THE INTERNET

Picture above is a photo of my cable modem. Download speed of approximately 20 Mbps, depending on usage. This modem connects me to the Internet. The Internet Is The Greatest Marketing Tool Invented By Mankind. It far surpasses print, television, radio, motion pictures, and all other media delivery systems in its ability to reach billions of people at once across the globe. Harnessed properly and consistently it can far outsell  any product or service compared to all other advertising and marketing tools.

And why I am so amped up about this subject to take it up on my blog? I will tell you why. I just finished watching the movie about Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, "Social Network." The movie was released almost 3 years ago. On the end credits a slide was projected that as of the release of the film Facebook has over 500 million users. As of this blog post there are now over 1.15 billion users, more than double the number of 3 years ago.

It is that type of reach that makes Facebook, YouTube and Google and other sites absolute necessities in marketing your product, service, or brand. And it makes no difference what it is you do or want to say to the world. You must get on the internet to become successful.

I first saw the internet on Netscape in 1994 when I worked at a radio station on the campus of California State University, Northridge...only days before the massive Northridge Earthquake in 1994 that flattened the building I was working in at the time. If the EQ were 24 hours and a few later I wouldn't be writing this blog, I would have been crushed and under tons of rubble. But I wasn't so here I am. I could see within a few minutes of seeing the internet at that time that I was witnessing an invention was as important as the Guttenberg Bible.

What I am saying to you is that if you want to succeed in whatever endeavor you pursue, whether personally or professionally, you must use the internet. I know this not new news, but so many people do not use the internet or understand the internet and or how it can change lives.

There is currently a move afoot by some countries to build their own internet backbone and eschew what they perceive as a U.S. dominated internet system. But any fool will see that the internet as now constructed has no country of origin. It is global. Internet server barns scatter the globe. And those countries who disconnect from this international backbone will surely fail. If you do not use the internet to promote your product or service you will surely fail.

I know you already know this, that is why you are on the internet now and why you are reading a blog, my blog, on the internet...it's because you know. I just hope you teach yourself how to navigate around the internet and reach into that toolbox to pull out the great resources available. This is all more important to you than just consuming email, downloading video, ordering gadgets and widgets and listening to music. It's about you creating for yourself a future of fun and profit.

The old saying..."...every journey begins with the first step..." I urge you to take that first step. Good luck and never give up.

MOMENTOUS & ASTOUNDING

The Voyager 1 spacecraft was launched September 5, 1977. It has now travelled more than 11 billion miles from Planet Earth moving at a distance of 1 million miles per day at 38,000mph. NASA officially announced yesterday that it has now crossed from the Heliosphere and influence of our Sun into Interstellar Space. It is further out from the surface of our planet than any other man made object. With its nuclear power plant and heaters it is expected to be able to transmit plasma data for another 13 years and work beyond that transmitting engineering data back to earth for another 10 years. The transmitter power is about 22 watts or just about as powerful as your refrigerator light bulb.

As someone who authors science fiction books this is truly an amazing human accomplishment. For over 40 years NASA JPL in Pasadena have run the Voyager program. With Voyager 2 heading out in a separate direction this is truly a momentous feat of  Earth engineering.

I know that everyday life really has no room for comprehension of what has been done here. But I hope you've taken the time to read this blog and have thought about what is possible for humans like you to create such a machine as Voyager 1. Congrats to the NASA team. I have a feeling that in the coming years there will be even more fascinating news to report.

I would love to hear your thoughts about this momentous occaision. Please also check out my two science fiction novels as well, "SETI" and "SETI, The Journey" with book three in the SETI trilogy "SETI, Conception" now in-work. Go to http://www.frederickfichman.com for more information.

WWW.FREDERICKFICHMAN.COM

Hallelujah and Finally. It took some time but 8 of my books have been uploaded and are now available for purchase and download from the Apple iBook store. With the iBooks App you can download these books onto your Apple computer, iPhone or iPad. The books I have uploaded, SO FAR, include the following titles:


"SETI"
"SETI, The Journey"
"Butcher Boat"
"Road Kill"
"Texas-Southeast Coast"
"Texas-Hill Country"
"Nevada-California Border"
"Colorado-Garden of the Gods"

In the coming weeks I plan to upload "Grand Canyon-Guide to the South Rim Trail." That book will include video segments.

And after that, the complete 12-volume set, "Visit the Zoo" will be uploaded to Apple iBooks. That set will include numerous video and audio insertions as well.

And after that, "SETI, Conception" book three in the SETI Trilogy.

And after that, "The Feather", a Lewis and Clark Expedition fantasy novel.

And after that, "MEGAPTERA", sentient whales on a planet surrounding the nearby star system, Alpha Centauri...only 4.5 light years from Earth.

And after that, more and more and more.

Wow, do I have a full plate or what? But, I have to work hard for you my readers. You demand it of me and I demand it of myself. I want to keep feeding you compelling stories. It's just what I want to do as an author.

So, in the coming months more from author, Frederick Fichman, that's me. Stay tuned to this channel as they used to say in the old and beginning days on TV.

Frederick Fichman

Coming Soon to an iBooks Store Near You

Like the Nike "Swoosh" or the Coca Cola script, around the world everyone knows what company this logo represents. Apple has been making software and hardware products since the mid-70's. And I was a First Adopter. Way back in about 1976 I bought one of the first Apple computers to come off the assembly line...still think I have it up in my attic.

In the 90's and 00's I drifted away to the PC, but now I am back. I still have and work on a PC, but I am spending more time on my Apple. And recently I have a very specific reason. Here it is:

I have uploaded over 25 books I've written to Kindle, Nook and KOBO. I always knew that one day I wanted to offer my work to the Apple world through there iBooks Store. So recently, I bit the bullet...I bought a MacMini, learned iAuthor, learned iProducer and I am beginning to upload books to Apple iBooks. Problem is, after a week, my books are still not up for sale. Eventually they will be, it just seems to take longer with Apple to post books up to their store. And today I hear a news story about someone hacking their Developer site. Great now even more delay as they straighten that mess out.

