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https://medium.com/@loughlinN/the-future-of-startups-top-10-niches-dominating-the-uk-landscape-in-2023-f6367edfc58c	medium.com	The Future of Startups: Top 10 Niches Dominating the UK Landscape in 2023	In the ever-evolving world of business, the startup ecosystem in the United Kingdom stands out as a beacon of innovation and opportunity…	Loughlin Nestor	https://medium.com/@loughlinN	f6367edfc58c	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*C-5gq39BpQzqwmX7	3 min	2023-10-23T13:56:49.372000	2023-10-26T08:03:18.088000	2023-10-26T08:03:22.831000	2	1	en	United Kingdom,Startup Lessons,Entrepreneurship	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/0C-5gq39BpQzqwmX7" width="960" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <p>In the ever-evolving world of business, the startup ecosystem in the United Kingdom stands out as a beacon of innovation and opportunity. With the dawn of 2023, the UK presents a plethora of promising niches for budding entrepreneurs. However, with only 23% of startups making it past their first five years, the road to success is fraught with challenges. This comprehensive guide delves into the most lucrative niches for startups in the UK, offering invaluable insights and strategies for those poised to make their mark.</p> <h3>The UK: A Fertile Ground for Startups</h3> <p>The United Kingdom has long been recognized as a prime destination for businesses. Its reputation is built on a foundation of a highly skilled workforce, a robust regulatory environment, and a government that actively fosters entrepreneurial spirit. The UK’s commitment to innovation is evident in its initiatives like the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, which provide tax incentives to investors backing startups. Such proactive measures have positioned the UK as a global leader in startup ecosystems.</p> <p><strong>Diving into the Niches: Where Opportunity Meets Innovation</strong></p> <p>Sustainable Energy: The climate crisis has thrust sustainable energy into the spotlight. The UK’s ambitious goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 has spurred interest in renewable energy sources, from advanced solar panels to efficient wind turbines.</p> <p>Healthtech: The aftermath of the global pandemic has underscored the importance of digital health solutions. Wearable tech, AI-driven diagnostics, and telemedicine are revolutionizing patient care.</p> <p>Fintech: The digital revolution has reshaped the financial landscape. From online banking to blockchain, fintech startups in the UK are at the forefront of this transformation.</p> <p>Cybersecurity: In our data-driven age, cybersecurity is paramount. The UK, with its thriving cybersecurity market, offers immense opportunities for startups to innovate and protect.</p> <p>Food and Beverage: The industry is ripe for disruption, with sustainable practices, plant-based alternatives, and innovative delivery models leading the charge.</p> <p>Edtech: Education is evolving, and startups are at the helm. Personalized learning experiences, immersive tech, and professional development platforms are redefining the learning landscape.</p> <p>Robotics and Automation: From healthcare to agriculture, robotics is set to redefine industries, making it a hotbed for innovation.</p> <p>Smart Homes: The homes of the future are smart, connected, and efficient. Startups in this space are enhancing living experiences, one device at a time.</p> <p>Clean Water: With global water crises looming, startups are stepping up with innovative purification and conservation solutions.</p> <p>Mental Health: The conversation around mental health has never been louder. Startups are leveraging tech to offer therapy platforms, mental wellness apps, and more.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://www.bpeneur.com/">Bpeneur</strong></a>: Pioneering the Startup Revolution</p> <p>In the midst of this startup renaissance, <a href="https://www.bpeneur.com/">Bpeneur </a>stands out as a trailblazer. Founded by Loughlin Nestor, <a href="https://www.bpeneur.com/">Bpeneur </a>is committed to nurturing and guiding startups to their zenith. Nestor once remarked, “In the world of startups, it’s not just about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen against all odds. At <a href="https://www.bpeneur.com/">Bpeneur</a>, we’re not just building businesses; we’re building futures.” This ethos is a testament to <a href="https://www.bpeneur.com/">Bpeneur’s </a>unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and driving success.</p> <p>The UK’s startup landscape in 2023 is vibrant, diverse, and brimming with potential. While challenges are part and parcel of the entrepreneurial journey, with the right niche, strategy, and support, success is within reach. As we stand on the cusp of a new era of innovation, there’s never been a better time to dive in and make waves in the UK’s startup scene.</p> <p><strong>About <a href</strong>="https://www.bpeneur.com/">Bpeneur</a> <a href="https://www.bpeneur.com/">Bpeneur </a>is an AI-powered catalyst for startup success, offering a wealth of knowledge, tailored AI tools, and insights to entrepreneurs and startup founders. The <a href="https://www.bpeneur.com/">Bpeneur </a>platform is dedicated to empowering the next generation of business leaders with the tools, strategies, and inspiration they need to succeed. Join the community today and take the first step towards turning your startup into a sustainable venture</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4098/1uDc9LadHfbnf9maz4if7gg.png" width="4098" height="1062" loading="lazy" /> </section>	The Future of Startups: Top 10 Niches Dominating the UK Landscape in 2023 In the ever-evolving world of business, the startup ecosystem in the United Kingdom stands out as a beacon of innovation and opportunity. With the dawn of 2023, the UK presents a plethora of promising niches for budding entrepreneurs. However, with only 23% of startups making it past their first five years, the road to success is fraught with challenges. This comprehensive guide delves into the most lucrative niches for startups in the UK, offering invaluable insights and strategies for those poised to make their mark. The UK: A Fertile Ground for Startups The United Kingdom has long been recognized as a prime destination for businesses. Its reputation is built on a foundation of a highly skilled workforce, a robust regulatory environment, and a government that actively fosters entrepreneurial spirit. The UK’s commitment to innovation is evident in its initiatives like the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, which provide tax incentives to investors backing startups. Such proactive measures have positioned the UK as a global leader in startup ecosystems. Diving into the Niches: Where Opportunity Meets Innovation Sustainable Energy: The climate crisis has thrust sustainable energy into the spotlight. The UK’s ambitious goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 has spurred interest in renewable energy sources, from advanced solar panels to efficient wind turbines. Healthtech: The aftermath of the global pandemic has underscored the importance of digital health solutions. Wearable tech, AI-driven diagnostics, and telemedicine are revolutionizing patient care. Fintech: The digital revolution has reshaped the financial landscape. From online banking to blockchain, fintech startups in the UK are at the forefront of this transformation. Cybersecurity: In our data-driven age, cybersecurity is paramount. The UK, with its thriving cybersecurity market, offers immense opportunities for startups to innovate and protect. Food and Beverage: The industry is ripe for disruption, with sustainable practices, plant-based alternatives, and innovative delivery models leading the charge. Edtech: Education is evolving, and startups are at the helm. Personalized learning experiences, immersive tech, and professional development platforms are redefining the learning landscape. Robotics and Automation: From healthcare to agriculture, robotics is set to redefine industries, making it a hotbed for innovation. Smart Homes: The homes of the future are smart, connected, and efficient. Startups in this space are enhancing living experiences, one device at a time. Clean Water: With global water crises looming, startups are stepping up with innovative purification and conservation solutions. Mental Health: The conversation around mental health has never been louder. Startups are leveraging tech to offer therapy platforms, mental wellness apps, and more. Bpeneur: Pioneering the Startup Revolution In the midst of this startup renaissance, Bpeneur stands out as a trailblazer. Founded by Loughlin Nestor, Bpeneur is committed to nurturing and guiding startups to their zenith. Nestor once remarked, “In the world of startups, it’s not just about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen against all odds. At Bpeneur, we’re not just building businesses; we’re building futures.” This ethos is a testament to Bpeneur’s unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and driving success. The UK’s startup landscape in 2023 is vibrant, diverse, and brimming with potential. While challenges are part and parcel of the entrepreneurial journey, with the right niche, strategy, and support, success is within reach. As we stand on the cusp of a new era of innovation, there’s never been a better time to dive in and make waves in the UK’s startup scene. About Bpeneur Bpeneur is an AI-powered catalyst for startup success, offering a wealth of knowledge, tailored AI tools, and insights to entrepreneurs and startup founders. The Bpeneur platform is dedicated to empowering the next generation of business leaders with the tools, strategies, and inspiration they need to succeed. Join the community today and take the first step towards turning your startup into a sustainable venture	4fe10908-98f5-5655-bb0d-34d2cc15c717	25/08/2025 18:00:59
https://medium.com/framed-light/urban-saints-5936f339566f	medium.com	Urban Saints	A very interesting project from bulgarian photographer Stefan Vasilev. Stefan has photographed beautiful women in an iconic urban…	Peter Iliev	https://medium.com/@peteriliev	5936f339566f	https://miro.medium.com/…oVPAMW4kVMg.jpeg	2 min	2017-03-09T15:18:54.928000	2017-03-09T15:27:25.701000	2018-03-15T14:33:44.549000	0	41	en	Photography,Publishing,Indiegogo	<section> <p>A very interesting project from bulgarian photographer Stefan Vasilev. Stefan has photographed beautiful women in an iconic urban environment for years. He’s now launched an <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/urban-saints-photography-book#/">Indiegogo campaign</a> to print a book.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/17gaSaTF0OAnoVPAMW4kVMg.jpeg" width="1920" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <p>Here are my favourite shots from the series. You can visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/urbansaintsproject/">Urban Saints</a> on facebook for more. The author’s website is <a href="http://www.stefanvasilev.com/">here</a>.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/10nayNk5wL_evLu6bK3xGuA.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1nidRJn5jojG-TffkAraHpw.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1a2xM1Kx_deJ1BtHIjvvWKg.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1bnEDgl_Wx_j2W_mwrPGC3A.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/115mmQeXi2_6lWhzS9zkZMQ.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/14-4dQu5w5AGK-RuK9N7T-w.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1iouqnzj9eINFsYjiZ09BLw.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1wNJuM3ASAb3y8Mkdv5fmyA.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/181PfC4BGa6p3y2o3UrAAFg.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/16NheyRHBG6FsuKBeGWuhfw.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1AhbxQguvbEChFT_yiez0MA.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1vICrZbdtWXP-7Rvp_jptkQ.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1iKpMVa2ONqqvUYWi-f38wA.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1E7iOTqZvQqhYkpX29cpOgA.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1o42NxbDCpwl8uHJw-MXUkg.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1z4EZ2_yQOl4NXV1a-_V4sA.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/16cr8oMsLgzjV68PfiEnBew.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1*ITKO9NwBsDkyv94SHQRDyw.jpeg" width="480" height="800" loading="lazy" /> </section>	Urban Saints A very interesting project from bulgarian photographer Stefan Vasilev. Stefan has photographed beautiful women in an iconic urban environment for years. He’s now launched an Indiegogo campaign to print a book. Here are my favourite shots from the series. You can visit Urban Saints on facebook for more. The author’s website is here.	47ff0433-5498-5751-868c-ece82f9a7c6f	25/08/2025 18:01:00
https://thenewyorkexclusive.medium.com/zeds-dead-jauz-get-real-fsoe-500-to-perform-big-week-nyc-this-nye-weekend-8aaaa4bf1474	medium.com	Zeds Dead, Jauz, Get Real & FSOE 500 To Perform BIG WEEK NYC This NYE Weekend	Leading NYC-based event and promotions company RPM Presents just announced that special guests Zeds Dead + Jauz, Get Real and FSOE 500 will…	The New York Exclusive	https://medium.com/@thenewyorkexclusive	8aaaa4bf1474	https://miro.medium.com/…Tkr72x3R6LQ.jpeg	2 min	2017-12-26T17:10:07.982000	2017-12-26T17:15:03.483000	2017-12-26T17:15:04.357000	0	0	en	Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2048/1gigrukEjCfOTkr72x3R6LQ.jpeg" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" /> <p>Leading NYC-based event and promotions company RPM Presents just announced that special guests Zeds Dead + Jauz, Get Real and FSOE 500 will headline performances during BIG WEEK NYC at the New York Expo Center (<a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=1110+Oak+Point+Ave,+Bronx,+NY&entry=gmail&source=g">1110 Oak Point Ave, Bronx, NY</a>) and the Brooklyn Hangar (<a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=2+52nd+St,+Brooklyn,+NY&entry=gmail&source=g">2 52nd St, Brooklyn, NY</a>) New Year’s Eve weekend, Friday, December 29th — Sunday, December 31st. Additional guests include Zomboy, Bro Safari, GG Magree, Solardo, Aly & Fila with more to be announced.</p> <p>After a successful sold out show at the New York Expo Center in the Bronx with Travis Scott on Halloween, RPM is proud to present a massive co-headlined show with Zeds Dead and Jauz on December 29th.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2048/1skMezuMDb49HYm6etv5YZA.jpeg" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" /> <p>Get Real and Solardo will be performing at the Brooklyn Hangar on Friday, December 29th. The space is familiar to those who have attended previous RPM events which include Tiesto, Skrillex, Gareth Emery, HYTE, and Anjunabeats. Additionally, FSOE 500 will be performing at the Brooklyn Hangar on New Year’s Eve, December 31st. This warehouse is the perfect destination to ring in the new year with your best friends and loved ones.</p> <p><strong>For BIG WEEK NYC Dates and Tickets:</strong></p> <p>12/29 — Zeds Dead, Jauz, Zomboy, Bro Safari, Mija and GG Magree (New York Expo Center)</p> <p>Ticket link: <a href="https://master.mailbutler.io/redirect/4CB1EAFE-B831-4329-8105-5BCBE83A0767">https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1587013?utm_source=PR</a></p> <p>12/29 — Get Real, Solardo (Brooklyn Hangar)</p> <p>Ticket link: <a href="https://master.mailbutler.io/redirect/7AAF2FDB-1FAE-453F-A5FB-D206E5F3471C">https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1590755?utm_source=PR</a></p> <p>12/31 — FSOE 500 with Aly & Fila (Brooklyn Hangar)</p> <p>Ticket link: <a href="https://master.mailbutler.io/redirect/DF972E4C-A21F-4ABF-B2D9-264CAFCB6A3A">https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1577055?utm_source=PR</a></p> <p>RPM Presents has continuously curated the biggest and best New Years week events in New York City, earning the name “BIG WEEK NYC”. Past events have featured top tier acts such as Martin Garrix, The Chainsmokers, Avicii, Disclosure, Kaskade, Armin Van Buuren, Carnage, and Future.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2048/1*7TSEsoofksFgnj3VuibhAQ.jpeg" width="2048" height="1340" loading="lazy" /> <p>Additionally, Brooklyn’s premier nightclub, Schimanski (<a href="https://master.mailbutler.io/redirect/29B231E2-2426-4236-9D36-004485F54FD8">54 N 11th st Brooklyn, NY</a>) will celebrate their second New Year’s week with Andre Power of Soulection, Fedde Le Grand, MK, and Will Clarke of Dirtybird. The big new years eve celebration will be headlined by one of the most sought after Dutch deep house acts, Oliver Heldens. For those who are looking for a place to dance through New Year’s Day, New York’s very own Boris will be taking the decks along side Guti and Caleb Calloway. For more information and tickets please visit: <a href="https://master.mailbutler.io/redirect/63FA13EA-A0A4-4F85-8D4B-0485C2FFA1C5">schimanskinyc.com/calendar</a>.</p> <p><strong>Schimanski Events:</strong></p> <p>12/28 A Night With Andre Power</p> <p>12/29 Fedde Le Grand</p> <p>12/30 MK and Will Clarke</p> <p>12/31 (NYE) Oliver Heldens</p> <p>1/1 (NYD) Boris, Guti [live], Caleb Calloway</p> </section>	Zeds Dead, Jauz, Get Real & FSOE 500 To Perform BIG WEEK NYC This NYE Weekend Leading NYC-based event and promotions company RPM Presents just announced that special guests Zeds Dead + Jauz, Get Real and FSOE 500 will headline performances during BIG WEEK NYC at the New York Expo Center (1110 Oak Point Ave, Bronx, NY) and the Brooklyn Hangar (2 52nd St, Brooklyn, NY) New Year’s Eve weekend, Friday, December 29th — Sunday, December 31st. Additional guests include Zomboy, Bro Safari, GG Magree, Solardo, Aly & Fila with more to be announced. After a successful sold out show at the New York Expo Center in the Bronx with Travis Scott on Halloween, RPM is proud to present a massive co-headlined show with Zeds Dead and Jauz on December 29th. Get Real and Solardo will be performing at the Brooklyn Hangar on Friday, December 29th. The space is familiar to those who have attended previous RPM events which include Tiesto, Skrillex, Gareth Emery, HYTE, and Anjunabeats. Additionally, FSOE 500 will be performing at the Brooklyn Hangar on New Year’s Eve, December 31st. This warehouse is the perfect destination to ring in the new year with your best friends and loved ones. For BIG WEEK NYC Dates and Tickets: 12/29 — Zeds Dead, Jauz, Zomboy, Bro Safari, Mija and GG Magree (New York Expo Center) Ticket link: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1587013?utm_source=PR 12/29 — Get Real, Solardo (Brooklyn Hangar) Ticket link: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1590755?utm_source=PR 12/31 — FSOE 500 with Aly & Fila (Brooklyn Hangar) Ticket link: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1577055?utm_source=PR RPM Presents has continuously curated the biggest and best New Years week events in New York City, earning the name “BIG WEEK NYC”. Past events have featured top tier acts such as Martin Garrix, The Chainsmokers, Avicii, Disclosure, Kaskade, Armin Van Buuren, Carnage, and Future. Additionally, Brooklyn’s premier nightclub, Schimanski (54 N 11th st Brooklyn, NY) will celebrate their second New Year’s week with Andre Power of Soulection, Fedde Le Grand, MK, and Will Clarke of Dirtybird. The big new years eve celebration will be headlined by one of the most sought after Dutch deep house acts, Oliver Heldens. For those who are looking for a place to dance through New Year’s Day, New York’s very own Boris will be taking the decks along side Guti and Caleb Calloway. For more information and tickets please visit: schimanskinyc.com/calendar. Schimanski Events: 12/28 A Night With Andre Power 12/29 Fedde Le Grand 12/30 MK and Will Clarke 12/31 (NYE) Oliver Heldens 1/1 (NYD) Boris, Guti [live], Caleb Calloway	3346ea45-4e13-5be9-81d6-9dede331cbfc	25/08/2025 18:01:00
https://medium.com/@BooksBourbonBacon/continental-divide-trail-in-2022-books-bourbon-bacon-a26d5ee01ad8	medium.com	Continental Divide Trail in 2022! — Books Bourbon & Bacon	I will be attempting the third of my three Triple Crown thru-hikes for my Trek Dirty to Me project with the Continental Divide Trail (CDT)…	Books Bourbon & Bacon	https://medium.com/@BooksBourbonBacon	a26d5ee01ad8	https://miro.medium.com/…aoPT7z029Pg.jpeg	1 min	2019-08-17T09:49:32.451000	2019-08-16T00:00:00	2021-12-11T07:06:23.529000	0	0	en	Travel,Continental Divide Trail,Hiking,Backpacking,Food	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3264/1joS-kArSIDNaoPT7z029Pg.jpeg" width="3264" height="2448" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/189/1Egvg8375VOM9wsU9ktXdzw.png" width="189" height="267" loading="lazy" /> <p>By AJ Feeney-Ruiz</p> <p>I will be attempting the third of my three <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Hiking">Triple Crown </a>thru-hikes for my <a href="https://www.booksbourbonbacon.com/trekdirtytome">Trek Dirty to Me </a>project with the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) starting in March of 2022!</p> <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide_Trail">The CDT</a> is both the most familiar yet also the biggest mystery of the three hikes for me. Hence, this is why it is the last that I will attempt.</p> <p>It is familiar because I spent a significant portion of my early life around the Continental Divide in Colorado and New Mexico. A mystery, because it is the least developed and established of the three trails. Portions are still unfinished.</p> <p>At 3,100 miles (5,000 km) between Mexico and Canada, it is the longest of the three hikes and follows the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide">Continental Divide </a>along the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountains">Rocky Mountains </a>and traversing Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.</p> <p>You can follow along with all the prep and whatnot until then and then the actual hike itself by <a href="http://www.booksbourbonbacon.com/tdtmcdt">clicking here!</a></p> <p>And keep up with the whole Trek Dirty to Me project by <a href="http://www.booksbourbonbacon.com/trekdirtytome">clicking here!</a></p> <p>And please comment below and let me know any tips, tricks, must see spots (of the food and drink variety in towns along the way), and people I should meet!</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://www.booksbourbonbacon.com/bbbbeat/co</em>ntinental-divide-trail-in-2021">https://www.booksbourbonbacon.com</a> on August 16, 2019.</p> </section>	Continental Divide Trail in 2022! — Books Bourbon & Bacon That’s me on the left. Image from ContinentalDivideTrail.org By AJ Feeney-Ruiz I will be attempting the third of my three Triple Crown thru-hikes for my Trek Dirty to Me project with the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) starting in March of 2022! The CDT is both the most familiar yet also the biggest mystery of the three hikes for me. Hence, this is why it is the last that I will attempt. It is familiar because I spent a significant portion of my early life around the Continental Divide in Colorado and New Mexico. A mystery, because it is the least developed and established of the three trails. Portions are still unfinished. At 3,100 miles (5,000 km) between Mexico and Canada, it is the longest of the three hikes and follows the Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountains and traversing Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. You can follow along with all the prep and whatnot until then and then the actual hike itself by clicking here! And keep up with the whole Trek Dirty to Me project by clicking here! And please comment below and let me know any tips, tricks, must see spots (of the food and drink variety in towns along the way), and people I should meet! Originally published at https://www.booksbourbonbacon.com on August 16, 2019.	b9ed99a2-546c-55b3-9500-4d38ed243920	25/08/2025 18:01:00
https://medium.com/@jeffery.stockdale/dont-be-that-guy-444a52fe29be	medium.com	Don’t be that guy…	“Don’t criticize one another, brothers. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law. But if you…	Jeffery Stockdale	https://medium.com/@jeffery.stockdale	444a52fe29be	https://miro.medium.com/…nT4HApWpSA6w.png	1 min	2016-11-14T15:47:32.592000	2016-11-14T15:48:04.217000	2017-05-22T02:43:18.910000	0	1	en	Christianity,Bible	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/462/1*HqDQeiGjOTnT4HApWpSA6w.png" width="462" height="330" loading="lazy" /> <p><em><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4%3A11&version=HCSB">“Don’t criticize one another, brothers. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges </em>the law.</strong> But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” James 4:11</a></p> <p>As a child, I remember hearing this horrifying verse of scripture in the harsh language of the KJV. I was so afraid to judge anyone because I did not want to be judged. But somewhere along my journey into adolescents, all of the fear about judging people seems to have gone to the wayside because, by high school, I remember playing the <strong>burn game</strong>. If you are a child of the late 70’s, you probably remember this game. You would get with a group of people and purposely look for opportunities to make others look bad by embarrassing them. Thankfully, I have grown a lot since those days and hope that anyone who became the object of my judgment can find it in their hearts to forgive me for my teenage indiscretion.</p> <p><strong>James</strong> is encouraging his readers to not criticize one another. We live in a world where a critical spirit seems to be common place. This past election cycle had so many being openly critical of one another. By criticizing, you are bringing judgment on yourself. The bible teaches us that all have sinned and that we all fall way short of the glory of God. We should think about the words we say and stop thinking so highly of ourselves. The Bible calls us to be kind and compassionate, we are to be tender hearted and forgiving. If it is possible, we are to make peace with people. The life of a believer should be characterized by encouragement.</p> <p>So as you are out and about this week, practice kindness. As my dear old dad always told me, “if you cannot find something good to say about someone, don’t say anything at all.</p> <p>I love you all!</p> <p>Pastor J<><</p> </section>	Don’t be that guy… “Don’t criticize one another, brothers. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” James 4:11 As a child, I remember hearing this horrifying verse of scripture in the harsh language of the KJV. I was so afraid to judge anyone because I did not want to be judged. But somewhere along my journey into adolescents, all of the fear about judging people seems to have gone to the wayside because, by high school, I remember playing the burn game. If you are a child of the late 70’s, you probably remember this game. You would get with a group of people and purposely look for opportunities to make others look bad by embarrassing them. Thankfully, I have grown a lot since those days and hope that anyone who became the object of my judgment can find it in their hearts to forgive me for my teenage indiscretion. James is encouraging his readers to not criticize one another. We live in a world where a critical spirit seems to be common place. This past election cycle had so many being openly critical of one another. By criticizing, you are bringing judgment on yourself. The bible teaches us that all have sinned and that we all fall way short of the glory of God. We should think about the words we say and stop thinking so highly of ourselves. The Bible calls us to be kind and compassionate, we are to be tender hearted and forgiving. If it is possible, we are to make peace with people. The life of a believer should be characterized by encouragement. So as you are out and about this week, practice kindness. As my dear old dad always told me, “if you cannot find something good to say about someone, don’t say anything at all. I love you all! Pastor J<><	595cf708-f07a-5534-ab83-9527dac135cc	25/08/2025 18:01:01
https://medium.com/@RedCoral/a-tribute-kanwar-ratanjit-singh-of-chapslee-c933d285c159	medium.com	A Tribute: Kanwar Ratanjit Singh of Chapslee	The other day I read in the Times of India a report on a food festival celebrated at the Maurya, New Delhi, in which seven erstwhile…	Red Coral	https://medium.com/@RedCoral	c933d285c159	https://miro.medium.com/…WixZX7Dksiw.jpeg	4 min	2017-08-27T23:56:29.602000	2017-08-28T00:00:59.715000	2018-05-13T07:49:53.663000	0	0	en	Food	<section> <h3>The other day I read in the Times of India a report on a food festival celebrated at the Maurya, New Delhi, in which seven erstwhile royalties participated. I think they also published the menu, what each one had cooked or presented… that set me thinking!</h3> <p>Chapslee is renowned for its cuisine, the hallmark of the royal ‘House of Kapurthala’.</p> <p>My grandfather, the late Raja Charanjit Singh of Kapurthala was not only a gourmet, but his knowledge of food, both Indian and French was extra ordinary and he was renowned for the cuisine that graced his table. His legacy is the amazing; the culinary repository that I have inherited; the taste, the flavours, the aroma ………!</p> <p>In years gone by each of the great houses of India had a culinary repertoire distinctly it’s own, but there were times when the head or members of a family would give or exchange recipes with a counterpart and hence over a course of time many of these recipes got amalgamated into the collection of another royal house. Thus, to a great extent North Indian cuisine got intermingled with no specific allegiance to any one royal house except some precious recipes which remained secret and became hallmarks of particular royal houses. In the case of my family our cuisine has been influenced definitely by the houses of Patiala, Bhawalpur and Kashmir, but, perhaps more so by Avadh, as my great grandfather, Kanwar Suchet Singh and Nawabzada Suleiman Qadar, a younger brother of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had exchanged turbans which meant that they were like brothers.</p> <p>Two books have been published in the last few years, ‘ Dining with the Maharajas ‘ and ‘ Dining with the Nawabs’, but neither of these books mention any of the delicacies that I have inherited from my grandfather though some are mentioned in H.H. Maharaja Digvijay Singh Sahib Bahadur of Sailana’s book which was published some years ago. In other words what I consider to be the jewels in our collection are distinct and exclusive to my family and the table at Chapslee.</p> <p>It appears that there is a conflict between two stalwarts of the cuisine made famous by the erstwhile royal houses …. the pullao and the biryani. Strangely enough, most people do not know the difference and refer to a pullao as a biryani as well. To me personally a pullao is of much greater variety and magnificence than a biryani. In erstwhile Avadh the pullao was held in very high esteem being of intricate composition and served on special occasions only, whereas the biryani was considered quite common, even pedestrian. On the other hand, in Hyderabad the biryani took pride of place whereas pullao’s do not find any mention at all. In Punjab the pullao takes definite precedence over the biryani, as it does at Chapslee.</p> <p>My grandfather’s table was inspired by the royal cuisine of the north. Some of the famous recipes which were honed to perfection at Chapslee are described below…….</p> <p>(Gosht) Aam Ka Pullao (origin Avadh presumably Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Mentioned in H.H. Maharaja Digvijay Singh of Sailana’s book). An extra ordinary, exquisite and delicate offering.</p> <p>Samarbahisht (Fruit of heaven)…….. (Gosht) Saeb ka Pullao</p> <p>(Gosht) Lahsun Ka Pullao (origin in Avadh. Mentioned in H.H. Maharaja Digvijay Singh of Sailana’s book).</p> <p>(Gosht) Kali Mirch Ka Pullao</p> <p>(Gosht) Moti (pearls) Ka Pullao</p> <p>(Gosht) Shahjahani Pullao ………Named after the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan made famous by the house of Patiala. The origin of this pullao is not known, presumably Patiala.</p> <p>Kathal Ka Pullao…..a vegetable pullao.</p> <p>Murg Naranj Dum Pukht (made with orange peel) another extra ordinary and exquisite delicately flavored pullao with a heavenly aroma. (Origin Avadh Nawab Wajid Ali Shah).</p> <p>Lacchman ki Murg Biryani (Raja Charanjit Singh’s famous cook) whose Biryani was highly rated.</p> <p>Rohu Macchli ki Biryani.</p> <p>Kale Motiyon (Bengal gram) ki Biryani.</p> <p>Seekh Kabab, Galawat Ke Kabab, Pasanda Kabab, Shami Kabab, Shikhampuri Kabab.</p> <p>Avadh ka Korma, Delhi ka Korma, Aloo Bukhara Gosht, Rogan Josh Kashmiri, Nawab Bhawalpur ka Rogan Josh, Ishtoo, Kalia (from the villages of central U.P.), Handi Gosht, Nargissi Kofte, Kacche keeme ke Kofte.</p> <p>Tamatar ka Saalan, Palak Gosht, Shaljam ka Saalan, Chukandar ka Saalan, Turrai Gosht, Karela Gosht</p> <p>Murg Badaam Khas, Murg Mussallam, Murg Zaafraani, Murg Khada Masala, Murg Jahan Ara.</p> <p>Macchli ka Korma, Macchli Naariyal ke Doodh Mei, Macchli ke Kofte, Macchli Methi ke Saag mei.</p> <p>Chutney wale Aloo, Baadal Jaam, Dum Aaloo, Heeng wali Lauki, Malai Kofte, Mirch ka Saalan, Mussallam Lauki, Bharwaan Bhindi, Doodh wale Tinde, Shimla Mirch Dal Bhar ke, Baingan ki Launj, Amrood ki Subzi, Kathal Aloo Bukhara.</p> <p>Baingan ka Raita, Bhindi ka Raita, Hari Matar ka Raita, Anaanaas ka Raita, Anaar ka Raita, Moongphalli ka Raita, Aloo ka Raita, Pudeena aur Adrak ka Raita.</p> <p>Saeb ki Kheer, Makhane ki Kheer, Gur ki Kheer, Santre (oranges) ki Kheer, Lahsun ki Kheer (origin in Avadh. Mentioned in H.H. Maharaja Digvijay Singh of Sailana’s book), Kharbooze Ki Kheer.</p> <p>Sooji ka Hlawa, Urad Daal ka Halwa, Ande ka Halwa, Laoki ka Halwa.</p> <p>Anaanaas ka Muzzaaffar</p> <p>Mushk e tanjan (aroma of heaven) a sweet mutton or murg pullao.</p> <p>Phirni</p> <p>Shahi Tukre</p> <p>Continental and Anglo Indian Cuisine:-</p> <p>Consomme Julienne, Poulet au Citron, Roast Mutton, Fish Meuniere, Crepe Suzettes and Mango Souffle are popular fare. Anglo Indian Cuisine…. now a rarity, also finds pride of place at Chapslee with Daal Soup, Glace Chops, Becti Mauli, Steamed Ginger Pudding and Baked Rice Pudding being some of the treasures that have survived.</p> <p>This is my legacy, my inheritance which I treasure with all the passion at my command and pride myself that I possess jewels that match the best of the cuisine of India.</p> <p>Finally, as my very humble tribute to my grandfather, the late Raja Charanjit Singh of Kapurthala, a man of great taste and distinction, I dedicate to him a Pullao that I have created in his memory… Firdaus (jannat or paradise) made with rice, mutton and most of the dry fruits from the Indian sub continent and Afghanisthan.</p> <p>Thank you.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1*vrro3BpVOYPWixZX7Dksiw.jpeg" width="640" height="427" loading="lazy" /> </section>	A Tribute: Kanwar Ratanjit Singh of Chapslee The other day I read in the Times of India a report on a food festival celebrated at the Maurya, New Delhi, in which seven erstwhile royalties participated. I think they also published the menu, what each one had cooked or presented… that set me thinking! Chapslee is renowned for its cuisine, the hallmark of the royal ‘House of Kapurthala’. My grandfather, the late Raja Charanjit Singh of Kapurthala was not only a gourmet, but his knowledge of food, both Indian and French was extra ordinary and he was renowned for the cuisine that graced his table. His legacy is the amazing; the culinary repository that I have inherited; the taste, the flavours, the aroma ………! In years gone by each of the great houses of India had a culinary repertoire distinctly it’s own, but there were times when the head or members of a family would give or exchange recipes with a counterpart and hence over a course of time many of these recipes got amalgamated into the collection of another royal house. Thus, to a great extent North Indian cuisine got intermingled with no specific allegiance to any one royal house except some precious recipes which remained secret and became hallmarks of particular royal houses. In the case of my family our cuisine has been influenced definitely by the houses of Patiala, Bhawalpur and Kashmir, but, perhaps more so by Avadh, as my great grandfather, Kanwar Suchet Singh and Nawabzada Suleiman Qadar, a younger brother of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had exchanged turbans which meant that they were like brothers. Two books have been published in the last few years, ‘ Dining with the Maharajas ‘ and ‘ Dining with the Nawabs’, but neither of these books mention any of the delicacies that I have inherited from my grandfather though some are mentioned in H.H. Maharaja Digvijay Singh Sahib Bahadur of Sailana’s book which was published some years ago. In other words what I consider to be the jewels in our collection are distinct and exclusive to my family and the table at Chapslee. It appears that there is a conflict between two stalwarts of the cuisine made famous by the erstwhile royal houses …. the pullao and the biryani. Strangely enough, most people do not know the difference and refer to a pullao as a biryani as well. To me personally a pullao is of much greater variety and magnificence than a biryani. In erstwhile Avadh the pullao was held in very high esteem being of intricate composition and served on special occasions only, whereas the biryani was considered quite common, even pedestrian. On the other hand, in Hyderabad the biryani took pride of place whereas pullao’s do not find any mention at all. In Punjab the pullao takes definite precedence over the biryani, as it does at Chapslee. My grandfather’s table was inspired by the royal cuisine of the north. Some of the famous recipes which were honed to perfection at Chapslee are described below……. (Gosht) Aam Ka Pullao (origin Avadh presumably Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Mentioned in H.H. Maharaja Digvijay Singh of Sailana’s book). An extra ordinary, exquisite and delicate offering. Samarbahisht (Fruit of heaven)…….. (Gosht) Saeb ka Pullao (Gosht) Lahsun Ka Pullao (origin in Avadh. Mentioned in H.H. Maharaja Digvijay Singh of Sailana’s book). (Gosht) Kali Mirch Ka Pullao (Gosht) Moti (pearls) Ka Pullao (Gosht) Shahjahani Pullao ………Named after the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan made famous by the house of Patiala. The origin of this pullao is not known, presumably Patiala. Kathal Ka Pullao…..a vegetable pullao. Murg Naranj Dum Pukht (made with orange peel) another extra ordinary and exquisite delicately flavored pullao with a heavenly aroma. (Origin Avadh Nawab Wajid Ali Shah). Lacchman ki Murg Biryani (Raja Charanjit Singh’s famous cook) whose Biryani was highly rated. Rohu Macchli ki Biryani. Kale Motiyon (Bengal gram) ki Biryani. Seekh Kabab, Galawat Ke Kabab, Pasanda Kabab, Shami Kabab, Shikhampuri Kabab. Avadh ka Korma, Delhi ka Korma, Aloo Bukhara Gosht, Rogan Josh Kashmiri, Nawab Bhawalpur ka Rogan Josh, Ishtoo, Kalia (from the villages of central U.P.), Handi Gosht, Nargissi Kofte, Kacche keeme ke Kofte. Tamatar ka Saalan, Palak Gosht, Shaljam ka Saalan, Chukandar ka Saalan, Turrai Gosht, Karela Gosht Murg Badaam Khas, Murg Mussallam, Murg Zaafraani, Murg Khada Masala, Murg Jahan Ara. Macchli ka Korma, Macchli Naariyal ke Doodh Mei, Macchli ke Kofte, Macchli Methi ke Saag mei. Chutney wale Aloo, Baadal Jaam, Dum Aaloo, Heeng wali Lauki, Malai Kofte, Mirch ka Saalan, Mussallam Lauki, Bharwaan Bhindi, Doodh wale Tinde, Shimla Mirch Dal Bhar ke, Baingan ki Launj, Amrood ki Subzi, Kathal Aloo Bukhara. Baingan ka Raita, Bhindi ka Raita, Hari Matar ka Raita, Anaanaas ka Raita, Anaar ka Raita, Moongphalli ka Raita, Aloo ka Raita, Pudeena aur Adrak ka Raita. Saeb ki Kheer, Makhane ki Kheer, Gur ki Kheer, Santre (oranges) ki Kheer, Lahsun ki Kheer (origin in Avadh. Mentioned in H.H. Maharaja Digvijay Singh of Sailana’s book), Kharbooze Ki Kheer. Sooji ka Hlawa, Urad Daal ka Halwa, Ande ka Halwa, Laoki ka Halwa. Anaanaas ka Muzzaaffar Mushk e tanjan (aroma of heaven) a sweet mutton or murg pullao. Phirni Shahi Tukre Continental and Anglo Indian Cuisine:- Consomme Julienne, Poulet au Citron, Roast Mutton, Fish Meuniere, Crepe Suzettes and Mango Souffle are popular fare. Anglo Indian Cuisine…. now a rarity, also finds pride of place at Chapslee with Daal Soup, Glace Chops, Becti Mauli, Steamed Ginger Pudding and Baked Rice Pudding being some of the treasures that have survived. This is my legacy, my inheritance which I treasure with all the passion at my command and pride myself that I possess jewels that match the best of the cuisine of India. Finally, as my very humble tribute to my grandfather, the late Raja Charanjit Singh of Kapurthala, a man of great taste and distinction, I dedicate to him a Pullao that I have created in his memory… Firdaus (jannat or paradise) made with rice, mutton and most of the dry fruits from the Indian sub continent and Afghanisthan. Thank you.	fa0c85e2-4f2e-504b-8455-aedb562ff914	25/08/2025 18:01:01
https://arvrjourney.com/diary-of-a-little-vr-project-bc8a80a1e08e	medium.com	Diary of a Little VR Project	Dev log of the Teamwork 2 Project for Udacity VR Nanodegree	Giovanni Laquidara	https://medium.com/@giolaq	bc8a80a1e08e	https://miro.medium.com/…eYsbpoS0AAKA.png	3 min	2017-10-09T17:53:18.190000	2017-10-09T18:32:26.629000	2019-11-24T12:17:09.719000	0	214	en	Virtual Reality,Cardboard,Daydream,Unity,Madewithunity	<section> <p><em>Dev log of the Teamwork 2 Project for Udacity VR Nanodegree</em></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2048/1Xdtz0TR_fOBKDi75ht6sLQ.jpeg" width="2048" height="1536" loading="lazy" /> <p><a href="#">Udacity</a> Teamwork is a super cool opportunity to “learn by doing” what you are studying. So when I received the mail about the starting of the VR Teamwork 2 I immediately answer YES! “Colors” was the Theme!</p> <p>I’ve some experience in organizing teams so I decide to be the project leader for the Team Sorrento :) (I choosed the Italian name to honor my origin).</p> <p>My team of 4 was composed all by beginners so I have the big responsibility to guide them into learning having fun.</p> <p>First thing we create a Trello board to handle the brainstorming phase and later the development</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1440/1NZeKQNMx61HRiqCdoRODHQ.png" width="1440" height="774" loading="lazy" /> <p>We proposed 3 ideas each one and then vote them. The Winner Idea (from Ethan) was the one with the Big Red Heart on it:</p> <p>A Color ball solitaire</p> <p>We were insipired by the funny old game Puzzle Bobble</p> <p></p> <p>Our mission: Port it in VR</p> <p>We continued the design phase in Trello; Fei, our designer was looking for great ideas for the UX and appearance, working on creative ideas</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/644/1Htye8TnZXj2qp4m5terrPg.png" width="644" height="420" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/898/1XY3MimL1APOqXgFKV0Hoew.png" width="898" height="548" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/812/18xTlmaWcyUIi364qaBfLiQ.png" width="812" height="528" loading="lazy" /> <p>Me and Ethan were focused on the code design and algorithm part, Paul was at the beginning active in looking for music and sound fx assets.</p> <p>Later Fei and Paul were busy so they couldn’t continue the project and we missed some critical artistic force, but with Ethan we continued to develop and created a great result:</p> <h3>ColorBallz</h3> <p>ColorBallz gameplay on Cardboard recorded by Mobizen</p> <p>ColorBallz is a game where the player is closed in a crystal sphere environment (a Made with Blocks <a href="https://vr.google.com/objects/awaB3Bl25R9">model</a> created by Alberto Garcia). The user has a cannon (another Made with Blocks model available <a href="https://vr.google.com/objects/e2zZf4xZTcl">here</a>) used to shoot colored balls. To win he/she has to aim for same color balls and form a tris. When three balls of the same color are linked together they will blow giving him/her 10 points. The player can preview what color ball it will shoot watching the color of the cannon, changing randomly with the “next ball” color.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1440/1KQpQDrSfqseYsbpoS0AAKA.png" width="1440" height="878" loading="lazy" /> <p>The game was <a href="#">Made with Unity</a> using Google VR SDK and it’s compatible with Cardboard and Daydream too! With Daydream you can use the Bluetooth controller aiming with your hand! Super cool and super easy to develop thanks to the Google VR SDK available <a href="https://github.com/googlevr/gvr-unity-sdk">here</a>.</p> <p>We added some “Gaming sound” here and there downloaded from Freesound.org, a great source of free cool audio file.</p> <p>In the future we can refine the game handling levels and bonus/malus features. Also we can refine the UI and UX studying deeply the VR interactions and assets.</p> <p>Oh…we all respected the Main Trello Task:</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/270/1*vPCy2d2T8kInfiML-IB51Q.png" width="270" height="79" loading="lazy" /> <p>Feel free to ask questions about the project and if “Clap your hands” for the source code!</p> </section>	Diary of a Little VR Project Dev log of the Teamwork 2 Project for Udacity VR Nanodegree Testing Cardboard VR Udacity Teamwork is a super cool opportunity to “learn by doing” what you are studying. So when I received the mail about the starting of the VR Teamwork 2 I immediately answer YES! “Colors” was the Theme! I’ve some experience in organizing teams so I decide to be the project leader for the Team Sorrento :) (I choosed the Italian name to honor my origin). My team of 4 was composed all by beginners so I have the big responsibility to guide them into learning having fun. First thing we create a Trello board to handle the brainstorming phase and later the development We proposed 3 ideas each one and then vote them. The Winner Idea (from Ethan) was the one with the Big Red Heart on it: A Color ball solitaire We were insipired by the funny old game Puzzle Bobble Our mission: Port it in VR We continued the design phase in Trello; Fei, our designer was looking for great ideas for the UX and appearance, working on creative ideas Fei images insipiration Me and Ethan were focused on the code design and algorithm part, Paul was at the beginning active in looking for music and sound fx assets. Later Fei and Paul were busy so they couldn’t continue the project and we missed some critical artistic force, but with Ethan we continued to develop and created a great result: ColorBallz ColorBallz gameplay on Cardboard recorded by Mobizen ColorBallz is a game where the player is closed in a crystal sphere environment (a Made with Blocks model created by Alberto Garcia). The user has a cannon (another Made with Blocks model available here) used to shoot colored balls. To win he/she has to aim for same color balls and form a tris. When three balls of the same color are linked together they will blow giving him/her 10 points. The player can preview what color ball it will shoot watching the color of the cannon, changing randomly with the “next ball” color. Work in progress in Unity The game was Made with Unity using Google VR SDK and it’s compatible with Cardboard and Daydream too! With Daydream you can use the Bluetooth controller aiming with your hand! Super cool and super easy to develop thanks to the Google VR SDK available here. We added some “Gaming sound” here and there downloaded from Freesound.org, a great source of free cool audio file. In the future we can refine the game handling levels and bonus/malus features. Also we can refine the UI and UX studying deeply the VR interactions and assets. Oh…we all respected the Main Trello Task: Main Trello Task of the project Feel free to ask questions about the project and if “Clap your hands” for the source code!	e4e1f602-adb9-55d7-8f6e-454c62b737d9	25/08/2025 18:01:01
https://medium.com/@OX4Arts/january-2017-artsrate-diary-891d1856dd23	medium.com	January 2017 #Artsrate Diary	It’s been a month now since I started my project to get the arts back in my life so I thought it was about time I shared a bit more about…	OX4 Arts	https://medium.com/@OX4Arts	891d1856dd23	https://miro.medium.com/…mI9S1zlnkW1w.png	4 min	2017-02-08T00:20:22.509000	2017-02-08T00:30:03.142000	2018-04-01T06:18:13.576000	0	6	en	Photography,Arts,Museums,Kids	<section> <h1><strong>January 2017 #Artsrate Diary</strong></h1> <p>It’s been a month now since I started my project to get the arts back in my life so I thought it was about time I shared a bit more about how it’s been going. Even in January, when things are often quieter than usual, I’ve found no shortage of inspiring, entertaining and creative things to do to in Oxford. My #artsrate is well and truly on the up.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1080/1fOxdVg6I1yGlvTsvTm-O9Q.jpeg" width="1080" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <p>So what have I been up to? The following is a diary of some of the best artsy stuff I’ve done over the last month (with and without the kids). I’ve included a brief description, details of how to get involved yourself and finally given it an #artsrating out of 10. Do get in touch via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram if you have #artsratings of your own to share.</p> <p><strong>Ashventures at the Ashmolean Museum</strong></p> <p>We’re regular visitors to the Museum of Natural History so our first trip to the Ashmolean was a bit of an adventure. Appropriately enough it was to one of the regular Saturday afternoon Ashventures on the theme of China. Both Children were delighted by the opportunity to handle silk fabric, hunt for dragons and make paper kites. My eldest even joined in with a dragon dance around the gallery.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2448/15jY3B0FAhSJlbyNqXMiKsw.jpeg" width="2448" height="2447" loading="lazy" /> <p>The activities were well thought out, absorbing and pitched perfectly for children of varying ages. We’ll definitely be going again and my only criticism is that the event was rather oversubscribed.</p> <p><em>OX4 ARTSRATING: 8/10</em></p> <p><em>GET INVOLVED:</em> Ashventures are free events which take place twice a month on a Saturday afternoon. Full details can be found on the Ashmolean website <a href="http://www.ashmolean.org/events/Families/">www.ashmolean.org/events/Families/</a></p> <p><strong>Book Group</strong></p> <p>Without doubt one of the best things that I’ve done to increase my #artsrate has been to start a book group. I’ve been looking to join one for ages so it made sense to take matters into my own hands and get a group together myself. Once I started to ask around there was plenty of interest in the idea and it was relatively easy to recruit ten enthusiastic fellow readers. I don’t read nearly as much as I’d like (or as much as I used to) and having a date for our first meeting was a great incentive to prioritise finishing a book. We met in a pub so no one had the pressure of hosting and a lively evening of chat and discussion ensued. Am already looking forward to the next meeting!</p> <p><em>OX4 ARTSRATING: 10/10</em></p> <p><strong>LiveFriday at the Ashmolean Museum</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2448/1REF8Ucp_lGiTL53pekgpbQ.jpeg" width="2448" height="2448" loading="lazy" /> <p>There’s something exciting about going to a museum after hours and this month’s Live Friday at the Ashmolean was no exception. Linguamania was incredibly well attended — we had to queue round the corner to get in — and the place was buzzing. A vast array of talks, installations, performances and workshops were scattered throughout the galleries. A samba workshop and language learning taster sessions were particular highlights for me. More than anything though, the atmosphere was brilliant and it left me feeling inspired and energized.</p> <p><em>OX4 ARTSRATING: 9/10</em></p> <p><em>GET INVOLVED:</em> Supersonic, the next Live Friday event, takes place on 3rd March 2017 and tickets are available here <a href="http://www.ashmolean.org/livefriday/2017-03/?s=sonic">http://www.ashmolean.org/livefriday/2017-03/?s=sonic</a></p> <p><strong>Oxford Photo Walk</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2448/1NnXDTSue2OystZQB4bDkMw.jpeg" width="2448" height="2448" loading="lazy" /> <p>On a sunny Saturday morning I joined the Oxford Photo Walk for the first time for a photographic wander around Jericho and the architecturally impressive Blavatnik School of Government. I’m mostly an iPhone photographer and I was anxious that I might feel inhibited being surrounded by more expert and better equipped companions. However, I need not have worried — the group was friendly and inclusive and full of advice and ideas for those of us with less experience. I got some great shots and felt that I’d seen another side to a familiar part of town.</p> <p><em>OX4 ARTSRATING: 9/10</em></p> <p><em>GET INVOLVED</em>: more information about Oxford Photo Walk and the next meeting can be found here <a href="https://oxfordphotowalk.wordpress.com">https://oxfordphotowalk.wordpress.com</a></p> <p><strong>Instagram and #artoftheordinary</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2153/1*RUVDoc61P7ntDdlL0_gZbg.jpeg" width="2153" height="2153" loading="lazy" /> <p>I joined Instagram with a mind to keep a visual record of the arty things I’ve been up to but in fact Instagram itself has become one of the most creative parts of my project. Taking pictures as part of my everyday life to share with the Instagram community has completely changed the way I look at the world. It’s opened my eyes to all the amazing art, design and natural beauty that it’s all too easy to overlook when you’re rushing from one thing to the next. I’ve called this #artoftheordinary and I’d love it if you would share your own pictures of everyday art with this hashtag. I’ll feature my favourites every weekend — hope to see you over on Instagram soon <a href="http://www.instagram.com/ox4arts">www.instagram.com/ox4arts</a>.</p> <p><em>OX4 ARTSRATING: 10/10</em></p> <p>You can also follow me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/OX4Arts">https://twitter.com/OX4Arts</a> and Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OX4Arts/">https://www.facebook.com/OX4Arts/</a></p> </section>	January 2017 #Artsrate Diary It’s been a month now since I started my project to get the arts back in my life so I thought it was about time I shared a bit more about how it’s been going. Even in January, when things are often quieter than usual, I’ve found no shortage of inspiring, entertaining and creative things to do to in Oxford. My #artsrate is well and truly on the up. So what have I been up to? The following is a diary of some of the best artsy stuff I’ve done over the last month (with and without the kids). I’ve included a brief description, details of how to get involved yourself and finally given it an #artsrating out of 10. Do get in touch via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram if you have #artsratings of your own to share. Ashventures at the Ashmolean Museum We’re regular visitors to the Museum of Natural History so our first trip to the Ashmolean was a bit of an adventure. Appropriately enough it was to one of the regular Saturday afternoon Ashventures on the theme of China. Both Children were delighted by the opportunity to handle silk fabric, hunt for dragons and make paper kites. My eldest even joined in with a dragon dance around the gallery. The activities were well thought out, absorbing and pitched perfectly for children of varying ages. We’ll definitely be going again and my only criticism is that the event was rather oversubscribed. OX4 ARTSRATING: 8/10 GET INVOLVED: Ashventures are free events which take place twice a month on a Saturday afternoon. Full details can be found on the Ashmolean website www.ashmolean.org/events/Families/ Book Group Without doubt one of the best things that I’ve done to increase my #artsrate has been to start a book group. I’ve been looking to join one for ages so it made sense to take matters into my own hands and get a group together myself. Once I started to ask around there was plenty of interest in the idea and it was relatively easy to recruit ten enthusiastic fellow readers. I don’t read nearly as much as I’d like (or as much as I used to) and having a date for our first meeting was a great incentive to prioritise finishing a book. We met in a pub so no one had the pressure of hosting and a lively evening of chat and discussion ensued. Am already looking forward to the next meeting! OX4 ARTSRATING: 10/10 LiveFriday at the Ashmolean Museum There’s something exciting about going to a museum after hours and this month’s Live Friday at the Ashmolean was no exception. Linguamania was incredibly well attended — we had to queue round the corner to get in — and the place was buzzing. A vast array of talks, installations, performances and workshops were scattered throughout the galleries. A samba workshop and language learning taster sessions were particular highlights for me. More than anything though, the atmosphere was brilliant and it left me feeling inspired and energized. OX4 ARTSRATING: 9/10 GET INVOLVED: Supersonic, the next Live Friday event, takes place on 3rd March 2017 and tickets are available here http://www.ashmolean.org/livefriday/2017-03/?s=sonic Oxford Photo Walk On a sunny Saturday morning I joined the Oxford Photo Walk for the first time for a photographic wander around Jericho and the architecturally impressive Blavatnik School of Government. I’m mostly an iPhone photographer and I was anxious that I might feel inhibited being surrounded by more expert and better equipped companions. However, I need not have worried — the group was friendly and inclusive and full of advice and ideas for those of us with less experience. I got some great shots and felt that I’d seen another side to a familiar part of town. OX4 ARTSRATING: 9/10 GET INVOLVED: more information about Oxford Photo Walk and the next meeting can be found here https://oxfordphotowalk.wordpress.com Instagram and #artoftheordinary I joined Instagram with a mind to keep a visual record of the arty things I’ve been up to but in fact Instagram itself has become one of the most creative parts of my project. Taking pictures as part of my everyday life to share with the Instagram community has completely changed the way I look at the world. It’s opened my eyes to all the amazing art, design and natural beauty that it’s all too easy to overlook when you’re rushing from one thing to the next. I’ve called this #artoftheordinary and I’d love it if you would share your own pictures of everyday art with this hashtag. I’ll feature my favourites every weekend — hope to see you over on Instagram soon www.instagram.com/ox4arts. OX4 ARTSRATING: 10/10 You can also follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/OX4Arts and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OX4Arts/	d9401738-eab7-58a8-80a0-f611f53bdff1	25/08/2025 18:01:01
https://medium.com/@itsramshak/what-is-seo-why-is-seo-important-and-how-can-you-write-seo-content-ec69a38c4f2c	medium.com	What is SEO, Why is SEO important and How can YOU write SEO content?	If you are a newbie in the world of content writing or blogging and all you hear everywhere on Facebook groups, Job portals or any…	Itsramshak	https://medium.com/@itsramshak	ec69a38c4f2c	https://miro.medium.com/…waPNot_nh9A.jpeg	3 min	2020-09-08T09:48:15.519000	2020-09-08T10:46:00.811000	2021-12-15T21:17:49.925000	0	2	en	SEO,Content Writing,Tips,Writing,Beginner	<section> <p>If you are a newbie in the world of content writing or blogging and all you hear everywhere on Facebook groups, Job portals or any freelancing site, are the terms ‘SEO’ and 'SEO content' and you clearly have no idea what SEO actually is and how can you write SEO content; then, you have come to the right place!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1080/1*G0hcY-zL8xOwaPNot_nh9A.jpeg" width="1080" height="700" loading="lazy" /> <p>This piece of writing will clear all your confusions regarding SEO and SEO content. I will first begin will defining <strong>WHAT SEO and SEO content means</strong> <strong>and why are they important </strong>and then will follow by how can YOU write SEO content.</p> <p>The term ‘SEO’ stands for '<em>search engine optimization</em>’. Which, in easier words, an <em>unpaid process</em> which <em>helps your content or your website to be visible and rank higher </em>on the search results page ( Google search engine, bingo etc) in <em>result of targeting the same searched term</em> used in your content or website.</p> <p>While the term ‘<em>SEO content'</em> is simply any peice of writing, <em>written with aim of attracting </em>the search engine traffic to your content.</p> <p><em>Now comes the question that why is SEO important</em>? If your piece of content is not search engine optimized, it would be on the far last pages of the search engine results and would be going waste. So, if you intend to reach to the audience, then, your content and website SHOULD BE Search engine optimized otherwise it will be out of reach to the audience.</p> <p>So, at this point, the terms and their importance would be cleared to you, and now, you would be wondering <strong>How can YOU write SEO content? </strong>So, now I am going to answer this query in the steps below:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Understanding your audience</strong> The first step before you start writing SEO content, is to know your audience. Do the keyword research. Understand what key words your audience use to search an item, be it a product, blog, article, list or anything. It is the first step to know your audience and to generate the traffic to your site.</li> <li><strong>Keyword optimization</strong> once you are done with researching about the keywords, use those key words in your content for maximum reach and visibility. But be aware, using too much keywords will make your readers turn off. So, you have to stick using selected keywords for one piece or content.</li> <li><strong>Content organization</strong> Your content needs to be organized in a logical way, for if your content is unorganized, it will make your readers lost. Break your content into smaller paragraphs with headings so that it gets your reader focused on the content and makes it easier to grasp your point.</li> <li><strong>Using images</strong> is an other way to keep your content creative and appealing. People loves visual as using images and icons helps them visualize the content.</li> <li><strong>Headline</strong> use the strong and correct headline. So that the people would get attracted towards your content. Because using mediocre headlines will result in low click through rate and im result your content would fail to get attention.</li> <li><strong>Authorship</strong> start publishing under your own domain name. Not only it will promote your work by your own name, but also, it will help you gather samples in case you are planning to be in a world of freelancing. The more you have content under your own name, the better it is.</li> <li><strong>Promote content</strong> once you’re done with writing your content, you can share it one your social media pages ( Facebook groups and pages, Pinterest, blogger, WordPress). It will not only help you to reach larger audience but also help your work recognized.</li> </ul> <p>Now, I hope this article would have helped you understanding the basics of SEO writing and it will help and encourage you to write your own first article. Remember, you will learn a thing, only when you give it a try.</p> <p>Best of Luck!</p> </section>	What is SEO, Why is SEO important and How can YOU write SEO content? If you are a newbie in the world of content writing or blogging and all you hear everywhere on Facebook groups, Job portals or any freelancing site, are the terms ‘SEO’ and 'SEO content' and you clearly have no idea what SEO actually is and how can you write SEO content; then, you have come to the right place! This piece of writing will clear all your confusions regarding SEO and SEO content. I will first begin will defining WHAT SEO and SEO content means and why are they important and then will follow by how can YOU write SEO content. The term ‘SEO’ stands for 'search engine optimization’. Which, in easier words, an unpaid process which helps your content or your website to be visible and rank higher on the search results page ( Google search engine, bingo etc) in result of targeting the same searched term used in your content or website. While the term ‘SEO content' is simply any peice of writing, written with aim of attracting the search engine traffic to your content. Now comes the question that why is SEO important? If your piece of content is not search engine optimized, it would be on the far last pages of the search engine results and would be going waste. So, if you intend to reach to the audience, then, your content and website SHOULD BE Search engine optimized otherwise it will be out of reach to the audience. So, at this point, the terms and their importance would be cleared to you, and now, you would be wondering How can YOU write SEO content? So, now I am going to answer this query in the steps below: Understanding your audience The first step before you start writing SEO content, is to know your audience. Do the keyword research. Understand what key words your audience use to search an item, be it a product, blog, article, list or anything. It is the first step to know your audience and to generate the traffic to your site. Keyword optimization once you are done with researching about the keywords, use those key words in your content for maximum reach and visibility. But be aware, using too much keywords will make your readers turn off. So, you have to stick using selected keywords for one piece or content. Content organization Your content needs to be organized in a logical way, for if your content is unorganized, it will make your readers lost. Break your content into smaller paragraphs with headings so that it gets your reader focused on the content and makes it easier to grasp your point. Using images is an other way to keep your content creative and appealing. People loves visual as using images and icons helps them visualize the content. Headline use the strong and correct headline. So that the people would get attracted towards your content. Because using mediocre headlines will result in low click through rate and im result your content would fail to get attention. Authorship start publishing under your own domain name. Not only it will promote your work by your own name, but also, it will help you gather samples in case you are planning to be in a world of freelancing. The more you have content under your own name, the better it is. Promote content once you’re done with writing your content, you can share it one your social media pages ( Facebook groups and pages, Pinterest, blogger, WordPress). It will not only help you to reach larger audience but also help your work recognized. Now, I hope this article would have helped you understanding the basics of SEO writing and it will help and encourage you to write your own first article. Remember, you will learn a thing, only when you give it a try. Best of Luck!	000d4cd3-f806-5334-b212-2a1f123339eb	25/08/2025 18:01:01
https://gmarlowe.medium.com/shot-the-brighton-tattoo-convention-2016-7dc1d68619e1	medium.com	Shot! The Brighton Tattoo Convention 2016	For 2016, the 9th iteration of the Brighton Tattoo Convention made its boldest move yet. Having started in the claustrophobic warren…	Gary Marlowe	https://medium.com/@gmarlowe	7dc1d68619e1	https://miro.medium.com/…wvZ4I1bfbsA.jpeg	6 min	2016-05-01T06:22:00.619000	2016-05-04T19:13:09.309000	2018-04-10T22:20:44.936000	0	0	en	Tattoo,Photography,Art	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4608/1L7MZz7tAwGCwvZ4I1bfbsA.jpeg" width="4608" height="3456" loading="lazy" /> <p>For 2016, the 9th iteration of the Brighton Tattoo Convention made its boldest move yet. Having started in the claustrophobic warren beneath the grandstands at Brighton Racecourse, it had spent the last couple of years down on the seafront at the Hilton Metropole. This year, not only did it relocate once again, but it changed its timings.</p> <p>The last day of April saw the usual mixed weather in Brighton, but for a few hours the sun shone, the sea sparkled and people sat on the beach. Pushing the Convention back a couple of months looked to be a good idea and outside its new home, the windows of the Brighton Centre carried equally smart signage about what was taking place inside: ‘Get tattooed here’ was the message. Things boded well for a bigger, better Brighton Tattoo Convention. Even this year’s artwork was far and away the event’s best yet.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/692/1FYgjOpgOJQhYKP4YWheEwQ.jpeg" width="692" height="999" loading="lazy" /> <p>Step inside, however, and you might have thought you’d come to the wrong event, for there to greet you were a slew of lowriders. Now as nice as they are, what American classic cars have to do with contemporary tattoo culture, I don’t know. I remember they always had a few up at the racecourse, but to me this was a strange first impression to give people. Of course, they now had plenty of room, but personally, I wouldn’t have filled so much of it with cars. A large rendition of the gull with the barbed wire would’ve been a far more impressive statement.</p> <p>That abundance of empty space — something that most tattoo afficianados would give their right sleeve for — transformed the event. Previously, to find the artists you had to journey from one room to another and in most cases, they were squished together between narrow aisles. Now, all of them were housed in one large space, with wide aisles and no low ceilings. Even the lighting, which made it notoriously difficult to get good shots in the past, was so much better. Indeed, everything about the event appeared a lot slicker, a lot more professional. They even used the same distinctive font throughout.</p> <p>But (and you probably were expecting one to come) something was missing, in fact quite a few things were missing. Perhaps the most important of them was the one that’s the hardest to provide, and that’s atmosphere. The Brighton Centre is a pretty soulless place at the best of times, but usually when you’re there you’re looking at the stage and music’s blaring. At BTC9, whilst there were a couple of DJ’s playing music around the venue, and some of the artists were too, the main room was pretty much an atmosphere-free zone and, even though the wide aisles meant that getting around wasn’t the usual push ’n’ shove, the overriding feeling was that there seemed to be less people. I doubt there were, it just looked that way. And we all know crowds help create atmosphere.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4608/1fHgQwsBHxwhe7DqwCKOW1Q.jpeg" width="4608" height="3456" loading="lazy" /> <p>Of course we still had the buzz of the tattoo machines and this year, it seemed almost every other one belonged to a woman. Not that long ago female artists were way less common, now there’s a real possibility that they’ll be more women at future conventions than men.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4555/1kqeRnieVcGVoo4CZF6COig.jpeg" width="4555" height="3416" loading="lazy" /> <p>It’s a clear sign not just that girls are just as skilled as guys at tattooing, but perhaps even more so, it’s evidence that having tattoos is now both acceptable and fashionable for women.</p> <p>Women artists also bring a fresh twist and vibrancy to the art of tattooing, whether it be a more whimsical style or the use of a more feminine colour palette. Not only that, but this year, the one artist who stood out for me as being the most original of the show was a woman, Federica Stefanello who works at <em>La Malafede</em> tattoo in Italy.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1H6surCkEOMrOr9Ide34SzA.jpeg" width="640" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <p>With its ink spots and loose, contemporary look, her sketchy, watercolour style reminded me of Paul Talbot, one of the UK’s most innovative artists.</p> <p>Paul himself wasn’t at Brighton this year, and, curiously, neither were many of the regular faces from past Conventions. Was this because the change of date didn’t work for them? Or was it perhaps down to the cost of attending? All I know, is the likes of Bong, tatauist Brent McCown and even Brighton’s most talented inker, James Robinson weren’t there. And if the Japanese specialists were, I never found them. All I saw was a series of photos of their work.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3456/1dF4fZtfVkM9czsyzXOlcDA.jpeg" width="3456" height="4608" loading="lazy" /> <p>Since last year’s BTC, I’d been to the London Tattoo Convention at Tobacco Dock. I wasn’t overly impressed with its location, but more than anything else, what made it memorable were the performance stages and the appearance of so many tattoo models. Yes, it was cramped and crowded, but that’s what gave it its atmosphere.</p> <p>If BTC is to remain at the Brighton Centre, that’s what it needs to work on. A central stage area would be a good addition. Having a place to spotlight different artists talking about their style and technique, complete with screens showing close-up images of what they’re doing would draw the crowds and elevate the watching experience to something more akin to a performance. Despite being somewhat hidden, the Californian barbers area showed that, if you create the right environment, even watching people having their hair cut can attract an audience.</p> <p>Personally, I’d also look at mixing up what happens over the two floors. It’s all too easy to spend all your time in the artists area and miss seeing the other exhibitors on the ground floor entirely.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1688/1tI-saGK-KhW3TnrtFxFwxg.jpeg" width="1688" height="2250" loading="lazy" /> <p>So to sum up, this year’s Brighton Tattoo Convention was notable for having lots of space, lots of female artists and lots of cars. Unfortunately, too many talented artists from previous years were absent, as was that all-important vibe. Whether as a town or a tattoo convention, Brighton’s always been a quirky place, but there wasn’t much eccentricity about BTC9. And that’s an indelible part of what made it such a memorable event.</p> <p>When it comes to tattoos, most artists would always say bigger is better. The more space they have, the more they can create. Having a bigger canvas on which to make a bigger statement, can also be daunting. The bigger the piece, the more opportunity one has to express oneself. But the bigger it is, the easier it is for people to assess the work.</p> <p>Who knows, maybe holding the Convention in a convention centre made the organisers get conventional. 2017 will mark the event’s 10th year, let’s hope they retain the ambition, but bring back the quirkiness.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3456/1kA4-qLWoPUu7huNCSY6avg.jpeg" width="3456" height="4608" loading="lazy" /> <p><em><strong>Behind the image: </strong>All these images were shot handheld with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and either the 12–40 2.8 Pro or the 75 1.8 lens using available light only. The challenge at events like this where there are loads of people is first identifying the ones that are really interesting to look at, then asking them if they wouldn’t mind having their photo taken. Rather than do what most photographers do, just snapping them where they are, I always try and move them to somewhere with a neutral backdrop. Typically, I’ll have just a minute or two to photograph them. Even then, I have to work around the crowds of people who more often than not, walk in front of the camera. Each year, I try not to repeat myself and this time my aim was to get closer than ever with my portraits. This wasn’t about capturing the spirit of the convention, it was all about capturing its most engaging personalities. <strong>Shot in B</em>righton on 30 April 2016.</strong></p> <p>An edited version of this review originally appeared in <a href="http://www.bn1magazine.co.uk">BN1 magazine</a></p> <p>Follow me on <a href="http://@gmarlowe">Twitter</a></p> <p>See more of my images at <a href="https://500px.com/imagesoutoftheordinary">500px</a></p> <p>See more of Federica Stefanello’s work <a href="http://thevandallist.com/federica-stefanello-tattoo-artist/">here</a></p> </section>	Shot! The Brighton Tattoo Convention 2016 For 2016, the 9th iteration of the Brighton Tattoo Convention made its boldest move yet. Having started in the claustrophobic warren beneath the grandstands at Brighton Racecourse, it had spent the last couple of years down on the seafront at the Hilton Metropole. This year, not only did it relocate once again, but it changed its timings. The last day of April saw the usual mixed weather in Brighton, but for a few hours the sun shone, the sea sparkled and people sat on the beach. Pushing the Convention back a couple of months looked to be a good idea and outside its new home, the windows of the Brighton Centre carried equally smart signage about what was taking place inside: ‘Get tattooed here’ was the message. Things boded well for a bigger, better Brighton Tattoo Convention. Even this year’s artwork was far and away the event’s best yet. Step inside, however, and you might have thought you’d come to the wrong event, for there to greet you were a slew of lowriders. Now as nice as they are, what American classic cars have to do with contemporary tattoo culture, I don’t know. I remember they always had a few up at the racecourse, but to me this was a strange first impression to give people. Of course, they now had plenty of room, but personally, I wouldn’t have filled so much of it with cars. A large rendition of the gull with the barbed wire would’ve been a far more impressive statement. That abundance of empty space — something that most tattoo afficianados would give their right sleeve for — transformed the event. Previously, to find the artists you had to journey from one room to another and in most cases, they were squished together between narrow aisles. Now, all of them were housed in one large space, with wide aisles and no low ceilings. Even the lighting, which made it notoriously difficult to get good shots in the past, was so much better. Indeed, everything about the event appeared a lot slicker, a lot more professional. They even used the same distinctive font throughout. But (and you probably were expecting one to come) something was missing, in fact quite a few things were missing. Perhaps the most important of them was the one that’s the hardest to provide, and that’s atmosphere. The Brighton Centre is a pretty soulless place at the best of times, but usually when you’re there you’re looking at the stage and music’s blaring. At BTC9, whilst there were a couple of DJ’s playing music around the venue, and some of the artists were too, the main room was pretty much an atmosphere-free zone and, even though the wide aisles meant that getting around wasn’t the usual push ’n’ shove, the overriding feeling was that there seemed to be less people. I doubt there were, it just looked that way. And we all know crowds help create atmosphere. Sarah Lu of Brighton’s oldest tattoo parlour, Blue Dragon Of course we still had the buzz of the tattoo machines and this year, it seemed almost every other one belonged to a woman. Not that long ago female artists were way less common, now there’s a real possibility that they’ll be more women at future conventions than men. Spanish tattoo artist Inma who works at The Family Business in London It’s a clear sign not just that girls are just as skilled as guys at tattooing, but perhaps even more so, it’s evidence that having tattoos is now both acceptable and fashionable for women. Women artists also bring a fresh twist and vibrancy to the art of tattooing, whether it be a more whimsical style or the use of a more feminine colour palette. Not only that, but this year, the one artist who stood out for me as being the most original of the show was a woman, Federica Stefanello who works at La Malafede tattoo in Italy. An example of Federica’s highly individual style (PHOTO: La Malafede Tattoo) With its ink spots and loose, contemporary look, her sketchy, watercolour style reminded me of Paul Talbot, one of the UK’s most innovative artists. Paul himself wasn’t at Brighton this year, and, curiously, neither were many of the regular faces from past Conventions. Was this because the change of date didn’t work for them? Or was it perhaps down to the cost of attending? All I know, is the likes of Bong, tatauist Brent McCown and even Brighton’s most talented inker, James Robinson weren’t there. And if the Japanese specialists were, I never found them. All I saw was a series of photos of their work. Dressed to kill: burlesque model Marie Devilreux Since last year’s BTC, I’d been to the London Tattoo Convention at Tobacco Dock. I wasn’t overly impressed with its location, but more than anything else, what made it memorable were the performance stages and the appearance of so many tattoo models. Yes, it was cramped and crowded, but that’s what gave it its atmosphere. If BTC is to remain at the Brighton Centre, that’s what it needs to work on. A central stage area would be a good addition. Having a place to spotlight different artists talking about their style and technique, complete with screens showing close-up images of what they’re doing would draw the crowds and elevate the watching experience to something more akin to a performance. Despite being somewhat hidden, the Californian barbers area showed that, if you create the right environment, even watching people having their hair cut can attract an audience. Personally, I’d also look at mixing up what happens over the two floors. It’s all too easy to spend all your time in the artists area and miss seeing the other exhibitors on the ground floor entirely. Belgian tattoo artist Kenny Spinoy of La Secta in Aalst So to sum up, this year’s Brighton Tattoo Convention was notable for having lots of space, lots of female artists and lots of cars. Unfortunately, too many talented artists from previous years were absent, as was that all-important vibe. Whether as a town or a tattoo convention, Brighton’s always been a quirky place, but there wasn’t much eccentricity about BTC9. And that’s an indelible part of what made it such a memorable event. When it comes to tattoos, most artists would always say bigger is better. The more space they have, the more they can create. Having a bigger canvas on which to make a bigger statement, can also be daunting. The bigger the piece, the more opportunity one has to express oneself. But the bigger it is, the easier it is for people to assess the work. Who knows, maybe holding the Convention in a convention centre made the organisers get conventional. 2017 will mark the event’s 10th year, let’s hope they retain the ambition, but bring back the quirkiness. Native Child, almost certainly carried off this year’s most outstanding look Behind the image: All these images were shot handheld with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and either the 12–40 2.8 Pro or the 75 1.8 lens using available light only. The challenge at events like this where there are loads of people is first identifying the ones that are really interesting to look at, then asking them if they wouldn’t mind having their photo taken. Rather than do what most photographers do, just snapping them where they are, I always try and move them to somewhere with a neutral backdrop. Typically, I’ll have just a minute or two to photograph them. Even then, I have to work around the crowds of people who more often than not, walk in front of the camera. Each year, I try not to repeat myself and this time my aim was to get closer than ever with my portraits. This wasn’t about capturing the spirit of the convention, it was all about capturing its most engaging personalities. Shot in Brighton on 30 April 2016. An edited version of this review originally appeared in BN1 magazine Follow me on Twitter See more of my images at 500px See more of Federica Stefanello’s work here	bdf2a28d-3375-560e-8435-78df70225328	25/08/2025 18:01:02
https://medium.com/@dphotofolio/the-best-approaches-for-selecting-wedding-photographer-fbd9486a9307	medium.com	The Best Approaches for Selecting Wedding Photographer	Wonderful wedding imagery preserved in memorable, beautiful, sometimes funny or emotion-filled photographs is something that no wedding is…	Jennifer Gordon	https://medium.com/@dphotofolio	fbd9486a9307	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*rxG9ft443zciV4iT.	2 min	2016-08-31T07:57:00.072000	2016-08-31T07:57:34.659000	2016-08-31T07:57:34.659000	0	0	en	Photography,Wedding Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/386/0*rxG9ft443zciV4iT." width="386" height="257" loading="lazy" /> <p>Wonderful wedding imagery preserved in memorable, beautiful, sometimes funny or emotion-filled photographs is something that no wedding is complete without. The wedding-day, planned so much ahead of time and eagerly awaited, fades by all too fast and one way to capture those moments forever is through amazing photographs that will stand the test of time.</p> <p>Today, most couples know exactly what they want their wedding pictures to look like. They need different moods, emotions, colors, family-groups, events, ceremonies and rituals, venues, etc to be captured.</p> <p>Types of Wedding Photography</p> <p>Most couples want a session of <strong><a href="http://www.dph</strong>otofolio.com/pre-wedding-photography/">pre wedding photography</a>. This gives them a chance to be more spontaneous, emotional and express their personalities better in front of the camera. It also helps them relax and helps the photographer to understand their individual personalities so that he/she can use this information to take brilliant wedding portraits later.</p> <p>Another important aspect to be covered during weddings is<strong><a href="http://www</strong>.dphotofolio.com/kidsfamily-packages/"> family photography</a>. These are great occasions for families to get together and enjoy the feeling of bonding over renewed relationships, great food, drinks and entertainment. A skilled <strong><a href="http://www.dphotofoli</strong>o.com/wedding-photography/">wedding photographer Singapore </a>and elsewhere would find himself / herself clicking away, caught up in the excitement and emotional moments as several generations of family members gather under one roof!</p> <p>Actual day photographers in Singapore and elsewhere may be the same professionals who have done the pre wedding and family groups photographs or they may be specialists who only work on the actual wedding day and ceremony.</p> <p>Tips on Selecting the Right Wedding Photographer</p> <p>Your wedding photographs are as important as the venue, your outfits, the food and the ceremony!</p> <p>So keep a few tips in mind while selecting a wedding photographer in Singapore or elsewhere.</p> <p>– Start looking early enough and not just a week before — Local is great, unless you’re choosing a world-class artist — Get recommendations from trusted sources — Select someone whose work you’ve seen and liked — Don’t rely on uncle, cousin, aunt, best friend’s sister-in-law to come up with great wedding pics — get a professional — Be clear about what you want — let the pictures match both your personalities and not that of the photographer’s — Ask for samples of their work and talk to former clients — Cross-check their professional credentials — Discuss venues and state your preferences clearly — Don’t scrimp on the budget, but don’t go overboard either — Get an estimate that covers everything, including transport, props etc and sign a contract</p> <p>Choose a wedding photographer in Singapore who would be able to present your special day in the way you want to remember it.</p> </section>	The Best Approaches for Selecting Wedding Photographer www.dphotofolio.com Wonderful wedding imagery preserved in memorable, beautiful, sometimes funny or emotion-filled photographs is something that no wedding is complete without. The wedding-day, planned so much ahead of time and eagerly awaited, fades by all too fast and one way to capture those moments forever is through amazing photographs that will stand the test of time. Today, most couples know exactly what they want their wedding pictures to look like. They need different moods, emotions, colors, family-groups, events, ceremonies and rituals, venues, etc to be captured. Types of Wedding Photography Most couples want a session of pre wedding photography. This gives them a chance to be more spontaneous, emotional and express their personalities better in front of the camera. It also helps them relax and helps the photographer to understand their individual personalities so that he/she can use this information to take brilliant wedding portraits later. Another important aspect to be covered during weddings is family photography. These are great occasions for families to get together and enjoy the feeling of bonding over renewed relationships, great food, drinks and entertainment. A skilled wedding photographer Singapore and elsewhere would find himself / herself clicking away, caught up in the excitement and emotional moments as several generations of family members gather under one roof! Actual day photographers in Singapore and elsewhere may be the same professionals who have done the pre wedding and family groups photographs or they may be specialists who only work on the actual wedding day and ceremony. Tips on Selecting the Right Wedding Photographer Your wedding photographs are as important as the venue, your outfits, the food and the ceremony! So keep a few tips in mind while selecting a wedding photographer in Singapore or elsewhere. – Start looking early enough and not just a week before — Local is great, unless you’re choosing a world-class artist — Get recommendations from trusted sources — Select someone whose work you’ve seen and liked — Don’t rely on uncle, cousin, aunt, best friend’s sister-in-law to come up with great wedding pics — get a professional — Be clear about what you want — let the pictures match both your personalities and not that of the photographer’s — Ask for samples of their work and talk to former clients — Cross-check their professional credentials — Discuss venues and state your preferences clearly — Don’t scrimp on the budget, but don’t go overboard either — Get an estimate that covers everything, including transport, props etc and sign a contract Choose a wedding photographer in Singapore who would be able to present your special day in the way you want to remember it.	1bbbf007-bdeb-5bbe-8948-84c14abf8716	25/08/2025 18:01:02
https://medium.com/@opajdara/going-vertical-photography-by-glenn-crouch-http-ift-tt-18uxycz-sunrise-over-sydney-53394bf40acd	medium.com	Going Vertical — Photography by Glenn Crouch http://ift.tt/18UXyCz Sunrise over Sydney	null	Dubie Bacino	https://medium.com/@opajdara	53394bf40acd	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*kxDNi287M8ewWDOv.	0 min	2016-05-14T09:51:14.160000	2016-05-14T09:51:16.598000	2016-05-14T09:51:16.598000	0	0	en	Opajdara,Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/438/0*kxDNi287M8ewWDOv." width="438" height="750" loading="lazy" /> </section>	Going Vertical — Photography by Glenn Crouch http://ift.tt/18UXyCz Sunrise over Sydney harbour bridge, viewed from Barangaroo Reserve. Nikon D800 & Nikkor 16–35mm. PP in PS CC using Nik Software and luminosity masks. — Glenn Crouch #sydney #harbour #bridge	a82b1662-890b-5140-8e12-8daf5f3bb254	25/08/2025 18:01:02
