WHO: College textbook publishers
WHAT: Gouging college students on textbooks. The average for students at University of Maryland College Park is about $1,000 a year, $100 more than the national average, according to Public Interest Research Group.
WHY IT’S A BAD IDEA: Where to start? 1. We need to draw from the biggest talent pool we can get, and overpriced textbooks is just one more thing to squeeze students out of college or particular courses. 2. If anyone’s looking for a classic example of why socialism doesn’t work, textbooks “sales” represent a strong case for those who argue to let competitive free markets work.
WHY THEY ARE DOING IT: Publishers want to make as much money as they can off of captive customers.
WHERE TO HELP: http://www.marylandpirg.org/
Today’s Dim Bulb
The 62 percent of homeowners who think their values increased or stayed the same in the last year, and the 75 percent who expect flat or increased values in the next six months, when data show 80 percent lost value. But even at that, the median price still is up 4.7 percent from ’05, and almost double 2000. So, lose the delusion. Hold tight, or price it right and sell. Then it becomes a great time to buy.
Today’s Quote
“If I ever became aware, from a personal and professional standpoint, of a threat to public health that was identified as unacceptable, I would attack it like I would attack an enemy. I take this issue very seriously as a citizen and a soldier … I want to be as open and transparent as possible.”
U.S. Army Col. Daniel Thomas, new commander of Fort Meade, on the Army’s fight with the Environmental Protection Agency over contamination cleanup
