Posted by admin on June 27th, 2008 — Posted in Fiction, Non-Fiction
“You can see what I’m thinking, mate,” Gus said.
Fenton could. And it was madness. The windows were about two-thirds of the way up the roof’s face. A brief sill or ledge ran along the bottom of them. And from there, the great slope of steel came down on a rampant grade of considerably more than forty-five degrees, sluicing an endless flood of rain into the gutter that ran along its near edge. In some places the guttering was full, and rills of overspilling water surged from it to the sodden turf.
Gus went to one of the metal poles that held up the veranda. He gripped it, tried to shake it. He seemed pleased by the results. He came back over to Fenton’s side.
“If one of us clambers up there,” he said, “we could gain access through one of them windows.”
“It looks,” Fenton said, “a little dangerous.”
“You could be right.” Gus looked up again, soberly regauging the slope.
“For a biggish bastard like me, it could be a little hairy.”
Oh no. Fenton wasn’t having that.
“For a biggish bloke like me,” Gus repeated.
He just wasn’t.
“More a job for a lither bloke,” Gus said.
“Yes,” Fenton deadpanned.
“A bloke like yourself.”
Fenton looked at his watch.
“Jesus, Fent. How many hints do you want me to drop?”
“Sorry?”
“I reckon you should get up there mate.”
“Oh.” Non-committally. “Right.”
“Fair dinkum, Fent! You can see why I can’t get up there, surely?” Gus’s smile was forced. Time was a factor. Rain matted his beard. “I’m heavier than you, mate. And I’m carrying a frigging axe. And I’m meant to be the fucking boss.”
Here Gus reasonably paused.
But Fenton simply wasn’t having it.
“All right you fucking woman,” Gus said savagely. “I will get up there.” He stalked petulantly back to the metal upright. Shaking with rage and hurt, he tucked the hatchet under his arm, and grasped the pole at head height. He raised the sole of his right boot and held it bitterly aloft.
“You can at least give me a boost, you twat!” he yelled through the rain.
If Lego hadn’t called the police by now he had to be stone deaf.
Kirk Kinbote, operating from behind at least a brace of pseudonyms, was the key creative and design force behind http://www.adancingbear.com, home of the novel “A Dancing Bear.”
Comments Off
Posted by admin on May 25th, 2008 — Posted in Fiction, Non-Fiction
This is one of the few dedicated books that provide a complete
inside picture of the makings of a great car manufacturing
company, in this case - the BMW. A keen auto journalist, David
portrays the complete canvass of the brand called BMW, the
unceasing effort undertaken to make its cars distinctive, the
clear focus of its brand identity with the affluent, its
inseparable link of design to marketing as well as the
disastrous consequences of the Rover deal acquisition. The book
makes for compelling reading as the author gives all the inner
details of the finer aspects of the car components and
structure, the behind-the-scene corporate maneuvering, the ups
and downs in the owner’s family, the heavy cost incurred due to
the wrong decision on Rover deal acquisition and the poor
response received to redesigning attempts. What makes the book
interesting is that it never gets too technical to be boring but
combines all the interesting details about the engineering and
marketing philosophy of BMW along with the tumultuous history of
the company.
In all a racy book worth reading not only for auto journalists,
car manufacturers, and professionals, but even owners of the
proud car, and any lay person wanting to know the complex road
that the company traversed to produce its brand of highly
exclusive and renowned cars.
Comments Off
Posted by admin on April 5th, 2008 — Posted in Fiction, Non-Fiction
Never Fry Bacon in the Nude (And Other Lessons from the Quick and the Dead) by Stone Payton
In Never Fry Bacon in the Nude, we find another offering that falls into the category of “a title that grabs you and content that holds you!” You’ve got to admit that this title generates a visual that’s difficult to ignore. However, it doesn’t stop there. The table of contents will undoubtedly encourage you to grab a sandwich and a glass of your favorite beverage as you navigate to a comfortable easy chair with a goal of staying put until you complete every one of the 171 pages before you.