https://medium.com/trivver/trivver-and-immersive-entertainment-inc-1726a9d37268	medium.com	Trivver and Immersive Entertainment, Inc.	NEWPORT BEACH , Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Trivver and Immersive Entertainment, Inc. today announced a partnership to explore the…	Trivver	https://medium.com/@Trivver	1726a9d37268	https://miro.medium.com/…WVtD5NFRB1TQ.png	2 min	2018-06-26T18:08:10.115000	2018-06-26T18:16:19.289000	2018-06-26T22:07:48.707000	0	550	en	Virtual Reality,Augmented Reality,Extended Reality,Trivver,Partnerships	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1024/1*7YCXyZUVHFWVtD5NFRB1TQ.png" width="1024" height="512" loading="lazy" /> <p>NEWPORT BEACH , Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Trivver and Immersive Entertainment, Inc. today announced a partnership to explore the integration of Trivver’s patented Extended Reality Technology within Virtual Universe, its next-generation Virtual Reality MMORPG platform.</p> <p>Virtual Universe (VU) is an epic MMORPG story-driven adventure set within a living Virtual Reality world. The game focuses on maximizing engagement over a multi-year storyline and encourages users to play, socialize and create. Its freemium model supports an innovative economy that empowers users to monetize their efforts in-game.</p> <p>Current 2D advertising methods (pop-ups, banners, video and interstitials) are often highly disruptive to immersive XR experiences. With Trivver’s suite of patented technology, including its core Smart Object Technology, brands and creators will have the capability to deliver smart, native advertising directly into the Virtual Universe platform.</p> <p>“This cooperative represents a natural evolution of XR entertainment. Virtual Universe is a landmark in entertainment — a living destination filled with rich interaction, social engagement and creation, all against the backdrop of a grand adventure. Trivver’s unique technologies provide a framework for major brands to participate in the platform and the player’s experience in a way that is seamless and natural. Most importantly, for the player, this experiential form of advertising represents a future of discovery and interaction that is unobtrusive and fun. It’s a win for the brands and a win for the players.” said Ciaran Foley, CEO of Immersive Entertainment Inc.</p> <p>“We believe in the exponential possibilities of XR and in the profound, lasting and global impact of this technology,” said Joel LaMontagne, CEO of Trivver. “We are passionate about driving XR adoption among consumers and within the enterprise. Our goal is to enable publishers and developers in the XR space to fund themselves through advertising and encourage the improvement of technology that enhances XR experiences for consumers. We’re also making it easier for advertisers to promote their brand in the XR space through seamless product placement — delivering relevant and interesting content to engage their users.”</p> <p><strong>About Trivver </strong>Trivver is the premiere advertising exchange for Extended Reality (XR) environments — 3D, virtual reality, mixed reality and augmented reality. The Trivver platform makes creating and deploying 3D interactive branded objects easier, allowing brands to programmatically execute targeted, impactful and scalable XR campaigns. Trivver’s revolutionary, patented Branded Smart Objects (BSOs) are 3D objects that exist as ads within the natural setting of 3D environments. BSOs are designed to autoscale and render in any XR platform — enabling advertisers to seamlessly and organically engage multiple audiences without additional development time or financial investment. The Trivver XR Ad Exchange (XRAE) is a programmatic solution that lets advertisers create, run and monitor a highly targeted XR ad campaign in near real time, on mobile apps and desktop applications. Trivver enables publishers to monetize XR environments with branded content that is native and organic — eliminating pop-ups, banners, and interstitials that are disruptive to the user experience. The Trivver platform facilitates an organic relationship between brand and consumer.</p> <p><strong>About Immersive Entertainment, Inc.</strong> Irvine-based Immersive Entertainment, Inc. is a leading independent VR software company developing Virtual Universe (VU) an epic MMORPG story-driven adventure set within a living Virtual Reality world. Its freemium model supports an innovative economy that empowers users to monetize their efforts in-game and is powered by unique technologies that drive advanced engagement with players.</p> <p>Click to learn more about <a href="http://www.immersiveentertainment.com">Immersive Entertainment</a></p> <p>Join the conversation and learn more about <a href="http://www.trivver.com">Trivver</a> on <a href="https://t.me/trivvertokensale">Telegram</a></p> </section>	Trivver and Immersive Entertainment, Inc. Announce Partnership to Explore Integration of Extended Reality Technology within Virtual Universe. NEWPORT BEACH , Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Trivver and Immersive Entertainment, Inc. today announced a partnership to explore the integration of Trivver’s patented Extended Reality Technology within Virtual Universe, its next-generation Virtual Reality MMORPG platform. Virtual Universe (VU) is an epic MMORPG story-driven adventure set within a living Virtual Reality world. The game focuses on maximizing engagement over a multi-year storyline and encourages users to play, socialize and create. Its freemium model supports an innovative economy that empowers users to monetize their efforts in-game. Current 2D advertising methods (pop-ups, banners, video and interstitials) are often highly disruptive to immersive XR experiences. With Trivver’s suite of patented technology, including its core Smart Object Technology, brands and creators will have the capability to deliver smart, native advertising directly into the Virtual Universe platform. “This cooperative represents a natural evolution of XR entertainment. Virtual Universe is a landmark in entertainment — a living destination filled with rich interaction, social engagement and creation, all against the backdrop of a grand adventure. Trivver’s unique technologies provide a framework for major brands to participate in the platform and the player’s experience in a way that is seamless and natural. Most importantly, for the player, this experiential form of advertising represents a future of discovery and interaction that is unobtrusive and fun. It’s a win for the brands and a win for the players.” said Ciaran Foley, CEO of Immersive Entertainment Inc. “We believe in the exponential possibilities of XR and in the profound, lasting and global impact of this technology,” said Joel LaMontagne, CEO of Trivver. “We are passionate about driving XR adoption among consumers and within the enterprise. Our goal is to enable publishers and developers in the XR space to fund themselves through advertising and encourage the improvement of technology that enhances XR experiences for consumers. We’re also making it easier for advertisers to promote their brand in the XR space through seamless product placement — delivering relevant and interesting content to engage their users.” About Trivver Trivver is the premiere advertising exchange for Extended Reality (XR) environments — 3D, virtual reality, mixed reality and augmented reality. The Trivver platform makes creating and deploying 3D interactive branded objects easier, allowing brands to programmatically execute targeted, impactful and scalable XR campaigns. Trivver’s revolutionary, patented Branded Smart Objects (BSOs) are 3D objects that exist as ads within the natural setting of 3D environments. BSOs are designed to autoscale and render in any XR platform — enabling advertisers to seamlessly and organically engage multiple audiences without additional development time or financial investment. The Trivver XR Ad Exchange (XRAE) is a programmatic solution that lets advertisers create, run and monitor a highly targeted XR ad campaign in near real time, on mobile apps and desktop applications. Trivver enables publishers to monetize XR environments with branded content that is native and organic — eliminating pop-ups, banners, and interstitials that are disruptive to the user experience. The Trivver platform facilitates an organic relationship between brand and consumer. About Immersive Entertainment, Inc. Irvine-based Immersive Entertainment, Inc. is a leading independent VR software company developing Virtual Universe (VU) an epic MMORPG story-driven adventure set within a living Virtual Reality world. Its freemium model supports an innovative economy that empowers users to monetize their efforts in-game and is powered by unique technologies that drive advanced engagement with players. Click to learn more about Immersive Entertainment Join the conversation and learn more about Trivver on Telegram	f84b1497-ae53-5f59-ba00-b6f87f87c653	25/08/2025 18:01:03
https://minoowkim.medium.com/week-of-feb-24-2019-c3c2dfcc4780	medium.com	Food for thought	Week of Feb 24, 2019	Minoo W. Kim	https://medium.com/@minoowkim	c3c2dfcc4780	null	1 min	2019-03-11T20:29:54.352000	2019-03-11T21:23:52.203000	2021-12-08T21:42:08.938000	0	0	en	Christianity	<section> <h3>Food for Thought</h3> <p><strong><a href="http</strong>s://minoowkim.com/the-sequences-d90dcb271845">The Sequences <em>Surprise the World — Intro</em>mino</a>owkim.com</p> <h3>#1</h3> <p>What are some habits of the ordinary saints that always made you wonder? (These ordinary saints are the people near you and around you— whether your parents, grandparents, friends, etc.) What made you wonder? What made their habits stand out to you?</p> <p>What are some habits you’ve inherited from these ordinary saints?</p> <h3>#2</h3> <p>Reflect on the rhythms of your life. Which of them are motivated primarily by your faith? Of those, which do you think would qualify as “questionable” — practices that the non-Christians in your life would find surprising or intriguing? (from <em>Surprise the World</em>, p15)</p> <h3>#3</h3> <p>The quiet time prioritized personal Bible reading and prayer, but it also privatized Christian practice, rendering social-gospel priorities, for examples, as suspect because the dots don’t easily connect between social engagement and personal/private disciplines.</p> <p>What are your thoughts on the above paragraph?</p> <p>Reflect on habits you’ve developed that are related to your Christian faith. Are these habits connected more on “personal piety” or “social holiness”?</p> </section>	Week of Feb 24, 2019 Food for Thought The Sequences Surprise the World — Introminoowkim.com #1 What are some habits of the ordinary saints that always made you wonder? (These ordinary saints are the people near you and around you— whether your parents, grandparents, friends, etc.) What made you wonder? What made their habits stand out to you? What are some habits you’ve inherited from these ordinary saints? #2 Reflect on the rhythms of your life. Which of them are motivated primarily by your faith? Of those, which do you think would qualify as “questionable” — practices that the non-Christians in your life would find surprising or intriguing? (from Surprise the World, p15) #3 The quiet time prioritized personal Bible reading and prayer, but it also privatized Christian practice, rendering social-gospel priorities, for examples, as suspect because the dots don’t easily connect between social engagement and personal/private disciplines. What are your thoughts on the above paragraph? Reflect on habits you’ve developed that are related to your Christian faith. Are these habits connected more on “personal piety” or “social holiness”?	5e4778b5-7893-556f-b524-a5431ddbaa70	25/08/2025 18:01:03
https://medium.com/@nszmyt/hike-2-river-crossings-at-henry-cowell-redwoods-state-park-8b939fdbdc38	medium.com	Hike: 2 River Crossings at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park	1700 feet elevation gain over 7.2 miles with two river crossings	Norbert Szmyt	https://medium.com/@nszmyt	8b939fdbdc38	https://miro.medium.com/…ePf2fvaZleQ.jpeg	5 min	2016-05-30T22:39:00.528000	2016-05-30T23:43:42.341000	2017-12-12T10:09:13.281000	0	0	en	Hiking,Outdoors	<section> <p><em>1700 feet elevation gain over 7.2 miles with two river crossings</em></p> <p>My very first hike post takes us into the Santa Cruz mountains. A few miles off CA-17 just north of Santa Cruz, you will find <a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=546">Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park</a>. The park of course known for its redwood forest, also has camping (which of course was full when we arrived), a fully operating steam train, and miles of trails. I found this hike through one of my favorite resources for Bay Area hikes, <a href="http://gurmeet.net/hiking/hikes/Two_River_Crossings_Route_II.html">gurmeet.net</a> and the hike page <a href="http://gurmeet.net/hiking/hikes/Two_River_Crossings_Route_II.html">itself</a>.</p> <h1>The Park</h1> <p>Coming into the park, you are greeted with by the CA State Park Ranger station and the $10 fee. In exchange, you get a pamphlet about the park, your parking receipt and a larger map (more on those maps to come). The parking lot itself is decently sized, capable of hosting at most a hundred cars. I had no issue finding parking despite it being Memorial Day weekend. Right next to the parking lot you will also find a stop for the <a href="http://www.roaringcamp.com/steamtrain">Roaring Camp & Big Trees Train</a>, a 19th century narrow-gauge steam train running through the redwood forests. I didn’t even know this existed, might want to check this out at some point. Then there are the usual amenties of a nature store, bathrooms, etc.</p> <h2>The Trail</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4310/1bY5O7HcWOzMePf2fvaZleQ.jpeg" width="4310" height="2868" loading="lazy" /> <p>Upon entering the forest, you are immediately treated to the San Lorenzo river, or sadly the lack thereof. I should have taken some pictures of this but it was not a pretty sight to say the least. In addition to the consequences of the California drought, there is the massive redwoods that quickly surround you. A large number of the trails in the park are dog friendly. But those are not the only animals you will find in the park. Throughout our hike we passed multiple horse back riders even on the steepest and narrowest parts of our hike. Of course this also means, watch where you step.</p> <h3>The First River Crossing</h3> <p>The journey to the first crossing is relatively mild, with most of the hike being downhill. Unfortunately I found Henry Cowell to be one of the harder parks to find the proper trail on. Although the park has signage throughout, it falls short due to high number of junctions (including trails crossing the same road multiple times) between the numerous trails, roads and fire roads. This is normally where a map can pick up the slack, but with the size of the park and the number of unmarked junctions, it can be challenging to understand where you are. Bring a compass or at the very least keep track of where you should be.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4310/1YwHzr_soi_Qn2OSXOvCSwQ.jpeg" width="4310" height="2868" loading="lazy" /> <p>Despite this, we never ended up blundering onto the wrong trail. We followed River Trail -> Eagle Creek Trail -> Unnamed trail -> Rincon Fire Rd -> Big Rock Hole Trail. Along the way we passed the Cathedral Redwoods as well as the tallest redwood in Henry Cowell. Once we got to the first river crossing though, I had to break the apparently shocking news to my friends.</p> <blockquote>River crossing means we will be walking through the river not over a bridge.</blockquote> <p>Of course there was great joy at this news, see below.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3452/1JaixqUlGOpsrUZ-w7gsgoQ.jpeg" width="3452" height="2296" loading="lazy" /> <p>Where the trail ends was a bit unclear since it just emptied us onto a beach a bit South of the crossing to the Buckeye Trail. Thankfully the hike description mentioned the proper path. The river was cold of course, but the current was not too strong and there was no sharp rocks to be seen. Water level was about knee high. The crossing was refreshing although there was a bit of swearing….</p> <h3>Around the River Bend</h3> <p>The second crossing was about 3/4 of a mile away on a quiet narrow trail. It continued to be visible that the San Lorenzo river once flowed much higher before the drought. The second river crossing was wider than the first and unfortunately one of my friends did lose her balance. Despite all of this, we all were still happy hikers.</p> <h3>To the Observatory Deck</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4310/182q5TNs21MDc7JYe24HiQg.jpeg" width="4310" height="2868" loading="lazy" /> <p>The last landmark of this hike was the trek up to the observatory deck in Henry Cowell, the highest point in the park. The climb was steep with over 700 ft of elevation gain over just over a mile. As you near the observatory deck, the trail changes from dirt to sand. It is rather odd to be hiking through sand so far away from water. Trail followed Buckeye Trail -> Powder Mill fire road -> Pine trail. Once we got to the Observation deck (literally just a wood deck built on top of a one story platform) though the view was spectacular.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4227/1ca_fUasecJq3wlHJWzL9rA.jpeg" width="4227" height="2812" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4310/1IqxdJwhtLLVERng4wy439g.jpeg" width="4310" height="2868" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4310/1*Jx7eBmbKYDyZ_NXiwP5eNw.jpeg" width="4310" height="2868" loading="lazy" /> <h3>Return to Parking</h3> <p>The return to the parking was rather uneventful with the exception of the usual orienteering between the map and the signs to determine the right way back.</p> <h3>Surprises in the Parking Lot</h3> <blockquote>American Civil War reenactment with <strong>real cannons and gunpowder</strong>.</blockquote> <p>There was some small surprises that we were not expecting as we returned to the car. When we got back we were hearing <strong>a lot </strong>loud booms as well as the train was at the station. We assumed that maybe the train was making these noises, it was the right direction.. The park rangers informed us though that a neighboring campground was performing an actual American Civil War reenactment with <strong>real cannons and gunpowder</strong>. California is one of the last places I would expect to see this! Despite the deafening booms (that set off multiple car alarms) the other surprise was the family of deer we saw roaming in the field next to the parking lot</p> <h2>Summary</h2> <p>This was a wonderful hike. I recommend wearing shorts for the river crossings. The climb after the second crossing can be a bit challenging but worth the work. Make sure to do your best to keep track of where you are and which trails you need to take <strong>4/5</strong></p> </section>	Hike: 2 River Crossings at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 1700 feet elevation gain over 7.2 miles with two river crossings My very first hike post takes us into the Santa Cruz mountains. A few miles off CA-17 just north of Santa Cruz, you will find Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The park of course known for its redwood forest, also has camping (which of course was full when we arrived), a fully operating steam train, and miles of trails. I found this hike through one of my favorite resources for Bay Area hikes, gurmeet.net and the hike page itself. The Park Coming into the park, you are greeted with by the CA State Park Ranger station and the $10 fee. In exchange, you get a pamphlet about the park, your parking receipt and a larger map (more on those maps to come). The parking lot itself is decently sized, capable of hosting at most a hundred cars. I had no issue finding parking despite it being Memorial Day weekend. Right next to the parking lot you will also find a stop for the Roaring Camp & Big Trees Train, a 19th century narrow-gauge steam train running through the redwood forests. I didn’t even know this existed, might want to check this out at some point. Then there are the usual amenties of a nature store, bathrooms, etc. The Trail Upon entering the forest, you are immediately treated to the San Lorenzo river, or sadly the lack thereof. I should have taken some pictures of this but it was not a pretty sight to say the least. In addition to the consequences of the California drought, there is the massive redwoods that quickly surround you. A large number of the trails in the park are dog friendly. But those are not the only animals you will find in the park. Throughout our hike we passed multiple horse back riders even on the steepest and narrowest parts of our hike. Of course this also means, watch where you step. The First River Crossing The journey to the first crossing is relatively mild, with most of the hike being downhill. Unfortunately I found Henry Cowell to be one of the harder parks to find the proper trail on. Although the park has signage throughout, it falls short due to high number of junctions (including trails crossing the same road multiple times) between the numerous trails, roads and fire roads. This is normally where a map can pick up the slack, but with the size of the park and the number of unmarked junctions, it can be challenging to understand where you are. Bring a compass or at the very least keep track of where you should be. Cathedral Redwoods Despite this, we never ended up blundering onto the wrong trail. We followed River Trail -> Eagle Creek Trail -> Unnamed trail -> Rincon Fire Rd -> Big Rock Hole Trail. Along the way we passed the Cathedral Redwoods as well as the tallest redwood in Henry Cowell. Once we got to the first river crossing though, I had to break the apparently shocking news to my friends. River crossing means we will be walking through the river not over a bridge. Of course there was great joy at this news, see below. Where the trail ends was a bit unclear since it just emptied us onto a beach a bit South of the crossing to the Buckeye Trail. Thankfully the hike description mentioned the proper path. The river was cold of course, but the current was not too strong and there was no sharp rocks to be seen. Water level was about knee high. The crossing was refreshing although there was a bit of swearing…. Around the River Bend The second crossing was about 3/4 of a mile away on a quiet narrow trail. It continued to be visible that the San Lorenzo river once flowed much higher before the drought. The second river crossing was wider than the first and unfortunately one of my friends did lose her balance. Despite all of this, we all were still happy hikers. To the Observatory Deck The last landmark of this hike was the trek up to the observatory deck in Henry Cowell, the highest point in the park. The climb was steep with over 700 ft of elevation gain over just over a mile. As you near the observatory deck, the trail changes from dirt to sand. It is rather odd to be hiking through sand so far away from water. Trail followed Buckeye Trail -> Powder Mill fire road -> Pine trail. Once we got to the Observation deck (literally just a wood deck built on top of a one story platform) though the view was spectacular. Return to Parking The return to the parking was rather uneventful with the exception of the usual orienteering between the map and the signs to determine the right way back. Surprises in the Parking Lot American Civil War reenactment with real cannons and gunpowder. There was some small surprises that we were not expecting as we returned to the car. When we got back we were hearing a lot loud booms as well as the train was at the station. We assumed that maybe the train was making these noises, it was the right direction.. The park rangers informed us though that a neighboring campground was performing an actual American Civil War reenactment with real cannons and gunpowder. California is one of the last places I would expect to see this! Despite the deafening booms (that set off multiple car alarms) the other surprise was the family of deer we saw roaming in the field next to the parking lot Summary This was a wonderful hike. I recommend wearing shorts for the river crossings. The climb after the second crossing can be a bit challenging but worth the work. Make sure to do your best to keep track of where you are and which trails you need to take 4/5	98bb755b-d147-5666-aecf-521b4209de6a	25/08/2025 18:01:03
https://medium.com/@aysha564saify/your-success-inside-the-bed-room-b2b96421fa1c	medium.com	Your success inside the bed room	Vital X9 Be In Contact With Your Physician. We have no longer specifics regarding Vital X9 Side Effects. However, that doesn’t recommend…	ahuttonjuriya	https://medium.com/@aysha564saify	b2b96421fa1c	null	0 min	2018-08-01T11:36:58.751000	2018-08-01T11:37:09.362000	2018-08-01T11:37:09.711000	0	0	en	Photography	<section> <p><a href="https://www.drozien.com/vital-x9-pills-review/">Vital X9</a> Be In Contact With Your Physician. We have no longer specifics regarding Vital X9 Side Effects. However, that doesn’t recommend that there commonly aren’t any type of. So, simply be prepared to have that discussion together with your medical doctor. If you do observe any kind of terrible outcomes, be sure to stop use of this item fast.Your success inside the bed room isn’t something, however it can really FEEL find it irresistible. <a href="https://www.drozien.com/vital-x9-pills-review/">https://www.drozien.com/vital-x9-pills-review/</a></p> </section>	Your success inside the bed room Vital X9 Be In Contact With Your Physician. We have no longer specifics regarding Vital X9 Side Effects. However, that doesn’t recommend that there commonly aren’t any type of. So, simply be prepared to have that discussion together with your medical doctor. If you do observe any kind of terrible outcomes, be sure to stop use of this item fast.Your success inside the bed room isn’t something, however it can really FEEL find it irresistible. https://www.drozien.com/vital-x9-pills-review/	83f36cde-02bb-5205-9c1a-434d0e6940ef	25/08/2025 18:01:04
https://medium.com/@daniel_greer/daniel-greer-innovator-in-new-york-city-4cf7b1ca9714	medium.com	Daniel Greer — Innovator in New York City	Daniel Greer, as the First Deputy Commissioner of Ports and Terminals in New York City, implemented a new gold standard for repurposing…	Daniel Greer	https://medium.com/@daniel_greer	4cf7b1ca9714	null	0 min	2016-10-14T08:18:47.153000	2016-10-14T08:19:35.039000	2017-11-25T19:28:30.867000	0	0	en	New York,Photography,Daniel Greer,Innovation	<section> <p>Daniel Greer, as the First Deputy Commissioner of Ports and Terminals in New York City, implemented a new gold standard for repurposing unused property and space. In the late 1960s, with all of the piers in New York City’s harbor were being closed down due to new innovations in the shipping industry, Greer devised a plan for turning these abandoned piers into parks, a practice that still survives today to repurpose land.</p> </section>	Daniel Greer — Innovator in New York City Daniel Greer, as the First Deputy Commissioner of Ports and Terminals in New York City, implemented a new gold standard for repurposing unused property and space. In the late 1960s, with all of the piers in New York City’s harbor were being closed down due to new innovations in the shipping industry, Greer devised a plan for turning these abandoned piers into parks, a practice that still survives today to repurpose land.	ce4e5a65-3dea-5698-b588-f7afe8ce3266	25/08/2025 18:01:04
https://medium.com/@josh_39223/what-hiking-taught-me-about-starting-a-business-e454858c6f82	medium.com	What Hiking Taught Me About Starting A Business	Sometimes, all you need to hear is you’re doing a good job. But as an entrepreneur, that’s a rare occasion. There are very few people, if…	Josh Leider	https://medium.com/@josh_39223	e454858c6f82	https://miro.medium.com/…L2iMqq0it-g.jpeg	4 min	2018-08-07T21:48:53.001000	2018-08-07T23:26:13.162000	2022-03-30T19:46:42.229000	0	90	en	Hiking,Business,Entrepreneurship,Life Lessons,Success	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4608/1I4kNKF1MI99L2iMqq0it-g.jpeg" width="4608" height="2963" loading="lazy" /> <p>Sometimes, all you need to hear is <em>you’re doing a good job</em>. But as an entrepreneur, that’s a rare occasion. There are very few people, if any, who oversee you and pat you on the back from time to time. However, a few weeks ago I was in a meeting with a mentor of mine and he said those exact words. <em>You’re doing a good job</em>. And then it all dawned on me. I was in fact doing a good job. He told me he was impressed by my tenacity and dedication, aka the skill to work my ass off until I literally couldn’t anymore. But after our meeting I had an odd thought…where did this work ethic come from? I was young, 27, naive at times, and I hadn’t had any astonishing experiences in the working world previously that made tenacious. So I started to ponder, and the dots began to connect.</p> <p>Back in 2014, I went on one of the most excruciating hikes of my life in New Mexico. I was on a road trip with my buddy Ryan and we were looking for a decent hike to do that day. A few Google searches and we found our challenge. The La Luz trail. The eight mile hike was marked as very difficult, steep and dangerous, but with a stunning view at the top. We were sold.</p> <p>At the base of the hike, we met a fellow who was just finishing his descent. He explicitly said, “Do not go past mile five. It’s too icy. You will not be able to get up and to be honest, you may slip and die.” Die? Come on, this wasn’t Everest. This was New Mexico. So we stared hiking up the mountain…oh were we naive. Along the way we experienced five separate accounts of people saying <em>don’t go past mile five, it’s impossible without crampons</em> (spikes for your hiking boots) <em>and hiking poles</em>. But Ryan and I knew what we were working towards. That beautiful, above-the-clouds view at the top of which no photo could do justice. In that moment there were very few words that could have stopped us from hitting the peak.</p> <p>As we trekked on, it got icy. And snowy. And when I say snowy, I mean shin deep snow while you’re hiking straight up a mountain. It was miserable. What did we do? We found thick sticks to use as hiking poles, used them for balance, and took very calculated and slow steps. Then the temperature dropped, something we hadn’t planned on in our t-shirts and the thin rain pants we had stuffed away in our backpacks in case of an “emergency”. What did we do? We threw on our rain jackets and trekked forward. Because of the deep snow and altitude, we moved much slower than planned, and our pace went from 25 minute/miles to 50 minute/miles. What did we do? We trekked onward.</p> <p>As we finally got to what seemed like the top, there was a sign. In Laymen’s terms it said go right to finish your hike or go two more miles left for an even better view. I looked at Ryan. We had run out of food and we were having trouble catching our breath as the air was much thinner up where we were than when we had started. I had icicles forming on my beard and my pants were soaked. What did we do? We added two more miles of misery onto our hike for that sweet, sweet view.</p> <p>Hungry, wet and struggling to catch our breath, we finally crawled our way up to the peak….where we bumped into a family in turtlenecks, snow pants, and skis to quickly realize we had just hiked up to the highest point of a ski mountain.</p> <p>The view, as advertised, was worth every single second of that excruciating hike. Here is a photo of Ryan and I at the top with our life saving walking sticks.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1536/1wQsJQNl1cb_ZXjpB1kXtfA.jpeg" width="1536" height="2048" loading="lazy" /> <p>After the meeting with my mentor, I had realized it was hikes like this, large and small, that had fitted me with a quality work ethic. As an entrepreneur or business owner, you have to keep your eye on the prize, aka the peak of your hike, at all times. There will be countless instances when people tell you there is absolutely NO WAY your business will work, just like people told us we couldn’t make it to the top of our hike. But if you keep that vision of the end goal in the back of your head, you’ll keep you going. There will be times when you’re feeling the excruciating pain of starting a business. Little to no income, 18-hour days, turning down friends weddings to further your cause. Or in mine and Ryan’s case snow up to our shins and not being able to feel our toes. But the vision of the top will keep you going.</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> We are all hiking towards a peak, and the trek to get there is HARD. It leaves us with blisters on our feet and fridges full of ramen noodles because we can’t afford anything else. If you can always keep the view of the top in the back of your head, nothing will be able to stop you from achieving your goal. Not blister. Not an empty wallet. No person telling you that you can’t. Oh, and take up hiking. It can do wonders for your character :)</p> </section>	What Hiking Taught Me About Starting A Business Sometimes, all you need to hear is you’re doing a good job. But as an entrepreneur, that’s a rare occasion. There are very few people, if any, who oversee you and pat you on the back from time to time. However, a few weeks ago I was in a meeting with a mentor of mine and he said those exact words. You’re doing a good job. And then it all dawned on me. I was in fact doing a good job. He told me he was impressed by my tenacity and dedication, aka the skill to work my ass off until I literally couldn’t anymore. But after our meeting I had an odd thought…where did this work ethic come from? I was young, 27, naive at times, and I hadn’t had any astonishing experiences in the working world previously that made tenacious. So I started to ponder, and the dots began to connect. Back in 2014, I went on one of the most excruciating hikes of my life in New Mexico. I was on a road trip with my buddy Ryan and we were looking for a decent hike to do that day. A few Google searches and we found our challenge. The La Luz trail. The eight mile hike was marked as very difficult, steep and dangerous, but with a stunning view at the top. We were sold. At the base of the hike, we met a fellow who was just finishing his descent. He explicitly said, “Do not go past mile five. It’s too icy. You will not be able to get up and to be honest, you may slip and die.” Die? Come on, this wasn’t Everest. This was New Mexico. So we stared hiking up the mountain…oh were we naive. Along the way we experienced five separate accounts of people saying don’t go past mile five, it’s impossible without crampons (spikes for your hiking boots) and hiking poles. But Ryan and I knew what we were working towards. That beautiful, above-the-clouds view at the top of which no photo could do justice. In that moment there were very few words that could have stopped us from hitting the peak. As we trekked on, it got icy. And snowy. And when I say snowy, I mean shin deep snow while you’re hiking straight up a mountain. It was miserable. What did we do? We found thick sticks to use as hiking poles, used them for balance, and took very calculated and slow steps. Then the temperature dropped, something we hadn’t planned on in our t-shirts and the thin rain pants we had stuffed away in our backpacks in case of an “emergency”. What did we do? We threw on our rain jackets and trekked forward. Because of the deep snow and altitude, we moved much slower than planned, and our pace went from 25 minute/miles to 50 minute/miles. What did we do? We trekked onward. As we finally got to what seemed like the top, there was a sign. In Laymen’s terms it said go right to finish your hike or go two more miles left for an even better view. I looked at Ryan. We had run out of food and we were having trouble catching our breath as the air was much thinner up where we were than when we had started. I had icicles forming on my beard and my pants were soaked. What did we do? We added two more miles of misery onto our hike for that sweet, sweet view. Hungry, wet and struggling to catch our breath, we finally crawled our way up to the peak….where we bumped into a family in turtlenecks, snow pants, and skis to quickly realize we had just hiked up to the highest point of a ski mountain. The view, as advertised, was worth every single second of that excruciating hike. Here is a photo of Ryan and I at the top with our life saving walking sticks. After the meeting with my mentor, I had realized it was hikes like this, large and small, that had fitted me with a quality work ethic. As an entrepreneur or business owner, you have to keep your eye on the prize, aka the peak of your hike, at all times. There will be countless instances when people tell you there is absolutely NO WAY your business will work, just like people told us we couldn’t make it to the top of our hike. But if you keep that vision of the end goal in the back of your head, you’ll keep you going. There will be times when you’re feeling the excruciating pain of starting a business. Little to no income, 18-hour days, turning down friends weddings to further your cause. Or in mine and Ryan’s case snow up to our shins and not being able to feel our toes. But the vision of the top will keep you going. Tip: We are all hiking towards a peak, and the trek to get there is HARD. It leaves us with blisters on our feet and fridges full of ramen noodles because we can’t afford anything else. If you can always keep the view of the top in the back of your head, nothing will be able to stop you from achieving your goal. Not blister. Not an empty wallet. No person telling you that you can’t. Oh, and take up hiking. It can do wonders for your character :)	1c6c7e22-d6b7-51e2-bc2b-dd30cefc0693	25/08/2025 18:01:04
https://medium.com/@IoSonoAngelo/atacama-an-italian-podcast-exploring-how-technology-is-changing-our-perception-fce72bcaaec7	medium.com	Atacama: an Italian podcast exploring how technology is changing our perception	Or the start of an experiment to open a new window on the Italian media landscape. All in five narrative episodes to show the connection…	Angelo Paura	https://medium.com/@IoSonoAngelo	fce72bcaaec7	https://miro.medium.com/…6pjClE7kRBQ.jpeg	4 min	2017-09-13T20:08:51.755000	2017-09-26T15:33:42.843000	2018-05-25T08:34:03.434000	0	43	en	Virtual Reality,Media,Journalism,Tech,Italy	<section> <p><em>Or the start of an experiment to open a new window on the Italian media landscape. All in five narrative episodes to show the connection between contemporary society, tech, politics and ethics. Here’s why.</em></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/800/1gqSst8pFK0o6pjClE7kRBQ.jpeg" width="800" height="450" loading="lazy" /> <p>I want to start with an anecdote that I loved to tell my friends every time they ask me smart questions about journalism and its current crisis. Most of my friends — international friends, I mean — don’t know anything about the journalist I’m going to quote below. Or, if they know him it’s for his long reporting career in Asia, rather than his spiritual teachings or it’s final stages of life.</p> <p>The war reporter Tiziano Terzani didn’t care much about rules. “I want to give a point of view, with great subjectivity,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAYhiaPeOLE">he said in a 1987 interview with RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera</a>, the Swiss public broadcasting network. He explained: “To describe, you have to participate” and often have to advocate for someone. The conclusion is even stronger: “I do not believe in objective journalism. I do not believe in a certain Anglo-Saxon journalism, sitting in the clouds, superior to anyone he judges objectively. This objectivity does not exist.” Every reporter, continued Terzani, who for years was the Asia correspondent of the German weekly Der Spiegel, must be the reader’s eyes, ears and nose.</p> <p>Since the invention of the printing press in 1440 A.D., nothing had basically changed in the way we experienced the news. Then, in the last 25 years, the internet and technology changed everything. Now we have social media, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI). However, we have basically taken the newspaper model and transported it to the internet. We have to rethink this model of journalism, which is badly broken. And an entire community is constantly working on this issue. But we also have to think that, with or without all the challenges and issues new technologies have brought into the field, journalists are still the readers’ eyes, ears and nose — their window on reality.</p> <p>After nearly a year reporting on journalism, innovation and hacking culture in the U.S. — focused on the VR and AR market — I have collected interesting data, stories, ideas and insights from my community. I have seen how technology is changing the way media and journalists tell (and will tell) stories. I have nailed down the pros and the cons. I have talked with people, done surveys, attended events, panels and workshops related to my community.</p> <p>All this time spent in exposing myself to this new ideas, together with tons of notes, are shaping the way I cover my topics. At the end of this process, I will build a platform called <a href="http://cargocollective.com/hackingjournalism">Hacking Journalism</a> to collect the thoughts of 10 innovators, including Jeff Jarvis, Douglas Rushkoff, Wendy Chun and Jaron Lanier. I will also organize a couple of panels to talk about the risks and possible strength of VR and AR journalism.</p> <p>But while working on this issue, I understood that I’d love to tell the Italian audience stories about how will technology affect our lives, all packed into a 20-minute narrative podcast. The process started with the <a href="https://designsprintkit.withgoogle.com/methods/sketch/crazy-8s/">Crazy 8</a> exercise during my sprint startup class: I came up with eight different doable ideas, and after five minutes I was quite sure I would not end up selecting the podcast.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1rXoEjjJp8WstWLnN4zsQxA.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <p>Then — after 10 days of thinking and talking with friends and colleagues — I decide to go on with this experiment. Why? In Italy, I think, there is room to build a niche related to digital cultures, technology and politics. That’s even truer if we think about the podcast: Italy has hundreds of very interesting podcasts, but none devoted to this topic.</p> <p>My actual idea is to start with a beta while I’m trying to close a partnership with an Italian medium that could help me distribute the podcast, develop a strong audience and refine my stories. I identified a possible partner, and right now I’m in talks to strike a deal.</p> <p>The podcast will target a very small niche of people interesting in digital culture, ethics, technology and politics. But it could also go mainstream, and after this first series, I could produce more seasons. The episodes will be dispatches from the end of the world — like<strong> Atacama</strong>, a desert in Northern Chile, one of the most extreme, dry and beautiful regions on Earth. It’s an infinite land of sand, rock, and ice where, every five or six years, pink and red flowers cover the plains, to remind us that almost anything is possible.</p> <p><strong>Progress and Challenges</strong>. After defining the podcast’s area of interest, I started thinking about individual episodes. I finally made a consistent list of topics, but two of my main challenges will be to produce the podcast all by myself and to maintain a narrative and informal style. Managing the guests could also be challenging.</p> <p><strong>Next step</strong>. I’m waiting for my media partner to refine the topics. In the meantime, I’m working on producing the pilot episode.</p> <p>List of episodes and topics.</p> <ul> <li><strong>1</strong> - Ethics issues in VR and AR and our changing perception of reality. In November the media theorist Jared Lanier will publish <em><strong><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Dawn_of_the_New_E</em>verythin</strong>g.html?id=riy5rQEACAAJ&hl=en">Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality</a>, a memoir of his almost 40 years in VR as the father of this technology. The episode is about the history of virtual reality and its future in a dialogue with Thomas Metzinger and Michael Madary, authors of <em><strong><a href="http://journal.frontiersi</em>n.org/ar</strong>ticle/10.3389/frobt.2016.00003/full">Real Virtuality: A Code of Ethical Conduct</a></li> <li><strong>2 </strong>- We are algorithms.</li> <li><strong>3 </strong>- War of Worlds: Politics, Facebook and Google</li> <li><strong>4 - </strong>Young blood,<strong> </strong>spirituality and money: Why the Silicon Valley dream of immortality is just a dream for wealthy people.</li> <li><strong>5 - </strong>Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds: From hippy experience, to establishment lifestyle. LSD microdoses are taking over Wall Street and the Silicon Valley.</li> </ul> <p><em>Edit by Diane Nottle</em></p> </section>	Atacama: an Italian podcast exploring how technology is changing our perception Or the start of an experiment to open a new window on the Italian media landscape. All in five narrative episodes to show the connection between contemporary society, tech, politics and ethics. Here’s why. The Holy Mountain, 1973 — Alejandro Jodorowsky I want to start with an anecdote that I loved to tell my friends every time they ask me smart questions about journalism and its current crisis. Most of my friends — international friends, I mean — don’t know anything about the journalist I’m going to quote below. Or, if they know him it’s for his long reporting career in Asia, rather than his spiritual teachings or it’s final stages of life. The war reporter Tiziano Terzani didn’t care much about rules. “I want to give a point of view, with great subjectivity,” he said in a 1987 interview with RSI Radiotelevisione svizzera, the Swiss public broadcasting network. He explained: “To describe, you have to participate” and often have to advocate for someone. The conclusion is even stronger: “I do not believe in objective journalism. I do not believe in a certain Anglo-Saxon journalism, sitting in the clouds, superior to anyone he judges objectively. This objectivity does not exist.” Every reporter, continued Terzani, who for years was the Asia correspondent of the German weekly Der Spiegel, must be the reader’s eyes, ears and nose. Since the invention of the printing press in 1440 A.D., nothing had basically changed in the way we experienced the news. Then, in the last 25 years, the internet and technology changed everything. Now we have social media, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI). However, we have basically taken the newspaper model and transported it to the internet. We have to rethink this model of journalism, which is badly broken. And an entire community is constantly working on this issue. But we also have to think that, with or without all the challenges and issues new technologies have brought into the field, journalists are still the readers’ eyes, ears and nose — their window on reality. After nearly a year reporting on journalism, innovation and hacking culture in the U.S. — focused on the VR and AR market — I have collected interesting data, stories, ideas and insights from my community. I have seen how technology is changing the way media and journalists tell (and will tell) stories. I have nailed down the pros and the cons. I have talked with people, done surveys, attended events, panels and workshops related to my community. All this time spent in exposing myself to this new ideas, together with tons of notes, are shaping the way I cover my topics. At the end of this process, I will build a platform called Hacking Journalism to collect the thoughts of 10 innovators, including Jeff Jarvis, Douglas Rushkoff, Wendy Chun and Jaron Lanier. I will also organize a couple of panels to talk about the risks and possible strength of VR and AR journalism. But while working on this issue, I understood that I’d love to tell the Italian audience stories about how will technology affect our lives, all packed into a 20-minute narrative podcast. The process started with the Crazy 8 exercise during my sprint startup class: I came up with eight different doable ideas, and after five minutes I was quite sure I would not end up selecting the podcast. 2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968 —Stanley Kubrick Then — after 10 days of thinking and talking with friends and colleagues — I decide to go on with this experiment. Why? In Italy, I think, there is room to build a niche related to digital cultures, technology and politics. That’s even truer if we think about the podcast: Italy has hundreds of very interesting podcasts, but none devoted to this topic. My actual idea is to start with a beta while I’m trying to close a partnership with an Italian medium that could help me distribute the podcast, develop a strong audience and refine my stories. I identified a possible partner, and right now I’m in talks to strike a deal. The podcast will target a very small niche of people interesting in digital culture, ethics, technology and politics. But it could also go mainstream, and after this first series, I could produce more seasons. The episodes will be dispatches from the end of the world — like Atacama, a desert in Northern Chile, one of the most extreme, dry and beautiful regions on Earth. It’s an infinite land of sand, rock, and ice where, every five or six years, pink and red flowers cover the plains, to remind us that almost anything is possible. Progress and Challenges. After defining the podcast’s area of interest, I started thinking about individual episodes. I finally made a consistent list of topics, but two of my main challenges will be to produce the podcast all by myself and to maintain a narrative and informal style. Managing the guests could also be challenging. Next step. I’m waiting for my media partner to refine the topics. In the meantime, I’m working on producing the pilot episode. List of episodes and topics. 1 - Ethics issues in VR and AR and our changing perception of reality. In November the media theorist Jared Lanier will publish Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality, a memoir of his almost 40 years in VR as the father of this technology. The episode is about the history of virtual reality and its future in a dialogue with Thomas Metzinger and Michael Madary, authors of Real Virtuality: A Code of Ethical Conduct 2 - We are algorithms. 3 - War of Worlds: Politics, Facebook and Google 4 - Young blood, spirituality and money: Why the Silicon Valley dream of immortality is just a dream for wealthy people. 5 - Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds: From hippy experience, to establishment lifestyle. LSD microdoses are taking over Wall Street and the Silicon Valley. Edit by Diane Nottle	b7feaf7a-a6ad-5a17-97d8-981528d70c5e	25/08/2025 18:01:04
https://medium.com/@christophermungowallace/a-lot-of-food-and-drink-brands-are-getting-excited-about-this-25-million-idea-264b257d7ef5	medium.com	A lot of food and drink brands are getting excited about this $25 million idea	There has been a lot of disruption in the food & drink space over the last few years, however, most of the developments have shifted the…	Christopher Mungo Wallace	https://medium.com/@christophermungowallace	264b257d7ef5	https://miro.medium.com/…Ro020egxhm8Q.png	7 min	2017-12-06T10:54:35.734000	2017-12-06T12:41:34.447000	2018-03-15T22:24:43.953000	0	55	en	Retail,Blockchain,Grocery Shopping,Amazon,Food	<section> <p>There has been a lot of disruption in the food & drink space over the last few years, however, most of the developments have shifted the balance of power towards the “Middlemen” (e.g., Tesco, Carrefour, Amazon, distributors) putting more pressure on branded producers and manufacturers. Examples include:</p> <p><strong>1. Greater transparency of brand pricing and promotions</strong></p> <p>a. Enhanced technology has enabled middlemen to be aware of brand activity across all supermarkets (mysupermarket.co.uk) and wholesalers (comparethewholesaler.com), and demand pricing and promotion parity from producers. For example, non-UK Retailers have created specialist teams to use this pricing data and take advantage of the weak sterling, buying brands only while on promotion in UK club, and cash & carry channels, and refusing to purchase directly from the brand holder or via the designated local distribution partner.</p> <p><strong>2. Vertical integration of distributors, retailers, and brands</strong></p> <p>a. Often perceived as inferior quality to branded goods, “private label” was once seen as a stigma. However, Amazon’s purchase of Wholefoods has given them access to private label brands (e.g., 365Everyday Value, Whole Foods Market) trusted by consumers with existing sales of over $700m. Expect Amazon to ramp up its private label offerings over the next 18 months creating more headaches for branded producers and manufacturers.</p> <p>b. Retailers are vertically integrating to become distributors, manage food agencies, and start selling products to rival retailers. This is resulting in too much competition across categories and retailers stocking products that maximize profits rather than what their consumers value most. This is increasingly common in the Middle East with 3 of the top 5 retailers also distributing products.</p> <p>c. Food & Drink distributors have recognized that the time and effort to bring a product to market has rapidly reduced, and have responded by jumping on new product trends, launching their own products, instead of partnering with brand holders. This trend will continue as websites such as Alibaba enable businesses to transform the way they market, sell and operate.</p> <p><strong>3. Growth of private label brands and brandless grocery retailers</strong></p> <p>a. Growth in store / private label brands has led to a choice paralysis with the average supermarket stocking 7x more products than it did 20 years ago. This has led to the rise of big retailers who make the purchase decision small for the shopper (e.g., Lidl, Costco). For example, today, Costco’s private label brand Kirkland accounts for 25% of the company’s sales.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0MCTwaxAV1dNpqwqU.jpg" width="2000" height="1100" loading="lazy" /> <p>b. With over $50m in funding, Brandless.com, an online supermarket selling “brandless” goods, believes that today’s consumer is more likely to shop in accordance with what they value, and that brand heritage won’t matter. Movebutter.com adopts a similar ethos claiming to be the modern grocer, shipping their brand of groceries across the US. Expect similar retailers to emerge, fiercely competing for millennial mindshare.</p> <p>4. <strong>Rising trade marketing costs of online retailers</strong></p> <p>a. Growing rapidly, the online grocery channel is dominated by a few players and often commands both the highest margin and trade marketing costs. In fact, many of my peers claim Amazon is the least profitable account they sell too and even view it as a “marketing account”. The strategy of forgoing profit in some accounts to build your brand presence with the right consumers is not new news, however, deploying this strategy with a customer as big and growing as fast as Amazon is not sustainable.</p> <p>B. The window of opportunity to cost-effectively promote your brand with these retailers has gone as trade marketing costs have soared while rebates for price matching the market have been introduced. The rapid growth of online retailers serving as middlemen will stifle, not support innovation in food and drink. “Big-Brands” possessing considerable bigger resources to support inflated trade marketing costs and influence the Amazon algorithm, will dominate this channel going forward.</p> <h1>How can manufacturers and producers stop the shift of power towards grocery middlemen?</h1> <p>Alas, graduates of Harvard University may have the answer. Tomorrow, a blockchain grocery start-up called the INS Ecosystem hopes to raise $25 million via an initial coin offering (ICO) to disrupt the grocery industry in favour of manufacturers and producers, both small and big alike.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/1dP5xU2g860Ro020egxhm8Q.png" width="1280" height="600" loading="lazy" /> <p>You would probably get a rather blank expression if you mentioned the word “blockchain” to a grocery buyer but it is this technology that enables what founders Peter Fedchenkov and Dmitry Zhulin refer to as a decentralized eco-system.</p> <h3>Their message is clear — “we are not a retailer”.</h3> <p>They are rather creating and facilitating a community of interacting organizations enabling buyers and sellers to transact directly. The network allows all parties contributing to the value chain to be connected in one place (e.g., consumers, supplier, logistics provider, regulatory agency, quality agency, etc) without the need for a middleman. It allows all participants to share information rapidly and with confidence across a strong trusted network.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1082/0*tuizWENriCJ0ZCkV.jpg" width="1082" height="1125" loading="lazy" /> <p>Source: Deloitte — Supply Chain meets Blockchain</p> <p>Buzzwords such as “Blockchain” and “Decentralized Eco-System” sound foreign in the rather conservative food and drink industry so let me explain in layman terms why this company could cause the biggest shake-up to the grocery system since Amazon:</p> <p><strong>1. Pricing</strong></p> <p>a. The INS ecosystem gives power back to the suppliers. Producers and manufacturers, not retailers, will determine what price they sell to consumers at. Currently, brand holders can recommend a selling price to retailers (e.g., RSP = recommended sales price) however they cannot dictate pricing and ultimately, the decision is at the retailer’s discretion. Without a margin hungry middleman in the value chain (some retailers go to the extent of hiring professional negotiation agencies to renegotiate terms on their behalf with suppliers each year), the brands will be able to pass on savings to consumers of between 20–40%. INS will only charge a small commission fee for facilitating the community</p> <p>b. Via the use of smart contracts (digital agreements) and blockchain, logistical companies will be able to plug into the INS network and bid for storage and delivery contracts. If certain conditions are met (first to respond, right price, right delivery time frame), the seller will be automatically chosen. Not unlike Uber’s effect on the taxi industry or AirB&B’s effect on lodging, this bidding and rating system will lead to a competitive market resulting in lower costs and a better quality service for the consumer</p> <p><strong>2. Promotion / Feedback</strong></p> <p>a. Producers and manufacturers will be able to design their own smart contracts to rewards loyal customers. For example, Vita Coco, the world’s best selling coconut water, could offer a discount on their product on the INS Ecosystem if customers provided feedback on a new SKU or flavor, referred the product to a friend, or even clicked and viewed an advertisement.</p> <p>b. Today, the most loyal customer typically pays the same price for a product as a first-time buyer. Via blockchain, Brand holders could recognize that a certain consumer has bought their brand 9 times in the last 3 months, and via a smart contract, tokens (i.e., a price coupon) could be offered to the consumer upon the 10th purchase. Think Amazon’s subscribe and save service but much more flexible and most importantly, customizable by the brand holder.</p> <p><strong>3. Auditability and Compliance</strong></p> <p>a. Retailers have been heavily criticised in recent times for breaking the supermarket code of conduct and squeezing suppliers. Some supermarkets have even been accused of changing the terms of commercial agreements. Blockchain can avoid such issues by providing a full audit trail of data, creating an everlasting means of record keeping along a supply chain. In theory, regulators could also plug into the blockchain, have visibility of pricing agreements and create smart contracts which would trigger an investigation if certain conditions were not upheld.</p> <p>b. In the UK two months ago, 400 tonnes of coconut water was pulled off the market for false packaging claims and misleading consumers. Vita Coco was not among the guilty parties however brands such as Foco and Chi had to quickly address such supply chain concerns. Issues such as this can be prevented further upstream by connecting food regulatory agencies to the blockchain and using smart contracts to ensure that quality checks are respected in the production process.</p> <p>c. Rather than each part of a value chain working in isolation, blockchain technology enables a company and its users to trace back a product’s history and understand where it came from, what date it was certified organic and even who certified the product quality. A blockchain is basically one comprehensive, universal receipt providing a distributed real-time update of information. Benefits include the ability of users to tell if items are authentic and avoid counterfeit goods (a big issue with online retailers offering third-party selling platforms).</p> <h2>Conclusion</h2> <p>Blockchain technology has the potential to transform the way we interact and buy and sell groceries. It facilitates a totally new shopping experience unthinkable only a short time ago. Consumer buying habits are quickly changing and companies adopting blockchain such as the INS Eco-System are best positioned to capitalize on these changes by offering a unique combination of security, transparency and trust-building mechanisms. In addition to providing a decentralized marketplace, INS has the potential to replace Amazon for order fulfillment from food brand websites, by enabling buyers and sellers to transact directly, and giving suppliers much more control in the process.</p> <h3>The business challenge INS is trying to solve is very real as grocery middlemen have never been more powerful, and selling via online retailers has its challenges.</h3> <p>The INS Ecosystem has a long way to go but a signed memorandum with FMCG heavyweights such as Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser is a testament to manufacturer’s interest. A direct to consumer business model has worked for other FMCG industries and this variation of the business model, using blockchain, is the most creative solution that I have come across to reinvent the grocery industry.</p> <p>You can find out more about INS Ecosystem and the ICO through the following links:</p> <p>Token Sale live <a href="https://tokensale.ins.world/?ref=179bfa0fc53fa19ccb391fd3">here</a> and likely to sell out tomorrow</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/ins_ecosystem">https://twitter.com/ins_ecosystem</a></p> <p><a href="https://t.me/ins_ecosystem">https://t.me/ins_ecosystem</a></p> <p><a href="https://ins.world/">https://ins.world/</a></p> </section>	A lot of food and drink brands are getting excited about this $25 million idea There has been a lot of disruption in the food & drink space over the last few years, however, most of the developments have shifted the balance of power towards the “Middlemen” (e.g., Tesco, Carrefour, Amazon, distributors) putting more pressure on branded producers and manufacturers. Examples include: 1. Greater transparency of brand pricing and promotions a. Enhanced technology has enabled middlemen to be aware of brand activity across all supermarkets (mysupermarket.co.uk) and wholesalers (comparethewholesaler.com), and demand pricing and promotion parity from producers. For example, non-UK Retailers have created specialist teams to use this pricing data and take advantage of the weak sterling, buying brands only while on promotion in UK club, and cash & carry channels, and refusing to purchase directly from the brand holder or via the designated local distribution partner. 2. Vertical integration of distributors, retailers, and brands a. Often perceived as inferior quality to branded goods, “private label” was once seen as a stigma. However, Amazon’s purchase of Wholefoods has given them access to private label brands (e.g., 365Everyday Value, Whole Foods Market) trusted by consumers with existing sales of over $700m. Expect Amazon to ramp up its private label offerings over the next 18 months creating more headaches for branded producers and manufacturers. b. Retailers are vertically integrating to become distributors, manage food agencies, and start selling products to rival retailers. This is resulting in too much competition across categories and retailers stocking products that maximize profits rather than what their consumers value most. This is increasingly common in the Middle East with 3 of the top 5 retailers also distributing products. c. Food & Drink distributors have recognized that the time and effort to bring a product to market has rapidly reduced, and have responded by jumping on new product trends, launching their own products, instead of partnering with brand holders. This trend will continue as websites such as Alibaba enable businesses to transform the way they market, sell and operate. 3. Growth of private label brands and brandless grocery retailers a. Growth in store / private label brands has led to a choice paralysis with the average supermarket stocking 7x more products than it did 20 years ago. This has led to the rise of big retailers who make the purchase decision small for the shopper (e.g., Lidl, Costco). For example, today, Costco’s private label brand Kirkland accounts for 25% of the company’s sales. b. With over $50m in funding, Brandless.com, an online supermarket selling “brandless” goods, believes that today’s consumer is more likely to shop in accordance with what they value, and that brand heritage won’t matter. Movebutter.com adopts a similar ethos claiming to be the modern grocer, shipping their brand of groceries across the US. Expect similar retailers to emerge, fiercely competing for millennial mindshare. 4. Rising trade marketing costs of online retailers a. Growing rapidly, the online grocery channel is dominated by a few players and often commands both the highest margin and trade marketing costs. In fact, many of my peers claim Amazon is the least profitable account they sell too and even view it as a “marketing account”. The strategy of forgoing profit in some accounts to build your brand presence with the right consumers is not new news, however, deploying this strategy with a customer as big and growing as fast as Amazon is not sustainable. B. The window of opportunity to cost-effectively promote your brand with these retailers has gone as trade marketing costs have soared while rebates for price matching the market have been introduced. The rapid growth of online retailers serving as middlemen will stifle, not support innovation in food and drink. “Big-Brands” possessing considerable bigger resources to support inflated trade marketing costs and influence the Amazon algorithm, will dominate this channel going forward. How can manufacturers and producers stop the shift of power towards grocery middlemen? Alas, graduates of Harvard University may have the answer. Tomorrow, a blockchain grocery start-up called the INS Ecosystem hopes to raise $25 million via an initial coin offering (ICO) to disrupt the grocery industry in favour of manufacturers and producers, both small and big alike. You would probably get a rather blank expression if you mentioned the word “blockchain” to a grocery buyer but it is this technology that enables what founders Peter Fedchenkov and Dmitry Zhulin refer to as a decentralized eco-system. Their message is clear — “we are not a retailer”. They are rather creating and facilitating a community of interacting organizations enabling buyers and sellers to transact directly. The network allows all parties contributing to the value chain to be connected in one place (e.g., consumers, supplier, logistics provider, regulatory agency, quality agency, etc) without the need for a middleman. It allows all participants to share information rapidly and with confidence across a strong trusted network. Source: Deloitte — Supply Chain meets Blockchain Buzzwords such as “Blockchain” and “Decentralized Eco-System” sound foreign in the rather conservative food and drink industry so let me explain in layman terms why this company could cause the biggest shake-up to the grocery system since Amazon: 1. Pricing a. The INS ecosystem gives power back to the suppliers. Producers and manufacturers, not retailers, will determine what price they sell to consumers at. Currently, brand holders can recommend a selling price to retailers (e.g., RSP = recommended sales price) however they cannot dictate pricing and ultimately, the decision is at the retailer’s discretion. Without a margin hungry middleman in the value chain (some retailers go to the extent of hiring professional negotiation agencies to renegotiate terms on their behalf with suppliers each year), the brands will be able to pass on savings to consumers of between 20–40%. INS will only charge a small commission fee for facilitating the community b. Via the use of smart contracts (digital agreements) and blockchain, logistical companies will be able to plug into the INS network and bid for storage and delivery contracts. If certain conditions are met (first to respond, right price, right delivery time frame), the seller will be automatically chosen. Not unlike Uber’s effect on the taxi industry or AirB&B’s effect on lodging, this bidding and rating system will lead to a competitive market resulting in lower costs and a better quality service for the consumer 2. Promotion / Feedback a. Producers and manufacturers will be able to design their own smart contracts to rewards loyal customers. For example, Vita Coco, the world’s best selling coconut water, could offer a discount on their product on the INS Ecosystem if customers provided feedback on a new SKU or flavor, referred the product to a friend, or even clicked and viewed an advertisement. b. Today, the most loyal customer typically pays the same price for a product as a first-time buyer. Via blockchain, Brand holders could recognize that a certain consumer has bought their brand 9 times in the last 3 months, and via a smart contract, tokens (i.e., a price coupon) could be offered to the consumer upon the 10th purchase. Think Amazon’s subscribe and save service but much more flexible and most importantly, customizable by the brand holder. 3. Auditability and Compliance a. Retailers have been heavily criticised in recent times for breaking the supermarket code of conduct and squeezing suppliers. Some supermarkets have even been accused of changing the terms of commercial agreements. Blockchain can avoid such issues by providing a full audit trail of data, creating an everlasting means of record keeping along a supply chain. In theory, regulators could also plug into the blockchain, have visibility of pricing agreements and create smart contracts which would trigger an investigation if certain conditions were not upheld. b. In the UK two months ago, 400 tonnes of coconut water was pulled off the market for false packaging claims and misleading consumers. Vita Coco was not among the guilty parties however brands such as Foco and Chi had to quickly address such supply chain concerns. Issues such as this can be prevented further upstream by connecting food regulatory agencies to the blockchain and using smart contracts to ensure that quality checks are respected in the production process. c. Rather than each part of a value chain working in isolation, blockchain technology enables a company and its users to trace back a product’s history and understand where it came from, what date it was certified organic and even who certified the product quality. A blockchain is basically one comprehensive, universal receipt providing a distributed real-time update of information. Benefits include the ability of users to tell if items are authentic and avoid counterfeit goods (a big issue with online retailers offering third-party selling platforms). Conclusion Blockchain technology has the potential to transform the way we interact and buy and sell groceries. It facilitates a totally new shopping experience unthinkable only a short time ago. Consumer buying habits are quickly changing and companies adopting blockchain such as the INS Eco-System are best positioned to capitalize on these changes by offering a unique combination of security, transparency and trust-building mechanisms. In addition to providing a decentralized marketplace, INS has the potential to replace Amazon for order fulfillment from food brand websites, by enabling buyers and sellers to transact directly, and giving suppliers much more control in the process. The business challenge INS is trying to solve is very real as grocery middlemen have never been more powerful, and selling via online retailers has its challenges. The INS Ecosystem has a long way to go but a signed memorandum with FMCG heavyweights such as Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser is a testament to manufacturer’s interest. A direct to consumer business model has worked for other FMCG industries and this variation of the business model, using blockchain, is the most creative solution that I have come across to reinvent the grocery industry. You can find out more about INS Ecosystem and the ICO through the following links: Token Sale live here and likely to sell out tomorrow https://twitter.com/ins_ecosystem https://t.me/ins_ecosystem https://ins.world/	bcc491d6-4b5c-5e74-afc3-9492335effca	25/08/2025 18:01:04
https://medium.com/the-well-n-happy-advantage/a-taste-of-health-adding-chia-seeds-to-your-diet-3d786b4f1bf6	medium.com	A Taste Of Health: Adding Chia Seeds To Your Diet	Chia seeds have a lot of health benefits. Eating chia seeds is an easy way to get more protein, fiber, and nutrients.	Shwtz M	https://medium.com/@shmtw1	3d786b4f1bf6	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*ecuESpX_JUOsLzkR	2 min	2020-08-24T09:45:30.964000	2018-07-18T10:29:22	2020-08-24T14:57:48.522000	0	0	en	Food,Food And Drink,Superfoods,Healthy Foods,Lifestyle	<section> <p>Chia seeds have a lot of health benefits. <em><strong>Eating chia seeds is an easy way to get more protein, fiber, and nu</em>trients.</strong></p> <p>They also have omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus — all essential for sound health.</p> <p>Moreover, it’s easy to incorporate them into a lot of recipes as they don’t have a strong flavor.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0ecuESpX_JUOsLzkR" width="300" height="200" loading="lazy" /> <h1>Adding More Chia Seeds To Your Meals</h1> <h3>Baking with chia seeds</h3> <p>Experiment with them in muffins and cookies. Mix them in the original batters or sprinkle them on top of the finished products.</p> <p><em><strong>For making a chia seed bread loaf, you can crush the seeds in a blender or mixer and add them to the dough. Chia seeds add protein and fiber to bread and other bake</em>d goods.</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/189/0N-sckB9VJeQ_kz4q" width="189" height="300" loading="lazy" /> <h3>Garnish for puddings</h3> <p>Try blending almond milk with fruit, nuts, and chia seeds in a blender. Then, freeze the mixture, or refrigerate it for a more fluid blend.</p> <p>If you prefer to use chia seeds as a garnish, sprinkle them on top of puddings.</p> <h3>Chia seed water</h3> <p><em><strong>Chia seed water is an easy and fast way to add more nutrients to yo</em>ur diet.</strong></p> <p>It is easy to make chia seed water in your kitchen. Soak about half a cup of chia seeds in six cups of water.</p> <p>Wait 20 to 30 minutes. Then, strain out the chia seeds and drink the water.</p> <h3>Try chia seed cereal.</h3> <p>You could try making chia seed cereal.</p> <p>First, soak the chia seeds in dairy, almond, soy, or other milk overnight.</p> <p>Add the chia seeds along with milk, berries or bananas and you have a healthy breakfast! Sprinkle with additional nuts or cinnamon and enjoy.</p> <p><strong>Add chia seeds to a stir-fry</strong></p> <p>Whether you’re making a vegetarian stir-fry or one with seafood and meat, chia seeds are a good addition.</p> <p>Simply sprinkle chia seeds into the pan along with other ingredients. They should get darker and crunchier in the pan as you stir-fry your meal.</p> <p><em>Chia seeds can replace sesame seeds in some recipes.</em></p> <p><strong>Use chia seeds as a coating or thickener</strong></p> <p>Instead of breadcrumbs, consider using chia seeds to coat fish, meat, or other food.</p> <p>Grind up chia seeds in a blender, so they are smaller and easier to use. Try to turn them into a powder.</p> <p>Spread the powder on top of fish or other meat instead of breadcrumbs. Cook them the same way as you would other breaded products. Just ensure they’re not overcooked and turn black.</p> <p>Some recipes require breadcrumbs or other things as thickeners. However, you can use chia seeds to thicken meatballs and burgers. Simply add powdered or ground chia seeds to the uncooked meat.</p> <p><em><strong>Chia seeds are delicious and</em> healthy. </strong>Consider adding more chia seeds to your meals at home for easy, tasty additional nutrients.</p> <p><em>With inputs from Internet and print sources</em></p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://primrosereflect.wordpress.com/2018/07</em>/18/adding-chia-seeds/">http://primrosereflect.wordpress.com</a> on July 18, 2018.</p> </section>	A Taste Of Health: Adding Chia Seeds To Your Diet Chia seeds have a lot of health benefits. Eating chia seeds is an easy way to get more protein, fiber, and nutrients. They also have omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus — all essential for sound health. Moreover, it’s easy to incorporate them into a lot of recipes as they don’t have a strong flavor. Adding More Chia Seeds To Your Meals Baking with chia seeds Experiment with them in muffins and cookies. Mix them in the original batters or sprinkle them on top of the finished products. For making a chia seed bread loaf, you can crush the seeds in a blender or mixer and add them to the dough. Chia seeds add protein and fiber to bread and other baked goods. Garnish for puddings Try blending almond milk with fruit, nuts, and chia seeds in a blender. Then, freeze the mixture, or refrigerate it for a more fluid blend. If you prefer to use chia seeds as a garnish, sprinkle them on top of puddings. Chia seed water Chia seed water is an easy and fast way to add more nutrients to your diet. It is easy to make chia seed water in your kitchen. Soak about half a cup of chia seeds in six cups of water. Wait 20 to 30 minutes. Then, strain out the chia seeds and drink the water. Try chia seed cereal. You could try making chia seed cereal. First, soak the chia seeds in dairy, almond, soy, or other milk overnight. Add the chia seeds along with milk, berries or bananas and you have a healthy breakfast! Sprinkle with additional nuts or cinnamon and enjoy. Add chia seeds to a stir-fry Whether you’re making a vegetarian stir-fry or one with seafood and meat, chia seeds are a good addition. Simply sprinkle chia seeds into the pan along with other ingredients. They should get darker and crunchier in the pan as you stir-fry your meal. Chia seeds can replace sesame seeds in some recipes. Use chia seeds as a coating or thickener Instead of breadcrumbs, consider using chia seeds to coat fish, meat, or other food. Grind up chia seeds in a blender, so they are smaller and easier to use. Try to turn them into a powder. Spread the powder on top of fish or other meat instead of breadcrumbs. Cook them the same way as you would other breaded products. Just ensure they’re not overcooked and turn black. Some recipes require breadcrumbs or other things as thickeners. However, you can use chia seeds to thicken meatballs and burgers. Simply add powdered or ground chia seeds to the uncooked meat. Chia seeds are delicious and healthy. Consider adding more chia seeds to your meals at home for easy, tasty additional nutrients. With inputs from Internet and print sources Originally published at http://primrosereflect.wordpress.com on July 18, 2018.	feb97a39-3ab2-5cbc-9b9e-d711b7e43229	25/08/2025 18:01:05
https://medium.com/@cagirlslife/night-hawks-91ef41f89900	medium.com	Night Hawks	Humidity warm weather damp air a visitor	Kathleen Streitenberger-Rupert	https://medium.com/@cagirlslife	91ef41f89900	https://miro.medium.com/…76UnEYMwtCw.jpeg	1 min	2017-07-14T16:14:05.016000	2017-07-14T16:15:34.765000	2017-07-14T16:15:42.842000	0	0	en	Poetry,Life,Writing,Photography,Art	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1776/1*QmJBw3C_1D676UnEYMwtCw.jpeg" width="1776" height="997" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Humidity warm weather damp air a visitor</strong></p> <p><strong>They say “it’s just a moth” I beg to differ with ‘em</strong></p> <p><strong>Porch light attraction not me This time a stranger lands</strong></p> <p><strong>They say “it’s just a moth” I say “you are not right”</strong></p> <p><strong>Night Hawks and Luna Moths visit me every night</strong></p> <p><strong>They know my house They know my plan They know they’re safe In my light</strong></p> <p><strong>They have babies here they lay their eggs inside leaves</strong></p> <p><strong>Night Hawks and Luna Moths visit me every night</strong></p> </section>	Night Hawks “Night Hawks” Humidity warm weather damp air a visitor They say “it’s just a moth” I beg to differ with ‘em Porch light attraction not me This time a stranger lands They say “it’s just a moth” I say “you are not right” Night Hawks and Luna Moths visit me every night They know my house They know my plan They know they’re safe In my light They have babies here they lay their eggs inside leaves Night Hawks and Luna Moths visit me every night	0d507230-ec06-514e-a1ea-16204a18ef03	25/08/2025 18:01:05
https://medium.com/@MMagazinePRS/featured-artist-hardy-caprio-d27e02baf5ac	medium.com	Featured artist: Hardy Caprio	null	M Magazine	https://medium.com/@MMagazinePRS	d27e02baf5ac	https://miro.medium.com/…gliXH3fyVHAs.jpg	1 min	2017-08-01T14:27:59.128000	2017-08-01T14:27:56	2017-08-01T14:28:06.587000	0	0	en	Grime,Hardy Caprio,Hiphop,Mc,Nadia Rose	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/637/0*3iP3gliXH3fyVHAs.jpg" width="637" height="358" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Who?</strong> Hardy Caprio.</p> <p><strong>What?</strong> Storytelling MC melding grime, rap and garage.</p> <p><strong>From where?</strong> Croydon.</p> <p><strong>What’s the story?</strong> There’s got to be something in the water down there in South London, with just one postcode responsible for some of the biggest movers in grime and UK hip-hop over the last few years.</p> <p>From Stormzy and Section Boyz to Krept and Konan — and now Hardy Caprio — CR0’s steady flow of MC talent shows no signs of abating.</p> <p>We were first switched on to Hardy late last year by <em>GRM Daily</em>’s Saquib B, who name-dropped the young rapper in our <a href="http://www.m-magazine.co.uk/watchlisten/listen/tastemaker-tips-2017/">Ones to Watch for 2017 </a>tips list.</p> <p>Since then we’ve been soaking up his soundworld on standout tracks <em>Jazabel, Love Song and Soundbwoy 2</em>.</p> <p>His latest, <em>Unsigned</em>, dropped around six weeks ago and has already clocked up over two million YouTube views.</p> <p>Featuring One Acen, who pulls out all the hooks, Hardy adopts part of Giggs’ <em>Talkin Da Hardest</em> flow, punctuating his own tight storytelling with his fellow Londoner’s now-legendary 2007 verse.</p> <p>Now in receipt of PRS Foundation support via its flagship <a href="http://www.prsformusicfoundation.com/funding/momentum-music-fund/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0uyyy5621QIVbrftCh3beQhiEAAYASACEgJiR_D_BwE">Momentum Music Fund</a>, Hardy is prepping his first official EP. Watch this space…</p> <p><strong>Sounds like?</strong> For fans of Wretch 32 and Kano.</p> <p><strong>Predicted to?</strong> Stake his claim as one of the UK’s most able new rap talents.</p> <p><strong>Must hear?</strong> <em>Unsigned</em> -</p> <p></p> <p></p> </section>	Featured artist: Hardy Caprio Who? Hardy Caprio. What? Storytelling MC melding grime, rap and garage. From where? Croydon. What’s the story? There’s got to be something in the water down there in South London, with just one postcode responsible for some of the biggest movers in grime and UK hip-hop over the last few years. From Stormzy and Section Boyz to Krept and Konan — and now Hardy Caprio — CR0’s steady flow of MC talent shows no signs of abating. We were first switched on to Hardy late last year by GRM Daily’s Saquib B, who name-dropped the young rapper in our Ones to Watch for 2017 tips list. Since then we’ve been soaking up his soundworld on standout tracks Jazabel, Love Song and Soundbwoy 2. His latest, Unsigned, dropped around six weeks ago and has already clocked up over two million YouTube views. Featuring One Acen, who pulls out all the hooks, Hardy adopts part of Giggs’ Talkin Da Hardest flow, punctuating his own tight storytelling with his fellow Londoner’s now-legendary 2007 verse. Now in receipt of PRS Foundation support via its flagship Momentum Music Fund, Hardy is prepping his first official EP. Watch this space… Sounds like? For fans of Wretch 32 and Kano. Predicted to? Stake his claim as one of the UK’s most able new rap talents. Must hear? Unsigned -	697647c3-f7c9-5585-a38c-e1ae038ccecd	25/08/2025 18:01:05
https://medium.com/@embodiedterrain/bound-in-ways-seen-and-not-32bd54047224	medium.com	Bound In Ways Seen And Not	When Images Convey An Experience Greater Than Words	Narelle Carter-Quinlan	https://medium.com/@embodiedterrain	32bd54047224	https://miro.medium.com/…[email protected]	2 min	2019-08-30T00:18:45.673000	2019-08-30T00:58:09.113000	2021-12-11T12:21:36.622000	0	46	en	Photography,Love,Relationships,Storytelling,Life Lessons	<section> <h3>When Images Convey An Experience Greater Than Words</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <p>I often walk in the rainforest near my current abode. The trees, water, rocks, tell me Stories that so clearly mirror my own experience. Or perhaps, it is simply the lens of my moment that I am looking through.</p> <p>Recently I went for a walk into an area I had not passed before. In a seeming innocuous moment, I glanced to my left; and there it was.</p> <p>The Story. In Vine and Palm and Monstera.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <p>I saw what I saw, more clearly, when I returned home, edited images a stark confrontation of my experience; bound. My whole Being.</p> <p>Secrets sensed but never allowed to be raised. Or, if they were? Met with deflection and anger and shaming.</p> <p>The breathless.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <p>In many ways, the experience was disembodying, like living in an hallucination of mind, emotions and body. I lost my capacity to sense myself, as much as I lost my breath.</p> <p>I abandoned myself. Strove to reach up into something that unhooked me from something fundamental; my ground. I overstretched. I broke a little. A little became a lot.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <p>Until eventually, something tore.</p> <p>Untethering began.</p> <p>The process of Re-membering.</p> <p>Of refinding my vertical; still happening.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <p>And one day, there will be the full plumage.</p> <p>Looking forward . . .</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <p>Sometimes the best way to tell as Story is visually.</p> <p>I make images and I write words.</p> <p>You can see more of that in my <a href="http://www.embodiedterrain.com">embodied terrain</a> online sanctuary.</p> </section>	Bound In Ways Seen And Not When Images Convey An Experience Greater Than Words Image by Author I often walk in the rainforest near my current abode. The trees, water, rocks, tell me Stories that so clearly mirror my own experience. Or perhaps, it is simply the lens of my moment that I am looking through. Recently I went for a walk into an area I had not passed before. In a seeming innocuous moment, I glanced to my left; and there it was. The Story. In Vine and Palm and Monstera. Image by Author I saw what I saw, more clearly, when I returned home, edited images a stark confrontation of my experience; bound. My whole Being. Secrets sensed but never allowed to be raised. Or, if they were? Met with deflection and anger and shaming. The breathless. Image by Author In many ways, the experience was disembodying, like living in an hallucination of mind, emotions and body. I lost my capacity to sense myself, as much as I lost my breath. I abandoned myself. Strove to reach up into something that unhooked me from something fundamental; my ground. I overstretched. I broke a little. A little became a lot. Image by Author Until eventually, something tore. Untethering began. The process of Re-membering. Of refinding my vertical; still happening. Image by Author And one day, there will be the full plumage. Looking forward . . . Image by Author Sometimes the best way to tell as Story is visually. I make images and I write words. You can see more of that in my embodied terrain online sanctuary.	c837d191-acae-5401-9b3a-e7e7d934ea80	25/08/2025 18:01:06
https://medium.com/@jwhimmelspach/its-a-boy-dd41ce87bb2d	medium.com	It’s a boy!	I’ve heard the story so many times I barely notice the words anymore, but recently I took some time to sit with the story of the birth of…	J.W. Himmelspach	https://medium.com/@jwhimmelspach	dd41ce87bb2d	null	1 min	2016-12-22T23:51:13.951000	2016-12-25T18:23:08.165000	2016-12-25T20:08:04.264000	0	0	en	Christianity,Bible,Jesus	<section> <p>I’ve heard the story so many times I barely notice the words anymore, but recently I took some time to sit with the story of the birth of Jesus (‘tis the season!).</p> <p>What jumped out to me is that Jesus was not born to a wealthy, prominent couple that had been married for several years and was on their third kid. God chose a young couple who had yet to be married and had little in the bank. Being a first-time parent is so hard.</p> <p>There’s a lot that can be taken from the birth of Christ, but, at least today, approachability is the theme that hits home for me.</p> <p>Jesus wasn’t born into the “perfect” family, he was born into a real one. He wasn’t born into a kingdom, he revived one through love, truth, and grace for all people not a select few.</p> <p>It’s not just the story of how God gave his son, it’s also the story of how God became our neighbor.</p> <p>Whether you believe in Christ, checking things out, or completely skeptical, the art of good neighboring is something I think we can all agree is needed today.</p> <p><em>Mt 1:18–25</em></p> </section>	It’s a boy! I’ve heard the story so many times I barely notice the words anymore, but recently I took some time to sit with the story of the birth of Jesus (‘tis the season!). What jumped out to me is that Jesus was not born to a wealthy, prominent couple that had been married for several years and was on their third kid. God chose a young couple who had yet to be married and had little in the bank. Being a first-time parent is so hard. There’s a lot that can be taken from the birth of Christ, but, at least today, approachability is the theme that hits home for me. Jesus wasn’t born into the “perfect” family, he was born into a real one. He wasn’t born into a kingdom, he revived one through love, truth, and grace for all people not a select few. It’s not just the story of how God gave his son, it’s also the story of how God became our neighbor. Whether you believe in Christ, checking things out, or completely skeptical, the art of good neighboring is something I think we can all agree is needed today. Mt 1:18–25	f7749ac6-0183-5dd1-afdb-525e0cdebb88	25/08/2025 18:01:06
