PW and the CPSIA

Well, the one-year stay is upon us and nothing has been finalized as per this article in PW today. Congressional members haven't finalized anything on the way books for children will or should be tested for lead (remember the legal limit of lead is 300 ppm as per the CPSIA which came to fruition in November of 2009, but it has been proven that the lead content in children's books is somewhere in the less than 10 ppm). If you are interested in PW's timeline of the events leading up to this date, you can view them here. Most of us haven't really spoken out much of late because it is kind of one of those "raised a ruckus thing and then was forgotten". I do get the emails from both the CPSC and the Amend the CPSIA folks but really haven't paid much attention to them of late. The article with PW today kind of made me go, "hunh - I need to be more involved now since I'm self-publishing books" for the targeted age group that is affected by this stupid act that is damaging a ton of businesses in the children's industry. I don't have a clue what will happen to the book publishing industry if the stay is not extended, finalized or the CPSIA is not totally revised soon. All I can keep on doing is publish my books until I'm told to stop. I may have to check with createspace folks to find out how this will affect me and/or them in the near future. Hopefully, before the 10th of February, the committees and congressional folks will have made a decision on extending or just totally amending the CPSIA. See you in the postings. - E :)

Marching to amend CPSIA

Tomorrow is a big day, other than being April Fool's Day. CPSIA opposers are having a rally in Washington to show why CPSIA should be amended.

To be kept updated on the activities tomorrow - go here and register for updates. I've been pretty quiet about CPSIA of late but there are several sites I've been following and commenting on as time permits. I've been so swamped with work that I haven't had a chance to really post much here. If you would like some really great info on CPSIA and how stupid this law is check out Rick Woldenberg's CPSIA site. He is updating regularly with articles and thought provoking information that really makes sense. Like the fact that the democrats who are supporting amending the law will not even show up to the rally (outcasts? afraid of what their peers will think of them? who knows but they should show up and shed some light as to why Waxman is so opposing any change to the law - I challenge Waxman to show up himself).

I've also been following Valerie Jacobsen's blog and she has a vested interested in all this - she is the mother of 11 children and is also a bookseller. She also has some thought provoking, sometimes humorous (we all need some humor in this day and age) postings about CPSIA and other things. Follow a few of the bloggers out there and really see what is going on. I'm sure by now if you Google CPSIA and blogs - you will come up with a plethora of them. This will probably come up somewhere but you will see that folks are blogging about CPSIA all the time.

I also know that as many that are talking about the new law and trying to fight it just as many don't have a clue about CPSIA. I was at a writer's conference this weekend and the majority of them hadn't even heard of CPsia. My local librarian didn't even know about the pre 1986 aspect of CPSIA as per ALA et al who have publicized it. It amazes me that CPSIA is not a household word yet. That tells me that not enough of the people of voting age are being reached and voicing their opposition to this law. Everyone who is legally a registered voter should be speaking out and opposing CPSIA for what it is worth. Don't depend on your neighbor to do it alone; get out there and rally your neighbors and everyone speak out against this horrendous, ill-written, poorly-thought out, harmful law - NO MORE CPSIA; CPSIA HARMS MORE THAN IT HELPS. We need to keep writing and calling. Everyone needs to call Waxman's office and complain, oppose, do whatever it takes to get CPSIA amended or repealed. It is a very damaging law that will have so many ill effects on the economy that we will be worse than the Great Depression of 1929. 1929 will look like a bed of roses to us. Speak up people. Don't sit back and think that CPSIA does not affect you at all; it will hurt every American citizen across the board for years to come - not immediately but it is coming. Call, write, tell them NO MORE.

Something fun regarding CPSIA

This video sums it up - CPSIA isn't about protecting the children but about saving the "fatcats" and large businesses. Enjoy and remember we need to continue fighting the battle, the little people will eventually be heard and make a difference. FATCAT fun

This is about right for CPSIA and I'm glad there is someone out there who realizes that we really need to fight this law, however we can - by whatever means we can. First amendment rights, save the small businesses, et cetera. For more check out this blog. Check his side bar because he has many articles and information there.

See you in the postings - E :)

And you thought CPSIA had really become a law?

According to Valerie Jacobsen, her posting on "First Amendment" rights over at The Bookroom blog hits it all on the head, wraps it up in a nutshell.

CPSIA is unconstitutional and violates first amendment rights big time. So even if CPSC says that CPSIA is a law and that it became effective February 10, it really doesn't exist as a law and the governing bodies cannot enforce it in any amount due to it being unlawful and a violation of our rights as given to us by our forefathers. So I think this will be the fight we now need to take, CPSIA - no worries, since it isn't a law based on the infringement of our first amendment rights.