As I read each chapter, I couldn’t help but wonder how the author was going to eclipse his content in the following chapters. I find this especially challenging because Stone Payton chose a subject that can be somewhat delicate to many of today’s business population. “High velocity leadership: it’s all about SPEED” claims this accomplished author, speaker, and consultant. He goes on to say: “Speed is the most consistent and durable source of competitive advantage. Most sources of competitive advantage todaytechnology, talent, capital, intellectual property, even product superiorityhave an incredibly short shelf-life. And when the grease gets hot (yesterday’s advantage becomes today’s norm), organizations can become extremely vulnerable. Specifically, we’re at the mercy of three distinct populations keenly focused on their own survival and prosperity:
- Acutely perceptive employees who ultimately determine the organization’s level of discretionary effort
- Increasingly sophisticated and unforgiving customers
- Faster, more nimble competitors poised to create and fill the next void
- Organizations that consistently meet more needs for more people in less time strengthen their culture, grow their customer base, and dominate their market.
Neglecting speed (failing to incorporate a systematic, deliberate process for increasing the ratio of results to time invested) is like frying bacon in the nude … It might feel good at first, but without the right disciplines in place, we’re dangerously over exposed and very likely to get burned (even permanently scarred) by one or more of these three critically important constituencies.
Another fascinating aspect of this book lies in the fact that I found very little new information within the content. What I did find was a vast assortment of valuable information aligned in such a way that it suddenly made sense and provided me with a clear cut action plan for succeeding with SPEED. The author himself spelled it out for me as early as page 11 when he pointed out the necessity to remember the “F Word.” That word, of course, is fundamentals, which is what this book is all about. Top performers in every arena, from the basketball court to the boardroom consistently commit themselves to the fundamentals. They religiously apply just a handful of basic principles that give them that slight extra edge. So it should come as no surprise that fast, agile companiesand the people who lead themexhibit a powerfully simple method of leadership thinking. Specifically, they express, model, and reward five distinct disciplines:
Structure
Personal Accountability
Empathy
Education
Direction
Learn the details and application of each of these disciplines in Part One where you’ll also discover the common characteristics shared by all five. At this point, you have the foundation in hand, and you’re ready for more fundamentals. Learn how to “harness the 7 LAWS OF SPEED,” “refine the 5 SPEED Disciplines,” and “avoid the 15 Common SPEED Traps that destroy momentum.” Before you know it, your sandwich has been reduced to a few crumbs on your plate, your glass is empty, you’re curled up in your chair, your notepad is filled, and your highlighter is empty.
Stone’s personal mission is to help others develop the competence, confidence, and commitment to establish a practical plan for producing Better Results in Less Time … in short, to “Succeed with SPEED.”
Reprint Information
Your organization may reprint this article for your newsletter, online publication, or mailing list. We ask that you print the:
- article in its entirety;
- byline of the writer;
- information about the writer, which is available at the end of each article; and
- contact information, including our toll-free phone number in the U.S. (800-886-2MAX) and link to our website - www.AchieveMax.com.
We would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy of the articles you reprint.
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has made presentations ranging from leadership to employee retention and time management to stress management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. He can be reached at 800-886-2MAX or by visiting http://www.AchieveMax.com.
Comments Off
Posted by admin on March 27th, 2008 — Posted in Fiction, Non-Fiction
Going Deeper: How to make Sense of Your Life When Your Life Makes No Sense
Jean-Claude Koven
Prism House Press (2004)
ISBN 0972395458
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (3/06)
The first thing that attracted me to “Going Deeper” is the cover. It is the most serene and beautiful cover I’ve seen for a long time. If we say that we judge the book by its cover, this is one that can be judged. The inside truths are as dynamic as the outside.
Jean-Claude Koven weaves a vibrant fictional plot with two characters, Larry, a Los Angeles lawyer, and Zeus, a dog that is a “genetic marvel - part everything.” They take a 3 day trip into the Joshua Tree National Park, meeting wise teachers along the way. The teachers came in various forms such as Junie, the talking Juniper Tree and Kichi, the androgynous Body Elemental. Each teacher portrays an aspect of wisdom that truth seekers seek.
Interspersed with humor, “Going Deeper” gives the reader a three dimensional look into the wisdom of the ages, including Akashic records, Phoenix rising, Law of Purpose, and Free Will, to create a path for spiritual awakening. “More than sixty million entities willingly accepted the assignment . . . to assist transition into the next paradigm.” The entities are referred to as the Wanderers, or more traditionally known as the Light Workers. Koven’s book transcribes one Wanderers’ journey to enlightenment, a destination that the character’s soul chose when being born on earth.
“Going Deeper” is a slow first read for a Wanderer because every page has a deep message for facing the reality of higher dimensional living, a path that was chosen by contract. On the second read, the Wanderer will encounter their own spiritual truths that take them to a higher state of consciousness. This is a deep book and only recommended for those that seriously want to change their lives.
Comments Off