Book Proposal Query Letter - Copyright 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Query Letter Book Proposal

(c) Copyright 2010, Kendell Lang, All Rights Reserved

Dear Publisher:

I am ready to submit a detailed book proposal for "Gardner's of Eden: Quest for the God Particle" so I look forward to hearing back from you once you've had a chance to review this proposal.

BOOK TITLE                                                                                     

Gardner's of Eden: Quest for the God Particle

BOOK SUMMARY                                                                           

Logline: All secret societies have a beginning. This is the original secret society from which all others were born.

Before the Seven Society, the Skull and Bones or Scroll and Key, before the Japanese Yakuza, the Italian or Russian Mafia, before the Priory of Sion, the Illuminati, Opus Dei, the Knights Templar or the Free Mason Society, and...even before the Nine Unknown, a more ancient secret society had been formed.

The Gardner's of Eden.

This is the predecessor to all secret societies. Initiated shortly after the birth of creation itself, this group was genetically programmed to protect and hide a world-changing secret.

Many prophecies talk about world-ending scenarios, but this secret holds the key to the beginning of eternity. A secret that God himself did not want revealed.

Throughout the ages a select group of guardians has been tasked to protect the Garden of Eden and to keep secret the location of the sacred Tree of Life. Unlike Ponce de León's quest for the Fountain of Youth, historical documentation and current scientific research point to the existence of the ultimate fountain of youth. The facts being revealed in this story are historically validated, independently researched and independently verifiable.

THE PROBLEM: Programmed Cell Death ("PCD")                             

Let's put this first into a simple context to which everyone can relate. Salmon. Everyone knows what happens to salmon...they live for 4 years in the ocean, find their way back up to the stream where they were spawned, lay their eggs and die. They die from programmed cell death...PCD. If you catch salmon right after they spawn... you find they have huge adrenal glands, peptic ulcers, and kidney lesions, their immune systems have collapsed... and they have stupendously high glucocorticoid concentrations in their bloodstreams. When salmon spawn, regulation of their glucocorticoid secretion breaks down... But is the glucocorticoid excess really responsible for their death? Yep. Take a salmon right after spawning, remove its adrenals, and it will live for a year afterward.

Seems pretty straightforward, right? Not quite so. Human beings go through a much more complex programmed cell death, but this too has been the subject of much research. For those who believe in the Bible it provides both an answer to human death, and eternal life...if you eat from the Tree of Life, you live forever. Something in the fruit of the tree of life reverses the curse of death.

There is a genetic code that triggers PCD and a theoretical equal and opposite genetic code that switches off PCD. It is the potential to reverse the genetic code of PCD that has led to the quest for the "God particle."

From a scientific perspective Programmed Cell Death ("PCD") - is the deliberate suicide of an unwanted cell in a multicellular organism, also known as Phenoptosis (pheno - showing or displaying a type, ptosis - programmed death) signifies the programmed death of an organism, ie that its biology includes features that under certain circumstances will cause it to degenerate and die off. Phenoptosis is a common feature of living beings, whose ramifications for humans is still being explored. What was once thought to be a simplistic linear genetic pathway to cellular death has now evolved into a much more highly evolved understanding of an intertwined complex systems structure, with the ultimate code still yet to be unlocked.

Billions of dollars have been spent searching for the key to unlock this mystery, and the public presentation of what is being done from a research perspective is a very different story from the reality of the lengths and depths that corporate profiteers will go to gain control of the secret.

THE QUEST: Search for God Particle                                                

Two parallel tubes one hundred meters below Geneva's western suburbs carry high-energy particles, protons, in opposite directions around the tunnel at close to the speed of light. In a dimly lit tunnel that runs in a circle for 27km (17 miles), at the foot of the Jura Mountains, where Switzerland meets France, is a laboratory so vast it boggles the mind. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is an impossibly complicated machine that smashes atomic particles together at super-fast speeds.

The belief is that this science has the potential to unlock the secrets of the Universe. By recreating the searing-hot conditions believed to have been necessary to have accounted for the Big Bang, Jacard Rouseau intends to disprove the existence of the "God particle." What he is about to discover... gives new dimensions to science that could unravel the very framework of organized religion.

Zachariah Madison was very clear about the implications for the value of his stock in Viagitas. If there truly is a fruit which contains a formula by which PCD can be forever wiped out, think about the ramifications! The economic value for this formula would dwarf the current value of the top 1000 wealthiest pharmaceutical companies, and in fact would likely wipe them off the map in terms of why they would even need to exist any longer. Could the existence of this fruit be true? The scientific community is driving research at a level that is making astonishing strides towards understanding the mechanisms of PCD, and ultimately how to retard and potentially reverse or eliminate PCD altogether. Man becomes god and reverses the curse of death, that's what they're really after. The Quest for Immortality. But what if this offer of access to this fabled tree of life is for real? Is it possible that Jake really found it?

The public debate about stem cell research and cloning is just a shadow of the real debate and the real battles going on far below the public radar screen. This truly is a question about eternity, regardless of your fundamental belief system...and people are killing to control it.

THE CONSPIRACY                                                                        

This secret society, the Gardner's, is convinced that man, regardless of advances in science and technology should not be allowed to succeed in discovering the formula to eradicate PCD. They believe there is a spiritual destiny where God is in control of the finite lifespan of Mother Earth, and that until God's ultimate plan to forever solve the battle between good and evil, the search for the fountain of youth or the cure to PCD will be ongoing. They believe that God has tasked them with keeping secret the location of the Garden of Eden and its' precious grove containing the Tree of Life, and that the very success of God's ultimate plan rests on their ability to protect this secret.

