, without adequate quality controls and the engagement of the traditional checks and balances of a publishing enterprise, the quality of future publishing may be compromised. We still need reputable publishing houses, with trained and professional publishers to maintain the highest publishing standards. If we cut prices without regard for the future of the industry, it is like chipping away at the roots of a tree. The higher a tree grows, the more space is needed on the ground for the roots to grow and sustain the tall structure.

Unfortunately, BBRs are not interested in books. They are interested in bringing more people into their stores, to buy more stuff. Books are but marketing gimmicks for them to achieve this end. Perhaps, what the ABA could do is to re-look at the marketing mix and play with the "Place - Distribution" component. They could:

• Limit quantities at BBRs
  
• Come up with a 'cheap' version specially for BBRs;
  
• Educate the consumer by letting them know the true cost of publishing;
  
• Legislation is a desperate move. The ABA needs to publicize other non-legislative measures more prominently so as to win over the consumer to their cause.

Predatory pricing may charm the present consumer, but it will ultimately harm the future of book publishing. That will be most tragic.

ks

Book Review - "The Misunderstood God" (Darin Hufford)

Title: The Misunderstood God (the lies religion tells us about God)
Author: Darin Hufford
Published: CA: Windblown Media, & NY: Hachette Publishing, 2009.

There are two things that caught my eye as I read this book. The first is the subtitle about religion spreading lies about God. With a cover image that resembles Michelangelo's famous "Creation of Adam" work of art, it seems like another book heading toward controversy, just like Dan Brown's work on the Da Vinci Code.The second is the publisher, Windblown Media, the company that published the bestselling book: "The Shack."

The essence of Hufford's book is that God is love. Anything that reflects the anti-thesis of love is definitely not God. Using 1 Corinthians 13 as a guide, the author breezes through 16 aspects of love and how God is to be understood. Misunderstanding God is essentially failing to see God possessing all of these attributes.

Using his extensive experience with people, Hufford begins by stating his unequivocal love for people. He then accuses preachers for tainting God's good name by making God sound the opposite of what 1 Corinthians 13 reads. He claims that some preachers use fear to put people down, instead of using love to build people up. For instance, love is patient meaning God is patient. Yet, some preachers go to the extent of scaring people into thinking that God's patience may one day run out. Hufford uses the same formula for all the 16 attributes. He first lists the lie. Then he restates God in terms of the love passage. Throughout the book, he gives the reader a generous spread of personal examples and his ministry encounters with people. He concludes by connecting the picture of God touching man through love.

My Comments
Indeed, if Hufford is correct about other preachers telling 'lies about God,' he makes himself vulnerable to accusations that he is telling 'lies about man,' particularly preachers.  In reading the book, I cannot help feeling that he has an axe to grind. In the process, he can be perceived as swinging to the other extreme, which is not good either.Hufford's book is extremely lacking in biblical exegesis. He base his entire book from an experiential beginning and uses the 1 Corinthians 13 to prove his point. Strict Bible scholars would have accused him of eisegesis (reading into the text). Indeed, the context of 1 Corinthians 13 is to mend bridges between warring factions within the Church at Corinth in the first century.

I believe the audience of the book is for groups of hurting people who needs love and encouragement, instead of multiple religious talk that appear too impersonal and harsh. I feel that the title alone is not accurate. The manuscript reads more like untangling misconceptions of man toward man, rather than man toward God. I think the subtitle is a more accurate depiction of the book's message.

The book is easy to read. It is a good reminder for man to show love and understanding toward one another in the household of faith. Unfortunately, I feel the book is too lopsided toward a lovey-dovey faith, to the point that there is also another aspect of love. Tough love as we are told like speaking the truth in love.

My Rating: 1 star out of 5.

ks

On This Day (Oct 31st)

Today is October 31st. It is a day many kids look forward to. Parents stock up candies and goodies to provide treats to little children knocking at their doors. The treat for parents and adults is to see the creative dressing some of the little ones wear. Some communities set off fireworks like what people in the UK do on Guy Fawkes Day. It is a celebration of sorts where people hand out all kinds of sweet stuff. It is a candy-paradise time for those of us with a hopeless sweet tooth. Incidentally, amid all the fun, do you know that October 31st is also significant for something else besides Halloween?

On this day in 1517, the German scholar Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of Wittenburg, Germany. Sometimes October 31st is also known as "Reformation Day." This is a significant event for those of us who familiar with the Protestant movement, which represented a breakaway from the then dominant Roman Catholic Church in West Europe. Other political events also figure though less prominently. In 1984 this day, the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. More recently in 2003, the Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohammed stepped down from the highest political post of the land of Malaysia.

Yet people tend to remember Halloween more than anything else. People celebrate simply because of fun.  Well, while I am not against fun, it will be quite a pity that in the midst of enjoying ourselves in the festivities, we forget the history. What I find particularly helpful from a Christian perspective is that October 31st is actually a preparation for All Saints Day which is held on Nov 1st. Hence. Oct 31st is also known as "All Hallowed Eve's" day. It is a day to remember some of the saints of old, especially the ones martyred for the faith. Somehow, this tradition has been mysteriously mixed up with witches, pumpkins, witchcraft and all kinds of ghastly makeup. Well, people just want to have fun. Unfortunately with the fun, they fail to remind one another enough of the sacred tradition behind All Saints Day (Nov 1st) and Reformation Day.(Oct 31st).Maybe, these events in history is not as fun as sucking a lollipop, or crunching on chocolates. Incidentally, there is a friend of mine that may not be as famous as Martin Luther, but I am sure sometimes she feels Halloween is given an unfair coverage (and attention by friends) over her birthday.  Cheer up Rosie. Happy Birthday!

Let us not forget tradition. Didn't our teachers and dentists tell us that too much candy is no good for our teeth? Well, will excessive fun be any good for the soul?

ks

Free Book Giveaway (Can God Be Trusted?)

As a service to readers on my blog, I am hosting a book giveaway for the new title below. This is made possible courtesy of Hachette Publishing. Please note the following:

• Up to 5 copies of the book will be given away;
• The book will be mailed free of charge. (no kidding);
• The draw will be held on 31 Oct 2009;
• This offer is only valid for residents in the USA and Canada only. 
• Please provide me with your *mailing address (Name, Street Address and Zip Code) to verify eligibility. (No P.O. Boxes please)
  
• To Enter the draw, send me an email at yapdates@aim.com with your mailing address by 31 Oct 2009, 9pm Pacific time.
• If selected, I will email you a confirmation.

 * Your address will only be used for the book giveaway purpose.

---

Title: Can God Be Trusted? (Finding Faith in Troubled Times)
Author: Thomas D Williams
Published: NY: Hachette Book Group, 2009.

You can read an excerpt of the book here. My review of the book is here.

conrade