News

That’s fee, not free

Al Gibes

August 3, 2009 - 4:08 pm

I was browsing the Amazon Kindle store a while ago and came upon their collection of free offerings. These include many of the great books you probably read back in high school, such as "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" by Jules Verne, "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson and "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens. Also in the free mix are titles like "Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know" and "The First Men in the Moon" by H.G. Wells.

Sixty-two titles are found when you search for "free books for Kindle 2" on Amazon.com, but not all are really free. Some cost 99 cents; some cost more. Ironically, the book, "Free" by Chris Anderson carries a price of $9.99 for the Kindle edition and $26.99 for the hardcover edition.

I opted for the free sample, which lets me read the first chapter for — you guessed it — free.

Brian Hernandez Jr. rides Mystik Dan, right, across the finish line to win the 150th running of ...

Mystik Dan wins 150th Kentucky Derby in a close 3-horse photo finish

By BETH HARRIS AP Racing Writer

May 5, 2024 - 7:26 am

Mystik Dan, an 18-1 shot, edged Sierra Leone by a nose, with Forever Young another nose back in third on Saturday.

Pro-Palestinian protesters and pro-Israeli supporters clash at an encampment at UCLA on May 1, ...

Slow UCLA response to violence questioned

By Teresa Watanabe Los Angeles Times

May 4, 2024 - 7:53 pm

LOS ANGELES — On the morning before a mob attacked a pro-Palestinian student encampment at UCLA, campus Police Chief John Thomas assured university leadership that he could mobilize law enforcement “in minutes” — a miscalculation from the three hours it took to actually bring in enough officers to quell the violence, according to three sources.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, left, holds candles for Christian pilgrim ...

Holy Fire ceremony marked amid war’s backdrop

The Associated Press

May 4, 2024 - 7:50 pm

JERUSALEM — Bells and clamor, incense and flames. One of the most chaotic gatherings in the Christian calendar is the ancient ceremony of the “Holy Fire,” with worshippers thronging the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Saturday.

Graduates sporting Israeli flags and pins shout at Pro-Palestinian protesters as they demonstra ...

Small anti-war protest ruffles University of Michigan graduation ceremony

By Philip Marcelo The Associated Press

May 4, 2024 - 2:42 pm

Protesters chanted anti-war messages and waved Palestinian flags during the University of Michigan’s commencement Saturday.

Israeli soldiers sit atop an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) positioned near the border with th ...

Israel downplays chances of ending war with Hamas

By Sam Mednick and Jack Jeffery The Associated Press

May 4, 2024 - 12:11 pm

An Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a full end to the war in Gaza.

Rabbi Levi Cunin, with Chabad on Campus, speaks during a pro-Israel rally at Indiana University ...

Jewish students grapple with how to respond to campus protests

By Jesse Bedayn The Associated Press

May 4, 2024 - 12:07 pm

Some Jewish students have taken part in strident pro-Palestinian protests dominating U.S. colleges in recent weeks, but few have led rallies in support of Israel.

Vice President Kamala Harris arrives on stage to speak during a rally at Mojave High School on ...

VP Harris trip to Las Vegas today canceled

By Jessica Hill / RJ

May 4, 2024 - 10:24 am

Vice President Kamala Harris’ planned trip to Las Vegas was pulled. She will remain in Washington D.C. instead, according to the White House.

President Joe Biden makes a toast to a free press at the White House Correspondents' Associatio ...

SAUNDERS: Where have all of Washington’s fiscal conservatives gone?

By Debra J. Saunders / RJ

May 4, 2024 - 7:00 am

The national debt is more than $34 trillion, or over $100,000 for every man, woman and child in America.

Tim McCanon sits on the road with his dogs after being rescued by the Community Fire Department ...

Las Vegas Valley volunteers going to Texas to assist in flood recovery

By Marvin Clemons / RJ

May 3, 2024 - 8:21 pm

Red Cross disaster relief teams from across the nation are mobilizing to support evacuees in Texas, the most recent state slammed by storms this past week.

Mudd Hall on the Campus of the University of Southern California on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in ...

After canceling commencement, USC will host event at L.A. Coliseum

By Nathan Solis Los Angeles Times

May 3, 2024 - 7:13 pm

After canceling its mainstage commencement ceremony amid pro-Palestinian protests, USC has announced plans for a “Trojan Family” graduation event at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.