Genre: Historical/Prophetic Title: 2012: The Year of Changes   Author: Fabio R. de Araujo Fabio de Araujo is a historian, who has researched prophecies in both the United States and Europe for over twenty years. In this book, he talks about prophecies concerning Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, other leaders, and the United States. This book tries to explain who some of the prophets of years long ago have predicted modern day politics, leaders, countries, and even economic downturns. This depends on whether the reader is a believer in prophecies, and prophets, or you believe we all make our own future by the choices we make today. This debate has been raging for years; and will most likely continue for eons to come. This reviewer does not take any side in this debate, but try to live with an open mind. It is up to the individual reader to make up their own mind if the prophecies set forth in this book are the future foretold by clairvoyants or not. The premise of this book is interesting and well researched, with some conjecture of some of the prophecies about some of the people mentioned in other people’s works. Whether or not you believe in the ability to see into the future of happenings, and see them coming true is not easy question to answer. There have been many so-called prophets over the years, are their predictions true, or are people reading too much into them? Read this book and determine for yourself using your own belief system. This reviewer found this book interesting, well researched, and written well by the author. As a reviewer who remains neutral at all times, the only comment to be offered is that you might wish to read this book if you are interested in the subject of prophecies and clairvoyants that proffer them. This reviewer assigns a three star rating to this book. Available from publisher: Title: 2012: The Year of Changes Author: Fabio R. de Araujo Publisher: N/a  ISBN: Pages: 140 Price: $ June , 2010     Genre: Politics/Memoir Title: Citizen's Rules Author: Vicki Jean Byrd   Prefaced by Barack Obama's personal invitation during his Presidential campaign for citizens to “speak your mind and help set the policies that will guide this campaign and change the county”, Vicki Jean Byrd has created a blueprint for the kind of change she hopes will happen when citizens work together.   Filled with suggestions, some a bit on the radical side, Byrd lays out a fragmented and often disjointed framework for change stating “Right now we are not in control, we're not even being told what happened until after it happened. That's unfair, we're  the shareholders it's our money. Bush has stuck our country with insurmountable problem. I think he should have to pay for that. What do you think would be fair? Should he lose his future income as ex-president? We all know it's too late to over turn him. But government currently has ignored our needs, ignored or suggestions, and made everyone fearful of our leaders.”   Too often passion dilutes the argument for change as in the example where Byrd refers to a pregnancy as a “magical event” in the same discussion where she asserts that women and civil rights should not be separate. A large section of the book is a simplistic interpretation of President Obama's policies as in “Improve Care for Traumatic Brain Injury – Obama will establish standards of care for Traumatic Brain Injury, the signature injury of the Iraq war.”   “If we all stand together we will be the ruling majority. Obama has stated that he will listento us in his speeches. History teaches us that when Republicans Rule they do what Business Lobbyists want and meddle in other countries'  affairs. When Democrats Rule they concentrate on Domestic affairs like jobs; exporting goods and our schools, not starting war over oil prices then covering it up as terrorism. Of course some American businesses have profited by making the goods needed to wage war! I hope we can all relate to this as citizens “ we are in the same boat, so go left, right, left right, and let's start rocking the boat!”   There are some well thought out, novel, and in some cases, impressive ideas in this book, however, the design, the lack of a consistent authoritative author voice, and the formatting and editing mistakes make it very difficult for the reader to continue until the end.   As a U.S. Citizen, Vicki Jean Byrd lived in six countries while her parents were in the military. She learned about government from “officer's training.” As an adult she has worked in the U.S. Economy of r 42 years. Thirty years as an employee and 12 years as self employed. She has voted since she was of age.   This book is an impassioned attempt at suggesting ways for citizens to become involved in Government in order to create the changes of which President Obama spoke during his campaign. Although many of the suggestions are routed in common sense, there is not much on just how we would go about attempting these changes. The vagueness leaves one with the constant question, yes but how?  Written much as a series of lists, more discussion and detail would have been appreciated. The poor editing job greatly detracts from the thesis and credibility of the book.        I give this book a Below Average rating.   Reviewer: Wendy Thomas, Allbooks Reviews. www.allbookreviews.com . Title: Citizen's Rules   Author: Vicki Jean Byrd Publisher: Outskirts Press ISBN: 978-1-4327-3770-2 Pages: 147 Price: 15.95 June 2010