For more read Valerie's blog. She has many good postings about CPSIA and fighting the good fight. She also has some cute sidebar pics and fun stuff about CPSIA.

See you all in the postings - don't worry about CPSIA any more since it isn't even a real law. - Keep you posted on more updates. E :)

Best description of what CPSIA will do to the nation

Yep, it's been a while since this topic has come up and although I'm not blogging as much about CPSIA, I am still voicing my opinion to folks about getting this dangerous law repealed, revoked, or totally revamped.

I found The Bookroom blog through a posting on Vivian's blog (scroll to the paragraph that starts: However, most libraries aren't complying...) with this posting and thought it was exactly what I've been looking to describe what CPSIA is really doing to the consumers in general. If you thought we were over racism, prejudice, and other horrors, read the description of what CPSIA is (as through the eyes of one person, but really is reflective of how every American voting citizen should feel about it) and how it will totally destroy the nation's well-being.

I cannot say what CPSIA is doing to us better than this and I feel as I did two months ago, that every American citizen of voting age needs to continue to contact their representatives and let them know that even if they don't have children this law will effect that eventually it will effect them in the long run by causing higher costs for every day products that they as adults need or will buy in the future. They also need to remind their representatives that they (the reps) work for the public, voting constituents and must do as the public wants since we are the ones who put them in office and we can very easily have them removed.

Don't let our libraries become shells of buildings where kids are no longer welcome to enjoy the freedom of speech (writing books is speaking in a way) found in books. Don't let our economy suffer any more. Speak up and let your voices be heard. Keep calling and writing your representatives and tell them - No more CPSIA; repeal stupid laws and start thinking rationally or listen to voices of reason. Everyone, old or young, with children in the home or not, needs to be heard and speak up.

(as a side note, I've heard from some overseas friends that CPSIA is also affecting the publishing industry in England and Canada and as far as Australia, so this is no longer a national issue; it is international but it is all because of our stupid governing officials that this law has been put into place and we are the nation that needs to get it repealed.) If you think George Orwell's 1984 was an extreme of "Big Brother", think again; CPSIA of 2008 is the ultimate, furtherest reaching "Big Brother" we have out there.

Follow other issues with CPSIA but going to Publisher's Weekly, the ALA and other large businesses who feel this is a very stupid, alarmist way for the nation to act. Hope you all continue to do your part and see you in the postings - E :)

PW breathing a slight sigh of relief for the CPSC ....

Stay of Enforcment, but realizes it will be a long road to get any reformation on the CPSIA. As per the article published today, PW makes note at the end of the article that all the chairs of the committee and subcommittees (Waxman, et al.) have sent a letter to President Obama asking for Acting Chair of CPSC Nord's removal. She has been the only person sane enough to see that this law was unrealistic and more damaging than the original intent. Now these jerk wads want the law left as is and not rewritten or changed in any way. Do they not realize that millions of jobs are at stake? Do they think that by including every single product to this abscure and expensive testing when the proof is already there that there is no lead in products is going to be more productive and boost our economy?

Say no to these committee chairs and tell them to keep Nancy Nord and to reform CPSIA of 2008. Tell your Senators and Representatives to immediately do something about this. Every person of voting age who voted in November 2008 needs to contact these people you put in office and tell them to Pass Senator DeMint's reform bill and work on creating a better economy, not destroying it further. Tell them NO MORE STUPIDITY, DO AS WE SAY. They are still working for us and should be paying attention to what is being said by the people they represent. Everyone has a stake in this and should be contacting their representatives immediately. Do not wait until it is too late. Save the children, save the economy, say NO TO STUPIDITY and pass the reform as outlined by Senator DeMint -

T-minus five days plus 365 (give or take that year) until the economy implodes -

Summary of the Stay of Enforcement (CPSIA)

The CPSC has issued a federal register notice summary of the stay and what the goals of this stay will allow the Commission to accomplish. Books are not listed in the stay because the Commission has asked for more information and further testing before anything can issued about them. For the complete read, go here.

It makes more sense in a way than most anything else I've read concerning CPSIA but this fight is long from over.

Remember we need to continue to inundate our Congress men and women with calls and letters and tell them to repeal or reform. Vote for Sensator DeMint's proposed reformation of CPSIA, vote to save the econoomy, save the children. Those three Senators that opposed CPSIA in the original votes had good reason to oppose. Yet, no one else spoke up, because it was being done under the guise of "protecting the children". The issuance of this stay does not in any way mean that the public has to be satisfied with what is going on. Representatives in Washington work for the public. Keep calling them, keep sending letters and tell them there is no way to meet the demands of this ill-written, poorly thought out, contradictory, ambiguous law. Join all the causes at CPSIA-central.ning. Make your voices heard and get all your neighbors and friends and families and online acquaintances to join in the fight. This will affect everyone, even people who don't have children because the consumer will be paying outrageous prices for normal every day items in the long run. Teachers, librarians, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, every voting citizen needs to speak up -

T-minus 7 plus 365 days until doomsday -

A little bit of help on CPSIA from one Senator (SC-R Demint)

Senator DeMint, one of the three who originally voted against CPSIA both times it came to vote last year, has a blog posting up that is a definite step in the right direction for CPSIA. He states that congress should not blanket all products and should use some common sense. Read the full posting here. I think his points are right on and I'm glad he's working for the citizens all over, not just for his state.