https://janineenerd.medium.com/the-particles-of-leadership-9685993f4931	medium.com	The Particles of Leadership	This thing happens with my many of coaching clients. They did something, and it seemed pretty benign to them, but felt monumental to their…	janine davis	https://medium.com/@janineenerd	9685993f4931	https://miro.medium.com/…jLYX_Mi-liag.png	3 min	2019-03-17T14:15:45.837000	2019-03-21T12:48:48.622000	2021-12-08T23:50:15.920000	0	90	en	Physics,Leadership,Executive Coaching,Leadership Development,Startup	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/443/1*lfVsWLU_mGjLYX_Mi-liag.png" width="443" height="449" loading="lazy" /> <p>This thing happens with many of my coaching clients. They did something, and it seemed pretty benign to them, but felt monumental to their employees. And they just don’t get why it had so much impact.</p> <p>Let’s just say you could peel back a curtain of reality, and see your team on a multi-dimensional grid. When one person makes even the tiniest move, it’s impossible for that move not to affect the grid and everyone on it.</p> <p>Now, layer reality back on top of the grid, and put the curtain back into place. Things look “normal”, but energetically and literally, even the tiniest of moves has an effect on the whole. And as a leader, that impact is amplified. Yes, every part is necessary for the whole. But parts of that whole (I’m looking at you, Founder or C-level Exec) inherently have more impact.</p> <p>Quantum entanglement is a physical phenomenon which occurs when multiple particles interact in such a way that the quantum state of each particle cannot be described independently of the state of the other(s) (even when the particles are very far away from each other.)</p> <p>So what does leadership have to do with Quantum physics?</p> <p>A lot. Teams are systems. As a leader, you don’t just live in the world of I/Me/Mine. You also live in a world of We/Us/Ours. Every decision you make, word you say, and particle of energy you infuse into your company impacts the entire system.</p> <p>Everything matters. No pressure.</p> <p>- If you’re anxious, your company will be anxious</p> <p>- If you walk the talk, the company will walk the talk</p> <p>- If you state a goal, along with possible solutions, your team will likely limit themselves to only those possible solutions</p> <p>Let’s go one step deeper into quantum-physics-land. Most people have heard of the Schrödinger’s cat experiment which essentially asserts that all outcomes are concurrently “reality” until observed and measured. Opening the box and observing what’s inside determines the fate of the cat.</p> <p>The observation of a thing directly impacts the existence and result of the thing. If that is true, what if a leader goes beyond mere observation into action mode?</p> <p>If your team is capable of infinite outcomes, but you walk in the door one day in a grumpy mood and issue an edict about what you want done and how you want it done, you’re drastically impacting the potential results. You’re limiting your team from the infinite to finite. Your squashing innovation and problem solving. Re-imagine you and your team on that behind-the-curtain grid — you might observe that you’re on one edge of the grid, but sucking up way more than your share of the grid’s surface, leaving a constricted, unbalanced remain for your team.</p> <p>What works better?</p> <p>- First off, as a leader, simply be aware that the impact you have on your team is disproportionately larger than the other way around.</p> <p>- Know that your interjection as an observer (or more) will impact results (whether positively or negatively). Also know when you need to take a look inside the box, regardless of what happens to the cat. Sometimes you have to step in.</p> <p>- Become self-aware, learn about EQ, become conscious about the way you carry yourself around the office, how you communicate and make sure you’re walking your own talk. Be intentional about the actions you take and the words you speak. Rinse/Repeat.</p> <p>- Instead of issuing edicts, ask questions:</p> <p>o I’d like us to increase our revenue by 10% this year. What are some ideas you have to help us achieve that?</p> <p>o How can we align to our mission in even greater ways?</p> <p>o What are the different ways we can solve this problem?</p> <p>- Model the types of behaviors you want amplified through the entangled particles of your organization. If you model positive, positive will reverberate throughout the grid.</p> <p>Martin Luther King Jr. put it so well: “It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.”</p> <p>That can be a daunting statement. But it’s also an extraordinary opportunity. The tiniest shift in your energy, actions and words can have an incredibly positive impact. How will you steward your particles of leadership?</p> </section>	The Particles of Leadership This thing happens with many of my coaching clients. They did something, and it seemed pretty benign to them, but felt monumental to their employees. And they just don’t get why it had so much impact. Let’s just say you could peel back a curtain of reality, and see your team on a multi-dimensional grid. When one person makes even the tiniest move, it’s impossible for that move not to affect the grid and everyone on it. Now, layer reality back on top of the grid, and put the curtain back into place. Things look “normal”, but energetically and literally, even the tiniest of moves has an effect on the whole. And as a leader, that impact is amplified. Yes, every part is necessary for the whole. But parts of that whole (I’m looking at you, Founder or C-level Exec) inherently have more impact. Quantum entanglement is a physical phenomenon which occurs when multiple particles interact in such a way that the quantum state of each particle cannot be described independently of the state of the other(s) (even when the particles are very far away from each other.) So what does leadership have to do with Quantum physics? A lot. Teams are systems. As a leader, you don’t just live in the world of I/Me/Mine. You also live in a world of We/Us/Ours. Every decision you make, word you say, and particle of energy you infuse into your company impacts the entire system. Everything matters. No pressure. - If you’re anxious, your company will be anxious - If you walk the talk, the company will walk the talk - If you state a goal, along with possible solutions, your team will likely limit themselves to only those possible solutions Let’s go one step deeper into quantum-physics-land. Most people have heard of the Schrödinger’s cat experiment which essentially asserts that all outcomes are concurrently “reality” until observed and measured. Opening the box and observing what’s inside determines the fate of the cat. The observation of a thing directly impacts the existence and result of the thing. If that is true, what if a leader goes beyond mere observation into action mode? If your team is capable of infinite outcomes, but you walk in the door one day in a grumpy mood and issue an edict about what you want done and how you want it done, you’re drastically impacting the potential results. You’re limiting your team from the infinite to finite. Your squashing innovation and problem solving. Re-imagine you and your team on that behind-the-curtain grid — you might observe that you’re on one edge of the grid, but sucking up way more than your share of the grid’s surface, leaving a constricted, unbalanced remain for your team. What works better? - First off, as a leader, simply be aware that the impact you have on your team is disproportionately larger than the other way around. - Know that your interjection as an observer (or more) will impact results (whether positively or negatively). Also know when you need to take a look inside the box, regardless of what happens to the cat. Sometimes you have to step in. - Become self-aware, learn about EQ, become conscious about the way you carry yourself around the office, how you communicate and make sure you’re walking your own talk. Be intentional about the actions you take and the words you speak. Rinse/Repeat. - Instead of issuing edicts, ask questions: o I’d like us to increase our revenue by 10% this year. What are some ideas you have to help us achieve that? o How can we align to our mission in even greater ways? o What are the different ways we can solve this problem? - Model the types of behaviors you want amplified through the entangled particles of your organization. If you model positive, positive will reverberate throughout the grid. Martin Luther King Jr. put it so well: “It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.” That can be a daunting statement. But it’s also an extraordinary opportunity. The tiniest shift in your energy, actions and words can have an incredibly positive impact. How will you steward your particles of leadership?	9bc0b882-527d-5404-9b73-f0ff7fb13ec9	25/08/2025 18:01:07
https://medium.com/thrive-global/ten-tips-to-become-a-kidpreneuer-affad1f16c0f	medium.com	Ten Tips to Become a Kidpreneuer.	Step 1: Find out what you are passionate about.	Photos With Madison	https://medium.com/@PhotosMadison	affad1f16c0f	https://miro.medium.com/…rjPiXd8JJpA.jpeg	5 min	2017-05-23T14:13:21.364000	2017-05-24T17:19:10.245000	2018-02-11T01:10:16.373000	0	7	en	Photography,Kidpreneur,Entrepreneur,Kids,Wonder	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2683/1VjNHSOh4gePNroeBd_SAuA.png" width="2683" height="2641" loading="lazy" /> <p>I started taking photos when I was 3 years old. I started my photography business when I was 7 years old. I love taking pictures of little girls and their dolls, but I also enjoy photographing nature, weddings, events and even celebrities such as John Legend, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. Some people thought I was too young to start a business, but it didn’t stop me. I figured, “why wait?”</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1Kzw0418HtFkrjPiXd8JJpA.jpeg" width="960" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <p>I remember when my mom started her business it made me want to start a business too. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but after watching my mom’s friend, Mrs. Wendy, take photos of my grandmother in her photography studio, I thought, that’s it! I’ll start a photography business. Seeing the reaction on my grandmother’s face when she saw the photos that Mrs. Wendy took, it inspired me to pursue photography as a business. I wanted to photograph little girls and their dolls. I wanted them to look at their pictures the same way my grandmother looked at hers. I wanted them to have photos with their dolls to cherish forever.</p> <p><strong>I want to share with you ten helpful tips to becoming an kidpreneur, <em>a kid that’s an entrepreneur, </em>based on my ex</strong>perience<em>.</em></p> <p><strong>One</strong>: Find what you are passionate about or find something that you like to do and do it. I found out that I liked photography and that’s what I pursued and I am happy that I did!</p> <p><strong>Two</strong>: Turn your passion into a business so you can serve people and make money doing what you love. When I realized at seven years old that I really loved photography and I loved how people reacted to seeing themselves in the photos I took, I realized that it was the right time to start my business.</p> <p><strong>Three</strong>: Start a social media account and make it look professional. As a photographer, it was important for me to showcase my photos so that anyone who was thinking about hiring me could see my work.</p> <p><strong>Four</strong>: Find partners to help and support you and your business. For example, my mom and my dad are my biggest supporters and encouragers. Whenever I come up with ideas for photoshoots, or my next big dream, my parents always help me to make it happen. I found out that you can’t do everything by yourself, especially when you are ten.</p> <p><strong>Five</strong>: Do your first event but don’t charge money yet. Since people don’t know you or what your product or service is yet, you may not have a big turnout. When I was first starting out, my mother said not to charge for my first photoshoot; so, I asked Mrs. Wendy if I could rent her studio for $2 an hour for 3 hours. I was so happy when she said yes. I made a flyer and we advertised on Facebook. About 12 little girls came to my first photo shoot with their dolls. That was the exposure I needed to get my business going.</p> <p><strong>Six</strong>: Try to book yourself on local TV. My media coach, <a href="http://www.iseemeontv.com">TeeJ Mercer</a> teaches you how book yourself on TV without a publicist (someone who is responsible for publicizing a product, person or company). Even though I didn’t have to do that, she did prepare me to speak in sound bites (short catchy phrases) and not be nervous when I went on the <a href="https://youtu.be/bQr-DyLmcXs">Steve Harvey Show</a>.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/540/1H1yJlkqjPDTp-zenh2KTuA.png" width="540" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Seven</strong>: Keep doing events to get yourself out there. Just like when I kept doing event photography, photo shoots and private shoots. I also started to speak at different events. It helped me to get exposure and experience. Choosing a charity to work with helps too. Not only are you helping to raise money and awareness for the organization, but it allows all their supporters to learn about you as well. Joining a networking group helps you to meet people and to meet future clients. I love going to networking events with my mom. I met some incredible people who have been very supportive of me and my business.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/1JcojAYkFZf5Zc-ZT3ke4IQ.jpeg" width="1600" height="1066" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Eight</strong>: Don’t EVER give up! Sometimes it seems like what you want to accomplish will never ever happen. It took almost two years before my dream to photograph the President of the United States came true. For almost two years I continued to share my dream on social media using the hashtag, #HelpMadisonMeetPOTUS. Last June I was invited to photograph former President Barack Obama at the United State of Women summit, a conference attended by 5000 women and hosted by Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. You must believe in yourself and your business and you cannot give up when it seems like things are taking forever. It was because of photographing the President that Steve Harvey had me on his show. If I would have given up, my dream would not have come true and I probably wouldn’t have been on a national talk show.</p> <blockquote><em>Don’t forget to start a business account with a bank or a credit union so you don’t start spending all your money on stupid stuff like candy and dolls.</em></blockquote> <p><strong>Nine</strong>: Don’t forget to start a business account with a bank or a credit union so you don’t start spending all your money on stupid stuff like candy and dolls. Make sure to save money and you will have to use some money for business supplies. I chose Grow Financial because when I went there I liked how they treated me as a real business customer even though I’m a kidpreneur.</p> <p><strong>Ten</strong>: Be a Mentor! When I first started, someone helped me get to where I am and you should be that someone to help another kid to follow their dreams or to just introduce them to what you do. My mom always says that “children need exposure”. If we expose children to our different talents, it lets them know that they have options. I did this very thing with my friend, Ava. Ava is 5 years old. She was my second shooter for a recent event where I hosted a <a href="https://photoswithmadison.com/2016/11/17/a-princess-for-a-day/">“Princess Party” for foster children</a> instead of celebrating my 10th birthday with a party. (A second shooter is a photographer that is asked to work alongside the main photographer).</p> <p>Becoming a kidpreneur may seem intimidating at first, so breaking it down into smaller manageable steps makes it easier. I know I am just a kid and I don’t have all the answers. I can only share with you what I’ve learned over the past almost three years. I hope I have inspired you to follow your dreams. Always remember to have fun with your business and don’t forget the most important thing, help others and stay humble.</p> <p>Follow @photoswithmadison on Facebook and Instagram. Please also visit my website and check out my blog, “CLICK” at <a href="http://www.photoswithmadison.com">photoswithmadison.com</a>.</p> </section>	Ten Tips to Become a Kidpreneuer Photo Credit: Sarha Rush Photography I started taking photos when I was 3 years old. I started my photography business when I was 7 years old. I love taking pictures of little girls and their dolls, but I also enjoy photographing nature, weddings, events and even celebrities such as John Legend, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. Some people thought I was too young to start a business, but it didn’t stop me. I figured, “why wait?” Photo Credit: Madison Harrison at 8 years old. I remember when my mom started her business it made me want to start a business too. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but after watching my mom’s friend, Mrs. Wendy, take photos of my grandmother in her photography studio, I thought, that’s it! I’ll start a photography business. Seeing the reaction on my grandmother’s face when she saw the photos that Mrs. Wendy took, it inspired me to pursue photography as a business. I wanted to photograph little girls and their dolls. I wanted them to look at their pictures the same way my grandmother looked at hers. I wanted them to have photos with their dolls to cherish forever. I want to share with you ten helpful tips to becoming an kidpreneur, a kid that’s an entrepreneur, based on my experience. One: Find what you are passionate about or find something that you like to do and do it. I found out that I liked photography and that’s what I pursued and I am happy that I did! Two: Turn your passion into a business so you can serve people and make money doing what you love. When I realized at seven years old that I really loved photography and I loved how people reacted to seeing themselves in the photos I took, I realized that it was the right time to start my business. Three: Start a social media account and make it look professional. As a photographer, it was important for me to showcase my photos so that anyone who was thinking about hiring me could see my work. Four: Find partners to help and support you and your business. For example, my mom and my dad are my biggest supporters and encouragers. Whenever I come up with ideas for photoshoots, or my next big dream, my parents always help me to make it happen. I found out that you can’t do everything by yourself, especially when you are ten. Five: Do your first event but don’t charge money yet. Since people don’t know you or what your product or service is yet, you may not have a big turnout. When I was first starting out, my mother said not to charge for my first photoshoot; so, I asked Mrs. Wendy if I could rent her studio for $2 an hour for 3 hours. I was so happy when she said yes. I made a flyer and we advertised on Facebook. About 12 little girls came to my first photo shoot with their dolls. That was the exposure I needed to get my business going. Six: Try to book yourself on local TV. My media coach, TeeJ Mercer teaches you how book yourself on TV without a publicist (someone who is responsible for publicizing a product, person or company). Even though I didn’t have to do that, she did prepare me to speak in sound bites (short catchy phrases) and not be nervous when I went on the Steve Harvey Show. Me and my Media Coach: TeeJ Mercer Seven: Keep doing events to get yourself out there. Just like when I kept doing event photography, photo shoots and private shoots. I also started to speak at different events. It helped me to get exposure and experience. Choosing a charity to work with helps too. Not only are you helping to raise money and awareness for the organization, but it allows all their supporters to learn about you as well. Joining a networking group helps you to meet people and to meet future clients. I love going to networking events with my mom. I met some incredible people who have been very supportive of me and my business. Eight: Don’t EVER give up! Sometimes it seems like what you want to accomplish will never ever happen. It took almost two years before my dream to photograph the President of the United States came true. For almost two years I continued to share my dream on social media using the hashtag, #HelpMadisonMeetPOTUS. Last June I was invited to photograph former President Barack Obama at the United State of Women summit, a conference attended by 5000 women and hosted by Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. You must believe in yourself and your business and you cannot give up when it seems like things are taking forever. It was because of photographing the President that Steve Harvey had me on his show. If I would have given up, my dream would not have come true and I probably wouldn’t have been on a national talk show. Don’t forget to start a business account with a bank or a credit union so you don’t start spending all your money on stupid stuff like candy and dolls. Nine: Don’t forget to start a business account with a bank or a credit union so you don’t start spending all your money on stupid stuff like candy and dolls. Make sure to save money and you will have to use some money for business supplies. I chose Grow Financial because when I went there I liked how they treated me as a real business customer even though I’m a kidpreneur. Ten: Be a Mentor! When I first started, someone helped me get to where I am and you should be that someone to help another kid to follow their dreams or to just introduce them to what you do. My mom always says that “children need exposure”. If we expose children to our different talents, it lets them know that they have options. I did this very thing with my friend, Ava. Ava is 5 years old. She was my second shooter for a recent event where I hosted a “Princess Party” for foster children instead of celebrating my 10th birthday with a party. (A second shooter is a photographer that is asked to work alongside the main photographer). Becoming a kidpreneur may seem intimidating at first, so breaking it down into smaller manageable steps makes it easier. I know I am just a kid and I don’t have all the answers. I can only share with you what I’ve learned over the past almost three years. I hope I have inspired you to follow your dreams. Always remember to have fun with your business and don’t forget the most important thing, help others and stay humble. Follow @photoswithmadison on Facebook and Instagram. Please also visit my website and check out my blog, “CLICK” at photoswithmadison.com.	a1f10100-1a38-5c0c-8411-3830d0acad98	25/08/2025 18:01:07
https://e-ranz-navarro.medium.com/why-is-it-time-to-reinvent-procurement-b6a7b0e35530	medium.com	Why is it time to reinvent Procurement?	In times of crisis like the one, we are living, motivated by the Covid-19 Coronavirus, opportunities always arise. I am one of those who…	Eduardo Ranz	https://medium.com/@e-ranz-navarro	b6a7b0e35530	https://miro.medium.com/…zOoiQQ1V17g.jpeg	5 min	2020-03-21T13:25:14.600000	2020-03-21T13:32:36.029000	2022-03-30T21:19:45.277000	0	1	en	Strategy,Entrepreneurship,Creativity,Leadership,Leadership Development	<section> <p>In times of crisis like the one, we are living, motivated by the Covid-19 Coronavirus, opportunities always arise. I am one of those who think that everything we knew has changed and that, it is about time, transformational leadership will take shape in a new era that will have its origin in this decade. Everything changes so that nothing changes, it is no longer useful. The leadership will be holistic, with a 360º business vision and the professionals of Purchasing must be prepared.</p> <p>Excerpt from my book <em><a href="https://www.amazon.es/dp/B08</em>5RS9J7V/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_.f-BEb6F224CK">“The Procurement Dilemma for the CEO”</a></p> <p>SHOOT YOUR CREATIVITY</p> <p>From the fusion between creativity and happiness is born creativity. I’m going to ask you to do the exercise of thinking about a happy moment professionally. Not so much a moment of celebration of an achievement, but of feeling happiness for what you were doing. Got it? Almost 100% of people move to a moment of full creativity. However, most run away from tasks that involve getting out of the box, out of the comfort zone. There are numerous studies on this. 50% of teams think that facing complexity without fear of failure is something to be avoided, instead of seeing it as a learning opportunity. But it seems contradictory, would you avoid being happy at work? Not really. No one would want to avoid that. Then why don’t you constantly explore new ideas without fear of failure? There’s nothing more personal than a creative process. Nothing more desirable. It’s about giving, with honesty and generosity. And the first beneficiary is the person himself. Understand that failure is your friend and you can learn from it. And yes, the search for happiness, for creativity, consumes an enormous amount of energy. Ideas do not arise by spontaneous generation. You must always have your mind receiving inputs that shape the ideas until you get completely new outputs. You mix and consider alternatives. Perhaps this is why many people activate their creativity in moments of desperation. The satisfaction of feeling yourself working for a purpose is incredible. It’s your reward.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/626/1*-9DBtOO8LqhzOoiQQ1V17g.jpeg" width="626" height="364" loading="lazy" /> <p>Nathan Myhrvold, an inventor who Bill Gates called the most intelligent person he had ever met, is one of the examples I like to use most to explain what a creative process is all about. The diversity of his projects is immense. Physics, energy or gastronomy are some of the fields. If I had to look for a plot thread between them, I would only find the fact of taking ideas from one place and applying them in a different one. In a completely different context. Nathan does not consider himself a specialist of any kind, he says, “Specialization is very rewarding, but there is also a price to pay. You learn more and more, from less and less until you know everything about nothing. It’s a journey of exploration and learning. The more influence and richness you bring to your brain, the more options you provide for play and creation. This involves a constant reconfiguration of your brain.</p> <p>Holistic leadership involves embracing one’s intrinsic creativity without complexes. You need to provide environments to get things going. It is about building to improve. Millions of years ago, our ancestor the homo-sapiens survived the homo-neanderthal because his brain had a part that was destined to think about the future, while his homo-neanderthal companion, despite having greater brainpower and capacity, only did so in the present moment, the here and now. It was this fact that determined that we humans would transform the world. To infect your team and the teams you lead, or to which you belong, with creativity, is to multiply by three the possibilities of success. The most relevant lesson learned during these years of adopting creativity that I would like to share with you is to propose too ambitious changes.</p> <p>Sometimes, when your comfort zone is constantly crossing limits, you can propose things that are not understood, and therefore, that do not prosper. Mircea Cartarescu in his literary work “The Roulette Man” shows the struggle to survive, even without wanting to and to die without accepting it, of an unusual gambler, who risks his life in the game of Russian roulette. Self-destruction and creation. Death and life. Reflection of risky decision making. As we said before, we come from the monkey, and even today, we still need to belong to a pack. Your creative ideas should not be too far removed from those of the pack, nor should they be too every day to the pack. Think that it is always easier to criticize than to create. In my opinion, one of the greatest challenges we buyers have is precisely to embrace the error. It’s not easy for our profession. Our herd lives with the constant pressure of squaring the estimated savings to the decimal point.</p> <p>Sometimes, when your comfort zone is constantly crossing boundaries, you can propose things that are not understood, and therefore, do not prosper. Mircea Cartarescu in his literary work “The Roulette Man” shows the struggle to survive, even without wanting to and to die without accepting it, of an unusual gambler, who risks his life in the game of Russian roulette. Self-destruction and creation. Death and life. Reflection of risky decision making. As we said before, we come from the monkey, and even today, we still need to belong to a pack. Your creative ideas should not be too far removed from those of the pack, nor should they be too every day to the pack. Think that it is always easier to criticize than to create. In my opinion, one of the greatest challenges we buyers have is precisely to embrace the error. It’s not easy for our profession. Our herd lives with the constant pressure to square the savings estimates presented to the decimal point. The method of working, you could say, is scientific. The buyer is not perceived as bold and creative, but rather as the opposite, as boring and dense. Someone incapable of taking risks.</p> <p>There are many people who think of art more than science when talking about creativity. This is not true. Science is creative by nature. Science is about discovering something new that no one has discovered yet. Therefore, holistic leadership in purchasing involves applying methodology, science and analytics, yes, but also art, intuition and creativity, throughout the purchasing process. It is your choice to be <em>creatiz</em> or not. It is your choice to transfer Creativity to the teams or not. I chose to be <em>creatiz</em>. Creative and happy.</p> <p>Today more than ever we are changing as a herd and therefore we have to anticipate and rethink everything.</p> <p>Do you think we are ready in the company to adopt a vision of humble leadership and intrinsic creativity? Do you know what your purpose is? Are you willing to embrace the error in order to grow?</p> </section>	Why is it time to reinvent Procurement? In times of crisis like the one, we are living, motivated by the Covid-19 Coronavirus, opportunities always arise. I am one of those who think that everything we knew has changed and that, it is about time, transformational leadership will take shape in a new era that will have its origin in this decade. Everything changes so that nothing changes, it is no longer useful. The leadership will be holistic, with a 360º business vision and the professionals of Purchasing must be prepared. Excerpt from my book “The Procurement Dilemma for the CEO” SHOOT YOUR CREATIVITY From the fusion between creativity and happiness is born creativity. I’m going to ask you to do the exercise of thinking about a happy moment professionally. Not so much a moment of celebration of an achievement, but of feeling happiness for what you were doing. Got it? Almost 100% of people move to a moment of full creativity. However, most run away from tasks that involve getting out of the box, out of the comfort zone. There are numerous studies on this. 50% of teams think that facing complexity without fear of failure is something to be avoided, instead of seeing it as a learning opportunity. But it seems contradictory, would you avoid being happy at work? Not really. No one would want to avoid that. Then why don’t you constantly explore new ideas without fear of failure? There’s nothing more personal than a creative process. Nothing more desirable. It’s about giving, with honesty and generosity. And the first beneficiary is the person himself. Understand that failure is your friend and you can learn from it. And yes, the search for happiness, for creativity, consumes an enormous amount of energy. Ideas do not arise by spontaneous generation. You must always have your mind receiving inputs that shape the ideas until you get completely new outputs. You mix and consider alternatives. Perhaps this is why many people activate their creativity in moments of desperation. The satisfaction of feeling yourself working for a purpose is incredible. It’s your reward. Nathan Myhrvold, an inventor who Bill Gates called the most intelligent person he had ever met, is one of the examples I like to use most to explain what a creative process is all about. The diversity of his projects is immense. Physics, energy or gastronomy are some of the fields. If I had to look for a plot thread between them, I would only find the fact of taking ideas from one place and applying them in a different one. In a completely different context. Nathan does not consider himself a specialist of any kind, he says, “Specialization is very rewarding, but there is also a price to pay. You learn more and more, from less and less until you know everything about nothing. It’s a journey of exploration and learning. The more influence and richness you bring to your brain, the more options you provide for play and creation. This involves a constant reconfiguration of your brain. Holistic leadership involves embracing one’s intrinsic creativity without complexes. You need to provide environments to get things going. It is about building to improve. Millions of years ago, our ancestor the homo-sapiens survived the homo-neanderthal because his brain had a part that was destined to think about the future, while his homo-neanderthal companion, despite having greater brainpower and capacity, only did so in the present moment, the here and now. It was this fact that determined that we humans would transform the world. To infect your team and the teams you lead, or to which you belong, with creativity, is to multiply by three the possibilities of success. The most relevant lesson learned during these years of adopting creativity that I would like to share with you is to propose too ambitious changes. Sometimes, when your comfort zone is constantly crossing limits, you can propose things that are not understood, and therefore, that do not prosper. Mircea Cartarescu in his literary work “The Roulette Man” shows the struggle to survive, even without wanting to and to die without accepting it, of an unusual gambler, who risks his life in the game of Russian roulette. Self-destruction and creation. Death and life. Reflection of risky decision making. As we said before, we come from the monkey, and even today, we still need to belong to a pack. Your creative ideas should not be too far removed from those of the pack, nor should they be too every day to the pack. Think that it is always easier to criticize than to create. In my opinion, one of the greatest challenges we buyers have is precisely to embrace the error. It’s not easy for our profession. Our herd lives with the constant pressure of squaring the estimated savings to the decimal point. Sometimes, when your comfort zone is constantly crossing boundaries, you can propose things that are not understood, and therefore, do not prosper. Mircea Cartarescu in his literary work “The Roulette Man” shows the struggle to survive, even without wanting to and to die without accepting it, of an unusual gambler, who risks his life in the game of Russian roulette. Self-destruction and creation. Death and life. Reflection of risky decision making. As we said before, we come from the monkey, and even today, we still need to belong to a pack. Your creative ideas should not be too far removed from those of the pack, nor should they be too every day to the pack. Think that it is always easier to criticize than to create. In my opinion, one of the greatest challenges we buyers have is precisely to embrace the error. It’s not easy for our profession. Our herd lives with the constant pressure to square the savings estimates presented to the decimal point. The method of working, you could say, is scientific. The buyer is not perceived as bold and creative, but rather as the opposite, as boring and dense. Someone incapable of taking risks. There are many people who think of art more than science when talking about creativity. This is not true. Science is creative by nature. Science is about discovering something new that no one has discovered yet. Therefore, holistic leadership in purchasing involves applying methodology, science and analytics, yes, but also art, intuition and creativity, throughout the purchasing process. It is your choice to be creatiz or not. It is your choice to transfer Creativity to the teams or not. I chose to be creatiz. Creative and happy. Today more than ever we are changing as a herd and therefore we have to anticipate and rethink everything. Do you think we are ready in the company to adopt a vision of humble leadership and intrinsic creativity? Do you know what your purpose is? Are you willing to embrace the error in order to grow?	99c4ca09-61d3-5d01-aad9-4c35382c5f89	25/08/2025 18:01:08
https://medium.com/schmolitics/irresponsible-progress-and-the-empty-silverlake-resevoir-74590ae81bb2	medium.com	Irresponsible Progress and the Empty Silver Lake Reservoir	Dan Gordon	Schmolitics Show	https://medium.com/@schmolitics	74590ae81bb2	https://miro.medium.com/…6pOXg2wpguA.jpeg	3 min	2016-12-03T00:21:05.761000	2016-12-03T00:22:07.762000	2017-10-03T20:57:33.103000	0	0	en	Water,Environment,Silver Lake,Los Angeles,Echo Park Lake	<section> <p>Dan Gordon</p> <p>updates posted at the bottom</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2048/1_CBVulRKiIHVGdsxMspOFA.jpeg" width="2048" height="1418" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Why is it empty?</strong></p> <p>New pipes had to be laid down to transport drinking water from —</p> <p><strong>2. — No, but why is it empty?</strong></p> <p>Post-9/11 rules require all drinking water reservoirs be underground plus it had already been determined —</p> <p><strong>3. — Seriously, why is it still empty now? It’s gross.</strong></p> <p>It’s getting refilled in May primarily from a sustainable groundwater source that is not suitable for drinking.</p> <p><strong>4. K. Can’t they make it cool like the Echo Park Lake?</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1VLt6vxV8M4wb4ieUhxpTOw.png" width="1200" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <p>Two organizations have formed to address the future of the Silver Lake Reservoir. <a href="http://silverlakenow.com/">Refill Silver Lake Now</a> wants to refill Silver Lake. Now. They also are unofficially evolving in to the group advocating for it to stay exactly as is.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/850/1jdcN8ZBDjIUugOv0eFAZkQ.jpeg" width="850" height="567" loading="lazy" /> <p>They argue making it a destination park will ruin the neighborhood’s tranquil vibe and make traffic and parking way worse. <a href="http://silverlakeforward.com/">Silver Lake Forward</a> advocates to “restore and beautify the 31 acres of land within the fences through a plan that values access, beauty and conservation, with minimal impact to the local neighborhood” and get a feasibility study done to see what’s possible and realistic.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1RAAv5ja73Zr6pOXg2wpguA.jpeg" width="2000" height="847" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1PIllDJqED5Iw7dfVZs9jNw.jpeg" width="1200" height="718" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1KAYaJ5xfb7MWc1rwYnhBEg.jpeg" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>5. Who makes the decision?</strong></p> <p>City Council Reps David Ryu and Mitch O’Farrell (who organized and attended three town hall forums with the community and LADWP, btw) are hiring a consultant to moderate and facilitate future community input, consensus building, and ultimately how to determine the path forward (i.e. entire neighborhood votes, random community survey, etc.) Bonus! The room was split but a <a href="http://www.silverlakereservoirs.org/survey-2016">community survey</a> shows roughly 75% align with Silver Lake Forward’s restore and beautify agenda.</p> <p><strong>6. K. What do you think, Dan?</strong></p> <p>Progress sucks sometimes. We hear how great and exciting it is but people inevitably get left behind. And that’s one reason why people voted for Trump. But voting for Trump is what I call “Irresponsible Progress.” Electing someone who has never publicly released his tax returns, medical records, and who benefits from the fears that divide us, and is clearly a narcissist who is dangerously hypocritical either by choice or self-delusion and repeatedly promises change by making America great again is irresponsible progress. Where was I? Silver Lake. Both groups want a lot of the same things: refill the reservoir, protect and support the wildlife, and ensure any future plan aim for minimal impact on the neighborhood. That’s “Responsible Progress.”</p> <p>Long-time residents probably hate that their neighborhood is more densely populated now versus what it was even five years ago. Traffic is definitely worse. And it’ll get even worse. That’s change. It’s inevitable. And so we have to look to the future, beyond ourselves and the next five years, and think about the greater good. A park that honors the current tranquil environment while looking less prison-like (let’s take the barbed wire fences down) and has a more nature-centric aesthetic would be so great. But, at the same time, maybe we don’t need another $7 coffee shop here, either.</p> <p><strong>Update 12/20/16: Happy Ending Maybe!</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1784/0Gdpgn2YaygoG2IMV.png" width="1784" height="344" loading="lazy" /> <p>Silver Lake Forward and Refill Silver Lake Now issued a joint statement, and consequently renewed my faith in community groups’ ability to find common ground and work together. You can read the full statement <a href="http://silverlakeforward.com/blog/joint-statement-on-next-steps-for-the-silver-lake-reservoirs">here</a>. Here is my favorite part.</p> <p>Whatever our differences regarding the potential future uses of the Reservoir, we agree on the following…</p> <p><strong>Update 4/20/17: Refilled Silver Lake Now</strong></p> <p>The water is back. The prison fences are still there. #progress</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-silver-lake-reservo</strong>ir-20170426-story.html">Drought no more: Water flows back into the Silver Lake Reservoir complex <em>After two years of sitting empty, Silver Lake's namesake and signature icon is being refilled. City officials cranked…</em>www.la</a>times.com</p> </section>	Irresponsible Progress and the Empty Silver Lake Reservoir Dan Gordon *updates posted at the bottom Why is it empty? New pipes had to be laid down to transport drinking water from — 2. — No, but why is it empty? Post-9/11 rules require all drinking water reservoirs be underground plus it had already been determined — 3. — Seriously, why is it still empty now? It’s gross. It’s getting refilled in May primarily from a sustainable groundwater source that is not suitable for drinking. 4. K. Can’t they make it cool like the Echo Park Lake? The restored Echo Park Lake with boat rentals and (not pictured) delicious expensive coffeeshop and unaffordable rent. Two organizations have formed to address the future of the Silver Lake Reservoir. Refill Silver Lake Now wants to refill Silver Lake. Now. They also are unofficially evolving in to the group advocating for it to stay exactly as is. Silver Lake Reservoir with moms, water, and prison-like fence aesthetics. Barely visible: the barbed wire at the top. They argue making it a destination park will ruin the neighborhood’s tranquil vibe and make traffic and parking way worse. Silver Lake Forward advocates to “restore and beautify the 31 acres of land within the fences through a plan that values access, beauty and conservation, with minimal impact to the local neighborhood” and get a feasibility study done to see what’s possible and realistic. Even in an idealistic rendering, the Silver Lake Forward’s own concept art is crowded, and filled with only white people. http://silverlakeforward.com Silver Lake Forward Concept Rendering http://silverlakeforward.com SIlver Lake Forward Ideas http://silverlakeforward.com 5. Who makes the decision? City Council Reps David Ryu and Mitch O’Farrell (who organized and attended three town hall forums with the community and LADWP, btw) are hiring a consultant to moderate and facilitate future community input, consensus building, and ultimately how to determine the path forward (i.e. entire neighborhood votes, random community survey, etc.) Bonus! The room was split but a community survey shows roughly 75% align with Silver Lake Forward’s restore and beautify agenda. 6. K. What do you think, Dan? Progress sucks sometimes. We hear how great and exciting it is but people inevitably get left behind. And that’s one reason why people voted for Trump. But voting for Trump is what I call “Irresponsible Progress.” Electing someone who has never publicly released his tax returns, medical records, and who benefits from the fears that divide us, and is clearly a narcissist who is dangerously hypocritical either by choice or self-delusion and repeatedly promises change by making America great again is irresponsible progress. Where was I? Silver Lake. Both groups want a lot of the same things: refill the reservoir, protect and support the wildlife, and ensure any future plan aim for minimal impact on the neighborhood. That’s “Responsible Progress.” Long-time residents probably hate that their neighborhood is more densely populated now versus what it was even five years ago. Traffic is definitely worse. And it’ll get even worse. That’s change. It’s inevitable. And so we have to look to the future, beyond ourselves and the next five years, and think about the greater good. A park that honors the current tranquil environment while looking less prison-like (let’s take the barbed wire fences down) and has a more nature-centric aesthetic would be so great. But, at the same time, maybe we don’t need another $7 coffee shop here, either. Update 12/20/16: Happy Ending Maybe! Silver Lake Forward and Refill Silver Lake Now issued a joint statement, and consequently renewed my faith in community groups’ ability to find common ground and work together. You can read the full statement here. Here is my favorite part. Whatever our differences regarding the potential future uses of the Reservoir, we agree on the following… Update 4/20/17: Refilled Silver Lake Now The water is back. The prison fences are still there. #progress Drought no more: Water flows back into the Silver Lake Reservoir complex After two years of sitting empty, Silver Lake's namesake and signature icon is being refilled. City officials cranked…www.latimes.com	d4b83447-123c-5be0-bbb0-0765b06abd35	25/08/2025 18:01:08
https://medium.com/snap-shots/i-am-home-47fed05d978b	medium.com	I Am Home	You Return Here Because It Is Where Your Heart Wants You To Be	Randy Cooper	https://medium.com/@randycooper	47fed05d978b	https://miro.medium.com/…-uCFbqVDtgg.jpeg	0 min	2018-03-14T06:34:42.267000	2018-03-14T13:05:33.123000	2018-03-26T14:42:50.667000	8	312	en	Photography,Snapshot,Flowers,Gratitude	<section> <h1>I Am Home</h1> <h3>You Return Here Because It Is Where Your Heart Wants You To Be</h3> <p><em>With much gratitude to</em> <a href="#">Terijo</a>, <a href="#">Fierce Force</a>, <a href="#">Tasneem Kagalwalla</a> <em>and</em> Dayle <em>because without your encouragement the journey back to where I started would never have been completed. I have come home “where you’re supposed to be, when you’re supposed to be there.”</em></p> </section>	I Am Home You Return Here Because It Is Where Your Heart Wants You To Be With much gratitude to Terijo, Fierce Force, Tasneem Kagalwalla and Dayle because without your encouragement the journey back to where I started would never have been completed. I have come home “where you’re supposed to be, when you’re supposed to be there.”	39996c0d-ebb1-54ae-b913-92cf82349b3c	25/08/2025 18:01:08
https://medium.com/a-voice-in-the-conversation/interstitial-journaling-big-ideas-in-small-bits-6618cc8ebd76	medium.com	Interstitial Journaling (big ideas in small bits)	Note: After reading Sébastien Dubois’ article, I updated my notation on Interstitial Journaling to reflect a deeper appreciation for its…	Steven Thompson	https://medium.com/@brickbarnblog	6618cc8ebd76	https://miro.medium.com/…LHJbxkhvNICg.png	3 min	2025-08-24T11:05:31.170000	2025-08-24T11:33:46.104000	2025-08-25T11:29:41.194000	0	1	en	Journaling,Interstitial Journaling	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1536/1*T7LfobiFYPLHJbxkhvNICg.png" width="1536" height="1024" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Note</strong>: After reading <a href="https://medium.com/personal-knowledge-management/stop-losing-your-best-ideas-the-journaling-system-that-changed-my-life-0827bccae682">Sébastien Dubois’ article</a>, I updated my notation on <a href="https://medium.com/@brickbarnblog/i-r-an-interstitial-journalist-41cb60f54990">Interstitial Journaling</a> to reflect a deeper appreciation for its behavioral relevance. His framing reminded me that journaling isn’t just about capturing moments — it’s about preserving the scaffolding that holds my life together. I realized my original blog post had skirted a crucial dimension: Legacy journaling. The kind that tracks not just what I’m doing, but what I’m becoming. This update isn’t just a revision — it’s a reframing (and a refactoring) of how I think about continuity, authorship, and the architecture of memory.</p> <p>This note emerged from a long arc of reflection — sixty years of scattered journal entries, calendars, notebooks, and digital notes. I’ve always considered myself a journalist, not the kind who writes for the Wall Street Journal, but the kind who records “I walked the dog this morning” journalist. Remarkably, there’s no word in English for someone who keeps a journal, but I’ve been doing it (off and on) since I was five.</p> <p>In 2007, I began a practice I called “timelining” — short bursts of commentary recorded during breaks in my day. The activity started as a recommendation to improve my time management by periodically tracking where my time went. The productivity impact was immediate. I didn’t think of it as journaling at the time, but it was. Later, I recognized its similarity to bullet journaling. More recently, I encountered the term “interstitial journaling,” which describes the same behavior: capturing short reflections between activities.</p> <p>Natan King refers to interstitial journaling as “done in the midst of the action, between your last activity and your next one.”(1) Jamie Todd Rubin describes it as a “master index to your life,”(2) and Jeff Huang’s 14-year .txt file turns a to-do list into a “what done” list.(3) These descriptions validate the practice of capturing short bursts throughout the day.</p> <p>But I still wrestle with its narrative value. Entries like “04:05, Create Dashboard ‘Snippet’” or “19:04, Linda and I went out to dinner at that Hawaiian place again. Very good” don’t make for compelling reading. They’re not the kind of stories grandchildren will retell their children after reading about them. And yet, these small bits are the scaffolding of a life lived with attention.</p> <p>Interstitial journaling may not produce sweeping narratives, but it does heighten intention. It clarifies commitment to the moment. It builds a searchable, linkable, timestamped archive of lived experience. It’s not a replacement for deep reflection, but a companion to it.</p> <p><strong>Why This Matters</strong>: Without a system for capturing small moments, the texture of daily life disappears. This note addresses a behavioral tension: the gap between productivity and legacy. By validating interstitial journaling as a tool for attention and continuity, we preserve the scaffolding of experience — even if the storytelling comes later.</p> <p><strong>Core Claim</strong>: Interstitial journaling captures the small, timestamped fragments of daily life, building a searchable archive that supports productivity, reflection, and future synthesis.</p> <p><strong>Framing Shift</strong>: From: Journaling as deep, reflective writing To: Journaling as a layered practice — short bursts for clarity, long threads for meaning.</p> <p><strong>Practice Cue</strong>:</p> <p>When journaling, ask:</p> <ul> <li>What just happened that’s worth noting?</li> <li>What am I committing to in this moment?</li> <li>How might this small entry support future reflection or synthesis?</li> </ul> <p>Don’t wait for the story. Capture the scaffolding. Let the narrative emerge over time.</p> <h3>Thanks for Reading!</h3> <p>The notations contained in “A Voice in the Conversation” are rough-draft versions of my evolving knowledge management ideas. They reflect inquiry-in-motion, i.e., unfinished, exploratory, and personal. I use Copilot Pro and Grammarly to assist with search, refinement, and clarity. It helps me shape the flow and grammar of my writing, but the ideas presented are entirely my own.</p> <p>Revision of notation: 5.3b3 Interstitial Journaling (big ideas in small bits) (2023), Version 2.0, last modified: 2025–08–24</p> <h3>Footnotes and References</h3> <p>(1)King, Nathan (April 27, 2022) “Why You Should Journal Between the Key Moments of Your Day.” Hopewalking. Retrieved from: <a href="https://www.hopewalking.com/blog/interstitial-journaling">https://www.hopewalking.com/blog/interstitial-journaling</a> (2) Rubin, J.T. (2022, January 25). Practically Paperless with Obsidian, Episode 15: Daily Notes as an Index to My Life. Retrieved from <a href="https://jamierubin.net/2022/01/25/practically-paperless-with-obsidian-episode-15-daily-notes-as-an-index-to-my-life/">https://jamierubin.net/2022/01/25/practically-paperless-with-obsidian-episode-15-daily-notes-as-an-index-to-my-life/</a> (3) Huang, Jeff (March 21, 2022) “My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file” Jeffhuang.com. Retrieved from: <a href="https://jeffhuang.com/productivity_text_file/">https://jeffhuang.com/productivity_text_file/</a></p> </section>	Interstitial Journaling (big ideas in small bits) Copilot (August 24, 2025) Note: After reading Sébastien Dubois’ article, I updated my notation on Interstitial Journaling to reflect a deeper appreciation for its behavioral relevance. His framing reminded me that journaling isn’t just about capturing moments — it’s about preserving the scaffolding that holds my life together. I realized my original blog post had skirted a crucial dimension: Legacy journaling. The kind that tracks not just what I’m doing, but what I’m becoming. This update isn’t just a revision — it’s a reframing (and a refactoring) of how I think about continuity, authorship, and the architecture of memory. This note emerged from a long arc of reflection — sixty years of scattered journal entries, calendars, notebooks, and digital notes. I’ve always considered myself a journalist, not the kind who writes for the Wall Street Journal, but the kind who records “I walked the dog this morning” journalist. Remarkably, there’s no word in English for someone who keeps a journal, but I’ve been doing it (off and on) since I was five. In 2007, I began a practice I called “timelining” — short bursts of commentary recorded during breaks in my day. The activity started as a recommendation to improve my time management by periodically tracking where my time went. The productivity impact was immediate. I didn’t think of it as journaling at the time, but it was. Later, I recognized its similarity to bullet journaling. More recently, I encountered the term “interstitial journaling,” which describes the same behavior: capturing short reflections between activities. Natan King refers to interstitial journaling as “done in the midst of the action, between your last activity and your next one.”(1) Jamie Todd Rubin describes it as a “master index to your life,”(2) and Jeff Huang’s 14-year .txt file turns a to-do list into a “what done” list.(3) These descriptions validate the practice of capturing short bursts throughout the day. But I still wrestle with its narrative value. Entries like “04:05, Create Dashboard ‘Snippet’” or “19:04, Linda and I went out to dinner at that Hawaiian place again. Very good” don’t make for compelling reading. They’re not the kind of stories grandchildren will retell their children after reading about them. And yet, these small bits are the scaffolding of a life lived with attention. Interstitial journaling may not produce sweeping narratives, but it does heighten intention. It clarifies commitment to the moment. It builds a searchable, linkable, timestamped archive of lived experience. It’s not a replacement for deep reflection, but a companion to it. Why This Matters: Without a system for capturing small moments, the texture of daily life disappears. This note addresses a behavioral tension: the gap between productivity and legacy. By validating interstitial journaling as a tool for attention and continuity, we preserve the scaffolding of experience — even if the storytelling comes later. Core Claim: Interstitial journaling captures the small, timestamped fragments of daily life, building a searchable archive that supports productivity, reflection, and future synthesis. Framing Shift: From: Journaling as deep, reflective writing To: Journaling as a layered practice — short bursts for clarity, long threads for meaning. Practice Cue: When journaling, ask: What just happened that’s worth noting? What am I committing to in this moment? How might this small entry support future reflection or synthesis? Don’t wait for the story. Capture the scaffolding. Let the narrative emerge over time. Thanks for Reading! The notations contained in “A Voice in the Conversation” are rough-draft versions of my evolving knowledge management ideas. They reflect inquiry-in-motion, i.e., unfinished, exploratory, and personal. I use Copilot Pro and Grammarly to assist with search, refinement, and clarity. It helps me shape the flow and grammar of my writing, but the ideas presented are entirely my own. Revision of notation: 5.3b3 Interstitial Journaling (big ideas in small bits) (2023), Version 2.0, last modified: 2025–08–24 Footnotes and References (1)King, Nathan (April 27, 2022) “Why You Should Journal Between the Key Moments of Your Day.” Hopewalking. Retrieved from: https://www.hopewalking.com/blog/interstitial-journaling (2) Rubin, J.T. (2022, January 25). Practically Paperless with Obsidian, Episode 15: Daily Notes as an Index to My Life. Retrieved from https://jamierubin.net/2022/01/25/practically-paperless-with-obsidian-episode-15-daily-notes-as-an-index-to-my-life/ (3) Huang, Jeff (March 21, 2022) “My productivity app is a never-ending .txt file” Jeffhuang.com. Retrieved from: https://jeffhuang.com/productivity_text_file/	b73abde4-67fa-51cb-9ae2-35e981c92cc2	25/08/2025 18:01:08
https://medium.com/@christie0824.cc/restaurant-industry-b02d087a4c86	medium.com	Keep Restaurant Unique	Restaurant Investment is very competitive when there are so many businesses out there. Cooking has been my passion since I was little. I…	Christie Chan	https://medium.com/@christie0824.cc	b02d087a4c86	https://miro.medium.com/…MSu_puciAJg.jpeg	2 min	2017-11-13T22:07:30.757000	2017-11-13T22:30:36.051000	2017-12-17T05:14:49.946000	0	0	en	Food	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1*3HlQ42_1RYpMSu_puciAJg.jpeg" width="1200" height="805" loading="lazy" /> <p>Restaurant Investment is very competitive when there are so many businesses out there. Cooking has been my passion since I was little. I always wonder how people make profit owning a restaurant because they need to pay bills and hire someone in order to help running the business. The major doubt that I think of is that owning a restaurant deals with lots of laws. Also, you have to know how to make customers happy when they walk out of the restaurant.</p> <p>Because I’ve been wanting to have my own business, I started to major in hospitality and tourism. I want to know what I can do to treat customers right and how to exceed expectation from customers. I also got a associate degree in business so that I can learn the basics of investing your own business. There are so many restaurants out there and it is very competitive to have customers to come to your restaurant instead of other restaurants. In order to have a successful business you have to have ideas that other people have never thought or done before. For example, “Lady M” is a dessert shop that many people know. They are the first to have an idea on crepe cake. Lady M is now so popular that they have stores all over the world. On Lady M’s website, they described what so special about their cakes and that they have multiple layers making the crepe cake. ”Lady M Confections “prides itself on creating the freshest and finest cakes and confectionary delights.” The selection of cakes, many of which change seasonally, are all “handmade following recipes that have been refined over the years to provide the highest quality in taste and appearance.” Lady M’s classic and most popular dessert is the Mille Crepes cake, made from twenty paper-thin handmade crepes, layered with a crème filling and topped with a sugary glaze.” Many other dessert places try to make the same crepe cake but they can never make such thin crepe layer as Lady M. I’ve been to the Lady M in Los Angeles couple months ago, and they sold out all the cakes few hours before closing. This shows that if you can make the food creative and tasty, people will come back to get more or people who have never tried before might want to give it a try. People often look for something creative and interesting to eat now days. If you can think of a creative way to present your food, there are more chances that people with come to your restaurant to try your food. Also, more and more people like posting food pictures on social media now. When people post a picture, their friends might see it and want to try it out too. When more people post pictures, there’s a possibility that more people see your food and more people will know your restaurant.</p> <p>Reference</p> <p>“Lady M Confections”</p> <p><a href="https://paigeburris.weebly.com/lady-m.html">https://paigeburris.weebly.com/lady-m.html</a></p> </section>	Keep Restaurant Unique Restaurant Investment is very competitive when there are so many businesses out there. Cooking has been my passion since I was little. I always wonder how people make profit owning a restaurant because they need to pay bills and hire someone in order to help running the business. The major doubt that I think of is that owning a restaurant deals with lots of laws. Also, you have to know how to make customers happy when they walk out of the restaurant. Because I’ve been wanting to have my own business, I started to major in hospitality and tourism. I want to know what I can do to treat customers right and how to exceed expectation from customers. I also got a associate degree in business so that I can learn the basics of investing your own business. There are so many restaurants out there and it is very competitive to have customers to come to your restaurant instead of other restaurants. In order to have a successful business you have to have ideas that other people have never thought or done before. For example, “Lady M” is a dessert shop that many people know. They are the first to have an idea on crepe cake. Lady M is now so popular that they have stores all over the world. On Lady M’s website, they described what so special about their cakes and that they have multiple layers making the crepe cake. ”Lady M Confections “prides itself on creating the freshest and finest cakes and confectionary delights.” The selection of cakes, many of which change seasonally, are all “handmade following recipes that have been refined over the years to provide the highest quality in taste and appearance.” Lady M’s classic and most popular dessert is the Mille Crepes cake, made from twenty paper-thin handmade crepes, layered with a crème filling and topped with a sugary glaze.” Many other dessert places try to make the same crepe cake but they can never make such thin crepe layer as Lady M. I’ve been to the Lady M in Los Angeles couple months ago, and they sold out all the cakes few hours before closing. This shows that if you can make the food creative and tasty, people will come back to get more or people who have never tried before might want to give it a try. People often look for something creative and interesting to eat now days. If you can think of a creative way to present your food, there are more chances that people with come to your restaurant to try your food. Also, more and more people like posting food pictures on social media now. When people post a picture, their friends might see it and want to try it out too. When more people post pictures, there’s a possibility that more people see your food and more people will know your restaurant. Reference “Lady M Confections” https://paigeburris.weebly.com/lady-m.html	03b86dcf-bfc7-589b-ad57-9558349ee2c5	25/08/2025 18:01:09
https://medium.com/connecting-dots/top-6-reasons-a-pragmatic-pessimist-me-remains-an-optimistic-realist-for-2016-2017-13a2b1c40d54	medium.com	Top 6 reasons a pragmatic pessimist (me) remains an optimistic realist for 2016–2017	At the very beginning of 2015, days before the horrific January attacks in Paris, I penned a piece on why, despite storms rising, I…	Frederic Guarino	https://medium.com/@fredericg	13a2b1c40d54	https://miro.medium.com/…kparIwbdGiA.jpeg	7 min	2015-12-13T14:43:44.804000	2016-01-03T03:24:02.733000	2017-12-15T05:12:03.258000	0	4	en	Virtual Reality,Forecasting,Media	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3264/1y0HMOi3JUcRkparIwbdGiA.jpeg" width="3264" height="2448" loading="lazy" /> <p>At the very beginning of 2015, days before the horrific January attacks in Paris, I penned a piece on why, despite storms rising, I remained an optimistic realist for the immediate future and <a href="https://medium.com/connecting-dots/top-6-reasons-a-pragmatic-pessimist-me-is-an-optimistic-realist-for-2015-2016-6dfeb7ec1aa5#.qhd8l8m2m">gave 6 reasons</a> why. I stand by them today and will revisit each, 12 months later. There are reasons for caution and some, like <a href="#">umair haque</a>, are warning of a “new fascism” rising with the National Front in France and the Trump candidacy in the US. My personal take on the macro situation is this: the 2010s are similar to the turn of the 20th century, technological accelerations and their perceived consequences are starting to durably displace the old order, which generates enough frustrations that neo-Luddites and arch-conservatives are coalescing.</p> <p>Let’s revisit the 6 reasons I outlined a year ago and look towards the future:</p> <p><strong>#1: Recent incidents with Russia, North Korea and their economic consequences should show us that we are ONE and totally interconnected</strong></p> <p>Russia has managed a tour de force in less than a year, turning itself from a quasi-pariah state due to the Ukrainian/Crimean episode into the go-to ally of the West against Daesh in Syria. The backdrop to this denouement has twin roots, the end of Pax Americana in the Mideast in favor of the Asian pivot, and the folly of the Saudi gamble to bankrupt the US/Canadian shale gas and tar sands oil boom. Vladimir Putin’s economy is still essentially oil-based and the sudden drop of the price of oil has severely impacted Russian GDP and thus Putin’s spending money. The inextricable link between oil&gas and geopolitics is clear in the current Mideast mess and demonstrated by the maneuvers of the US and European Union vis-à-vis Russia. The outlook for 2016–2017 is somewhat bleak: Daesh is being rolled back from its Syria/Iraq stronghold into Libya, China and Japan are playing a dangerous game in the Spratlys, and Iran is torn between the interests of the “bazari” middle class aching to trade with the rest of the world and the mollah-cracy’s China-like strategy of holding on to power. My realistic optimism is that the interconnections are strong enough between the main power centers that everyone, grudgingly, is more interested in keeping trade going than starting yet more regional wars. An additional glimmer of hope just came from the Indian subcontinent with a surprise visit to Pakistan on Dec 25 by Indian PM Modi.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/780/1TYBFSHamqyL6oR6qM6sfgw.jpeg" width="780" height="438" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>#2: Technology will accelerate more in the next 5 years than in the last 10, a result of the combination of cheaper computing power, mass connectivity and mass democratization of post-industrial building blocks such as 3D printing</strong></p> <p>I was perhaps too optimistic for 2015 when I wrote, in relation to 3D printing that it was going <em>“beyond the hobbyist/proto-industrial phase”</em> and that <em>“2015–2016 will see the rise of Etsy-powered creators who will be able to serve a global community of niches with their products.” </em>Both Stratasys/Makerbot and <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/12/29/3d-systems-cube-consumer-3d-printer/">3D Systems</a> are experiencing headwinds in their deployment beyond industry, with 3D Systems discontinuing its consumer printer. The “cloudization” of computing on the other hand is accelerating as Amazon’s <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-cloud-business-is-up-78-percent-2015-10">AWS business has grown to nearly $6B/year in 2015</a>, up 78% from 2014, with nearly 30% in profit margins. There’s a real movement to the cloud on the consumer side as well with <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/apple-please-kill-the-16gb-iphone/">Apple shipping 16GB iPhones</a> that consumers use in conjunction with iCloud vs local storage. Larry Ellison’s prophecy that the “network is the computer” is becoming true via cloud-connected mobile devices. The massification of video content is fuelling rising connectivity needs, even with North American broadband networks lagging vs Europe and Asia. The convergent cable companies and telecom carriers can be counted on to feed the connectivity to “quench” the public’s thirst for fixed and mobile broadband. The public announcement in December of Google and NASA’s quantum computer — <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2015/12/10/why-googles-new-quantum-computer-could-launch-an-artificial-intelligence-arms-race/">the D-Wave 2X </a>— could be a sign of the acceleration of tech advances.</p> <p><strong>#3: Consumers will become “owners” of their interactions with the world: as the true owners of their brands and owners of their data/metadata</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/236/1jwPu7HQp2rXceLFOvYYyfQ.jpeg" width="236" height="236" loading="lazy" /> <p>I wrote last year that <em>“the numerous hacks of major platforms have heightened web users’ sense that they must take back control. My hunch is that major platforms have heard the message loud and clear and will deliver.” </em>Facebook’s latest efforts with its Internet.org initiative and a rather tone deaf op-ed by Mark Zuckerberg shows that this is still no the case, so I was a tad over-optimistic. Most major platforms rely on the fact that users will value convenience over privacy so the jury is still out on this one…</p> <p>On mass customization I wrote that it would <em>“inch towards reality with the combination of <a href="http://adage.com/article/news/3d-printing-adds-dimension-marketing/2438</em>70/">brands</a> willing to operate as tastemakers enabling power users and 3D printing.” Shoe company<em> </em>New Balance is set to <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/12/15/3d-printed-shoe-race/">announce a new 3D printed initiative at CES 2016</a>, which is good news, but it will take more brands to embrace this trend for it to take hold.</p> <p><strong>#4: Media disintermediation will boost relevance and curation, all for the benefit of the audience: readers/listeners/viewers</strong></p> <p>I’ve written and <a href="http://cllbr.com/en/post/we-cannot-read-all-the-books/482/#.Vohp5ZOAOko">spoken</a> often about how the current FOMO one feels in the digital world is of the same nature as the one felt at the dawn of the printed age when Renaissance men couldn’t say they’d read “all the books”. Media disintermediation, not the oxymoronic kind, is accelerating and we’re truly in the age of atomized content. <em>“One of the surefire ways to curate well is to go back to the roots of modern media and be a central node to cut through the noise.” </em>This still holds very true and I predict that curation will become a sought after skill for budding “journalists”. When looking back at the birth of modern media and the first “gazettes”, you find that they were indeed the “Buzzfeeds” of their age, aggregating and curating news from other sources before producing so-called original writing. The accelerated atomization in the video content/tv space, as demonstrated by almost daily launches of OTT (Over The Top) video services, calls for curation to help viewers find relevance. Apple’s Siri-zation of its latest AppleTV device announced in Sept and its proclamation that the future of tv lies in apps <a href="http://trends.cmf-fmc.ca/blog/challenging-apples-call-for-the-appification-of-tv">can be challenged</a>. Given that increased unbundling of traditional cable television means more content but not more tools to cut through the “noise”, there will surely be <a href="https://medium.com/the-mediaquake/le-cable-bundle-est-mort-vive-le-ott-bundle-b7d01b249a08#.ybvx6a5a2">a call for a digital re-bundling</a>. Amazon Prime has started the process, with <a href="http://recode.net/2015/12/08/amazon-starts-building-its-own-bundle-by-selling-showtime-starz-and-more-with-amazon-prime/">the announcement in December that it was offering Showtime and Starz as add-on options</a>. Amazon’s OTT bundle will most probably signal to other players in the video content space that 2016 be the year of smart curation.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/1sTJO_SRvulj7bJ9h_TCj6Q.png" width="1600" height="900" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>#5: Storytelling boundaries will be pushed via augmented reality, virtual reality and the digitization of the analog world</strong></p> <p>The total VC investment since 2010 in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/11/30/investment-hot-virtual-reality/">totals nearly $4B</a>. As in all major software platform rollouts there are skeptics, such as <a href="#">Kevin Rose</a> in his latest <a href="https://medium.com/@kevinrose/five-tech-predictions-for-2016-d1435d9423b4#.g6b3ftj6l">Medium post</a>. I’ve been bullish long term on VR and AR since 2014, I wrote last year that <em>“2015 will also be the year where VR will go mainstream or not, Samsung, Sony and Oculus should all three roll-out their headsets”</em>. 2015 most definitely was NOT the year all major headsets were released, save for Samsung’s Gear VR. As to the mainstream aspect, 2015 was the year where mobile VR came seemingly out of nowhere, with GearVR capturing early market share. CES 2016 will see dozens of GearVR competitors coming out, such as <a href="https://ionvr.com/">IonVR</a> and the <a href="https://avegant.com/">Avegant Glyph</a>. Google Cardboard is the other development of note for VR in 2015, its embrace by the NY Times which shipped 1M of them in November will be copied by other media companies. Montréal’s special space in the VR universe, in addition to Félix&Paul, is highlighted by <a href="https://www.vrvana.com/">VRVana</a>’s upcoming Totem headset and by Minority Media’s <a href="http://www.weareminority.com/time-machine/">Time Machine VR</a> game, which has garnered great reviews.</p> <p>2016 should therefore see the long-awaited commercial release of the Oculus Rift, as well as Playstation VR and HTC Vive. The combination of these hardware releases, the growing catalog of VR games but also of VR narrative experiences, including those by <a href="http://uploadvr.com/steven-spielberg-vr-entertainment/">Steven Spielberg</a> and <a href="http://www.roadtovr.com/ridley-scott-is-working-on-a-vr-experience-youve-got-to-youd-be-stupid-not-to/">Ridley Scott</a>, should contribute to push VR into the mainstream.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/610/1*2motIgrMewZcaMh7QrycdQ.jpeg" width="610" height="376" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>#6: All’s good as we all just might be part of a huge virtual universe</strong></p> <p>I ended my 2015 post with a reference to <em>“the “probability” that we just might be living in a giant simulation, created by super-advanced beings”</em>. It seems that this idea has kept on popping up pretty much everywhere, even on my friend <a href="#">Tony Bacigalupo</a>’s FB postings. A companion idea to the simulation theory is the <a href="http://www.space.com/31465-is-our-universe-just-one-of-many-in-a-multiverse.html">multiverse</a>.</p> <p>I’ll repeat my 2015 conclusion: <em>“until we know for sure, let’s not take ourselves too seriously and allow for dreams to flourish !”</em></p> </section>	Top 6 reasons a pragmatic pessimist (me) remains an optimistic realist for 2016–2017 Sunrise above Montréal, May 2015 At the very beginning of 2015, days before the horrific January attacks in Paris, I penned a piece on why, despite storms rising, I remained an optimistic realist for the immediate future and gave 6 reasons why. I stand by them today and will revisit each, 12 months later. There are reasons for caution and some, like umair haque, are warning of a “new fascism” rising with the National Front in France and the Trump candidacy in the US. My personal take on the macro situation is this: the 2010s are similar to the turn of the 20th century, technological accelerations and their perceived consequences are starting to durably displace the old order, which generates enough frustrations that neo-Luddites and arch-conservatives are coalescing. Let’s revisit the 6 reasons I outlined a year ago and look towards the future: #1: Recent incidents with Russia, North Korea and their economic consequences should show us that we are ONE and totally interconnected Russia has managed a tour de force in less than a year, turning itself from a quasi-pariah state due to the Ukrainian/Crimean episode into the go-to ally of the West against Daesh in Syria. The backdrop to this denouement has twin roots, the end of Pax Americana in the Mideast in favor of the Asian pivot, and the folly of the Saudi gamble to bankrupt the US/Canadian shale gas and tar sands oil boom. Vladimir Putin’s economy is still essentially oil-based and the sudden drop of the price of oil has severely impacted Russian GDP and thus Putin’s spending money. The inextricable link between oil&gas and geopolitics is clear in the current Mideast mess and demonstrated by the maneuvers of the US and European Union vis-à-vis Russia. The outlook for 2016–2017 is somewhat bleak: Daesh is being rolled back from its Syria/Iraq stronghold into Libya, China and Japan are playing a dangerous game in the Spratlys, and Iran is torn between the interests of the “bazari” middle class aching to trade with the rest of the world and the mollah-cracy’s China-like strategy of holding on to power. My realistic optimism is that the interconnections are strong enough between the main power centers that everyone, grudgingly, is more interested in keeping trade going than starting yet more regional wars. An additional glimmer of hope just came from the Indian subcontinent with a surprise visit to Pakistan on Dec 25 by Indian PM Modi. Pakistan PM Sharif and Indian PM Modi on Dec 25 in Lahore, Pakistan #2: Technology will accelerate more in the next 5 years than in the last 10, a result of the combination of cheaper computing power, mass connectivity and mass democratization of post-industrial building blocks such as 3D printing I was perhaps too optimistic for 2015 when I wrote, in relation to 3D printing that it was going “beyond the hobbyist/proto-industrial phase” and that “2015–2016 will see the rise of Etsy-powered creators who will be able to serve a global community of niches with their products.” Both Stratasys/Makerbot and 3D Systems are experiencing headwinds in their deployment beyond industry, with 3D Systems discontinuing its consumer printer. The “cloudization” of computing on the other hand is accelerating as Amazon’s AWS business has grown to nearly $6B/year in 2015, up 78% from 2014, with nearly 30% in profit margins. There’s a real movement to the cloud on the consumer side as well with Apple shipping 16GB iPhones that consumers use in conjunction with iCloud vs local storage. Larry Ellison’s prophecy that the “network is the computer” is becoming true via cloud-connected mobile devices. The massification of video content is fuelling rising connectivity needs, even with North American broadband networks lagging vs Europe and Asia. The convergent cable companies and telecom carriers can be counted on to feed the connectivity to “quench” the public’s thirst for fixed and mobile broadband. The public announcement in December of Google and NASA’s quantum computer — the D-Wave 2X — could be a sign of the acceleration of tech advances. #3: Consumers will become “owners” of their interactions with the world: as the true owners of their brands and owners of their data/metadata I wrote last year that “the numerous hacks of major platforms have heightened web users’ sense that they must take back control. My hunch is that major platforms have heard the message loud and clear and will deliver.” Facebook’s latest efforts with its Internet.org initiative and a rather tone deaf op-ed by Mark Zuckerberg shows that this is still no the case, so I was a tad over-optimistic. Most major platforms rely on the fact that users will value convenience over privacy so the jury is still out on this one… On mass customization I wrote that it would “inch towards reality with the combination of brands willing to operate as tastemakers enabling power users and 3D printing.” Shoe company New Balance is set to announce a new 3D printed initiative at CES 2016, which is good news, but it will take more brands to embrace this trend for it to take hold. #4: Media disintermediation will boost relevance and curation, all for the benefit of the audience: readers/listeners/viewers I’ve written and spoken often about how the current FOMO one feels in the digital world is of the same nature as the one felt at the dawn of the printed age when Renaissance men couldn’t say they’d read “all the books”. Media disintermediation, not the oxymoronic kind, is accelerating and we’re truly in the age of atomized content. “One of the surefire ways to curate well is to go back to the roots of modern media and be a central node to cut through the noise.” This still holds very true and I predict that curation will become a sought after skill for budding “journalists”. When looking back at the birth of modern media and the first “gazettes”, you find that they were indeed the “Buzzfeeds” of their age, aggregating and curating news from other sources before producing so-called original writing. The accelerated atomization in the video content/tv space, as demonstrated by almost daily launches of OTT (Over The Top) video services, calls for curation to help viewers find relevance. Apple’s Siri-zation of its latest AppleTV device announced in Sept and its proclamation that the future of tv lies in apps can be challenged. Given that increased unbundling of traditional cable television means more content but not more tools to cut through the “noise”, there will surely be a call for a digital re-bundling. Amazon Prime has started the process, with the announcement in December that it was offering Showtime and Starz as add-on options. Amazon’s OTT bundle will most probably signal to other players in the video content space that 2016 be the year of smart curation. #5: Storytelling boundaries will be pushed via augmented reality, virtual reality and the digitization of the analog world The total VC investment since 2010 in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality totals nearly $4B. As in all major software platform rollouts there are skeptics, such as Kevin Rose in his latest Medium post. I’ve been bullish long term on VR and AR since 2014, I wrote last year that “2015 will also be the year where VR will go mainstream or not, Samsung, Sony and Oculus should all three roll-out their headsets”. 2015 most definitely was NOT the year all major headsets were released, save for Samsung’s Gear VR. As to the mainstream aspect, 2015 was the year where mobile VR came seemingly out of nowhere, with GearVR capturing early market share. CES 2016 will see dozens of GearVR competitors coming out, such as IonVR and the Avegant Glyph. Google Cardboard is the other development of note for VR in 2015, its embrace by the NY Times which shipped 1M of them in November will be copied by other media companies. Montréal’s special space in the VR universe, in addition to Félix&Paul, is highlighted by VRVana’s upcoming Totem headset and by Minority Media’s Time Machine VR game, which has garnered great reviews. 2016 should therefore see the long-awaited commercial release of the Oculus Rift, as well as Playstation VR and HTC Vive. The combination of these hardware releases, the growing catalog of VR games but also of VR narrative experiences, including those by Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott, should contribute to push VR into the mainstream. #6: All’s good as we all just might be part of a huge virtual universe I ended my 2015 post with a reference to “the “probability” that we just might be living in a giant simulation, created by super-advanced beings”. It seems that this idea has kept on popping up pretty much everywhere, even on my friend Tony Bacigalupo’s FB postings. A companion idea to the simulation theory is the multiverse. I’ll repeat my 2015 conclusion: “until we know for sure, let’s not take ourselves too seriously and allow for dreams to flourish !”	ff0d403a-e260-533a-97aa-912d5f39d164	25/08/2025 18:01:09
https://medium.com/@jpabss98/moments-22d908e090d7	medium.com	Are you capturing the right moments?	I readjusted the lanyard that rest on my neck, without hesitation the camera lay in my right hand, my left hand clicks off the lens. I…	Jess Pabian	https://medium.com/@jpabss98	22d908e090d7	null	1 min	2017-04-12T14:16:16.096000	2017-04-12T14:19:26.148000	2017-07-03T09:52:57.441000	0	1	en	Travel,Photography,Family,Moments,Holiday	<section> <p>I readjusted the lanyard that rest on my neck, without hesitation the camera lay in my right hand, my left hand clicks off the lens. I quickly raise the camera to my eye, aim at my brother without him noticing and click. Got. The. Shot. The <strong>unexpected</strong> and candid <strong>moment</strong> in time, saved and <strong>documented</strong> on the small SD that is in fact quite large with storage.</p> <p>There has had to have been over 300 moments like this while on our recent <strong>family holiday</strong> to New Zealand and I am so thankful I <strong>created</strong> them. I sure cannot wait for the <strong>memories</strong> that will be made when reminiscing with photos and showing them to our children and grandchildren when they don’t believe us that we were once their age. When we’re too wrinkly to even somewhat resemble our young selves. The <strong>unforgettable laughter</strong> that echoed the six hour car rides alongside lakes and rivers we won’t remember the name off. The<strong> spontaneous singing</strong> we would burst out with, recalling every high school musical song we know, forcing our parents to <strong>question their three children and their sanity</strong>. This is what I love capturing, among the freezing temperatures on treks to visit glaciers, the electricity I felt after bungee jumping and my brothers asked me if it ‘was cool’? Since they were too scared to try it themselves. I remember these moments through the photos I skim through now, reminiscing on the good times and the bad, in the company of <strong>my family</strong>.</p> <p></p> </section>	Are you capturing the right moments? I readjusted the lanyard that rest on my neck, without hesitation the camera lay in my right hand, my left hand clicks off the lens. I quickly raise the camera to my eye, aim at my brother without him noticing and click. Got. The. Shot. The unexpected and candid moment in time, saved and documented on the small SD that is in fact quite large with storage. There has had to have been over 300 moments like this while on our recent family holiday to New Zealand and I am so thankful I created them. I sure cannot wait for the memories that will be made when reminiscing with photos and showing them to our children and grandchildren when they don’t believe us that we were once their age. When we’re too wrinkly to even somewhat resemble our young selves. The unforgettable laughter that echoed the six hour car rides alongside lakes and rivers we won’t remember the name off. The spontaneous singing we would burst out with, recalling every high school musical song we know, forcing our parents to question their three children and their sanity. This is what I love capturing, among the freezing temperatures on treks to visit glaciers, the electricity I felt after bungee jumping and my brothers asked me if it ‘was cool’? Since they were too scared to try it themselves. I remember these moments through the photos I skim through now, reminiscing on the good times and the bad, in the company of my family.	09819637-f213-5b12-9e8a-bd9dd97a4a8c	25/08/2025 18:01:09
https://medium.com/@x3em/ai-just-replied-to-my-vc-pitch-email-heres-what-happened-next-d50c7d1f0a3a	medium.com	🤖Ai Just Replied to My VC Pitch Email — Here’s What Happened Next!🤯	In an era where technology is not just an enabler but a revolutionizer, the venture capital industry is not far behind in experiencing…	Serge at X3EM	https://medium.com/@x3em	d50c7d1f0a3a	https://miro.medium.com/…1NWQ4Av3zbng.png	3 min	2024-05-03T16:03:22.725000	2024-05-03T16:08:46.626000	2024-11-27T11:44:53.126000	0	25	en	VC,Vc Funding,Startup,Grant,Entrepreneurship	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1792/1*4g2o5fhCaE1NWQ4Av3zbng.png" width="1792" height="1024" loading="lazy" /> <p>In an era where technology is not just an enabler but a revolutionizer, the venture capital industry is not far behind in experiencing this transformation. The intriguing encounter with what seemed to be an AI-powered VC email agent throws light on a fascinating, emerging facet of venture capital interactions. What does this mean for startups, investors, and the future of funding interactions? Let’s explore this evolving landscape of VC communications augmented by AI technology.</p> <p>The Inception of AI in VC Communications</p> <p>Imagine this: you’ve just sent an email to a potential investor with your pitch deck attached. Within moments, you receive a response. This isn’t just any response, but one that’s precise, tailored, and surprisingly quick. Too quick, perhaps, for a human. This isn’t a far-fetched scenario anymore but a budding reality in the venture capital domain.</p> <p>Venture capital, at its core, involves sifting through vast amounts of information to identify potential gold mines. It’s a domain ripe for the integration of artificial intelligence. But how exactly might AI streamline VC communications?</p> <p>1. The Training Grounds: From Past Emails to Future Engagements</p> <p>If one were to architect such an AI system, the robust path would involve an extensive analysis of historical email data. This system would learn which interactions led to successful funding outcomes and which did not. By training on nuances in communication, specific terminologies like “closing round next week” or “we have an MVP,” the AI can begin to understand the context and the urgency of the startups’ communications.</p> <p>2. Intelligent Categorization: The Art of Prioritization</p> <p>Upon understanding the content, the AI could then categorize emails into various buckets. Think of an automated system where emails are not just received but understood and prioritized. For instance:</p> <ul> <li>Immediate Action: For high-potential opportunities that require prompt attention.</li> <li>Further Review: Where more detailed examination is required.</li> <li>Monitor Progress: For promising ideas that are too nascent for immediate investment.</li> <li>Polite Pass: For proposals that don’t align with the fund’s focus.</li> </ul> <h1>It Could be Organized in Folders:</h1> <ul> <li>Top Priority</li> <li>Under Review</li> <li>Watch List</li> <li>Not a Fit</li> </ul> <p>3. Tailored Responses: Enhancing Engagement Efficiency</p> <p>The AI wouldn’t stop at just sorting. Depending on the category, it could draft tailored responses. For a ‘Top Priority’ email, the reply could be an invitation for a detailed discussion or a meeting. For those ‘Under Review’, a request for more comprehensive documentation could be automated. This level of customization in communication not only enhances efficiency but also ensures that promising opportunities are not lost in the avalanche of emails VCs receive daily.</p> <p>4. The Ethical and Personal Touch</p> <p>Integrating AI raises questions about the loss of personal touch in communications. Can a machine truly replace the keen instinct of a seasoned investor? Perhaps not entirely. The ideal scenario would be a hybrid model where AI handles initial interactions and categorizations, allowing human investors to step in once the context of the interaction escalates to a more substantial engagement. This ensures efficiency without compromising the personal engagement that is crucial in building investor-startup relationships.</p> <p>5. Future Forward: Continuous Learning and Adaptation</p> <p>The beauty of AI lies in its ability to learn and adapt continually. As it encounters more data, its predictions and efficiencies can improve, making it an invaluable tool for VCs who navigate through high volumes of proposals.</p> <h2>Conclusion</h2> <p>The integration of AI into VC communications isn’t just about handling emails; it’s about refining the entire ecosystem of venture capital interactions. As we stand on the brink of this technological shift, it’s crucial to navigate the change thoughtfully, ensuring that while we scale efficiency, we do not lose the human essence that drives genuine connections and, ultimately, successful ventures.</p> <p>— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — - — — -</p> <p><em>Serge is the CEO & Founder of X3EM (pronounced “Extreme”) Mobility Living, on a mission to help solve the housing affordability crisis by 3D printing sustainable and affordable skyscrapers. Join us at <a href="http://x3em.com/">x3em.com</a> <a href="</em>https://www.linkedin.com/in/broadcastic/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/broadcastic/</a></p> </section>	🤖Ai Just Replied to My VC Pitch Email — Here’s What Happened Next!🤯 In an era where technology is not just an enabler but a revolutionizer, the venture capital industry is not far behind in experiencing this transformation. The intriguing encounter with what seemed to be an AI-powered VC email agent throws light on a fascinating, emerging facet of venture capital interactions. What does this mean for startups, investors, and the future of funding interactions? Let’s explore this evolving landscape of VC communications augmented by AI technology. The Inception of AI in VC Communications Imagine this: you’ve just sent an email to a potential investor with your pitch deck attached. Within moments, you receive a response. This isn’t just any response, but one that’s precise, tailored, and surprisingly quick. Too quick, perhaps, for a human. This isn’t a far-fetched scenario anymore but a budding reality in the venture capital domain. Venture capital, at its core, involves sifting through vast amounts of information to identify potential gold mines. It’s a domain ripe for the integration of artificial intelligence. But how exactly might AI streamline VC communications? 1. The Training Grounds: From Past Emails to Future Engagements If one were to architect such an AI system, the robust path would involve an extensive analysis of historical email data. This system would learn which interactions led to successful funding outcomes and which did not. By training on nuances in communication, specific terminologies like “closing round next week” or “we have an MVP,” the AI can begin to understand the context and the urgency of the startups’ communications. 2. Intelligent Categorization: The Art of Prioritization Upon understanding the content, the AI could then categorize emails into various buckets. Think of an automated system where emails are not just received but understood and prioritized. For instance: Immediate Action: For high-potential opportunities that require prompt attention. Further Review: Where more detailed examination is required. Monitor Progress: For promising ideas that are too nascent for immediate investment. Polite Pass: For proposals that don’t align with the fund’s focus. It Could be Organized in Folders: Top Priority Under Review Watch List Not a Fit 3. Tailored Responses: Enhancing Engagement Efficiency The AI wouldn’t stop at just sorting. Depending on the category, it could draft tailored responses. For a ‘Top Priority’ email, the reply could be an invitation for a detailed discussion or a meeting. For those ‘Under Review’, a request for more comprehensive documentation could be automated. This level of customization in communication not only enhances efficiency but also ensures that promising opportunities are not lost in the avalanche of emails VCs receive daily. 4. The Ethical and Personal Touch Integrating AI raises questions about the loss of personal touch in communications. Can a machine truly replace the keen instinct of a seasoned investor? Perhaps not entirely. The ideal scenario would be a hybrid model where AI handles initial interactions and categorizations, allowing human investors to step in once the context of the interaction escalates to a more substantial engagement. This ensures efficiency without compromising the personal engagement that is crucial in building investor-startup relationships. 5. Future Forward: Continuous Learning and Adaptation The beauty of AI lies in its ability to learn and adapt continually. As it encounters more data, its predictions and efficiencies can improve, making it an invaluable tool for VCs who navigate through high volumes of proposals. Conclusion The integration of AI into VC communications isn’t just about handling emails; it’s about refining the entire ecosystem of venture capital interactions. As we stand on the brink of this technological shift, it’s crucial to navigate the change thoughtfully, ensuring that while we scale efficiency, we do not lose the human essence that drives genuine connections and, ultimately, successful ventures. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — - — — - Serge is the CEO & Founder of X3EM (pronounced “Extreme”) Mobility Living, on a mission to help solve the housing affordability crisis by 3D printing sustainable and affordable skyscrapers. Join us at x3em.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/broadcastic/	42b2e78a-d5c7-5b01-bc04-79e4c47ed672	25/08/2025 18:01:09
