Interactive, Touch Reading

Posted on July 27, 2013 by The Author

One of the great advantages to publishing digital media, in this case books, is the reading experience. Unlike traditional, print books, readers are presented with a dynamic platform that can be controlled.

A “click” can take us, for example, from chapter one to forty-seven in an instant whereas in traditional books, we’d have to turn many pages to get there and would need a bookmark to remember where we were.

In electronic publications, readers are given a kind of control they previously did not have. They are able to interact with the e-publication in a non-static manner. In a way, the book almost becomes “alive” in their hands. No longer a series of pages that one must manually turn in order to advance in the story, the book is transformed into one “fluid image of words” whose appearance can instantly change.

The screen

Unlike a print book that we hold in our hands and whose pages we must turn to delve deeper into the story, the e-book is presented on a screen. It could be found on any one of a series of mobile or stationary devices (e.g., Amazon’s Kindle), yet will needs be a screen. This means that whereas in print media we come into direct contact with the book in our hands, in the digital version, we are separated by a screen. The screen, in a way, is therefore both the facilitator of our reading experience as well as its moderator. It is the medium through or by which we reach our chosen medium (i.e., e-book).

That which prevents us from “touching,” so to speak, the object of our curiosity in the same breath enables us to see it in an unconventional and enhanced manner. A combination of the screen and touch pad or mouse allows us to read the end of the story before we’ve read the beginning. Alternatively, we can also instantly hop to the middle and go back to the beginning or end. The point is that we no longer have to wait to get the information we want. We can have it effortlessly now. Past, present and future are seemingly melded into one.

In California, a group of school children were taken to see some older model telephones on display. One of them finally said, “Oh, I get it! You have to stick your finger in the hole and turn.” He was, of course, referring to the plastic, rotating dial on the front of rotary-dial telephones that needed to be turned in order to compose a number.

Although we may read this and chuckle, most of us would never dream of giving up our touch pads or buttons (stationary or mobile), not to speak of our Skype connection.

A certain order

There is a certain order in the evolution of things including things technological. There is a certain adaptation, too, a certain willingness to evolve along with it that is required on our part. If we want the effortless ease of the seamless and interactive reading experience, we must adapt to the new model.

By Dhscommtech at English Wikipedia

Do as the Toltecs

Posted on July 25, 2013 by The Author

The Toltecs say that we should never assume anything. This is possibly the most precious advice ever.

When we communicate with people, it’s very tempting to fall into old paradigms and fixed ways of seeing the world. This is what assumption is.

It’s easier for us to reference an event into a frame we’re familiar with rather than allowing for the possibility of something completely unexpected.

Expect the unexpected

With ever-increasing advances in technology (See, “The Zero-Sum Game” by Luba Rascheff), the external means that we use to express ourselves will become more and more adapted to the electro-chemical bundles that represent our bodies. For example, cutting edge research involves understanding how fat is the quickest way to move data. Fat, who would have thought? Don’t assume anything, say the Toltecs.

If, as Michio Kaku says, in the future, we will be able to obtain information at the blink of an eye (or, by blinking our eye since the ubiquitous screen will now be attached to a contact lens) (See, “The Zero-Sum Game”), this necessarily implies that there will be a more intimate connection between our bodies (mind = body + thought) and the artificial elements (machine = chip + circuits) that facilitate the information exchange process.

Tell me what you know

In the future, our ability to instantaneously obtain any information we need will reduce our tendency to make assumptions.

It will break down our old frameworks of thinking and introduce new ones.

Future thought

The electro-chemical bundles in which we move around–our bodies–will become instruments with which we communicate holistically with our environment. This approach will be radically different from traditional methods of communication. It will be streamlined, instantaneous, coordinated and highly efficient.

To get to this point, though, we must start assuming less and engaging more with our quickly changing environment. We must do as the Toltecs.

Toltec-style Vessel (Photo credit: Madman2001)

The Zero-Sum Game

Posted on July 22, 2013 by The Author

In his featured video (See, “Dark Energy: The Energy of Nothing,” bigthink.com/blogs/dr-kakus-universe, accessed on 21 July 2013), Dr. Michio Kaku, Theoretical Physicist, CUNY, explains that the sum of positive energy and dark matter in the universe equals…zero.

He says that the space between objects in the universe–essentially empty space or, nothing–balances out exactly with positive energy (as depicted in the standard model of the universe by atoms, neutrons and quarks).

If we accept this to be true, it means, according to Dr. Kaku, that we can create a universe out of nothing.