When I spoke to his office last week, the woman assured me he was trying to get a reformation of CPSIA through this week, so let's hope that the other Sensators and Representatives have been inundated with enough calls to realize this law should have never passed as it was originally written.

Holly Jahangiri has some excellent postings about the stay issued Friday. Check out her blog posting from Friday to see what she has to say on the issue. I agree that the lawmakers definitely need to get some common sense and forget this law. But the best we can hope for now is a reformation as outlined on Senator DeMint's posting. Keep the phone calls coming and keep the letters going. Tell everyone you know to contact their representatives' offices in Washington and make your voice be heard. Make sure they know you need to take down all the information on how this law will affect you in the long run and will ruin the already failing economy. Standup and speak up. Don't let this temporary stay be the end of everything. Repeal or reform CPSIA today. Anything is better than what is written.

Wordle - a different one

I had done the one for the JGDS series first (you can view on my other blog) and then decided to create one for this blog. Here is the Wordle for this blog and you can create your own wordle here.

This one looks pretty busy to me - lots of stuff going on here -

More CPSIA info

Seriously. This is to the point that every reader needs to listen and act upon. We have 18 days until this law becomes effective and the number of people it will affect is in the millions. We need all those millions of people to contact their representatives in Washington and make it known that CPSIA is more harmful to the children than it is protecting them.

My friend Holly Jahangiri posted her letter on her site. It's an excellent posting. I encourage you all to read her reply to Vivian's comment and understand that this is way deeper than just toys. It will hit everyone in the pockets in the long run.

Don't be a naysayer and say this doesn't affect you. This affects everyone. Please make those phone calls today. At this point, letters may not get there in time, and it seems the only way we can be heard is to be vocal. I would love to take a trip to Washington right now and sit on the front steps of the White House and in front of my representatives' offices and tell them what I think of CPSIA.

I hope the letter I sent to President Obama with a copy of my book inscribed to his daughters will get the message through. Someone has to have a light bulb go off soon and have one of those V-8 moments. If the libraries close their doors to children and/or even remove all the children's books, the schools will have to follow suit in that they won't be able to have textbooks. If all the toys and children's clothing and everything geared for that age group is removed from the places we shop most (like Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart and the thrift stores and other places), what are all the families with kids going to do? Shrug and say, it doesn't affect me? If you can't even buy a pair of jeans for your kids, what then? Please don't say it doesn't affect you even if you have no kids in the home. If you are an aunt or uncle or a grandparent, it affects you. If you are a single person with no kid-ties in your family, it affects you because over time, you will find that the piece of jewelry you like so much and waiting for the right time to buy it will no longer be affordable to you. Those nice clothes you wear to work or to go out with your friends will be so costly, it won't be affordable to dress for work.

I know I sound like a broken record, but with only 18 days until doomsday, we need to be acting, not sitting back on our hunches and saying it doesn't affect me at all; I have no children in that age group. Call your representatives, remind them that they work for you and not the other way around. They have to listen to the voice of the people. They have to repeal CPSIA before it is too late.

T-minus 18 days and counting - E :)

More CPSIA from the ALA

This is an excellent article on the position of the ALA (American Library Association) along with the AAP (American Association of Printers). This is not good. I'd like to leave a comment in that not only will the CPSIA affect libraries and schools but any organization that has books for this specific age group. Scouting groups won't be able to have handbooks, patches, or camping gear; other organizations that rely on handbooks as well. Again, there is double talk in the article from the CPSC side's - they realize and acknowledge that the deadlines are difficult to be met yet they are not doing anything about repealing the law and getting it written to target the items originally intended to target.