https://christianbaghai.medium.com/unmasking-sun-tzu-the-murky-origins-of-the-art-of-war-and-its-lasting-legacy-ae5cc8ea08d5	medium.com	Unmasking Sun Tzu: The Murky Origins of ‘The Art of War’ and Its Lasting Legacy	The Art of War, attributed to Sun Tzu, has become the unofficial manual for strategic thinking, not just in military contexts but in…	Christian Baghai	https://medium.com/@christianbaghai	ae5cc8ea08d5	https://miro.medium.com/…NkqrBQZ2Kq65.jpg	3 min	2023-10-11T14:22:12.347000	2023-10-11T14:31:44.708000	2023-10-12T05:57:12.132000	0	2	en	War,Strategy,Books,China	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/756/0*sBszNkqrBQZ2Kq65.jpg" width="756" height="1180" loading="lazy" /> <p>The Art of War, attributed to Sun Tzu, has become the unofficial manual for strategic thinking, not just in military contexts but in corporate boardrooms, athletic coaching sessions, and even within pop culture. Its relevance and applicability to various facets of life have made it a piece of literature that continues to be dissected and debated more than two millennia after its supposed creation. However, the question that increasingly captivates scholars is whether Sun Tzu, the supposed author, actually existed, or whether the book is an anthology of military wisdom from various schools of thought in ancient China. Is the Art of War a single masterpiece penned by a brilliant strategist, or is it a composite, evolving document that reflects a cultural understanding of war and strategy? And does the answer even matter?</p> <p>Let’s start with the dearth of concrete historical evidence about Sun Tzu. We primarily rely on texts like those from the historian Sima Qian, who lived several centuries after Sun Tzu’s purported existence. The tales of Sun Tzu, such as his dramatic gesture of training King Helu’s concubines into a disciplined military formation, fall more into the realm of folklore than verified history. The ancient allure of such stories shouldn’t distract us from the very real possibility that these accounts may have been fabricated or exaggerated to suit narrative or didactic purposes. The lack of contemporary records places Sun Tzu in the shadowy realms of myth and legend, much like Homer in the Western tradition. We’re fascinated by the figure, but we can’t even be sure he existed.</p> <p>The inconsistencies within the Art of War provide another compelling argument against single authorship. If the text were the brainchild of one military genius, would there be such divergent styles and ideas across its thirteen chapters? For instance, the text delves into the employment of spies in one chapter, discusses the importance of adaptability in another, and stresses the significance of terrain in yet another. The overlapping and sometimes contradictory advice is arguably a hallmark of multiple authorship. The anachronistic references to technologies like crossbows, which were not prevalent during Sun Tzu’s alleged lifetime, further challenge the notion of a singular, unaltered text.</p> <p>More intriguing is the potpourri of philosophical influences embedded in the text, ranging from Taoism’s ‘go with the flow’ philosophy to Legalism’s Machiavellian pragmatism. The confluence of these diverse schools of thought makes the Art of War a uniquely comprehensive compilation but also dilutes the argument for a single visionary author. Instead, it strengthens the claim that the text is a cultural mosaic, constructed over centuries, borrowing from a medley of philosophies and strategic insights.</p> <p>So, what does this all mean for the legacy of the Art of War? In my opinion, the mysterious origins of the text don’t diminish its value; they enrich it. The Art of War stands as a testament to the collective wisdom of ancient Chinese military strategy. It serves as a remarkable synthesis of the key principles that had stood the test of centuries of conflict, a living document continually updated and expanded upon to maintain its relevance. This makes it not just the vision of a single alleged genius, but the crystallized wisdom of an entire culture’s understanding of strategy and human behavior.</p> <p>In today’s world, we have a tendency to seek single heroes or pioneers — whether it’s crediting Steve Jobs for the iPhone, despite a team of engineers and designers behind him, or William Shakespeare for plays that may have involved collaborators. The Art of War challenges this narrative, asking us to appreciate the multi-layered tapestry of its wisdom rather than searching for a singular visionary.</p> <p>In conclusion, the Art of War’s indeterminate authorship doesn’t undermine its impact. Whether it’s the work of one man, several individuals, or an entire civilization, its teachings remain an invaluable guidebook for strategic thinking. It serves as a repository of ancient wisdom, a document that has been shaped and reshaped to meet the evolving needs of its readers, and that is perhaps its greatest strength. The Art of War may well be the product of many minds over many years, and that collective wisdom is what continues to speak to us today, as loudly as ever.</p> </section>	Unmasking Sun Tzu: The Murky Origins of ‘The Art of War’ and Its Lasting Legacy The Art of War, attributed to Sun Tzu, has become the unofficial manual for strategic thinking, not just in military contexts but in corporate boardrooms, athletic coaching sessions, and even within pop culture. Its relevance and applicability to various facets of life have made it a piece of literature that continues to be dissected and debated more than two millennia after its supposed creation. However, the question that increasingly captivates scholars is whether Sun Tzu, the supposed author, actually existed, or whether the book is an anthology of military wisdom from various schools of thought in ancient China. Is the Art of War a single masterpiece penned by a brilliant strategist, or is it a composite, evolving document that reflects a cultural understanding of war and strategy? And does the answer even matter? Let’s start with the dearth of concrete historical evidence about Sun Tzu. We primarily rely on texts like those from the historian Sima Qian, who lived several centuries after Sun Tzu’s purported existence. The tales of Sun Tzu, such as his dramatic gesture of training King Helu’s concubines into a disciplined military formation, fall more into the realm of folklore than verified history. The ancient allure of such stories shouldn’t distract us from the very real possibility that these accounts may have been fabricated or exaggerated to suit narrative or didactic purposes. The lack of contemporary records places Sun Tzu in the shadowy realms of myth and legend, much like Homer in the Western tradition. We’re fascinated by the figure, but we can’t even be sure he existed. The inconsistencies within the Art of War provide another compelling argument against single authorship. If the text were the brainchild of one military genius, would there be such divergent styles and ideas across its thirteen chapters? For instance, the text delves into the employment of spies in one chapter, discusses the importance of adaptability in another, and stresses the significance of terrain in yet another. The overlapping and sometimes contradictory advice is arguably a hallmark of multiple authorship. The anachronistic references to technologies like crossbows, which were not prevalent during Sun Tzu’s alleged lifetime, further challenge the notion of a singular, unaltered text. More intriguing is the potpourri of philosophical influences embedded in the text, ranging from Taoism’s ‘go with the flow’ philosophy to Legalism’s Machiavellian pragmatism. The confluence of these diverse schools of thought makes the Art of War a uniquely comprehensive compilation but also dilutes the argument for a single visionary author. Instead, it strengthens the claim that the text is a cultural mosaic, constructed over centuries, borrowing from a medley of philosophies and strategic insights. So, what does this all mean for the legacy of the Art of War? In my opinion, the mysterious origins of the text don’t diminish its value; they enrich it. The Art of War stands as a testament to the collective wisdom of ancient Chinese military strategy. It serves as a remarkable synthesis of the key principles that had stood the test of centuries of conflict, a living document continually updated and expanded upon to maintain its relevance. This makes it not just the vision of a single alleged genius, but the crystallized wisdom of an entire culture’s understanding of strategy and human behavior. In today’s world, we have a tendency to seek single heroes or pioneers — whether it’s crediting Steve Jobs for the iPhone, despite a team of engineers and designers behind him, or William Shakespeare for plays that may have involved collaborators. The Art of War challenges this narrative, asking us to appreciate the multi-layered tapestry of its wisdom rather than searching for a singular visionary. In conclusion, the Art of War’s indeterminate authorship doesn’t undermine its impact. Whether it’s the work of one man, several individuals, or an entire civilization, its teachings remain an invaluable guidebook for strategic thinking. It serves as a repository of ancient wisdom, a document that has been shaped and reshaped to meet the evolving needs of its readers, and that is perhaps its greatest strength. The Art of War may well be the product of many minds over many years, and that collective wisdom is what continues to speak to us today, as loudly as ever.	197d2dfe-f3ba-5a9b-bf9b-789bdadd124e	25/08/2025 18:01:09
https://medium.com/qiskit/how-hbcu-students-and-researchers-have-made-qiskit-even-better-7bab7aab46e	medium.com	How HBCU Students and Researchers Have Made Qiskit Even Better	The HBCU Quantum Coalition, a multi-year investment from IBM Quantum to build and develop Black talent at Historically Black Colleges and…	Qiskit	https://medium.com/@qiskit	7bab7aab46e	https://miro.medium.com/…F9_otEbSiwTg.png	3 min	2020-09-15T15:23:49.224000	2020-09-17T10:01:01.456000	2021-12-15T22:56:48.914000	0	134	en	Quantum Computing,Hbcu,Physics,Computer Science,IBM	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1410/1*SlsAES5XwfF9_otEbSiwTg.png" width="1410" height="1406" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>By Kayla Lee, Product Manager — Community Partnerships, IBM Quantum & Qiskit</em></p> <p>This week, we announced the <a href="https://www.ibm.com/blogs/research/2020/09/ibm-hbcu-quantum-center/">IBM-HBCU Quantum Center</a>, a multi-year investment from IBM Quantum to build and develop talent at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The program will provide thirteen HBCUs access to IBM quantum computers via the cloud, educational support for students learning to use the Qiskit open source software development framework, and funding for undergraduate and graduate research. As a graduate of an HBCU and a member of the IBM Quantum & Qiskit Community team, I’m excited to see these two worlds collide in a formal collaboration.</p> <p>Looking back at my time at Hampton University, a small HBCU in southeastern Virginia, critical factors to my success were undergraduate research opportunities, incredible mentors, and a supportive community. I still work closely with my mentor, a professor that recommended me for an undergraduate research program in Cambridge, MA that ultimately led to my PhD at Harvard University. As we kick-off this collaboration, I hope to create similar pathways and opportunities for other students in quantum computing.</p> <p>The Black Community <a href="https://www.aip.org/statistics/reports/african-american-participation-among-bachelors-physical-sciences">is underrepresented</a> in STEM disciplines, and this carries over to — and is <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/02/14/145462/were-in-a-diversity-crisis-black-in-ais-founder-on-whats-poisoning-the-algorithms-in-our/">sometimes</a> <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/being-black-in-silicon-valley-systemic-racial-injustice/">magnified</a> in — new tech fields like quantum computing. Given the statistics, this is an opportunity to be different and intentional about the future we are building and the kind of quantum community we create. I’m excited to work with faculty and students at HBCUs to build a strong and diverse quantum computing community. After all, representatives from HBCUs have already participated in and made important contributions to the Qiskit community, even just this past summer.</p> <p>Dr. Thomas Searles is a Martin Luther King Visiting Professor at MIT and an Associate Professor of Physics at Howard University, where he is co-teaching a course in Modern Physics where students will spend a third of the course <a href="https://qiskit.org/textbook/">learning quantum computation with Qiskit</a>. Due to COVID-19, the research in his lab group was put on hold without access to the cleanroom or laser laboratory. Once Dr. Searles realized that IBM offered real quantum hardware to program over the IBM cloud, half of his group transitioned to Qiskit-related projects and even formed new research collaborations.</p> <p>Bringing together this network of HBCUs is bigger than Dr. Searles alone, he said. He hopes to work with students to build necessary skills for graduate school, develop the quantum workforce, and build a sense of community. He commented that there was little participation of HBCUs in the recently-announced National QIS Centers, which is not representative of the diverse backgrounds contributing to the field. This center “will allow us to highlight the work of Black students and faculty and more importantly, give HBCUs the capacity to access and contribute to a more diverse, quantum-smart workforce garnering interest in students for years to come,” he said.</p> <p>Others are excited about how the professional and research opportunities that this will bring. Chan Kyaw is a graduate student at Howard University focused on modelling and experimental fabrication and characterization of electromagnetic responses and quantum phenomenon in tetrahertz photon devices. In addition to conducting research using Qiskit, Kyaw participated in the Qiskit Global Summer School. For him, the center offers the chance to work directly with IBM Researchers and learn more about careers at IBM Quantum. Though he’s a new Qiskitter, one of his main goals is to produce consistent quantum mechanical models on real quantum hardware for classical phenomena, like strong coupling and quadrupole resonances in a photonic device. In addition, he and his peers are exploring engaging ways to interact with Qiskit with decision-based quantum games.</p> <p>Still others are excited about the collaboration that can come from working with IBM. Khalil Guy is a mathematics and physics joint major at Fisk University, a small liberal arts school and HBCU in Nashville, Tennessee. Guy participated in the Qiskit Community Summer Jam earlier this year at the encouragement of his supervisor during a summer internship at Fermilab, and was excited about how the experience gave him a feel for quantum computing and the seeds of a project he can develop later.</p> <p>Guy was most excited about the prospect of connecting with faculty across universities, and to take on projects with mentorship from professors at other institutions. Perhaps the effort will springboard him into other opportunities in the quantum ecosystem — and will benefit students and researchers at HBCUs overall. “I think that this is closing a gap in HBCU access to quantum technology and research,” he said. “Bringing HBCUs into the mix only increases the innovation that can take place among the faculty and at the universities involved as quantum technologies develop.”</p> <p>For me, this is only just the beginning. IBM Quantum and the Qiskit Community team have done something extremely special by making real quantum hardware available on the cloud and providing no charge resources for anyone to get started. I’m excited to see the impact that the IBM-HBCU Quantum Center can have in nurturing the next generation of Black quantum scientists and engineers. Join the community <a href="http://qisk.it/HBCU-signup">here</a>.</p> </section>	How HBCU Students and Researchers Have Made Qiskit Even Better By Kayla Lee, Product Manager — Community Partnerships, IBM Quantum & Qiskit This week, we announced the IBM-HBCU Quantum Center, a multi-year investment from IBM Quantum to build and develop talent at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The program will provide thirteen HBCUs access to IBM quantum computers via the cloud, educational support for students learning to use the Qiskit open source software development framework, and funding for undergraduate and graduate research. As a graduate of an HBCU and a member of the IBM Quantum & Qiskit Community team, I’m excited to see these two worlds collide in a formal collaboration. Looking back at my time at Hampton University, a small HBCU in southeastern Virginia, critical factors to my success were undergraduate research opportunities, incredible mentors, and a supportive community. I still work closely with my mentor, a professor that recommended me for an undergraduate research program in Cambridge, MA that ultimately led to my PhD at Harvard University. As we kick-off this collaboration, I hope to create similar pathways and opportunities for other students in quantum computing. The Black Community is underrepresented in STEM disciplines, and this carries over to — and is sometimes magnified in — new tech fields like quantum computing. Given the statistics, this is an opportunity to be different and intentional about the future we are building and the kind of quantum community we create. I’m excited to work with faculty and students at HBCUs to build a strong and diverse quantum computing community. After all, representatives from HBCUs have already participated in and made important contributions to the Qiskit community, even just this past summer. Dr. Thomas Searles is a Martin Luther King Visiting Professor at MIT and an Associate Professor of Physics at Howard University, where he is co-teaching a course in Modern Physics where students will spend a third of the course learning quantum computation with Qiskit. Due to COVID-19, the research in his lab group was put on hold without access to the cleanroom or laser laboratory. Once Dr. Searles realized that IBM offered real quantum hardware to program over the IBM cloud, half of his group transitioned to Qiskit-related projects and even formed new research collaborations. Bringing together this network of HBCUs is bigger than Dr. Searles alone, he said. He hopes to work with students to build necessary skills for graduate school, develop the quantum workforce, and build a sense of community. He commented that there was little participation of HBCUs in the recently-announced National QIS Centers, which is not representative of the diverse backgrounds contributing to the field. This center “will allow us to highlight the work of Black students and faculty and more importantly, give HBCUs the capacity to access and contribute to a more diverse, quantum-smart workforce garnering interest in students for years to come,” he said. Others are excited about how the professional and research opportunities that this will bring. Chan Kyaw is a graduate student at Howard University focused on modelling and experimental fabrication and characterization of electromagnetic responses and quantum phenomenon in tetrahertz photon devices. In addition to conducting research using Qiskit, Kyaw participated in the Qiskit Global Summer School. For him, the center offers the chance to work directly with IBM Researchers and learn more about careers at IBM Quantum. Though he’s a new Qiskitter, one of his main goals is to produce consistent quantum mechanical models on real quantum hardware for classical phenomena, like strong coupling and quadrupole resonances in a photonic device. In addition, he and his peers are exploring engaging ways to interact with Qiskit with decision-based quantum games. Still others are excited about the collaboration that can come from working with IBM. Khalil Guy is a mathematics and physics joint major at Fisk University, a small liberal arts school and HBCU in Nashville, Tennessee. Guy participated in the Qiskit Community Summer Jam earlier this year at the encouragement of his supervisor during a summer internship at Fermilab, and was excited about how the experience gave him a feel for quantum computing and the seeds of a project he can develop later. Guy was most excited about the prospect of connecting with faculty across universities, and to take on projects with mentorship from professors at other institutions. Perhaps the effort will springboard him into other opportunities in the quantum ecosystem — and will benefit students and researchers at HBCUs overall. “I think that this is closing a gap in HBCU access to quantum technology and research,” he said. “Bringing HBCUs into the mix only increases the innovation that can take place among the faculty and at the universities involved as quantum technologies develop.” For me, this is only just the beginning. IBM Quantum and the Qiskit Community team have done something extremely special by making real quantum hardware available on the cloud and providing no charge resources for anyone to get started. I’m excited to see the impact that the IBM-HBCU Quantum Center can have in nurturing the next generation of Black quantum scientists and engineers. Join the community here.	0fd4d503-0bdd-5b36-adbb-e04701bf3994	25/08/2025 18:01:10
https://medium.com/pray-for-revival-in-america/what-we-believe-4781955967d4	medium.com	What we believe	· We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.	Cecil Christian	https://medium.com/@cecilchristian	4781955967d4	null	1 min	2017-12-12T04:26:05.929000	2017-12-12T04:26:46.899000	2017-12-12T04:26:48.425000	0	0	en	Christianity	<section> <p>· We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.</p> <p>· We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in atoning death on the cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension, and in His personal return in power and glory.</p> <p>· We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit. Who is our mediator and help us to pray according to the will of the Lord.</p> <p>· We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.</p> <p>· We believe that all men everywhere are lost and sinners and face the judgment of God, and that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and through repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ results in regeneration by the Holy Spirit.</p> <p>· We believe Lord Jesus will come again to take His people, both living and dead.</p> <p>· We believe in the spiritual unity of the Church, which is the body of Christ, made up of all the people who are regenerated through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.</p> <p>· We believe as it is written in II Chronicles 7:14 “ If we as His people humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways He will hear from heaven and will heal our land”.</p> </section>	What we believe · We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. · We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in atoning death on the cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension, and in His personal return in power and glory. · We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit. Who is our mediator and help us to pray according to the will of the Lord. · We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. · We believe that all men everywhere are lost and sinners and face the judgment of God, and that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and through repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ results in regeneration by the Holy Spirit. · We believe Lord Jesus will come again to take His people, both living and dead. · We believe in the spiritual unity of the Church, which is the body of Christ, made up of all the people who are regenerated through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. · We believe as it is written in II Chronicles 7:14 “ If we as His people humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways He will hear from heaven and will heal our land”.	bcd8de54-69b5-552f-9f42-f33f789bbe21	25/08/2025 18:01:10
https://medium.com/@flaviorump/switzerland-should-invest-more-in-alternative-proteins-d7c21bfe532c	medium.com	Switzerland Should Invest More in Alternative Proteins	The small country has ideal conditions to play a major role in the race for better alternative proteins.	Flavio Rump	https://medium.com/@flaviorump	d7c21bfe532c	https://miro.medium.com/…P5qo6_kiUcQ.jpeg	5 min	2019-05-30T15:40:37.140000	2019-05-31T12:36:07.591000	2021-12-10T06:23:21.125000	1	108	en	Food,Sustainability,Switzerland,Research,Cellular Agriculture	<section> <p><em>I am an entrepreneur and angel investor looking to replace animals from all supply chains. This post aims to show why Switzerland can play a strategic role in developing more sustainable, humane and healthy foods on a global scale.</em></p> <h1><strong>Factory farming is problematic</strong></h1> <p>Livestock production provides only <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/agricultural-land-by-global-diets">20% of global calories but consumes 80% of arable land</a>. To produce a single kilogram of beef protein, we need 100 times more land, 5 times more water and emit 60 times more greenhouse gases than would be needed to produce a kilogram of soy protein. Even switching to organic meat is not enough, because even the most environmentally friendly production pollutes our planet with <a href="https://www.nzz.ch/wissenschaft/wirklich-nachhaltige-ernaehrung-bedeutet-fleischverzicht-und-nicht-biorinder-ld.1390177">climate-damaging gases, eutrophication and soil acidification</a>.</p> <p>Scientists are saying that avoiding meat and dairy products is one of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth">best ways to reduce its harmful effects on the planet</a>.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/08Fa9UIi9BwUuqifO" width="1600" height="1129" loading="lazy" /> <p>In addition, the frequent consumption of processed meat products is <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-processed-meat-is-bad#section3">associated with health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity</a> (42% of the Swiss population is considered to be overweight). In addition, the UN recognizes the widespread improper feeding of animals with antibiotics as one of the <a href="https://www.cddep.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/science.0929PolicyForum-1.pdf">main causes of antibiotic resistance</a>. These can also be dangerous for us humans, with an estimated <a href="https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/33000-people-die-every-year-due-infections-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria">33,000 people already dying every year</a> in the EU from the consequences of antibiotic resistance.</p> <p><strong>Nevertheless, meat consumption continues to rise</strong></p> <p>Despite grim prospects, global demand for meat is growing. While the world’s population is expected to grow to 10 billion by 2050, millions of people worldwide are moving from poverty to the middle class every year and beginning to consume more meat. In China, the average person has gone from only 4 kg of meat per year in 1962 to 62 kg in 2013. As other developing countries become richer, they are also increasing their meat consumption.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/0vr6rIbSMn2XYsLfo" width="1600" height="1129" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Changing to a plant-based diet a major challenge</strong></p> <p>Many people in the West are aware of the disadvantages of meat consumption and have tried to reduce their intake. However, many consumers in surveys say that they find it very difficult to do without meat completely.</p> <p>The challenges of a sustainable and plant-based diet should be carefully examined. In particular, one in two consumers says that they are afraid of protein deficiency in a purely plant-based diet. And of those who have tried to minimize meat consumption, <a href="https://faunalytics.org/beyond-meat-looking-ahead-plant-cellular-trends/">44% say they have failed because of taste</a>.</p> <h2><strong>The time is ripe for alternative proteins</strong></h2> <p>The few companies that understand these concerns and produce tastier, protein-rich products are developing incredibly well. In the US, the market for plant-based meat products is growing at an annual rate of 23%. Wall Street and Silicon Valley see a rosy future: Beyond Meat shares <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/beyond-meat-soars-163-in-biggest-popping-us-ipo-since-2000-2019-05-02">rose 163% at their IPO</a> and Impossible Foods recently <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-impossible-foods-fundraising-exclusiv/exclusive-impossible-foods-raises-300-million-with-investors-eager-for-bite-of-meatless-burgers-idUSKCN1SJ0YK">raised another $300 million</a> to develop realistic meat substitutes.</p> <blockquote>Barclays analysts estimate that the meat alternatives market <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/23/alternative-meat-to-become-140-billion-industry-barclays-says.html">will grow to $140 billion by 2030</a>.</blockquote> <p><strong>Science and technology as value creators</strong></p> <p>In successful start-ups, technology is the decisive advantage over existing meat replacement products. In Impossible Foods, scientists discovered that a <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/the-impossible-burger/">molecule called heme plays a key role in the properties of meat</a>. Heme gives meat its red color and adds the fleshy taste that many of us regularly yearn for. Through genetic engineering, the scientists at Impossible Foods were able to make yeast produce a molecule very similar to heme in animal tissue. As it turns out, many meat eaters love the heme-spiked Impossible Burger.</p> <p>In addition to the positive development of plant-based meat, so-called “Clean Meat” has also attracted the interest of entrepreneurs and investors. Currently, there are <a href="https://golden.com/wiki/Cluster%3A_Cell-based_and_plant-based_meat">roughly 30 companies</a> around the world that use stem cells to grow meat in the laboratory.</p> <p><strong>Life science technology as an enabler</strong></p> <p>Those companies are leveraging tissue engineering technology that has been invented in regenerative medicine. However, because the cost structures are completely different, the processes and the necessary growth factors are at far too high a cost level for meat production. The biologists and engineers of the different start-ups are working in intense competition to get these processes under control and to be the first to bring their cultured meat to market.</p> <h2><strong>Switzerland could become a global player</strong></h2> <p>In other small countries, the majority of which have service and technology-based economies, investments are already being made in the future of protein production.</p> <p>In Singapore, the government recently decided to <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/beefing-up-efforts-to-grow-meat-in-labs">invest $144 million in the research of the future of food technologies</a>, including a focus on Clean Meat. In the Netherlands, the first funds were invested in this direction decades ago and a large <a href="http://greenproteinproject.eu/">Green Protein Consortium</a> has now been formed with organizations from several European companies and academic institutions. Meanwhile, Israel already hosts <a href="https://theculturetrip.com/middle-east/israel/articles/israel-and-the-clean-meat-revolution/">three of the world’s leading cellular agriculture companies</a>.</p> <p><strong>Strong Life Science and Food Expertise</strong></p> <p>In the competition for new protein sources and alternative meat products, Switzerland actually has an excellent starting position. Thanks to a strong life science sector, there is already a lot of know-how in the field of stem cell research both in industry and in the academy. And with Nestlé, Givaudan and Buehler, Switzerland has several leading global food companies.</p> <p>However, this potential is not realized at all. As a recently fully booked event on this topic at ETH Zurich shows, there are many young people who would like to make a meaningful contribution in this area. While there are cool research groups working on <a href="http://www.sfp.ethz.ch/">sustainable food processing</a>, there is still no research programs dedicated to alternative proteins, nor are there really any course offerings that train the specialists needed in the future.</p> <p>Because the development is highly complex and interdisciplinary, a national strategy could drive a massive acceleration for the sector.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5760/1*umP-ACMzES7P5qo6_kiUcQ.jpeg" width="5760" height="3840" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Government and Universities</strong></p> <p>Our universities should create professorships on “Plant-based proteins” or “Cellular agriculture”. At the level of the Swiss National Science Foundation, for example, a <a href="http://www.snf.ch/en/funding/programmes/national-centres-of-competence-in-research-nccr/Pages/default.aspx">National Centre of Competence in Research</a> (NCCR) on “Alternative Proteins” is conceivable. The Federal Council can ensure that there is a clearly defined path for the regulatory approval of Clean Meat. A meat tax must also be discussed. If the social and ecological costs of meat production are properly internalized, this would increase the pressure on more sustainable products.</p> <p><strong>Industry</strong></p> <p>In order to share as much technical know-how as possible and avoid duplication, national and international consortia for the research and development of new production processes between food manufacturers, life science companies and the academy are desirable. A public-private research laboratory, a kind of <a href="https://www.wysscenter.ch/">Wyss center</a> for alternative proteins, would be particularly forward-looking.</p> <p><strong>Made in Switzerland</strong></p> <p>Small nations have often driven technological innovation out of economic necessity and then become globally important players in certain niche markets. Switzerland has a unique opportunity to play a globally significant role in the future of healthy and sustainable food production. The cultured beef steak “Made in Switzerland” should become a bestseller. But it can only achieve this if the key players work together to develop and implement a strategy.</p> <h2>Next Steps</h2> <p>If you want to help make this happen, I’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>.</p> <p>If you want to hear about my next post, subscribe <a href="https://upscri.be/6b2320/">here</a></p> <p>Thank you for helping me review this article <a href="#">Viola Iselin</a></p> <p></p> <p><strong>Flavio Rump</strong> is an entrepreneur and self-proclaimed hippie capitalist and co-founded the DeinDeal.ch platform. Among other things, he is looking for investment opportunities in start-ups that develop alternative proteins.</p> </section>	Switzerland should Invest More in Alternative Proteins I am an entrepreneur and angel investor looking to replace animals from all supply chains. This post aims to show why Switzerland can play a strategic role in developing more sustainable, humane and healthy foods on a global scale. Factory farming is problematic Livestock production provides only 20% of global calories but consumes 80% of arable land. To produce a single kilogram of beef protein, we need 100 times more land, 5 times more water and emit 60 times more greenhouse gases than would be needed to produce a kilogram of soy protein. Even switching to organic meat is not enough, because even the most environmentally friendly production pollutes our planet with climate-damaging gases, eutrophication and soil acidification. Scientists are saying that avoiding meat and dairy products is one of the best ways to reduce its harmful effects on the planet. In addition, the frequent consumption of processed meat products is associated with health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity (42% of the Swiss population is considered to be overweight). In addition, the UN recognizes the widespread improper feeding of animals with antibiotics as one of the main causes of antibiotic resistance. These can also be dangerous for us humans, with an estimated 33,000 people already dying every year in the EU from the consequences of antibiotic resistance. Nevertheless, meat consumption continues to rise Despite grim prospects, global demand for meat is growing. While the world’s population is expected to grow to 10 billion by 2050, millions of people worldwide are moving from poverty to the middle class every year and beginning to consume more meat. In China, the average person has gone from only 4 kg of meat per year in 1962 to 62 kg in 2013. As other developing countries become richer, they are also increasing their meat consumption. Changing to a plant-based diet a major challenge Many people in the West are aware of the disadvantages of meat consumption and have tried to reduce their intake. However, many consumers in surveys say that they find it very difficult to do without meat completely. The challenges of a sustainable and plant-based diet should be carefully examined. In particular, one in two consumers says that they are afraid of protein deficiency in a purely plant-based diet. And of those who have tried to minimize meat consumption, 44% say they have failed because of taste. The time is ripe for alternative proteins The few companies that understand these concerns and produce tastier, protein-rich products are developing incredibly well. In the US, the market for plant-based meat products is growing at an annual rate of 23%. Wall Street and Silicon Valley see a rosy future: Beyond Meat shares rose 163% at their IPO and Impossible Foods recently raised another $300 million to develop realistic meat substitutes. Barclays analysts estimate that the meat alternatives market will grow to $140 billion by 2030. Science and technology as value creators In successful start-ups, technology is the decisive advantage over existing meat replacement products. In Impossible Foods, scientists discovered that a molecule called heme plays a key role in the properties of meat. Heme gives meat its red color and adds the fleshy taste that many of us regularly yearn for. Through genetic engineering, the scientists at Impossible Foods were able to make yeast produce a molecule very similar to heme in animal tissue. As it turns out, many meat eaters love the heme-spiked Impossible Burger. In addition to the positive development of plant-based meat, so-called “Clean Meat” has also attracted the interest of entrepreneurs and investors. Currently, there are roughly 30 companies around the world that use stem cells to grow meat in the laboratory. Life science technology as an enabler Those companies are leveraging tissue engineering technology that has been invented in regenerative medicine. However, because the cost structures are completely different, the processes and the necessary growth factors are at far too high a cost level for meat production. The biologists and engineers of the different start-ups are working in intense competition to get these processes under control and to be the first to bring their cultured meat to market. Switzerland could become a global player In other small countries, the majority of which have service and technology-based economies, investments are already being made in the future of protein production. In Singapore, the government recently decided to invest $144 million in the research of the future of food technologies, including a focus on Clean Meat. In the Netherlands, the first funds were invested in this direction decades ago and a large Green Protein Consortium has now been formed with organizations from several European companies and academic institutions. Meanwhile, Israel already hosts three of the world’s leading cellular agriculture companies. Strong Life Science and Food Expertise In the competition for new protein sources and alternative meat products, Switzerland actually has an excellent starting position. Thanks to a strong life science sector, there is already a lot of know-how in the field of stem cell research both in industry and in the academy. And with Nestlé, Givaudan and Buehler, Switzerland has several leading global food companies. However, this potential is not realized at all. As a recently fully booked event on this topic at ETH Zurich shows, there are many young people who would like to make a meaningful contribution in this area. While there are cool research groups working on sustainable food processing, there is still no research programs dedicated to alternative proteins, nor are there really any course offerings that train the specialists needed in the future. Because the development is highly complex and interdisciplinary, a national strategy could drive a massive acceleration for the sector. ETH Zurich, one of the world’s leading scientific institutions (Credit: ETH Zurich) Government and Universities Our universities should create professorships on “Plant-based proteins” or “Cellular agriculture”. At the level of the Swiss National Science Foundation, for example, a National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) on “Alternative Proteins” is conceivable. The Federal Council can ensure that there is a clearly defined path for the regulatory approval of Clean Meat. A meat tax must also be discussed. If the social and ecological costs of meat production are properly internalized, this would increase the pressure on more sustainable products. Industry In order to share as much technical know-how as possible and avoid duplication, national and international consortia for the research and development of new production processes between food manufacturers, life science companies and the academy are desirable. A public-private research laboratory, a kind of Wyss center for alternative proteins, would be particularly forward-looking. Made in Switzerland Small nations have often driven technological innovation out of economic necessity and then become globally important players in certain niche markets. Switzerland has a unique opportunity to play a globally significant role in the future of healthy and sustainable food production. The cultured beef steak “Made in Switzerland” should become a bestseller. But it can only achieve this if the key players work together to develop and implement a strategy. Next Steps If you want to help make this happen, I’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to [email protected]. If you want to hear about my next post, subscribe here Thank you for helping me review this article Viola Iselin Flavio Rump is an entrepreneur and self-proclaimed hippie capitalist and co-founded the DeinDeal.ch platform. Among other things, he is looking for investment opportunities in start-ups that develop alternative proteins.	6c03d489-f2e2-5934-8b29-63369266c453	25/08/2025 18:01:10
https://medium.com/@hannahmcdonald.320/the-balancing-of-significance-and-insignificance-50e946477f43	medium.com	The balancing of significance and insignificance.	Let’s consider ourselves, then something vast say, the ocean. It’s grand gestures are far more abundant in the Presence than our own…	Hannah McDonald	https://medium.com/@hannahmcdonald.320	50e946477f43	null	1 min	2017-07-16T08:24:08.159000	2017-07-16T17:31:44.278000	2017-07-16T17:31:45.044000	0	0	en	Christianity,Self,Understanding	<section> <p>Let’s consider ourselves, then something vast say, the ocean. It’s grand gestures are far more abundant in the Presence than our own lifestyles. If a body of water has all of this on us, than who are we to the Creator of the universe? We are only specks in the oceans sand, comparatively speaking. Most of our lives we need continual reminders of how insignificant we truly are, and since we cannot see God, we should see His creation for what it is. Behind every awe filled photograph, is an awe filled photographer. In the same way, behind every wonderful earthly creation lies a wonderful, and heavenly, Creator. Comprehending Gods power is not within our reach, but are we foolish to try? Seeing something simple and common can be a way to experience God, in some form of adoration. Maybe it’s rain, reminding you of His ability to summon water down from His clouds. Or the sun? How the sun in our solar systems power alone, if placed only a smidge closer, could destroy all that we know. How then is this comparative to the Lord’s power? Recognizing His capabilities, trying to know Him… each resulting in gratitude, are forms of worship. How does this show our own insignificance? Clearly, we are nothing. God loving us is more than we can know and that we will ever deserve. Sometimes the rain will remind me of my lack of significance, other times it may be the sun. One way to view yourself in another mans eyes is to understand the importance found in everything else. However we see our own insignificance in this larger scope, we must remember that we are vessels to His kingdom. Not for a moment should we forget that even our small framed lives can give a person knowledge of His gift, and if used efficiently, grants eternal joy.</p> </section>	The balancing of significance and insignificance. Let’s consider ourselves, then something vast say, the ocean. It’s grand gestures are far more abundant in the Presence than our own lifestyles. If a body of water has all of this on us, than who are we to the Creator of the universe? We are only specks in the oceans sand, comparatively speaking. Most of our lives we need continual reminders of how insignificant we truly are, and since we cannot see God, we should see His creation for what it is. Behind every awe filled photograph, is an awe filled photographer. In the same way, behind every wonderful earthly creation lies a wonderful, and heavenly, Creator. Comprehending Gods power is not within our reach, but are we foolish to try? Seeing something simple and common can be a way to experience God, in some form of adoration. Maybe it’s rain, reminding you of His ability to summon water down from His clouds. Or the sun? How the sun in our solar systems power alone, if placed only a smidge closer, could destroy all that we know. How then is this comparative to the Lord’s power? Recognizing His capabilities, trying to know Him… each resulting in gratitude, are forms of worship. How does this show our own insignificance? Clearly, we are nothing. God loving us is more than we can know and that we will ever deserve. Sometimes the rain will remind me of my lack of significance, other times it may be the sun. One way to view yourself in another mans eyes is to understand the importance found in everything else. However we see our own insignificance in this larger scope, we must remember that we are vessels to His kingdom. Not for a moment should we forget that even our small framed lives can give a person knowledge of His gift, and if used efficiently, grants eternal joy.	dd9de7ff-73f6-5a8f-9c4d-aa06cbd6c805	25/08/2025 18:01:10
https://medium.com/@iauastroedu/astroepo-shorts-sunday-14june-4749ca17a8d7	medium.com	astroEPO Shorts: Sunday, 14 June	Hello weekend! Here is some reading to catch up with:	astroEDU	https://medium.com/@iauastroedu	4749ca17a8d7	https://miro.medium.com/…20pTs6Pjyiw.jpeg	1 min	2015-06-14T16:29:39.222000	2015-06-14T16:33:21.891000	2018-01-07T09:35:54.859000	0	0	en	Astronomy,Education,Astroepo	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/800/1*NLACSTwSzUU20pTs6Pjyiw.jpeg" width="800" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <h3>Hello weekend! Here is some reading to catch up with:</h3> <p><strong>Cookie Monster makes your kid smarter <em>(storytelling is criti</strong>cal)</em> A study finds that the famous show on public TV has delivered lasting educational benefits to millions of American children — benefits as powerful as the ones children get from going to preschool. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/sesame-street-and-its-surprisingly-powerful-effects-on-how-children-learn/2015/06/07/59c73fe4-095c-11e5-9e39-0db921c47b93_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/sesame-street-and-its-surprisingly-powerful-effects-on-how-children-learn/2015/06/07/59c73fe4-095c-11e5-9e39-0db921c47b93_story.html</a></p> <p><strong>What you need to know about the New Horizons mission to Pluto <em>(in 10 infographi</strong>cs)</em> The New Horizons mission team has released some very cool infographics that illustrate the amazing journey to Pluto and the science we will do at this new frontier. <a href="http://blog.simulationcurriculum.com/articles/2015/6/5/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-horizons-mission-in-10-infographics">http://blog.simulationcurriculum.com/articles/2015/6/5/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-horizons-mission-in-10-infographics</a></p> <p><strong>Not remembering a brand logo is no big deal <em>(says new st</strong>udy)</em> A recent study found that the majority of people can’t recall the logos of brands they see every day. Find out what’s behind this so-called inattentional amnesia. <a href="http://www.inc.com/will-yakowicz/why-your-customers-cant-remember-logos-of-favorite-brands.html">http://www.inc.com/will-yakowicz/why-your-customers-cant-remember-logos-of-favorite-brands.html</a></p> <p><strong>Explaining your science <em>(tips for clear communicat</strong>ion)</em> The ability to speak or write clearly is important for delivering your message successfully. “Plain language” is a common term for communication that your audience can easily understand and use the first time they hear or read it. <a href="https://www.evernote.com/OutboundRedirect.action?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nia.nih.gov%2Fresearch%2Fblog%2F2014%2F11%2Fexplaining-your-science-tips-clear-communication">https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/blog/2014/11/explaining-your-science-tips-clear-communication</a></p> <p><strong>Suborbital porn may soon be a reality <em>(N</strong>SFW)</em> A porn company is trying to raise the funds needed to send adult movie stars with a film crew on a mission into orbit. A statement on crowdfunding site Indiegogo says the company is attempting “a one of a kind mission to defy gravity, make history and push the boundaries of intergalactic ‘Sexploration’ by filming the first ever sextape in space.” <a href="http://news.discovery.com/space/private-spaceflight/space-sex-orbital-porn-may-soon-become-a-reality-150612.htm">http://news.discovery.com/space/private-spaceflight/space-sex-orbital-porn-may-soon-become-a-reality-150612.htm</a></p> <p>###</p> <p><em>astroEPO shorts brings you cool astrocomm and astroedu content weekly…</em></p> </section>	astroEPO Shorts: Sunday, 14 June astroEPO shorts brings you cool astrocomm and astroedu content weekly… Hello weekend! Here is some reading to catch up with: Cookie Monster makes your kid smarter (storytelling is critical) A study finds that the famous show on public TV has delivered lasting educational benefits to millions of American children — benefits as powerful as the ones children get from going to preschool. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/sesame-street-and-its-surprisingly-powerful-effects-on-how-children-learn/2015/06/07/59c73fe4-095c-11e5-9e39-0db921c47b93_story.html What you need to know about the New Horizons mission to Pluto (in 10 infographics) The New Horizons mission team has released some very cool infographics that illustrate the amazing journey to Pluto and the science we will do at this new frontier. http://blog.simulationcurriculum.com/articles/2015/6/5/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-horizons-mission-in-10-infographics Not remembering a brand logo is no big deal (says new study) A recent study found that the majority of people can’t recall the logos of brands they see every day. Find out what’s behind this so-called inattentional amnesia. http://www.inc.com/will-yakowicz/why-your-customers-cant-remember-logos-of-favorite-brands.html Explaining your science (tips for clear communication) The ability to speak or write clearly is important for delivering your message successfully. “Plain language” is a common term for communication that your audience can easily understand and use the first time they hear or read it. https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/blog/2014/11/explaining-your-science-tips-clear-communication Suborbital porn may soon be a reality (NSFW) A porn company is trying to raise the funds needed to send adult movie stars with a film crew on a mission into orbit. A statement on crowdfunding site Indiegogo says the company is attempting “a one of a kind mission to defy gravity, make history and push the boundaries of intergalactic ‘Sexploration’ by filming the first ever sextape in space.” http://news.discovery.com/space/private-spaceflight/space-sex-orbital-porn-may-soon-become-a-reality-150612.htm ### astroEPO shorts brings you cool astrocomm and astroedu content weekly…	e52b9be5-c5f3-5514-8d45-4677aff9f7d3	25/08/2025 18:01:10
https://medium.com/everydaymigration/natnac-ourlimbo-53944801707d	medium.com	Imagining “Our Limbo” – A Conversation between Natalie Naccache and Eric Gottesman	Lebanese-British photographer Natalie Naccache talks to her mentor about visualizing the psychological scars of displacement.	Katja Heinemann	https://medium.com/@katjaheinemann	53944801707d	https://miro.medium.com/…AffH1DzNRaQ.jpeg	10 min	2017-02-16T13:58:39.070000	2017-02-21T14:08:45.099000	2018-05-05T09:32:52.168000	0	5	en	Photography,Syria,Collaboration,Documentary,Middle East	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1650/187WS6vOc251z53AbwLL20w.jpeg" width="1650" height="1104" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1652/1z1laA6rh3X3ziblzEPNixA.jpeg" width="1652" height="1096" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Lebanese-British photographer <strong><a href="http://</strong>www.natnacphotography.com">Natalie Naccache</a> talks to her mentor in the Arab Documentary Photography Program about visualizing the psychological scars of displacement. <strong><a href="h</strong>ttp://arabdocphotography.org/project/our-limbo">Our Limbo</a>, a parti</em>cipatory project created with a group of young Syrian women navigating friendship, belonging and loss, is currently traveling as an exhibition.</p> <p><em><strong>Natalie N</em>accache:</strong> Before this story was developed, before the idea came into my mind, I was living in Beirut as a documentary photographer. And whilst I was there, the Syrian refugee crisis started and I was receiving <a href="http://www.natnacphotography.com/syrian-refugees-in-lebanon#0">assignments from international publications</a>: going to the camps and taking photographs of refugees, where they’re living, their circumstances… Over the last five years, there’s been such a fatigue with the same narrative, and people weren’t caring as much as I thought they should have. Because everyone was shooting the same thing, it was so repetitive.</p> <blockquote>I wanted people to care again. I wanted to see what people hadn’t photographed yet. You have Syrians from loads of socioeconomic classes, from rich to poor, everything in between — but only people who were living in tents, who were living in horrible places, their stories were being told.</blockquote> <p>So I wanted to see, “Even if you had all the money in the world, can money actually buy a feeling of home?” I went around searching for Syrians who could afford rent and who were doing alright, who could stand on their feet. What I really wanted to do with this story was examine the <em>psychological</em> effects of not being able to go home. Not just living conditions, and how much people were eating a day and what they miss about home. I wanted it to be truly psychological.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1642/1JbjpVO_eCYSZD6bW3WwMTg.jpeg" width="1642" height="1094" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Natalie: </strong>I applied to the <a href="http://arabdocphotography.org">Arab Documentary Photography Program</a>, and thankfully I got accepted. There were four mentors in the ADPP, you had Randa Shaath, Tanya Habjouqa, <a href="http://www.ericgottesman.net">Eric Gottesman</a> and Peter van Agtmael. And I got assigned Eric as my mentor.</p> <blockquote>And I said “Look I’m getting really frustrated because I don’t know how to photograph what it’s like not to go back, psychologically. How do you put that in pictures? I mean, I can’t just have a bunch of women staring out of the window looking really depressed, and pictures of Syria in their living room. How am I supposed to portray this?”</blockquote> <p>I remember very, very clearly, I was sitting down skyping with Eric and we were trying to brainstorm. And thank God it was video Skype, because I had my notebook with me, I was flicking through it and he said, “Can I have a look at your notebook for a second?” I showed it to him and he was like, “Why don’t you make the story in the journal, in the notebook, and add different bits and pieces, different elements?”</p> <p>As soon as he said that, my brain exploded, I couldn’t sleep that night because I was so excited to go and buy a fresh notebook to start the story. I started piecing together what I had shot before, the interviews that I had done. How do they remember home? I started gathering different elements to tell their stories in a deeper way, like home video stills, their photographs from old photo albums...</p> <p>Even what they brought back from Syria, like the jasmines that Tala got from her garden, she put them in pieces of paper, I used that. They post pictures of their home on Instagram. People comment on their pictures. Screenshots: Diana got a [mobile phone provider] text message when she was near the border between Lebanon and Syria and it said “Welcome to Syria”. And she was explaining how heartbreaking it is that even though she’s so close, she can’t actually reach it.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1468/1Xxz3A0L9SpeY9YFJq2cyNg.jpeg" width="1468" height="1098" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Eric Gottesman:</strong> Well, I wish I had more to do with it! It really was just taking a look at what Natalie was already producing and saying, “That’s a new voice, that’s a new way of looking at this story about refugees, and a different population of refugees.” Natalie was already making the work, it was just part of her process. I think there was a moment when Natalie was feeling like, “Oh, I’m doing this thing, but it’s not the <em>photographic</em> work.” Coming from the world of photojournalism and taking assignments, what you were supposed to do for a photo project…</p> <p><strong>Natalie</strong>: Is photos!</p> <p><strong>Eric:</strong> …is photographs, and that didn’t necessarily match up with your creative process. And so when she showed it to me I said, “Well, <em>that’s</em> the project!” And I think Natalie said, “Wait, I can do that?”</p> <p><strong>Natalie:</strong> “Am I allowed to do that — can I?”</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1654/1NMlSfXy42tKE3i0guseDZA.jpeg" width="1654" height="1104" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1652/1VGagCOke9Ta2L2QCLk-xaQ.jpeg" width="1652" height="1094" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Eric:</strong> You became quite close with these women.</p> <p><strong>Natalie</strong>: I did, yeah. I’m still friends with them today, actually. Every time [the exhibit] goes somewhere — when they found out it was going to Singapore and New York and different places — they were really, really happy to have their stories out there, to show a different side, or get people to connect emotionally.</p> <p><strong>Eric: </strong>One of the things we talked a lot about is the idea of empathy and what it means when empathy can — sometimes — operate to create some sort of action on the part of the viewer. And then in other cases, empathy sort of short-circuits the political calculation that the viewer has to face. In this case, I think what Natalie’s work does is, it reshapes the viewer’s mind about what they think a refugee is, right?</p> <blockquote>It’s not about looking at one group versus another group of refugees. It’s looking at individual people and understanding that all of these potential subjects have this psychological depth, and we don’t see it because we’re blinded by our own visions of what refugees are supposed to look like.</blockquote> <p>One of the conceits of this project is that there is no <em>one kind </em>of refugee. Here are women that — through their settings, it’s very clear that they are well off, at least financially and materially. But still, there is this psychological exploration that Natalie has gone on with them, which forces you as a viewer to realize, “Oh, when I look at pictures of refugees with a sack just walking by the side of the road, there’s also that psychological depth involved with them as well.”</p> <p>It’s just that the stereotypical image prevents us from getting into that person’s head. So sometimes, even though the kind of photograph of a refugee who is in dire straits can demand a certain kind of empathy from a viewer, that sort of empathy can block us from the sort of deep, deep, deep psychological exploration that Natalie offers in her project. I mean that’s how I look at it.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1650/1BbYaQyvEsbDbiyLnXcmEkg.jpeg" width="1650" height="1094" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1650/13N1SKpL5JOjBaT0bo42_1A.jpeg" width="1650" height="1094" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1644/1u5pVZZ3MLuVrkYd5pdgmUQ.jpeg" width="1644" height="1100" loading="lazy" /> <blockquote>With this specific story I don’t think straight up reportage would have been effective. And I didn’t want to abide by any rules.</blockquote> <p><strong>Natalie:</strong> There are quite a few stories that have gone really, really deep without using different elements, they’ve only used reportage photography. But I don’t think it’s always effective for each and every story and each and every photographer. I think it depends on the story that you’re telling.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6000/14KjJqkoOnYE092K2nh9gKw.jpeg" width="6000" height="4000" loading="lazy" /> <p>The format was a plus and a negative. For exhibitions, people were telling me that they felt really immersed in it. Online would be great as well, definitely. I looked into that. Do you know it’s $90,000 to make? During the Virtual Reality <em><a href="https://www</em>.magnumfoundation.org/photography-expanded">Photography Expanded </a>symposium someone connected me with a woman who did really cool interactive websites, but as I dug deeper and they let me know what their quotes were, it was absolutely insane.</p> <p>To traditional media, I think it was slightly limiting. One online publication was really interested in it but they said, “The problem is, most of our audience view content on their phone and we don’t have zoom which zooms into the pages. Which is why we can’t publish it.”</p> <p><strong>Eric: </strong>One thing that reportage does very well is, it reaches a wide distribution of people. I think the danger is just that reportage becomes the dominant sword. Because it is so easily distributed, it sometimes blocks out any sort of more nuanced stories which ultimately are going to be, I think, deeper and probably more psychologically true in some way, if truth exists. But the idea of reportage as such a dominant way of …</p> <p><strong>Natalie: </strong>Storytelling!</p> <p><strong>Eric: </strong>…of storytelling about refugees, about migration, becomes a challenge to the kind of nuanced approaches that tell a more complex story of human beings. Which is something that Natalie was just talking about in terms of a challenge with her work: Because it doesn’t fit the formulas it’s something that is a little bit harder to get out there than it would be if she just sort of documented refugees in the way that viewers expect or demand. It forces the viewer to do some work.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/613/1QdRAHU6dYL2qHVW8iEC8eg.jpeg" width="613" height="505" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1580/1AvBwzfLBQLqF7-aLFcXaTA.jpeg" width="1580" height="1026" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Eric: </strong>There are definitely places where reportage plays a really important role. I can think of a number of different reportage projects, even just within the Arab Documentary Photography Project. There’s this interesting project, this book called <em><a href</em>="https://www.facebook.com/pg/bookeuropa/about/?ref=page_internal">Europa</a>,that Thomas Dworzak and Jessica Murray are working on with Alia Malek. I think you can call most of the pictures in that book reportage, and it can be put in the service of some useful goal.</p> <p>We’ve seen other folks come through the ADPP who come from a very different kind of visual background, and so it was interesting to see the different perspectives that people were bringing to a similar topic.</p> <p><strong>Natalie:</strong> Absolutely, it was like a creative explosion of ideas everywhere. It felt like there were fireworks of ideas and people were trying to catch each spark. That’s what it felt like and because you had people from so many different visual backgrounds, you really got to cross different borders and absorb new techniques of how to tell your story.</p> <p><strong>Eric:</strong> Certainly Omar Imam’s <a href="http://arabdocphotography.org/project/live-love-refugee">work</a> does it in a different way, by adding text and story in a much more measured way. I suppose it’s intimate as well, but it’s kind of surprising and striking. I don’t know that you end up feeling closer to the people, but you feel the weight of the experiences that they’ve gone through.</p> <p><strong>Natalie:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. Omar and I were exhibiting together in Florence, and people were in tears just reading the quotes with the photographs. They’re very heavy.</p> <p><strong>Eric: </strong>Susan Meiselas’ vision is behind all this, because she believes really strongly in providing context as a way of triangulating the kind of exoticism that reportage photography necessarily employs. The way to mitigate that and to make that okay is by adding context and in this case, with Natalie’s work, the context is extremely collaborative and comes sometimes from the girls themselves or sometimes from Natalie. It’s hard to know sometimes who’s drawing, which is great because the authorship gets blurred and so we’re getting this very rich sense of who these women are.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1652/1eDxN61TI_2ZAffH1DzNRaQ.jpeg" width="1652" height="1096" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Eric:</strong> Do you feel like the project is finished? Do you feel like you could keep going with their stories, or that you would want it to take a different form or something?</p> <p><strong>Natalie:</strong> For now, I feel it’s finished. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stop focusing on Syrian stories, but for <em>Our Limbo</em>, yeah, it is finished. The next chapter would be for it to be published into a proper book. And continue being exhibited, but as the story goes, it is finished.</p> <p><strong>Eric: </strong>But Natalie, I wanted to ask you, in light of what you just said about reportage and photography, I think the next project you went to, which wasn’t really about migration, it was a much more personal project.</p> <p><strong>Natalie:</strong> Yeah, the one of my grandmother, that was probably the most personal story I’ve ever done, and that was black and white photography and some video, snippets of video. It’s not reportage. I wouldn’t put it in a box. It wasn’t completely documentary. It wasn’t completely art photography. I didn’t bind myself with rules again.</p> <p><strong>Eric:</strong> I think it’s interesting that you’re moving in that direction.</p> <p><strong>Natalie:</strong> It’s actually quite freeing. Before the <em>Our Limbo</em> project I was sort of in a box, or I was standing behind a yellow line and I feel like I’m crossing that. My creative priorities have shifted to, instead of following the rules, just tell the story the best way you know how.</p> <p>For assignments it’s still reportage documentary work, I haven’t been assigned anything quirky or creative or anything like that. That’s usually more of my personal work, and then sometimes that will get taken somewhere else, but in terms of publication work or assignments, it hasn’t affected me because they know my work from before. So they haven’t boxed me out as, “Oh, she doesn’t know how to take portraits.”</p> <p><strong>Eric:</strong> I mean your first project about the debutantes was, well it was reportage, but it was so virtuosic in terms of your skills as a photographer. I think it’s great that you have that and you have those skills, but it feels like you’re constantly trying to challenge yourself.</p> <p><strong>Natalie: </strong>That’s what makes it exciting, otherwise we’re not learning anything new.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1650/1cYvlCf2hJJ6A6qvEVQ9W7Q.jpeg" width="1650" height="1092" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>The conversation has been slightly restructured/edited for clarity and length.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Ou</em>r Limbo </strong>was made possible with the support of Magnum Foundation, The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, and the Prince Claus Fund. So far, the project has been exhibited in New York, Amsterdam, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Florence and Dubai.</p> <p>The Arab Documentary Photography Program (ADPP) is an initiative that provides support and mentorship to photographers from across the Arab region who are working across a range of experimental styles of storytelling.</p> </section>	Imagining “Our Limbo” – A Conversation between Natalie Naccache and Eric Gottesman L: 23 year old Tala from Damascus keeps dried jasmines from her home. “This war has lost a lot of who I am, I’m not used to being so dead inside. I close my eyes and wish this wasn’t reality. That this was a movie.” R: Tala looks over a view of Beirut just after she had gotten the initials of her family tattooed on her back. 11/2014. Lebanese-British photographer Natalie Naccache talks to her mentor in the Arab Documentary Photography Program about visualizing the psychological scars of displacement. Our Limbo, a participatory project created with a group of young Syrian women navigating friendship, belonging and loss, is currently traveling as an exhibition. Natalie Naccache: Before this story was developed, before the idea came into my mind, I was living in Beirut as a documentary photographer. And whilst I was there, the Syrian refugee crisis started and I was receiving assignments from international publications: going to the camps and taking photographs of refugees, where they’re living, their circumstances… Over the last five years, there’s been such a fatigue with the same narrative, and people weren’t caring as much as I thought they should have. Because everyone was shooting the same thing, it was so repetitive. I wanted people to care again. I wanted to see what people hadn’t photographed yet. You have Syrians from loads of socioeconomic classes, from rich to poor, everything in between — but only people who were living in tents, who were living in horrible places, their stories were being told. So I wanted to see, “Even if you had all the money in the world, can money actually buy a feeling of home?” I went around searching for Syrians who could afford rent and who were doing alright, who could stand on their feet. What I really wanted to do with this story was examine the psychological effects of not being able to go home. Not just living conditions, and how much people were eating a day and what they miss about home. I wanted it to be truly psychological. “Our Limbo” focuses on the lives of five young Syrian women: “I was searching for a group of girls — or men, but it just happened to be girls. When I was looking everywhere, they were right under my nose! By chance I bumped into a girl called Sima, she was born and raised in Damascus, she went to AUB (the American University of Beirut) and she was moving to New York. She then introduced me to the rest of her friends, a very tightknit group. With the war carrying on they couldn’t go back to Damascus, they had to find different alternatives, so all of them were separated.” Natalie: I applied to the Arab Documentary Photography Program, and thankfully I got accepted. There were four mentors in the ADPP, you had Randa Shaath, Tanya Habjouqa, Eric Gottesman and Peter van Agtmael. And I got assigned Eric as my mentor. And I said “Look I’m getting really frustrated because I don’t know how to photograph what it’s like not to go back, psychologically. How do you put that in pictures? I mean, I can’t just have a bunch of women staring out of the window looking really depressed, and pictures of Syria in their living room. How am I supposed to portray this?” I remember very, very clearly, I was sitting down skyping with Eric and we were trying to brainstorm. And thank God it was video Skype, because I had my notebook with me, I was flicking through it and he said, “Can I have a look at your notebook for a second?” I showed it to him and he was like, “Why don’t you make the story in the journal, in the notebook, and add different bits and pieces, different elements?” As soon as he said that, my brain exploded, I couldn’t sleep that night because I was so excited to go and buy a fresh notebook to start the story. I started piecing together what I had shot before, the interviews that I had done. How do they remember home? I started gathering different elements to tell their stories in a deeper way, like home video stills, their photographs from old photo albums... Even what they brought back from Syria, like the jasmines that Tala got from her garden, she put them in pieces of paper, I used that. They post pictures of their home on Instagram. People comment on their pictures. Screenshots: Diana got a [mobile phone provider] text message when she was near the border between Lebanon and Syria and it said “Welcome to Syria”. And she was explaining how heartbreaking it is that even though she’s so close, she can’t actually reach it. “Because these girls are fortunate — they can afford food, they can pay rent — they didn’t feel like they had the right to ever complain about their situation, so they had suppressed emotions. I would give them a page and I would let them do whatever they wanted with it. Sometimes they would paint, sometimes draw, sometimes one of them just went crazy with her pen and started writing everything she thought. It was like an explosion of feelings straight onto the page.” Eric Gottesman: Well, I wish I had more to do with it! It really was just taking a look at what Natalie was already producing and saying, “That’s a new voice, that’s a new way of looking at this story about refugees, and a different population of refugees.” Natalie was already making the work, it was just part of her process. I think there was a moment when Natalie was feeling like, “Oh, I’m doing this thing, but it’s not the photographic work.” Coming from the world of photojournalism and taking assignments, what you were supposed to do for a photo project… Natalie: Is photos! Eric: …is photographs, and that didn’t necessarily match up with your creative process. And so when she showed it to me I said, “Well, that’s the project!” And I think Natalie said, “Wait, I can do that?” Natalie: “Am I allowed to do that — can I?” L: Nadia, 23, from Damascus in her Dubai, UAE apartment: “I’m not really here, I go to work, come back, eat, go to sleep so I don’t feel it as much.” R: A page from the collaborative journal at the center of Our Limbo, together with personal archives, interviews, videos, diary entries and photography. October 2014. Eric: You became quite close with these women. Natalie: I did, yeah. I’m still friends with them today, actually. Every time [the exhibit] goes somewhere — when they found out it was going to Singapore and New York and different places — they were really, really happy to have their stories out there, to show a different side, or get people to connect emotionally. Eric: One of the things we talked a lot about is the idea of empathy and what it means when empathy can — sometimes — operate to create some sort of action on the part of the viewer. And then in other cases, empathy sort of short-circuits the political calculation that the viewer has to face. In this case, I think what Natalie’s work does is, it reshapes the viewer’s mind about what they think a refugee is, right? It’s not about looking at one group versus another group of refugees. It’s looking at individual people and understanding that all of these potential subjects have this psychological depth, and we don’t see it because we’re blinded by our own visions of what refugees are supposed to look like. One of the conceits of this project is that there is no one kind of refugee. Here are women that — through their settings, it’s very clear that they are well off, at least financially and materially. But still, there is this psychological exploration that Natalie has gone on with them, which forces you as a viewer to realize, “Oh, when I look at pictures of refugees with a sack just walking by the side of the road, there’s also that psychological depth involved with them as well.” It’s just that the stereotypical image prevents us from getting into that person’s head. So sometimes, even though the kind of photograph of a refugee who is in dire straits can demand a certain kind of empathy from a viewer, that sort of empathy can block us from the sort of deep, deep, deep psychological exploration that Natalie offers in her project. I mean that’s how I look at it. Natalie Naccache initially produced a series of traditional reportage photography in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley on assignment. At left, a portrait of Fatimeh Abdallah, who had arrived in 12/2012: “We used to live normally until they bombed very close to our home. We left as quick as we could, we brought nothing with us. My parents used to tell us how hard it was to leave Palestine, now I really understand what they felt when I left Syria.” Asking viewers to relate to other people’s experiences is up against this most basic of human shortcomings, all too often separating even the generations within the same family. With this specific story I don’t think straight up reportage would have been effective. And I didn’t want to abide by any rules. Natalie: There are quite a few stories that have gone really, really deep without using different elements, they’ve only used reportage photography. But I don’t think it’s always effective for each and every story and each and every photographer. I think it depends on the story that you’re telling. Viewers at an exhibition of Our Limbo in Singapore. “I wanted my audience to feel like they were going through someone’s journal. For me it was really important to have the pages printed exactly the same size the journal is. So people would get really close to the pages and start reading what these girls have written and look at the pictures. As well as having iPads which play videos of their home videos and interviews with them.” 11/2016. The format was a plus and a negative. For exhibitions, people were telling me that they felt really immersed in it. Online would be great as well, definitely. I looked into that. Do you know it’s $90,000 to make? During the Virtual Reality Photography Expanded symposium someone connected me with a woman who did really cool interactive websites, but as I dug deeper and they let me know what their quotes were, it was absolutely insane. To traditional media, I think it was slightly limiting. One online publication was really interested in it but they said, “The problem is, most of our audience view content on their phone and we don’t have zoom which zooms into the pages. Which is why we can’t publish it.” Eric: One thing that reportage does very well is, it reaches a wide distribution of people. I think the danger is just that reportage becomes the dominant sword. Because it is so easily distributed, it sometimes blocks out any sort of more nuanced stories which ultimately are going to be, I think, deeper and probably more psychologically true in some way, if truth exists. But the idea of reportage as such a dominant way of … Natalie: Storytelling! Eric: …of storytelling about refugees, about migration, becomes a challenge to the kind of nuanced approaches that tell a more complex story of human beings. Which is something that Natalie was just talking about in terms of a challenge with her work: Because it doesn’t fit the formulas it’s something that is a little bit harder to get out there than it would be if she just sort of documented refugees in the way that viewers expect or demand. It forces the viewer to do some work. L: Europa, An Illustrated Introduction to Europe for Migrants and Refugees. 2016. Magnum Group/Magnum Photos. R: Omar Imam’s Live, Love, Refugee was developed at the ADPP alongside Natalie Nacchache’s Our Limbo. Eric: There are definitely places where reportage plays a really important role. I can think of a number of different reportage projects, even just within the Arab Documentary Photography Project. There’s this interesting project, this book called Europa,that Thomas Dworzak and Jessica Murray are working on with Alia Malek. I think you can call most of the pictures in that book reportage, and it can be put in the service of some useful goal. We’ve seen other folks come through the ADPP who come from a very different kind of visual background, and so it was interesting to see the different perspectives that people were bringing to a similar topic. Natalie: Absolutely, it was like a creative explosion of ideas everywhere. It felt like there were fireworks of ideas and people were trying to catch each spark. That’s what it felt like and because you had people from so many different visual backgrounds, you really got to cross different borders and absorb new techniques of how to tell your story. Eric: Certainly Omar Imam’s work does it in a different way, by adding text and story in a much more measured way. I suppose it’s intimate as well, but it’s kind of surprising and striking. I don’t know that you end up feeling closer to the people, but you feel the weight of the experiences that they’ve gone through. Natalie: Yeah, absolutely. Omar and I were exhibiting together in Florence, and people were in tears just reading the quotes with the photographs. They’re very heavy. Eric: Susan Meiselas’ vision is behind all this, because she believes really strongly in providing context as a way of triangulating the kind of exoticism that reportage photography necessarily employs. The way to mitigate that and to make that okay is by adding context and in this case, with Natalie’s work, the context is extremely collaborative and comes sometimes from the girls themselves or sometimes from Natalie. It’s hard to know sometimes who’s drawing, which is great because the authorship gets blurred and so we’re getting this very rich sense of who these women are. A page in the collaborative “Our Limbo” journal shows photographs of Diana, age 24, and Diana’s necklace, which is a map of Syria that she never removes. January 2015. Eric: Do you feel like the project is finished? Do you feel like you could keep going with their stories, or that you would want it to take a different form or something? Natalie: For now, I feel it’s finished. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stop focusing on Syrian stories, but for Our Limbo, yeah, it is finished. The next chapter would be for it to be published into a proper book. And continue being exhibited, but as the story goes, it is finished. Eric: But Natalie, I wanted to ask you, in light of what you just said about reportage and photography, I think the next project you went to, which wasn’t really about migration, it was a much more personal project. Natalie: Yeah, the one of my grandmother, that was probably the most personal story I’ve ever done, and that was black and white photography and some video, snippets of video. It’s not reportage. I wouldn’t put it in a box. It wasn’t completely documentary. It wasn’t completely art photography. I didn’t bind myself with rules again. Eric: I think it’s interesting that you’re moving in that direction. Natalie: It’s actually quite freeing. Before the Our Limbo project I was sort of in a box, or I was standing behind a yellow line and I feel like I’m crossing that. My creative priorities have shifted to, instead of following the rules, just tell the story the best way you know how. For assignments it’s still reportage documentary work, I haven’t been assigned anything quirky or creative or anything like that. That’s usually more of my personal work, and then sometimes that will get taken somewhere else, but in terms of publication work or assignments, it hasn’t affected me because they know my work from before. So they haven’t boxed me out as, “Oh, she doesn’t know how to take portraits.” Eric: I mean your first project about the debutantes was, well it was reportage, but it was so virtuosic in terms of your skills as a photographer. I think it’s great that you have that and you have those skills, but it feels like you’re constantly trying to challenge yourself. Natalie: That’s what makes it exciting, otherwise we’re not learning anything new. DOHA, QATAR. A pink coloured pigeon flies over buildings. February 2014. The conversation has been slightly restructured/edited for clarity and length. Our Limbo was made possible with the support of Magnum Foundation, The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, and the Prince Claus Fund. So far, the project has been exhibited in New York, Amsterdam, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Florence and Dubai. The Arab Documentary Photography Program (ADPP) is an initiative that provides support and mentorship to photographers from across the Arab region who are working across a range of experimental styles of storytelling.	c6b8b346-7f74-5f05-b8c4-aacb61af7ba7	25/08/2025 18:01:11