Jake Backster is convinced that his years of investment in Life Science companies have been for naught. Although fame and fortune have come his way because of his success in a variety of biotechnology innovations, he just can't let go of the idea that there's something very simple that he's missed all these years. Even though Jake is an avowed Agnostic, he has uncovered a mystery which has led him to the conclusion that there is no other possibility than that the Garden of Eden exists and the Tree of Life inside that Garden holds the key for which he's been searching. Jake is the master of alliances and double cross. His ability to enlist what would otherwise be mortal enemies is part of his chameleon character. He also possesses a unique ability to move through political networks which give him access to resources not usually available. He is going to have to work fast to pull off the perfect plan.

Given enough time and enough diligence, every conspiracy can be uncovered, and that has been the quest on which Jake now finds himself. To uncover the hidden location of the Garden of Eden and find the Tree of Life. The Gardner's of Eden have been protecting that location since the beginning of recorded time. This secret society has been tasked with protecting the hidden location of the Garden of Eden, and to keep safe the location of the tree of life.

THE HEROINE: Archeologist Heroine                                                

As a staunch believer in the historical validity of the Bible, Michelle is convinced that the Garden of Eden still exists. Her theology is now on a collision course with her profession.

If the Garden truly exists, does her professional responsibility take a back seat to her personal beliefs? Should the existence of the Garden be revealed? What does she know about the Garden of Eden? The only thing she can glean from the Bible concerning the Garden of Eden's location is found in Genesis 2:10-14;

"A river watering the garden flowed from Eden;
from there it was separated into four headwaters.

The name of the first is the Pishon;
it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where

there is gold...The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through

the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris;

it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates."

The exact identities of the Pishon and Havilah rivers is unknown, but the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are well known. If the Tigris and Euphrates mentioned there are the same rivers by those names today, that would put the Garden of Eden somewhere in the middle east, likely in Iraq.

People have searched for the Garden of Eden for centuries to no avail. There are various locations that people claim to be the original location of the Garden of Eden, but one thing Michelle is sure about, they haven't found it yet.

What happened to the Garden of Eden? The Bible does not specifically say. If it exists, do the cherubim's still guard and protect access to the tree of life? Who are the cherubim's and are they truly the guardian's of this eternal secret? The existence of Cherubims has been documented throughout the ages, including during the time of Noah, Moses and at the crucifixion of Christ. All through Israel's history of the Temple in Jerusalem and the Tabernacle, two giant Cherubims guarded the holiest of holies containing the Ark of the Covenant.

Michelle is at the right place at the wrong time...Iraq is not the place to be for a brunette, tiger-eyed female who looks like she just finished a photo shoot for the next Laura Croft movie. The dichotomy of a sexy archeologist would be trouble on any continent, but Michelle's about to find out what Shiria law is all about.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR                                                                    

What Qualifies Me? I am a technical entrepreneur with deep industry knowledge providing verifiable science and research to give validity to my writings. I have been published in numerous industry and trade association publications and technical white papers. I am currently writing two other books, non-fiction titled "HyperDistribution: How to Market to Young Adults" and another titled "Journey of a Lifetime: Young Adult Travel Adventures". I am a subject matter expert in software development, online marketing and have obtained industry recognition for Search Engine Optimization, including having written extensively about search engine ranking. I am credited with coining the phrase "hyperdistribution" which is a new online method of marketing which is described in detail in my proposal and the subject of one of my other non-fiction books. I have authored numerous internal company publications, dozens of business plans, executive summaries for successful investor offerings and numerous policy manuals. I have written for numerous websites, including writing the website www.pattilang.com, a six year journey chronicling my late wife's battle against brain cancer. I have also written the website content for www.JourneyofaLifetime.com. I am a published author for a cookbook titled, "Cicciotti's Kitchen" Italian Family Favorites, featuring Gaetano Cicciotti.

One of the key elements to consider when evaluating whether to represent me and this book is the subject matter expertise I bring to the table. As a seasoned entrepreneur with direct industry experience in the areas covered by this book, I bring credibility to the information provided. The immersive style of scientific detail and a penchant for facts which can all be independently verified gives an unusually reality that stands up to the most critical reader. There is also the considerable momentum the author can contribute to the overall marketing of the book through a comprehensive distribution strategy which supports and enhances all the traditional book distribution opportunities. In addition to developing traditional and interesting publicity hooks and novel selling approaches, the author is uniquely qualified to bring about a new distribution method for this guidebook, including;

• HyperDistribution (peer-to-peer platform networking)
• DVD Distribution
• Broadband and Viral Distribution
• Search Engine Distribution

TARGET AUDIENCE                                                                           

The market for action adventure fiction novels is mature and sophisticated. Finding a quality piece of work that can pass the test of this discerning audience is certainly the opportunity.

The reader's of New York Times Best-Selling adventure authors is a highly prized demographic.

Angels and Demons meets Tom Clancy meets Doomsday thriller where biblical myths collide with biotechnology and scientific advances, where a normal guy superhero stands between special ops supermen and their limitless funders who provide more high tech weapons than a Chronicles of Riddick flick.

The audience is going to find a premise that is simultaneously plausible, historically and scientifically valid and yet edge-of-the-seat thriller fantastic.