Of course the reason CPSIA of 2008 passed unanomyously in both the Senate and House is that no one wanted to be the naysayer of rejecting something set out to "protect the children". The more we contact our representatives, by phone, the more likely it is the public will be heard. I urge all of you to please tell your friends, family, acquaintances, email buddies, online friends, everyone to call their representatives. Tie up the phone lines as much as you can. Tell them to repeal CPSIA of 2008 and rewrite it. Protect the children and the economy. It is definitely going to take more than a few hundred voices to be heard. It will take the nation of voters (we all elected these folks to Congress and they work for us), to get this law repealed. Do not let February 10 come without any action. I, for one, do not want the books burned nor children banned from schools and libraries and museums and other places that carry items that cannot or will not be tested. Burning and banning are wrong. This is not protecting our children. If everyone of you who reads this blog, sends a mass email to your friends and families and get all of them to do the same thing, maybe we will reach enough people to voice the cry - Repeal CPSIA of 2008, protect the children, protect the economy, Don't ban or burn books and other items that have no lead whatsoever in them. I'm only a small part and I've written a letter to President Obama and included a copy of my first book in the series, hoping that he will read the inscription to his daughters and the letter to see how deep this law goes. He did not vote either time the Act came up for voting (either was present and did not vote or wasn't present). If our representatives see the big picture and how much havoc they are creating and not targeting the right people, then maybe they will do something.

Time of truly of the essence and there is no time like the present to act. Please, do your part (even if you have no children in the house, this will affect you in the long run because the cost of ordinary, non-children's items will go up so high that the everyday consumer will not be able to afford anything and there will be no businesses left to buy from), speak up and tell the governing body to repeal this horrendously written, ill thought out, double talk, contradictory, ambiguous law - Do it today.

Latest from Publisher's Weekly concerning the CPSIA

If you all don't think this new soon to be law doesn't concern you, please think again. The latest article from Publisher's Weekly shows that this new law will affect more than just books being sold in bookstores; it goes down to the libraries and schools. I urge you all to send your letters to the appropriate people (again, a good listing of contacts and other information can be found on both Vivian's blog and Holly's blog.) Holly has been putting up the good fight but we are a small company and it will take thousands of voices to be heard.

On the good news side of this, Change.org had some topics that were posted and encouraged the population to vote on to present to President-elect Barack to help make changes in such things as this silly, ill-written, poorly thought out, double edged, contradictory and ambiguous law. The top 10 vote getters will be presented, and "Save the Small Businesses from CPSIA" ranked in the top 10. So now it is a matter of getting a platform on how to make this a national problem to present to the President-elect in order to get it changed. So please keep writing and calling and emailing your congressmen, the chairs of the committees and even President-elect and President-soon-to-be. The more voices that speak out against this new law, the better we are. February 10 will be here before we know it (25 days and counting). Speak up to save the books, clothing, and toy industry from the monstrous law that will kill the economy totally.

More info on the CPSIA

Follow the article here for more on this or even here on how a book is put together. As everyone can see, the components are tested and well below the limits and therefore when combined can't possibly as high as expected or set forth in the CPSIA.

I also found a link on our local news (unfortunately can't get the video to play all the way through) from last week that touches on this topic and I have left a comment and am hoping that the more voices who speak up and speak out against this law that the government has to take notice and repeal this law and/or reword it or rework it. So remember - please contact all your local, state, and DC representatives and the committee chairs who can call an emergency session to get this law repealed. At least stopped before it becomes effective. Let's be proactive to help save the book industry, the clothing industry and the small businesses this would definitely put out of business.

CPSIA and Publisher's Weekly

There is some buzz about the publishing industry and you can follow postings all over the web. This is from Publisher's Weekly which is an industry standard that most publishers follow.

Now, the big boys are stepping in on this ill-written, poorly thought out Act. For those of you who haven't been following what is going on, the buzz is about the Consumer Product Safety Information Act of 2008. This Act was signed in August by President Bush and was enacted by the Commmittee of Energy and Commerce and passed in both the Senate and House of Representatives in July of 2008. The whole act was meant to target "manufacturers" of products aimed at children ages 12 and under and came on the heels of having two serious recalls of toys that Mattel(R) sold that were manufactured in China and had lead contents and small parts unsafe for children. The lawmakers all meant to target the manufacturers of said products but by creating this ill-written, ambiguous and contradictory Act. The lawmakers have impacted the small business and "one of a kind individuals" in a major way. The testing required for any product (that is everything, clothing, toys, books, et cetera) geared towards the children of this age group is expensive and has to be done on every batch of any item produced. If you run a 50-item batch this month, you have to test it. If you run a 5000-item batch next month, you have to have it tested. The burden of proof is falling on the wrong people. Small businesses, second-hand stores, publishers (large and small) will have to pay the costs and in turn end up going out of business.

This is a serious matter so I appeal to all my readers to please check out all the postings on the following websites: Vivian's Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap, Holly Jahangiri's Do I Have to Spell It Out? site and Idea Girl's spot and please voice your opinions. Send those letters to the appropriate people. Post on your blogs. Make this a national effort to get the word out that the publishing industry and small businesses will soon be a thing of the past.