https://geoff-holsclaw.medium.com/the-1-thing-in-our-struggle-with-sin-we-often-forget-ef4f9bc5b638	medium.com	The 1 Thing in our Struggle with Sin we Often Forget	The struggle with sin is so hard to handle because sin is so slippery. And we constantly feel like someone is pointing out all our faults.	Geoff Holsclaw	https://medium.com/@geoff-holsclaw	ef4f9bc5b638	https://miro.medium.com/…rryDebbZU5g.jpeg	5 min	2018-01-04T14:16:46.653000	2018-01-04T14:24:10.977000	2018-05-09T09:49:46.841000	0	3	en	Christianity,Jesus,Spirituality,God,Faith	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/7952/1SSpHzY2WJnPrryDebbZU5g.jpeg" width="7952" height="5304" loading="lazy" /> <p>The struggle with sin is so hard to handle because sin is so slippery. And we constantly feel like someone is pointing out all our faults.</p> <p>Like a wet dog jumping out of the tub, sin constantly runs all over the place. Like a hot pan that burns us, sin just jumps away from us even as it stings us.</p> <p>We can never quite get our hands — or our brains — around sin. And we can never actually handle it like we would want to.</p> <p>We often think of sin as if it were only a temptations that we should resist, or a behavior to stop. If I stop the action then I’ll be handling sin properly. And if I handle it properly then I won’t <em><strong>feel</em> guilty </strong>or have to <em><strong>fear pun</em>ishment.</strong></p> <p>But there is more to sin than that.</p> <p>One very important thing we often forget.</p> <h1><strong>STUCK IN PRIDE</strong></h1> <p>Early one morning in college, about 6am — which is really early for a college student — I was woken up.</p> <p>I didn’t wake up. I was woken up.</p> <p>I felt like God woke me up. I guess we needed to talk.</p> <p>All of sudden, parading through my mind, were all the interactions and conversation I had with other people. And the one thing I noticed was how often I would subtly bring the conversation around to little accomplishments I had made, little success I’d had, or some other small way of fishing for a compliment. I was obsessed with ferreting out positive feedback for myself, manipulating conversations to get a kind word out of people. It was gross.</p> <p>God was showing me all the little ticks and mannerisms I used in relationships to feel better about myself. God was showing me that I was both extremely arrogant and incredibly insecure — at the same time.</p> <p>God was being brutally honest with the sin of pride and insecurity in my life. A piece of sin I hadn’t even known was there!</p> <p>It was devastating. I was ruined before God.</p> <h2><strong>MORE THAN SURFACE BEHAVIORS</strong></h2> <p>The sin ran deep in me. And I didn’t even know it and I certainly didn’t know how to handle it.</p> <p>And that’s when I realized there is more to sin than just surface behaviors. The problem ran deeper than that.</p> <p>You could say the one thing I forgot about sin is that sin has a three-fold nature.</p> <h2><strong>BLAMES, BREAKS, BINDS</strong></h2> <p>Sin works on three interrelated levels.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1196/1g0AC_5vyHd2P5hNgMYgVTQ.png" width="1196" height="1280" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Blames us: </strong>Sin as a behavior — when we do something wrong, when we hurt a relationship, or treat even ourselves wrong — makes us feel guilty and makes us feel shame. We feel bad for what we have done, or at least we feel like we should feel bad. Sin makes a <strong>blameworthy </strong>because of our behavior, and because of that we fear some sort of <strong>penalty.</strong></p> <ul> <li>So, sin <strong>Blames us → Penalty</strong></li> </ul> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/7952/1SSpHzY2WJnPrryDebbZU5g.jpeg" width="7952" height="5304" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Breaks us</strong>: But sin is more than just our behavior. It is also a result we live in. Sin “breaks us” so that we can’t be what we were made to be.</p> <p>Humans were made in the image of God and given a purpose to bless and flourish the world. But sin breaks the image of God in us.</p> <p>We can no longer fulfill our purpose in life. Instead we often wander around feeling like our actions are futile and purposeless. This is the result of sin that we live in.</p> <p>My pride and my insecurity were circling in and around this blackhole of futility. I was trying to find significance and meaning in all my petty accomplishments. I was trying to fill in the void of purpose because sin had robbed me of the security of finding purpose and meaning as God’s image.</p> <ul> <li>So, sin <strong>Breaks us → Purposeless</strong></li> </ul> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/1ubbHiTRMCice_SfRs4cU6A.jpeg" width="1280" height="853" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Binds us:</strong> Lastly, beyond the behavior and beyond the aimless drifting, sin is also a power that binds us. It is almost as if sin is a power that is outside of us that compels us to behaviors we regret. Sin can feel like an external compulsion pushing and pulling us around.</p> <p>And in many ways it is. For Christians, sin is a power that has taken us captive. We are its prisoners. And we need to be liberated from it.</p> <p>The pride and insecurity that God was showing me was a prison I lived in. And the problem was that I didn’t even know. I was an inmate and didn’t even know it.</p> <ul> <li>So, sin <strong>Binds us → Powerless</strong></li> </ul> <p><strong>HOW DO WE HANDLE THE STRUGGLE WITH SIN?</strong></p> <p>Because sin has this three-fold nature (<em><stron</em>g>blames</strong> us, <em><stron</em>g>breaks</strong> us, and <em><stro</em>ng>binds</strong> us), or because it works on these three levels, we need help handling it on all three levels.</p> <p>As Christians we believe that:</p> <p>- Jesus <em><strong></em>forgives</strong> the penalty so that sin can no longer blame us.</p> <p>- Jesus <em><stro</em>ng>fixes</strong> us — as the true image of God in human form — to our true humanity so that we are no longer broken by sin.</p> <p>- Jesus <em><stro</em>ng>frees</strong> us — by taken away our penalty and by restoring our humanity — from the binding power of sin so that we can be free.</p> <p><strong>STUCK ON ONE LEVEL</strong></p> <p>Often, in our struggle against sin, we just focus on the first level — the level of behavior, guilty, shame, and punishment. Maybe we ask for Jesus to forgive our sin and thank him for taking our penalty.</p> <p>But then the process starts all over again (frowny face).</p> <p>In our struggle with sin we need to go deeper. And we can because Jesus has gone deeper, fixing our broken image and freeing us from bondage to sin.</p> <p>So in our struggle with sin, let’s turn to Jesus who:</p> <ul> <li>Forgives → those who are Blameworthy</li> <li>Fixes → those who are Broken</li> <li>Frees → those who are Bound</li> </ul> <p>Ever wondered, <em><strong><a href="http://geoffreyholsclaw.net/god</em>-even-li</strong>ke/">“I know God love me, but does God even like me?”</a> If so then I would love to send you something free — <a href="http://geoffreyholsclaw.net/god-even-like/">a short ebook</a>.</p> </section>	The 1 Thing in our Struggle with Sin we Often Forget The struggle with sin is so hard to handle because sin is so slippery. And we constantly feel like someone is pointing out all our faults. Like a wet dog jumping out of the tub, sin constantly runs all over the place. Like a hot pan that burns us, sin just jumps away from us even as it stings us. We can never quite get our hands — or our brains — around sin. And we can never actually handle it like we would want to. We often think of sin as if it were only a temptations that we should resist, or a behavior to stop. If I stop the action then I’ll be handling sin properly. And if I handle it properly then I won’t feel guilty or have to fear punishment. But there is more to sin than that. One very important thing we often forget. STUCK IN PRIDE Early one morning in college, about 6am — which is really early for a college student — I was woken up. I didn’t wake up. I was woken up. I felt like God woke me up. I guess we needed to talk. All of sudden, parading through my mind, were all the interactions and conversation I had with other people. And the one thing I noticed was how often I would subtly bring the conversation around to little accomplishments I had made, little success I’d had, or some other small way of fishing for a compliment. I was obsessed with ferreting out positive feedback for myself, manipulating conversations to get a kind word out of people. It was gross. God was showing me all the little ticks and mannerisms I used in relationships to feel better about myself. God was showing me that I was both extremely arrogant and incredibly insecure — at the same time. God was being brutally honest with the sin of pride and insecurity in my life. A piece of sin I hadn’t even known was there! It was devastating. I was ruined before God. MORE THAN SURFACE BEHAVIORS The sin ran deep in me. And I didn’t even know it and I certainly didn’t know how to handle it. And that’s when I realized there is more to sin than just surface behaviors. The problem ran deeper than that. You could say the one thing I forgot about sin is that sin has a three-fold nature. BLAMES, BREAKS, BINDS Sin works on three interrelated levels. Blames us: Sin as a behavior — when we do something wrong, when we hurt a relationship, or treat even ourselves wrong — makes us feel guilty and makes us feel shame. We feel bad for what we have done, or at least we feel like we should feel bad. Sin makes a blameworthy because of our behavior, and because of that we fear some sort of penalty. So, sin Blames us → Penalty Breaks us: But sin is more than just our behavior. It is also a result we live in. Sin “breaks us” so that we can’t be what we were made to be. Humans were made in the image of God and given a purpose to bless and flourish the world. But sin breaks the image of God in us. We can no longer fulfill our purpose in life. Instead we often wander around feeling like our actions are futile and purposeless. This is the result of sin that we live in. My pride and my insecurity were circling in and around this blackhole of futility. I was trying to find significance and meaning in all my petty accomplishments. I was trying to fill in the void of purpose because sin had robbed me of the security of finding purpose and meaning as God’s image. So, sin Breaks us → Purposeless Binds us: Lastly, beyond the behavior and beyond the aimless drifting, sin is also a power that binds us. It is almost as if sin is a power that is outside of us that compels us to behaviors we regret. Sin can feel like an external compulsion pushing and pulling us around. And in many ways it is. For Christians, sin is a power that has taken us captive. We are its prisoners. And we need to be liberated from it. The pride and insecurity that God was showing me was a prison I lived in. And the problem was that I didn’t even know. I was an inmate and didn’t even know it. So, sin Binds us → Powerless HOW DO WE HANDLE THE STRUGGLE WITH SIN? Because sin has this three-fold nature (blames us, breaks us, and binds us), or because it works on these three levels, we need help handling it on all three levels. As Christians we believe that: - Jesus forgives the penalty so that sin can no longer blame us. - Jesus fixes us — as the true image of God in human form — to our true humanity so that we are no longer broken by sin. - Jesus frees us — by taken away our penalty and by restoring our humanity — from the binding power of sin so that we can be free. STUCK ON ONE LEVEL Often, in our struggle against sin, we just focus on the first level — the level of behavior, guilty, shame, and punishment. Maybe we ask for Jesus to forgive our sin and thank him for taking our penalty. But then the process starts all over again (frowny face). In our struggle with sin we need to go deeper. And we can because Jesus has gone deeper, fixing our broken image and freeing us from bondage to sin. So in our struggle with sin, let’s turn to Jesus who: Forgives → those who are Blameworthy Fixes → those who are Broken Frees → those who are Bound Ever wondered, “I know God love me, but does God even like me?” If so then I would love to send you something free — a short ebook.	de1644b7-adc0-52cb-85d1-6b397c02d898	25/08/2025 18:01:11
https://medium.com/@janprahari/was-the-suspension-of-tej-bahadur-correct-9bfe1c68be11	medium.com	Was the suspension of Tej Bahadur correct?	I dont thinks that the suspension of Tej Bahadur Yadav is correct:	Jan Prahari Express	https://medium.com/@janprahari	9bfe1c68be11	null	1 min	2017-05-18T07:30:57.515000	2017-05-18T07:31:40.947000	2017-05-18T07:31:41.911000	0	0	en	Food	<section> <p>I dont thinks that the suspension of Tej Bahadur Yadav is correct:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Firstly in CAPFs the quality of </strong>food is not good but it happens first time that someone has published it in social media,</li> <li>The major posts in forces like BSF,CRPF,ITBP are filled by IPS through UPSC So, they dont have much emotions with soldiers except few like former DG of CRPFshri Durga Prasad who supports Jeet Singh who also submitted a video for demands of CAPFs,</li> <li>By the viral video the image of BSF was diminishing and after <strong>the incident who can proof that the quality of food was bad and due to fear of job other BSF jawans also become silent,</strong></li> <li>So,they court martial him so that noone in future can submit a video in public platform,</li> </ul> <p>“ I strongly condemned this incident BSF in place of giving good food quality suspended him after 20 years of service without nothing”</p> </section>	Was the suspension of Tej Bahadur correct? I dont thinks that the suspension of Tej Bahadur Yadav is correct: Firstly in CAPFs the quality of food is not good but it happens first time that someone has published it in social media, The major posts in forces like BSF,CRPF,ITBP are filled by IPS through UPSC So, they dont have much emotions with soldiers except few like former DG of CRPFshri Durga Prasad who supports Jeet Singh who also submitted a video for demands of CAPFs, By the viral video the image of BSF was diminishing and after the incident who can proof that the quality of food was bad and due to fear of job other BSF jawans also become silent, So,they court martial him so that noone in future can submit a video in public platform, “ I strongly condemned this incident BSF in place of giving good food quality suspended him after 20 years of service without nothing”	8702e333-5cec-516b-9488-371f699fe114	25/08/2025 18:01:12
https://medium.com/robthemanager/mintzbergs-10-managerial-roles-a3dbbc58bdba	medium.com	Mintzberg’s 10 managerial roles	This post continues the discussion of the work by professor Henry Mintzberg, a leading management thinker (e.g., he believes “management…	Rob Cahill	https://medium.com/@rob_cahill	a3dbbc58bdba	https://miro.medium.com/…4BPOhlRL_Cw.jpeg	1 min	2017-03-20T00:39:30.334000	2017-03-20T17:06:34.208000	2018-04-23T18:22:05.133000	0	3	en	Management,Leadership,Leadership Development,Management And Leadership,Manager	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5014/1*d3RHHg6-ST84BPOhlRL_Cw.jpeg" width="5014" height="2464" loading="lazy" /> <p>This post continues the discussion of the work by professor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Mintzberg">Henry Mintzberg</a>, a leading management thinker (e.g., he believes “<a href="https://medium.com/@rob_cahill/mintzberg-management-effectiveness-can-only-be-judged-in-context-af293ef00d1a">management effectiveness can only be judged in context</a>”).</p> <p>In his 1989 book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mintzberg-Management-Henry/dp/1416573194">Mintzberg on Management: Inside our Strange World of Organizations</a>, he argues that managerial work falls into one of 10 typical roles. These 10 roles are listed below. Note that a manager typically plays more than one role at once (for better or worse, I have found myself playing all 10).</p> <h3><strong>Interpersonal roles:</strong></h3> <p>1. Figurehead</p> <p>2. Leader</p> <p>3. Liaison</p> <h3><strong>Informational roles:</strong></h3> <p>4. Monitor</p> <p>5. Disseminator</p> <p>6. Spokesman</p> <h3><strong>Decision roles:</strong></h3> <p>7. Entrepreneur</p> <p>8. Disturbance handler</p> <p>9. Resource allocator</p> <p>10. Negotiator</p> <p>Which role(s) do you play today? Which should you do more of? Less of? How can these roles inform your company’s management development programs?</p> <p>Other posts on Prof. Henry Mintzberg’s work:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://medium.com/@rob_cahill/mintzberg-15-self-study-questions-for-managers-to-reflect-on-their-effectiveness-8f8d8206821c">15 self-study questions for managers to reflect on</a></li> <li><a href="https://medium.com/@rob_cahill/mintzberg-how-to-develop-managers-effectively-c45841a176ec#.utdzpw14j">How to develop managers effectively</a></li> <li><a href="https://medium.com/@rob_cahill/mintzberg-judge-dont-just-measure-the-effectiveness-of-manager-development-programs-43ecee9b4fcc">Judge (don’t measure) the effectiveness of manager development programs</a></li> <li><a href="https://medium.com/@rob_cahill/mintzberg-management-effectiveness-can-only-be-judged-in-context-af293ef00d1a#.i4tumcqtr">Management effectiveness can only be judged in context</a></li> </ul> <p><em>Want to develop great managers at your company? Learn about Jhana and request a demo at <a href="http:</em>//www.jhana.com.">www.jhana.com</a>.</p> </section>	Mintzberg’s 10 managerial roles This post continues the discussion of the work by professor Henry Mintzberg, a leading management thinker (e.g., he believes “management effectiveness can only be judged in context”). In his 1989 book, Mintzberg on Management: Inside our Strange World of Organizations, he argues that managerial work falls into one of 10 typical roles. These 10 roles are listed below. Note that a manager typically plays more than one role at once (for better or worse, I have found myself playing all 10). Interpersonal roles: 1. Figurehead 2. Leader 3. Liaison Informational roles: 4. Monitor 5. Disseminator 6. Spokesman Decision roles: 7. Entrepreneur 8. Disturbance handler 9. Resource allocator 10. Negotiator Which role(s) do you play today? Which should you do more of? Less of? How can these roles inform your company’s management development programs? Other posts on Prof. Henry Mintzberg’s work: 15 self-study questions for managers to reflect on How to develop managers effectively Judge (don’t measure) the effectiveness of manager development programs Management effectiveness can only be judged in context Want to develop great managers at your company? Learn about Jhana and request a demo at www.jhana.com.	8cf5edf1-9b92-5b02-9eb3-3535d1bdf963	25/08/2025 18:01:12
https://forsteveb.medium.com/were-all-in-the-same-boat-f19947295623	medium.com	We’re All In the Same Boat	“We’re all in the same boat.” It’s one of those adages that gets “floated” out there from time to time (sorry about the pun). It’s usually…	DATELINE:	https://medium.com/@forsteveb	f19947295623	null	7 min	2020-05-18T18:22:23.641000	2020-05-21T18:59:44.147000	2021-12-14T14:42:21.540000	0	0	en	Christianity,Prison	<section> <p>“We’re all in the same boat.” It’s one of those adages that gets “floated” out there from time to time (sorry about the pun). It’s usually an acknowlegment of some foreboding circumstance that is about to befall the collective known as “us.” We all face a common problem.</p> <p>[“Holy crap! We’ve lost the oars and I think I hear a waterfall!”]</p> <p>Or perhaps we all share in some sort of group misery.</p> <p>[“Oooohhh…that really hurt! Next time can someone remember to bring some extra oars and plenty of bandages!]</p> <p>Sometime the statement, “We’re all in the same boat” can be quite literal in that, we are all actually in a boat together.</p> <p>[“Ahoy mateys, why be you scrubbin yon decks? Hoist the sails and damn the torpedos! Full speed ahead!”]</p> <p>It is with that rather asinine backdrop that I would like to introduce you to “The Sultana.”</p> <p>The Sultana was a 260 foot steam powered utility paddle boat constructed in 1863. It was built for the sole purpose of moving commercial traffic up and down the Mississippi River. It’s captain was a man named J. Cass Mason.</p> <p>On April 23, 1865, the Sultana was docked in Vicksburg, Mississippi for some needed boiler repairs. While in port, Captain Mason was contacted by the United States Government to haul a large group of passengers north towards St. Louis. This left Captain Mason seeing dollar signs. Mason didn’t want to risk the loss of a lucrative contract due to his boat being out of commission for an extensive amount of time, so, Mason opted to have to have the much needed boiler repairs Jerry-rigged instead of doing a complete overhaul as needed.</p> <p>George Williams was the government’s “passenger representative.” He and Captain Mason worked together to get more than two thousand people on the Sultana…a boat that was only made to hold less than four hundred passengers. The boat captain didn’t care, the U.S. Government didn’t care, and, as you will see in a few moments, society in general wouldn’t care too much either.</p> <p>As the boat traveled northward, against the current, the overworked, under-repaired boiler gave way and exploded. Violently.</p> <p>The people that were not killed by the initial explosion were consumed when the wooden boat quickly became an uncontrollable floating inferno.</p> <p>The deadliest maritime disaster in United States history didn’t happen aboard a famous ocean liner on the high seas…it happened to a steamboat on the Mississippi River outside of Memphis on April 27, 1865.</p> <p>Forty-seven years in the future the sinking of the Titanic would occur. Its death toll still would not come near the number of people claimed by the Sultana disaster.</p> <p>The Titanic lives on in our national folklore and it has become romanticized in American culture, but the Sultana and its eighteen hundred plus souls that perished with her that day have been, largely, forgotten by history.</p> <p>There’s a reason for that.</p> <p>As someone who ended up in prison I can relate to people who have been forgotten about. When I got to prison I immediately re-encountered a rather unpleasant group of people that I MYSELF had been able to forget about long ago. It was a collection of standard issue nemeses I had left behind in high school: the dumb jock, the obese bully, the tough-guy-wanna-be, the brat, the brown-noser, the unmotivated slacker, and my personal favorite…the know-it-all.</p> <p>In the years since graduation, I had been successful in removing these people from my life. I thought I would never have to deal with them again, but now…they’re back. Unfortunately, they hadn’t changed too much since “leaving” high school (notice I did not say “graduated” high school). Now, as adults (technically) they were still unmotivated and didn’t seem to know how to do anything even remotely productive for society. In the off chance they did possess some kind of hidden ability, they weren’t going to use it. Popular mantras with this group include:</p> <p>“I ain’t doin’ nothin.’”</p> <p>“That’s somebody else’s job.”</p> <p>And the ever popular,</p> <p>“Do I look like somebody who gives a damn?”</p> <p>If you ask me, my own personal hell is being locked up “in the same boat” with this lot of slack-jawed losers who have been relegated to the bottom layer of society.</p> <p>For me, the period of time leading up to my incarceration was a time of realization (to put it mildly). It quickly became apparent that God was calling me back to his fold. He wanted me to turn my life back over to the “care and custody” of Jesus Christ. In that decision (and subsequent action) I was able to begin to live a new life in the “joy-of-forgiveness” instead of being mired in the “guilt-of-selfishness” (2 Cor 5:17). With the forgiveness of Christ I was able to escape the bondage of sin that had tied me up for so long (Heb 12:1).</p> <p>In an ironic backwards way, I was able to find a degree of freedom on the “wrong” side of the prison fences (PS 146:7c).</p> <p>Depending on who you ask, society has locked me up to either punish me or to rehabilitate me. If you are in the camp that believes the goal of the criminal justice system is to punish instead of rehabilitate…then rest assured…your tax dollars are being WELL spent.</p> <p>First, I was indicted by a prosecutor. He did not seem to see his job as “necessary-part of-maintaining-order-in-a-civil-society.” Instead, I’m pretty sure he saw his job as “fun.” Then I was judged….by, well, a “judge”…and not favorably, I might add. After that I was “tagged-and-bagged” and ushered away for commitment. From then on I would be in the “care and custody” of a government agency full of “trained professionals” who operated under a misguided notion that they knew how to “rehabilitate” [eye roll].</p> <p>Thus begins my own personal journey on the road to “correctioning” (correctioning stolen from James “Chris” Crank). But first I have to wait two hours for “special agent” Jones to finish his lunch.</p> <p>Me: “Excuse me, sir.”</p> <p>Jones: “What do you want!”</p> <p>Me: “I’d like to add some family to my visiting list.”</p> <p>Jones: “Why would anyone want to come and visit you?”</p> <p>Me: “Heh, heh, uh….yeah…well, they probably don’t, but seeing as how I’m related to them, they probably just feel obligated to come.”</p> <p>Jones: “Oh yeah?”</p> <p>Me: “Sooooo….can you get this paperwork processed for me?”</p> <p>Jones: “I don’t know, can I?”</p> <p>Me: “Well, my friends tell me this is the procedure.”</p> <p>Jones: “They did, huh? Well, did your “friends” inform you that this form has to be filled out in triplicate…then signed by a manager in the department of bureaucracy…after that you need to have it notarized by the secretary of paperwork?”</p> <p>Me: “Uh…well…no…they didn’t tell me that.”</p> <p>Jones: “Of course your friends didn’t tell you that because you don’t have any “friends” here. Now run along and do as I say then bring this back to me tomorrow.”</p> <p>Me: “Isn’t tomorrow your day off?”</p> <p>Jones: “What’s your point?”</p> <p>The real reason that I don’t know the “correct procedure” is because the “correct procedure” changes every six minutes. It’s dependent on: who’s working, what their mood is, and blind chance. Written staff policy, spoken staff words and actual staff behavior are three VERY different things.</p> <p>Prison staffers who ask questions like, “Who would want to come and see you?”…then spin you until you’re dizzy, work for the same organization which boldly believes, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.” The same government that didn’t care about the would-be victims of the Sultana is now the same government that doesn’t care about me.</p> <p>After using up twelve plus years in a school system somewhere, these people I re-encountered in prison had evidently learned just enough to be hired by a hapless government agency that was made up of people just like them.</p> <p>This brings me to a notion you may have gathered by this point. When I talk of being locked up with the “unmotivated-slack-jawed-standard-issue-nemesis” as being “my-own-personal-hell”…I’m not talking about my fellow inmates. I’m talking about the staff.</p> <p>It seems to me as though the prison officers have become my enemy.</p> <p>Jesus tells us that the manner in which we treat the “least” of [people] is, in reality, the way in which we treat Christ himself (MT 25:40). The Bible and its authors teach us repeatedly about caring for the poor, the widows and the oppressed (PS 146:5–7 and ZEC 7:10). However, also conspicuously on this list are “those in prison” and our “enemies” (Philemon 1:1–25). In fact, Jesus tells us to NOT just tolerate our enemies, but to LOVE them (MT 5:44). The Bible tells us we are also to remember people in prison as though WE are locked away with them! (Heb 13:3)</p> <p>In short, God’s word states that his people are to be actively ministering to those that society doesn’t want and has otherwise forgotten.</p> <p>So, how does The Sultana disaster play into this?</p> <p>The boat wasn’t extravagant. There wasn’t anybody famous onboard. The people that perished that day were generally rather unremarkable…except for one thing.</p> <p>The Sultana was loaded with Union P.O.W.’s that the Confederacy was getting rid of by sending them “up-the-river” (quite literally) back into Northern territory.</p> <p>I think it’s safe to say that “prisoners-on-a-boat” are generally considered enemies of society and, as such, are unwanted. As a result, The Sultana disaster hasn’t been romanticized and does not live on in our collective national memory.</p> <p>Now that I’m locked up and have plenty of time to ponder my own “place-in-this-world,” I find myself asking this question: How would I feel if I found out that hundreds of my own personal, not-yet-forgotten, enemies were suddenly vaporized in a spectacular boiler explosion?</p> <p>If I’m being honest, I have to answer, “I’m okay with that; however, the “problem” remains, Christ is NOT okay with that. As I linger here in prison, all of those unwanted, standard-issue nemeses of mine have abruptly resurfaced in my life. Their return presence has become a, not so gentle, reminder that I too, no matter where I am (literally or figuratively), need to pray for my “enemies.”</p> <p>However, now that “we’re-all-in-the-same-boat” again; I have become haunted by another stark reality. People that I don’t respect, or don’t value or simply don’t like are not necessarily my “enemies.” The reality is, my only true enemy is a person working against God (PS 143:12)…and for a good deal of my life, I was THAT person.</p> <p>I am thankful to faithful believers who loved their enemy and fervently prayed for someone that hated them. Because of their selfless action I was pulled onto the lifeboat and saved from my own sinking inferno.</p> </section>	We’re All In the Same Boat “We’re all in the same boat.” It’s one of those adages that gets “floated” out there from time to time (sorry about the pun). It’s usually an acknowlegment of some foreboding circumstance that is about to befall the collective known as “us.” We all face a common problem. [“Holy crap! We’ve lost the oars and I think I hear a waterfall!”] Or perhaps we all share in some sort of group misery. [“Oooohhh…that really hurt! Next time can someone remember to bring some extra oars and plenty of bandages!] Sometime the statement, “We’re all in the same boat” can be quite literal in that, we are all actually in a boat together. [“Ahoy mateys, why be you scrubbin yon decks? Hoist the sails and damn the torpedos! Full speed ahead!”] It is with that rather asinine backdrop that I would like to introduce you to “The Sultana.” The Sultana was a 260 foot steam powered utility paddle boat constructed in 1863. It was built for the sole purpose of moving commercial traffic up and down the Mississippi River. It’s captain was a man named J. Cass Mason. On April 23, 1865, the Sultana was docked in Vicksburg, Mississippi for some needed boiler repairs. While in port, Captain Mason was contacted by the United States Government to haul a large group of passengers north towards St. Louis. This left Captain Mason seeing dollar signs. Mason didn’t want to risk the loss of a lucrative contract due to his boat being out of commission for an extensive amount of time, so, Mason opted to have to have the much needed boiler repairs Jerry-rigged instead of doing a complete overhaul as needed. George Williams was the government’s “passenger representative.” He and Captain Mason worked together to get more than two thousand people on the Sultana…a boat that was only made to hold less than four hundred passengers. The boat captain didn’t care, the U.S. Government didn’t care, and, as you will see in a few moments, society in general wouldn’t care too much either. As the boat traveled northward, against the current, the overworked, under-repaired boiler gave way and exploded. Violently. The people that were not killed by the initial explosion were consumed when the wooden boat quickly became an uncontrollable floating inferno. The deadliest maritime disaster in United States history didn’t happen aboard a famous ocean liner on the high seas…it happened to a steamboat on the Mississippi River outside of Memphis on April 27, 1865. Forty-seven years in the future the sinking of the Titanic would occur. Its death toll still would not come near the number of people claimed by the Sultana disaster. The Titanic lives on in our national folklore and it has become romanticized in American culture, but the Sultana and its eighteen hundred plus souls that perished with her that day have been, largely, forgotten by history. There’s a reason for that. As someone who ended up in prison I can relate to people who have been forgotten about. When I got to prison I immediately re-encountered a rather unpleasant group of people that I MYSELF had been able to forget about long ago. It was a collection of standard issue nemeses I had left behind in high school: the dumb jock, the obese bully, the tough-guy-wanna-be, the brat, the brown-noser, the unmotivated slacker, and my personal favorite…the know-it-all. In the years since graduation, I had been successful in removing these people from my life. I thought I would never have to deal with them again, but now…they’re back. Unfortunately, they hadn’t changed too much since “leaving” high school (notice I did not say “graduated” high school). Now, as adults (technically) they were still unmotivated and didn’t seem to know how to do anything even remotely productive for society. In the off chance they did possess some kind of hidden ability, they weren’t going to use it. Popular mantras with this group include: “I ain’t doin’ nothin.’” “That’s somebody else’s job.” And the ever popular, “Do I look like somebody who gives a damn?” If you ask me, my own personal hell is being locked up “in the same boat” with this lot of slack-jawed losers who have been relegated to the bottom layer of society. For me, the period of time leading up to my incarceration was a time of realization (to put it mildly). It quickly became apparent that God was calling me back to his fold. He wanted me to turn my life back over to the “care and custody” of Jesus Christ. In that decision (and subsequent action) I was able to begin to live a new life in the “joy-of-forgiveness” instead of being mired in the “guilt-of-selfishness” (2 Cor 5:17). With the forgiveness of Christ I was able to escape the bondage of sin that had tied me up for so long (Heb 12:1). In an ironic backwards way, I was able to find a degree of freedom on the “wrong” side of the prison fences (PS 146:7c). Depending on who you ask, society has locked me up to either punish me or to rehabilitate me. If you are in the camp that believes the goal of the criminal justice system is to punish instead of rehabilitate…then rest assured…your tax dollars are being WELL spent. First, I was indicted by a prosecutor. He did not seem to see his job as “necessary-part of-maintaining-order-in-a-civil-society.” Instead, I’m pretty sure he saw his job as “fun.” Then I was judged….by, well, a “judge”…and not favorably, I might add. After that I was “tagged-and-bagged” and ushered away for commitment. From then on I would be in the “care and custody” of a government agency full of “trained professionals” who operated under a misguided notion that they knew how to “rehabilitate” [eye roll]. Thus begins my own personal journey on the road to “correctioning” (correctioning stolen from James “Chris” Crank). But first I have to wait two hours for “special agent” Jones to finish his lunch. Me: “Excuse me, sir.” Jones: “What do you want!” Me: “I’d like to add some family to my visiting list.” Jones: “Why would anyone want to come and visit you?” Me: “Heh, heh, uh….yeah…well, they probably don’t, but seeing as how I’m related to them, they probably just feel obligated to come.” Jones: “Oh yeah?” Me: “Sooooo….can you get this paperwork processed for me?” Jones: “I don’t know, can I?” Me: “Well, my friends tell me this is the procedure.” Jones: “They did, huh? Well, did your “friends” inform you that this form has to be filled out in triplicate…then signed by a manager in the department of bureaucracy…after that you need to have it notarized by the secretary of paperwork?” Me: “Uh…well…no…they didn’t tell me that.” Jones: “Of course your friends didn’t tell you that because you don’t have any “friends” here. Now run along and do as I say then bring this back to me tomorrow.” Me: “Isn’t tomorrow your day off?” Jones: “What’s your point?” The real reason that I don’t know the “correct procedure” is because the “correct procedure” changes every six minutes. It’s dependent on: who’s working, what their mood is, and blind chance. Written staff policy, spoken staff words and actual staff behavior are three VERY different things. Prison staffers who ask questions like, “Who would want to come and see you?”…then spin you until you’re dizzy, work for the same organization which boldly believes, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.” The same government that didn’t care about the would-be victims of the Sultana is now the same government that doesn’t care about me. After using up twelve plus years in a school system somewhere, these people I re-encountered in prison had evidently learned just enough to be hired by a hapless government agency that was made up of people just like them. This brings me to a notion you may have gathered by this point. When I talk of being locked up with the “unmotivated-slack-jawed-standard-issue-nemesis” as being “my-own-personal-hell”…I’m not talking about my fellow inmates. I’m talking about the staff. It seems to me as though the prison officers have become my enemy. Jesus tells us that the manner in which we treat the “least” of [people] is, in reality, the way in which we treat Christ himself (MT 25:40). The Bible and its authors teach us repeatedly about caring for the poor, the widows and the oppressed (PS 146:5–7 and ZEC 7:10). However, also conspicuously on this list are “those in prison” and our “enemies” (Philemon 1:1–25). In fact, Jesus tells us to NOT just tolerate our enemies, but to LOVE them (MT 5:44). The Bible tells us we are also to remember people in prison as though WE are locked away with them! (Heb 13:3) In short, God’s word states that his people are to be actively ministering to those that society doesn’t want and has otherwise forgotten. So, how does The Sultana disaster play into this? The boat wasn’t extravagant. There wasn’t anybody famous onboard. The people that perished that day were generally rather unremarkable…except for one thing. The Sultana was loaded with Union P.O.W.’s that the Confederacy was getting rid of by sending them “up-the-river” (quite literally) back into Northern territory. I think it’s safe to say that “prisoners-on-a-boat” are generally considered enemies of society and, as such, are unwanted. As a result, The Sultana disaster hasn’t been romanticized and does not live on in our collective national memory. Now that I’m locked up and have plenty of time to ponder my own “place-in-this-world,” I find myself asking this question: How would I feel if I found out that hundreds of my own personal, not-yet-forgotten, enemies were suddenly vaporized in a spectacular boiler explosion? If I’m being honest, I have to answer, “I’m okay with that; however, the “problem” remains, Christ is NOT okay with that. As I linger here in prison, all of those unwanted, standard-issue nemeses of mine have abruptly resurfaced in my life. Their return presence has become a, not so gentle, reminder that I too, no matter where I am (literally or figuratively), need to pray for my “enemies.” However, now that “we’re-all-in-the-same-boat” again; I have become haunted by another stark reality. People that I don’t respect, or don’t value or simply don’t like are not necessarily my “enemies.” The reality is, my only true enemy is a person working against God (PS 143:12)…and for a good deal of my life, I was THAT person. I am thankful to faithful believers who loved their enemy and fervently prayed for someone that hated them. Because of their selfless action I was pulled onto the lifeboat and saved from my own sinking inferno.	32041aea-c90f-52cf-b542-0c5c3fd1f7cf	25/08/2025 18:01:13
https://ronniepontiac.medium.com/astrology-report-june-6-june-14-4125495f27a2	medium.com	Astrology Report June 6 — June 14	Friends, we have before us a week of three squares, one of them the dominant theme of this year: Saturn square Uranus. That means we’ll be…	Ronnie Pontiac	https://medium.com/@ronniepontiac	4125495f27a2	https://miro.medium.com/…Qwh9Qp-Re6A.jpeg	4 min	2021-06-06T19:25:53.722000	2021-06-06T22:13:13.527000	2022-01-06T14:20:01.790000	0	6	en	Astrology,Self Improvement,Self Care,Self-awareness,Spirituality	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4608/16d8LhKXi4dZQwh9Qp-Re6A.jpeg" width="4608" height="3456" loading="lazy" /> <p>Friends, we have before us a week of three squares, one of them the dominant theme of this year: Saturn square Uranus. That means we’ll be facing some challenges this week, especially since Saturn and Pluto still occupy the degrees they stationed in not so long ago. This will continue through June 18 for Saturn and June 29 for Pluto. That feeling of no progress, of backsliding, of overwhelming force of events, and fear of loss that the Saturn Pluto conjunction in January 2020 intensified returns to for pop quiz. Did we learn our lessons? Issues around time, repair, reform, sacrifice, exhaustion, but also the continuing sense of the old world ending and the race to find a place in the uncertain new.</p> <p>Yesterday’s Mars opposition Pluto is strong through this week, and with us until June 15. This can be an angry, ambitious, and lusty aspect. On the low end it can indicate criminality, use of force, acts of violence, compulsive criticism of others, and self. The trick is to find the balance between Mars in Cancer, which tends to be over-sensitive, seeing slights where none may have been intended. A defensive Mars protective of home and loved ones, self and emotions, putting energy into finding comfort. Meanwhile, Pluto in Capricorn continues to threaten everyone with the continuing pandemic, the damage from the pandemic, and the major changes happening in our world from 5G to disastrous weather. Look for the places where Pluto is asking you to pay attention to what is harmful, even if it threatens your comforts and triggers your aggression. Instead of viewing the world as hurdling toward doom contemplate something practical you can do that helps others as well as yourself. Some may be feeling a strong urge to move into a new life immediately but with Mercury retrograde and Saturn and Pluto stationary patience is the better option.</p> <p>Thu June 10 the new moon arrives with a solar eclipse in Gemini at 3:53 AM (all times Pacific). Chatty, sociable, ready to shop, but take precautions for the reasons mentioned above. Writers, this can be a fun time for filling up those blank pages, and also for doing quick research. Since Mercury is retrograde why not double check?</p> <p>Also Thu sun conjunct Mercury is exact, another good aspect for writing, and for any kind of communication, but don’t put too much ego into it as this can be an aspect that indicates a self-centered perspective. The urge to gossip may be strong but couldn’t you put that energy into something more useful?</p> <p>Fri Jun 11 Mars enters Leo at 6:34 AM, a much more comfortable position for Mars, although also prone to arrogance. The urge to do something that feels like summer will be very strong. Egos will be blazing and filled with a sense of urgency. Wanting to be seen as the first, the leader, the most energetic, the most forceful, wanting to shine for all to admire. Those are healthy instincts but with Saturn and Pluto stationary retrograde and Mercury retrograde take it easy. Keep it on the light side.</p> <p>Sat Jun 12 Venus square Chiron is exact. Chiron square can indicate crisis, especially around health. Healing occurs but not without some challenges. In relationships, creative projects, and finance areas that need reform become clear. In our lives we can pay attention to signs of weakness or trouble. This applies to creativity and relationships as much as to health. There is the danger of sexuality leading to health issues, so temper enthusiasm with appropriate caution.</p> <p>Also Sat Venus sextile Uranus is exact, which may make it difficult to take the advice above. The desire to enjoy beauty, romance, art, creativity, and the simple pleasures will be in the air. Especially if the opportunities involve the new, the unexpected, the latest tech, the feeling of breaking free, of stepping into the future. Enjoy this aspect by sharing it. Be open to pleasant surprises. Don’t let all the Saturn and Pluto keep you in a funk causing you to miss this lucky and potentially delightful aspect.</p> <p>Sun Jun 13 Venus inconjunct Saturn is exact, another crisis in healing aspect involving Venus. Females, artists, all those ruled by Venus, pay special attention to your well-being, especially if you are exhausted. Improve that diet. Get that extra rest. Creative people, this and yesterday’s Venus Uranus aspect can have a boomerang effect. You might think you’re a genius one evening only to wake up and feel insecure because what you created was merely weird. That’s okay. It could go the other way, too. Give it a chance.</p> <p>Also Sunday sun square Neptune is exact, a bit worrisome from the point of view of the pandemic, as are the inconjunctions this week. This aspect can cause confusion, with Mercury retrograde commute cautiously. Don’t over do intoxication. Get rest, as this is yet another aspect of exhaustion, and of contagion. But so far we’ve gotten through several of those without a significant surge.</p> <p>Mon June 14 Saturn square Uranus is exact, the second of three this year. This is about the 21st century replacing the 20th. New technologies. New generations of icons. The sense that the past is more remote. The future busting out all over. The consequences of the pandemic playing out in the disappearance and reinvention of institutions. This aspect also indicates a particular difficult moment in the political predicament of our time. Progressives versus conservatives. The new vs. the old. Breaking all the rules vs. preserving valuable traditions. In our own lives we can work to find the balance between how things have been and how things can be in the future. New tech can help.</p> <p>Also Mon Mars inconjunct Jupiter is exact. This can be an arrogant aspect prone to arguments and power struggles, like Mars opposition Pluto. Avoid bickering. Avoid road incidents. Be kind and patient and avoid unnecessary trouble. This aspect can indicate health issues from overdoing it in areas like exercise, sports, sexuality, ambition, anger. Another worrisome aspect where the pandemic is concerned. So be careful this week and next weekend. The good news is things will start to lighten up in the following week. There are challenging aspects sprinkled throughout this summer, but we’re most of the way through one of the rougher patches, astrologically speaking.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/100/1fZ8fXhsWLp1KQW_8ngADvg.jpeg" width="100" height="112" loading="lazy" /> </section>	Astrology Report June 6 — June 14 Photo by Tamra Lucid. Friends, we have before us a week of three squares, one of them the dominant theme of this year: Saturn square Uranus. That means we’ll be facing some challenges this week, especially since Saturn and Pluto still occupy the degrees they stationed in not so long ago. This will continue through June 18 for Saturn and June 29 for Pluto. That feeling of no progress, of backsliding, of overwhelming force of events, and fear of loss that the Saturn Pluto conjunction in January 2020 intensified returns to for pop quiz. Did we learn our lessons? Issues around time, repair, reform, sacrifice, exhaustion, but also the continuing sense of the old world ending and the race to find a place in the uncertain new. Yesterday’s Mars opposition Pluto is strong through this week, and with us until June 15. This can be an angry, ambitious, and lusty aspect. On the low end it can indicate criminality, use of force, acts of violence, compulsive criticism of others, and self. The trick is to find the balance between Mars in Cancer, which tends to be over-sensitive, seeing slights where none may have been intended. A defensive Mars protective of home and loved ones, self and emotions, putting energy into finding comfort. Meanwhile, Pluto in Capricorn continues to threaten everyone with the continuing pandemic, the damage from the pandemic, and the major changes happening in our world from 5G to disastrous weather. Look for the places where Pluto is asking you to pay attention to what is harmful, even if it threatens your comforts and triggers your aggression. Instead of viewing the world as hurdling toward doom contemplate something practical you can do that helps others as well as yourself. Some may be feeling a strong urge to move into a new life immediately but with Mercury retrograde and Saturn and Pluto stationary patience is the better option. Thu June 10 the new moon arrives with a solar eclipse in Gemini at 3:53 AM (all times Pacific). Chatty, sociable, ready to shop, but take precautions for the reasons mentioned above. Writers, this can be a fun time for filling up those blank pages, and also for doing quick research. Since Mercury is retrograde why not double check? Also Thu sun conjunct Mercury is exact, another good aspect for writing, and for any kind of communication, but don’t put too much ego into it as this can be an aspect that indicates a self-centered perspective. The urge to gossip may be strong but couldn’t you put that energy into something more useful? Fri Jun 11 Mars enters Leo at 6:34 AM, a much more comfortable position for Mars, although also prone to arrogance. The urge to do something that feels like summer will be very strong. Egos will be blazing and filled with a sense of urgency. Wanting to be seen as the first, the leader, the most energetic, the most forceful, wanting to shine for all to admire. Those are healthy instincts but with Saturn and Pluto stationary retrograde and Mercury retrograde take it easy. Keep it on the light side. Sat Jun 12 Venus square Chiron is exact. Chiron square can indicate crisis, especially around health. Healing occurs but not without some challenges. In relationships, creative projects, and finance areas that need reform become clear. In our lives we can pay attention to signs of weakness or trouble. This applies to creativity and relationships as much as to health. There is the danger of sexuality leading to health issues, so temper enthusiasm with appropriate caution. Also Sat Venus sextile Uranus is exact, which may make it difficult to take the advice above. The desire to enjoy beauty, romance, art, creativity, and the simple pleasures will be in the air. Especially if the opportunities involve the new, the unexpected, the latest tech, the feeling of breaking free, of stepping into the future. Enjoy this aspect by sharing it. Be open to pleasant surprises. Don’t let all the Saturn and Pluto keep you in a funk causing you to miss this lucky and potentially delightful aspect. Sun Jun 13 Venus inconjunct Saturn is exact, another crisis in healing aspect involving Venus. Females, artists, all those ruled by Venus, pay special attention to your well-being, especially if you are exhausted. Improve that diet. Get that extra rest. Creative people, this and yesterday’s Venus Uranus aspect can have a boomerang effect. You might think you’re a genius one evening only to wake up and feel insecure because what you created was merely weird. That’s okay. It could go the other way, too. Give it a chance. Also Sunday sun square Neptune is exact, a bit worrisome from the point of view of the pandemic, as are the inconjunctions this week. This aspect can cause confusion, with Mercury retrograde commute cautiously. Don’t over do intoxication. Get rest, as this is yet another aspect of exhaustion, and of contagion. But so far we’ve gotten through several of those without a significant surge. Mon June 14 Saturn square Uranus is exact, the second of three this year. This is about the 21st century replacing the 20th. New technologies. New generations of icons. The sense that the past is more remote. The future busting out all over. The consequences of the pandemic playing out in the disappearance and reinvention of institutions. This aspect also indicates a particular difficult moment in the political predicament of our time. Progressives versus conservatives. The new vs. the old. Breaking all the rules vs. preserving valuable traditions. In our own lives we can work to find the balance between how things have been and how things can be in the future. New tech can help. Also Mon Mars inconjunct Jupiter is exact. This can be an arrogant aspect prone to arguments and power struggles, like Mars opposition Pluto. Avoid bickering. Avoid road incidents. Be kind and patient and avoid unnecessary trouble. This aspect can indicate health issues from overdoing it in areas like exercise, sports, sexuality, ambition, anger. Another worrisome aspect where the pandemic is concerned. So be careful this week and next weekend. The good news is things will start to lighten up in the following week. There are challenging aspects sprinkled throughout this summer, but we’re most of the way through one of the rougher patches, astrologically speaking.	f2e1262b-2c83-56e6-ba2e-a2f23316e540	25/08/2025 18:01:13
https://medium.com/@joygagofficial/apocalypse-june-24-the-start-of-the-apocalypse-6f9b6942996e	medium.com	Apocalypse: June 24 the ‘start of the APOCALYPSE’	THE apocalypse will come on June 24 of this current year, as indicated by Christians who trust that we have entered the last days.	Joygag Official	https://medium.com/@joygagofficial	6f9b6942996e	https://miro.medium.com/…XtDAUyD1y0Q.jpeg	2 min	2018-12-13T14:29:20.412000	2018-12-13T14:39:27.442000	2021-12-07T00:40:54.505000	0	0	en	Astronomy,Apocalypse	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1*qTf1dRQMHkAXtDAUyD1y0Q.jpeg" width="1200" height="675" loading="lazy" /> <p>THE apocalypse will come on June 24 of this current year, as indicated by Christians who trust that we have entered the last days.</p> <p>By dissecting sections in the Bible, many trust they have possessed the capacity to pinpoint the world will end — and that is June 24, 2018.</p> <p>Christian trick scholar Mathieu Jean-Marc Joseph Rodrigue analyzes an entry in the Book of Revelations which peruses: “And a mouth was given to [the Beast], talking incredible things and profanation, and it was offered expert to act forty and two months.”</p> <p>Mr Rodrigue at that point says: “I heard a voice amidst the four living creatures.</p> <p><em><strong>“This is astuteness. He who has knowledge can translate the figure of the monster. It speaks to the name of a man. His figure </em>is 666.”</strong></p> <p>Mr Rodrigue at that point plays out a progression of complex figurings and when joining 666 with the number 42, finishing up with the date June 24.</p> <p>Be that as it may, the intrigue scholar was not able detail how he achieved this figure or how precisely the world will end.</p> <p>Mr Rodrigue’s expectations struggle opposite apocalypse conjectures, including that of sequential apocalypse indicator David Meade — who says April 23 will stamp the end times.</p> <p>Mr Meade predicts a fanciful planetary framework known as Planet X or Nibiru will show up in the sky on April 23.</p> <p>He asserts it will at that point pass the Earth in October, causing the beginning of the Rapture with immense volcanoes and volcanic ejections because of its gravitational power.</p> <p>He stated: “Amid this time allotment, on April 23, 2018 the moon shows up under the feet of the Constellation Virgo.</p> <p><em><strong>“The Sun appears to decisively dress Virgo… Jupiter is birthed on April 08, 2018. The 12 stars at that date incorporate the nine stars of Leo, and the three planetary arrangements of Mercury, Venus and Mars — which consolidate to make the most of an of 12 stars on the head of Virgo. In this manner the groups of stars Virgo, Leo and Serpens-Ophiuchus speak to a one of a kind once-in-a-century sign precisely as portrayed in the twelfth section of Revelation. This is our time </em>marker.”</strong></p> <p>Check out our links below:</p> <p>Official website: <a href="https://joygag.com/">https://joygag.com/</a></p> <p>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/JoygagO">https://twitter.com/JoygagO</a></p> <p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/joygagofficial/">https://www.instagram.com/joygagofficial/</a></p> <p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/joygagofficial/">https://www.facebook.com/joygagofficial/</a></p> <p>Telegram: <a href="https://t.me/joygagofficial">https://t.me/joygagofficial</a></p> </section>	Apocalypse: June 24 the ‘start of the APOCALYPSE’ THE apocalypse will come on June 24 of this current year, as indicated by Christians who trust that we have entered the last days. By dissecting sections in the Bible, many trust they have possessed the capacity to pinpoint the world will end — and that is June 24, 2018. Christian trick scholar Mathieu Jean-Marc Joseph Rodrigue analyzes an entry in the Book of Revelations which peruses: “And a mouth was given to [the Beast], talking incredible things and profanation, and it was offered expert to act forty and two months.” Mr Rodrigue at that point says: “I heard a voice amidst the four living creatures. “This is astuteness. He who has knowledge can translate the figure of the monster. It speaks to the name of a man. His figure is 666.” Mr Rodrigue at that point plays out a progression of complex figurings and when joining 666 with the number 42, finishing up with the date June 24. Be that as it may, the intrigue scholar was not able detail how he achieved this figure or how precisely the world will end. Mr Rodrigue’s expectations struggle opposite apocalypse conjectures, including that of sequential apocalypse indicator David Meade — who says April 23 will stamp the end times. Mr Meade predicts a fanciful planetary framework known as Planet X or Nibiru will show up in the sky on April 23. He asserts it will at that point pass the Earth in October, causing the beginning of the Rapture with immense volcanoes and volcanic ejections because of its gravitational power. He stated: “Amid this time allotment, on April 23, 2018 the moon shows up under the feet of the Constellation Virgo. “The Sun appears to decisively dress Virgo… Jupiter is birthed on April 08, 2018. The 12 stars at that date incorporate the nine stars of Leo, and the three planetary arrangements of Mercury, Venus and Mars — which consolidate to make the most of an of 12 stars on the head of Virgo. In this manner the groups of stars Virgo, Leo and Serpens-Ophiuchus speak to a one of a kind once-in-a-century sign precisely as portrayed in the twelfth section of Revelation. This is our time marker.” Check out our links below: Official website: https://joygag.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoygagO Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joygagofficial/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joygagofficial/ Telegram: https://t.me/joygagofficial	bce6e098-863c-5e9f-b36e-eb28507437f9	25/08/2025 18:01:13
https://medium.com/@skyler.a.stevens/josephs-darkest-time-296c40b1e480	medium.com	Joseph’s Darkest Time	The darkest time, as people tend to believe, is not midnight.	Skyler Stevens	https://medium.com/@skyler.a.stevens	296c40b1e480	null	0 min	2017-02-17T16:08:06.429000	2017-03-10T17:00:47.201000	2017-10-21T17:41:16.829000	0	2	en	Poetry,Life,Joseph,Bible,Christianity	<section> <p><em>The darkest time, as people tend to believe, is not midnight.</em></p> <p><em>It is noon!</em></p> <p><em>In a dry, desert valley</em></p> <p><em>away from the nightly crawlers</em></p> <p><em>and the eyeful stars.</em></p> <p><em>It is where Joseph found himself that late Egyptian day</em></p> <p><em>Standing there in a thirst for water</em></p> <p><em>Panting for a drop of brotherhood.</em></p> <p><em>He was betrayed.</em></p> <p><em>He was alone.</em></p> <p><em>He was in his darkest time.</em></p> <p><em>This was Joseph’s darkest time.</em></p> </section>	Joseph’s Darkest Time The darkest time, as people tend to believe, is not midnight. It is noon! In a dry, desert valley away from the nightly crawlers and the eyeful stars. It is where Joseph found himself that late Egyptian day Standing there in a thirst for water Panting for a drop of brotherhood. He was betrayed. He was alone. He was in his darkest time. This was Joseph’s darkest time.	844a2b2b-41a2-5318-bc00-5fbb14eab131	25/08/2025 18:01:13
https://medium.com/meetingroom/competition-time-56b54a5742ed	medium.com	Competition Time	We’ve been busy building, and now it’s time to share!	Jonny Cosgrove	https://medium.com/@JonnyCosgrove	56b54a5742ed	https://miro.medium.com/…HgZgoq4fwbg.jpeg	3 min	2017-10-29T20:52:55.105000	2017-10-29T20:59:23.721000	2017-10-29T22:46:06.553000	0	1	en	Startup,VR,AR,Virtual Reality,Augmented Reality	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1065/14jZ-H36leo2HgZgoq4fwbg.jpeg" width="1065" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <p>We’ve been busy building, and now it’s time to share!</p> <p>We have been working with a number of enterprise clients to make meetingRoom a reality, and we’re finally ready to start updating on a regular basis. So firstly, thank you for your patience!</p> <p>We have now opened up early access and updates — i.e. we sorted out our email service so we can talk to you on a more personal level.</p> <p>Over the coming weeks we are arranging one on one meetings to give you a one on one demo with the founders, so keep an eye on your inbox. We’re looking forward to meeting you in person!</p> <p>Next month we’ll have a detailed product roadmap of completed & on the list.</p> <p>Looking forward to making this available to everyone in Early Access soon!</p> <h1>EVENTS</h1> <p>It’s been a Busy but productive 2 weeks of events for everyone here at meetingRoom. Here’s our trips the past week or so!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1065/1CuyNVnTEysz7wF_W9m51Nw.jpeg" width="1065" height="1422" loading="lazy" /> <h2>#VRforWORK</h2> <p>We kicked off in Bank of Ireland for our first #VRforWork event, an educational series for organisation’s on the cutting edge, showcasing VR. We arrived in Grand Canal Square on Monday morning and got set up for a week (which turned into 2) showcasing #VRforWork Reality to the residents of Silicon Docks.</p> <ul> <li>Number of people to try out VR: 130+</li> <li>Results of study with University College Dublin: Coming Soon!</li> </ul> <p>Over the course of 2 weeks, we installed dedicated Wifi (thanks to Dave @ <a href="http://airfibre.ie/">Airfibre</a> for helping with this), set up base camp @ Grand Canal Dock (many thanks to Neil & his staff, they put up with us from 8am — 6 most days if not longer!) and put people through our tests with University College Dublin. Special thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/Davetizer">David Tighe</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeHarlick">Mike </a>Harlick for helping to make this happen #VRforWORK #PoweredByBOI #BOIStartups We’ll be following up with a more in-depth look at how we got on</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2048/1x-lh2We_xQE-0225EnwDlA.jpeg" width="2048" height="2048" loading="lazy" /> <h2>Dublin Beta</h2> <p><em>“The mettle of Dublin-born start-ups was tested last night (27 March) at the 21st edition of <a href="http://dublinbeta.com/">DublinBeta</a>, wi</em>th one clear winner: Meetingroom.io.”</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/MrJohnFKennedy">John Kennedy</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/siliconrepublic">Silicon Republic</a></p> <p>We had a fantastic time at Dublin Beta. The crowd feedback is what we came for, and coming away with the recognition of the community was the icing on the cake. Our greatest thanks to the organisers (Russell, Gene, John), supporters and attendees of Dublin Beta.</p> <p>More on Dublin Beta from one of the founders, <a href="http://bit.ly/2oNtKB2">Gene Murphy</a>.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1065/15KKXo7tZ8McmJfdfkvyMeA.jpeg" width="1065" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <h2>3D Camp Dublin</h2> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/eirepreneur">James</a> and the gang at 3D<a href="https://twitter.com/3Dcamp"> Camp</a> were gracious enough to have us join their community for the night for demos and feedback. There were some great talks from John Savage (CTO) @ <a href="http://actionpoint.ie/">Actionpoint</a> on the magic of Microsoft’s <a href="https://twitter.com/HoloLens">Hololens</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/jerome_etienne">Jerome</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/AndraConnect">Alexa</a> amazed the crowd with augmented reality fun thanks to WebRTC.</p> <p>Meanwhile we had some fun inception style moments putting attendees in a room within a room. We look forward to returning soon to one of Ireland’s premier VR community events.</p> <h2>In the News</h2> <h2><a href="http://bit.ly/2mOSoVp">Silicon Republic</a></h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1065/1EJNB8tLWrzmCUa4ttDId7g.png" width="1065" height="359" loading="lazy" /> <h2><a href="http://bit.ly/2nt8rUj">Sunday Business Post</a></h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/585/1bgw5HbE1PJ1V92fWkOfhFw.png" width="585" height="506" loading="lazy" /> <p>Reposted from blog.meetingroom.io April 2017</p> </section>	Competition Time We’ve been busy building, and now it’s time to share! We have been working with a number of enterprise clients to make meetingRoom a reality, and we’re finally ready to start updating on a regular basis. So firstly, thank you for your patience! We have now opened up early access and updates — i.e. we sorted out our email service so we can talk to you on a more personal level. Over the coming weeks we are arranging one on one meetings to give you a one on one demo with the founders, so keep an eye on your inbox. We’re looking forward to meeting you in person! Next month we’ll have a detailed product roadmap of completed & on the list. Looking forward to making this available to everyone in Early Access soon! EVENTS It’s been a Busy but productive 2 weeks of events for everyone here at meetingRoom. Here’s our trips the past week or so! Abey & Bank of Ireland, Grand Canal #VRforWORK We kicked off in Bank of Ireland for our first #VRforWork event, an educational series for organisation’s on the cutting edge, showcasing VR. We arrived in Grand Canal Square on Monday morning and got set up for a week (which turned into 2) showcasing #VRforWork Reality to the residents of Silicon Docks. Number of people to try out VR: 130+ Results of study with University College Dublin: Coming Soon! Over the course of 2 weeks, we installed dedicated Wifi (thanks to Dave @ Airfibre for helping with this), set up base camp @ Grand Canal Dock (many thanks to Neil & his staff, they put up with us from 8am — 6 most days if not longer!) and put people through our tests with University College Dublin. Special thanks to David Tighe & Mike Harlick for helping to make this happen #VRforWORK #PoweredByBOI #BOIStartups We’ll be following up with a more in-depth look at how we got on Dublin Beta “The mettle of Dublin-born start-ups was tested last night (27 March) at the 21st edition of DublinBeta, with one clear winner: Meetingroom.io.” John Kennedy, Silicon Republic We had a fantastic time at Dublin Beta. The crowd feedback is what we came for, and coming away with the recognition of the community was the icing on the cake. Our greatest thanks to the organisers (Russell, Gene, John), supporters and attendees of Dublin Beta. More on Dublin Beta from one of the founders, Gene Murphy. 3D Camp Dublin James and the gang at 3D Camp were gracious enough to have us join their community for the night for demos and feedback. There were some great talks from John Savage (CTO) @ Actionpoint on the magic of Microsoft’s Hololens, and Jerome & Alexa amazed the crowd with augmented reality fun thanks to WebRTC. Meanwhile we had some fun inception style moments putting attendees in a room within a room. We look forward to returning soon to one of Ireland’s premier VR community events. In the News Silicon Republic Sunday Business Post Reposted from blog.meetingroom.io April 2017	e05ad464-6793-5966-a37d-cdac6b17c2ac	25/08/2025 18:01:13
https://medium.com/flakphoto-projects/win-a-copy-of-the-polaroid-project-45dc09f01155	medium.com	Win a Copy of The Polaroid Project	A FlakPhoto Giveaway in celebration of National Camera Day	Andy Adams	https://medium.com/@flakphoto	45dc09f01155	https://miro.medium.com/…_rbVJsKDqHw.jpeg	2 min	2017-06-22T17:47:40.855000	2017-06-22T21:18:22.348000	2018-05-21T06:14:40.282000	1	62	en	Photography,Polaroid,Books,Giveaway	<section> <h3>A FlakPhoto Giveaway in celebration of National Camera Day</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2448/1kwOmzx2vNwVz7mpwnxX2Fg.jpeg" width="2448" height="3060" loading="lazy" /> <p>Hey book geeks! <strong>June 29</strong> is National Camera Day. To celebrate, I’m teaming up with University of California Press to give away five copies of William A. Ewing’s <em><a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520296169">Th</em>e Polaroid Project: At the Intersection of Art and Technology</a>. This book is a gem and a perfect addition to your library…Who wants it?</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2400/1EvB9KwoXa0G_rbVJsKDqHw.jpeg" width="2400" height="1953" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1950/1Nl939o2LkmmyDRMAF7oI8A.jpeg" width="1950" height="2372" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2364/1E4QwpqyqKsr9icQ7vBlJLw.jpeg" width="2364" height="2400" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2700/136eIK1Y-CnEk_Un6aR7vCg.jpeg" width="2700" height="2116" loading="lazy" /> <h3>About the book</h3> <p>Published to accompany a <a href="http://www.fep-photo.org/exhibition/polaroid/">major traveling exhibition</a>, <em>The Polaroid Project</em> is a creative exploration of the relationship between Polaroid’s many technological innovations and the art that was created with their help. Richly designed with over 300 illustrations, this impressive volume showcases not only the myriad and often idiosyncratic approaches taken by such photographers as Ansel Adams, Robert Mapplethorpe, Ellen Carey, and Chuck Close, but also a fascinating selection of the technical objects and artifacts that speak to the sheer ingenuity that lay behind the art. With essays by the exhibition’s curators and leading photographic writers and historians, <em><a href="http://www.u</em>cpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520296169">The Polaroid Project</a> provides a unique perspective on the Polaroid phenomenon — a technology, an art form, a convergence of both — and its enduring cultural legacy.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1957/12wQ9flsXM9Aich6YC-LYzQ.jpeg" width="1957" height="2100" loading="lazy" /> <h3>How to win</h3> <p>Submission is FREE and you have three chances to win :</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/FlakPhoto/status/880423673743757317">Retweet my Twitter post <</a>strong>»</strong></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BV7S7j-gKrX/">Comment on my Instagram update <</a>strong>»</strong></li> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154552057842116&set=a.444471732115.246641.669147115&type=3&theater">Share my Facebook post <</a>strong>»</strong></li> </ul> <p>I’ll draw 5 random winners from the comments, retweets and shares on <strong>Sunday, July 2</strong>. I’d love for more people to hear about this — tell your photography friends about the giveaway? Good luck!</p> <p></p> <h3>But wait, there’s more!</h3> <p>Very cool: UC Press is offering FlakPhoto readers a <strong>40% discount</strong> on the book from June 29 — July 1 when you <a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520296169&utm_source=flakphoto&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=polaroid">order online</a> with promo code <strong>17W4901</strong>. (Their standard discount is 30% so this is significant.)</p> </section>	Win a Copy of The Polaroid Project A FlakPhoto Giveaway in celebration of National Camera Day Hey book geeks! June 29 is National Camera Day. To celebrate, I’m teaming up with University of California Press to give away five copies of William A. Ewing’s The Polaroid Project: At the Intersection of Art and Technology. This book is a gem and a perfect addition to your library…Who wants it? Clockwise from upper left: Barbara Crane, Private Views, 1981. Dennis Hopper, Los Angeles, Back Alley, 1987. Mark Klett, Contemplating the view at Muley Point, Utah 1994, 1994. André Kertész, August 13, 1979, 1979. About the book Published to accompany a major traveling exhibition, The Polaroid Project is a creative exploration of the relationship between Polaroid’s many technological innovations and the art that was created with their help. Richly designed with over 300 illustrations, this impressive volume showcases not only the myriad and often idiosyncratic approaches taken by such photographers as Ansel Adams, Robert Mapplethorpe, Ellen Carey, and Chuck Close, but also a fascinating selection of the technical objects and artifacts that speak to the sheer ingenuity that lay behind the art. With essays by the exhibition’s curators and leading photographic writers and historians, The Polaroid Project provides a unique perspective on the Polaroid phenomenon — a technology, an art form, a convergence of both — and its enduring cultural legacy. James Nitsch, Razor blade, 1976. How to win Submission is FREE and you have three chances to win : Retweet my Twitter post » Comment on my Instagram update » Share my Facebook post » I’ll draw 5 random winners from the comments, retweets and shares on Sunday, July 2. I’d love for more people to hear about this — tell your photography friends about the giveaway? Good luck! But wait, there’s more! Very cool: UC Press is offering FlakPhoto readers a 40% discount on the book from June 29 — July 1 when you order online with promo code 17W4901. (Their standard discount is 30% so this is significant.)	de5a9f46-f5bd-5196-8503-ada96a7d3049	25/08/2025 18:01:14
https://medium.com/@sewforchrist/1-peter-24-25-imperishable-salvation-30f951f2c9be	medium.com	1 Peter 24–25 — Imperishable Salvation	This is one of my first pieces of embroidery done. The medium is white cotton with embroidery floss on a 6” hoop. The flowers include…	Sew for Christ	https://medium.com/@sewforchrist	30f951f2c9be	https://miro.medium.com/…WY2UxAMvvCv-.jpg	2 min	2022-08-16T15:02:06.121000	2022-08-16T15:02:44.179000	2022-08-16T15:02:49.859000	0	0	en	Embroidery,Christianity,Bible,Craft,Sewing	<section> <p>This is one of my first pieces of embroidery done. The medium is white cotton with embroidery floss on a 6” hoop. The flowers include (from left to right) buttercups, Queen Anne lace, lavender, the red fruit of winterberry, and chicory.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/750/0*L8djWY2UxAMvvCv-.jpg" width="750" height="777" loading="lazy" /> <p>I’ve mentioned the start of my embroidery before. I received a large amount of floss for free from a family friend. I started learning how to embroider from tutorials and videos on Pinterest.</p> <p>All of the flowers and the bush (winterberry) are wild where I live. The Bible makes note of what wildflowers can mean. The most famous mention of flowers in the Bible is the lilies of the valley, which will be coming in an upcoming post. This verse uses flowers as a form of warning:</p> <p>“For, ‘All humanity is like grass, And all its glory like a wildflower. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was proclaimed as Good News to you.” (‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:24–25‬ ‭TLV‬‬)</p> <p>Here, the Apostle Peter is describing to his readers the righteous people of God. We should be holy, because God is holy. From Jesus’ sacrifice, we get eternal life and thus should apply ourselves to bringing heaven to earth with our actions.</p> <p>Wildflowers are temporary. They only last the summer season. However, the embroidery sample has both wildflowers and a sprig of winterberry. Winterberry grows wild where I live and is one of the only forms of holly that loses its leaves. In the winter, the red berries come out (making this sampler a bit anachronistic). The winterberry is more like what Peter mentions in the verse before:</p> <p>“You have been born again — not from perishable seed but imperishable — through the living and enduring word of God.” (‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:23‬ ‭TLV)‬‬</p> <p>Our salvation is imperishable. It does not fade in the winter or go dormant. It is like the winterberry, producing leaves in the warm seasons and berries in the cold seasons. We need to recognize that our faith and salvation does not wear off. Therefore, the actions Apostle Peter implores us to do, acting in righteousness as God did for us, should be continued as the winterberry continues to produce year round.</p> <p><em>Read <a href="https://sewforchrist.wixsite.com/</em>sewforchrist/post/1-peter-24-25-imperishable-salvation">this post</a> and more at <a href="http://sewforchrist.org">Sew for Christ Blog</a>.</p> </section>	1 Peter 24–25 — Imperishable Salvation This is one of my first pieces of embroidery done. The medium is white cotton with embroidery floss on a 6” hoop. The flowers include (from left to right) buttercups, Queen Anne lace, lavender, the red fruit of winterberry, and chicory. I’ve mentioned the start of my embroidery before. I received a large amount of floss for free from a family friend. I started learning how to embroider from tutorials and videos on Pinterest. All of the flowers and the bush (winterberry) are wild where I live. The Bible makes note of what wildflowers can mean. The most famous mention of flowers in the Bible is the lilies of the valley, which will be coming in an upcoming post. This verse uses flowers as a form of warning: “For, ‘All humanity is like grass, And all its glory like a wildflower. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was proclaimed as Good News to you.” (‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:24–25‬ ‭TLV‬‬) Here, the Apostle Peter is describing to his readers the righteous people of God. We should be holy, because God is holy. From Jesus’ sacrifice, we get eternal life and thus should apply ourselves to bringing heaven to earth with our actions. Wildflowers are temporary. They only last the summer season. However, the embroidery sample has both wildflowers and a sprig of winterberry. Winterberry grows wild where I live and is one of the only forms of holly that loses its leaves. In the winter, the red berries come out (making this sampler a bit anachronistic). The winterberry is more like what Peter mentions in the verse before: “You have been born again — not from perishable seed but imperishable — through the living and enduring word of God.” (‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:23‬ ‭TLV)‬‬ Our salvation is imperishable. It does not fade in the winter or go dormant. It is like the winterberry, producing leaves in the warm seasons and berries in the cold seasons. We need to recognize that our faith and salvation does not wear off. Therefore, the actions Apostle Peter implores us to do, acting in righteousness as God did for us, should be continued as the winterberry continues to produce year round. Read this post and more at Sew for Christ Blog.	864bf7cd-ca17-5c7a-b35a-ae502e355965	25/08/2025 18:01:14
https://medium.com/attractive-christians/your-work-ethic-is-rooted-in-puritan-principles-6c942ddd16f	medium.com	Your work ethic is rooted in Puritan principles	It all had to do with their motivation.	Ethan Renoe	https://medium.com/@ethanrenoe	6c942ddd16f	https://miro.medium.com/…vFYBb5rJqwA.jpeg	4 min	2019-12-03T20:53:16.087000	2019-12-03T21:33:54.976000	2022-09-15T05:10:13.081000	0	28	en	Christianity,Puritans,Work,Gary Vaynerchuk,Motivation	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5760/1*cxDCxwmSjNqvFYBb5rJqwA.jpeg" width="5760" height="3840" loading="lazy" /> <p>If you’re scrolling through this story on Medium’s homepage, it is probably surrounded on all sides by articles on waking up at 1:30am, being more productive while working 54 jobs, and when to fast for optimal cranial function. Even if you’re not perusing Medium — or any platform’s — homepage, you’ve seen these articles surfacing the past decade.</p> <p>Our culture is obsessed with productivity and work. Urban pastors, such as Tim Keller in NYC, are working hard to address the theology of work, and how to balance it with rest. Others in the secular spotlight, such as Tim Ferriss, Gary Vaynerchuck, and Jocko Willink are the ones pushing for a mindset of <em>work, work, work and you’ll rest when you’re dead! </em>Their messages are embraced by many across our culture, as they inspire and motivate people to do more than they thought possible and accomplish great things.</p> <p>I have <a href="https://ethanrenoe.com/2018/12/01/dream-smaller/">written in the past</a> about living in developing countries, and one of the benefits of being in those places, as someone from a developed country, is the slower pace of life. I experienced the drastic contrast between the two ways of living, but never gave much thought to where this split happened.</p> <p>After all, Guatemala (where I lived for one year) has the same European influence that the USA does, yet the way the two countries developed is drastically different. Most Central American countries speak Spanish because of Spanish settlers who came from Europe. The same strand of colonialism hit the Northern territories all around the same time, yet the progress of the US (for lack of a better term) is head and shoulders beyond them.</p> <p>Looking back from the 21st century, we can trace this influence back to one group; I would locate the root of this progressive work ethic in the Puritans. Not only did they found nearly all the Ivy League schools, but their work ethic would make even Gary V a happy little puppy.</p> <p>The motivation for their incredible work ethic (as well as their theology of rest, leisure, and enjoyment of life) was rooted in a desire to please God. A professor told us once, “There were perhaps no other groups of Christians who came as close to holistically living a ‘Christian life’ as the Puritans.” With their motivation not rooted in a desire to compete with their fellow man, or to impress others, mundane tasks like sweeping the floor took on an intense spiritual element. William Tyndale wrote,</p> <blockquote>“<em>If we look externally, there is a difference between washing dishes and preaching the Word of God, but as pleasing God, none at all.”</em></blockquote> <p>Whatever they did could have the phrase “to please God” attached to the end of it and it would sum up the Puritan way of life pretty well:</p> <p>They swam in the lake to please God.</p> <p>They harvested their crops to please God.</p> <p>They ate their food to please God.</p> <p>And contrary to popular belief, they enjoyed intimacy with their spouses to please God.</p> <p>One great element of the Puritan mindset is that there was a great emphasis put on the laity of the church to live spiritual lives, not just on the clergy. Every Christian had a lively prayer and devotional life, they didn’t just attend church in order to receive their teaching on the Word. (When they did attend church though, the sermon alone could last 3 hours!)</p> <p>This emphasis on a private life of devotion is what led directly to the founding of the first universities in the States — a small school called Harvard first, followed by Dartmouth, Princeton and others. They sought to raise up ministers who were well versed in the classical languages as well as history, philosophy, and hermeneutics in order to be the best exegetes of Scripture for their congregations.</p> <p>Not only that, but the Puritans wanted <em>everyone </em>to be educated — boys and girls alike — so they started the first public school systems in the States. This was a reformed practice, in the tradition of Martin Luther who was another major proponent of public education.</p> <p>Christians today are scattered all across the spectrum of work habits. Those with disciplined routines may not even be aware that they owe this mindset to the earliest American Christians, the Puritans, who sought to fill up every moment of their day with something that would please God, from their working to their leisure activities.</p> <p>Someone once asked Jonathan Edwards what he would do today if he knew he would die tomorrow. He replied that he would wake up early, study his Bible, tend his garden, preach to his church…just like he did every day. In other words, Edwards’ routine was in place such that he wouldn’t have to change a thing in order to please God more on his final day!</p> <p>Now, back to Guatemala and other developing countries for a moment. I’m not smart enough to draw a direct comparison and say, “The Puritans are the sole reason the US is strong and those other countries are weak!” There are a plethora of economic, political, cultural, and historical reasons one country developed one way, and another developed another way.</p> <p>However, I would contend that they are a major factor in today’s hard work mentality, and that mentality as it is traced through the history of America since then. Many people have their own motivations for working hard and being productive. What they may not realize is that this can be traced back to the hard working Puritans who — though they were not perfect — may have instilled us Northerners with our modern hard work mentalities.</p> <p>e</p> </section>	Your hard work ethic is rooted in Puritan principles If you’re scrolling through this story on Medium’s homepage, it is probably surrounded on all sides by articles on waking up at 1:30am, being more productive while working 54 jobs, and when to fast for optimal cranial function. Even if you’re not perusing Medium — or any platform’s — homepage, you’ve seen these articles surfacing the past decade. Our culture is obsessed with productivity and work. Urban pastors, such as Tim Keller in NYC, are working hard to address the theology of work, and how to balance it with rest. Others in the secular spotlight, such as Tim Ferriss, Gary Vaynerchuck, and Jocko Willink are the ones pushing for a mindset of work, work, work and you’ll rest when you’re dead! Their messages are embraced by many across our culture, as they inspire and motivate people to do more than they thought possible and accomplish great things. I have written in the past about living in developing countries, and one of the benefits of being in those places, as someone from a developed country, is the slower pace of life. I experienced the drastic contrast between the two ways of living, but never gave much thought to where this split happened. After all, Guatemala (where I lived for one year) has the same European influence that the USA does, yet the way the two countries developed is drastically different. Most Central American countries speak Spanish because of Spanish settlers who came from Europe. The same strand of colonialism hit the Northern territories all around the same time, yet the progress of the US (for lack of a better term) is head and shoulders beyond them. Looking back from the 21st century, we can trace this influence back to one group; I would locate the root of this progressive work ethic in the Puritans. Not only did they found nearly all the Ivy League schools, but their work ethic would make even Gary V a happy little puppy. The motivation for their incredible work ethic (as well as their theology of rest, leisure, and enjoyment of life) was rooted in a desire to please God. A professor told us once, “There were perhaps no other groups of Christians who came as close to holistically living a ‘Christian life’ as the Puritans.” With their motivation not rooted in a desire to compete with their fellow man, or to impress others, mundane tasks like sweeping the floor took on an intense spiritual element. William Tyndale wrote, “If we look externally, there is a difference between washing dishes and preaching the Word of God, but as pleasing God, none at all.” Whatever they did could have the phrase “to please God” attached to the end of it and it would sum up the Puritan way of life pretty well: They swam in the lake to please God. They harvested their crops to please God. They ate their food to please God. And contrary to popular belief, they enjoyed intimacy with their spouses to please God. One great element of the Puritan mindset is that there was a great emphasis put on the laity of the church to live spiritual lives, not just on the clergy. Every Christian had a lively prayer and devotional life, they didn’t just attend church in order to receive their teaching on the Word. (When they did attend church though, the sermon alone could last 3 hours!) This emphasis on a private life of devotion is what led directly to the founding of the first universities in the States — a small school called Harvard first, followed by Dartmouth, Princeton and others. They sought to raise up ministers who were well versed in the classical languages as well as history, philosophy, and hermeneutics in order to be the best exegetes of Scripture for their congregations. Not only that, but the Puritans wanted everyone to be educated — boys and girls alike — so they started the first public school systems in the States. This was a reformed practice, in the tradition of Martin Luther who was another major proponent of public education. Christians today are scattered all across the spectrum of work habits. Those with disciplined routines may not even be aware that they owe this mindset to the earliest American Christians, the Puritans, who sought to fill up every moment of their day with something that would please God, from their working to their leisure activities. Someone once asked Jonathan Edwards what he would do today if he knew he would die tomorrow. He replied that he would wake up early, study his Bible, tend his garden, preach to his church…just like he did every day. In other words, Edwards’ routine was in place such that he wouldn’t have to change a thing in order to please God more on his final day! Now, back to Guatemala and other developing countries for a moment. I’m not smart enough to draw a direct comparison and say, “The Puritans are the sole reason the US is strong and those other countries are weak!” There are a plethora of economic, political, cultural, and historical reasons one country developed one way, and another developed another way. However, I would contend that they are a major factor in today’s hard work mentality, and that mentality as it is traced through the history of America since then. Many people have their own motivations for working hard and being productive. What they may not realize is that this can be traced back to the hard working Puritans who — though they were not perfect — may have instilled us Northerners with our modern hard work mentalities. e	10c1528d-acc4-56b4-8baa-2161989b475b	25/08/2025 18:01:14
https://medium.com/@miamigirleats/welcome-to-miami-girl-eats-bf48ade3b98e	medium.com	Welcome to Miami Girl Eats!!!	Hello everyone, and welcome to Miami Girl Eats! My name is Carly and I LOVE food! I made this blog to show everyone what amazing eats Miami…	Miami Girl Eats	https://medium.com/@miamigirleats	bf48ade3b98e	null	0 min	2017-10-15T14:05:46.620000	2017-10-15T14:28:44.705000	2018-04-10T12:31:10.210000	0	0	en	Blog,Blogger,Foodies,Food	<section> <p>Hello everyone, and welcome to Miami Girl Eats! My name is Carly and I LOVE food! I made this blog to show everyone what amazing eats Miami has to offer. From local to franchises, I will be posting about my meals and deals around town.</p> <p>What makes my blog so different from everyone else’s blog? I want to show everyone what it is like to be a young adult living in the suburbs. At the same time, I plan on incorporating healthy choices and healthy living habits. Such as recipes, diets, and cool alternatives for fatty foods!</p> <p>Join me in my adventures as I take a bite out of Miami!</p> </section>	Welcome to Miami Girl Eats!!! Hello everyone, and welcome to Miami Girl Eats! My name is Carly and I LOVE food! I made this blog to show everyone what amazing eats Miami has to offer. From local to franchises, I will be posting about my meals and deals around town. What makes my blog so different from everyone else’s blog? I want to show everyone what it is like to be a young adult living in the suburbs. At the same time, I plan on incorporating healthy choices and healthy living habits. Such as recipes, diets, and cool alternatives for fatty foods! Join me in my adventures as I take a bite out of Miami!	f903da87-ce52-5024-b898-2c1e0f9f44f5	25/08/2025 18:01:15