COMPETING TITLES                                                                        

This list of titles and authors in the action adventure novel and intelligence thrillers arena is long and distinguished. This adventure thriller is characterized by action, fast pace, plot twists and a resourceful heroine who must overcome overwhelming odds to outwit more-powerful and better-equipped villains. My writing includes suspense, red herrings and cliffhangers used to keep readers engaged. This story winds through a fascinatingly complex transformation through a dramatic rendering of reality, science, psychology, and political intrigue all woven together in new ways for a sensory-starved audience.

The Gardner's of Eden is different because the author is different. The story is honed from personal experience, personal knowledge and from personal tragedy. Each chapter weaves a plausible, unique and compelling story, all immersively tied to the visual anchors of validating almost every component of the story easily navigated by searching the web. For those reader's who were mesmerized by the likes of Tom Clancy, James Rollins, Michael Crichton, Nelson DeMille, Dan Brown or James Clavell, the Gardner's of Eden will insure that a new and vibrant writer has joined the ranks of this celebrated list.

The Gardner's of Eden is part of an emerging genre of web-supported reality novels where readers can visit actual locations, confirm scientific reports and verify corporate investments in life science technologies that are current and compelling. There are signs of this emerging market trend to focus on reality-based novels, for example:

• Tom Clancy - the Hunt for Red October (shockingly detailed and accurate with what was supposed to be classified information at the time), Red Storm Rising, Debt of Honor, Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games and The Sum of All Fears.
• James Rollins - the Sigma Series (Sandstorm, Map of Bones, Black Order, The Judas Strain, The Last Oracle and The Doomsday Key), and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
• Dan Brown - Digital Fortress, Angels & Demons, Deception Point, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol.
• Nelson DeMille - By the Rivers of Babylon, Mayday, Cathedral, The Talbot Odyssey, Word of Honor, The Charm School, The Gold Coast, The General's Daughter, Plum Island, The Lion's Game, Up Country, Night Fall, Wild Fire and The Gate House.

Yet none of these authors have fully delivered on the online integration of story elements. While there was illustrated version of the Da Vinci Code, and an illustrated coffee table guidebook to the locations and artworks, it really didn't hit the high mark of total online integration. This is more than just a special movie tie-in version of the novel. What I am proposing to deliver is essentially a digital online book that has almost every major piece of technical or scientific information hyper-linked for easy and immediate resourcing.

SPECIAL MARKETING                                                                   

Embedded Advertising is becoming more and more sophisticated. Theatrical release of the most recent James Bond movie embedded everything from Omega watch advertising to Ford. The restaurant chain Cheesecake Factory now embeds advertising from sponsors in their menus! I am proposing a novel approach to partner with our publisher and to obtain upfront embedded advertising from select Product Sponsors.

Because this is a global thriller encouraging travel and accommodations, seven main Product Sponsorship areas of focus (not including ancillary product placements) are priorities for this book: Airlines, Hotels, Rental Cars, Search Engines, Computers, Beverages and Clothing. Please see the Product Partners section for more details about each of these opportunities.

In addition to the Product Sponsorship, we are working with a highly specialized Media Services organization which is helping us prepare a sophisticated and comprehensive viral and hyper distribution marketing strategy.

Most 18-year-old students, our Digital Youth, entering the graduating class of 2010 this fall were born in 1990. They grew up with a cell phone in one hand, a mouse in the other and a computer screen as part of their worldview. They learned to surf the internet as they learned to read. While they were still in their cribs, the 20th century started to close as the Berlin Wall came down, the Soviet bloc disintegrated, and frequent traditional wars in Latin America gave way to the uncontrolled terrors of the Middle East. For them: Billy Carter, Lucille Ball, Gilda Radner, Billy Martin, Andy Gibb, and Secretariat have always been dead. This year's entering students form a generation that has always been 'connected' and is used to things happening in 'real time,' like live satellite coverage of revolutions and wars, instant messaging and movies on demand. They expect solutions for every problem, from baldness to diseased organs. To the chagrin of traditional media outlets, they've developed their own generational means of communication. If you don't know how to reach this audience through podcasting or webisodes, you'll never understand how this next generation of readers is going to find and read works of interest.

HyperDistribution: a distribution channel utilizing a variety of peer-to-peer technologies which is even more efficient at reaching a target audience than any single method of channel distribution such as print, email, video, social networking, direct mail, network and online broadcasting. If you don't know what HyperDistribution is, then you don't know about YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. If you've never checked out online content forums and social media sites like Digg, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Del.icio.us and Newsvine, then you'll need to explore those to understand what's going on.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this Book Proposal.



I wait in eager anticipation for your call.


Best personal regards,


Kendell Lang

"THE MAN IS BECOME AS ONE OF US ... now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat and live forever: ... he placed at the east of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life"...."And on either side of the river there was the Tree of Life which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations...Blessed are they that do His Commandments that they might have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the City," Genesis 3:22,24; Revelation 22:2,14.

Fountain of Eternal Youth

WorldClass Branding for Small Business

Realities of Online Brand Development and Search Engine Optimization for Small Business

 

 

In a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, Cyndia Zwahlen writes;

The small business was funded in part by venture capitalist Peter Rogers and his Dry Creek Ventures, which targets clean energy, water and food businesses.

Such small local food outfits, especially those that are gentle on the environment, are key to the long-term health of the economy but need formal access to local investors to succeed, says social venture-capitalist and entrepreneur Woody Tasch.

Shifting capital to organic farmers, independent food entrepreneurs, farmers markets and restaurateurs will pay off in stronger local economies, a healthier environment and improved supplies of affordable, healthful food, Tasch said.

