Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Get a Kindle! That's the way to go.

‘I love to hold a book,’ you say. ‘There’s just nothing to compare to the fell of paper, holding as you lay back in bed, finally putting the book on your bedside table before drifting off to sleep, most probably taking the pages you have just read into your dreamland. Well, that’s how it works for me, but now with a slightly different slant. I now take a Kindle and swipe the pages and what’s best is that my Kindle is more than 1000 books, potentially.
Do I miss the real books? Yes, sometimes I do, but the shear convenience is slowly winning the day. For publisher and book shops, I guess there is an emerging demon as book sales in the traditional form plummet. That is sad and unless there is some sort of backlash to the new medium then Kindle and its ‘relations’ (other reading Apps.) will rule the day. Of course there will always be the ‘diehards’ who will never accept the modern technology.
If you were thinking that a Kindle will hit you in the pocket, then think again. I see there is a link from my website (www.authorneilcoleman.com) that lets you buy one from Amazon for US$69. Yes, it is a basic model, but it does the trick. If you want one with better ‘backlighting,’ then you will have to pay more.
Xmas is coming up, so get your Kindle and then go and download ROSKILL and in a few weeks, TALK TO ME, my next little tale of improbable proportions.  Don’t forget to write a short review. Happy Kindleling!

India spends $72 million on a mission to Mars while millions more starve---good move!

On first glance one does wonder at the sense of India spending large amounts of money on a mission to Mars. How can they, you ask, while so many people go hungry or lack basic facilities?
Ok, we in New Zealand could also be accused of wasting money on the Americas Cup while many citizens could have received important medical help for that money (it was $32 million here).
Actually the payback to the government and the economy in general, plus the not to be underestimated ‘feel good’ factor benefits may be more than can be easily estimated.. India feels that it will reap the paybacks in the form of pride, scientific knowledge and probable huge increases in the technological area of its economy. Is that not similar to what we expect in NZ from our ‘failed’ attempt to win back the “Olde Mug?”
So, before people around the world criticise the ‘waste’ of money and resources, take a deeper look at the reasons why India (and New Zealand) embark on these grandiose’ programmes’