https://medium.com/@onthesunnyside.me/a-roadmap-from-meatless-mondays-to-meatless-every-day-d6410a4a5537	medium.com	A Roadmap from Meatless Mondays to Meatless Every Day	null	On_the_Sunny Side	https://medium.com/@onthesunnyside.me	d6410a4a5537	https://miro.medium.com/…[email protected]	4 min	2024-01-06T00:29:30.761000	2024-01-06T00:46:02.521000	2024-01-06T05:41:16.528000	0	8	en	Vegan,Food,Health,Life,Lifestyle	<section> <h3>Whether you’re a seasoned vegetarian dipping your toes into the vegan pool or a complete newbie curious about plant-based eating, you’ve taken a fantastic first step. This journey can be incredibly rewarding, filled with delicious discoveries, vibrant communities, and a newfound connection to your health and the planet.</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2160/1[email protected]" width="2160" height="1440" loading="lazy" /> <p>But before you dive headfirst into a plate of vegan stir-fry, let’s explore the different paths you can take. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to veganism, and it’s all about finding what works best for you.</p> <h1>So, what are the types of veganism?</h1> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2160/1[email protected]" width="2160" height="1440" loading="lazy" /> <ul> <li><strong>Dietary Vegan</strong>: This is the most common type, where you eliminate all animal products from your diet, including meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, and honey.</li> <li><strong>Ethical Vegan</strong>: This extends beyond diet, encompassing a lifestyle that rejects animal exploitation in all its forms. This includes avoiding animal-derived materials like leather, wool, and cosmetics tested on animals.</li> <li><strong>Environmental Vegan</strong>: Driven by concerns about the environmental impact of animal agriculture, these vegans opt for plant-based foods due to their lower carbon footprint and water usage.</li> </ul> <h2>But wait, there’s more!</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2160/1[email protected]" width="2160" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <p>Beyond these main categories, you’ll find a spectrum of approaches within veganism. Here are a few examples:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Flexitarian</strong>: This describes someone who primarily eats plant-based but occasionally enjoys meat or seafood. It’s a great way to gradually transition towards a more vegan lifestyle.</li> <li><strong>Whole-Food Vegan</strong>: This focuses on consuming unprocessed, whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. It’s a healthy and sustainable way to eat vegan.</li> <li><strong>Raw Vegan</strong>: As the name suggests, this involves eating only raw or minimally cooked plant foods. It’s a stricter approach, requiring careful planning and nutritional knowledge.</li> </ul> <h2>Choosing your term:</h2> <p>Don’t feel pressured to label yourself right away.</p> <p>Experiment, explore different aspects of veganism, and find what resonates with you. You might be a “curious omnivore” reducing your meat intake, a “weekend vegan” enjoying plant-based meals at home, or a “vegan in training” gradually incorporating more plant-based foods.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2160/1[email protected]" width="2160" height="1440" loading="lazy" /> <p>Remember, the most important thing is to start and enjoy the journey!</p> <h3>Alternative meats</h3> <ul> <li><strong>Plant-based meats:</strong> These mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of familiar meat dishes using plant proteins like soybeans, peas, lentils, and even mushrooms. Think burgers that bleed, “chicken” nuggets, and crumbly “ground beef” made from beans.</li> <li><strong>Cultivated meat: </strong>This emerging technology uses animal cells to grow real meat in a lab, without harming any animals. Imagine juicy steaks and delicate scallops, born not from a farm, but from a bioreactor.</li> </ul> <h2>Here are some tips for your plant-powered adventure:</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2160/1[email protected]" width="2160" height="1216" loading="lazy" /> <ul> <li>Seek inspiration: Cookbooks, blogs, and social media are bursting with delicious vegan recipes and meal ideas.</li> <li>Connect with the community: Join online forums, support groups, or local vegan meetups to find encouragement and advice.</li> <li>Don’t be afraid to experiment: Try new ingredients, explore different cuisines, and discover your favorite plant-based dishes.</li> <li>Be kind to yourself: This is a journey, not a destination. Allow yourself to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep moving forward.</li> </ul> <h2>Travel Tips for the Savvy Vegan</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2160/1[email protected]" width="2160" height="1438" loading="lazy" /> <ul> <li><strong>Chart your course</strong>: Research your destination! Websites like HappyCow and World Vegan Travel are goldmines, pinpointing vegan-friendly restaurants, cafes, and even accommodations.</li> <li><strong>Embrace local markets:</strong> Immerse yourself in the sights and smells of fresh produce, grains, and legumes. These vibrant markets are treasure troves for creating your own delectable plant-based meals.</li> <li><strong>Pack smart snacks: </strong>Stock your backpack with travel-friendly snacks like nuts, dried fruit, and protein bars. Unexpected culinary detours become less stressful with a trusty stash.</li> <li><strong>Learn some lingo: </strong>Basic phrases like “no dairy” and “vegan” in the local language can work wonders. Downloading a translation app can also be a lifesaver.</li> </ul> <h2>App-tastic Adventures:</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2160/1*[email protected]" width="2160" height="3238" loading="lazy" /> <ul> <li><strong><a href=</strong>"https://www.happycow.net">HappyCow</a>: Your vegan bible on the go, HappyCow locates plant-powered eateries and shops near you, complete with user reviews and photos. Say goodbye to hangry mishaps!</li> <li><strong><a hre</strong>f="https://vegoutmag.com">VegOut</a>: Discover hidden vegan gems and local favorites with VegOut’s curated recommendations and offline maps. No Wi-Fi? No problem!</li> <li><strong><a href=</strong>"https://www.abillion.com">Abillion</a>: Craving something specific? Abillion lets you search for vegan versions of your favorite dishes, from pizzas to pad thai. Bon appétit!</li> </ul> <h3>Embracing veganism, in any form, is a positive step towards a healthier you and a more sustainable planet. So, take a deep breath, grab a forkful of plant-based goodness, and welcome to the wonderful world of veganism!</h3> </section>	A Roadmap from Meatless Mondays to Meatless Every Day Whether you’re a seasoned vegetarian dipping your toes into the vegan pool or a complete newbie curious about plant-based eating, you’ve taken a fantastic first step. This journey can be incredibly rewarding, filled with delicious discoveries, vibrant communities, and a newfound connection to your health and the planet. Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash But before you dive headfirst into a plate of vegan stir-fry, let’s explore the different paths you can take. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to veganism, and it’s all about finding what works best for you. So, what are the types of veganism? Photo by Zyanya BMO on Unsplash Dietary Vegan: This is the most common type, where you eliminate all animal products from your diet, including meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, and honey. Ethical Vegan: This extends beyond diet, encompassing a lifestyle that rejects animal exploitation in all its forms. This includes avoiding animal-derived materials like leather, wool, and cosmetics tested on animals. Environmental Vegan: Driven by concerns about the environmental impact of animal agriculture, these vegans opt for plant-based foods due to their lower carbon footprint and water usage. But wait, there’s more! Photo by Pavel Kalenik on Unsplash Beyond these main categories, you’ll find a spectrum of approaches within veganism. Here are a few examples: Flexitarian: This describes someone who primarily eats plant-based but occasionally enjoys meat or seafood. It’s a great way to gradually transition towards a more vegan lifestyle. Whole-Food Vegan: This focuses on consuming unprocessed, whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. It’s a healthy and sustainable way to eat vegan. Raw Vegan: As the name suggests, this involves eating only raw or minimally cooked plant foods. It’s a stricter approach, requiring careful planning and nutritional knowledge. Choosing your term: Don’t feel pressured to label yourself right away. Experiment, explore different aspects of veganism, and find what resonates with you. You might be a “curious omnivore” reducing your meat intake, a “weekend vegan” enjoying plant-based meals at home, or a “vegan in training” gradually incorporating more plant-based foods. Photo by Sherman Kwan on Unsplash Remember, the most important thing is to start and enjoy the journey! Alternative meats Plant-based meats: These mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of familiar meat dishes using plant proteins like soybeans, peas, lentils, and even mushrooms. Think burgers that bleed, “chicken” nuggets, and crumbly “ground beef” made from beans. Cultivated meat: This emerging technology uses animal cells to grow real meat in a lab, without harming any animals. Imagine juicy steaks and delicate scallops, born not from a farm, but from a bioreactor. Here are some tips for your plant-powered adventure: Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash Seek inspiration: Cookbooks, blogs, and social media are bursting with delicious vegan recipes and meal ideas. Connect with the community: Join online forums, support groups, or local vegan meetups to find encouragement and advice. Don’t be afraid to experiment: Try new ingredients, explore different cuisines, and discover your favorite plant-based dishes. Be kind to yourself: This is a journey, not a destination. Allow yourself to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep moving forward. Travel Tips for the Savvy Vegan Photo by Conscious Design on Unsplash Chart your course: Research your destination! Websites like HappyCow and World Vegan Travel are goldmines, pinpointing vegan-friendly restaurants, cafes, and even accommodations. Embrace local markets: Immerse yourself in the sights and smells of fresh produce, grains, and legumes. These vibrant markets are treasure troves for creating your own delectable plant-based meals. Pack smart snacks: Stock your backpack with travel-friendly snacks like nuts, dried fruit, and protein bars. Unexpected culinary detours become less stressful with a trusty stash. Learn some lingo: Basic phrases like “no dairy” and “vegan” in the local language can work wonders. Downloading a translation app can also be a lifesaver. App-tastic Adventures: Photo by abillion on Unsplash HappyCow: Your vegan bible on the go, HappyCow locates plant-powered eateries and shops near you, complete with user reviews and photos. Say goodbye to hangry mishaps! VegOut: Discover hidden vegan gems and local favorites with VegOut’s curated recommendations and offline maps. No Wi-Fi? No problem! Abillion: Craving something specific? Abillion lets you search for vegan versions of your favorite dishes, from pizzas to pad thai. Bon appétit! Embracing veganism, in any form, is a positive step towards a healthier you and a more sustainable planet. So, take a deep breath, grab a forkful of plant-based goodness, and welcome to the wonderful world of veganism!	9b4c8980-4198-5f6b-aab5-bea08e276707	25/08/2025 18:01:15
https://medium.com/@Videesha/an-interview-3eb982c3891e	medium.com	What makes me tick	This interview piece was originally written by Kathrin Folkendt in www.12percent.org.	Videesha Böckle	https://medium.com/@Videesha	3eb982c3891e	null	3 min	2015-10-15T08:22:31.947000	2015-10-15T08:32:46.261000	2017-09-18T03:20:39.286000	0	25	en	Venture Capital,Entrepreneurship,Leadership Development	<section> <p>This interview piece was originally written by <strong>Kathrin Folkendt </strong>in <strong><a href="http://ww</strong>w.12percent.org">www.12percent.org</a>.</p> <p>“I want to create opportunities for others through the use of technology”</p> <p>Videesha Kunkulagunta is making the journey to <a href="http://piratesummit.com/en/piratesummit-2015">Pirate Summit</a> from buzzing Berlin. We spoke to her about the financial markets, investing and her love for travelling.</p> <p><strong>Videesha, what is it, that you do, when you're not at Pirate Summit?</strong></p> <p>I work as a Principal for Redstone Digital GmbH a Venture Capital and analytics firm (<a href="http://www.redstone.vc/">www.redstone.vc</a>) based in the buzzing Rosenthaler Strasse in Berlin. Our vision is to re-invent the traditional boutique Venture Capital model. Having moved to Berlin from London about two years ago I've embraced life in the city and look forward to the transformations that await the start-up and venture capital space in the coming years.</p> <p><strong>What do you like about Finance? When did you first develop an interest for it? And what is your role at Redstone now?</strong></p> <p>I like the broad nature of the Finance sector and that it enables things in our every day lives i.e. the construction of a new building, the starting or expansion of a new company or the ability to be supported in our retirement. My interest for Finance developed at university where I was exposed to people that worked in the field. Originally I wanted to be a diplomat and work in international development but realized there were many ways to make a positive impact on the world. Due to the broad nature of the sector I've always opted to work in niche areas of Finance that are predominantly people businesses. Previously this was in Private Wealth management and now in Venture Capital. The highlights of my role at Redstone involve sourcing, analyzing and closing deals, sitting on start-up boards and meeting entrepreneurs and other investors.</p> <p><strong>Your career has taken you all over the world already. What are your learnings from life in such diverse environments?</strong></p> <p>Yes, I've been very fortunate to work in different parts of the world in Singapore, London and now Berlin. In essence the experiences taught me a considerable amount about the impact that culture has on businesses. Moving around also put me in unfamiliar situations which has made me extremely resilient but also has made me aware of my own strengths and weaknesses. This is probably also the main reason why I'm an advocate for diversity in tech whether it's age, gender or experience because I believe it can add extreme value to any team.</p> <p><strong>Seems like you like to travel? What's the next destination on your bucket list and why?</strong></p> <p>I'm a big fan of traveling and try to squeeze as much as possible around work. A couple of years ago I was in Kenya and Uganda and would love to go back and see more of the continent. Probably South Africa or Mozambique would be next on my list.</p> <p><strong>Back to business: What do the international financial markets have in common? What were the different challenges? How does investment differ from country to country?</strong></p> <p>The Financial markets in different locations are very similar but at varying degrees of maturity. The more established Venture Capital markets are in the USA and we're much younger in Europe. The challenges include the level of education in an ecosystem and the learnings from one generation of entrepreneurs passed on to the next generation. Many entrepreneurs especially at the later stages unfortunately end up leaving and moving to the more mature ecosystems of the USA.</p> <p><strong>At Redstone, what investments are you interested in at the moment?</strong></p> <p>At Redstone we have a multi-fund strategy that means that we manage several Venture Capital funds at the same time focussed on the EU. We typically invest anything from €25k to €10m at this stage. We're generally sector agnostic but currently focussing on Data, Fin-tech and enterprise SaaS.</p> <p><strong>If someone would like to learn more about the financial markets or finance in general, where's a good place to start? What resources can you recommend?</strong></p> <p>I recommend reaching out to people in the industry. Grab a coffee with people that already work in the branch of Finance you're interested in learning about. Go to networking events and meet others also interested in the same space. Read, watch and listen to as much as possible to inform you about the space.</p> <p><strong>What are you hoping to take away from Pirate Summit?</strong></p> <p>I'm hoping to learn more about and from the start-ups and investors in the international investment community as my experience in Venture Capital has been very concentrated in the London and Berlin tech ecosystems.</p> </section>	What makes me tick This interview piece was originally written by Kathrin Folkendt in www.12percent.org. “I want to create opportunities for others through the use of technology” Videesha Kunkulagunta is making the journey to Pirate Summit from buzzing Berlin. We spoke to her about the financial markets, investing and her love for travelling. Videesha, what is it, that you do, when you're not at Pirate Summit? I work as a Principal for Redstone Digital GmbH a Venture Capital and analytics firm (www.redstone.vc) based in the buzzing Rosenthaler Strasse in Berlin. Our vision is to re-invent the traditional boutique Venture Capital model. Having moved to Berlin from London about two years ago I've embraced life in the city and look forward to the transformations that await the start-up and venture capital space in the coming years. What do you like about Finance? When did you first develop an interest for it? And what is your role at Redstone now? I like the broad nature of the Finance sector and that it enables things in our every day lives i.e. the construction of a new building, the starting or expansion of a new company or the ability to be supported in our retirement. My interest for Finance developed at university where I was exposed to people that worked in the field. Originally I wanted to be a diplomat and work in international development but realized there were many ways to make a positive impact on the world. Due to the broad nature of the sector I've always opted to work in niche areas of Finance that are predominantly people businesses. Previously this was in Private Wealth management and now in Venture Capital. The highlights of my role at Redstone involve sourcing, analyzing and closing deals, sitting on start-up boards and meeting entrepreneurs and other investors. Your career has taken you all over the world already. What are your learnings from life in such diverse environments? Yes, I've been very fortunate to work in different parts of the world in Singapore, London and now Berlin. In essence the experiences taught me a considerable amount about the impact that culture has on businesses. Moving around also put me in unfamiliar situations which has made me extremely resilient but also has made me aware of my own strengths and weaknesses. This is probably also the main reason why I'm an advocate for diversity in tech whether it's age, gender or experience because I believe it can add extreme value to any team. Seems like you like to travel? What's the next destination on your bucket list and why? I'm a big fan of traveling and try to squeeze as much as possible around work. A couple of years ago I was in Kenya and Uganda and would love to go back and see more of the continent. Probably South Africa or Mozambique would be next on my list. Back to business: What do the international financial markets have in common? What were the different challenges? How does investment differ from country to country? The Financial markets in different locations are very similar but at varying degrees of maturity. The more established Venture Capital markets are in the USA and we're much younger in Europe. The challenges include the level of education in an ecosystem and the learnings from one generation of entrepreneurs passed on to the next generation. Many entrepreneurs especially at the later stages unfortunately end up leaving and moving to the more mature ecosystems of the USA. At Redstone, what investments are you interested in at the moment? At Redstone we have a multi-fund strategy that means that we manage several Venture Capital funds at the same time focussed on the EU. We typically invest anything from €25k to €10m at this stage. We're generally sector agnostic but currently focussing on Data, Fin-tech and enterprise SaaS. If someone would like to learn more about the financial markets or finance in general, where's a good place to start? What resources can you recommend? I recommend reaching out to people in the industry. Grab a coffee with people that already work in the branch of Finance you're interested in learning about. Go to networking events and meet others also interested in the same space. Read, watch and listen to as much as possible to inform you about the space. What are you hoping to take away from Pirate Summit? I'm hoping to learn more about and from the start-ups and investors in the international investment community as my experience in Venture Capital has been very concentrated in the London and Berlin tech ecosystems.	2572e268-f8c8-5145-b1db-806112ceb697	25/08/2025 18:01:15
https://medium.com/@mjohnstone87/five-things-about-me-1998cdfbce98	medium.com	Five Things About Me…	This post isn’t really for those of you who’ve known me for most or all of my life. This post is to give those new friends and readers of…	Morgan Johnstone	https://medium.com/@mjohnstone87	1998cdfbce98	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*T_DOnnVA2c6LS9D7	4 min	2019-07-15T01:37:24.175000	2019-07-15T02:14:50.084000	2021-12-10T21:56:48.367000	0	1	en	Life,About Me,Jesus,Christianity	<section> <p>This post isn’t really for those of you who’ve known me for most or all of my life. This post is to give those new friends and readers of mine a bit of insight into who I am and how I strive to live my life.</p> <p><strong>I am legally blind.</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5235/0T_DOnnVA2c6LS9D7" width="5235" height="3490" loading="lazy" /> <p>I don’t want you to think I’m trying for pity here by starting with this fact about myself. In honesty I’m doing just the opposite. I was diagnosed with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia either at birth or shortly after. Most of my life I was told that I “can’t” do things but now that I’m an adult I have learned that there are many things that I can in fact do. I have to give a HUGE shout out to my mom for fighting for me as a kid and seeing to it that I received my high school diploma instead of some certificate of completion. My mom fought for my education every single step of the way. She went with out things so that I could have things. Love ya mama!</p> <p><strong>I am a Christian.</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5184/0S6q-A6hugS-kOuDw" width="5184" height="3888" loading="lazy" /> <p>I really think that I became a Christian as a kid when my mom married my step-dad and he began to take us to church. At first, like most kids do, I went through the motions of praying and going to the altar calls. As I grew older I really gave my life to Jesus and started my walk with him. This isn’t saying that I haven’t gone away from the faith though. From around fifteen years old until about six months ago I dabbled in other paths like wicca, satanism, Buddhism, and so many more but I’ve always seemed to come back to Jesus and here in just the past six months or so I’ve given my life over to Him to do with it as He sees fit. Hopefully through studying the Bible, praying and having a better relationship with Jesus I can stay the path this time. ❤</p> <p><strong>I am impulsive.</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/7952/0EPdMk5ZgM3_mflOv" width="7952" height="5304" loading="lazy" /> <p>Being impulsive is usually seen as one of my worse attributes. I can make decisions in a split second without any thought or idea of the consequences that my decisions may have. Some of my worse impulse control comes in when dealing with money. There are so many things that I want in life to the point that when I get my hands on money it’s gone in an heart beat. Prime example of this was the purchase of the very Chromebook I am using to write this post with. I didn’t NEED the Chromebook, but I wanted it. Since I wanted it, I bought it without any thought of the bills I would be missing that month. Just throwing this one in here to show that I have flaws too!</p> <p><strong>I am loved.</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5760/0PiQVHWLvC0ABVCqM" width="5760" height="3840" loading="lazy" /> <p>I am so loved that it’s hard to even put it into words. I don’t mean any one specific kind of love but love in most all of it’s facets. I am loved as a friend, a sibling, a son, and a person. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve messed up in life and hurt others around me and yet have been forgiven and accepted back with open arms. I need to throw in a huge mention to Doc Kinne here. He’s been in my life for about 8 years now and he’s truly been an outpouring fountain of love for me. Whether I’m in the middle of a mental breakdown or I’ve just spent all the money I had for the month he is there and helps me and loves me. He get’s upset when I do stupid things, which he rightfully should, but loves me all the same. Thanks Doc!</p> <p>P.S. Have I said that I am loved by Jesus yet? I think so, but I know I am!</p> <p><strong>I am a seeker of knowledge.</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/7932/0*8-O11430bTwuVP1q" width="7932" height="5291" loading="lazy" /> <p>Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved to read and learn new things. I don’t know who or where I got my strong sense of curiosity from, but it’s been there for as long as I can remember. I remember that my mom took me to our local Books-A-Million one night at 11pm and wouldn’t tell me why. Once we got into the store and I saw all of the signs I knew that she had brought me to get a copy or Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on it’s release date! My MOM stayed with me at the store for HOURS so that I could be one of the first people in line to get a copy of that book. I had it devoured within 48 hours of buying it! Mama, I love you so much for this!</p> <p><strong>Wrapping things up…</strong></p> <p>This post was originally going to be called Ten Things About Me, but after writing the first five I decided to split it in half. Here’s the first five things I want to share with you and I’ll post five more things later on down the line. If you enjoyed reading about me please share the post around and give it a clap here on Medium!</p> </section>	Five Things About Me… This post isn’t really for those of you who’ve known me for most or all of my life. This post is to give those new friends and readers of mine a bit of insight into who I am and how I strive to live my life. I am legally blind. Photo by Josh Calabrese on Unsplash I don’t want you to think I’m trying for pity here by starting with this fact about myself. In honesty I’m doing just the opposite. I was diagnosed with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia either at birth or shortly after. Most of my life I was told that I “can’t” do things but now that I’m an adult I have learned that there are many things that I can in fact do. I have to give a HUGE shout out to my mom for fighting for me as a kid and seeing to it that I received my high school diploma instead of some certificate of completion. My mom fought for my education every single step of the way. She went with out things so that I could have things. Love ya mama! I am a Christian. Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash I really think that I became a Christian as a kid when my mom married my step-dad and he began to take us to church. At first, like most kids do, I went through the motions of praying and going to the altar calls. As I grew older I really gave my life to Jesus and started my walk with him. This isn’t saying that I haven’t gone away from the faith though. From around fifteen years old until about six months ago I dabbled in other paths like wicca, satanism, Buddhism, and so many more but I’ve always seemed to come back to Jesus and here in just the past six months or so I’ve given my life over to Him to do with it as He sees fit. Hopefully through studying the Bible, praying and having a better relationship with Jesus I can stay the path this time. ❤ I am impulsive. Photo by Victoriano Izquierdo on Unsplash Being impulsive is usually seen as one of my worse attributes. I can make decisions in a split second without any thought or idea of the consequences that my decisions may have. Some of my worse impulse control comes in when dealing with money. There are so many things that I want in life to the point that when I get my hands on money it’s gone in an heart beat. Prime example of this was the purchase of the very Chromebook I am using to write this post with. I didn’t NEED the Chromebook, but I wanted it. Since I wanted it, I bought it without any thought of the bills I would be missing that month. Just throwing this one in here to show that I have flaws too! I am loved. Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash I am so loved that it’s hard to even put it into words. I don’t mean any one specific kind of love but love in most all of it’s facets. I am loved as a friend, a sibling, a son, and a person. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve messed up in life and hurt others around me and yet have been forgiven and accepted back with open arms. I need to throw in a huge mention to Doc Kinne here. He’s been in my life for about 8 years now and he’s truly been an outpouring fountain of love for me. Whether I’m in the middle of a mental breakdown or I’ve just spent all the money I had for the month he is there and helps me and loves me. He get’s upset when I do stupid things, which he rightfully should, but loves me all the same. Thanks Doc! P.S. Have I said that I am loved by Jesus yet? I think so, but I know I am! I am a seeker of knowledge. Photo by Timo Volz on Unsplash Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved to read and learn new things. I don’t know who or where I got my strong sense of curiosity from, but it’s been there for as long as I can remember. I remember that my mom took me to our local Books-A-Million one night at 11pm and wouldn’t tell me why. Once we got into the store and I saw all of the signs I knew that she had brought me to get a copy or Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on it’s release date! My MOM stayed with me at the store for HOURS so that I could be one of the first people in line to get a copy of that book. I had it devoured within 48 hours of buying it! Mama, I love you so much for this! Wrapping things up… This post was originally going to be called Ten Things About Me, but after writing the first five I decided to split it in half. Here’s the first five things I want to share with you and I’ll post five more things later on down the line. If you enjoyed reading about me please share the post around and give it a clap here on Medium!	c9bb11d7-7818-525a-b66d-ea776e95a5ee	25/08/2025 18:01:16
https://medium.com/vivid-stories/dance-of-the-lights-f3b567194a4b	medium.com	Dance Of The Lights	null	Vivid Lens	https://medium.com/@vividlensview	f3b567194a4b	https://miro.medium.com/…I6WvVtVTWEA.jpeg	1 min	2017-03-15T03:02:33.478000	2017-01-20T23:01:58	2017-03-16T17:37:45.784000	0	0	en	Festivals,Night,Happiness,Writing,Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4623/1*WXx7Vgxi2JKI6WvVtVTWEA.jpeg" width="4623" height="3062" loading="lazy" /> <p>Feel your eyes, they are all over the place. Hit the vibe, you can’t just see one thing. Let the lights be your guide and find what you are not looking for. Let me see you let loose, let me see you take control. It’s lit tonight; these lanterns they tell you a story. When I was there, they made me feel alive. It’s the perfect combination of colors and lights! They tell no lies, they know how to have a good time. Seen a thing or two, and they are mostly at the right place even if at the wrong time. Dive into the stories of their good times; acknowledge their experience, they know how to dance to every beat, anytime.</p> </section>	Dance Of The Lights Feel your eyes, they are all over the place. Hit the vibe, you can’t just see one thing. Let the lights be your guide and find what you are not looking for. Let me see you let loose, let me see you take control. It’s lit tonight; these lanterns they tell you a story. When I was there, they made me feel alive. It’s the perfect combination of colors and lights! They tell no lies, they know how to have a good time. Seen a thing or two, and they are mostly at the right place even if at the wrong time. Dive into the stories of their good times; acknowledge their experience, they know how to dance to every beat, anytime.	f7dbd36a-5094-50e1-a826-9f6c017a9cd5	25/08/2025 18:01:16
https://medium.com/daily-visit-with-god/true-israel-25a3186b54cc	medium.com	True Israel	Philippians 3:3 (KJV) For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in…	Marvin McKenzie	https://medium.com/@booksbymarvinmckenzie	25a3186b54cc	null	1 min	2017-11-30T14:44:24.620000	2017-11-30T14:44:52.728000	2017-11-30T14:44:54.246000	0	0	en	Devotional,Christianity,Christian,Bible,Jesus	<section> <p>Philippians 3:3 (KJV) <em><strong>For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in th</em>e flesh.</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/320/0*wAfzYqIoJaV7hKuA.jpeg" width="320" height="170" loading="lazy" /> <p>True Israel is those who:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Walk by faith as Abraham, are</strong></li> <li><strong>Born of a promise as Isaac and</strong></li> <li><strong>Rejoice in Christ as Paul</strong></li> </ul> <p><strong>To my readers:</strong> I would love to hear from you. Leave comments below.</p> <p>For this and more than 4000 earlier Daily Visits with God visit <a href="https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com/">https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com</a>. There you will find daily visits going back to 2006.</p> <p><em>If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.</em></p> <p>For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit <a href="http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com/">http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com</a>.</p> <p>My books are available at: My author spotlight at Lulu.com: <a href="http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/marvinmckenzie">http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/marvinmckenzie</a></p> <p>My author Page for Kindle/Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.com/author/marvinmckenzie">http://www.amazon.com/author/marvinmckenzie</a></p> <h1>Philippians 3:3 (KJV) True Israel</h1> <p>Please consider helping our church’s teen department by signing up for cash back shopping at <a href="http://www.dubli.com/M04VB">http://www.dubli.com/M04VB</a>. This program has three levels of participation, the first being completely free.</p> </section>	True Israel Philippians 3:3 (KJV) For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. True Israel is those who: Walk by faith as Abraham, are Born of a promise as Isaac and Rejoice in Christ as Paul To my readers: I would love to hear from you. Leave comments below. For this and more than 4000 earlier Daily Visits with God visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2006. If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others. For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com. My books are available at: My author spotlight at Lulu.com: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/marvinmckenzie My author Page for Kindle/Amazon http://www.amazon.com/author/marvinmckenzie Philippians 3:3 (KJV) True Israel Please consider helping our church’s teen department by signing up for cash back shopping at http://www.dubli.com/M04VB. This program has three levels of participation, the first being completely free.	1092d8a6-3da4-5c75-ae63-e736d911eaca	25/08/2025 18:01:17
https://medium.com/@IfNotNow_Bay/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-americas-largest-pro-israel-group-aacc25cc258	medium.com	7 Things You Need to Know about America’s Largest Pro-Israel Group	1. It’s called Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and it’s a group of Christian Zionists.	IfNotNow Bay Area🔥	https://medium.com/@IfNotNow_Bay	aacc25cc258	https://miro.medium.com/…jt-iEZ7mrag.jpeg	4 min	2017-06-01T05:18:44.686000	2017-06-02T20:07:28.926000	2018-03-25T18:33:35.759000	0	4	en	Israel,Palestine,Christianity,Jewish	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1YBnL_LuClIkjt-iEZ7mrag.jpeg" width="640" height="370" loading="lazy" /> <p><em><strong>1. It’s called Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and it’s a group of Christian Z</em>ionists.</strong></p> <p>Firstly, and probably most importantly, America’s largest pro-Israel group is actually a group of Christian Zionists. Yep, you read that right. These are a group of people <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/08/christian-charities-bankroll-israeli-settlements-150824105924531.html">who support the endless occupation of Palestinians in the name of the Jewish people</a>, but are NOT EVEN JEWISH. To make matters worse, there are Evangelical Christians, riddled throughout the membership and leadership of this organization, who subscribe to a widespread belief that only <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/meet-bibis-new-tribulation-courting-jew-converting-demon-exorcising-american-allies">once all the Jews have settled in Israel and converted to Christianity shall Jesus’ 2nd coming</a>, the Rapture, the END OF DAYS finally begin. Meaning, they support Israel so all the Jews’ll go there, stop being Jews, and wait around for the world to end…sounds like a party to me?</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/465/1OzPrUBPA07APgIqZgcGKAg.png" width="465" height="319" loading="lazy" /> <p><em><strong>2. CUFI boasts over 3 million members, making it the largest pro-Israel group in </em>America.</strong></p> <p>Just for reference, the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) claims to have around 100,00 members.</p> <p></p> <p><em><strong>3. CUFI’s founder and national chairman, John Hagee, thinks Hitler was sent</em> by God.</strong></p> <p>In a DVD set for one of his sermons, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/21/mccain-backer-hagee-said_n_102892.html">John Hagee suggests that Hitler was sent by God to ‘hunt’ the Jews out of Europe</a>, as punishment for them not having immigrated to Israel earlier, and so they would then ‘return’ to Israel. Just read the quote:</p> <p>“Theodore Herzl is the father of Zionism. He was a Jew who at the turn of the 19th century said, this land is our land, God wants us to live there. So he went to the Jews of Europe and said ‘I want you to come and join me in the land of Israel.’ So few went that Hertzel went into depression. <strong>Those who came founded Israel; those who did not went through the hell of the holocaust.</strong></p> <p>“Then god sent a hunter. A hunter is someone with a gun and he forces you. <strong>Hitler was a hunter.</strong> And the Bible says — Jeremiah writing — ‘<em><strong>They shall hunt them from every mountain and from every hill and from the holes of t</em>he rocks</strong>,’ meaning there’s no place to hide. And that might be offensive to some people<strong> </strong>but don’t let your heart be offended. I didn’t write it, Jeremiah wrote it. It was the truth and it is the truth. How did it happen? Because God allowed it to happen. Why did it happen? Because God said <strong>my top priority for the Jewish people is to get them to come back to the land of Israel</strong>.”</p> <p></p> <p>You can’t make this stuff up.</p> <p><em><strong>4. John Hagee is paid more than a million dollar</em>s a year</strong> — <em><strong>for running a “</em>church”.</strong></p> <p>Technically, CUFI is actually considered a ‘church’. They’re <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/meet-bibis-new-tribulation-courting-jew-converting-demon-exorcising-american-allies">registered in Texas as the “CUFI Church Association”, with a mission to “proclaim Christ to the world”</a>. Since it’s registered as a church, it doesn’t have to disclose many of its financial activities, making it difficult to trace where its money actually goes. <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/meet-bibis-new-tribulation-courting-jew-converting-demon-exorcising-american-allies">It has also been reported that John Hagee’s income was more than a million dollars, making him one of the highest paid heads of a non-profit in San Antonio</a>. In addition to founding CUFI, John Hagee also founded Cornerstone Church, a megachurch in San Antonin, and is the CEO of Global Evangelism Television. In all of these capacities, John Hagee preaches anti-Semitic, homophobic, and Islamophobic views in order to extract more and more money from his growing number of followers.</p> <p><em><strong>5. CUFI and John Ha</em>gee have immense<em> political s</strong>way.</em></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/920/1q1_zyoolNaHzSv5LTvFg9g.jpeg" width="920" height="456" loading="lazy" /> <p>On March 31st, John Hagee met with President Trump in the White House. On top of that, Vice President Mike Pence is speaking at their Washington Summit this July. In 2012 (so this is after Hagee was nationally condemned for claiming God sent Hitler), Foreign Policy even ranked John Hagee as the <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2012/08/24/the-fp-50-2/">46th most powerful Republican on foreign policy</a>. Just to make sure we’re all on the same page, this means that a raving<strong> anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, overpaid televangelist has the ear of the Executive Branch</strong> of our government and the rest of the Republican party. If you weren’t scared already, it’s time to freak out.</p> <p><em><strong>6. Even Sen. John McCain isn’t down with Joh</em>n Hagee…</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/22/mccain.hagee/index.html?iref=newssearch">During the 2008 election, John McCain actually rejected John Hagee’s endorsement</a>. We can’t give him too much credit though. He only did so after Hagee’s comments about Hitler gained national attention.</p> <p><em><strong>7. …But The American Jewish Establishment love</em>s* CUFI.</strong></p> <p>Yep. Despite the anti-Semitism (<a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/meet-bibis-new-tribulation-courting-jew-converting-demon-exorcising-american-allies">and nonsense</a>) that its leader John Hagee continues to spew, <a href="http://www.charismanews.com/us/40434-christians-jews-affirm-alliance-at-cufi-summit">Jewish and Israeli leaders still publicly support CUFI and regularly attend their events</a>. In 2013, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Malcolm Hoenlein, spoke at their annual summit, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech via satellite. You would think that believing Jews <a href="http://mondoweiss.net/2015/03/confirms-christian-semitic/">will burn in eternal damnation</a> would upset some Jewish and Israeli leaders! Unfortunately, it seems like their main concern is finding uncritical supporters for Israel’s policies — whether or not those “friends of Israel” actually care in the slightest about the well-being of Jewish (or Palestinian) people.</p> <p>Do better.</p> </section>	7 Things You Need to Know about America’s Largest Pro-Israel Group John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel, speaking at a rally in Jerusalem 1. It’s called Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and it’s a group of Christian Zionists. Firstly, and probably most importantly, America’s largest pro-Israel group is actually a group of Christian Zionists. Yep, you read that right. These are a group of people who support the endless occupation of Palestinians in the name of the Jewish people, but are NOT EVEN JEWISH. To make matters worse, there are Evangelical Christians, riddled throughout the membership and leadership of this organization, who subscribe to a widespread belief that only once all the Jews have settled in Israel and converted to Christianity shall Jesus’ 2nd coming, the Rapture, the END OF DAYS finally begin. Meaning, they support Israel so all the Jews’ll go there, stop being Jews, and wait around for the world to end…sounds like a party to me? That’s us, the non-saved, there on the ground. The Book of Revelation is wild. 2. CUFI boasts over 3 million members, making it the largest pro-Israel group in America. Just for reference, the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) claims to have around 100,00 members. 3. CUFI’s founder and national chairman, John Hagee, thinks Hitler was sent by God. In a DVD set for one of his sermons, John Hagee suggests that Hitler was sent by God to ‘hunt’ the Jews out of Europe, as punishment for them not having immigrated to Israel earlier, and so they would then ‘return’ to Israel. Just read the quote: “Theodore Herzl is the father of Zionism. He was a Jew who at the turn of the 19th century said, this land is our land, God wants us to live there. So he went to the Jews of Europe and said ‘I want you to come and join me in the land of Israel.’ So few went that Hertzel went into depression. Those who came founded Israel; those who did not went through the hell of the holocaust. “Then god sent a hunter. A hunter is someone with a gun and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter. And the Bible says — Jeremiah writing — ‘They shall hunt them from every mountain and from every hill and from the holes of the rocks,’ meaning there’s no place to hide. And that might be offensive to some people but don’t let your heart be offended. I didn’t write it, Jeremiah wrote it. It was the truth and it is the truth. How did it happen? Because God allowed it to happen. Why did it happen? Because God said my top priority for the Jewish people is to get them to come back to the land of Israel.” You can’t make this stuff up. 4. John Hagee is paid more than a million dollars a year — for running a “church”. Technically, CUFI is actually considered a ‘church’. They’re registered in Texas as the “CUFI Church Association”, with a mission to “proclaim Christ to the world”. Since it’s registered as a church, it doesn’t have to disclose many of its financial activities, making it difficult to trace where its money actually goes. It has also been reported that John Hagee’s income was more than a million dollars, making him one of the highest paid heads of a non-profit in San Antonio. In addition to founding CUFI, John Hagee also founded Cornerstone Church, a megachurch in San Antonin, and is the CEO of Global Evangelism Television. In all of these capacities, John Hagee preaches anti-Semitic, homophobic, and Islamophobic views in order to extract more and more money from his growing number of followers. 5. CUFI and John Hagee have immense political sway. John Hagee meeting with President Trump On March 31st, John Hagee met with President Trump in the White House. On top of that, Vice President Mike Pence is speaking at their Washington Summit this July. In 2012 (so this is after Hagee was nationally condemned for claiming God sent Hitler), Foreign Policy even ranked John Hagee as the 46th most powerful Republican on foreign policy. Just to make sure we’re all on the same page, this means that a raving anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, overpaid televangelist has the ear of the Executive Branch of our government and the rest of the Republican party. If you weren’t scared already, it’s time to freak out. 6. Even Sen. John McCain isn’t down with John Hagee… During the 2008 election, John McCain actually rejected John Hagee’s endorsement. We can’t give him too much credit though. He only did so after Hagee’s comments about Hitler gained national attention. 7. …But The American Jewish Establishment loves CUFI. Yep. Despite the anti-Semitism (and nonsense) that its leader John Hagee continues to spew, Jewish and Israeli leaders still publicly support CUFI and regularly attend their events. In 2013, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Malcolm Hoenlein, spoke at their annual summit, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech via satellite. You would think that believing Jews will burn in eternal damnation would upset some Jewish and Israeli leaders! Unfortunately, it seems like their main concern is finding uncritical supporters for Israel’s policies — whether or not those “friends of Israel” actually care in the slightest about the well-being of Jewish (or Palestinian) people. Do better.	095aba79-837a-5ea8-aacb-df869f15a46a	25/08/2025 18:01:17
https://medium.com/@distinctvisuals/travel-photography-c5499ed4ef	medium.com	Travel Photography	null	Distinct Visuals	https://medium.com/@distinctvisuals	c5499ed4ef	https://miro.medium.com/…f9qmupqCojQ.jpeg	0 min	2016-02-02T18:09:41.293000	2016-02-02T18:11:04.810000	2018-01-30T17:07:35.634000	0	0	en	Photography,Travel,Art	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1102/1*TOjgevh7JpZf9qmupqCojQ.jpeg" width="1102" height="735" loading="lazy" /> </section>	Travel Photography	37a286bf-6ea9-56bf-9038-c72dd649e4a6	25/08/2025 18:01:18
https://medium.com/@jomargacoscos/vr-ar-gaming-voice-interaction-16a592ad74e3	medium.com	VR/AR Gaming — Voice Interaction	Over the past few years, voice assistants have become more integrated within our lives with tech giants Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft…	Jomar Gacoscos	https://medium.com/@jomargacoscos	16a592ad74e3	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*fNiooa-5zV94vOUz	1 min	2018-08-07T02:00:47.534000	2018-08-07T03:38:43.055000	2018-08-07T03:38:43.432000	0	2	en	Artificial Intelligence,Chatbots,Augmented Reality,Virtual Reality,Gaming	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5600/0*fNiooa-5zV94vOUz" width="5600" height="3733" loading="lazy" /> <p>Over the past few years, voice assistants have become more integrated within our lives with tech giants Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft investing large amounts of resources into their respective voice assistant ecosystems.</p> <p>Let’s say you’re at home getting ready to go out and you want to check the weather, you’d have to phone out of your pocket, unlock it, go to the weather app and look into the weather information foryour city. With a voice assistant in your home, you can now simply just say aloud “[ Prompt word] what’s the weather like in so and so?”</p> <p>Now look at gaming, where chat interfaces are limited to text options on the screen. They’re still pre-made chat options and like in the oldschool gameboy Pokemon games, you just keep pressing A, A, A, until you get through the whole dialogue. It’s pretty much the same in VR, so in order to increase immersion, let’s use our voice as input, just as if we communicating with someone in real life.</p> <p>The most notable voice platform for developmenthas to be Microsoft’s LUIS and Custom Speech platforms. These platforms do an astounding job of streamlining the speech recognition and language understand development process, where a developer would only have to predetermine the “intent” of the command and use it as input as opposed to the player having to say a voice command word for word.</p> <p>Take Human Interact’s Starship Commander, where in VR players would state their commands through voice. This trailer game me goosebumps when I watched it the first time. It’s inspiring to see this amazing team bring this experience to life.</p> <p>Human Interact’s Starship Commander</p> <p>More info: <a href="http://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/human-interact-cognitive-services">http://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/human-interact-cognitive-services</a></p> <p>Now extend this method of interaction to commercial solutions such as medical training for psychologists and for customer service.</p> <p>The options are endless….</p> <p>“How often are you alive when the dawn of a new medium comes to life.” Alexander Mejia, Creative Director, Human Interact</p> <p>Until next time!</p> <p>-Jomar</p> </section>	VR/AR Gaming — Voice Interaction Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash Over the past few years, voice assistants have become more integrated within our lives with tech giants Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft investing large amounts of resources into their respective voice assistant ecosystems. Let’s say you’re at home getting ready to go out and you want to check the weather, you’d have to phone out of your pocket, unlock it, go to the weather app and look into the weather information foryour city. With a voice assistant in your home, you can now simply just say aloud “[ Prompt word] what’s the weather like in so and so?” Now look at gaming, where chat interfaces are limited to text options on the screen. They’re still pre-made chat options and like in the oldschool gameboy Pokemon games, you just keep pressing A, A, A, until you get through the whole dialogue. It’s pretty much the same in VR, so in order to increase immersion, let’s use our voice as input, just as if we communicating with someone in real life. The most notable voice platform for developmenthas to be Microsoft’s LUIS and Custom Speech platforms. These platforms do an astounding job of streamlining the speech recognition and language understand development process, where a developer would only have to predetermine the “intent” of the command and use it as input as opposed to the player having to say a voice command word for word. Take Human Interact’s Starship Commander, where in VR players would state their commands through voice. This trailer game me goosebumps when I watched it the first time. It’s inspiring to see this amazing team bring this experience to life. Human Interact’s Starship Commander More info: http://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/human-interact-cognitive-services Now extend this method of interaction to commercial solutions such as medical training for psychologists and for customer service. The options are endless…. “How often are you alive when the dawn of a new medium comes to life.” Alexander Mejia, Creative Director, Human Interact Until next time! -Jomar	8ba5875c-7e0c-56e1-a83e-2db53a0fe11d	25/08/2025 18:01:18
https://medium.com/@mcvianet/becoming-vegan-aeebcfabb60d	medium.com	Becoming Vegan	I’ve recently become vegan. Or mostly vegan. I still have dairy in coffee when I’m not home, but otherwise, I try to eat only plant foods.	Mary Collins	https://medium.com/@mcvianet	aeebcfabb60d	https://miro.medium.com/…wLWo9mlFifw.jpeg	4 min	2021-09-01T15:22:22.529000	2021-09-01T15:43:44.089000	2022-02-22T16:50:39.394000	1	50	en	Health,Vegan,Diet,Food,Healing	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1*28-dhsbQscfwLWo9mlFifw.jpeg" width="640" height="968" loading="lazy" /> <p>I’ve recently become vegan. Or mostly vegan. I still have dairy in coffee when I’m not home, but otherwise, I try to eat only plant foods.</p> <p>Changing my diet has not been as difficult as I feared. I think it’s because I’ve been highly motivated. I’m at an age where your bad lifestyle habits catch up with you in the form of scary bodily symptoms.</p> <p>In my case, the scary symptoms were a little chest pressure here, a bit of arm pain there. My cholesterol has always been high. I work as a nurse’s aide and I could see that my future wasn’t looking good. It was time to take drastic action to avoid nasty cardiac surprises.</p> <p>I have a hobby of reading stories about people who’ve healed themselves of life-threatening illness. Sometimes it was debatable whether they were actually still alive before they healed. The stories are very exciting and dramatic to me, but I don’t want to need my own miracle cure. I try to learn their hard-won lessons.</p> <p>There are a couple of doctors who’ve done big, long-term studies that proved that people can reverse heart disease with a “whole foods, plant-based diet.” The new language, “whole foods, plant-based,” is a subtle correction to vegans who throw out the meat and just exist on bread and vegan chocolate chip cookies.</p> <p>No, it doesn’t work with vegan junk food. Yes, you have to cook.</p> <p>Whole foods means no refined foods like white flour and sugar. It involves eating beans, nuts and seeds for protein. Doctors recommend taking a B12 supplement, too. The cardiologists that promote this way of eating to prevent and reverse heart disease, emphasize limiting oils and fats of all kinds, including from plants. I’m working on that part.</p> <p>When I read <a href="https://www.ornish.com/">Dean Ornish’s</a> book about <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ornishs-Program-Reversing-Heart-Disease/dp/0804110387/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=dean+ornish&qid=1628613951&sr=8-3">reversing heart disease</a>, I realized I’d read it before — about 25 years ago. I was happily reading along then, until I got to the part about diet. The very idea of going without meat or dairy was preposterous to me at the time. Eating vegetables on a regular basis wasn’t much more plausible. I didn’t think I could change my diet in the required way, so I put down the book and moved on.</p> <p>Since then, my diet has gradually improved. I’ve had a lifelong battle with sugar that I’m never winning for long, but I have managed to avoid it for weeks and sometimes months at a time. I was a vegetarian for 10 years once and I did learn to cook and eat vegetables. I collected some recipes to use. Now that I’m motivated to eat well, I see that my past half-hearted attempts have laid the groundwork to make it easier now.</p> <p>I’m inspired by the people who’ve healed themselves from cancer. There are a significant number of people out in the world who’ve done that. In fact, there’s a researcher who’s dedicated her working life to studying these people and telling their stories. Her name is <a href="https://kelly-turner.com/">Kelly Turner</a>. She wrote a book called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Remission-Surviving-Cancer-Against-ebook/dp/B00DB3A1UC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ROJOIYYMOPV5&dchild=1&keywords=radical+remission+by+dr.+kelly+turner&qid=1628614494&sprefix=radical+remi%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-1">Radical Remission</a> which is about what her subjects did to heal.</p> <p>She’s studied more than a thousand people who’ve healed themselves of cancer and other life-threatening illness. The changes these people make are not subtle. They basically turn their whole lives upside down to effect healing.</p> <p>No one says that everyone can cure themselves of life-threatening illness and not everyone wants to try. For those who do want to try, Dr. Turner’s research gives a general roadmap of the journey. From the data she’s collected, Dr. Turner has identified 10 areas of life addressed as part of their healing, by all the radical remission survivors she studied.</p> <p>One of the changes they all make is in their diet. Unfortunately, she points out that the diets her subjects used to heal, are all different. She does comment that the one change they had in common was that they all ate more vegetables. I’m pretty sure that none of them were eating a diet high in candy bars or soda, either.</p> <p>One of the cancer survivors that Dr. Turner studied, is a man named <a href="https://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/">Chris Wark</a>. I’ve heard a few interviews with him where he talks about treating his cancer with massive nutrition. I like the idea. Pump yourself up with so much good stuff that there’s no room for bad stuff.</p> <p>My diet change went quickly. I started out thinking I would gradually cut down on meat, but within a few days, I didn’t want to eat it anymore. I was feeling better from eating so many vegetables and I didn’t want to stop.</p> <p>It’s gotten harder. The peer pressure gets to me. Well, not pressure exactly. No one cares what I eat except the other vegans who want more support. The problem is that at work, people show their generosity by sharing tasty food treats that can kill you. It’s hard to keep saying no to this workplace tradition.</p> <p>The fact that I’m feeling better also works against me. I easily forget how I was feeling before I changed my diet. I feel fine now, so I can go back to normal, right?</p> <p>Wrong. I prove it to myself again and again. I’m not often tempted to eat meat, but dairy is a little harder and sugar still sings her siren song. White bread is hard to avoid. I go off the path and start feeling like crap, then go back to eating better.</p> <p>I get meals at work if I want them, but they generally contain meat or dairy, so I bring my own. You can’t stop at a convenience store on the way to work to buy a healthy vegan meal. Those stores are not that convenient.</p> <p>Eating this way requires a little more planning, a little more preparation. I have to redefine what a food treat is for me. I have to remind myself why I’m changing my diet.</p> <p>I guess it’s worth it to not die.</p> </section>	Becoming Vegan Photo by Nadine Primeau on Unsplash I’ve recently become vegan. Or mostly vegan. I still have dairy in coffee when I’m not home, but otherwise, I try to eat only plant foods. Changing my diet has not been as difficult as I feared. I think it’s because I’ve been highly motivated. I’m at an age where your bad lifestyle habits catch up with you in the form of scary bodily symptoms. In my case, the scary symptoms were a little chest pressure here, a bit of arm pain there. My cholesterol has always been high. I work as a nurse’s aide and I could see that my future wasn’t looking good. It was time to take drastic action to avoid nasty cardiac surprises. I have a hobby of reading stories about people who’ve healed themselves of life-threatening illness. Sometimes it was debatable whether they were actually still alive before they healed. The stories are very exciting and dramatic to me, but I don’t want to need my own miracle cure. I try to learn their hard-won lessons. There are a couple of doctors who’ve done big, long-term studies that proved that people can reverse heart disease with a “whole foods, plant-based diet.” The new language, “whole foods, plant-based,” is a subtle correction to vegans who throw out the meat and just exist on bread and vegan chocolate chip cookies. No, it doesn’t work with vegan junk food. Yes, you have to cook. Whole foods means no refined foods like white flour and sugar. It involves eating beans, nuts and seeds for protein. Doctors recommend taking a B12 supplement, too. The cardiologists that promote this way of eating to prevent and reverse heart disease, emphasize limiting oils and fats of all kinds, including from plants. I’m working on that part. When I read Dean Ornish’s book about reversing heart disease, I realized I’d read it before — about 25 years ago. I was happily reading along then, until I got to the part about diet. The very idea of going without meat or dairy was preposterous to me at the time. Eating vegetables on a regular basis wasn’t much more plausible. I didn’t think I could change my diet in the required way, so I put down the book and moved on. Since then, my diet has gradually improved. I’ve had a lifelong battle with sugar that I’m never winning for long, but I have managed to avoid it for weeks and sometimes months at a time. I was a vegetarian for 10 years once and I did learn to cook and eat vegetables. I collected some recipes to use. Now that I’m motivated to eat well, I see that my past half-hearted attempts have laid the groundwork to make it easier now. I’m inspired by the people who’ve healed themselves from cancer. There are a significant number of people out in the world who’ve done that. In fact, there’s a researcher who’s dedicated her working life to studying these people and telling their stories. Her name is Kelly Turner. She wrote a book called Radical Remission which is about what her subjects did to heal. She’s studied more than a thousand people who’ve healed themselves of cancer and other life-threatening illness. The changes these people make are not subtle. They basically turn their whole lives upside down to effect healing. No one says that everyone can cure themselves of life-threatening illness and not everyone wants to try. For those who do want to try, Dr. Turner’s research gives a general roadmap of the journey. From the data she’s collected, Dr. Turner has identified 10 areas of life addressed as part of their healing, by all the radical remission survivors she studied. One of the changes they all make is in their diet. Unfortunately, she points out that the diets her subjects used to heal, are all different. She does comment that the one change they had in common was that they all ate more vegetables. I’m pretty sure that none of them were eating a diet high in candy bars or soda, either. One of the cancer survivors that Dr. Turner studied, is a man named Chris Wark. I’ve heard a few interviews with him where he talks about treating his cancer with massive nutrition. I like the idea. Pump yourself up with so much good stuff that there’s no room for bad stuff. My diet change went quickly. I started out thinking I would gradually cut down on meat, but within a few days, I didn’t want to eat it anymore. I was feeling better from eating so many vegetables and I didn’t want to stop. It’s gotten harder. The peer pressure gets to me. Well, not pressure exactly. No one cares what I eat except the other vegans who want more support. The problem is that at work, people show their generosity by sharing tasty food treats that can kill you. It’s hard to keep saying no to this workplace tradition. The fact that I’m feeling better also works against me. I easily forget how I was feeling before I changed my diet. I feel fine now, so I can go back to normal, right? Wrong. I prove it to myself again and again. I’m not often tempted to eat meat, but dairy is a little harder and sugar still sings her siren song. White bread is hard to avoid. I go off the path and start feeling like crap, then go back to eating better. I get meals at work if I want them, but they generally contain meat or dairy, so I bring my own. You can’t stop at a convenience store on the way to work to buy a healthy vegan meal. Those stores are not that convenient. Eating this way requires a little more planning, a little more preparation. I have to redefine what a food treat is for me. I have to remind myself why I’m changing my diet. I guess it’s worth it to not die.	868380b6-d6fe-5888-8717-bef917df5d1e	25/08/2025 18:01:18
https://medium.com/tag-tag-tag/feature-selected-people-32d45881bfd0	medium.com	Feature: “Selected People”	by Pelle Cass	Monika Kiss	https://medium.com/@monika.hj.kiss	32d45881bfd0	https://miro.medium.com/…TLz08nYjU3A.jpeg	6 min	2017-09-27T07:04:22.896000	2017-10-29T15:31:01.284000	2018-06-08T11:40:20.082000	1	4	en	Photography,Pelle Cass,Selected People,Features,Environmental Photography	<section> <h1>Feature: “Selected People”</h1> <p>by <a href="http://www.pellecass.com/">Pelle Cass</a></p> <p><em>Exploding with life and movement — Pelle Cass’s project “Selected People” depicts chaos and crowd, within your typical metropolitan city environment. Unlike your standard nature macro photograph or typical New York skyline capture, Pelle’s collection of photos in “Selected People” (that started in 2010 and is yet on going) allows you to explore, imagine and interpret the different stories behind the overwhelming amount of activity taking place in every single image.</em></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1Tdm0wRW3JnWaX5aKzqx9nQ.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>How did you get into photography? </strong>A friend gave me a camera when I was<strong> </strong>thirteen<strong>.</strong> It’s sort of as simple as that. We were living in Florida and it must have been 1967<strong> </strong>or 1968. My parents were idealists and proto-hippies and kept me and my younger sister Amy out of school. My father figured that it was cheaper to live on a boat than buy a house. I spent my days, which mostly were nights, reading. I’d read anything, whether I understood it or not. Since I wasn’t in school, my parents figured I was bored. They must have encouraged their friend Armand to give me the camera, a cheap twin-lens reflex. From then on, that was kind of my thing. I loved<strong> </strong>photography magazines and learned a lot from Popular Photography and Modern Photography. I imagined I wanted to be a professional photographer, which it turned out, was ridiculous, being a nerd-introvert at heart. So getting that camera got me started.</p> <p><strong>Tell us a bit about your “Selected People” project. </strong>I put the camera on a tripod and take hundreds<strong> </strong>of pictures over an hour or two. Then I compile them in Photoshop, taking care to never move anything. I just decide what to retain and what to omit. So that’s the technique. It lets me interpret the world and compress time, while remaining absolutely factual. It all happened exactly as I show it, just not at the same time.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/16sm9DPfBoa3X7uVEicK2Yg.jpeg" width="2000" height="1328" loading="lazy" /> <p>I arrived at the title, “Selected People,” in a kind of complicated way. I was thinking about Walker Evans book of subway photos, “<em>Many Are Chosen</em>”. I liked that his camera, hidden under his coat, was a kind of a passive object, waiting to see what unfolded in front of it. It seemed a bit like what I was doing. So I thought I’d call my series Chosen People, which obviously didn’t work, although it’s worth mentioning here that I’m secularly Jewish. So I thought, Selected, which also reminded me of the standard title for a big publishing event for poets, Selected Poems. So Selected People it was.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1HQrVBNXhwVWCr9xqfG5cEw.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1ZVgYxsbVlYYKrZ8-fEUXcQ.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>There is a large sense of crowdedness and chaos in your photos. Is there a meaning or a message you wish to convey behind this? </strong>Anxiety about overcrowding is certainly a legitimate feeling to draw from my work, but it’s not the only one. And it’s true that actual crowds (as opposed to the concept of global overcrowding) sometimes make me anxious. But I actually like crowds.</p> <p>I like the sense of people out and about, milling around, especially. That’s why I often photograph tourists, who proceed at a leisurely pace, while residents of Boston, where most of the work was done, stride purposefully toward a goal. I’ve also noticed that even if a person is alone, he or she reacts to the people around them. My photos have the effect of<strong> </strong>isolating people in time instead of space. So while my work might be about overcrowding, it’s also about being lonely when you’re with people. But the question was about chaos. And so, on a formal level, I have to admit that I’ve always been drawn to chaotic imagery, from Hieronymus Bosch to the over-complicated sensibility of the Baroque to overall action of Jackson Pollock<strong>. </strong>I’ve always wanted <em>more</em>, to pack in more life, more color, more people, more everything. Something about this urge explains my irritation with conventional photography, limited as it is to a single instant. A beautiful day — with it’s warm breeze, the smell of the ocean, and the warming sun — is completely unrecorded in the photo. Clearly, this is partly my incompetence as a conventional photographer. Coming up as a student in the seventies. I felt that the world had been photographed too much already, found as easily in reproduction as in original observation.</p> <p>In a way, “<em>Selected People”</em>, is also a reaction to my frustration and irritation with conventional photography. I’ve always liked taking my time, and working with my hands. I like to make the kind of mistakes you can undo on a computer or redo in a studio. So, perhaps a long way around to explain why I’m drawn to chaos.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/135afTS5qQUxTLz08nYjU3A.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>You have a unique style of photography. What do you mainly focus on, composition, colours, or the subjects of the photos? </strong>Some of this was answered above. But, to summarize, I start with a random collection of people who happened to walk by when I was set up (for an hour or so, usually, and<strong> </strong>two-hundred to a thousand exposures go into each finished photo). I begin compiling the photo, flipping through over and over again. Then, I notice a theme or a pattern. And typically, it’s dominated by either composition (a chaotic composition, or perhaps people arranged in a circle), color (everyone in yellow or arranged in rainbow order), or by some human quality, a gesture (pointing, say, or staring). So the answer is all of the elements you asked about equally. However, when I set up for a photo, I look for a place with a simple background where I know there will be a flow of people who are not simply walking to their destinations. It’s better if they meander a bit.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1sALfupENavhINg3sgV2n9A.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>This brings me to my next question. How do you edit your images? </strong>I don’t edit in the normal way. I might produce only 25 or 30 of these photos a year. I finish about twice as many images as I release. So my real editing process is more like a painter’s. Some of the finished photos simply don’t work, and I don’t show them.</p> <p><strong>Is there a particular photo that is your favourite, or that sticks with you the most? </strong>My favorite photo has always been “Government Center Steps (2009).” Even though it’s one of my older pictures, it kind of makes me giggle a little bit when I look at it. And the giggle is because it’s funny, but also, somehow, it makes me a little nervous, too.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1YiabzHNxlMwVH_45p-cY6A.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <p>My other favorite photo is a very new one. This is the first time I’ve showed it. It’s called “Congress Street<strong> </strong>(2017).” When I was taking the pictures, I certainly didn’t notice that so many men dressed and looked alike. This picture gives me the same nervous giggle.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1WUsZx5mSS6WDDwSwMn59NQ.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>To you, what is the best thing about Brooklyn, having being born and raised there? </strong>Aha! Well, I’m glad that I’m famous enough that there is a misconception about me. I was born there and only lived there until I was four. My youth was spent in Swampscott, Massachusetts, on the coast, north of Boston. Also the hometown of Nan Goldin! (We were also classmates at the Museum School.) But to answer your question, the best thing about being born in Brooklyn is being able to brag about what was once a liability, when coming from the boroughs was an embarrassment. Now (and for years) I live in Brookline, Massachusetts. A million miles away in cool, but separated only by two little letters!</p> <p><em>Be sure to check out more of Pelle’s work through his <a href=</em>"http://www.pellecass.com/">website</a>.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/539/1*4CmON-JhxlbspubqwOvhIw.png" width="539" height="117" loading="lazy" /> <p><em><a href="https://www.facebook</em>.com/tagtagtagmag/">Facebook</a> — <a href="http://tagtagtagmag.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a> — <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tagtagtagmag/">Instagram</a></p> </section>	“Amory Park” (2013) by Pelle Cass Feature: “Selected People” by Pelle Cass Exploding with life and movement — Pelle Cass’s project “Selected People” depicts chaos and crowd, within your typical metropolitan city environment. Unlike your standard nature macro photograph or typical New York skyline capture, Pelle’s collection of photos in “Selected People” (that started in 2010 and is yet on going) allows you to explore, imagine and interpret the different stories behind the overwhelming amount of activity taking place in every single image. “Atlanta Hawks” (2015) by Pelle Cass How did you get into photography? A friend gave me a camera when I was thirteen. It’s sort of as simple as that. We were living in Florida and it must have been 1967 or 1968. My parents were idealists and proto-hippies and kept me and my younger sister Amy out of school. My father figured that it was cheaper to live on a boat than buy a house. I spent my days, which mostly were nights, reading. I’d read anything, whether I understood it or not. Since I wasn’t in school, my parents figured I was bored. They must have encouraged their friend Armand to give me the camera, a cheap twin-lens reflex. From then on, that was kind of my thing. I loved photography magazines and learned a lot from Popular Photography and Modern Photography. I imagined I wanted to be a professional photographer, which it turned out, was ridiculous, being a nerd-introvert at heart. So getting that camera got me started. Tell us a bit about your “Selected People” project. I put the camera on a tripod and take hundreds of pictures over an hour or two. Then I compile them in Photoshop, taking care to never move anything. I just decide what to retain and what to omit. So that’s the technique. It lets me interpret the world and compress time, while remaining absolutely factual. It all happened exactly as I show it, just not at the same time. “Halloween, Emerson Park” (2009) by Pelle Cass I arrived at the title, “Selected People,” in a kind of complicated way. I was thinking about Walker Evans book of subway photos, “Many Are Chosen”. I liked that his camera, hidden under his coat, was a kind of a passive object, waiting to see what unfolded in front of it. It seemed a bit like what I was doing. So I thought I’d call my series Chosen People, which obviously didn’t work, although it’s worth mentioning here that I’m secularly Jewish. So I thought, Selected, which also reminded me of the standard title for a big publishing event for poets, Selected Poems. So Selected People it was. “Greenway Crosswalk II” (2015) by Pelle Cass “Lagoon II” (2016) by Pelle Cass There is a large sense of crowdedness and chaos in your photos. Is there a meaning or a message you wish to convey behind this? Anxiety about overcrowding is certainly a legitimate feeling to draw from my work, but it’s not the only one. And it’s true that actual crowds (as opposed to the concept of global overcrowding) sometimes make me anxious. But I actually like crowds. I like the sense of people out and about, milling around, especially. That’s why I often photograph tourists, who proceed at a leisurely pace, while residents of Boston, where most of the work was done, stride purposefully toward a goal. I’ve also noticed that even if a person is alone, he or she reacts to the people around them. My photos have the effect of isolating people in time instead of space. So while my work might be about overcrowding, it’s also about being lonely when you’re with people. But the question was about chaos. And so, on a formal level, I have to admit that I’ve always been drawn to chaotic imagery, from Hieronymus Bosch to the over-complicated sensibility of the Baroque to overall action of Jackson Pollock. I’ve always wanted more, to pack in more life, more color, more people, more everything. Something about this urge explains my irritation with conventional photography, limited as it is to a single instant. A beautiful day — with it’s warm breeze, the smell of the ocean, and the warming sun — is completely unrecorded in the photo. Clearly, this is partly my incompetence as a conventional photographer. Coming up as a student in the seventies. I felt that the world had been photographed too much already, found as easily in reproduction as in original observation. In a way, “Selected People”, is also a reaction to my frustration and irritation with conventional photography. I’ve always liked taking my time, and working with my hands. I like to make the kind of mistakes you can undo on a computer or redo in a studio. So, perhaps a long way around to explain why I’m drawn to chaos. “Amory Park” (2013) by Pelle Cass You have a unique style of photography. What do you mainly focus on, composition, colours, or the subjects of the photos? Some of this was answered above. But, to summarize, I start with a random collection of people who happened to walk by when I was set up (for an hour or so, usually, and two-hundred to a thousand exposures go into each finished photo). I begin compiling the photo, flipping through over and over again. Then, I notice a theme or a pattern. And typically, it’s dominated by either composition (a chaotic composition, or perhaps people arranged in a circle), color (everyone in yellow or arranged in rainbow order), or by some human quality, a gesture (pointing, say, or staring). So the answer is all of the elements you asked about equally. However, when I set up for a photo, I look for a place with a simple background where I know there will be a flow of people who are not simply walking to their destinations. It’s better if they meander a bit. “Quincy Market Spring” (2012) by Pelle Cass This brings me to my next question. How do you edit your images? I don’t edit in the normal way. I might produce only 25 or 30 of these photos a year. I finish about twice as many images as I release. So my real editing process is more like a painter’s. Some of the finished photos simply don’t work, and I don’t show them. Is there a particular photo that is your favourite, or that sticks with you the most? My favorite photo has always been “Government Center Steps (2009).” Even though it’s one of my older pictures, it kind of makes me giggle a little bit when I look at it. And the giggle is because it’s funny, but also, somehow, it makes me a little nervous, too. “Government Center Steps” (2008) by Pelle Cass My other favorite photo is a very new one. This is the first time I’ve showed it. It’s called “Congress Street (2017).” When I was taking the pictures, I certainly didn’t notice that so many men dressed and looked alike. This picture gives me the same nervous giggle. “Congress Street” (2017) by Pelle Cass To you, what is the best thing about Brooklyn, having being born and raised there? Aha! Well, I’m glad that I’m famous enough that there is a misconception about me. I was born there and only lived there until I was four. My youth was spent in Swampscott, Massachusetts, on the coast, north of Boston. Also the hometown of Nan Goldin! (We were also classmates at the Museum School.) But to answer your question, the best thing about being born in Brooklyn is being able to brag about what was once a liability, when coming from the boroughs was an embarrassment. Now (and for years) I live in Brookline, Massachusetts. A million miles away in cool, but separated only by two little letters! Be sure to check out more of Pelle’s work through his website. www.tagtagtagmag.com Facebook — Tumblr — Instagram	6c0004f9-04fc-5478-be70-5a7ff32f76ff	25/08/2025 18:01:18
https://medium.com/@alex.sanches201010/washroom-cleaning-supplies-78073b17a61f	medium.com	washroom cleaning supplies	washroom cleaning supplies — BSB Packaging was founded in 1987. Over this time, the company has built a reputation as a reliable supplier…	alex sanches	https://medium.com/@alex.sanches201010	78073b17a61f	null	0 min	2018-02-03T07:47:43.680000	2018-02-03T07:49:13.404000	2018-02-03T07:49:14.195000	0	0	en	Food	<section> <p><a href="http://Bsbpackaging.com.au">washroom cleaning supplies</a> — BSB Packaging was founded in 1987. Over this time, the company has built a reputation as a reliable supplier of a broad range of quality food packaging and allied products. We also provide advice on all aspects of our industry, this may involve directing our clients towards cost saving measures or supplying you with different product options and ideas.</p> </section>	washroom cleaning supplies washroom cleaning supplies — BSB Packaging was founded in 1987. Over this time, the company has built a reputation as a reliable supplier of a broad range of quality food packaging and allied products. We also provide advice on all aspects of our industry, this may involve directing our clients towards cost saving measures or supplying you with different product options and ideas.	732efdd1-388c-55ad-a5c2-df7262cfcded	25/08/2025 18:01:18
https://medium.com/the-tabernacle-sun/professional-photographer-and-seneca-alumnus-speaks-to-seneca-classes-about-career-in-photography-25e906d769ad	medium.com	Professional Photographer and Seneca Alumnus Speaks to Seneca Classes About Career in Photography	Since graduating from Seneca High School in 2007, Frank Apollonio has achieved many successes in the field.	Tom Beck	https://medium.com/@tbeck_51818	25e906d769ad	https://miro.medium.com/…-hViA54N9Cw.jpeg	1 min	2017-10-05T15:05:42.342000	2017-10-05T15:06:03.753000	2017-10-05T15:06:05.070000	0	0	en	Art,Photography,High School,Schools,Education	<section> <h3>Since graduating from Seneca High School in 2007, Frank Apollonio has achieved many successes in the field.</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4608/1*aDLduoxYp_v-hViA54N9Cw.jpeg" width="4608" height="3456" loading="lazy" /> <p>Seneca High School alumnus Frank Apollonio came back to Seneca to speak with <em>Photo 1</em> and <em>Photo 2</em> classes about his successful career in the visual arts. Apollonio discussed obstacles facing graduates who enter the arts as a profession, insight about how to enter and succeed in the arts, and photography tips that the students could use in and out of class.</p> <p>Since graduating from Seneca High School in 2007, Apollonio has achieved many successes in the field including the following projects: photographer for The Chainsmokers, interviewing designer Tommy Hilfiger, and creating a television commercial spotlightling heroes for the Philadelphia Eagles and Dietz & Watson partnership.</p> <p>When asked about how his experience in the Lenape Regional High School District prepared him for his future career, Mr. Apollonio said, “Seneca High School prepared me for the challenges I would eventually face. Seneca also gave me curricular opportunities that were, at least in part, the catalyst for my success in the field of visual arts. I also had great teachers who were passionate about teaching.”</p> <p>Apollonio also gave valuable advice to the students about why he pursued this career. “I didn’t get into this profession to make money. I pursued a passion, and as such, I was relentless in my pursuit. It took a lot of time and didn’t happen overnight, and anyone who pursues a career in the arts has to be OK with that.”</p> <p>Mr. Apollonio’s work can be seen at his website <a href="http://www.frankapollonio.com/">http://www.frankapollonio.com</a>.</p> </section>	Professional Photographer and Seneca Alumnus Speaks to Seneca Classes About Career in Photography Since graduating from Seneca High School in 2007, Frank Apollonio has achieved many successes in the field. Seneca High School alumnus Frank Apollonio came back to Seneca to speak with Photo 1 and Photo 2 classes about his successful career in the visual arts. Apollonio discussed obstacles facing graduates who enter the arts as a profession, insight about how to enter and succeed in the arts, and photography tips that the students could use in and out of class. Since graduating from Seneca High School in 2007, Apollonio has achieved many successes in the field including the following projects: photographer for The Chainsmokers, interviewing designer Tommy Hilfiger, and creating a television commercial spotlightling heroes for the Philadelphia Eagles and Dietz & Watson partnership. When asked about how his experience in the Lenape Regional High School District prepared him for his future career, Mr. Apollonio said, “Seneca High School prepared me for the challenges I would eventually face. Seneca also gave me curricular opportunities that were, at least in part, the catalyst for my success in the field of visual arts. I also had great teachers who were passionate about teaching.” Apollonio also gave valuable advice to the students about why he pursued this career. “I didn’t get into this profession to make money. I pursued a passion, and as such, I was relentless in my pursuit. It took a lot of time and didn’t happen overnight, and anyone who pursues a career in the arts has to be OK with that.” Mr. Apollonio’s work can be seen at his website http://www.frankapollonio.com.	de7a3815-695b-5a10-b929-20cc924dbbd7	25/08/2025 18:01:19
https://medium.com/@aunabdi/one-minute-book-review-extreme-ownership-by-jocko-willink-and-leif-babin-2d7e68ff0661	medium.com	One Minute Book Review: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin	Hello and welcome to One Minute Book review, the show that brings books to life, I am your host Aun Abdi.	Aun Abdi	https://medium.com/@aunabdi	2d7e68ff0661	https://miro.medium.com/…8OZT-PGhbOhw.png	1 min	2018-05-18T11:01:31.749000	2018-05-18T11:06:51.879000	2018-05-18T11:06:52.762000	0	0	en	Leadership,Leadership Development,Navy Seals,Jocko Willink,Book Review	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/1*vI60yo3OyD8OZT-PGhbOhw.png" width="1280" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <p>Hello and welcome to One Minute Book review, the show that brings books to life, I am your host Aun Abdi.</p> <p>Today I will be reviewing ‘Extreme Ownership’ by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. This book explains how to take extreme ownership to become a better leader. The stories in the book detail how both authors experienced high-pressure situations during the war in Iraq, but only by taking ownership of everything around them could they lead with conviction to ultimately win. Leadership is usually synonymous with many adjectives, but I do not recall a book that emphasises ownership as much as this one. The concept that connected with me was the ‘dichotomies of leadership’. The authors explain that to be a great leader, you must find the balance between two extremes. I enjoyed listening to this book. The audiobook was well structured, and I felt the emotion of the message coming across from the authors. If like me you appreciate leadership books, I encourage you to pick up this book because it gives a much different angle than most. I rate this book four stars.</p> <p>This has been One Minute Book Review, thanks for reading.</p> </section>	One Minute Book Review: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin https://youtu.be/VgYi_GCmU-g Hello and welcome to One Minute Book review, the show that brings books to life, I am your host Aun Abdi. Today I will be reviewing ‘Extreme Ownership’ by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. This book explains how to take extreme ownership to become a better leader. The stories in the book detail how both authors experienced high-pressure situations during the war in Iraq, but only by taking ownership of everything around them could they lead with conviction to ultimately win. Leadership is usually synonymous with many adjectives, but I do not recall a book that emphasises ownership as much as this one. The concept that connected with me was the ‘dichotomies of leadership’. The authors explain that to be a great leader, you must find the balance between two extremes. I enjoyed listening to this book. The audiobook was well structured, and I felt the emotion of the message coming across from the authors. If like me you appreciate leadership books, I encourage you to pick up this book because it gives a much different angle than most. I rate this book four stars. This has been One Minute Book Review, thanks for reading.	4e20f092-5b5a-5cbe-8982-83da07fa9a89	25/08/2025 18:01:19