I announced on my Facebook Page under by Frederick Fichman page that Apple versions of my books would be up soon on the iBooks Store. That was more than a week ago. And so I still wait. I hope it will be soon.

For those of you who want to read my books on your iPad through purchase at the iBooks Store, be patient. They are coming. Right Mr. Apple type person, they're coming?

Hot Book Review for "Visit the Zoo" 12-book Series

Check out this great book review above for my 12-book series, "Visit the Zoo" or go to my website at http://www.visit-the-zoo.com It appeared in the May 2013 issue of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums News.

The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums is located in Gland, Switzerland and represents over 1,300 zoos and aquariums and over 700 million annual zoo visitors from around the world. A very important aspect of their work is the preservation of endangered species. Their work is so important for the future biological heritage of this planet and I totally support their efforts. You can review that work by going to their web site at http://www.waza.org.

Have a great week and I'll communicate again soon.

Frederick Fichman

A Mission to Mars-Primary Hazard

For today’s blog I am going to put on my Science Fiction writer hat. I am in the middle of writing the third book in my "SETI Anthology", so maybe it’s appropriate.

I just listened to a News Telecon from NASA, audio only with graphics, about the Mars Curiosity Rover radiation findings on its transit from Earth to Mars. The MSL was launched on November 26, 2011. Findings from the Radiation Assessment Detector located on top of the spacecraft but underneath the protective shroud as it journeyed to the Red Planet, were a bit unsettling.

The Radiation Assessment Detector for the Mars Science Laboratory monitors high-energy atomic and subatomic particles from the sun.

 

The three scientific investigators on heard in todays audio Teleconference spoke in somewhat arcane and scientific terms about the findings with an occasional break into understandable language that came up with the following conclusions: Radiation  bombarding the astronauts inside a space vehicle on its way to Mars would be dangerous, high and could cause cancer and death. Well, there goes the manned mission to Mars. However, new spacecraft design, not yet complete, with a surrounding jacket of water included around the outer layers of protection for the space vehicle, could mitigate that danger. Theory being, water, which contains large amounts of hydrogen, is a wonderful insulator against radiation. Layers of other shielding beneath that plus food storage, also containing water, could then make the trip to the fourth planet from the Sun, feasible.

The transit radiation danger to astronauts on their way to Mars is not a new revelation. Scientists have known about it for some time. What the RAD device has done is provide additional in-transit and hard data that this danger does exist.  Once on Mars, the radiation is less because the planet blocks radiation to a certain percentage. But there is no Van Allen Radiation belt that protects the red planet like we have here on Earth.

I guess my point here is that there is a long way to go before these challenges to a Mars Mission are overcome. You have, of course, everything else that could happen…illness or injury to astronauts in transit, micrometeorites, equipment malfunction (toilet stops up?), sudden emotional stress or insanity, love triangles and on and on.  These guys and gals will be locked up in a bus-sized space vehicle for six months. Lotsa research and testing going on now to accomplish the task, but we are still not there.

Now if someone could crack the propulsion limitations so we could travel faster and get there sooner, then many of these issues go away. You travel there in 30-60 days, let’s say. You land and there is a treasure trove of pre-positioned supplies sent earlier in the mission and waiting for you. It is possible; it’s just a matter of figuring it out.

But there’s not much you can say when an astronaut suddenly looks up from his freeze dried tuna fish casserole and says…”Are we there yet?” Not quite. We have a ways to go.

Write Your Own Book, Make Some Cash

 

In the Introduction to my new book I wrote the following:

“I saw a YouTube video not too long ago that featured a video clip from the Dick Cavett Show. Incidentally, this talk-interview show was taped at an adjunct ABC Studio at 1313 Vine Street where I used to work for a while during my long career at ABC-TV.

Dick was interviewing Truman Capote. He asked Capote if good writing could be taught. Capote did not hesitate. “No,” he replied. “It can’t be taught, either you can write or you can’t.”

Not so, I say. Yeah, if you are writing like Truman Capote you can’t teach that gift from God. It is born skill that some people have. Many have that skill and don’t work to develop it. Some, like Capote, recognize they have that skill and work and work and work at it. They hone their craft. They increase their vocabulary. They create a style. But there is no reason why you can’t rise to some level of competence and skill.”

And I believe that. I also believe that you can write a 25 or 35 or 50 page book about your passion, hobby or knowledge in some specific area. Whether it is baking a cake, knitting, photography, raising a newborn baby or painting a picture, you can write about it. Remember the old 50’s TV series, “Learn How to Draw with Jon Nagy.” Uh oh, I just dated myself. That’s what I’m talking about, except it’s about writing an eBook and not painting.

There are others out there in the world who are trying to develop that skill of cooking, want to know how to make tons of money, or whatever skill they want to develop that could be your potential audience. People want to know what you know and how you do what you do. The easiest way to teach them is to write an eBook. Write an eBook on a subject that many many many people are clamoring to learn about. It could be fun and you could make some money. Now I have your attention.

I wrote “Write & Publish Your Ebook-10 Steps to Success” to help you develop some simple skills that could lead you to a completed eBook posted on Kindle, Nook, KOBO, iBooks and to success.

I just published this “How To” book on Amazon Kindle, Barnes&Noble Nook, and KOBO Books…coming soon to the Apple iBooks store. The easiest way to get direct links, to read the book description, and download the book, selling for $2.99, is to go to my website, http://www.frederickfichman.com. Check it out…tnx, till next time.

 

 

FF