He founded Slow Money Alliance last year to spearhead the creation of regional networks of local investors that want to put their money into local enterprises.

"We've had the life sucked out of our society and economy by financial markets run amok and globalism run to extremes," Tasch said. Slow Money is "part of a network emerging of people who want to repair the damage."

Internet Marketing for Small Businesses - Discover Local Online Marketing

Internet Marketing for Small Businesses
Discover Local Online Marketing

by

Kendell Lang, New Media Consultant

When others are running for cover, trying to figure out how to lose less than their competitors, now is the perfect time to ramp up your marketing efforts and go grab market share.  In order to do that, you need a WorldClass Search Engine Optimization Strategy.  There has never been a better time to get involved in online marketing, especially from a local marketing perspective. Businesses both small and large are moving away from traditional marketing channels like TV, radio, newspapers and magazines and turning to the Internet. Why? Because worldclass internet marketing with a local focus, geographically specific to your target audience has a far more effective way of reaching your target audience.  A local internet marketing strategy can be much less costly than traditional alternatives.  Consider these statistics from Forrester Research:


Over 80% of internet traffic begins at the search engine
73% of users perform searches several times a week.
81% of users begin their internet experience at the search engine.

Search engines, if you have strategically positioned your website for locally optimized results, reach valuable, motivated, and ready customers who are within reach of your geographic location. To capitalize on search as a marketing tool, marketers should shift acquisition email and ad dollars to search and use an outsourcer firm with a proven track record and no setup fees.

Local Internet Marketing

Internet Marketing for an offline business is no different than proper, quality marketing in the offline world, just in a digital format. More than ever consumers are making online searches with a local geographical focus in order to locate a product or services. Local Search Marketing is a more powerful way to focus your online marketing efforts to reach people in your community or a specific geographical area. Search engine users prefer to buy and work with local companies to whom they can physically visit.

Even traditional printed Yellow Pages are shifting their focus to local online marketing.  If not for this new strategic direction they would be dying off as more people begin to use the internet and search engines to look for and find local goods and services. There are five primary search companies, Google, Yahoo! MSN, Ask and AOL.  Each of them has become much more aware of this transition and have developed specific tools for businesses to get discovered locally through online searches.

You Must Be Discovered Locally

I fully understand the incredible power of local search marketing and I have created a unique marketing approach to fit most budgets.  You can check out my website at http://www.kendelllang.com/ or email me at kendell.lang@gmail.com and you can also call me directly to schedule an appointment at 760.445.3315.

Chapter 7 - THE PLANNING

THE PLANNING

Plan the work…work the plan.

The First Law of Outcomes is quickly followed by the Second Law of Outcomes.

Chapter 6 - THE FORMULA

THE FORMULA

Every result happens because it was determined by some formula. This is one of those absolutes, like the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, immutable. In this situation, the logic of the formula is so simple as to be considered improbable. But in simplicity lies a certain perfection. Simplicity in the logic says; results come from choices made… based upon decisions influenced by our emotions… which come from feelings backed by our passions and convictions… which are underpinned by our beliefs… which are shaped by our thoughts… which are influenced by our inputs.

Said in reverse, you arrive at the formula for the First Law of Outcomes;

Inputs --> Thoughts --> Beliefs --> Convictions --> Emotions --> Decisions --> Results

Just as the First Law of Thermodynamics simply states that energy can be neither created nor destroyed, the First Law of Outcomes describes that every human interaction can be explained by, or reduced to identifiable root causes. There is not an encounter that you or I have experienced that cannot be mapped to the First Law of Outcomes. Every successful psychological evaluation, every self-help guru, every talk show host, every third grade bully and every Nobel Prize winner can be evaluated and understood by this First Law of Outcomes.

Every conflict in the history of time follows the formula. The Crusades were conducted all in the context of the inputs that a few men in power received, how they thought about that input, how they formulated their beliefs about those thoughts, what convictions they developed based on those beliefs, what emotions drove them forward to the decisions they reached, which led to the results that changed the face of the planet forever.

Chapter 5 - THE PLAYERS

THE PLAYERS

Relationships are what people are all about. Good, bad or indifferent, the players in our lives shape the history of our time on this planet.

more to come....stay tuned!

Chapter 4 - THE SETUP

THE SETUP

The perfect setup is the one where no one, not politicians, not lobbyists, not lawyers or human rights activists…no one, can imagine that the perfect set of circumstances will be brought into play where all the elements of the perfect plan will be played out with such precision that it would defy explanation. It would appear too grand, too contrived, too spectacular for any single person or entity to have orchestrated the perfect setup. Think about some of the great events that have marked time and space. The Cuban missile crisis, the falling of the Berlin wall, the implosion of the Savings and Loan Associations, the Stock Market crash, the Patriot Act, Sarbanes-Oxley. All seem to be driven by a confluence of factors that would defy control or influence by one individual. Yet that is the perfect setup. To have an event at the magnitude of a perfect economic storm, something that affects everyone, yet seems uncontrollable by the power of men. Just like a perfect storm, the perfect setup combines forces that are propelling and buffeting the outcome just like a series of interrelated and interconnected weather systems. The perfect setup will bring about seemingly unrelated disturbances, swift and global. As the clouds gather and the wind stiffens, the world sails onward in oblivion, with no apparent adjustment in course, full steam ahead. All without realizing that they’ve just experienced the perfect setup. While many are willing to imagine in detail what a perfect economic storm would look like, virtually none will forecast precisely when - or if - it will start. And so it remains a vague and distant possibility. Precisely the environment that supports the ability to achieve the perfect setup.