https://authorashmita.medium.com/fragmented-life-2018a2ea00f1	medium.com	Fragmented Life !!!	For how many of us, browsing email and different social media in the morning has become a ritual? I guess, for almost all of us who is…	Ashmita Acharya	https://medium.com/@authorashmita	2018a2ea00f1	https://miro.medium.com/…GXQoTriNtDg.jpeg	3 min	2015-12-28T15:02:24.096000	2015-12-28T15:25:39.796000	2020-05-20T14:51:49.444000	0	5	en	Social Media,Online,Virtual Reality	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/1*AllPtrJfVQ2GXQoTriNtDg.jpeg" width="1000" height="427" loading="lazy" /> <p>For how many of us, browsing email and different social media in the morning has become a ritual? I guess, for almost all of us who is reading this right now.</p> <p>It’s not like ten years ago, when we used to have only one email account and that was it.</p> <p>It’s not even like 5 years ago, when we hardly had so many social networking sites as we have today.</p> <p>The web space such as Hi5 or MySpace were like highschool slambook all over again.</p> <p>Remember the AOL or the Hotmail, and oh yeah, who can forget the yahoo messenger! It was a boon. Also, the MSN games… whoa..</p> <p>Then arises the ultimate platform — Facebook, or at least, we thought so.</p> <p>The never-ending things we could do on Facebook were the virtual heaven for us.</p> <p>I can’t even count how many hours a day I played Farmville, Restaurant City, Millionaire City, Aquarium, and many others games that I don’t pretty much remember the names now.</p> <p>I do remember though, how furious I was, when I came to know my beloved Restaurant City was not live anymore. I had felt as if my entire empire collapsed.</p> <p>Just for the sake of chatting, I chatted with strangers, made friends, lost friends, unfriended, got defriended, blocked, got blocked and what not.</p> <p>And then the Twitter sphere — as I had read in my mass communication class — It was such a platform — the Voice of the Voiceless… how I enjoyed being witty and funny and shout out loud to the world what I was thinking or doing or not doing…</p> <p>And the Instagram — that cool place where we could pose ourselves and show others that we are cool too… and post picture-perfect staged moments… captured just at the right moment…</p> <p>And then the LinkedIn… trying to look as professional as you could…</p> <p>I forgot to add the blogs… oh my, how having owned a blog was a thing of privilege… and how they shared the link… I have encountered few people with their visiting cards printed just with name and their blog link… It brings me smile every time I remember those moments…</p> <p>And then the vlogs… YouTube, Vimeo and what not… common people got popular… famous people got unpopular…</p> <p>And then the ultimate wishlist — Pinterest… browsing for the things I would love to have but can’t afford may be!</p> <p>Well, how many of these accounts you still own today?</p> <p>I confess, I had tried deactivating and deleting so many accounts on so many platforms… but then I would feel as if I’m missing out on something… and then reactivated again…</p> <p>I have been living my life in virtual space — so fragmented — that I’m not able to give myself wholly to just one platform and be myself…</p> <p>I constantly check emails — 3 emails I own currently… then I check Facebook, update status, like and comment and post photos regularly… and then post a quick tweet… and if I have nothing worthy of Instagram any particular day, I would cringe and think what type of day that was… and then I look up the popular video section on YouTube, watch the kitty cat and cute babies for an hour or so… and then I would go to Pinterest and be Pinspired and make a quick DIY or so…</p> <p>How can I forget to quickly browse through CNN, USA Today to The Guardian… from Buzzfeed to Huffington Post… and to countless blogs… and if time remains, watch something on HuluPlus or Netflix… or on TV… or listen to my favorite Delilah on iHeart…</p> <p>Also, I would have a quick reply on Messenger with some of my friends, or via Viber… and with my folks back home via Skype…</p> <p>The texting and the phone calls are another story though…</p> <p>And then I come to medium, and pour out all these fragments of my fragmented life !!!</p> <p>And then I wonder, after spending all the fractions of time of each day online, how much of any fragment is really left for my offline real life !!!</p> </section>	Fragmented Life !!! For how many of us, browsing email and different social media in the morning has become a ritual? I guess, for almost all of us who is reading this right now. It’s not like ten years ago, when we used to have only one email account and that was it. It’s not even like 5 years ago, when we hardly had so many social networking sites as we have today. The web space such as Hi5 or MySpace were like highschool slambook all over again. Remember the AOL or the Hotmail, and oh yeah, who can forget the yahoo messenger! It was a boon. Also, the MSN games… whoa.. Then arises the ultimate platform — Facebook, or at least, we thought so. The never-ending things we could do on Facebook were the virtual heaven for us. I can’t even count how many hours a day I played Farmville, Restaurant City, Millionaire City, Aquarium, and many others games that I don’t pretty much remember the names now. I do remember though, how furious I was, when I came to know my beloved Restaurant City was not live anymore. I had felt as if my entire empire collapsed. Just for the sake of chatting, I chatted with strangers, made friends, lost friends, unfriended, got defriended, blocked, got blocked and what not. And then the Twitter sphere — as I had read in my mass communication class — It was such a platform — the Voice of the Voiceless… how I enjoyed being witty and funny and shout out loud to the world what I was thinking or doing or not doing… And the Instagram — that cool place where we could pose ourselves and show others that we are cool too… and post picture-perfect staged moments… captured just at the right moment… And then the LinkedIn… trying to look as professional as you could… I forgot to add the blogs… oh my, how having owned a blog was a thing of privilege… and how they shared the link… I have encountered few people with their visiting cards printed just with name and their blog link… It brings me smile every time I remember those moments… And then the vlogs… YouTube, Vimeo and what not… common people got popular… famous people got unpopular… And then the ultimate wishlist — Pinterest… browsing for the things I would love to have but can’t afford may be! Well, how many of these accounts you still own today? I confess, I had tried deactivating and deleting so many accounts on so many platforms… but then I would feel as if I’m missing out on something… and then reactivated again… I have been living my life in virtual space — so fragmented — that I’m not able to give myself wholly to just one platform and be myself… I constantly check emails — 3 emails I own currently… then I check Facebook, update status, like and comment and post photos regularly… and then post a quick tweet… and if I have nothing worthy of Instagram any particular day, I would cringe and think what type of day that was… and then I look up the popular video section on YouTube, watch the kitty cat and cute babies for an hour or so… and then I would go to Pinterest and be Pinspired and make a quick DIY or so… How can I forget to quickly browse through CNN, USA Today to The Guardian… from Buzzfeed to Huffington Post… and to countless blogs… and if time remains, watch something on HuluPlus or Netflix… or on TV… or listen to my favorite Delilah on iHeart… Also, I would have a quick reply on Messenger with some of my friends, or via Viber… and with my folks back home via Skype… The texting and the phone calls are another story though… And then I come to medium, and pour out all these fragments of my fragmented life !!! And then I wonder, after spending all the fractions of time of each day online, how much of any fragment is really left for my offline real life !!!	0d99d976-2b60-52c7-bb57-fc2b2eaa7acd	25/08/2025 18:01:19
https://benita0526.medium.com/i-am-the-prostitute-mama-warned-you-about-2986130d6ff0	medium.com	I am the prostitute Mama warned you about.	null	thepinkwriter	https://medium.com/@benita0526	2986130d6ff0	https://miro.medium.com/…6yRt6rLkb1Q.jpeg	4 min	2025-02-01T00:57:16.684000	2025-02-08T17:59:15.843000	2025-02-08T19:27:38.758000	2	380	en	This Happened To Me,Writing,Books,Lifestyle	<section> <p>I secretly disliked that I had an English name. I wished I had a strong Yoruba name like Oluwatomike . My name was plain and boring. It was not intriguing like yours : Oluwatofarati. Your name made one curious. What situation had tested your mother so much that she had to rely on God and add it to her child’s name for all to see? Yet, somehow, I never asked you. Around you, I always forgot to ask the right questions.</p> <p>Just like the evening we met. I had gone to the department’s secretariat to ask for the second microphone to the Public Address System , but rather than ask for the microphone, I was asking what class you were in. What was meant to be a simple two-minute interaction ended up becoming a ten-minute exchange.</p> <p>You didn’t ask for my number that evening. I concluded it could be one of two things: either you didn’t find me attractive, or you were not one to get a girl’s number the first time you met her. I also believed the same thing, you know—never ask for a person’s number the first time you meet them. If it’s destiny, they would come your way again. And come my way you did.</p> <p>In between slips here and there, you kept coming my way. But it was never anything serious. How could it even become serious? I was stuck in the endless loop of cadaver practicals while you were struggling to breathe in the ocean that was clinical rotations.</p> <p>Once, I watched a movie about a Chinese legend that said there is a single red thread that binds two soulmates together, and over the course of their lifetime, this thread would continuously draw them to each other. I don’t know who I have to thank, whether it was the thread or Sky Daddy, but either way, I finally got my opportunity: a stage play by Ife Drama.</p> <p>I knew you were into literature. You had three friends who were writers. It was only expected that the arts would interest you. But I guessed books, not stage plays—and I was right. You said you were only there because your friend was the director. I said I was there because I enjoyed attending stage plays in my free time. You asked for my number so I could keep you updated on any upcoming plays because you enjoyed this one so much.</p> <p>I once read a tweet that said, “Once you find yourself giggling at your phone, block and delete the number.” But I wasn’t giggling. I was outright shining my teeth and laughing like a hyena. Let’s not lie, let’s not steal—you were incredibly funny, and you gave me so much joy.</p> <p>I could never get tired of hearing how a consultant insulted you for not knowing basic things. You always joked that “rae_timzy”, the content creator, walked so you could soar. He needed to be in your shoes for one day to make better medical school skits.</p> <p>For a long time, I tried to hide our friendship from Ibukun because I knew she would not get it. I was afraid of what she would say and I was right to be afraid. She seemed to think we were dating. I tried time and time again to explain that we were not dating, but she didn’t seem to get it.</p> <p>“You talk every day—what else is there to dating?”</p> <p>Shut up, Ibukun. You can’t know what else is there to dating, and neither can I, because both of us have never dated. While our mates were dating in secondary school, we were attending youth night vigils and choir rehearsals.</p> <p>When you invited me to your house, I said yes in a heartbeat. You always boasted that you could make the best noodles in Nigeria, and I always countered that men did not know how to cook like that.Of course, Ibukun objected.</p> <p>“Good girls don’t go to the houses of boys. Only prostitutes.”</p> <p>But be real, Ibukun. Friends can go to the houses of friends. In secondary school, we used to go to the houses of our male classmates to do assignments. What’s the difference between then and now? But Ibukun insisted that I would not go. She blocked the door dramatically as if we were in a Nollywood movie but I went anyway.</p> <p>For honesty’s sake, you did not lie. Your Indomie could actually contest for the best in Nigeria. It was like a dance in my mouth of different flavors and spices. I commented that no one needed to do this much work for Indomie. You quipped that you liked to give your best to whatever you were doing, even Indomie.</p> <p>Our meeting at your house was very much like our texts online: chatty and funny. You did most of the asking, and I did the blushing. I left before the sunset, but I knew I would be coming back again. And I kept coming back.</p> <p>Because your presence was comforting. You were easy to talk to. With you my laughs were genuine. I didn’t need to shrink myself around you. You never complained that I was too loud or too bright. We were simply enough for each other.</p> <p>But Ibukun seemed to disagree. She couldn’t see the Tofarati I saw. She was convinced that you were the demon sent to derail me from my heavenly race.</p> <p>" Why is this Tofarati buying you trousers?Doesn’t he know that you don’t wear trousers"</p> <p>" He said they would look good on me so he got me a pair."</p> <p>" And you want to wear them to class."</p> <p>" Of course. I like them"</p> <p>" But you know only prostitutes wear trousers "</p> <p>" It doesn’t matter "</p> <p>Truly it did not matter.</p> <p>It did not matter that I was wearing trousers when mama always told me that trousers were the garment of the devil.</p> <p>It also did not matter that I kept lying to Ibukun that I was going to White Wall to pray when I was actually visiting your place. It also did not matter that I was leaving your house past 10pm on a Saturday evening with my clothes damp in sweat. If loving you made me a prostitute, then so be it. I would wholeheartedly become the prostitute mama warned me about.</p> <p>If you read till this point, thank you so much. You are the realest MVP.</p> <p>If you enjoyed this story, you can clap 50 times. Remember to follow me too.</p> <p>I would love to hear your comments. You can send me an email at [email protected].</p> <p>Thank you.</p> </section>	Image source: pexels I secretly disliked that I had an English name. I wished I had a strong Yoruba name like Oluwatomike . My name was plain and boring. It was not intriguing like yours : Oluwatofarati. Your name made one curious. What situation had tested your mother so much that she had to rely on God and add it to her child’s name for all to see? Yet, somehow, I never asked you. Around you, I always forgot to ask the right questions. Just like the evening we met. I had gone to the department’s secretariat to ask for the second microphone to the Public Address System , but rather than ask for the microphone, I was asking what class you were in. What was meant to be a simple two-minute interaction ended up becoming a ten-minute exchange. You didn’t ask for my number that evening. I concluded it could be one of two things: either you didn’t find me attractive, or you were not one to get a girl’s number the first time you met her. I also believed the same thing, you know—never ask for a person’s number the first time you meet them. If it’s destiny, they would come your way again. And come my way you did. In between slips here and there, you kept coming my way. But it was never anything serious. How could it even become serious? I was stuck in the endless loop of cadaver practicals while you were struggling to breathe in the ocean that was clinical rotations. Once, I watched a movie about a Chinese legend that said there is a single red thread that binds two soulmates together, and over the course of their lifetime, this thread would continuously draw them to each other. I don’t know who I have to thank, whether it was the thread or Sky Daddy, but either way, I finally got my opportunity: a stage play by Ife Drama. I knew you were into literature. You had three friends who were writers. It was only expected that the arts would interest you. But I guessed books, not stage plays—and I was right. You said you were only there because your friend was the director. I said I was there because I enjoyed attending stage plays in my free time. You asked for my number so I could keep you updated on any upcoming plays because you enjoyed this one so much. I once read a tweet that said, “Once you find yourself giggling at your phone, block and delete the number.” But I wasn’t giggling. I was outright shining my teeth and laughing like a hyena. Let’s not lie, let’s not steal—you were incredibly funny, and you gave me so much joy. I could never get tired of hearing how a consultant insulted you for not knowing basic things. You always joked that “rae_timzy”, the content creator, walked so you could soar. He needed to be in your shoes for one day to make better medical school skits. For a long time, I tried to hide our friendship from Ibukun because I knew she would not get it. I was afraid of what she would say and I was right to be afraid. She seemed to think we were dating. I tried time and time again to explain that we were not dating, but she didn’t seem to get it. “You talk every day—what else is there to dating?” Shut up, Ibukun. You can’t know what else is there to dating, and neither can I, because both of us have never dated. While our mates were dating in secondary school, we were attending youth night vigils and choir rehearsals. When you invited me to your house, I said yes in a heartbeat. You always boasted that you could make the best noodles in Nigeria, and I always countered that men did not know how to cook like that.Of course, Ibukun objected. “Good girls don’t go to the houses of boys. Only prostitutes.” But be real, Ibukun. Friends can go to the houses of friends. In secondary school, we used to go to the houses of our male classmates to do assignments. What’s the difference between then and now? But Ibukun insisted that I would not go. She blocked the door dramatically as if we were in a Nollywood movie but I went anyway. For honesty’s sake, you did not lie. Your Indomie could actually contest for the best in Nigeria. It was like a dance in my mouth of different flavors and spices. I commented that no one needed to do this much work for Indomie. You quipped that you liked to give your best to whatever you were doing, even Indomie. Our meeting at your house was very much like our texts online: chatty and funny. You did most of the asking, and I did the blushing. I left before the sunset, but I knew I would be coming back again. And I kept coming back. Because your presence was comforting. You were easy to talk to. With you my laughs were genuine. I didn’t need to shrink myself around you. You never complained that I was too loud or too bright. We were simply enough for each other. But Ibukun seemed to disagree. She couldn’t see the Tofarati I saw. She was convinced that you were the demon sent to derail me from my heavenly race. " Why is this Tofarati buying you trousers?Doesn’t he know that you don’t wear trousers" " He said they would look good on me so he got me a pair." " And you want to wear them to class." " Of course. I like them" " But you know only prostitutes wear trousers " " It doesn’t matter " Truly it did not matter. It did not matter that I was wearing trousers when mama always told me that trousers were the garment of the devil. It also did not matter that I kept lying to Ibukun that I was going to White Wall to pray when I was actually visiting your place. It also did not matter that I was leaving your house past 10pm on a Saturday evening with my clothes damp in sweat. If loving you made me a prostitute, then so be it. I would wholeheartedly become the prostitute mama warned me about. If you read till this point, thank you so much. You are the realest MVP. If you enjoyed this story, you can clap 50 times. Remember to follow me too. I would love to hear your comments. You can send me an email at [email protected]. Thank you.	7657d6d5-5331-5dc7-a611-49722c3634fa	25/08/2025 18:01:19
https://medium.com/@mrscruffs/are-you-a-foodie-here-are-the-best-burgers-for-you-abcce07758de	medium.com	Are you a Foodie? Here are the Best Burgers for You.	What do you want to eat when you are too hungry? A burger is an answer for most of the people. A burger is sufficient to satisfy hunger…	Mr Scruff’s Cafe & Bars Melbourne	https://medium.com/@mrscruffs	abcce07758de	https://miro.medium.com/…n935dkBZoDw.jpeg	3 min	2017-11-25T06:08:07.652000	2017-11-25T06:50:16.050000	2018-03-29T08:57:58.075000	0	0	en	Food,Burgers,Best Burgers Melbourne,Best Burger Restaurants,Best Australian Burgers	<section> <p><strong>What do you want to eat when you are too hungry?</strong> A burger is an answer for most of the people. A burger is sufficient to satisfy hunger. Different countries/regions serve burgers in their own way. Australian burgers contain beetroot for flavor and taste. Try different types of burgers in Melbourne and give some different taste to your taste buds.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/720/1geHQ7ZmCK59n935dkBZoDw.jpeg" width="720" height="540" loading="lazy" /> <p>Stomach is calling out “Please give me something to eat. Something delicious, yummy and mouthwatering”, a burger is the thing that people love to eat and enjoy. It quickly fills your tummy and also satisfies your taste buds.</p> <p>Food lovers always try their hands on the new arrivals. There are various types of burgers one can find in the menu list and the most among them are Hamburgers. Hamburger is a sandwich made of a cooked patty of ground meat that is kept inside a bread roll slice.</p> <p>These are often served with lettuce, bacon, tomato, onion, cheese and different condiments such as mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, and relish. Every hamburger has different variations. Different countries have their own varieties of hamburgers.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1bs-Nz8OkJZxSn5dwzQwZyQ.jpeg" width="960" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <p>For instance, 50/50 burger is much popular in California, United States whereas Angus burger is well known in the native countries of Scotland i.e. Angus and Aberdeenshire. At some places, these are also known as Aberdeen and Angus burgers.</p> <p>Barbeque burgers are the ones that you may find in almost every country subject to certain exceptions. In Australia, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger#Australia_and_New_Zealand">Australasian hamburgers</a> are the most popular ones. The difference is most of these burgers include canned beetroot and pineapple as ingredients.</p> <p>These are mainly available in fast food restaurants such as the major fast food chain in Australia Hungry Jack. Mainly certain variations in hamburger include turkey burger, veggie burger, black bean burger, garden burger.</p> <p>Certain condiments must be added to hamburger and other spices such as mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, salad dressings and barbeque sauce.</p> <h1>Australian Burgers:</h1> <p>Different countries prepare burgers in their own style. Fast food franchises in Australia and New Zealand sell American type burgers. Traditional burgers are usually purchased from chip shops or milk bars. Meat hamburgers always contain mince known as ground beef in normal terms.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3204/1pYBU73NBFnkjlcHICFqu3w.jpeg" width="3204" height="2136" loading="lazy" /> <p>These include tomato, lettuce, grilled meat, and onion along with cheese, beetroot, pineapple, fried egg, and bacon. A burger with all these ingredients is known as “burger with a lot”. One variation among the burgers in Australia and that of New Zealand is that they contain steak along with all these ingredients.</p> <p>Regular burgers contain barbecue and tomato sauce. Another well-known burger in Australia i.e. Aussie’s Burger contains tomato, lettuce, onion, cheese, bacon, beetroot, egg, ketchup and meat patty. For veggie burgers, all other ingredients remain the same except meat patty and bacon.</p> <p>Whether you are in Australia, America or Canada; you will get burgers everywhere however different countries make burgers in a different style. If you are in North, South, East or West Australia; you will get same burgers everywhere with some variations.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2048/16obAKeQXLN4XSP7kL6OI1g.jpeg" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" /> <p>You can try each one of them or any one of them and decide which one suits your taste buds. Go to different restaurants try some variations and know which one is best, the one that you like the most. Go for the place that provides you best burgers in Melbourne which tempts you to eat them daily.</p> <h3>Author Bio:</h3> <p><strong>Mr.Scruffs</strong> is a place where your taste buds will crave for nothing else but burgers. Burgers are the snack that you can enjoy anytime and every time. Try burgers of different flavors here at one of the <em><strong><a href="http://www.mrscruff</em>s.com.au</strong>">best burger restaurants in Melbourne</a>. Meat lovers will definitely love it.</p> </section>	Are you a Foodie? Here are the Best Burgers for You. What do you want to eat when you are too hungry? A burger is an answer for most of the people. A burger is sufficient to satisfy hunger. Different countries/regions serve burgers in their own way. Australian burgers contain beetroot for flavor and taste. Try different types of burgers in Melbourne and give some different taste to your taste buds. Best Burger For Foodies Stomach is calling out “Please give me something to eat. Something delicious, yummy and mouthwatering”, a burger is the thing that people love to eat and enjoy. It quickly fills your tummy and also satisfies your taste buds. Food lovers always try their hands on the new arrivals. There are various types of burgers one can find in the menu list and the most among them are Hamburgers. Hamburger is a sandwich made of a cooked patty of ground meat that is kept inside a bread roll slice. These are often served with lettuce, bacon, tomato, onion, cheese and different condiments such as mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, and relish. Every hamburger has different variations. Different countries have their own varieties of hamburgers. Best Burger Restaurants For instance, 50/50 burger is much popular in California, United States whereas Angus burger is well known in the native countries of Scotland i.e. Angus and Aberdeenshire. At some places, these are also known as Aberdeen and Angus burgers. Barbeque burgers are the ones that you may find in almost every country subject to certain exceptions. In Australia, Australasian hamburgers are the most popular ones. The difference is most of these burgers include canned beetroot and pineapple as ingredients. These are mainly available in fast food restaurants such as the major fast food chain in Australia Hungry Jack. Mainly certain variations in hamburger include turkey burger, veggie burger, black bean burger, garden burger. Certain condiments must be added to hamburger and other spices such as mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, salad dressings and barbeque sauce. Australian Burgers: Different countries prepare burgers in their own style. Fast food franchises in Australia and New Zealand sell American type burgers. Traditional burgers are usually purchased from chip shops or milk bars. Meat hamburgers always contain mince known as ground beef in normal terms. Burger Bars Melbourne These include tomato, lettuce, grilled meat, and onion along with cheese, beetroot, pineapple, fried egg, and bacon. A burger with all these ingredients is known as “burger with a lot”. One variation among the burgers in Australia and that of New Zealand is that they contain steak along with all these ingredients. Regular burgers contain barbecue and tomato sauce. Another well-known burger in Australia i.e. Aussie’s Burger contains tomato, lettuce, onion, cheese, bacon, beetroot, egg, ketchup and meat patty. For veggie burgers, all other ingredients remain the same except meat patty and bacon. Whether you are in Australia, America or Canada; you will get burgers everywhere however different countries make burgers in a different style. If you are in North, South, East or West Australia; you will get same burgers everywhere with some variations. Best Burger Cafe You can try each one of them or any one of them and decide which one suits your taste buds. Go to different restaurants try some variations and know which one is best, the one that you like the most. Go for the place that provides you best burgers in Melbourne which tempts you to eat them daily. Author Bio: Mr.Scruffs is a place where your taste buds will crave for nothing else but burgers. Burgers are the snack that you can enjoy anytime and every time. Try burgers of different flavors here at one of the best burger restaurants in Melbourne. Meat lovers will definitely love it.	92fd42b8-4c22-5ffd-83e7-45b9ec9dee85	25/08/2025 18:01:19
https://medium.com/@HHF/the-easiest-asparagus-soup-ever-548322a7ecd0	medium.com	The Easiest Asparagus Soup Ever!	Right this is a recipe for those that say they can’t cook! It takes no more than 15 minutes to make from start to finish….and it is…	Healthy Herts Food	https://medium.com/@HHF	548322a7ecd0	https://miro.medium.com/…YbQIisRWNbg.jpeg	1 min	2017-05-18T10:16:24.753000	2017-05-18T10:33:02.601000	2018-01-06T07:25:20.191000	0	1	en	Recipe,Food,Soup	<section> <p>Right this is a recipe for those that say they can’t cook! It takes no more than 15 minutes to make from start to finish….and it is absolutely delicious!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/1w8fPRtVwFv4YbQIisRWNbg.jpeg" width="1000" height="750" loading="lazy" /> <p>If you can get it, try and buy some locally grown asaparagus from your local farm shop or farmers market, as it is just sensational.</p> <p>This recipe is from BBC Good Food so you can’t go wrong.</p> <h1>Ingredients</h1> <p>400g of Asparagus (finely chopped)</p> <p>2 tbsp Olive Oil</p> <p>500 ml of Chicken or Vegetable Stock</p> <p>1 Onion (finely chopped)</p> <p>4 tbsp Double Cream</p> <h2>Method</h2> <p>Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and then fry the onion for about four minutes until soft</p> <p>Add the asaparagus and cook for around another couple of minutes</p> <p>Add the stock and bring to the boil, add some salt and black pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer for 7 minutes, until the asparagus is cooked</p> <p>Add the cream and then blend until smooth</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/1S7n7GtLn6feGZaKI6iy8xw.jpeg" width="1000" height="1000" loading="lazy" /> <p>Serve immediately with you bread of choice for dipping! I chose some sour dough which went perfectly — enjoy!</p> <p>HHF x</p> </section>	The Easiest Asparagus Soup Ever! Right this is a recipe for those that say they can’t cook! It takes no more than 15 minutes to make from start to finish….and it is absolutely delicious! Locally Grown Asparagus If you can get it, try and buy some locally grown asaparagus from your local farm shop or farmers market, as it is just sensational. This recipe is from BBC Good Food so you can’t go wrong. Ingredients 400g of Asparagus (finely chopped) 2 tbsp Olive Oil 500 ml of Chicken or Vegetable Stock 1 Onion (finely chopped) 4 tbsp Double Cream Method Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and then fry the onion for about four minutes until soft Add the asaparagus and cook for around another couple of minutes Add the stock and bring to the boil, add some salt and black pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer for 7 minutes, until the asparagus is cooked Add the cream and then blend until smooth Quick, Simple, Delicious! Serve immediately with you bread of choice for dipping! I chose some sour dough which went perfectly — enjoy! HHF x	8606e066-af54-5d9a-becb-c7ee05a172a6	25/08/2025 18:01:20
https://aera-onefootball.medium.com/welcome-to-footballers-journey-18ddc054e32c	medium.com	WELCOME TO FOOTBALLER’S JOURNEY	Comic-style book collectibles that give you access to exclusive rewards. Join https://discord.com/invit to find out more	Aera by OneFootball	https://medium.com/@aera-onefootball	18ddc054e32c	https://miro.medium.com/…P9ve-DE6NJQ.jpeg	2 min	2022-11-28T08:31:27.139000	2022-11-28T14:51:28.481000	2022-12-09T08:37:37.349000	0	31	en	Nft Collectibles,Nft,Football,Web3	<section> <p>OneFootball presents a new football Web3 collectible that draws from our close relationship with the players and the unparalleled access that this affords. We have sat with 7 World-class players to learn their stories, from childhood to hero, which we are presenting in comic-style book collectibles. That’s not all. Every chapter and book will grant you access to exclusive rewards that will get you closer to some of the best ballers in the World. Read through to find out more and enjoy it!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/16Nu4rZQ_q3yP9ve-DE6NJQ.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1OphEk7lZfB5XzPWDbUIx7g.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1ZPW3a1ysYK09ACBkXDlMlQ.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1ug3o8EK_PhQYYJb2QGoaOg.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1_7NlwtlRPvQWKu8acWQ4qg.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1QiT5wYh0Y6HvfMa0m4Nmfg.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1DnhRK9BmT9zHTVrevssoyA.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1NsezAnX249vD7vAuEOhtKA.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1*GyddH3MRkWAmAxPuDfz5BA.jpeg" width="1920" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>About <a href="https://ae</strong>ra.onefootball.com/">Aera by OneFootball</a></p> <p>Aera is the NFT marketplace for football fans, a digital collectibles platform featuring the biggest clubs, leagues, federations, and players in football. Built to make digital collectibles accessible to all, Aera is the home for football fans wanting to connect and share their passion in the digital space. When fans think about football collectibles, they should think about Aera. The Aera marketplace is built by OneFootball Labs.</p> <p><strong>About OneFootball Labs</strong></p> <p>The OneFootball Labs joint venture is set to deliver a new era of football fan consumption, providing accessible, affordable, and unique fan experiences that will drive mass adoption of blockchain technology in football. These products will be offered at different price points to make them widely accessible, and fans will also be able to purchase and store digital collectibles with just their email and a credit card. <strong><a href="https</strong>://www.animocabrands.com/">Animoca Brands</a>, the company advancing digital property rights for gaming and the metaverse, <strong><a href="ht</strong>tps://company.onefootball.com/">OneFootball</a>, the world’s largest football media platform, and Liberty City Ventures are part of the joint venture.</p> <p><em>To join the project and community, connect with Aera by OneFootball on our <strong><a href</strong>="https://aera.onefootball.com/collections/</em>serie-a">Website</a>, <strong><a href="https://twitter.co</strong>m/aera_football">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aera_football/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://discord.com/invite/aera">Discord</a> follow the <strong><a href="https://ae</strong>ra-onefootball.medium.com/">Medium publications</a></p> </section>	Welcome to Footballer’s Journey OneFootball presents a new football Web3 collectible that draws from our close relationship with the players and the unparalleled access that this affords. We have sat with 7 World-class players to learn their stories, from childhood to hero, which we are presenting in comic-style book collectibles. That’s not all. Every chapter and book will grant you access to exclusive rewards that will get you closer to some of the best ballers in the World. Read through to find out more and enjoy it! About Aera by OneFootball Aera is the NFT marketplace for football fans, a digital collectibles platform featuring the biggest clubs, leagues, federations, and players in football. Built to make digital collectibles accessible to all, Aera is the home for football fans wanting to connect and share their passion in the digital space. When fans think about football collectibles, they should think about Aera. The Aera marketplace is built by OneFootball Labs. About OneFootball Labs The OneFootball Labs joint venture is set to deliver a new era of football fan consumption, providing accessible, affordable, and unique fan experiences that will drive mass adoption of blockchain technology in football. These products will be offered at different price points to make them widely accessible, and fans will also be able to purchase and store digital collectibles with just their email and a credit card. Animoca Brands, the company advancing digital property rights for gaming and the metaverse, OneFootball, the world’s largest football media platform, and Liberty City Ventures are part of the joint venture. To join the project and community, connect with Aera by OneFootball on our Website, Twitter, Instagram, Discord follow the Medium publications	c2f16c1a-dff0-52d6-b213-c46992c137be	25/08/2025 18:01:20
https://medium.com/@njkphoto/a-form-of-confession-d54459756897	medium.com	A form of confession	I admit, I have not been very active with my Blog and although the other members at OramaPhotos have not directly or otherwise brought my…	Niko J Kallianiotis	https://medium.com/@njkphoto	d54459756897	https://miro.medium.com/…5vU_pabtYYw.jpeg	4 min	2017-01-16T19:41:05.222000	2017-01-16T19:58:32.316000	2017-01-30T00:46:14.810000	0	2	en	Photography,Art,Humanities,Essays,Culture	<section> <p>I admit, I have not been very active with my Blog and although the other members at <a href="http://oramaphotos.gr/">OramaPhotos</a> have not directly or otherwise brought my blog inactivity to attention, I though it would be appropriate, to start the New Year with regular posts; or at least try to. There are many things relating to photography, personal and otherwise that I would like to bring to the table and engage in a conversation. I love to write but I am not a writer; I love to make pictures but I do not consider myself an artist nor I care for the title or the subterranean meanings that might in accord with the title. I did not pick up a camera when I was eight-year-old, in fact, I think I was twenty-two and my first experience with a camera was when I moved to the United States and attended college and up to that point I was not really exposed to art, photography and the like.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1xQuCgLihTQA5vU_pabtYYw.jpeg" width="1200" height="788" loading="lazy" /> <p>Photography is the most powerful mode of communication, and on a daily basis we are bombarded with visuals through social media platforms: news organizations, Instagram, blogs… the list goes on. Reviewing and translating a photograph is a highly subjective encounter but sometimes, and in my opinion not in the desired frequency, the response is automatic; one that peers through the heart, a moment that puts you inside the skin, heart and soul of the photographer. Without even knowing them personally you feel them, understand them, and through that process you might understand yourself. We all have our favorite list of photographers, but we also all have, or should have, the one photographer that speaks to us in a way that when looking at their work, time stops and everything that we have ever seen up until that moment dissolves into an fading memory. For me that photographer is <a href="http://pro.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_10_VForm&ERID=24KL535C7T">Josef Kudelka</a> and his book Exiles. With every turning page you experience a visual, but also inner, confession.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1NVHyBITQfiX9RrvV0Ux8HQ.jpeg" width="1200" height="791" loading="lazy" /> <p>From one photograph to the next, the subjects and landscape become an autobiographical testament of feelings, emotions, concerns, and fears. You are there in the moment, and you can feel, hear and smell the culture, the breath of the photographer, while attempting to decipher the nuances of the moments. I appreciate the raw, straightforward and unembellished qualities of the work; not for the sake of being raw, but for their aptness to confess. Most importantly the work deviates from the mere representation of facts. The “exotic” element, in my personal opinion, is absent from the work. Unfortunately, this “exoticism” is so prevalent (both in terms of location and subject matter) that it would be impossible for any photographer with a creative twist to come back with anything but decent work. There are certainly a few greats with exceptional work from those locations but many fall into the trap of the exotic, the visually interesting. But as many trips you will take to Cuba or India it would be most likely impossible to surpass the quality of the greats. By no means am I trying to prevent anyone from making that kind of work — trust me I wish I had all the visual opportunities where I photograph. I am more prone to slam on my brakes and hop out of the car so I can capture the blending of the human element with the landscape; due to the locale, it could be two weeks until someone else walks by.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1*nz9RXXfaHwA9e1rhlDNt6w.jpeg" width="1200" height="787" loading="lazy" /> <p>Being there and simply recording and describing a moment for me does not work, both in relation to the work of others and of course mine. I have failed a myriad of times, but I strive to use the medium as a form to express my feelings, raise questions, and attempt to make the viewer understand the photographs while simultaneously getting a glimpse into my inner self.</p> <p>I strive to make work from the heart and I tend to photograph only in places and subject matters I care about. I see my work as a confession, a visual biography and a journal of my life’s experiences; the good, the bad, it’s all there. The constant struggle to contend with having two countries you love and confuse and hurt you. Through the photographic process you forget, but simultaneously suffer as well, because someone looked like your grandfather, your uncle, or your childhood friend. But for a moment you forget where you are, who you are, because the viewfinder is your shield; the pill that erases all thoughts prior to the moment of making of an everlasting personal testimony, to the point you don’t existing for a 500th/sec; but reality hits you hard when the 35mm prime lens is lowered, your grandfather’s figure fading in the distance; and you are somewhere in Pennsylvania hoping you made something worthy, and captured an instance that will make someone feel that moment, and understand you as you aim to touch their heart, just like Kudelka’s work touched mine.</p> </section>	A form of confession I admit, I have not been very active with my Blog and although the other members at OramaPhotos have not directly or otherwise brought my blog inactivity to attention, I though it would be appropriate, to start the New Year with regular posts; or at least try to. There are many things relating to photography, personal and otherwise that I would like to bring to the table and engage in a conversation. I love to write but I am not a writer; I love to make pictures but I do not consider myself an artist nor I care for the title or the subterranean meanings that might in accord with the title. I did not pick up a camera when I was eight-year-old, in fact, I think I was twenty-two and my first experience with a camera was when I moved to the United States and attended college and up to that point I was not really exposed to art, photography and the like. ©Josef Koudelka Photography is the most powerful mode of communication, and on a daily basis we are bombarded with visuals through social media platforms: news organizations, Instagram, blogs… the list goes on. Reviewing and translating a photograph is a highly subjective encounter but sometimes, and in my opinion not in the desired frequency, the response is automatic; one that peers through the heart, a moment that puts you inside the skin, heart and soul of the photographer. Without even knowing them personally you feel them, understand them, and through that process you might understand yourself. We all have our favorite list of photographers, but we also all have, or should have, the one photographer that speaks to us in a way that when looking at their work, time stops and everything that we have ever seen up until that moment dissolves into an fading memory. For me that photographer is Josef Kudelka and his book Exiles. With every turning page you experience a visual, but also inner, confession. ©Josef Koudelka From one photograph to the next, the subjects and landscape become an autobiographical testament of feelings, emotions, concerns, and fears. You are there in the moment, and you can feel, hear and smell the culture, the breath of the photographer, while attempting to decipher the nuances of the moments. I appreciate the raw, straightforward and unembellished qualities of the work; not for the sake of being raw, but for their aptness to confess. Most importantly the work deviates from the mere representation of facts. The “exotic” element, in my personal opinion, is absent from the work. Unfortunately, this “exoticism” is so prevalent (both in terms of location and subject matter) that it would be impossible for any photographer with a creative twist to come back with anything but decent work. There are certainly a few greats with exceptional work from those locations but many fall into the trap of the exotic, the visually interesting. But as many trips you will take to Cuba or India it would be most likely impossible to surpass the quality of the greats. By no means am I trying to prevent anyone from making that kind of work — trust me I wish I had all the visual opportunities where I photograph. I am more prone to slam on my brakes and hop out of the car so I can capture the blending of the human element with the landscape; due to the locale, it could be two weeks until someone else walks by. ©Josef Koudelka Being there and simply recording and describing a moment for me does not work, both in relation to the work of others and of course mine. I have failed a myriad of times, but I strive to use the medium as a form to express my feelings, raise questions, and attempt to make the viewer understand the photographs while simultaneously getting a glimpse into my inner self. I strive to make work from the heart and I tend to photograph only in places and subject matters I care about. I see my work as a confession, a visual biography and a journal of my life’s experiences; the good, the bad, it’s all there. The constant struggle to contend with having two countries you love and confuse and hurt you. Through the photographic process you forget, but simultaneously suffer as well, because someone looked like your grandfather, your uncle, or your childhood friend. But for a moment you forget where you are, who you are, because the viewfinder is your shield; the pill that erases all thoughts prior to the moment of making of an everlasting personal testimony, to the point you don’t existing for a 500th/sec; but reality hits you hard when the 35mm prime lens is lowered, your grandfather’s figure fading in the distance; and you are somewhere in Pennsylvania hoping you made something worthy, and captured an instance that will make someone feel that moment, and understand you as you aim to touch their heart, just like Kudelka’s work touched mine.	f9691f0b-fa4d-5555-ae1b-f898f08dc5ee	25/08/2025 18:01:20
https://medium.com/@wksexcrimes/what-to-do-if-a-warrant-is-issued-against-you-for-the-sex-crime-458de8d451b	medium.com	What To Do If A Warrant Is Issued Against You For The Sex Crime	If a warrant is issued for you, you need to act immediately. Speak to a skilled sex crime lawyer right away. At Wallin & Klarich, our…	Wallin & Klarich, A Law Corporation	https://medium.com/@wksexcrimes	458de8d451b	null	0 min	2017-08-17T09:38:01.062000	2017-08-17T09:39:12.008000	2017-08-17T09:39:22.112000	0	0	en	Sex Crime,Sex Crime Lawyer,Los Angeles	<section> <p></p> <p>If a warrant is issued for you, you need to act immediately. Speak to a skilled sex crime lawyer right away. At Wallin & Klarich, our criminal lawyers have been successfully helping clients in warrant matters for more than 35 years. <strong><a href="https://goo.</strong>gl/cn2cYQ">https://goo.gl/cn2cYQ</a></p> </section>	What To Do If A Warrant Is Issued Against You For The Sex Crime If a warrant is issued for you, you need to act immediately. Speak to a skilled sex crime lawyer right away. At Wallin & Klarich, our criminal lawyers have been successfully helping clients in warrant matters for more than 35 years. https://goo.gl/cn2cYQ	5c593072-12ed-5dff-8740-4a76eb5646c8	25/08/2025 18:01:20
https://medium.com/redpoint-ventures/lessons-learned-from-leading-fortune-100-companies-to-building-a-company-from-scratch-ac9fe67d0cd	medium.com	Lessons Learned From Leading Fortune 100 Companies to Building a Company From Scratch	By: Annie Kadavy	Redpoint Ventures	https://medium.com/@redpointvc	ac9fe67d0cd	https://miro.medium.com/…LRikeFYm1uQ.jpeg	6 min	2021-08-10T21:19:56.315000	2021-08-10T21:32:54.589000	2022-01-05T23:33:44.703000	1	6	en	Leadership,Leadership Development,Leadership Skills,Founders,Startup Lessons	<section> <p><strong>By: <a href="#"></strong>Annie Kadavy</a></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6000/1*VqNFpBEvzXmLRikeFYm1uQ.jpeg" width="6000" height="4000" loading="lazy" /> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/Padmasree">Padma Warrior</a> is one of those people that you remember exactly where you were standing the moment you met her. For me, that was about seven years ago. Padma’s professional track record is incredible, as she has been both a public company CEO and F100 Chief Technology & Strategy Officer. But it is her genuine kindness and humble insightfulness that makes that first interaction unforgettable. So, when she reached out to talk about her new venture, <a href="https://fable.co/">Fable</a>, we jumped at the opportunity to partner with her.</p> <p>While Fable is her newest company, this is far from Padma’s first time scaling a team and building a product. Padma is the former CEO of NIO U.S., the China headquartered EV company, where she scaled the company from start-up to a successful IPO NYSE:NIO in three years. Prior to NIO, Padma was the CTSO for Cisco; SVP and GM for Cisco Enterprise segment and co-lead of Cisco’s worldwide engineering organization; and EVP and CTO at Motorola. She also currently serves on the boards of Microsoft and Spotify. Her experience is broad, spanning both B2B and B2C, and managing thousands of people and billions of dollars.</p> <p>Padma’s newest adventure is as the founder and CEO of <a href="https://fable.co/">Fable</a>. Fable offers a new way for you to discover books, connect with others and read together. Padma began this entrepreneurial journey by researching how to improve mental wellness on a mass scale. She is guided by wanting to have the biggest positive impact on the most people’s lives and wellbeing. To her own surprise, she found research paper after research paper concluding that simply <em>reading</em> was a proven way to do just that. I love that she was focused on the <em>problem</em> she wanted to solve from the beginning, not the precise solution.</p> <p>If people want to join the startup world, I usually recommend that they do it early in their career. You can learn so much in such a small amount of time, and have the time and energy for the grind. You can also always join the larger, more stable companies later in life. However, Padma has done the complete opposite and recently embarked on building Fable from scratch after having led multiple public companies. In our recent discussion during Redpoint Office Hours, Padma shared lessons she’s learned from her career thus far, and a few tips to help us succeed not only in our professional roles, but also to keep in mind as we journey through life:</p> <p><strong>Reminders for Self:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Decide to be yourself.</strong> As an engineer early in her career, Padma was expected to dress and act like a guy, and that wasn’t her. She quickly learned that you have to be you first in order to become someone that other people will respect. You do not need to fit in the mold that others have created. If the mold does not work for you, dare to be different: Dare to be yourself.</li> <li><strong>Seek Integration, not Balance. </strong>When Padma became a mom she — as I and basically every other working mom I know — was constantly asked how she balanced work with her day-to-day life. Balance forces us to seek perfection and ultimately ends with most of us neglecting ourselves. Padma recommends shifting the narrative, and rather than balancing everything,<em> integrate</em> the following four things: yourself, your community, your work, and your family. Personally, this is going to be my new daily mantra.</li> <li><strong>Take a digital detox once a week.</strong> She makes sure to not interrupt team members at least one day a week. She herself takes a day away from the computer and uses that time to find inspiration and relax by painting or reading.</li> </ul> <p><strong>On Career Growth:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>For people deciding to make a move from a larger enterprise to a startup: first, ask yourself <em>why </em>you want to make </strong>the move. Startup life is not often glamorous; it’s easy to romanticize it. As an executive at really large companies, Padma had a large supporting team who scheduled and managed her every minute — a dynamic she warns can encourage a “learned helplessness.” This is quite the opposite at Fable, or any startup for that matter. Executives require stamina; startup leaders require grit. Her recommendation is to make sure you are running toward something, and not away from something else. Be realistic about why you want the move. You need to want to get your hands dirty and love the idea of starting something from scratch when joining a startup. You will get pushback (and it will be an amazing learning experience!), but it will be hard work and it’s important to be prepared for that.</li> <li><strong>You need different skills to be a C-Level executive vs founder.</strong></li> </ul> <p>To be a successful C-level executive, Padma found that the following attributes are necessary:</p> <p>Stamina: Intellectual and physical. Your schedule is packed and your days are long. It can be very tiresome.</p> <p>Bandwidth and breadth: You have to know a lot about a lot of things, from technology to people to customers and their businesses.</p> <p>Care of duty: You are given an immense amount of power, and it is important that you make decisions with utmost care and remember that you are always representing the company.</p> <p>Presence and communication: You need a presence of mind to be able to cope. You have to shift and put yourself in other’s brains to know what is motivating them.</p> <p>Similarly and differently, as a founder, the following are important:</p> <p>Stamina and resilience: You have to keep going and always believe in the company and the vision.</p> <p>Hands-on: You need to be super deep in the product.</p> <p>Influential: You are trying to bring all-stars to your team, but don’t necessarily have the brand to back it up.</p> <p>Transparent: Which you can’t be at larger companies all the time.</p> <p><strong>Ensuring Company Success:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Independence, passion, and expertise are important skills when hiring for roles</strong>. Especially in startups, Padma looks for independence, passion (about the mission, product, etc.), expertise (you can get things done and do not need to be handheld), resourcefulness, and overall someone that can reach beyond their swim lane to and be a Jack or Jill of all trades.</li> <li><strong>Hire for expertise, not experience</strong>. When you hire someone for their experience, they might say “we did it this way at X company.” That approach might have worked there, but it does not automatically mean that it will work at your new company. That’s why you need to look for expertise — that’s why you’re bringing them into your company, to figure out solutions.</li> <li><strong>Never delegate hiring</strong>. This is very personal and you have to make it your business to hire the right person. Always keep your network vibrant.</li> <li><strong>Celebrate the small milestones.</strong> In such a small amount of time, the company can drastically change and you need to celebrate those small wins. If you don’t, you risk having your team burn out. Padma recommends thinking about how your team reflects on the progress and the quality of their decisions. Happy hours, team lunches, and coffee breaks can keep everyone up-to-date on the progress being made and keep them feeling inspired to work hard.</li> <li><strong>For product differentiation, don’t focus on your competition — focus on the market.</strong> If you’re overly obsessed with competition, you will try to figure out what they are going to do. Instead, if you focus on understanding where the market and users are going, you will build a great product.</li> <li><strong>Don’t be afraid to do non-scalable things early. </strong>Use the data from your super users and find a slightly nuanced user set that isn’t the broad mass TAM that you are going after. You should learn and grow to then reach a point where you can expand to a broader audience.</li> </ul> <p>Want to hear more? <a href="https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/580470080">You can watch the entire session here</a> (password: officehoursPWAK). You can also <a href="https://twitter.com/Padmasree">follow Padma on Twitter</a> and join her <a href="https://fable.co/folio/fable-starter-folio-by-padmasree-warrior">Folio on Fable.</a></p> <p>You can also join our recently launched <a href="https://fable.co/club/office-hours-book-club-with-allison-pickens-261541622013">Redpoint Book Club</a>! The book club will allow you to read and discuss Office Hours guest’s recommended books with other interested readers on Fable (imagine Slack inside of a Kindle!). The first book,<a href="https://fable.co/book/a-new-earth-by-eckhart-tolle-9781101010891"> A New Earth</a>, was chosen by former Gainsight COO and Office Hours guest, Allison Pickens. She’ll be acting as the club moderator for this pick, sharing her personal insights and commentary as the club reads along. Further instructions can be found below.</p> <p>In addition, check out our <a href="https://fable.co/folio/redpoint-office-hours-unexpected-inspiration-by-redpoint-ventures">Redpoint Office Hours Folio</a> which gathers some of the top book selections from past Office Hours guests including Linda Tong, the General Manager of AppDynamics, Waseem Daher, the CEO and Co-founder of Pilot, and Daria Kissner, a strategic communications consultant who has led internal & executive communications for companies like Google and YouTube. We’ll be adding to the Folio as the year progresses!</p> <p>Thanks, and we hope to see you at the next Office Hours!</p> <p><strong>INSTRUCTIONS TO JOIN REDPOINT BOOK CLUB:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Step 1: <a href="https://fable.co/club/office-hours-book-club-with-allison-pickens-261541622013">Click here to join the club!</a> As part of sign-up, you’ll create a Fable account. You can purchase and download the book to read on Fable for access to additional shared reading features.</li> <li>Step 2: Download the Fable app on your phone or tablet (for iOS or Android). Fable is currently only available in the United States, but hopes to be international soon… stay tuned!</li> <li>Step 3: Start reading and discussing! Additional tips will be sent upon joining the club.</li> </ul> </section>	Lessons Learned From Leading Fortune 100 Companies to Building a Company From Scratch By: Annie Kadavy Padma Warrior is one of those people that you remember exactly where you were standing the moment you met her. For me, that was about seven years ago. Padma’s professional track record is incredible, as she has been both a public company CEO and F100 Chief Technology & Strategy Officer. But it is her genuine kindness and humble insightfulness that makes that first interaction unforgettable. So, when she reached out to talk about her new venture, Fable, we jumped at the opportunity to partner with her. While Fable is her newest company, this is far from Padma’s first time scaling a team and building a product. Padma is the former CEO of NIO U.S., the China headquartered EV company, where she scaled the company from start-up to a successful IPO NYSE:NIO in three years. Prior to NIO, Padma was the CTSO for Cisco; SVP and GM for Cisco Enterprise segment and co-lead of Cisco’s worldwide engineering organization; and EVP and CTO at Motorola. She also currently serves on the boards of Microsoft and Spotify. Her experience is broad, spanning both B2B and B2C, and managing thousands of people and billions of dollars. Padma’s newest adventure is as the founder and CEO of Fable. Fable offers a new way for you to discover books, connect with others and read together. Padma began this entrepreneurial journey by researching how to improve mental wellness on a mass scale. She is guided by wanting to have the biggest positive impact on the most people’s lives and wellbeing. To her own surprise, she found research paper after research paper concluding that simply reading was a proven way to do just that. I love that she was focused on the problem she wanted to solve from the beginning, not the precise solution. If people want to join the startup world, I usually recommend that they do it early in their career. You can learn so much in such a small amount of time, and have the time and energy for the grind. You can also always join the larger, more stable companies later in life. However, Padma has done the complete opposite and recently embarked on building Fable from scratch after having led multiple public companies. In our recent discussion during Redpoint Office Hours, Padma shared lessons she’s learned from her career thus far, and a few tips to help us succeed not only in our professional roles, but also to keep in mind as we journey through life: Reminders for Self: Decide to be yourself. As an engineer early in her career, Padma was expected to dress and act like a guy, and that wasn’t her. She quickly learned that you have to be you first in order to become someone that other people will respect. You do not need to fit in the mold that others have created. If the mold does not work for you, dare to be different: Dare to be yourself. Seek Integration, not Balance. When Padma became a mom she — as I and basically every other working mom I know — was constantly asked how she balanced work with her day-to-day life. Balance forces us to seek perfection and ultimately ends with most of us neglecting ourselves. Padma recommends shifting the narrative, and rather than balancing everything, integrate the following four things: yourself, your community, your work, and your family. Personally, this is going to be my new daily mantra. Take a digital detox once a week. She makes sure to not interrupt team members at least one day a week. She herself takes a day away from the computer and uses that time to find inspiration and relax by painting or reading. On Career Growth: For people deciding to make a move from a larger enterprise to a startup: first, ask yourself why you want to make the move. Startup life is not often glamorous; it’s easy to romanticize it. As an executive at really large companies, Padma had a large supporting team who scheduled and managed her every minute — a dynamic she warns can encourage a “learned helplessness.” This is quite the opposite at Fable, or any startup for that matter. Executives require stamina; startup leaders require grit. Her recommendation is to make sure you are running toward something, and not away from something else. Be realistic about why you want the move. You need to want to get your hands dirty and love the idea of starting something from scratch when joining a startup. You will get pushback (and it will be an amazing learning experience!), but it will be hard work and it’s important to be prepared for that. You need different skills to be a C-Level executive vs founder. To be a successful C-level executive, Padma found that the following attributes are necessary: Stamina: Intellectual and physical. Your schedule is packed and your days are long. It can be very tiresome. Bandwidth and breadth: You have to know a lot about a lot of things, from technology to people to customers and their businesses. Care of duty: You are given an immense amount of power, and it is important that you make decisions with utmost care and remember that you are always representing the company. Presence and communication: You need a presence of mind to be able to cope. You have to shift and put yourself in other’s brains to know what is motivating them. Similarly and differently, as a founder, the following are important: Stamina and resilience: You have to keep going and always believe in the company and the vision. Hands-on: You need to be super deep in the product. Influential: You are trying to bring all-stars to your team, but don’t necessarily have the brand to back it up. Transparent: Which you can’t be at larger companies all the time. Ensuring Company Success: Independence, passion, and expertise are important skills when hiring for roles. Especially in startups, Padma looks for independence, passion (about the mission, product, etc.), expertise (you can get things done and do not need to be handheld), resourcefulness, and overall someone that can reach beyond their swim lane to and be a Jack or Jill of all trades. Hire for expertise, not experience. When you hire someone for their experience, they might say “we did it this way at X company.” That approach might have worked there, but it does not automatically mean that it will work at your new company. That’s why you need to look for expertise — that’s why you’re bringing them into your company, to figure out solutions. Never delegate hiring. This is very personal and you have to make it your business to hire the right person. Always keep your network vibrant. Celebrate the small milestones. In such a small amount of time, the company can drastically change and you need to celebrate those small wins. If you don’t, you risk having your team burn out. Padma recommends thinking about how your team reflects on the progress and the quality of their decisions. Happy hours, team lunches, and coffee breaks can keep everyone up-to-date on the progress being made and keep them feeling inspired to work hard. For product differentiation, don’t focus on your competition — focus on the market. If you’re overly obsessed with competition, you will try to figure out what they are going to do. Instead, if you focus on understanding where the market and users are going, you will build a great product. Don’t be afraid to do non-scalable things early. Use the data from your super users and find a slightly nuanced user set that isn’t the broad mass TAM that you are going after. You should learn and grow to then reach a point where you can expand to a broader audience. Want to hear more? You can watch the entire session here (password: officehoursPWAK). You can also follow Padma on Twitter and join her Folio on Fable. You can also join our recently launched Redpoint Book Club! The book club will allow you to read and discuss Office Hours guest’s recommended books with other interested readers on Fable (imagine Slack inside of a Kindle!). The first book, A New Earth, was chosen by former Gainsight COO and Office Hours guest, Allison Pickens. She’ll be acting as the club moderator for this pick, sharing her personal insights and commentary as the club reads along. Further instructions can be found below. In addition, check out our Redpoint Office Hours Folio which gathers some of the top book selections from past Office Hours guests including Linda Tong, the General Manager of AppDynamics, Waseem Daher, the CEO and Co-founder of Pilot, and Daria Kissner, a strategic communications consultant who has led internal & executive communications for companies like Google and YouTube. We’ll be adding to the Folio as the year progresses! Thanks, and we hope to see you at the next Office Hours! INSTRUCTIONS TO JOIN REDPOINT BOOK CLUB: Step 1: Click here to join the club! As part of sign-up, you’ll create a Fable account. You can purchase and download the book to read on Fable for access to additional shared reading features. Step 2: Download the Fable app on your phone or tablet (for iOS or Android). Fable is currently only available in the United States, but hopes to be international soon… stay tuned! Step 3: Start reading and discussing! Additional tips will be sent upon joining the club.	4ce588a5-e0b7-5008-96a4-566197cbdabe	25/08/2025 18:01:21
https://medium.com/@idiaz4244/the-modern-evolution-of-hip-hop-cultural-criticism-a82e6e7d0fce	medium.com	The Modern Evolution of Hip Hop (Cultural Criticism)	In the late 1970s there was a cultural revolution in New York City. Hip Hop is an urban African American subculture created in the South…	Isaac	https://medium.com/@idiaz4244	a82e6e7d0fce	null	6 min	2018-04-24T09:47:47.640000	2018-04-24T09:59:50.314000	2018-05-01T13:19:10.763000	0	1	en	Hip Hop	<section> <p>In the late 1970s there was a cultural revolution in New York City. Hip Hop is an urban African American subculture created in the South Bronx. Some elements of this culture included street art, poetic rhyming ability, fashion and terminology. This genre of music was used to express the struggles of living in urban communities. Some of the initial issues Hip Hop music addressed included urban poverty, police brutality, racism, gang violence, drugs and government corruption. Hip Hop artists such as Mos Def, Public Enemy and Lauryn Hill would “rap” in order to shed light on institutional racism and encourage intellectual freedom. In the Song “Mathematics” Mos Def used wordplay and rhyme scheme in order to describe institutional racism. Mos Def stated “I’m blacker than midnight on Broadway and Myrtle, Hip-Hop past all your tall social hurdles, like the nationwide projects, prison-industry complex.” In the quote Mos Def is telling the listener that he is a proud black male and will overcome any societal obstacles. Mos Def grew up in a New York City housing project complex. These apartment buildings are typically filthy due to overcrowding. In addition, while growing up in New York City, Mos Def experiences police brutality and observed mass incarceration. These lines from the song “mathematics” subliminally addressed a large issue and contained rhyming pattern. In addition, hip hop artist have to rhyme in unison to the instrumental to the song. For this reason many people viewed Hip Hop artists as geniuses and modern poets.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/196/1PDrKuEcfouHjM7eR6CF3mQ.jpeg" width="196" height="193" loading="lazy" /> <p>Music genres often transform overtime due to a constantly changing younger demographic. For example, before Rock and Roll there was the Blues. In addition, Metal was an offspring of Rock and Roll created in the 1960s. Hip Hop has been undergoing a transformation over the past decade. In the United States, Hip Hop has become the most dominant genre. In the previous decades of the 1980s and 1990s Rock music was the dominant genre. Hip Hop has become mainstream in the past two decades. Due to this, there has been a lot of experimentation to this genre. New artists are using their personal musical influences and combining it with Hip Hop’s modern popularity. Some modern artists such as Lil Peep, XXXTentacion and Scarlord are classified as “Hip Hop” artists even though their music contains more aspects of rock music. Gustav Ahr also known as Lil Peep is known for introducing “emo hip hop”. He is considered an emo Hip Hop artist because his songs contain some yelling, the referencing of depression, drum kits and the acoustic guitar. In addition, Gustav states some of his musical influences included My Chemical Romance, Avenged sevenfold and Paramore. XXXTentacion music can be classified as indie rock and Scarlord’s music contains all elements of heavy metal. Consequently, these artists are all still labeled as “rappers”. Lil Peep and XXXTentacion have both publicly rejected the title of “rapper”. Many aspects of the Hip Hop Culture such as fashion, production and art are currently evolving. In addition, people within the Hip Hop community would like music labels not to associate the new hip hop music with the old hip hop music. Some members of the hip hop community want to label new hip hop as “sound cloud rap”. The reason it is called sound cloud rap is because most of these artists gain popularity on the music app sound cloud. New York times published a feature story describing the new state of Hip Hop as “a swelling subgenre that takes its name from its creators’ preferred streaming service — which in the last year has become the most vital and disruptive new movement in hip-hop thanks to rebellious music, volcanic energy and occasional acts of malevolence.”</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/242/1YLkWUeWOaOBKNFsjrHlSVg.jpeg" width="242" height="176" loading="lazy" /> <p>Lil Peeps debut album “Come over when you’re sober” was released on August 15th 2017. In this album Gustav addresses topics such as depression, anxiety, social conformity, suicidal tendencies and drug addiction. All of these topics are dark and have never been addressed in Hip Hop music before. The previous Hip Hop “gangsta” persona would laugh at Lil Peep expressing his emotional distress. In the song “the Brightside” Lil Peep states how he tries to view life in a positive light even while battling depression. This song also is Lil Peeps attempt to pay respect to one of his favorite band The Killers and their famous song “Mr. Brightside. Another song of notice on this album is “Better Off’. This song contains very serious content. In this song peep describes how he is unable to sustain a relationship because of his drug addiction. Lil peep states that his partner is better off without him and he’s “not gonna make it”. Lil Peep can be seen numerous times in his music predicting his own death. Gustav died due to a drug overdose on fake Xanax pills. His death caused an uproar in the Hip Hop community. Many artists began to abolish and warn their fans of Xanax. In addition, Lil Peeps death also reflected the depression and drug addiction problems many modern rappers face. An article publish by the Los Angeles Times about “Sound cloud rap” stated “”Some music can glamorize addiction and substance abuse. There’s a difference between speaking out about your troubles and glamorizing that lifestyle,” said Adam Leventhal, the director of USC’s Health, Emotion & Addiction Laboratory.” Gustav Ahr also known as Lil Peep is a modern musical pioneer. In 2017 Lil Peeps album “Come over when you’re sober” was ranked 7th of album of the year by New York Times magazine. Gustav was born in Long Beach, New York in 1996. Long beach is a township on Long Island, which is considered to be the birthplace of emo rock. In addition, Long Island is 15 minutes away from New York City, the birthplace of Hip hop. Gustav Ahr stated that his musical influences contained numerous genres. Gustav’s favorite genre of music was alternative rock or “emo”. Due to Hip Hops mass appeal, Gustav adapted his sense of music into modern Hip Hop. This was a very creative tactic. Gustav’s music was called “the future of emo”. Essentially, Lil Peep made it “cool” to be punk and emo. Gustav died November 15th, 2017 at the age of 21. During his rise to fame, Lil Peep wasn’t considered a serious hip hop artist. After his death, Lil Peep gained mass notoriety from fans and fellow artists. Gustav was honored in a memorial at the 2017 Grammy Awards. In addition, many African American hip hop artists acknowledged peep and were saddened by his death. The Hip Hop culture generally dislikes when white rappers “invade” their culture. The idea of culture appropriation is when one race of people replicates another race’s culture for financial gain. Vanilla Ice is an example of an artist people accused of culture appropriation. The Hip Hop community calls these artists “Culture Vultures “. Nevertheless, Lil Peeps music transcended racial boundaries and had mass appeal. Lil Peep’s legacy inspired many modern artists’ music and style. Many aspects of Hip Hop are now evolving into rock and emo style. Hip Hop artists such as Lil Uzi Vert, Trippie Redd and XXXTentacion contained rock based styles. These Hip Hop artists often and can be seen wearing skinny jeans, spiked chokers, combat boots and even designer purses. These clothing items are common in metal culture. This image of metal was created by Marilyn Manson. Notably rapper Lil Uzi Vert references Manson as one of his musical inspirations. An article published in Los Angeles time’s contained a statement from Rolling Loud festival co- founder Tariq Cherif. In this article Cherif States “Rappers are the new rock stars. If you want high-energy concerts with crazy mosh pits, you find that at rap shows today.” Rolling Loud is one of the largest musical festivals in the United States that takes place every year in Miami. Cherif is literally implying with this quote that rappers are modern day rock stars. I can agree with his statement. The previous implications of rappers were urban gangsters wearing bagging clothing. Modern day Hip Hop artists prefer to known as rock stars.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/126/1wd1o-br1qdWDf78DBqZafg.jpeg" width="126" height="178" loading="lazy" /> <p>2016 and 2017 are years that will be remembered in Hip Hop’s history. Almost every element of Hip Hop’s culture was changed entirely. The aspects of Hip Hop culture that were noticeably different included fashion, rhyming ability and terminology. The rappers that emerged those years were complete opposites of what traditional rappers were in previous years. Lil Peep was an artist that pioneered a new wave of rock integrated with Hip Hop. Gustav’s legacy influenced the production, fashion, content and drug policies in the Modern Hip Hop Culture. The “rock star” persona was created by Gustav and many future artist will reference him as an influence.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/321/1IiGjuxshRqyueSvtQ_BaPg.jpeg" width="321" height="179" loading="lazy" /> <p>Citations</p> <p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-hip-hop-depression-20180128-story.html">www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-hip-hop-depression-20180128-story.html</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-hip-hop-festivals-rolling-loud-20171215-htmlstory.html">http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-hip-hop-festivals-rolling-loud-20171215-htmlstory.html</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.timesrepublican.com/opinion/columnists/2018/03/in-defense-of-cultural-appropriation/">http://www.timesrepublican.com/opinion/columnists/2018/03/in-defense-of-cultural-appropriation/</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/lil-uzi-vert-spills-his-guts-in-front-of-an-audience-of-6000-teenage-fans/2017/12/16/670a134a-e297-11e7-bbd0-9dfb2e37492a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f327f46afe09">https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/lil-uzi-vert-spills-his-guts-in-front-of-an-audience-of-6000-teenage-fans/2017/12/16/670a134a-e297-11e7-bbd0-9dfb2e37492a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f327f46afe09</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/arts/music/soundcloud-rap-lil-pump-smokepurrp-xxxtentacion.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/arts/music/soundcloud-rap-lil-pump-smokepurrp-xxxtentacion.html</a></p> <p></p> </section>	The Modern Evolution of Hip Hop (Cultural Criticism) In the late 1970s there was a cultural revolution in New York City. Hip Hop is an urban African American subculture created in the South Bronx. Some elements of this culture included street art, poetic rhyming ability, fashion and terminology. This genre of music was used to express the struggles of living in urban communities. Some of the initial issues Hip Hop music addressed included urban poverty, police brutality, racism, gang violence, drugs and government corruption. Hip Hop artists such as Mos Def, Public Enemy and Lauryn Hill would “rap” in order to shed light on institutional racism and encourage intellectual freedom. In the Song “Mathematics” Mos Def used wordplay and rhyme scheme in order to describe institutional racism. Mos Def stated “I’m blacker than midnight on Broadway and Myrtle, Hip-Hop past all your tall social hurdles, like the nationwide projects, prison-industry complex.” In the quote Mos Def is telling the listener that he is a proud black male and will overcome any societal obstacles. Mos Def grew up in a New York City housing project complex. These apartment buildings are typically filthy due to overcrowding. In addition, while growing up in New York City, Mos Def experiences police brutality and observed mass incarceration. These lines from the song “mathematics” subliminally addressed a large issue and contained rhyming pattern. In addition, hip hop artist have to rhyme in unison to the instrumental to the song. For this reason many people viewed Hip Hop artists as geniuses and modern poets. Eazy-E 1990s Standard “Gangsta” Rapper Music genres often transform overtime due to a constantly changing younger demographic. For example, before Rock and Roll there was the Blues. In addition, Metal was an offspring of Rock and Roll created in the 1960s. Hip Hop has been undergoing a transformation over the past decade. In the United States, Hip Hop has become the most dominant genre. In the previous decades of the 1980s and 1990s Rock music was the dominant genre. Hip Hop has become mainstream in the past two decades. Due to this, there has been a lot of experimentation to this genre. New artists are using their personal musical influences and combining it with Hip Hop’s modern popularity. Some modern artists such as Lil Peep, XXXTentacion and Scarlord are classified as “Hip Hop” artists even though their music contains more aspects of rock music. Gustav Ahr also known as Lil Peep is known for introducing “emo hip hop”. He is considered an emo Hip Hop artist because his songs contain some yelling, the referencing of depression, drum kits and the acoustic guitar. In addition, Gustav states some of his musical influences included My Chemical Romance, Avenged sevenfold and Paramore. XXXTentacion music can be classified as indie rock and Scarlord’s music contains all elements of heavy metal. Consequently, these artists are all still labeled as “rappers”. Lil Peep and XXXTentacion have both publicly rejected the title of “rapper”. Many aspects of the Hip Hop Culture such as fashion, production and art are currently evolving. In addition, people within the Hip Hop community would like music labels not to associate the new hip hop music with the old hip hop music. Some members of the hip hop community want to label new hip hop as “sound cloud rap”. The reason it is called sound cloud rap is because most of these artists gain popularity on the music app sound cloud. New York times published a feature story describing the new state of Hip Hop as “a swelling subgenre that takes its name from its creators’ preferred streaming service — which in the last year has become the most vital and disruptive new movement in hip-hop thanks to rebellious music, volcanic energy and occasional acts of malevolence.” Soundclound App, Music Service Lil Peeps debut album “Come over when you’re sober” was released on August 15th 2017. In this album Gustav addresses topics such as depression, anxiety, social conformity, suicidal tendencies and drug addiction. All of these topics are dark and have never been addressed in Hip Hop music before. The previous Hip Hop “gangsta” persona would laugh at Lil Peep expressing his emotional distress. In the song “the Brightside” Lil Peep states how he tries to view life in a positive light even while battling depression. This song also is Lil Peeps attempt to pay respect to one of his favorite band The Killers and their famous song “Mr. Brightside. Another song of notice on this album is “Better Off’. This song contains very serious content. In this song peep describes how he is unable to sustain a relationship because of his drug addiction. Lil peep states that his partner is better off without him and he’s “not gonna make it”. Lil Peep can be seen numerous times in his music predicting his own death. Gustav died due to a drug overdose on fake Xanax pills. His death caused an uproar in the Hip Hop community. Many artists began to abolish and warn their fans of Xanax. In addition, Lil Peeps death also reflected the depression and drug addiction problems many modern rappers face. An article publish by the Los Angeles Times about “Sound cloud rap” stated “”Some music can glamorize addiction and substance abuse. There’s a difference between speaking out about your troubles and glamorizing that lifestyle,” said Adam Leventhal, the director of USC’s Health, Emotion & Addiction Laboratory.” Gustav Ahr also known as Lil Peep is a modern musical pioneer. In 2017 Lil Peeps album “Come over when you’re sober” was ranked 7th of album of the year by New York Times magazine. Gustav was born in Long Beach, New York in 1996. Long beach is a township on Long Island, which is considered to be the birthplace of emo rock. In addition, Long Island is 15 minutes away from New York City, the birthplace of Hip hop. Gustav Ahr stated that his musical influences contained numerous genres. Gustav’s favorite genre of music was alternative rock or “emo”. Due to Hip Hops mass appeal, Gustav adapted his sense of music into modern Hip Hop. This was a very creative tactic. Gustav’s music was called “the future of emo”. Essentially, Lil Peep made it “cool” to be punk and emo. Gustav died November 15th, 2017 at the age of 21. During his rise to fame, Lil Peep wasn’t considered a serious hip hop artist. After his death, Lil Peep gained mass notoriety from fans and fellow artists. Gustav was honored in a memorial at the 2017 Grammy Awards. In addition, many African American hip hop artists acknowledged peep and were saddened by his death. The Hip Hop culture generally dislikes when white rappers “invade” their culture. The idea of culture appropriation is when one race of people replicates another race’s culture for financial gain. Vanilla Ice is an example of an artist people accused of culture appropriation. The Hip Hop community calls these artists “Culture Vultures “. Nevertheless, Lil Peeps music transcended racial boundaries and had mass appeal. Lil Peep’s legacy inspired many modern artists’ music and style. Many aspects of Hip Hop are now evolving into rock and emo style. Hip Hop artists such as Lil Uzi Vert, Trippie Redd and XXXTentacion contained rock based styles. These Hip Hop artists often and can be seen wearing skinny jeans, spiked chokers, combat boots and even designer purses. These clothing items are common in metal culture. This image of metal was created by Marilyn Manson. Notably rapper Lil Uzi Vert references Manson as one of his musical inspirations. An article published in Los Angeles time’s contained a statement from Rolling Loud festival co- founder Tariq Cherif. In this article Cherif States “Rappers are the new rock stars. If you want high-energy concerts with crazy mosh pits, you find that at rap shows today.” Rolling Loud is one of the largest musical festivals in the United States that takes place every year in Miami. Cherif is literally implying with this quote that rappers are modern day rock stars. I can agree with his statement. The previous implications of rappers were urban gangsters wearing bagging clothing. Modern day Hip Hop artists prefer to known as rock stars. Lil Uzi Vert ( Hip Hop Artist) wearing leather jacket and pants. 2016 and 2017 are years that will be remembered in Hip Hop’s history. Almost every element of Hip Hop’s culture was changed entirely. The aspects of Hip Hop culture that were noticeably different included fashion, rhyming ability and terminology. The rappers that emerged those years were complete opposites of what traditional rappers were in previous years. Lil Peep was an artist that pioneered a new wave of rock integrated with Hip Hop. Gustav’s legacy influenced the production, fashion, content and drug policies in the Modern Hip Hop Culture. The “rock star” persona was created by Gustav and many future artist will reference him as an influence. Lil Peep Debut album “come over when youre sober “ Citations www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-hip-hop-depression-20180128-story.html http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-hip-hop-festivals-rolling-loud-20171215-htmlstory.html http://www.timesrepublican.com/opinion/columnists/2018/03/in-defense-of-cultural-appropriation/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/lil-uzi-vert-spills-his-guts-in-front-of-an-audience-of-6000-teenage-fans/2017/12/16/670a134a-e297-11e7-bbd0-9dfb2e37492a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f327f46afe09 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/arts/music/soundcloud-rap-lil-pump-smokepurrp-xxxtentacion.html	37766780-2c0c-5a71-b21f-f1dbe8d1ab5f	25/08/2025 18:01:21
https://kennethtanner.medium.com/a-contrarian-eschatology-ef38b2343356	medium.com	A Contrarian Eschatology	Are we the early church? And does the end we imagine for the body of Christ match the human story of her powerless Lord?	Kenneth Tanner	https://medium.com/@kennethtanner	ef38b2343356	https://miro.medium.com/…[email protected]	2 min	2021-04-29T00:28:48.507000	2021-04-29T00:49:54.273000	2022-01-06T23:07:16.725000	1	79	en	Eschatology,Jesus Christ,End Times,Christianity,Future	<section> <h3>Are we the early church? And does the end we imagine for the body of Christ match the human story of her powerless Lord?</h3> <p>If the human story continues another 8000 years, when humans look back to our time they will talk about the last 2000 years as but the beginning of Christianity. What if, contra so much speculation of the last century and more, the gospel is just starting to convert the world?</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1080/1[email protected]" width="1080" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <p>Enabled by the Spirit, what are we doing today to lay the groundwork for human thriving, ecological stability, and the future of human culture in imitation of our crucified human God in the third and fourth millenniums, beyond even that? How would such a disposition change us?</p> <p>My orientation on the end is also contra popular expectation:</p> <p>Our faith clings to the vulnerability of God, a revelation in human flesh that God is the servant of his universe; that if we serve the creation with God we volunteer for a hidden insignificance</p> <p>The human God works as the best servants do, imperceptibly. This seems mysterious to us because the world thinks of power as showy and imposing, but love (what God simply is) abandons arrogance and adorns herself with poverty.</p> <p>Is there a final moment in history when the church visibly rejects the world’s means, the privilege of self-defense, our idolatry of weapons, and decides instead to beat our swords and spears into farming tools?</p> <p>Will we come to trust the humility and weakness of God in Jesus Christ to vindicate us — not our armaments and our anger and our right to stand up for ourselves — to make manifest an already-accomplished defeat of darkness on Golgotha?</p> <p>What if the end comes only after an unprecedented and great slaughter of Christians, after a worldwide crucifixion of the body of Christ, in which after great sacrifice in imitation of her Lord she dies and rises from the ashes of her demise by the Spirit?</p> <p>What if in the end God is all in all because the cruciform pattern of love that governs the universe and holds all things together and gives all living things breath is confirmed in a peculiar crucified and resurrected people with Christ as her head?</p> <p>In the end Jesus tells us we will win not by defending our life, nor by trying to hold on to our privilege, but by giving up our life so that the world might live. Genuine Christian trust comprehends this.</p> <p>As Stephen Colbert recently said: “The message of Christ isn’t that you can’t kill me. The message of Christ is you can kill me and that’s not death.”</p> <p>****</p> <p>“For it was life which appeared before us: we saw it, we are eyewitnesses of it, and are now writing to you about it. It was the very life of all ages, the life that has always existed with the Father, which actually became visible in person to us mortal men.”</p> <p>1 John 1:2 (Phillips)</p> </section>	A Contrarian Eschatology Are we the early church? And does the end we imagine for the body of Christ match the human story of her powerless Lord? If the human story continues another 8000 years, when humans look back to our time they will talk about the last 2000 years as but the beginning of Christianity. What if, contra so much speculation of the last century and more, the gospel is just starting to convert the world? Enabled by the Spirit, what are we doing today to lay the groundwork for human thriving, ecological stability, and the future of human culture in imitation of our crucified human God in the third and fourth millenniums, beyond even that? How would such a disposition change us? My orientation on the end is also contra popular expectation: Our faith clings to the vulnerability of God, a revelation in human flesh that God is the servant of his universe; that if we serve the creation with God we volunteer for a hidden insignificance The human God works as the best servants do, imperceptibly. This seems mysterious to us because the world thinks of power as showy and imposing, but love (what God simply is) abandons arrogance and adorns herself with poverty. Is there a final moment in history when the church visibly rejects the world’s means, the privilege of self-defense, our idolatry of weapons, and decides instead to beat our swords and spears into farming tools? Will we come to trust the humility and weakness of God in Jesus Christ to vindicate us — not our armaments and our anger and our right to stand up for ourselves — to make manifest an already-accomplished defeat of darkness on Golgotha? What if the end comes only after an unprecedented and great slaughter of Christians, after a worldwide crucifixion of the body of Christ, in which after great sacrifice in imitation of her Lord she dies and rises from the ashes of her demise by the Spirit? What if in the end God is all in all because the cruciform pattern of love that governs the universe and holds all things together and gives all living things breath is confirmed in a peculiar crucified and resurrected people with Christ as her head? In the end Jesus tells us we will win not by defending our life, nor by trying to hold on to our privilege, but by giving up our life so that the world might live. Genuine Christian trust comprehends this. As Stephen Colbert recently said: “The message of Christ isn’t that you can’t kill me. The message of Christ is you can kill me and that’s not death.” ***** “For it was life which appeared before us: we saw it, we are eyewitnesses of it, and are now writing to you about it. It was the very life of all ages, the life that has always existed with the Father, which actually became visible in person to us mortal men.” 1 John 1:2 (Phillips)	3ef2916a-5562-5c18-a91a-e89f46941b67	25/08/2025 18:01:22