Point zero in communication

If Dr. Kaku is correct then, whatever communications we issue (analog or digital) use a combination of what we express and, critically, what we do not. It’s what we say, and what we don’t that, together, make our point, our ‘micro universe.’

A reassuring point

Dr. Kaku says that although we know it exists, we don’t have a clue as to what dark matter really is. What we do know, however, is that it comprises 23% of the universe and is a major influencer. Dark energy (“the energy of nothing, the energy of the vacuum”) comprises 73% of the universe.

In the same way that dark matter (moved by gravitational forces) is invisible, what isn’t seen in our communications influences them nonetheless.

Less is more

If less is more then, says Dr. Kaku, by 2020 computers will have disappeared with chips becoming ubiquitous (“Futurist Michio Kaku: Computers will disappear by 2020.” Psiho. #28, year XXIV, 19 July 2013, p. 12). Since computers are doubling in power every eighteen months, by 2020 the computer won’t exist in the form we are so familiar with. (Ibid.) The Internet in its present form, according to Dr. Kaku, will also disappear with the net being simultaneously “everywhere and nowhere.” (Ibid.)

People will be like ambulatory computers and, with the blink of an eye, will be able to obtain any kind of information needed. (Ibid.)

Gain from reduction

As computers become smaller and smaller, functionality becomes greater and greater. Reaching zero, therefore, means obtaining everything. This is the zero-sum game.

Mass map of Abell 1689. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 10 Keys to Happiness

Posted on July 20, 2013 by The Author

Do something nice for someone When we do nice things for people, we feel good.
Be harmonious Although achieving this state (and maintaining it) is not as easy as it sounds, avoiding the ‘push-pulls’ of extremes is key.
Give The old maxim, ‘give and you’ll receive’ is true. When we give–even if we feel the other may not deserve our generosity–the boomerang factor kicks in and we receive.
Be patient Understand that the best things in life take time. Trying to ‘manufacture’ happiness is a waste of your precious time. Resist the temptation and be patient instead.
Forget That nasty divorce? The time you accidentally left your hand on the doorjamb and someone closed the door? Forget those bad memories and build new, positive ones.
Overcome fear One of the biggest stoppers to being happy is being afraid. Don’t be afraid. Everything, no matter how bad, works out in the end.
Gratitude When we are grateful for the bounty we’ve received and feel blessed without measure, we need to say ‘thank you.’
Get out in nature Nature is a very powerful, healing force. I walked in a forest the other day and felt an unspeakable stillness that re-energized me completely.
Exercise I like to swim. After a good swim, I feel happy!
Acknowledge difficulty Recognize that there will be difficult moments. Remembering, though, that they’re just moments will get you through.

Untitled, by Luba Rascheff

SEO for Serif WebPlus X5

Posted on July 19, 2013 by The Author

SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.

The fact that you have a website is great. In and of itself, though, this is not enough to ensure that your site is properly advertised, optimized and that it receives a steady, targeted stream of visitors.

Great keyword research

The first step in SEO is great keyword research. You don’t need anything fancy; Google’s Keyword Tool (or, AdWords Keyword Tool) is sufficient. If you already have a Google AdWords account, login. Otherwise, go to http://www.googlekeywordtool.com and verify that you’re human by typing the text presented in the box.

The first step is to minimize the ‘Saved ideas’ on the left. For a more precise search, deselect ‘Broad’ and select ‘Exact.’ We’ll start with ‘Broad’ and move to ‘Exact’ in this example.

If your website is about digital media, start by typing in ‘digital media’ (without quotes) in the box labeled ‘Word or phrase.’ Now click ‘Search.’ Scrolling down, you’ll see that the results of your search are depicted in several columns called: ‘Keyword Ideas,’ ‘ Competition,’ ‘Global Monthly Searches’ and ‘Local Monthly Searches.’

The majority of the results in my example are listed as ‘Low’ competition. This is favorable because I know that if I use any of the keywords or phrases associated with ‘Low,’ I have a reasonable chance of elevating my website’s ranking (i.e., in Google’s search results) since I won’t be up against strong competition for the same spot. For example, the phrase ‘digital signage software’ has a ‘High’ competition. Using this phrase would pit me against strong competitors (who, most likely, bid high for ads), so I’ll avoid it.

I’m highly interested in ‘Global Monthly Searches.’ These numbers tell me how many times per month people will type in a particular keyword or phrase when doing a Google search. A cursory scan of the results reveals that people type in the phrase ‘what is internet’ 338 million times per month; ‘what is management’ and ‘what is java’ result in over 83 million global searches per month (gsm); and a search for ‘digital’ produces nearly 56 million gsm.

