"The first architect-designed gas station - a Pittsburgh Gulf station in 1913 - was also the first to offer free road maps; the familiar Shell name and logo date from 1907, when a British mother-of-pearl importer expanded its line to include the newly discovered oil of the Dutch East Indies; the first enclosed gas stations were built only after the first enclosed cars made motoring a year-round activity - and operating a service station was no longer a "seasonal" job; the system of "octane" rating was introduced by Sun Oil as a marketing gimmick (74 for premium in 1931)." "As the number of "true" gas stations continues its steady decline - from 239,000 in 1969 to fewer than 100,000 today - the words and images of this book bear witness to an economic and cultural phenomenon that was perhaps more uniquely American than any other of this century."--Jacket.

A place that symbolizes freedom, traveling and the wind of change: It's a Gas! is going in search of the most unique gas stations around the world.

As Jimi Hendrix and Vietnam rumble on in the background, an Italian-American teenage boy grows up working in his dad's gas station in Massachusetts. In a world full of rear end fluid, floor jacks and leaky gaskets, the narrator is awkward with his father and not too hot at mounting snow tires or dismantling engines. Poetic, poignant, and beautifully observed -- the grease and grime of the gas station, the rhythms of work and talk, are detailed with such precision that the locality becomes universal -- Joseph Torra has written an extraordinary and superb coming-of-age novel in the great American blue-collar tradition, and one which has echoes of another working-class son of Massachusetts, Jack Kerouac.

How America's high standard of living came to be and why future growth is under threat In the century after the Civil War, an economic revolution improved the American standard of living in ways previously unimaginable. Electric lighting, indoor plumbing, motor vehicles, air travel, and television transformed households and workplaces. But has that era of unprecedented growth come to an end? Weaving together a vivid narrative, historical anecdotes, and economic analysis, The Rise and Fall of American Growth challenges the view that economic growth will continue unabated, and demonstrates that the life-altering scale of innovations between 1870 and 1970 cannot be repeated. Gordon contends that the nation's productivity growth will be further held back by the headwinds of rising inequality, stagnating education, an aging population, and the rising debt of college students and the federal government, and that we must find new solutions. A critical voice in the most pressing debates of our time, The Rise and Fall of American Growth is at once a tribute to a century of radical change and a harbinger of tougher times to come.

"A detailed historical narrative of the U.S. energy crisis in the 1970s and how policymakers responded to the turmoil"--

Describes how a Bangladeshi immigrant, shot in the Dallas mini mart where he worked in the days after September 11 in a revenge crime, forgave his assailant and petitioned the state of Texas to spare his attacker the death penalty.

Why a book about Gas station business? Well, gas stations are in every street corner, they are dime a dozen, but why are there so many of them?. Since the economic meltdown of 2008, we not only witnessed the collapse of the housing market, but also the wave of small businesses that closed their doors forever. Look at your city, and I am sure you will find empty homes alongside many local businesses such as restaurants, gift shops, clothing stores, etc. standing there with empty windows and a "For Sale" sign in the front. Now, look again. How many gas stations or convenience stores closed during the same period? Probably none. Instead, you may have noticed there are new stations constantly being built. Why is that? The answer is simple: it is a recession proof business. Whether you have a job or not, have a house or not; you still need gasoline for your car, milk for the kids, or need to make a quick run for cigarettes, beer, soft drinks.. You corner gas station is filled with all our daily life necessities.Now that we established Gas Station is a good and recession proof business to get into, the question is how do we get into one on a limited budget and once we do get into it, how can we stand out in this crowded market and be unique.?Here in this book I bring you all the answers along with all the best information possible to help you start, run and grow a successful gas station/convenience store business. Whether you're just starting out or you're a veteran in the gas station business, I am going to show you some new and innovative ways to get you to the next level and stand out in the crowd. As a 20 plus year veteran of gas station business, I am always trying new and innovative methods to increase sales and profitability. Technology and marketing strategies are changing every day, and the "old school" methods are not working anymore.In this book I outlined and explained in depth the followings:* How to Choose the Right Business Location* Should you Buy or Lease a Gas Station Business* How to effectively do Due Diligence on any Business* How to get Bank Financing* How to Close a Deal * What and How to set up a Corporation and obtain all required Licensing * How to Market your store and increase Sales and ultimately Profitability* How to Hire, Train and Manage Employees* How to have an Inventory Management System* How to do Bookkeeping * How to handle Loss Prevention/TheftA full Business Plan in included in this book along with a link where you can download a fully workable business plan that you can modify to fit your need.After reading this book, if you still have need for more information, I would suggest you check out my Gas Station Business 101 podcast audio show on iTunes, it is free to subscribe and you can listen to anywhere. Through this podcast show, you'll stay up to date on everything that is going on in this industry. Branding, Business Plans, Business loans, innovative marketing Strategies, theft control, gas station business bookkeeping, regulations, pricing - you name it, it's here for you. You can also check out my blog at GasStationBusiness101.com and let me show you the way to becoming successful in this profitable niche business.In this second edition, we addressed a few errors and typos, we also updated some data, as well as some charts and graphs that are now very easy to read.