Chapter 1 - PERFECTION

Chapter 1

PERFECTION

Perfection is an interesting word, conjuring up many thought images, and subject to a variety of intriguing interpretations. The very notion of perfection is classic: Ancient Greece considered perfection as something stable, achieved, and not subject to change. There is perfection in being all powerful; some would argue this as God, in whatever manner you chose to believe in a Supreme Being. There is perfection in being all knowing; from the context of a divine nature, as opposed to those who profess to be all knowing but fall markedly short. There is perfection in being everywhere; only possible if you believe in an all-powerful entity. There is perfection in being all good; although the conundrum of evil has motivated arguments that an omnipotent God could not possess this perfection. There is a strange perfection of being all evil; although the conundrum of good has motivated arguments that God could not possess this perfection. There is perfection of not being anywhere; an ability that so far has eluded me. There is the perfection of being all things to all people; a trait to which my wife aspires, or more succinctly to which she would have me aspire.

The perfection in anything, in any one, should be measured by the Laws of Nature, which are marked off by certain definite boundaries. In the case of virtue, a character trait assumed to be part of perfection, we have learned from history that its limit of perfection is the fact that it has no limit. It is impossible to attain perfection since perfection is not marked off by limits. When you come up against the limit of virtue…which is the absence of a limit, how then can one argue for the perfection of human nature? Perhaps the answer lies in its very growth in goodness, something my father once told me about “the process” of perfection.

The perfect Father

The role of our parents; father and mother….arguably the most influential roles in the shaping of our characters, defines to a large extent our definition and therefore the possibility of perfection. In trying to evaluate the attributes of the perfect father, you can expect that a perfect father is one who teaches their son how to become young man, their young man how to become an adult man and their adult man how to be a good father and husband. Along the way, they are supposed to also teach their daughter how a real man is supposed to be, and how a husband is really supposed to treat a wife. Father’s dispense sage advice to their children on all the issues that arise during their growth from the time they are infants until they are adults. Along the way fathers help guide their children through the tough decisions and the life challenges that arise. Father’s treat the mothers of their children properly and give them respect, again modeling correct behavior for their children. While modeling this behavior a father must still assure their wife of her value, beauty and constant wonder.

As far as I can ascertain, this world has yet to produce a man who has been a perfect father, husband, leader, provider etc, so when we examine the majority of fathers we find a collection of men with lives full of broken relationships, failed attempts, should have/could have/would have, and inconsistent actions. Due to divorce, abandonment (both literal and emotional), lack of concern, and general apathy, today’s world is rarely comprised of ideal marriages, complete families and solid relationships. So, we have to realize that no father is perfect. A part of evaluating perfection must include some reflections on how our relationship with our fathers, and how a father’s relationship with his family, could or should be better and different. A good father is really simply a man trying to be a better, more responsible man today then he was yesterday, while maintaining or improving the quality of the relationships that already exist in his life.

The belief that there should be a perfect father has moved some to seek a role model of “the perfect father” which can be filled by an influential man in our lives. Those influential men may be teachers, coaches, friends fathers, street thugs, or hoods. We must always remind ourselves that not all influences are good influences, just a substitute for desired perfection that doesn’t exist. My point here is that a man may become a surrogate father for people without officially getting the title, or without having the actual character traits desired by the one seeking that perfect father. This implies a duty of all men to be a good influence in the lives of anyone, rightly or wrongly, who may cleave to them.

The real question is that no matter how far a man may be from the ideal father, or role model, is there a perfect father? Is the ideal that there is always someone to whom you can always go to for direction, reassurance, and support? Is there truly an ideal father? Is there a good father? Is there a father that sacrifices and gives his all?

The perfect Home

The beauty about the innocence of childhood is the ability to hold on to the notion that the home in which you were raised was perfect. The perfect father, the perfect mother, the perfect home. Three bedrooms, two baths, 2.5 kids and all the amenities that constitute the accommodations for the perfect Nielson Ratings Home.

The perfect diamond

This whole thing started with just a little diamond. And finding that diamond was a process in itself. Pliny, the early Roman historian, said, "A damas (diamond) is the most valuable -- not only of precious stones, but of all things in the world." Diamonds are probably the most controlled precious stones in the world. Now, I have been around diamonds for a number of years. And I can tell you that my friends who have this insane passion for the incredibly boring game of baseball will tell you that a “perfect” diamond is 90 feet by 90 feet. But, for the type of diamond I was looking for, my baseball knowledge didn’t help me. I was in a whole new league. When I first began to look for the perfect diamond, I was a diamond rookie. Fifteen years of research later, I was a veteran.

As some of you may know, when you look for a diamond, you become quickly educated. Immediately, you will learn about the four C’s: carat, cut, clarity, and color. Personally, I like to add an extra C, which stands for cost. I was looking for the perfect diamond with just the right combination of the four C’s and, of course, the perfect diamond would also be the most costly.

When I went on my first research expedition, I told my guide that I was looking for the “perfect” diamond. And his response surprised me. He said, “You don’t really want the ‘perfect’ diamond.” I replied, “Yes, I do! I want a diamond that is perfect.” He said, “Well if you find a perfect diamond, then it would be best to lock it up and put it in a safety deposit box.” And then he explained to me, “‘perfect diamonds are too precious to be out in the open. They should not be exposed to the elements where they could get banged up or damaged. A “perfect” diamond is to be locked up and kept in a safe place.”