In my example, I’d like to narrow my search to ‘digital media’ and ‘social media.’ An ‘Exact’ search results in the keyword phrase ‘social media’ showing low competition and 201,000 gsm. This means that I can safely use this phrase to optimize my site.

Now try typing ‘social media’ into the ‘Word or phrase’ box. Click ‘Search.’ This results in 201,000 gsm with low competition.

It is in this experimental manner that you will find the best keywords or phrases (sometimes misspelled) to optimize your site.

Great quality content

If you’re going to optimize your digital media website focusing on social media, you want to make sure that you deliver what’s been promised! Once you drive traffic to your site, visitors have the right to expect top-notch, quality content about digital media and social media in particular. This includes inserting keywords (often bolded and italicized) within the body of your website’s pages’ text.

Optimize your pages in WebPlus X5

Once you’ve experimented with the Google Keyword/AdWords Tool, it’s time to optimize your website’s pages.

Open your website. In ‘File,’ select ‘Site Properties.’ In the pop-up box, select ‘Search.’ In the box entitled ‘Enter the description to be displayed when a search engine finds a page on your web’ type in, for example: ‘E-books about digital media with an emphasis on social media’ (without the quotes). Note that the first ten words are most important which is why I excluded the preliminary words ‘This website is about….’

In the box titled ‘Enter a list of words for search engines to use to find pages on your Web site…’ insert the series of keywords or phrases you researched with Google’s Keyword/AdWords Tool. I selected ‘en-us’ for the language code on my website.

Don’t click ‘OK.’ Instead, select ‘Search engine.’ For my website, I selected all available categories setting my page change frequency indicator to ‘Monthly’ with a page priority of ‘0.5’. I named my search engine sitemap file ‘sitemap.xml’ making sure to upload the special file provided by Google when I registered my website using their Webmaster Tools in my public/html folder.

Don’t click ‘OK’ yet. Select ‘Analytics.’ Check the box for ‘Enable web analytics.’ In ‘Paste from Clipboard,’ insert the text (i.e., tracking code) that you received when registering your website with Google Analytics. If you aren’t ready now, you can do this later.

Now select ‘Summary.’ Type your name (or pseudonym) in the ‘Author’ field. Repeat (or type in a variation on the theme) the keywords or phrases you used when completing ‘Search’ above for ‘Comments’ and ‘Subject.’ Finally, click ‘OK.’

You’ll need to optimize each page. So, for every page, with the page selected, right-mouse click to select ‘Page Properties’ and, in ‘Navigation’ choose a relevant page name, title and file name making sure to fill in a page-specific description. For ‘Search’ and ‘Search Engine’ use the information I provide earlier in the article. Under ‘Indexing,’ do not select ‘Override site search engine settings’ and observe that this section appears dimmed. That’s because you expressed your preferences in ‘Site Properties’ globally, for the whole site.

Don’t forget to save and publish your newly optimized website to the Internet!

Although I haven’t discussed off-site optimization, schema.org and rich snippets, I hope this brief article on how to do SEO for a WebPlus X5 website helps you.

How to Thrive in the Age of Globalization

Posted on July 18, 2013 by The Author

Some people like globalization and some don’t. The fact of the matter, though, is that globalization is.

How can we thrive in globalization?

Cut the fear The first thing you must do is get rid of fear. Although so much has changed and so much more will, keep the faith about why people make the decisions they do.
Put all your options on the table Unhesitatingly put all your options on the table. Don’t let someone say, What?! You’re planning to move where?
Believe in interconnectedness No matter where we’re from or what our life experiences are, we are all interconnected on some level.
Openness breeds opportunities When we open up to the possibilities afforded by globalization–greater ease of movement, instant digital communication, more porous borders (national and personal)–we open up to opportunities we never dreamed could be possible.
Hold onto your identity In spite of point 4, it’s vital that we hold onto our personal identities: the core of what makes us special.
Switch perspectives Increasing exposure to multiculturalism and multiethnicity makes it mandatory for us to look at things from the perspective of others. This will help us better understand ourselves and our world.
Factor in ‘invisible strings’ When I studied economics at the University of Illinois, I remember my professor saying that there were certain statistical outcomes that defied explanation if not for ‘invisible strings.’
The world is at your feet Given the possibilities and the permutations afforded by globalization, the world is at your feet. Remember this always.
The possibilities are endless Your success in a globalized world is only limited by the extent of your imagination.
Make it happen Thriving in the age of globalization means fearlessly taking advantage of the opportunities provided on every level.

