The Day The Grid Failed- "The Chinese Conspiracy" by John Mariotti

"Not since The Manchurian Candidate have I read such a compelling thriller about global conspiracy. But Mariotti goes much further, linking his masterfully fast-paced narrative to the clear and present danger of total cyberwar. This novel is a call to action that our society must answer now."

--Richard S. Levick, President and CEO, Levick' Strategic Communications, author of The Communicators: Leadership in the Age of Crisis.

"The Chinese Conspiracy has the intrigue of John Grisham, the spice of Mickey Spillane and the technical aspects of Tom Clancy." --Tom Quinn

"A fascinating book that gives the reader a glimpse into warfare of the future. The outcome of future wars will be determined far in advance of the actual conflict. This is but a preview of things to come."

--Paul Broadbent, Former Sr. CIA/Defense Intelligence Program Manager

"America is at war and the latest front is the war on cyber terrorism....U.S. computer networks are under constant cyber attacks, by direct assaults by remote sites, by probes by hackers and criminal networks, and by espionage from foreign countries."

---Jon Stout, CEO, Aspiration Software LLC

"This chilling new novel links the world's increasing dependency on the internet to vulnerabilities that can be exploited for evil."

---Calvin Myer, Co-founder Worldwide Ltd.

"This is fascinating and concerning story - nation-state terrorists using known technologies as "Weapons of Mass Disruption." I'm concerned that it is actually possible, and hope it can be prevented."

--Ed Straw, Vice Admiral, USN Retired

"If you can read only one exciting novel this year, this is the one to read. It is so realistically possible it's scary."

---Bo Dietl, Retired NYPD Homicide Detective, & One Tough Cop

John Mariotti is an award-winning business author and an internationally recognized executive consultant and keynote speaker. He has written hundreds of articles and columns, and 12 nonfiction books. He started his career in the telecommunications industry and was deeply involved in government affairs during parts of his career. He lives in the Columbus Ohio area.

AMAZON

https://www.thechineseconspiracy.net/

https://bookstolifemarketing.com/

http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/4926jm1.mp3

2026-17seg2 Weekend of 4-18

The Daycroft Factor: A Memoir by William Bruce Dredge

Have you ever wondered, "I don't know exactly how to repair what's broken in our society, but I know SOMETHING is wrong, and I'd like to know if a repair is possible?" The rare quality of thought nurtured in a small Connecticut private school more than half a century ago, as chronicled in this memoir by an award- winning journalist who returned to Wall Street thirty years before retiring, offers some profound, sometimes humorous, but also poignant and thought-provoking answers. This is a must-read for parents, grandparents, and others who care about the future of humankind.

WILLIAM B. DREDGE has always had a burning desire to honor his parents’ sacrifices in sending him to The Daycroft School, a small private school in Connecticut for 12 years of his primary and secondary education. That desire remains kindled by the morals and ethics permeating the educational atmosphere influencing him at Daycroft, which encouraged spiritual enlightenment, fellowship, leadership, and productive activity. These qualities had allowed him to become an award-winning pioneer as a journalist in business and financial news on television, encompassing more than a decade anchoring for The Wall Street Journal and the Christian Science Monitor. Returning to the brass knuckle world of Wall Street in 1993, he parlayed his journalism career into productive accomplishments at Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley during the tumultuously turbulent 30 years since then, with insights gained not only serving clients of those fi rms, but with pro bono civic activities, including serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in foster care removed from their homes because of abuse. In 2024, he returned to his first love, writing, memorializing some of his unusual life experiences since 1951. Bill and his wife Judy have three grown children and seven grandchildren. Presented through the prism of clear-eyed spiritual discernment, tempered by 50 years in and around the capital markets, punctuated with moments of sometimes hilarious episodes and serious insights, he credits a life well lived 1 to what he has coined The Daycroft Factor.

https://www.amazon.com/Daycroft-Factor-William-Bruce-Dredge-ebook/dp/B0FYRWX9HG

https://wbdredgeco.com

https://www.primixpublishing.com

http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/4926litpr.mp3

2026-17seg3 Weekend of 4-18

2026-17seg1 Weekend of 4-18

The Future of Entertainment Is Immersive: VR, AI and the Rise of Experience-Driven Leisure --

Expanding the Immersive Landscape in Leisure Facilities by Michael Mascioni

The book highlights key trends in diverse forms of immersive location-based entertainment in such leisure facilities as amusement parks, location-based entertainment centers, and museums. Those forms including immersive live theater, escape games, immersive rides, and immersive art. Trends covered in the book include the growing fusion of physical and virtual immersive experiences, an expansion in the kinds of topics covered by immersive location-based entertainment forms, and the development of a more robust infrastructure for immersive location-based entertainment using such new technologies as VR and AR.

Michael Mascioni is an author, futurist, and conference planner focused on digital media, technology, and innovation. He is the author of “Expanding the Immersive Landscape in Leisure Facilities” and co-author of “The Out-of-Home Immersive Entertainment Frontier.” He also wrote a section on the future of immersive media in amusement parks for “50:50- Scenarios for the Next 50 Years.”

He writes freelance for such publications as Remix Reality, Innovation & Tech Today, and Hotelier.

He was co-chairman of the “Future of Immersive Leisure Conferences,” and was program director for the “Intertainment” conferences on interactive entertainment.

AMAZON

http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/4926mm1.mp3

2026-17 Weekend of 4-18

30 Years at Sea: The Brutal Truth About Life in Commercial Fishing --

The Sea Slave: A True Story by Kyle J. Matthews

I was once told by a psychiatrist that I had to write down on paper all the things in my past that haunted me. Things that I thought were normal were acts that were inhumane and wrong. After I wrote everything I could think of, I kept going through my life. I have God in my life today. I give all of my thanks to his glory, to break through from the chains that were holding me in bondage.

The only way God will start forgiving me is if I start forgiving other people. But most of all, I must forgive myself.

As children, we all loved adventures growing up. The adventure, for me, started as a casual glance at the ocean and the fishing boats being prepared for their next adventure. That common experience became something that impacted my life in ways I never imagined.

This is a true story about me as a boy on an adventure that lasted thirty years on the sea.

I grew up with hard-knock old-school discipline and work ethics, as well as believing in God and his Son. All these teachings were needed to endure what was ahead, and many people lost their lives along the way. I cast myself into the industry of commercial fishing, where the laws are few except one: the captain's law.

The worst of situations and conditions can tear a man to pieces, or it can be used to bring incredible goodness and new life.

This adventure brought a legend to the fishing industry scathing injury and death to talk about it.

AMAZON

https://authorkylematthews.com

https://www.kingpagespress.com

http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/4926kpp1.mp3