I was shocked. It seemed like such a waste that a diamond like that is so perfect, so pure, and so holy, that it could not interact with the world. You see in the Jewelry industry, perfect diamonds are too holy to be exposed to the world. In the context of the perfect plan, how interesting that the perfect diamond would be, for all intents-and-purposes, out of circulation.

A flawless diamond, not to be confused with the perfect diamond, contains no tiny cracks, pinpoints of carbon, foreign bits of other minerals, nor impurities of any kind which will reduce the cost of a diamond. Flawless stones are far from common, but they are not impossible to obtain. A quality jewelry store may have a good selection of flawless diamonds of various sizes and colors, but a perfect diamond is much more elusive.

The perfect thief

Kazuo is an expert professional safecracker, trained in numerous martial arts and the ancient study of the Samurai Warrior. He specializes in high-profile diamond jobs. After having spent many years in a Korean prison, he has a very concrete picture of what he wants out of life - including a showpiece wife (blonde of course), a custom home fully adorned with Winchester bronze statues and all things cowboy, and probably a few kids to complete the package. His is a contradiction in culture clash, not sure whether to maintain the roots of his Samurai heart, align himself with the lines of the Cosa Nostra, or give in to the guttural belching of the Western movie heroes who make up so much of his perception about the perfect life in the U.S. “I wear the finest Italian suits when I’m not wearing my blue jeans. I wear the best X-metal shades money can buy. I own cars in towns were it’s not even practical to drive. I'm a thief! You got a problem with that?" As soon as he is able to assemble the pieces of this perfect life, by means of his chosen profession, he intends to retire and become a model citizen. In an effort to accelerate this process, he signs on to take down a huge score for a big-time Yakuza boss. Unfortunately, Kazuo's obsession for his version of the American Dream allows him to overlook his natural wariness and mistrust, when making the deal for his final job. None of the participants in this sub-plot realizes the piece they play in the perfect plan.

The perfect world

Whatever your perception is about the perfect world…one thing I know for sure, this ain’t it. This world is about as far from perfect as one could imagine. So how could you begin to fit the concept of a perfect world in the perfect plan? The reality is that everyone, in their heart of hearts, believes there has got to be more to life than just this world. What would be the point if there wasn’t something better to look forward to? To understand the possibility of a perfect world, you have to have a frame of reference, some context within which the realm of possibility can be constructed to hold a set of ideals which plausibly allow you to formulate beliefs about why we are here. In order to put context around this story, you have to come to grips with the duality of a supreme force. Yin and Yang, Beginning and End, Good and Evil. Before the Japanese Yakuza, the Italian or Russian Mafia, before the Free Mason Society, the Illuminati or the Knights Templar…a more ancient society had been born. At the very birth of creation itself, one group had been destined to search throughout the ages and discover the secret location to the sacred Tree of Life. Unlike Ponce de León’s quest for the Fountain of Youth, historical documentation and current scientific research point to the existence of the ultimate fountain of youth. Whether you believe in the Bible or not, the facts are historical indisputable and independently verifiable. Everything you are about to read can be independently researched and validated.

The perfect Christian

In order to find God, perfection in itself, soul must purify itself of all foreign elements (Plato) and thus come to resemble or imitate the divine archetype. develops the original insight that perfection lies in progress itself, but in reality the concept of a perfect Christian is as oxymoronic as military intelligence or...

PROLOGUE - LIFE IS...Full of strange moments in time.

Prologue


LIFE IS…

Full of strange moments in time. Moments which become suspended in time, slowed down to almost exaggerate the intensity of what you’re about to experience. Moments which are similar to the dreams where you are trying to run but can’t get your legs to move. That brief second before the accident where the whole scene goes frozen for an instant, silent and you think to yourself, this is going to be bad. Then everything goes into fast forward and the crunching sound of metal spinning through the air as the truck flips over and all you see is the ground rushing up to collapse the hood of the cab before it crushes down on top of you, spitting you out the side and onto the ground. As you stare at the ground in disbelief about what you just survived, you are strangely focused on the gravel. Why am I just staring at the gravel? Get up!

So I survived, somewhat broken, but alive. Thanking God that I had been spared. Crazy, uncontrollable body shakes as the body releases the adrenaline dumped into the system, as if I’d just come out of an ice bath. But none of these kinds of life moments could have prepared me for what was about to happen.

We were having an early gift opening for our family Christmas before leaving on a ski vacation, just the four of us. My wife, Patti, my teenage son Kamden, my teenage daughter Kjersti and myself. Sitting around a warm fire, sipping a glass of wine and enjoying the brief quiet before the storm of finishing our packing. The kids are all excited about opening their gifts, but more excited about leaving in the morning for a winter adventure. I ask my wife a question, and I think I mishear her answer. I ask again, and I get the same strange response which makes no sense. I shake my head, look at the kids and they are as puzzled as I am. I cock my head a bit to the left like our little white bijon friche who tries desperately to understand what we’re saying, but just can’t seem to get it. The kids and I both think she is making a joke or kidding around with us, but when it happens again I get an immediate knot in my stomach. I know something is wrong…I just didn’t know how wrong. I call my sister, an orthopedic surgeon, and describe what we’ve just experienced. She tries to keep me calm, but I quickly grasp the gravity of the situation. After asking my wife who the current President is, and with a straight face as serious as can be, she disgustedly tells me, “geessh, purple cows can’t so there’s why I can tell you the President.” After randomly sampling the responses from a few other questions, my sister tells me that my wife is having some kind of brain attack and to get her to the Emergency Room…immediately.