The10 Keys to Success

Posted on July 16, 2013 by The Author

Positive thinking In order to make our dreams come true, we need to think positively. It’s vital that we reject negative thoughts, ours or others’.
Clear focus Do you have a goal? Keep it in the forefront of your mind. As you perform the necessary steps toward reaching your stated objective, always remember to keep your goal first and foremost.
Envision the desired result If you know what you want most, where you want to be, visualize it. Look at the situation or goal in your mind’s eye as if it had already happened.
Steady as she goes Refuse to be bothered by naysayers. Continue on your chosen path knowing that it will lead to the success you’re dreaming of.
Open the door Success is like a door. In order to reach it, you must turn the handle and open the door. This will involve taking calculated risks.
Don’t give up Although there may be obstacles on the road to success, don’t get discouraged. When this happen, revisit keys 1 and 3.
Believe in the moment Believe that, as you practice the above keys or, steps, that you are exactly where you should be at this very moment, regardless of anything contrary.
Take needed breaks Without the necessary rest and relaxation, you may break down. A certain amount of indulging is required.
Be grateful While moving toward our most cherished goal, gratitude is imperative. We need to thank the people who help us along.
Accept success In order to be successful, we need to accept success when it comes. We need to believe in ourselves, that we are worthy of success.

The Power Of Positive Thinking The The Power Of Positive Thinking (jstamilbookhouse.wordpress.com)

Electronic Publishing in the Digital Age

Posted on July 15, 2013 by The Author

When I first started writing, I pursued traditional methodologies for getting published. Grosso modo, these are: Write a quality book that is between eighty and one hundred thousand words long to satisfy market requirements, edit it, have friends read it, religiously go through Writer’s Market looking for select publishers, write a query letter and wait between one and three months for a reply. However, as an author once said, Why should I wait for the acceptance of my book when the book could already be published with me on a beach drinking tequila? This leads to several questions: Is it reasonable to expect that writers wait between one and three months for a response? Why have publishers framed this expectation and do they have the right to monopolize writers’ time? After all, time is a precious commodity of which we appear to have less and less.

The definition of publishing has changed

My experience with Amazon and Facebook(R) has shown me that the definition of publishing has changed. Writers don’t have to wait between one and three months or more to determine the value of their writings. Publication can happen sooner.

What is publication?

According to the Penguin Dictionary (Robert Allen, consultant ed.), publication is ‘the act or process of publishing’ and to publish is to ‘produce (a book…) or release (it) for sale or distribution to the public.’

With the advent of social media and self-publishing methodologies such as Amazon, the very meaning of what publication is and who controls the distribution process have forever changed.

Why is it advantageous to publish electronic books as opposed to print books?

Control

The first advantage is that writers can take control of the process. On the surface, this may appear marvelous. You may think, I can say whatever I want, click ‘post’ and the world will embrace me. Not so fast pussycat. Just because we have the means to bypass traditional book publishers and market our personal brand doesn’t mean that we can produce poor writing and win. In fact, the freedom afforded by the likes of Facebook(R) and Amazon should make us doubly careful about what we say and how we say it. Controlling the distribution process doesn’t equate with producing quality products. This is because whether we produce electronic or print titles, the old adage, ‘content is king,’ still applies. And I would add quality content.

Practicality

‘There are undoubtable benefits to being able to take entire libraries with you when travelling [including] the ability to access information at any time, and search that information quickly….(Bailey, Sarah. ‘Digital Rights Management in Publishing.’ reallybluebooks.com/downloads/Digital-Rights-Management-Essay.pdf, 20 June, 2011, p. 6) I can’t take my physical library of books with me when traveling; but I can have access to all of my e-books at any time and in any place.

Durability

Unlike traditional, print books, e-books cannot degrade. Their digital as opposed to analog composition is virtually everlasting.

Instant access

Many people own electronic reading tablets such as Kindle. For them, ordering an e-book online gives them virtually instant access to the product. Amazon, for example, offers free, wireless delivery in about two minutes. This is a far cry from getting in your car, driving to the bookstore, locating the book, purchasing it, driving home and starting to read it. Even if you order a print book online, you’ll have to wait several days to a week for delivery, depending.

Reduced cost

Offering my readers electronic versions of my books enables them to get the same value (if not higher) at a reduced cost. For example, one of my books is 385 pages long with 84 color illustrations. It sells for $19.19 in print (black & white) versus $0.99 on Amazon (color). This means that should readers desire to hold a print version of my book in their hands, they’ll have to pay roughly twenty times more without getting the full effect since my illustrations won’t be in color!

