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June 17, 2008 to 2009
It's been a whole year since we came to Placerville.
Hard to believe that it's been that long.
We're still hanging in there against all odds in the book world.
We thank each and every customer for keeping us going.
We also want to thank those of you who have gone
the extra mile to help us in this dismal economy.
AND, we thank all of you for your continued support.
In a world of Kindles, Costco, BIG-BOX-BOOKS-INC, and
online book buying, praise be to those people who still love
the tactile feel and joy of a "REAL" book bought in a "REAL"
bookstore where people really LOVE books
and something called literature.
Here's to many more years. - Vicky & John

We have a request for a little action on your part - if you're so inclined. The issue is making sure that a single-payer health care option is on the table when the country moves on the health care front. There are many well-funded groups and corporations attempting to eliminate this option, even though a majority of the American people have spoken out, time and time again, in favor of single-payer.

We have pre-addressed, pre-stamped postcards to be sent to the chairmen of four key House committees that are dealing with health care. I have also included the addresses below if you are up for writing your own letter. Let's hope for the best.

the postcard reads

My vote is for a

Single-Payer health plan!

It's about time. It's about lives.

hospital

Send a message to Congress.

Those postcards, a message, and even the stamps sitting on our counter just waiting for you to put your name on them. If you would rather send a letter, we have the addresses of four congressmen who chair key committees that will be dealing with this issue, as well as some talking points on single-payer.

Make sure that a single-payer health care option is made available to the American people.

Some recent polls show that a single-payer option is favored by 59% of Americans polled.

We can't let the powerful health insurance lobby
"convince" Congress that it's not a doable option.
Don't kid yourself about how much money is involved.

Let Congress know

Key Congressmen & Committees:

Congressman George Miller
Chairman - Education & Labor Committee
2205 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington DC 20515

Congressman Charles Rangel
Chairman - Ways & Means Committee
2354 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington DC 20515

Congressman Pete Stark
Chairman - Health Subcommittee
239 Cannon Building
Washington DC 20515

Congressman Henry Waxman
Chairman - Energy & Commerce Committee
2204 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington DC 20515

__________ ________ _______ _ ___________________ ___

We also have a few talking points that you might want to include in a letter.

Key Features of Single-Payer

· Universal, Comprehensive Coverage
Only such coverage ensures access, avoids a two-class system, and minimizes expense

· No out-of-pocket payments

Co-payments and deductibles are barriers to access, administratively unwieldy, and unnecessary for cost containment

· A single insurance plan in each region, administered by a public or quasi-public agency

A fragmentary payment system that entrusts private firms with administration ensures the waste of billions of dollars on useless paper pushing and profits. Private insurance duplicating public coverage fosters two-class care and drives up costs; such duplication should be prohibited

· Global operating budgets for hospitals, nursing homes, allowed group and staff model HMOs and other providers with separate allocation of capital funds
Billing on a per-patient basis creates unnecessary administrative complexity and expense. A budget separate from operating expenses will be allowed for capital improvements

· Free Choice of Providers
Patients should be free to seek care from any licensed health care provider, without financial incentives or penalties

· Public Accountability, Not Corporate Dictates
The public has an absolute right to democratically set overall health policies and priorities, but medical decisions must be made by patients and providers rather than dictated from afar. Market mechanisms principally empower employers and insurance bureaucrats pursuing narrow financial interests

· Ban on For-Profit Health Care Providers
Profit seeking inevitably distorts care and diverts resources from patients to investors

· Protection of the rights of health care and insurance workers
A single-payer national health program would eliminate the jobs of hundreds of thousands of people who currently perform billing, advertising, eligibility determination, and other superfluous tasks. These workers must be guaranteed retraining and placement in meaningful jobs.

just one of countless sources for more information is:
Physicians for a National Health Program www.pnhp.org

We are featuring three very good books that are now out in paper.
Vicky and I have both read the 3 - and we loved the 3. Take a look at:

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout - 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner
Olive Kitteridge is my favorite kind of book, relying heavily on the characters that live in the stories to propel the action who reside, after I've finished reading, vividly with me. Strout puts her people in unpredictable, sometimes stunning, predicaments but never unbelievable ones. This book was a lovely discovery. - Vicky

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shafer & Annie Barrows

quotes & lyrics & sayings
Have you seen my buttons? I've sold thousands of different buttons down in the valley over the years. The buttons sell for only $2.75 (are 2 1/4" round) and there are presently more than fifty designs. We sold 100's of the 1/20/09 - Barack's First Day and AbeBama buttons. The buttons are under our ZICHILTON MESSAGE COMPANY label and there is a spinner rack full of this and many other designs. So, come in and check them out.