It was one of those times when all of sudden everyone knows something is terribly wrong. The kids begin to cry in fear, not knowing what’s happening to their mom. We quickly load everyone into the car and drive a few short miles to the local ER. My wife is objecting the whole time, half the time making sense and arguing that she’ll be fine, the other half talking gibberish. The intake nurse is quick to recognize the urgency of the situation and immediately gets my wife on a gurney and back into the ER. I sit the kids down and make sure they are situated. Then I join the group of doctors working on my wife back in the triage area. As they start to do testing and asking her questions, I see a blank stare come over her eyes and she stops responding. Like a tidal wave rolling in, the gran mal seizure starts as her eyes roll up into her eye sockets and her body becomes overwhelmed with what’s going on inside her brain. The doctors immediately recognize the onset of the seizure and do their best to assure me that they know what they are doing. How can you know what to do for something as awful as this? The doctors are amazed that we were lucky enough to get her to the ER before the seizure began, as most victims usually lose consciousness and fall down. The first few seconds of the seizure are marked by complete rigidity in every muscle in her body. She stops breathing completely. I cannot fully describe the grotesque contortion that happens to the body when it goes into this state where every limb is seemingly completely hyper-extended, but yet in total constriction. Shortly after the complete rigidity comes the convulsion, violent and rhythmic. All of her extremities are slapping wildly against the gurney, pretty much like Darryl Hannah having a death seizure in one of my all time favorite movies, the Blade Runner with Harrison Ford. I will never be able to watch that movie in the same way ever again. The experts can only watch and make sure her airway is open and that she doesn’t bite her tongue. This is when it hits me that this is why they call it “practicing” medicine, as they have no solution for this. The seizure lasts for what feels like an eternity, but in reality is probably about 3 minutes. The convulsion weakens and just like a submerged diver coming up for air, her respiration starts again with a huge gasp as she gulps for fresh air.

As she stabilizes, they wheel her off for X-rays, CT scan and PET (positron emission tomography) scans. I learn later that PET is a major diagnostic imaging modality used predominantly in determining the presence and severity of cancers. It is currently the most effective way to check for cancer recurrences and it offers significant advantages over other forms of imaging such as CT or MRI scans in detecting disease in many patients. Being an engineer and always wanting to understand root cause, I learn that for the PET scan she is given a radiopharmaceutical, such as FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose), which includes both sugar (glucose) and a radionuclide (a radioactive element) that gives off signals. She is injected with these contrast elements, and the emissions given off are measured by a PET scanner. A PET scanner consists of an array of detectors that surround the patient. Using the gamma ray signals given off by the injected radionuclide, PET measures the amount of metabolic activity at a site in the body and a computer reassembles the signals into images. Cancer cells have higher metabolic rates than normal cells, so they show up as denser areas on a PET scan.

I will never forget when the radiologist and medical oncologist called me into a small room lined with little white light boxes all around the walls. They turned off all the lights in the room except the light boxes and then jammed the slides up into the metal clips to hold the scans. This is when it happened again, that out of body slow motion experience just like the accident. I was literally floating up in the corner of the room, watching this bizarre scene unfold in front of me. I looked down at these two lab-coated geeks and said to myself, that poor bastard is going to get some really bad news. As I said that to myself, it hadn’t even hit me yet that the dude was me. When I realized that was when everything went into fast forward high speed mode. It was like my whole life flashed before me and all I could do was sit there in shocked silence. I vaguely remember hearing the doctors talk to me, sort of like how the adults talk to Charlie Brown or the other kids in Peanuts with a “wa-waa-waaa” muffled voice sound, but not intelligible. I do remember crystal clear the sentence, “You see that little black node in her frontal lobe? That is a brain tumor. You need to put your wife’s affairs in order because she will not be here in a year.”

You cold-hearted bastards! Didn’t anyone teach you bedside manner in medical school? Are you such a social retard that you have lost the ability to have any compassion whatsoever? What ever happened to just the politeness of saying, “I’m really sorry, I’ve got some bad news which is going to be really hard to understand. Would you like anyone to be here with you as we talk about this?” This was like these guys were the purveyors of bad news as sport, just trying to see how callous they could be. I knew a guy like these guys before, a forensic pathologist who dealt with death all day long. A life that was tainted by the gore of seeing every imaginable type of death and figuring out how to survive without being scarred for life. The reality was that dude was twisted by his profession. How could you not be affected when you’re the person pulling body parts out of the plane, train and auto wreck or trying to figure out how a man could kill himself using a trapeze hung above his bed and a sharpened fence pole nailed to the wall and impaled up his rectum? That is some twisted stuff. But to be fair to this pair of dumb and dumber, I’m sure it was just a reflection of their own badly honed coping skills, or more realistically their denial of having to interact with real human beings. How could someone survive in a profession where every day you are telling people their loved ones have cancer and are going to die? It’s no excuse for these idiots, but at least I can rationalize why they were such moronic communicators.

Internet Marketing 101 - Personal Brand Development Components

Internet Marketing 101

Personal Brand Development Components

In a recent article titled "Personal Brand Management: The Secret to Career Mobility" by Todd Rhoad he states, "Developing personal brand equity is a key element to establishing and maintaining your career mobility. Increasing manager equity is the quickest method for improving and selling your brand throughout the organization. It requires an understanding of what managers like, how to measure your changes and how to influence their perceptions with less effort."