With the advent of cloud computing, big data and novel ideas about sharing and storing data, we are living the ‘communication revolution.’ In order to maximize our potential–publishing our works sooner than what is traditionally accepted, developing and marketing our personal brand without necessarily being pressured by publishers, and offering our quality products at an affordable price and in a durable manner–today’s writers should seriously consider publishing their titles electronically.

Perfect Mind Discipline Produces Perfect Writing

Posted on July 12, 2013 by The Author

Aaaaaaaiiiieeeeeeee! This is the ‘war cry’ that Bruce Lee emits before performing a series of moves that incapacitate his opponents perfectly.

In the same way that Lee disciplines his mind to execute the moves that categorically put his opponents ‘out of business,’ we need to discipline our minds before writing.

Economy of speech

Although it’s tempting to use a multitude of words to say something, we should be sparse in our speech. In the same way that Lee uses economy of movement–to produce best effect–we should do the same with the written word.

Best effect

The best effect results when there is harmony between thought and word.

Remember your goal

Your goal is to express an idea in the simplest and most elegant way. Your aim is to immediately convey something powerful to your audience.

Keywords

In the same way that Lee strikes selectively, we should ‘precision strike’ with keywords. Keywords are the action words that make our story come to life. They are the punchline.

A constant state of awareness

In order to maintain the effect of suspense, our writing must mirror our constant state of awareness. This is our commitment to remaining alert to the details of our lives. As we purposefully pay attention to what surrounds us by disciplining our minds, this will invariably reflect in the quality of our writing. As we become better and better at acting when we must and speaking when needed, our writing will reflect our state of mind.

Mind creates words

Our thinking creates what we write. How and what we think are intimately tied to what we write. They cannot be separated.

Let the fight begin

We begin the fight–to produce the perfect story–by developing techniques that help us discipline our minds so that the product we produce is a reflection of what we’ve achieved.

The outside mirrors the inside

What we write mirrors what we think. For best effect, we must have the ‘best’ thinking, so to speak.

Take your time

In the same way that it took years for Bruce Lee to attain the level he did, it will take you years in the field of writing.

Remember, the secret to perfect writing is perfect mind discipline.

Be Like Water: The Philosophy and Origin of Bruce Lee’s Famous Metaphor for Resilience (brainpickings.org)

Keep Your Voice

Posted on July 11, 2013 by The Author

The late American author and philosopher, Joseph Campbell, said that when you like an author, read everything they’ve written and then read authors they’ve read. This is the opposite of reading as much as possible by as many writers as possible. What Campbell was pointing at was that we should follow ‘threads,’ not follow blindly. This is why Ted, Babbitt’s son, (Lewis, Sinclair. Babbitt. Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1922. Print) must, as Campbell advocated, ‘follow his bliss’ rather than do what Daddy says.

It’s the old story of individuation. You need to write about what’s in your heart, what’s true to you, rather than allowing yourself to be influenced by well-meaning folks.

Influence

When we read, we get influenced. Fearing that we somehow may not have what it takes, not be on the level, we may get wrongly influenced. We may even begin to adopt the style of another. This is not good because in doing so, we give up a big part of ourselves, the part that’s unique and makes us stand out from the crowd.

Your voice

They say that we learn how to write by reading much and writing much. This is true. But equally important is what we read and what we write.

Don’t fall into abstractions

One of the worst things we can do is fall into abstractions. This is when we don’t have anything substantial to say yet, feeling the need to say something, start twisting and turning words in such a way as to sound erudite while, in the end, saying nothing or next to nothing.

The old story

Individuation is an old story because it’s the story of our race. We have, since time immemorial, been trying to define ourselves as separate from others and communicating this definition.

An ongoing struggle

Keeping our voice, our true identity, is an ongoing struggle which starts in early childhood and ends in old age. It has to do with fighting against being pigeonholed; falling into the trap of directional questions; being able to say ‘no’ when everybody else is saying ‘yes;’ and appreciating someone the world disdains.

If the myths and legends are true, (Campbell, Joseph and Moyers, Bill. Flowers, Betty Sue (ed.). The Power of Myth. Doubleday, 1988. Print (Paperback)) then we have much more to draw from than we thought. There is, in fact, a vast reservoir of archetypal material we can ‘extract’ and use to individuate and find our voice.

Once we’ve found our voice, we need to keep it since it is precious and defines who we are.

Cover of The Power of Myth (Illustrated Edition)

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Related articles

Share this:

Share this:

Related articles

Share this:

Share this: