Posts Tagged ‘network’
Looking Glass by James R Strickland . A Book review
Synopsis
Looking Glass is set in the not too distant future, in a gritty, unrefined, shattered North America. Hackers and IT security technicians fight a different kind of war in cyberspace. A serial killer has found a way to use the network to reach inside his victims brains, and use these brains as his weapon. Shroud is a security network team leader for a large retail company. In the realm of cyberspace, inside a sensory deprivation tank and jacked in to the network, she is fast, nimble, and ruthless. She is just beginning her shift when the killer strikes for the first time. She survives, but her entire team is dead or missing. She is exiled from her corporate resources, and her search for the killer is fraught with peril and overwhelming odds.
Review
As a fan and reader of the cyberpunk genre, I strongly recommend Looking Glass. I won’t go into a plot synopsis, as others already have. The writing style is tight, and focused through the window of Shroud’s perception and life experiences, and her shift into an increasingly uncomfortable and dangerous situation, both mentally and physically. It is this revelation of her inner life, with its defensive limitations and powerful motivations that keeps the focus on the human, despite the seeming technological focus of the plot.
The dystopic setting of the splintered second world North America is revealed as is needed by the narrative. The technology is speculative, but much more soundly grounded in current technologies that give a sense of competence to the characters actions, and satisfaction to the reader familiar with the topics.
In the end, to me, Science Fiction is a human story. It asks what will we do, what will we become, when technology has changed our society, our horizons, our bodies and challanged the limits of what is possible. Looking Glass does this, with a good touch for personal tension, evolving character awareness, and human weakness.
The plot is well thought-out, and the pacing is fast without being frenetic. There’s little, if any, plot telegraphing or foreshadowing. The setting is future, yet the reference points are tantalizingly close to our present – again, enough to keep me invested (Shame about Reno, though). And while “cyberpunk” applies in general genre terms, the author isn’t trying to be William Gibson or anyone else, which is a refreshing change! But if you like that style, then you’ll definitely want to give this book a try. One day, one of those hackers turns out to be a serial killer, and uses the fact that people are jacked in to the Internet to use the Internet as a way to kill. Her corporation, Omni-Mart, in standard shortsighted corporate cover-up style, gets in the way of her investigation, while the killer pursues her every move in a world that is so completely connected to the Net that movement without observation is just about impossible.
Dr. Farro, or “Shroud” as she is known, is one of the most dynamic characters in fiction. She wrestles with inner demons as well as the muck that is the Internet of tomorrow. She doesn’t necessarily deal with these demons very well. In a job that requires a certain level of paranoid schizophrenia to perform well, she is good at her work.
However, when the reader gets inside her head, we wee that this perfect employee of the future is far from a perfect human being, a metaphor, I think, for the futureshock and information overload that we experience every day. Strickland shows us that all the great technology that makes our civilization work so well may not be good for our mental health. It’s a powerful message, yet there is no moralizing that gets in the way of a truly exciting thriller.
All in all, it was a great read, and I’ll be back for the next instalment.
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Just Network, and Watch Your Business Grow!
When it comes right down to the topic of how best to grow your online business, there is plenty of conflicting information on the internet. Why? Because everybody wants to make a dollar! Everybody has a program to sell, but few really offer a genuine program that helps YOU sell. What they offer is THEIR formula, not YOUR solution. “It worked for me”, they’ll say. Then, when it doesn’t work for you, they expect you to shoulder the blame. “Well, you didn’t do this right”, or “You didn’t follow the formula”. I don’t have time for those people. Here’s a fact: You already have the resources you need. You do not need to buy into anybody else’s program. For that matter, you don’t even need to buy into mine. All you really need to do is remember one simple word, “network”. Just network. Here are a few ideas to help bring it into focus.
Make Friends, Not Business Partners
This may seem contradictory to what you’ve learned or what you believe, but I’ve found the best people to do business with are the people who have earned my trust, my friends. I do not do business with those who assume I should just trust them. I’m sorry, but they’ve not earned my trust, and my trust can not be bought. Make friends, and do business with your friends. This is one reason why I refuse to throw my website on auto-pilot. I want people to know that there is actually another living, breathing person on the other end, and I want to be accessible to those people who choose to do business with me.
Wish Others Success
When you truly wish others success, you are attracting success. I make it my mantra. “I wish you success. I wish you success. I wish you success.” I truly do wish success to those I choose to do business with, because I choose to do business with those who would wish me the same success. I do business with friends.
Then, help your friends succeed. Trade banners, trade links, and really get into the business of promoting each other. Contribute to each other’s newsletter. Do what right and good for both, and don’t be afraid to take chances. Try something new.
Search For New Opportunities
Look for additional streams of revenue. Find opportunities that do not take you away from your business, but enhance your business. Affiliate programs, drop ship programs, joint ventures, and even MLMs can provide that stream of revenue. But, at the same time, be aware. Be careful. But be willing to follow your instinct. Just remember to make friends, not business partners.
By all means, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to build a friendship and network with you!
Do You Have What It Takes?
If you’ve been trying to make a business online but had a few set backs you’ve probably asked yourself this question and the others I’ve listed below.
I also added the answers I use to keep going when I feel like just “Throwing in the towel”.
Don’t worry be happy! It’s easy to say but hard to do, without some kind of logical reasoning behind the positive affirmations.
Here’re the questions and the logical answers that I use to keep myself motivated and ensure that I achieve my potential.
1. Do you have what it takes to make money on the internet?
2. How do you know if you should to quit or not?
3. What does it take?
4. Why are some people successful and yet others aren’t?
5. Does what I do now effect my future?
Do you ever ask yourself these questions?
I do and I have the same answers every time!
Below are my self talk answers they help me stay on track.
The answers are listed in the same order as the questions.
1. Yes, I have a computer and usually have access to the internet.
2. Because I started I have to finish.
3. It takes perseverance, tenacity, faith, self belief; I have all of those qualities.
4. Some are successful because they are lucky, some because they are smart, some because they work hard, some because they never give up. I have a little of all those qualities.
5. Yes, if I sow a seed today I’ll reap a harvest tomorrow.
Please feel free to copy this and look at it every time you have any doubts. Also you can add some of your own positive self talk favorites.
I sincerely wish you good luck and happiness
Bill Boyd
Competition or Companion?
Joint ventures can turn your competition into your companion!
What are they and are they profitable?
You can benefit greatly from sharing the costs of your advertising and promotional campaigns, while doubling the size of your target market.
How can that be so? It’s simple! just look at it like this, you are in the coffee business, you have identified your major competitor, he/she is currently servicing a good portion of the customers you wish to attract. This competitor has been servicing these clients for many years and has built up a strong following. Do you think it would be easy for you to “take these clients away” from their trusted provider? Of course not.
What if you offered to give your competitor free access to your client base? Do you think he/she would like that? Or if your competitor offered to do the same for you, would you like that?
YES, YES, YES!
A joint venture is simply offering to promote your fellow business persons product or service to your client base and in return they do the same for you.
You can use tracking URLs to determine what sales are made and then split the profits or commissions in whatever way you both agree to.
Another advantage is that if you sell to one of your fellow business persons clients you will be able to add them to your mailing list. We all know how valuable that can be.
So next time you see a competitor, STOP and think of a way you can make him or her into your companion in success!
I sincerely wish you good luck and happiness
Bill Boyd