Developing a compelling personal brand image still remains essential to positioning yourself. Everyone is overworked and unable to focus entirely on any one thing, so your ability to have someone managing your personal brand is essential. Professional development in the corporation has morphed into the reality that you have to manage your own personal development. In other words, management doesn't have time to help you develop your career. Sure, they'll take a few minutes to help you jot down your goals but it won't go much further than that. Employees don't get the kind of attention nowadays that helps develop careers. The best way to promote yourself is to promote your personal brand and that is what I deliver for my clients, personal brand management.

Personal brand management has a variety of components and you should carefully consider how to integrate all of the following into your personal brand strategy.

Internet Marketing

Methodology. Strategy. Technology. Execution.

These elements are the foundation to delivering powerful results. Having the ability to do a 360 degree evaluation and to seamlessly implement all aspects of an Internet marketing plan provides my clients a single source solution when partnering with me.

Pay Per Click Management

Pay Per Click Management (PPC) - My personal brand management implements a pay per click strategy which has a solid track record of delivering superior ROI.  My results are certified by Google, Yahoo!, and MSN.

Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - My experience as an SEO analyst provides my clients with efficient, high ROI producing organic search engine optimization campaigns that are part of a fully integrated Internet marketing strategy.

Paid Inclusion (SSP)

Paid Inclusion - I help businesses extend their Internet marketing reach at a low and controllable cost through paid inclusion marketing also known as Yahoo SSP.

Content Advertising

Content Advertising - My Interactive marketing expertise continuously maximizes content advertising opportunities for my clients and refines a placement strategy to give my clients new leads, eCommerce sales, and millions of impressions.

Social Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing - My targeted social media marketing will help you personally or your business control, protect, and grow your brand.  There is a huge brand awareness developed through social network marketing and you need someone with my experience to help you protect your personal brand.

Website Design Website Design & Development - As a full service Internet marketing specialist, my ability to create custom websites and landing pages that blend visual appeal with usability for the end goal of conversions is part of the overall personal branding strategy.

Online Video Marketing

Video Marketing - I cannot underestimate the importance of developing compelling, rich media content to effectively communicate your value proposition and convert visitors into customers. I spend a great deal of time getting my customers into the studio to produce effective video interviews to share their personal brand via video.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing - I have broad experience managing affiliate programs in various industries, including one of Commission Junction's top 10 affiliate marketing programs. If you are providing a service and are looking to leverage your solution, you must have an affiliate marketing strategy and I can help you accomplish this.

Discovering your personal brand is the most challenging part because it takes the most thought. I can help you find yourself.  Once you understand that, it is time to create your brand. Once the creation process completed, you are now able to deliver this content, both verbally and electronically, to whoever you want to understand who you are and what value you provide.

Even with a strong Personal Brand, over time it may decay or be out-of-date. That is why the third strategy is to maintain your Personal Brand over time. The brand must be updated with the latest technical competencies, attire, and feel in order to survive. The market changes rapidly and corporations transition, forcing you to evolve in the same fashion. It's all about knowing where you are, who you want to be, and strategizing how to get there.

 

Top 5 Personal Branding Tips for Success

1. 
   
   Start by letting me help you discover your personal brand.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Ensure your skills, competencies, interests, and personality match your objectives.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Network with peers, professionals in your field, and family members.
   
   
   
4. 
   
   Create all tangible pieces simultaneously with your intangible core message for maximum consistency.
   
   
   
5. 
   
   Send out as many invitations to network as you can, with the strongest content you have.
   
   
   

Career development is dead and Personal Branding is in. There are far too many job applicants for you not to take into account the entire personal brand management issue. Personal Branding is about differentiation, positioning, and creativity. It allows you to have a better insight into what you're interested in, your career, and your pursuit of happiness. Ask yourself this: Do I want to be like everyone else? If you do, then you will not be chosen for a competitive position. Those who aren't distinct are known, in marketing, as commodities. Commodities have to battle on price and you want to be compensated for your value, so stick with Personal Branding. Commodities are easily replaceable and unrecognizable by the target audience.

There is an even bigger picture with Personal Branding and that is life. Those who have strong brands will not only succeed at their profession, but will also have a better life experience because they will gain confidence in their skills and feel unique in a world where there are billions of people. Career development was only the beginning and now Personal Branding has taken over and you must brand yourself!

Let me help you, so call me at 760.445.3315 or email me at kendell.lang@gmail.com

Internet Marketing for Small Business

Realities of Search Engine Optimization for Small Business

 

 

In a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, Cyndia Zwahlen writes;

The small business was funded in part by venture capitalist Peter Rogers and his Dry Creek Ventures, which targets clean energy, water and food businesses.

Such small local food outfits, especially those that are gentle on the environment, are key to the long-term health of the economy but need formal access to local investors to succeed, says social venture-capitalist and entrepreneur Woody Tasch.

Shifting capital to organic farmers, independent food entrepreneurs, farmers markets and restaurateurs will pay off in stronger local economies, a healthier environment and improved supplies of affordable, healthful food, Tasch said.

He founded Slow Money Alliance last year to spearhead the creation of regional networks of local investors that want to put their money into local enterprises.

"We've had the life sucked out of our society and economy by financial markets run amok and globalism run to extremes," Tasch said. Slow Money is "part of a network emerging of people who want to repair the damage."