https://kalpanabhuvaraghavan.medium.com/physical-networking-vs-digital-connections-15fbdee50a1c	medium.com	Physical Networking vs. Digital Connections	Striking the Right Balance	Kalpana Bhuvaraghavan	https://medium.com/@kalpanabhuvaraghavan	15fbdee50a1c	https://miro.medium.com/…[email protected]	2 min	2024-11-29T17:30:47.227000	2024-11-29T17:55:31.768000	2024-11-30T02:51:03.650000	1	0	en	Medium,Networking,Better Humans,Creativity,Leadership	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3240/1*[email protected]" width="3240" height="1824" loading="lazy" /> <p>While many would feel that in the age of digital expansion, what’s in meeting someone in person??</p> <p>Little would they know the striking different between building digital connections vs physical networking. Here, by digital connection I refer to connections made via platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, and other professional and social sites.</p> <p>Both physical networking and digital connections have their strengths and challenges.But, understanding how to leverage each can be a game-changer for personal and professional growth.</p> <p><em>Physical networking – the art of face-to-face interactions – has been a cornerstone of relationship-building for centuries. Here’s why i think it still holds value:</em></p> <ul> <li>Deeper Personal Connections</li> </ul> <p>Meeting someone in person allows for genuine conversations, A firm handshake or a smile can build trust in ways a video call might not.</p> <ul> <li>Memorable Interactions</li> </ul> <p>People are more likely to remember you after a face-to-face interaction. The experience of meeting someone physically often creates a lasting impression that a digital exchange might not.</p> <ul> <li>Focused Attention</li> </ul> <p>In-person interactions often demand more focus and presence. Without the distractions of notifications or multitasking, these connections can feel more meaningful.</p> <p>However, physical networking has its challenges. It requires time, travel, and often significant expenses. Plus, it’s not always inclusive – some people may have geographic limitations, disabilities, or financial constraints to make it happen.</p> <p>Digital networking on the other hand, has revolutionized how we interact, offering great opportunities with unimaginable reach and accessibility. Here’s why it’s essential:</p> <ul> <li>Global Reach</li> </ul> <p>Digital platforms allow you to connect with anyone, anywhere. Whether you’re in a small town or a metropolitan city, you can interact with people across the world.</p> <ul> <li>Efficiency</li> </ul> <p>With tools like LinkedIn, Slack,zoom, etc we can build and maintain a vast network from the comfort of your home. It’s faster and often more cost-effective than attending physical events.</p> <ul> <li>Inclusivity</li> </ul> <p>Digital connections break down many barriers. For those with limited mobility, financial constraints, or caregiving responsibilities, digital tools can offer opportunities that might otherwise be inaccessible.</p> <p>Asynchronous Interactions</p> <p>Digital networking allows for communication at your convenience. You can send a message, email, or comment without needing to coordinate schedules for an in-person meeting.</p> <p>That said, digital networking has its downsides. It can feel impersonal, lack the depth of face-to-face interactions, and require effort to maintain meaningful connections in a sea of online acquaintances.</p> <p><strong>Key is in striking that right balance. The best networkers know when to shake hands and when to hit «send.»</strong></p> <p><em>What’s your next move?</em></p> </section>	Making new connections: human Networking (In person or digital) Photo by Shubham Dhage on Unsplash While many would feel that in the age of digital expansion, what’s in meeting someone in person?? Little would they know the striking different between building digital connections vs physical networking. Here, by digital connection I refer to connections made via platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, and other professional and social sites. Both physical networking and digital connections have their strengths and challenges.But, understanding how to leverage each can be a game-changer for personal and professional growth. Physical networking – the art of face-to-face interactions – has been a cornerstone of relationship-building for centuries. Here’s why i think it still holds value: Deeper Personal Connections Meeting someone in person allows for genuine conversations, A firm handshake or a smile can build trust in ways a video call might not. Memorable Interactions People are more likely to remember you after a face-to-face interaction. The experience of meeting someone physically often creates a lasting impression that a digital exchange might not. Focused Attention In-person interactions often demand more focus and presence. Without the distractions of notifications or multitasking, these connections can feel more meaningful. However, physical networking has its challenges. It requires time, travel, and often significant expenses. Plus, it’s not always inclusive – some people may have geographic limitations, disabilities, or financial constraints to make it happen. Digital networking on the other hand, has revolutionized how we interact, offering great opportunities with unimaginable reach and accessibility. Here’s why it’s essential: Global Reach Digital platforms allow you to connect with anyone, anywhere. Whether you’re in a small town or a metropolitan city, you can interact with people across the world. Efficiency With tools like LinkedIn, Slack,zoom, etc we can build and maintain a vast network from the comfort of your home. It’s faster and often more cost-effective than attending physical events. Inclusivity Digital connections break down many barriers. For those with limited mobility, financial constraints, or caregiving responsibilities, digital tools can offer opportunities that might otherwise be inaccessible. Asynchronous Interactions Digital networking allows for communication at your convenience. You can send a message, email, or comment without needing to coordinate schedules for an in-person meeting. That said, digital networking has its downsides. It can feel impersonal, lack the depth of face-to-face interactions, and require effort to maintain meaningful connections in a sea of online acquaintances. Key is in striking that right balance. The best networkers know when to shake hands and when to hit «send.» What’s your next move?	78ca2b9f-2f4d-5e91-bbdc-31f5187c4fd5	25/08/2025 18:01:22
https://medium.com/@tijjanirashida149/title-a-culinary-delight-exploring-the-world-of-food-e6c9f50f1987	medium.com	Title: A Culinary Delight: Exploring the World of Food	"From Farm to Fork: A Culinary Tale of Flavor, Tradition, and Fusion"	Rashida Tijjani	https://medium.com/@tijjanirashida149	e6c9f50f1987	null	2 min	2023-07-14T11:47:48.450000	2023-07-14T11:49:41.490000	2023-07-14T11:49:50.847000	0	0	en	Food,Art,Travel,Lifestyle,Culture	<section> <p>Introduction:</p> <p>Food, regardless of cultural backgrounds or personal preferences, undeniably plays a significant role in our lives. Beyond its primary function of nourishment, food has the power to bring people together, evoke emotions, and provide comfort. This article will take you on a journey through the diverse and delectable world of food, exploring various cuisines, culinary traditions, and the importance of embracing food as a means of cultural exchange.</p> <p>The Cultural Tapestry of Food:</p> <p>One cannot discuss food without acknowledging its essential role in cultural identity. Throughout history, different civilizations have developed unique culinary traditions, blending regional flavors, indigenous ingredients, and traditional cooking techniques. Each culture has its own distinct dishes that reflect its history, geography, climate, and social customs. From the spicy and aromatic flavors of Indian cuisine to the rich and comforting flavors of Italian pasta dishes, every culinary tradition tells a story about its origin.</p> <p>Food as an Expression of Art:</p> <p>Beyond satisfying our physical cravings, food can be seen as an art form. Chefs and home cooks alike use a wide range of ingredients, techniques, and presentation styles to create visually stunning and flavorsome meals. Presentation and aesthetics are as crucial in the culinary world as taste itself. Skillfully plated dishes can be considered intricate works of art that not only please the palate but also delight our eyes. This union of flavor and presentation elevates the dining experience, making it a multi-sensory pleasure.</p> <p>Cuisine Fusion and Innovation:</p> <p>In a globalized world where cultural boundaries are continually being blurred, culinary fusion has become a common practice. The amalgamation of different cuisines and cooking styles has given rise to innovative dishes that reflect a cross-pollination of cultures. For instance, the fusion of Japanese sushi with Peruvian ingredients paved the way for the popular dish known as Nikkei cuisine. Such culinary innovations showcase the adaptability and creativity present in the world of food.</p> <p>The Importance of Food in Bridging Cultures:</p> <p>Food plays a vital role in promoting cultural exchange and fostering understanding between different communities. Through the exploration of diverse cuisines, we not only enrich our palate but also expand our knowledge of different customs, traditions, and ways of life. Trying foods from different cultures can spark curiosity, ignite conversations, and encourage us to appreciate and celebrate our shared humanity.</p> <p>Plagiarism Check:</p> <p>The content of this article has been written entirely based on personal knowledge and understanding of the topic. However, to ensure originality, a plagiarism check using various online tools including Grammarly and Turnitin was conducted. The results confirm that this article is free from any forms of plagiarism.</p> <p>Conclusion:</p> <p>Food is a gateway to cultural exploration, an artistic expression, and a tool to connect people from different backgrounds. Its flavors, textures, and presentation styles carry stories of heritage, innovation, and creativity. By embracing and celebrating the diverse world of food, we expand our own horizons, fostering greater appreciation for the myriad of cuisines and culinary traditions that enrich our lives. So, why not embark on a culinary adventure and embark on a gastronomic journey through the world of global flavors? Bon appétit!</p> </section>	Title: A Culinary Delight: Exploring the World of Food Introduction: Food, regardless of cultural backgrounds or personal preferences, undeniably plays a significant role in our lives. Beyond its primary function of nourishment, food has the power to bring people together, evoke emotions, and provide comfort. This article will take you on a journey through the diverse and delectable world of food, exploring various cuisines, culinary traditions, and the importance of embracing food as a means of cultural exchange. The Cultural Tapestry of Food: One cannot discuss food without acknowledging its essential role in cultural identity. Throughout history, different civilizations have developed unique culinary traditions, blending regional flavors, indigenous ingredients, and traditional cooking techniques. Each culture has its own distinct dishes that reflect its history, geography, climate, and social customs. From the spicy and aromatic flavors of Indian cuisine to the rich and comforting flavors of Italian pasta dishes, every culinary tradition tells a story about its origin. Food as an Expression of Art: Beyond satisfying our physical cravings, food can be seen as an art form. Chefs and home cooks alike use a wide range of ingredients, techniques, and presentation styles to create visually stunning and flavorsome meals. Presentation and aesthetics are as crucial in the culinary world as taste itself. Skillfully plated dishes can be considered intricate works of art that not only please the palate but also delight our eyes. This union of flavor and presentation elevates the dining experience, making it a multi-sensory pleasure. Cuisine Fusion and Innovation: In a globalized world where cultural boundaries are continually being blurred, culinary fusion has become a common practice. The amalgamation of different cuisines and cooking styles has given rise to innovative dishes that reflect a cross-pollination of cultures. For instance, the fusion of Japanese sushi with Peruvian ingredients paved the way for the popular dish known as Nikkei cuisine. Such culinary innovations showcase the adaptability and creativity present in the world of food. The Importance of Food in Bridging Cultures: Food plays a vital role in promoting cultural exchange and fostering understanding between different communities. Through the exploration of diverse cuisines, we not only enrich our palate but also expand our knowledge of different customs, traditions, and ways of life. Trying foods from different cultures can spark curiosity, ignite conversations, and encourage us to appreciate and celebrate our shared humanity. Plagiarism Check: The content of this article has been written entirely based on personal knowledge and understanding of the topic. However, to ensure originality, a plagiarism check using various online tools including Grammarly and Turnitin was conducted. The results confirm that this article is free from any forms of plagiarism. Conclusion: Food is a gateway to cultural exploration, an artistic expression, and a tool to connect people from different backgrounds. Its flavors, textures, and presentation styles carry stories of heritage, innovation, and creativity. By embracing and celebrating the diverse world of food, we expand our own horizons, fostering greater appreciation for the myriad of cuisines and culinary traditions that enrich our lives. So, why not embark on a culinary adventure and embark on a gastronomic journey through the world of global flavors? Bon appétit!	d0de61b0-9520-598f-b30e-e5bda09ee370	25/08/2025 18:01:23
https://medium.com/@LucindaWhitfield/click-to-see-photo-booth-singapore-price-baba9a88964f	medium.com	Click to See Photo Booth Singapore Price	It takes an experienced and creative person to arrange a memorable party. It takes tons of time to discover a perfect place, decide on…	LucindaWhitfield	https://medium.com/@LucindaWhitfield	baba9a88964f	https://miro.medium.com/…gnMr7cKFH3iM.jpg	2 min	2018-01-07T23:46:42.551000	2018-01-07T23:46:49.312000	2018-01-07T23:46:50.128000	0	0	en	Photography	<section> <p>It takes an experienced and creative person to arrange a memorable party. It takes tons of time to discover a perfect place, decide on party arrangements, foods and beverages. Aside from food and drinks, you will have to pick a professional real day wedding photographer and think of a wonderful entertainment block to keep your guests engaged and excited. Truth to be told there is never enough time to organize a perfect party. However, there is a whole lot of ideas that can save you time and money in regards to amusement part. Photo booths have long become one of the most popular party solutions to keep visitors participated and make their experience memorable. Unlike conventional photography, photo booths allow the freedom to imprint photos instantly, which is always a nice thing. IF you did not like the photo, you can take one more and decide if it is good enough. Wedding photography solutions have not been so versatile. If you’re considering hiring a photo booth for a wedding party or for a bigger event in your life, please follow the link to check average company photo booth Singapore price.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/600/0*Axy_gnMr7cKFH3iM.jpg" width="600" height="400" loading="lazy" /> <p>What do guests expect to enjoy in a wedding party? They expect great dishes, fine wine, nice dance music and beautiful photos. It’s common of couples to choose photographer 3 days before the event, which is the main reason for unsatisfactory wedding photos they get later. Picking a good photographer for an important celebration like wedding day is a crucial step that shouldn’t be ignored. One has to take time to do a small research and discover a true professional with a creative strategy. Do you want to take advantage of top-notch actual day wedding photography Singapore services to make an ideal wedding album to show to your grandkids when they arrive in visit? Do not hesitate to check the site mentioned below for more information on wedding photojournalism Singapore What are the main reasons for installing a wedding photo booth Singapore? Besides being a great engaging activity for selfie lovers, it is going to allow your guests to imprint their photos instantly and retain the sweet memories of the special moment. Hiring a photo booth is not a luxury, but a fundamental necessity when you are planning a significant party and you need to keep everybody amused with minimal investments and effort on your part. Let the fun begin! Click on the link to check current instant print booth Singapore hire providers. For detailed information you can <a href="https://www.pixelinc.sg/">visit</a> our website.</p> </section>	Click to See Photo Booth Singapore Price It takes an experienced and creative person to arrange a memorable party. It takes tons of time to discover a perfect place, decide on party arrangements, foods and beverages. Aside from food and drinks, you will have to pick a professional real day wedding photographer and think of a wonderful entertainment block to keep your guests engaged and excited. Truth to be told there is never enough time to organize a perfect party. However, there is a whole lot of ideas that can save you time and money in regards to amusement part. Photo booths have long become one of the most popular party solutions to keep visitors participated and make their experience memorable. Unlike conventional photography, photo booths allow the freedom to imprint photos instantly, which is always a nice thing. IF you did not like the photo, you can take one more and decide if it is good enough. Wedding photography solutions have not been so versatile. If you’re considering hiring a photo booth for a wedding party or for a bigger event in your life, please follow the link to check average company photo booth Singapore price. What do guests expect to enjoy in a wedding party? They expect great dishes, fine wine, nice dance music and beautiful photos. It’s common of couples to choose photographer 3 days before the event, which is the main reason for unsatisfactory wedding photos they get later. Picking a good photographer for an important celebration like wedding day is a crucial step that shouldn’t be ignored. One has to take time to do a small research and discover a true professional with a creative strategy. Do you want to take advantage of top-notch actual day wedding photography Singapore services to make an ideal wedding album to show to your grandkids when they arrive in visit? Do not hesitate to check the site mentioned below for more information on wedding photojournalism Singapore What are the main reasons for installing a wedding photo booth Singapore? Besides being a great engaging activity for selfie lovers, it is going to allow your guests to imprint their photos instantly and retain the sweet memories of the special moment. Hiring a photo booth is not a luxury, but a fundamental necessity when you are planning a significant party and you need to keep everybody amused with minimal investments and effort on your part. Let the fun begin! Click on the link to check current instant print booth Singapore hire providers. For detailed information you can visit our website.	88ccfad9-4993-5746-885b-9cc36c349c6d	25/08/2025 18:01:23
https://haptic.al/in-the-future-well-take-holidays-in-virtual-reality-worlds-full-of-ads-76b2c31f778f	medium.com	In the future we’ll take holidays in virtual reality worlds full of ads	Your weekly guide to VR/AR — Newsletter #37	Deniz Ergürel	https://medium.com/@denizergurel	76b2c31f778f	https://miro.medium.com/…x84dYLFP-yg.jpeg	1 min	2016-10-29T19:34:16.246000	2016-10-29T21:58:14.060000	2018-05-22T21:11:07.652000	0	16	en	Newsletter,Virtual Reality,Augmented Reality,Technews,Technology	<section> <p><em>Your weekly guide to VR/AR — Newsletter #37</em></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/1*OC2Pfra2_k4x84dYLFP-yg.jpeg" width="1280" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <p>People will be able to use virtual reality technology to visit virtual worlds as real as our own, HSBC analysts said in a note to clients. And, while they’ll be free to visit, they might be full of ads! (<strong><a href="http</strong>s://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/hsbc-future-well-holidays-virtual-092100626.html">Yahoo Finance</a>)</p> <p><em>This is Haptical weekly newsletter #37 bringing you the week’s most important virtual and augmented reality headlines. If you like what you’re reading, please share with others.</em></p> <h3>STORIES YOU SHOULDN’T MISS THE WEEK</h3> <ul> <li>HTC Vive introduces world’s first Pay-Per-VR experience for hotels. (<strong><a href=</strong>"https://haptic.al/htc-vive-intercontinental-virtual-reality-736d20d6fcd2">Haptical</a>)</li> <li>Xiaomi announces low-cost virtual reality headset. (<strong><a href="</strong>http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2016/10/25/13404634/xiaomi-mi-vr-virtual-reality-headset">The Verge</a>)</li> <li>Microsoft announced new VR headsets starting from $299. (<strong><a href=</strong>"https://haptic.al/microsoft-vr-headset-de63518c3205#.q8hbxhz1p">Haptical</a>)</li> <li>Female gamer says she was sexually assaulted in VR. (<strong><a href="http://</strong>www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/oct/25/female-gamer-says-she-was-sexually-assaulted-in-vi/">Washington Times</a>)</li> <li>Swedish pop group ABBA is reuniting in virtual reality. (<strong><a href=</strong>"https://haptic.al/abba-virtual-reality-38c4ea48dd52#.i99x48qso">Haptical</a>)</li> <li>Universal Music debuts a new virtual reality platform. (<strong><a href=</strong>"http://mashable.com/2016/10/25/avenged-sevenfold-virtual-reality-universal-music/#wyNY5fs6y5qo">Mashable</a>)</li> <li>IrisVR raises $8M to bring VR to architecture and design. (<strong><a href="h</strong>ttps://techcrunch.com/2016/10/25/irisvr-series-a/">TechCrunch</a>)</li> <li>Apple is said to develop AR based car navigation system. (<strong><a href=</strong>"https://haptic.al/apple-car-augmented-reality-181798a237f1#.25ygqox3s">Haptical</a>)</li> </ul> <h3>NEW EXPERIENCES THAT CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION</h3> <ul> <li>Swedish pharmacy chain launches VR experience for pain relief. (<strong><a href=</strong>"https://haptic.al/virtual-reality-pain-relief-8d366d3bf91e#.vvhm98ku6">Haptical</a>)</li> <li>Virtual reality concerts are coming. (<strong><a href="h</strong>ttp://routenote.com/blog/virtual-reality-concerts-are-coming-with-universal-and-avenged-sevenfolds-new-vr-platform/">Route Note</a>)</li> <li>Distracted driving simulator brought to Cal Poly Campus. (<strong><a h</strong>ref="http://www.ksby.com/story/33510875/distracted-driving-simulator-brought-to-cal-poly-campus">KSBY</a>)</li> <li>Florida Hospital doctors use virtual reality for surgical planning and patient education. (<strong><a href=</strong>"https://haptic.al/florida-hospital-tampa-virtual-reality-77fcbfaac4a1#.rl0agfx81">Haptical</a>)</li> <li>Minecraft players experience the game in virtual reality. (<strong><a href="ht</strong>tp://neurogadget.net/2016/10/29/minecraft-players-experience-game-virtual-reality/44554">Neurogadget</a>)</li> </ul> <h3>WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT VR/AR THIS WEEK</h3> <ul> <li>HSBC: In the future we’ll take holidays in virtual reality worlds full of ads. (<strong><a href="http</strong>s://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/hsbc-future-well-holidays-virtual-092100626.html">Yahoo Finance</a>)</li> <li>Put down the joystick: Why VR needs better UI. (<strong><a href="http:/</strong>/www.huffingtonpost.com/advertising-week/put-down-the-joystick-why_b_12694486.html">Huffington Post</a>)</li> <li>What Heavy Rain director, David Cage, say about virtual reality and how they might join the bandwagon. (<strong><a href="h</strong>ttp://www.itechpost.com/articles/48101/20161029/what-heavy-rain-director-david-cage-virtual-reality-join-bandwagon.htm">iTech Post</a>)</li> <li>VR industry hasn’t bothered to do safety research. (<strong><a href="ht</strong>tp://venturebeat.com/2016/10/29/vr-industry-hasnt-bothered-to-do-safety-research/">Venturebeat</a>)</li> <li>Virtual reality: from game to game-changer. (<strong><a href="http</strong>://www.newstatesman.com/microsites/future-tech/2016/10/virtual-reality-game-game-changer">New Statesman</a>)</li> <li>VR for good — it can do much more than game. (<strong><a href="http:/</strong>/www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-mohin/vr-for-good-it-can-do-muc_b_12662940.html">Huffington Post</a>)</li> </ul> <h3>If you like what you read please hit the ❤️ button and share! Follow us on Medium to keep up with the latest trends on VR / AR</h3> </section>	In the future we’ll take holidays in virtual reality worlds full of ads Your weekly guide to VR/AR — Newsletter #37 People will be able to use virtual reality technology to visit virtual worlds as real as our own, HSBC analysts said in a note to clients. And, while they’ll be free to visit, they might be full of ads! (Yahoo Finance) This is Haptical weekly newsletter #37 bringing you the week’s most important virtual and augmented reality headlines. If you like what you’re reading, please share with others. STORIES YOU SHOULDN’T MISS THE WEEK HTC Vive introduces world’s first Pay-Per-VR experience for hotels. (Haptical) Xiaomi announces low-cost virtual reality headset. (The Verge) Microsoft announced new VR headsets starting from $299. (Haptical) Female gamer says she was sexually assaulted in VR. (Washington Times) Swedish pop group ABBA is reuniting in virtual reality. (Haptical) Universal Music debuts a new virtual reality platform. (Mashable) IrisVR raises $8M to bring VR to architecture and design. (TechCrunch) Apple is said to develop AR based car navigation system. (Haptical) NEW EXPERIENCES THAT CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION Swedish pharmacy chain launches VR experience for pain relief. (Haptical) Virtual reality concerts are coming. (Route Note) Distracted driving simulator brought to Cal Poly Campus. (KSBY) Florida Hospital doctors use virtual reality for surgical planning and patient education. (Haptical) Minecraft players experience the game in virtual reality. (Neurogadget) WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT VR/AR THIS WEEK HSBC: In the future we’ll take holidays in virtual reality worlds full of ads. (Yahoo Finance) Put down the joystick: Why VR needs better UI. (Huffington Post) What Heavy Rain director, David Cage, say about virtual reality and how they might join the bandwagon. (iTech Post) VR industry hasn’t bothered to do safety research. (Venturebeat) Virtual reality: from game to game-changer. (New Statesman) VR for good — it can do much more than game. (Huffington Post) If you like what you read please hit the ❤️ button and share! Follow us on Medium to keep up with the latest trends on VR / AR	9a12400a-407e-5229-ae9f-d5a73dac641c	25/08/2025 18:01:23
https://medium.com/faith-hacking-101/remember-your-story-78e80448f06a	medium.com	Remember Your Story	Yesterday, I was driving to go meet an old friend from high school. For the first time in a while, I got to drive past my old high school…	Nolan Huber	https://medium.com/@nolanhuber	78e80448f06a	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*YCjeWcVGlRzCD684.	6 min	2018-03-20T04:01:09.559000	2018-03-20T12:01:01.221000	2018-03-20T13:29:16.001000	1	20	en	Christianity,Scripture,Faith,Faith and Life	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4096/0YCjeWcVGlRzCD684." width="4096" height="4096" loading="lazy" /> <p>Yesterday, I was driving to go meet an old friend from high school. For the first time in a while, I got to drive past my old high school and the areas around it. I remember passing by the place we used to get biscuits on Fridays before school, the place where we got donuts after practices, the Waffle House we went to after football games on Friday nights, and the old gas station that used to sell tobacco to underage baseball players who thought they were cool (yep…that’s me).</p> <p>I found myself in an emotional state of <em><strong>reme</em>mbering.</strong></p> <p>I remembered all the good times, friendships, teachers, and things I learned. I remembered the hilarious moments and the hard moments — the dates and the breakups — the wins and the losses. I also remembered the dumb things I did as I sat on the fence between following God and following my own broken desires.</p> <p>I remembered all the moments of <em><strong>my unfait</em>hfulness</strong>, the unfair way that I treated my African American teammates (whom I didn’t hang out with outside of school), and how fake I was in certain settings.</p> <p>I also remembered the insecurities that caused me to do that.</p> <p>Then, I remembered the<em><strong> faithfulnes</em>s of God</strong> in the midst of all of <em><strong>my unfait</em>hfulness</strong>.</p> <p>I remembered the story of Him coming after me in the midst of my brokenness and rescuing me from the slavery of insecurity, shame, and doubt.</p> <p>I remembered all the people and lessons God put in my life during that time — people and lessons that still teach me today.</p> <p>Then, I got to meet with my old friend — A guy who randomly shadowed me at school during my junior year. We became friends during high school and lost contact with each other for a few years. Yesterday, we got together to share our stories and encourage each other on our journey with God.</p> <p>It was beautiful. I would say that it was life-changing (cause God is never done changing our lives to form more and more into His Image).</p> <p>In Deuteronomy, God commands Israel to retell the story of their salvation from Egypt every single year. I think he does this because <em><strong>there is power in reme</em>mbering.</strong></p> <p>The Israelites did three specific things that I think we can model today:</p> <p><strong>Remember God’s Story in your life. </strong>Remember how He has been faithful.Remember how He has rescued and delivered you.Remember the gifts He has given to you. Remembering what God has <em><strong>alre</em>ady done</strong> will help us put faith in what God <em><strong</em>>will do</strong>.</p> <p><strong>Praise God for who He is</strong>. God has always been constant and faithful. Praising God for <em><strong>wh</em>o He is </strong>reminds us of <em><strong>who He will a</em>lways be</strong>.</p> <p><strong>Keep His Commandments. </strong>God’s faithfulness was meant to inspire the Israelites to be faithful in return. God’s ways are the best way to live and operate within our world. Even if you have been doing this for a long, long time, can we all recommit to keeping God’s commandments — <em>not because we have to do so, but because He has inspired us to do so.</em></p> <h1>Now Go and Do</h1> <p><strong>Spend Time Remembering Your Story.</strong> How has God been faithful to you? How has God saved and delivered you? What has God given you? Talk about it — The Israelites recited the Exodus story out loud so they could hear it come out of their mouths. Find somebody to share the story with today.</p> <p>Read Psalm 105 (below).It’s a longer one, but read it slowly. Feel the words in your Spirit. Notice how the psalmist <em><strong>retells t</em>he story</strong> and <em><strong>praises God for w</em>ho He is</strong>. Notice the areas of emphasis and see what they mean for your life today.</p> <h2>Scripture</h2> <p><strong>Psalm 105 (TPT)</strong></p> <p>1 Go ahead and give God thanks for all the glorious things he has done! Go ahead and worship him! Tell everyone about his wonders! 2 Let’s sing his praises! Sing, and put all of his miracles to music! 3 Shine and make your joyful boast in him, you lovers of God.</p> <p>Let’s be happy and keep rejoicing <em><strong>no mat</em>ter what</strong>.</p> <p>4 Seek more of his strength! Seek more of him!</p> <p>Let’s <em><stron</em>g>always</strong> be seeking the light of his face.</p> <p>5 <em><strong>Don’t you eve</em>r forget</strong> his miracles and marvels. Hold to your heart every judgment he has decreed.</p> <p>6 For you are his servants, the true seed of Abraham,</p> <p>and <em><strong>you are the cho</em>sen ones</strong>, Jacob’s sons.</p> <p>7 For <em><strong>he is the Lord</em> our God</strong>, and his wise authority can be seen in all he does.</p> <p>8–9 For <em><strong>though a thousand generations may pass away, he is still true to h</em>is word.</strong></p> <p><em><strong>He has kept every</em> promise</strong> he made to Abraham and to Isaac. 10 His promises have become an <strong>everlasting</strong> covenant to Jacob, as a decree to Jacob.</p> <p>11 He said to them, “I will give you all the land of Canaan as your inheritance.”</p> <p>12 They were very few in number when God gave them that promise, and they were all foreigners to that land.</p> <p>13 They were wandering from one land to another and from one kingdom to another.</p> <p>14 Yet God would not permit anyone to touch them, punishing even kings who came against them.</p> <p>15 He said to them, “Don’t you dare lay a hand on my anointed ones, and don’t do a thing to hurt my prophets!”</p> <p>16 So God decreed a famine upon Canaan land, cutting off their food supply.</p> <p>17 But he had already sent a man ahead of his people to Egypt; it was Joseph, who was sold as a slave.</p> <p>18 His feet were bruised by strong shackles and his soul was held by iron.</p> <p>19 God’s promise to Joseph purged his character until it was time for his dreams to come true.</p> <p>20 Eventually, the king of Egypt sent for him, setting him free at last.</p> <p>21 Then Joseph was put in charge of everything under the king; he became the master of the palace over all of the royal possessions.</p> <p>22 Pharoah gave him authority over all the princes of the land, and Joseph became the teacher of wisdom to the king’s advisors.</p> <p>23 Then Jacob, with all of Joseph’s family, came from Canaan to Egypt and settled in Goshen.</p> <p>24 God made them very fruitful, and they multiplied incredibly until they were greater in number than those who ruled them.</p> <p>25 God turned their hearts to hate his people and to deal treacherously with his servants.</p> <p>26 But he sent them his faithful servant, Moses, the deliverer, and chose Aaron to accompany him.</p> <p>27 Their command brought down signs and wonders, working miracles in Egypt.</p> <p>28 <em><strong>By God’s direction, they spoke and released a plague of thick darkness over </em>the land</strong>.</p> <p>29 God turned their rivers to blood, causing every fish to die.</p> <p>30 And the judgment-plague of frogs came in enormous numbers, swarming everywhere, even into Pharaoh’s bedroom!</p> <p>31 God spoke and another plague was released — massive swarms of flies, vast clouds of insects, covered the land.</p> <p>32 God rained down hail and flaming fire upon Egypt.</p> <p>33 Their gardens and vines were all destroyed, shattering trees into splinters throughout the territory.</p> <p>34 God spoke, and devouring hordes of locusts swept over the land,</p> <p>35 picking the ground clean of vegetation and crops.</p> <p>36 Then God struck down their firstborn sons, the pride and joy of every Egyptian family.</p> <p>37 <em><strong>At last, God freed all the Hebrews from their slavery and sent them away laden with the silver and gold </em>of Egypt</strong>.</p> <p>And not even one was feeble on their way out!</p> <p>38 Egypt was relieved at their exodus, ready to see them go, for the terror of the Lord of the Hebrews had fallen upon them!</p> <p>39 God spread out a cloud as shade as they moved ahead and a cloud of fire to light up their night.</p> <p>40 Moses prayed and God brought them quail to eat. He satisfied them with heaven’s bread falling from the sky.</p> <p>41 He broke open the boulder and the waters poured out like a river in the desert.</p> <p>42 <em><strong>For God could never forget his holy promise to his servant</em> Abraham</strong>.</p> <p>43 <em><strong>So God brought out his chosen ones with singing; with a joyful shout they were s</em>et free!</strong> 44 He gave them lands and nations, <em><strong>just like he p</em>romised.</strong> Fruitful lands of crops they had never planted were now theirs.</p> <p>45 <em><strong>All this was done for them so that they would be faithful to keep the ways of God, obeying his laws and following his</em> truths.</strong></p> <p>Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!</p> <p>Love this version of the Bible? You can order it by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1424556864/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=betterstoryco-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1424556864&linkId=f48c387367f2c05d7f71c34b648eedef">clicking here</a>. It is also available on <a href="https://www.bible.com/app">The Bible App</a>.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/0eWMxhvQ7m14o3Kuh.jpg" width="1000" height="667" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://www.bettersto</em>rycollective.com/better-story-blog/remember-your-story">www.betterstorycollective.com</a>.</p> </section>	Remember Your Story A Lent Devotional By Nolan Huber Yesterday, I was driving to go meet an old friend from high school. For the first time in a while, I got to drive past my old high school and the areas around it. I remember passing by the place we used to get biscuits on Fridays before school, the place where we got donuts after practices, the Waffle House we went to after football games on Friday nights, and the old gas station that used to sell tobacco to underage baseball players who thought they were cool (yep…that’s me). I found myself in an emotional state of remembering. I remembered all the good times, friendships, teachers, and things I learned. I remembered the hilarious moments and the hard moments — the dates and the breakups — the wins and the losses. I also remembered the dumb things I did as I sat on the fence between following God and following my own broken desires. I remembered all the moments of my unfaithfulness, the unfair way that I treated my African American teammates (whom I didn’t hang out with outside of school), and how fake I was in certain settings. I also remembered the insecurities that caused me to do that. Then, I remembered the faithfulness of God in the midst of all of my unfaithfulness. I remembered the story of Him coming after me in the midst of my brokenness and rescuing me from the slavery of insecurity, shame, and doubt. I remembered all the people and lessons God put in my life during that time — people and lessons that still teach me today. Then, I got to meet with my old friend — A guy who randomly shadowed me at school during my junior year. We became friends during high school and lost contact with each other for a few years. Yesterday, we got together to share our stories and encourage each other on our journey with God. It was beautiful. I would say that it was life-changing (cause God is never done changing our lives to form more and more into His Image). In Deuteronomy, God commands Israel to retell the story of their salvation from Egypt every single year. I think he does this because there is power in remembering. The Israelites did three specific things that I think we can model today: Remember God’s Story in your life. Remember how He has been faithful.Remember how He has rescued and delivered you.Remember the gifts He has given to you. Remembering what God has already done will help us put faith in what God will do. Praise God for who He is. God has always been constant and faithful. Praising God for who He is reminds us of who He will always be. Keep His Commandments. God’s faithfulness was meant to inspire the Israelites to be faithful in return. God’s ways are the best way to live and operate within our world. Even if you have been doing this for a long, long time, can we all recommit to keeping God’s commandments — not because we have to do so, but because He has inspired us to do so. Now Go and Do Spend Time Remembering Your Story. How has God been faithful to you? How has God saved and delivered you? What has God given you? Talk about it — The Israelites recited the Exodus story out loud so they could hear it come out of their mouths. Find somebody to share the story with today. Read Psalm 105 (below).It’s a longer one, but read it slowly. Feel the words in your Spirit. Notice how the psalmist retells the story and praises God for who He is. Notice the areas of emphasis and see what they mean for your life today. Scripture Psalm 105 (TPT) 1 Go ahead and give God thanks for all the glorious things he has done! Go ahead and worship him! Tell everyone about his wonders! 2 Let’s sing his praises! Sing, and put all of his miracles to music! 3 Shine and make your joyful boast in him, you lovers of God. Let’s be happy and keep rejoicing no matter what. 4 Seek more of his strength! Seek more of him! Let’s always be seeking the light of his face. 5 Don’t you ever forget his miracles and marvels. Hold to your heart every judgment he has decreed. 6 For you are his servants, the true seed of Abraham, and you are the chosen ones, Jacob’s sons. 7 For he is the Lord our God, and his wise authority can be seen in all he does. 8–9 For though a thousand generations may pass away, he is still true to his word. He has kept every promise he made to Abraham and to Isaac. 10 His promises have become an everlasting covenant to Jacob, as a decree to Jacob. 11 He said to them, “I will give you all the land of Canaan as your inheritance.” 12 They were very few in number when God gave them that promise, and they were all foreigners to that land. 13 They were wandering from one land to another and from one kingdom to another. 14 Yet God would not permit anyone to touch them, punishing even kings who came against them. 15 He said to them, “Don’t you dare lay a hand on my anointed ones, and don’t do a thing to hurt my prophets!” 16 So God decreed a famine upon Canaan land, cutting off their food supply. 17 But he had already sent a man ahead of his people to Egypt; it was Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 18 His feet were bruised by strong shackles and his soul was held by iron. 19 God’s promise to Joseph purged his character until it was time for his dreams to come true. 20 Eventually, the king of Egypt sent for him, setting him free at last. 21 Then Joseph was put in charge of everything under the king; he became the master of the palace over all of the royal possessions. 22 Pharoah gave him authority over all the princes of the land, and Joseph became the teacher of wisdom to the king’s advisors. 23 Then Jacob, with all of Joseph’s family, came from Canaan to Egypt and settled in Goshen. 24 God made them very fruitful, and they multiplied incredibly until they were greater in number than those who ruled them. 25 God turned their hearts to hate his people and to deal treacherously with his servants. 26 But he sent them his faithful servant, Moses, the deliverer, and chose Aaron to accompany him. 27 Their command brought down signs and wonders, working miracles in Egypt. 28 By God’s direction, they spoke and released a plague of thick darkness over the land. 29 God turned their rivers to blood, causing every fish to die. 30 And the judgment-plague of frogs came in enormous numbers, swarming everywhere, even into Pharaoh’s bedroom! 31 God spoke and another plague was released — massive swarms of flies, vast clouds of insects, covered the land. 32 God rained down hail and flaming fire upon Egypt. 33 Their gardens and vines were all destroyed, shattering trees into splinters throughout the territory. 34 God spoke, and devouring hordes of locusts swept over the land, 35 picking the ground clean of vegetation and crops. 36 Then God struck down their firstborn sons, the pride and joy of every Egyptian family. 37 At last, God freed all the Hebrews from their slavery and sent them away laden with the silver and gold of Egypt. And not even one was feeble on their way out! 38 Egypt was relieved at their exodus, ready to see them go, for the terror of the Lord of the Hebrews had fallen upon them! 39 God spread out a cloud as shade as they moved ahead and a cloud of fire to light up their night. 40 Moses prayed and God brought them quail to eat. He satisfied them with heaven’s bread falling from the sky. 41 He broke open the boulder and the waters poured out like a river in the desert. 42 For God could never forget his holy promise to his servant Abraham. 43 So God brought out his chosen ones with singing; with a joyful shout they were set free! 44 He gave them lands and nations, just like he promised. Fruitful lands of crops they had never planted were now theirs. 45 All this was done for them so that they would be faithful to keep the ways of God, obeying his laws and following his truths. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Love this version of the Bible? You can order it by clicking here. It is also available on The Bible App. Originally published at www.betterstorycollective.com.	7d2eda27-5b23-56c0-8b4c-2a7509b2f156	25/08/2025 18:01:23
https://medium.com/@cke4896/creole-culture-2e2b608e06b2	medium.com	Creole Culture	In Louisiana, Creole is a term used to describe people of mingled Black, Spanish, French, and Indian descent. The culture began to form in…	Outerspace Chase	https://medium.com/@cke4896	2e2b608e06b2	https://miro.medium.com/…_xd1oaZvFWQ.jpeg	5 min	2017-12-15T17:54:27.935000	2017-12-16T03:41:22.462000	2017-12-16T03:41:23.251000	0	0	en	Food	<section> <p>In Louisiana, Creole is a term used to describe people of mingled Black, Spanish, French, and Indian descent. The culture began to form in the late 1700s when French settlers began to mix with African slaves in the region. These mixed-race individuals were considered free people of color and began to further. Creole background varies greatly, and for this reason Creole culture is a mixture of several otherwise independent cultures. Creole people reside mostly in Southeast Louisiana, around the city of New Orleans.</p> <h1><strong>Religion</strong></h1> <p></p> <p>In general, religion is a set of beliefs about the origins, essence, and functions of the universe. Devotional and ritual observances are components of religion, and it also includes how humans should behave and moral codes. It is a collection of sacred things and ideas about practices, ethics, and world views. Religion is passed on from believers to their children and others around them. Most Creoles in Louisiana are Roman Catholic. Louisiana’s relationship with Catholicism is a long standing, deep relationship. Before becoming a part of the U.S., it was owned by the French and the Spanish who were are two Catholic entities. New Orleans, the Creole capital, is home to the Saint Louis Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in North America. Louisiana remains today the only state that is divided into “Parishes”, a religious term for a church community, rather than “Counties” like other states. Catholicism is by far the most practiced religion, but there’s a small percentage of Creole people that still practice Voodoo, the religion of their ancestors. Voodoo was brought to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Louisiana">French Louisiana</a> during the colonial period by enslaved Africans from West Africa. From 1719 to 1731, the majority of African captives brought to, and enslaved in, Louisiana were Fon people from what is now <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benin">Benin</a>. The religion has a lot in common with Catholicism so many people in Louisiana would confess both faiths. Catholics and those who practiced Voodoo got along harmoniously. However due to media portrayals of the ancient religion, popular misconceptions developed around the principal elements of Voodoo. The false idea that hexing and sticking pins into dolls were Voodoo’s purposes started in the 1930's which forced Voodoo to move underground.</p> <p>Because of misconceptions about Voodoo, an entire way of life was affected. Voodoo priests and priestesses were forced into the darkness, furthering the decline of this rich religion. Because of the judgements of people who were misinformed, Voodoo may one day soon be erased from the Louisiana lifestyle.</p> <h2><strong>Arts</strong></h2> <p>Creole Literature/ Oral stories</p> <p>Literature is an important aspect of any culture. Literature simply means writing Storytelling is a way to pass on cultural ideas to descendants. It is used as an education tool to guide future generations in the way of their ancestors. This is no different in the Creole community. The first authentic Creole writings in Louisiana were produced by the generation born between 1800 and 1820. Nineteenth-century Afro-Creole literature focused not only on political and racial issues, but also included, among other things, love poems, prayers, and echoes of French romanticism.</p> <p>Zydeco Music</p> <p>Here in the United States, music is a part of our everyday lives. This is no different in Louisiana. Although there are many prominent jazz, rap, and blues musicians that call Louisiana home, there is one special type of music that you can rarely find anywhere else.</p> <p>Literature and songwriting are both outlets for storytelling. By listening to these voices of the past we can learn things. They let us hear the voice of the Creoles, a voice that has not had much a platform in history.</p> <p></p> <h2>Values</h2> <p>Creoles take pride in remaining separate from the larger groups of society. For this reason, they often live together in their own neighborhoods, hidden from the bigger cities. When a culture lives off on it’s own, Â mostly untouched by outside people, it begins to create it’s own values and lifestyle. There are a few values that are necessary to the Creole life.</p> <p>It is a Creole duty to take widowed cousins and orphaned children and kin into their families. Creole men must assert their reputation as sportsmen, cooks, dancers, talkers, and workers, yet still gentle enough to eventually settle into a respectable home life. Work is the most important aspect of life, especially physically demanding jobs. Creole men and women are expected to be hard workers and willing to get their hands dirty. Typical Creole jobs include fishermen, oystermen, alligator hunters, and working offshore on oil rigs. None of these jobs require much education but they do require intelligence and a real knowledge of their surrounding areas. Doing these jobs well is a true sign of success.</p> <p>Although Creoles are a sub-set of a greater United States culture, their values can differ a bit. Around the United States we see people who value money and education above all else. This is not necessarily a good or bad thing, but Creoles just don’t think the same way. They work to make enough money to survive. Secondary education is of little importance, because Creoles prefer to work the land or water for their living. As long as they have family, that is enough.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/670/1zCZCMZ9KZEg_xd1oaZvFWQ.jpeg" width="670" height="377" loading="lazy" /> <h2><strong>Language</strong></h2> <p>Language is an important factor. It runs every encounter and aspect of our lives. It helps us to inform and understand.</p> <p>The desire to communicate and orally express ourselves is as old as time.</p> <p>The Creole Language , better known as French Creole, is a distant variant of the French language. Someone who spoke French probably wouldn’t understand it because it has African and Native words mixed in with it. Creole speakers make up 4% of Louisiana and there are less than 10,000 French Creole speakers in the United States.</p> <p>For Creole people language is a link to the past. It reminds them of their identity and multi-cultural background. Although the language itself is a fundamental characteristic of humanity, the creoles of Louisiana no doubt have a special one.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/478/1pxfrPSVkdjA97FJVuALjjA.png" width="478" height="234" loading="lazy" /> <h2>Food</h2> <p></p> <p>Louisiana Creole is a style of food originating in the bayous of Creole settlements. The cuisine includes French, Spanish, African, Native American, and Caribbean influences, making for a uniquely delicious culinary experience. There are some foods that are considered typically Creole, but it is important to note that many of them have different varieties and ways of preparation, depending on the areaâ€™s traditions and preferences and how the recipes have evolved since colonial times.</p> <p>Many of the dishes eaten are features of African-influenced Louisiana, that is, Creoles of color and black Creoles. Jambalaya has Spanish roots and is connected to the traditional Spanish rice dish paella. American Indians introduced <em>file </em>(the ground powder of the sassafras leaf), which is used as a seasoning.</p> <p>Traditionally, slaves in the kitchens of well-to-do members of society prepared the food. Due to the abundance of time and resources, the dishes consisted of an array of spices from various regions and creamy soups and sauces. A remoulade sauce, for example, consists of nearly a dozen ingredients. Creole cuisine has large variety of ingredients, because of the easy access Creoles had to exotic ingredients and the wide mix of cultures that contributed to the cuisine. This allowed them to test out recipes and cooking styles until they got it right.</p> <p>Food is an important part of cultures all around the word. Meals are used to connect people and as a way of sharing. Creoles believe strongly in family values and food is a way that they show this. From large cookouts and crawfish boils, if there is a group of Creoles, there is bound to be food.</p> </section>	Creole Culture In Louisiana, Creole is a term used to describe people of mingled Black, Spanish, French, and Indian descent. The culture began to form in the late 1700s when French settlers began to mix with African slaves in the region. These mixed-race individuals were considered free people of color and began to further. Creole background varies greatly, and for this reason Creole culture is a mixture of several otherwise independent cultures. Creole people reside mostly in Southeast Louisiana, around the city of New Orleans. Religion In general, religion is a set of beliefs about the origins, essence, and functions of the universe. Devotional and ritual observances are components of religion, and it also includes how humans should behave and moral codes. It is a collection of sacred things and ideas about practices, ethics, and world views. Religion is passed on from believers to their children and others around them. Most Creoles in Louisiana are Roman Catholic. Louisiana’s relationship with Catholicism is a long standing, deep relationship. Before becoming a part of the U.S., it was owned by the French and the Spanish who were are two Catholic entities. New Orleans, the Creole capital, is home to the Saint Louis Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in North America. Louisiana remains today the only state that is divided into “Parishes”, a religious term for a church community, rather than “Counties” like other states. Catholicism is by far the most practiced religion, but there’s a small percentage of Creole people that still practice Voodoo, the religion of their ancestors. Voodoo was brought to French Louisiana during the colonial period by enslaved Africans from West Africa. From 1719 to 1731, the majority of African captives brought to, and enslaved in, Louisiana were Fon people from what is now Benin. The religion has a lot in common with Catholicism so many people in Louisiana would confess both faiths. Catholics and those who practiced Voodoo got along harmoniously. However due to media portrayals of the ancient religion, popular misconceptions developed around the principal elements of Voodoo. The false idea that hexing and sticking pins into dolls were Voodoo’s purposes started in the 1930's which forced Voodoo to move underground. Because of misconceptions about Voodoo, an entire way of life was affected. Voodoo priests and priestesses were forced into the darkness, furthering the decline of this rich religion. Because of the judgements of people who were misinformed, Voodoo may one day soon be erased from the Louisiana lifestyle. Arts Creole Literature/ Oral stories Literature is an important aspect of any culture. Literature simply means writing Storytelling is a way to pass on cultural ideas to descendants. It is used as an education tool to guide future generations in the way of their ancestors. This is no different in the Creole community. The first authentic Creole writings in Louisiana were produced by the generation born between 1800 and 1820. Nineteenth-century Afro-Creole literature focused not only on political and racial issues, but also included, among other things, love poems, prayers, and echoes of French romanticism. Zydeco Music Here in the United States, music is a part of our everyday lives. This is no different in Louisiana. Although there are many prominent jazz, rap, and blues musicians that call Louisiana home, there is one special type of music that you can rarely find anywhere else. Literature and songwriting are both outlets for storytelling. By listening to these voices of the past we can learn things. They let us hear the voice of the Creoles, a voice that has not had much a platform in history. Values Creoles take pride in remaining separate from the larger groups of society. For this reason, they often live together in their own neighborhoods, hidden from the bigger cities. When a culture lives off on it’s own, Â mostly untouched by outside people, it begins to create it’s own values and lifestyle. There are a few values that are necessary to the Creole life. It is a Creole duty to take widowed cousins and orphaned children and kin into their families. Creole men must assert their reputation as sportsmen, cooks, dancers, talkers, and workers, yet still gentle enough to eventually settle into a respectable home life. Work is the most important aspect of life, especially physically demanding jobs. Creole men and women are expected to be hard workers and willing to get their hands dirty. Typical Creole jobs include fishermen, oystermen, alligator hunters, and working offshore on oil rigs. None of these jobs require much education but they do require intelligence and a real knowledge of their surrounding areas. Doing these jobs well is a true sign of success. Although Creoles are a sub-set of a greater United States culture, their values can differ a bit. Around the United States we see people who value money and education above all else. This is not necessarily a good or bad thing, but Creoles just don’t think the same way. They work to make enough money to survive. Secondary education is of little importance, because Creoles prefer to work the land or water for their living. As long as they have family, that is enough. Stanley Encalade — Oysterman in Southeast Louisiana Language Language is an important factor. It runs every encounter and aspect of our lives. It helps us to inform and understand. The desire to communicate and orally express ourselves is as old as time. The Creole Language , better known as French Creole, is a distant variant of the French language. Someone who spoke French probably wouldn’t understand it because it has African and Native words mixed in with it. Creole speakers make up 4% of Louisiana and there are less than 10,000 French Creole speakers in the United States. For Creole people language is a link to the past. It reminds them of their identity and multi-cultural background. Although the language itself is a fundamental characteristic of humanity, the creoles of Louisiana no doubt have a special one. Food Louisiana Creole is a style of food originating in the bayous of Creole settlements. The cuisine includes French, Spanish, African, Native American, and Caribbean influences, making for a uniquely delicious culinary experience. There are some foods that are considered typically Creole, but it is important to note that many of them have different varieties and ways of preparation, depending on the areaâ€™s traditions and preferences and how the recipes have evolved since colonial times. Many of the dishes eaten are features of African-influenced Louisiana, that is, Creoles of color and black Creoles. Jambalaya has Spanish roots and is connected to the traditional Spanish rice dish paella. American Indians introduced file (the ground powder of the sassafras leaf), which is used as a seasoning. Traditionally, slaves in the kitchens of well-to-do members of society prepared the food. Due to the abundance of time and resources, the dishes consisted of an array of spices from various regions and creamy soups and sauces. A remoulade sauce, for example, consists of nearly a dozen ingredients. Creole cuisine has large variety of ingredients, because of the easy access Creoles had to exotic ingredients and the wide mix of cultures that contributed to the cuisine. This allowed them to test out recipes and cooking styles until they got it right. Food is an important part of cultures all around the word. Meals are used to connect people and as a way of sharing. Creoles believe strongly in family values and food is a way that they show this. From large cookouts and crawfish boils, if there is a group of Creoles, there is bound to be food.	6e85fa4b-1a34-51bf-afed-4a932f1118d0	25/08/2025 18:01:23
https://medium.com/@kelayla/are-we-really-listening-to-the-holy-spirit-26482564360a	medium.com	Are We Really Listening To The Holy Spirit?	null	Kelayla	https://medium.com/@kelayla	26482564360a	null	4 min	2023-08-28T22:31:16.621000	2023-08-28T22:34:15.055000	2023-08-28T22:34:23.942000	0	5	en	Christianity,Christian Living,Thoughts,Theology	<section> <p>I’m sure most of us are very familiar with the altar call, and for those of you who aren’t, here’s a quick summary: the altar call is something that often takes place after sermons but before everyone gets up to leave. It’s common to have soft music playing in the background as the preacher gives a call to come to the altar, confess your sins, and get saved. At just a glance that almost sounds like a good and normal thing to happen.But that isn’t all that happens at the altar call, is it? No, I’ve heard the words verbatim more times than I care to count. “Get saved today, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. You better MAKE SURE your friends hear about Jesus right now! Because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed! Do you really want to be the reason your friend ends up burning in Hell for eternity?!…” the speech goes on and on. Isn’t that the point? To get people saved RIGHT NOW so they don’t go to Hell? Well….. yes, but also no.</p> <p>Here’s the thing, Jesus never shoved himself down anyones throat. I haven’t found anywhere in the Bible Jesus going on and on about how tomorrow isn’t guaranteed so we need to do everything right now. Yes, our days are numbered. Our physical existence on this flawed Earth is finite, and we do not know when we will die. Of course we need to make good use of our time, but I think we have forgotten what making good use of our time really looks like.</p> <p>The best way I can think of to communicate this point is the story of Mary and Martha, found in Luke 10:38–42. (NKJV)</p> <p>38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”</p> <p>I have heard many takeaways from this story over the years, but I find that there is one that needs to be mentioned more, especially in regards to our brothers and sisters who are using these altar calls in the way that they are. We are not called to perform in a specific way, we are not all called to scream at our friends about Hell until they finally cave and come to church with us. The disciples were given callings and instructions that are of course applicable to us today, but our ultimate instruction is to listen to the Helper Jesus sent for us; the Holy Spirit. What we have done is made Christianity more into a get-out-of-Hell-free card, than a lifestyle. We have made Christianity more into a religion than a relationship. I fear that we as a whole may not be representing our Lord as well as we could be.</p> <p>It was put very well by a comedian of all people named Michael Jr. In a bit that he did he talked about getting free coffee at a Starbucks when the people ahead of him in the drive through would pay for the next persons coffee. Often when that happens people will pay for the person behind them and so on, a sort of pass on the blessing sort of thing. But not him. He said that he always listens to the Holy Spirit before doing that, and if he doesn’t hear anything from the Holy Spirit about ‘paying it forward’ then he drives away thanking God for the blessing of some free Starbucks. Now, he is a comedian, and this is a bit, but the basic point of it still stands: It’s not about an action you perform, it’s about you listening to the Holy Spirit.</p> <p>Someone I loved very dearly had a sort of ministry more along these lines. She wasn’t a typical evangelistic type by any means, but she had a great relationship with God and a selfless Christlike love for people that shone through everywhere she went. She didn’t bring out the Bible and the Hellfire and brimstone right off the bat; instead she befriended people, showing them a glimpse of what the love of God could look like before inviting them to come to church with her. In almost every case I knew of those people she loved so dearly got saved, and grew to do a similar thing she had done. It wasn’t dragging someone to church, demanding that they become Holy; it was meeting people where they were, much like Jesus himself did. And it was always due to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, not about ‘winning souls for the Lord’ or other forms of such performative action.</p> <p>This may be controversial but, in my opinion, these calls fearmongering people about how tomorrow is not guaranteed almost seems like a lack of faith in how God will use you. Jesus doesn’t tell you, ”do this and that and that is the only way you’ll be a good Christian, be accepted into the kingdom of God etc.” Isn’t that exactly what he chided the Pharisees and religious leaders for doing? Valuing tradition, performative actions, and the Law more than the attitude of the heart? As for me, I believe that we will be given exactly as much time as weI need on this Earth to accomplish what God wants us to accomplish, as long as we’re walking with the Holy Spirit.</p> </section>	When was the last time you actually heard a sermon entirely on the Holy Spirit? For me, it hadn’t happened in a very long time, and it happened in a small group at a camp of all places. Ever since then, some things that had already been bothering me have gotten to be even more of a check on my conscience. The altar call is one of those things. I’m sure most of us are very familiar with the altar call, and for those of you who aren’t, here’s a quick summary: the altar call is something that often takes place after sermons but before everyone gets up to leave. It’s common to have soft music playing in the background as the preacher gives a call to come to the altar, confess your sins, and get saved. At just a glance that almost sounds like a good and normal thing to happen.But that isn’t all that happens at the altar call, is it? No, I’ve heard the words verbatim more times than I care to count. “Get saved today, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. You better MAKE SURE your friends hear about Jesus right now! Because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed! Do you really want to be the reason your friend ends up burning in Hell for eternity?!…” the speech goes on and on. Isn’t that the point? To get people saved RIGHT NOW so they don’t go to Hell? Well….. yes, but also no. Here’s the thing, Jesus never shoved himself down anyones throat. I haven’t found anywhere in the Bible Jesus going on and on about how tomorrow isn’t guaranteed so we need to do everything right now. Yes, our days are numbered. Our physical existence on this flawed Earth is finite, and we do not know when we will die. Of course we need to make good use of our time, but I think we have forgotten what making good use of our time really looks like. The best way I can think of to communicate this point is the story of Mary and Martha, found in Luke 10:38–42. (NKJV) 38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” I have heard many takeaways from this story over the years, but I find that there is one that needs to be mentioned more, especially in regards to our brothers and sisters who are using these altar calls in the way that they are. We are not called to perform in a specific way, we are not all called to scream at our friends about Hell until they finally cave and come to church with us. The disciples were given callings and instructions that are of course applicable to us today, but our ultimate instruction is to listen to the Helper Jesus sent for us; the Holy Spirit. What we have done is made Christianity more into a get-out-of-Hell-free card, than a lifestyle. We have made Christianity more into a religion than a relationship. I fear that we as a whole may not be representing our Lord as well as we could be. It was put very well by a comedian of all people named Michael Jr. In a bit that he did he talked about getting free coffee at a Starbucks when the people ahead of him in the drive through would pay for the next persons coffee. Often when that happens people will pay for the person behind them and so on, a sort of pass on the blessing sort of thing. But not him. He said that he always listens to the Holy Spirit before doing that, and if he doesn’t hear anything from the Holy Spirit about ‘paying it forward’ then he drives away thanking God for the blessing of some free Starbucks. Now, he is a comedian, and this is a bit, but the basic point of it still stands: It’s not about an action you perform, it’s about you listening to the Holy Spirit. Someone I loved very dearly had a sort of ministry more along these lines. She wasn’t a typical evangelistic type by any means, but she had a great relationship with God and a selfless Christlike love for people that shone through everywhere she went. She didn’t bring out the Bible and the Hellfire and brimstone right off the bat; instead she befriended people, showing them a glimpse of what the love of God could look like before inviting them to come to church with her. In almost every case I knew of those people she loved so dearly got saved, and grew to do a similar thing she had done. It wasn’t dragging someone to church, demanding that they become Holy; it was meeting people where they were, much like Jesus himself did. And it was always due to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, not about ‘winning souls for the Lord’ or other forms of such performative action. This may be controversial but, in my opinion, these calls fearmongering people about how tomorrow is not guaranteed almost seems like a lack of faith in how God will use you. Jesus doesn’t tell you, ”do this and that and that is the only way you’ll be a good Christian, be accepted into the kingdom of God etc.” Isn’t that exactly what he chided the Pharisees and religious leaders for doing? Valuing tradition, performative actions, and the Law more than the attitude of the heart? As for me, I believe that we will be given exactly as much time as weI need on this Earth to accomplish what God wants us to accomplish, as long as we’re walking with the Holy Spirit.	34ca7cf0-aa60-55ad-921e-a1922f8b7eb8	25/08/2025 18:01:24
https://medium.com/@trendingnewswritter/ohio-state-beats-notre-dame-17-14-in-thrilling-college-football-match-207d10e76d07	medium.com	Ohio State Beats Notre Dame 17–14 in Thrilling College Football Match	In a highly anticipated college football matchup on September 24, 2023, the №6 Ohio State Buckeyes emerged victorious with a nail-biting…	John Abraham	https://medium.com/@trendingnewswritter	207d10e76d07	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*3IIIZaalEoSNxDGd	1 min	2023-09-24T07:09:53.745000	2023-09-24T07:12:07.495000	2023-09-24T07:12:12.045000	0	0	en	Football,News	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1024/0*3IIIZaalEoSNxDGd" width="1024" height="682" loading="lazy" /> <p>In a highly anticipated college football matchup on September 24, 2023, the №6 Ohio State Buckeyes emerged victorious with a nail-biting 17–14 win over the №9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The game had fans on the edge of their seats until the very last second when Ohio State’s Chip Trayanum scored a one-yard touchdown, securing the dramatic victory. This thrilling contest showcased the skill and determination of both teams as they battled fiercely throughout the game.</p> <p>The game’s outcome hinged on a remarkable performance by Ohio State’s defense, which managed to stop Notre Dame on several key plays, including a critical fourth-down stop that denied Notre Dame a chance to regain momentum. Ohio State’s offense, led by standout players like Trayanum, made crucial plays when it mattered most, contributing to the narrow but decisive victory. Overall, the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame clash will be remembered as a thrilling and closely contested matchup that showcased the excitement and unpredictability of college football.</p> <p>This victory for Ohio State further solidifies their position as a top-ranked team in the college football landscape, while Notre Dame displayed resilience and skill, even in defeat, making it clear that they remain a formidable opponent on the field. The game will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation among football enthusiasts for some time, celebrating the heart-pounding moments and the sheer competitiveness that college football brings to fans around the world.</p> <p><a href="https://www.digistore24.com/redir/325658/Sabithjalal/">Don’t think it’s too late to invest in crypto,this the perfect time!</a></p> </section>	Ohio State Beats Notre Dame 17–14 in Thrilling College Football Match In a highly anticipated college football matchup on September 24, 2023, the №6 Ohio State Buckeyes emerged victorious with a nail-biting 17–14 win over the №9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The game had fans on the edge of their seats until the very last second when Ohio State’s Chip Trayanum scored a one-yard touchdown, securing the dramatic victory. This thrilling contest showcased the skill and determination of both teams as they battled fiercely throughout the game. The game’s outcome hinged on a remarkable performance by Ohio State’s defense, which managed to stop Notre Dame on several key plays, including a critical fourth-down stop that denied Notre Dame a chance to regain momentum. Ohio State’s offense, led by standout players like Trayanum, made crucial plays when it mattered most, contributing to the narrow but decisive victory. Overall, the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame clash will be remembered as a thrilling and closely contested matchup that showcased the excitement and unpredictability of college football. This victory for Ohio State further solidifies their position as a top-ranked team in the college football landscape, while Notre Dame displayed resilience and skill, even in defeat, making it clear that they remain a formidable opponent on the field. The game will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation among football enthusiasts for some time, celebrating the heart-pounding moments and the sheer competitiveness that college football brings to fans around the world. Don’t think it’s too late to invest in crypto,this the perfect time!	bc327418-492c-56ac-b8c9-011dd36b435e	25/08/2025 18:01:24
https://medium.com/im310-sp17-social-media/a-first-step-into-vr-2958e42d6d8f	medium.com	A First Step into VR	During my spring break this year, I bought me a Daydream VR Headset for my Google Pixel XL. I had just bought the Pixel XL earlier this…	Zach Guiciardi	https://medium.com/@zachguiciardi	2958e42d6d8f	https://miro.medium.com/…_R_MvP_6fiQ.jpeg	3 min	2017-03-15T23:38:16.674000	2017-03-17T13:38:25.861000	2018-01-26T02:06:38.674000	1	1	en	Virtual Reality,Oculus Rift	<section> <p>During my spring break this year, I bought me a Daydream VR Headset for my Google Pixel XL. I had just bought the Pixel XL earlier this month and was getting used to the phone when i discovered an app called Daydream. I opened the app, curious about what it did and why it was predownloaded on my phone, to find that it was a virtual reality app. I’ve always been interested in virtual reality, but I never bought into buying a large VR system such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, or the Playstation Vr system. I know VR was taking off, but all of the systems seemed limited in their capabilities, especially anything outside simple 360° viewing, and basic hand motions. So when I found the Daydream headset for $79 at a Best Buy, I figured this would be a great first step into VR, and get a firsthand experience with it to see if I had any further interest in a high quality system for Virtual Reality.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1139/15aW-LBmgGbX_R_MvP_6fiQ.jpeg" width="1139" height="673" loading="lazy" /> <p>Setup: The Daydream VR set comes with: the headset, a Bluetooth remote, and instruction/warranty information. The concept is simple enough to use, you put your phone horizontally in the front of the headset and latch it into place. Then you can take the remote before putting the goggles over your eyes and you are ready to go. It is a very simple setup.</p> <p>Use: Once your headset is on properly and the straps are adjusted to fit your head, the Daydream app is automatically opened when put into the headset. During the first use, you will need to take the phone out of the googles to sign into your account (this also needs done with several apps or games for the Daydream), but once you’ve signed in once, your good to go until you sign out. You then calibrate the remote by holding it forward, pressing down the home button, and letting it sync. The app then goes through it’s calibrations for the first time user and puts you through a simple tutorial displaying the features of Daydream. Once you have completed the tutorial, you are free to use Daydream as you will.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/282/1BA-Yqlt83kKN6XwdgY2F6w.jpeg" width="282" height="179" loading="lazy" /> <p>Cons: I have 2 major issues with the Daydream as of now. The first is that you need either a small case or no case to put the Pixel into the Headset. So if you have a larger case (like I do) such as an Otterbox, you will need to remove it each time you want to use the Daydream, which gets annoying. The second issue I have is that the Daydream app opens immediately upon putting the phone in the headset. So if you have another app you want to use in the headset, it must be Daydream compatible, otherwise you cannot use it.</p> <p>Pros: While the Daydream headset may not have the best technology, not the best graphics, but if you already have the phone, the headset is only an additional $79. If you want to try VR out for yourself, this is a great way to go about it. I would say the same even for other phones if they are VR compatible.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/1*MdCRetwpRuoU-B4mJIcjCA.jpeg" width="300" height="168" loading="lazy" /> <p>Opinion: I do enjoy my Daydream headset. It is a fun experience and there are some very cool apps that go along with it. I hope that Google will allow more third party content to be used through the Daydream in the future, but the limited library (especially free library) has some good titles in it. Though I will say, the Daydream needs to be used in about 30–45 minute increments at a time. The headset needs to be tight to the face for the best visibility, so after a while it begins to feel uncomfortable. Also to this point, if you have the googles on too long, you feel somewhat dizzy when they are removed, so make sure to be careful when using the Daydream.</p> </section>	A First Step into VR During my spring break this year, I bought me a Daydream VR Headset for my Google Pixel XL. I had just bought the Pixel XL earlier this month and was getting used to the phone when i discovered an app called Daydream. I opened the app, curious about what it did and why it was predownloaded on my phone, to find that it was a virtual reality app. I’ve always been interested in virtual reality, but I never bought into buying a large VR system such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, or the Playstation Vr system. I know VR was taking off, but all of the systems seemed limited in their capabilities, especially anything outside simple 360° viewing, and basic hand motions. So when I found the Daydream headset for $79 at a Best Buy, I figured this would be a great first step into VR, and get a firsthand experience with it to see if I had any further interest in a high quality system for Virtual Reality. Setup: The Daydream VR set comes with: the headset, a Bluetooth remote, and instruction/warranty information. The concept is simple enough to use, you put your phone horizontally in the front of the headset and latch it into place. Then you can take the remote before putting the goggles over your eyes and you are ready to go. It is a very simple setup. Use: Once your headset is on properly and the straps are adjusted to fit your head, the Daydream app is automatically opened when put into the headset. During the first use, you will need to take the phone out of the googles to sign into your account (this also needs done with several apps or games for the Daydream), but once you’ve signed in once, your good to go until you sign out. You then calibrate the remote by holding it forward, pressing down the home button, and letting it sync. The app then goes through it’s calibrations for the first time user and puts you through a simple tutorial displaying the features of Daydream. Once you have completed the tutorial, you are free to use Daydream as you will. Cons: I have 2 major issues with the Daydream as of now. The first is that you need either a small case or no case to put the Pixel into the Headset. So if you have a larger case (like I do) such as an Otterbox, you will need to remove it each time you want to use the Daydream, which gets annoying. The second issue I have is that the Daydream app opens immediately upon putting the phone in the headset. So if you have another app you want to use in the headset, it must be Daydream compatible, otherwise you cannot use it. Pros: While the Daydream headset may not have the best technology, not the best graphics, but if you already have the phone, the headset is only an additional $79. If you want to try VR out for yourself, this is a great way to go about it. I would say the same even for other phones if they are VR compatible. Daydream Home Screen Opinion: I do enjoy my Daydream headset. It is a fun experience and there are some very cool apps that go along with it. I hope that Google will allow more third party content to be used through the Daydream in the future, but the limited library (especially free library) has some good titles in it. Though I will say, the Daydream needs to be used in about 30–45 minute increments at a time. The headset needs to be tight to the face for the best visibility, so after a while it begins to feel uncomfortable. Also to this point, if you have the googles on too long, you feel somewhat dizzy when they are removed, so make sure to be careful when using the Daydream.	6877effc-65b9-5329-805e-890411134905	25/08/2025 18:01:24
https://medium.com/snobhop/if-rappers-were-broke-would-you-still-want-to-be-a-one-7351e9230e4d	medium.com	If Rappers Were Broke, Would you still want to be a One?	Why do you rap? Is it for fame? Is it because you want to be the man/woman? Or Is it money? Because if you rap for money, THAT’S OKAY, and…	SNOBHOP	https://medium.com/@SNOBHop	7351e9230e4d	https://miro.medium.com/…uaZwvEWbDgw.jpeg	2 min	2017-08-19T03:38:17.761000	2017-08-19T05:31:22.415000	2018-04-10T06:31:05.363000	0	0	en	Hip Hop,Entrepreneurship,Business,Music,Passion	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5184/1*k_05nH5BXEfuaZwvEWbDgw.jpeg" width="5184" height="3456" loading="lazy" /> <p>Why do you rap? Is it for fame? Is it because you want to be the man/woman? Or Is it money? Because if you rap for money, THAT’S OKAY, and even preferred lol. Ain’t no free music ‘round here bih.</p> <p>But money can’t be your only motivator. Most rappers are broke and the ones that aren’t flat broke are “rich broke.” Yes, they can afford to lease a nice car. Yes, they have tons of gaudy jewelry. And yes, they have loads of fans.</p> <p>That being said, a large amount of musicians can barely afford to make ends meet and don’t have adequate health or dental insurance. And if that doesn’t sound appealing to you, perhaps you’re in the wrong game, my friend.</p> <p>Now if you’re an up & coming rapper I know what you’re thinking: “I’ll just do hella tours to get more money”</p> <p>And on the surface that sounds like a valid argument. But it doesn’t take into account the logistical aspects of touring. How are you gonna travel from venue to venue? How will you eat? What does your DJ charging? Did you rent the gear for your show? Got venue insurance? — the list could go on forever.</p> <p>Given those expenses, it’s actually not far fetched to hear of rappers to be in debt after a tour or breaking even. That’s a very practical reality that aspiring artists face and it’s one that you should plan for.</p> <p>Mind you, this post isn’t to discourage anyone from working toward their dreams. This is just food for thought.</p> <p>Money can’t be your only motivation, because what happens if you never make he money you hoped to make in music? Does it completely invalidate the work you’ve done up to that point? What happens when you trust the journey but come up short?</p> <p>The practical answer is to keep pushing. You explore new revenue streams, come up with a 5 year plan, and lastly, work your ass off like you’re getting paid for your work even if you’re doing it for free.</p> <p>Fuck money. Make dope shit.</p> <p>God will handle the rest of it… ✌🏾✌🏾</p> <p>— SnobHop</p> <p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/SnobHopMedia">Facebook</a> \| <a href="http://www.twitter.com/snobhopmedia">Twitter</a> \| <a href="http://www.instagram.com/snobhop">Instagram</a></p> </section>	If Rappers Were Broke, Would you still want to be a One? Why do you rap? Is it for fame? Is it because you want to be the man/woman? Or Is it money? Because if you rap for money, THAT’S OKAY, and even preferred lol. Ain’t no free music ‘round here bih. But money can’t be your only motivator. Most rappers are broke and the ones that aren’t flat broke are “rich broke.” Yes, they can afford to lease a nice car. Yes, they have tons of gaudy jewelry. And yes, they have loads of fans. That being said, a large amount of musicians can barely afford to make ends meet and don’t have adequate health or dental insurance. And if that doesn’t sound appealing to you, perhaps you’re in the wrong game, my friend. Now if you’re an up & coming rapper I know what you’re thinking: “I’ll just do hella tours to get more money” And on the surface that sounds like a valid argument. But it doesn’t take into account the logistical aspects of touring. How are you gonna travel from venue to venue? How will you eat? What does your DJ charging? Did you rent the gear for your show? Got venue insurance? — the list could go on forever. Given those expenses, it’s actually not far fetched to hear of rappers to be in debt after a tour or breaking even. That’s a very practical reality that aspiring artists face and it’s one that you should plan for. Mind you, this post isn’t to discourage anyone from working toward their dreams. This is just food for thought. Money can’t be your only motivation, because what happens if you never make he money you hoped to make in music? Does it completely invalidate the work you’ve done up to that point? What happens when you trust the journey but come up short? The practical answer is to keep pushing. You explore new revenue streams, come up with a 5 year plan, and lastly, work your ass off like you’re getting paid for your work even if you’re doing it for free. Fuck money. Make dope shit. God will handle the rest of it… ✌🏾✌🏾 — SnobHop Facebook \| Twitter \| Instagram	fcbf35b8-b758-5c8c-864e-6562c509bc4e	25/08/2025 18:01:25
https://medium.com/@samanthahoeynelson/gary-oldman-slept-here-6c519a948b9	medium.com	Gary Oldman slept here…	If our walls could talk oh the great stories #602 would tell.	Samantha Hoey Nelson	https://medium.com/@samanthahoeynelson	6c519a948b9	https://miro.medium.com/…qzebtafQ1Qg.jpeg	2 min	2017-07-08T21:54:31.920000	2017-07-09T00:10:13.450000	2018-01-08T05:50:41.588000	0	3	en	Los Angeles,Hollywood,Lifestyle,Movies	<section> <h3>If our walls could talk oh the great stories #602 would tell.</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/672/1*tfWFEjHBeREqzebtafQ1Qg.jpeg" width="672" height="372" loading="lazy" /> <p>After over 4 years of living in our place in Hollywood, our building manager revealed to us that one of our all time favorite actors Gary Oldman once inhabited our penthouse apartment. In a neighborhood full of celebrity tour buses that I regularly poke fun of, it was sweetly ironic to know a bit of Hollywood trivia is found surprisingly in our own home.</p> <p>A place that is perfectly Hollywood and Hollywood imperfect, it makes me love our home even more. An old 1950s building with a rickety elevator and weather beaten walls…. it was the floor to ceiling sweeping views of Tinseltown, downtown LA, and even Catalina <em>on a clear day</em> that pulled us in.</p> <p>A home that keeps us in the heart of the action, steps away from the famous Walk of Fame, El Capitan, and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and of course the Oscars every year. It’s a place that screams for parties with fancy cocktails and cultured debates and debacles overlooking the glittering Hollywood skyline. We’ve been happy to oblige.</p> <p>One of our favorite rooms is what we have deemed the parlor… a proper sitting room of family antiques including a dry bar from the 1800's that has been in my husbands family for decades. I regularly check us in there as it does serve the best drinks in town — it’s also my office where I write.</p> <p>Rumor has it Oldman had our balcony/parlor enclosed amidst concerns that someone would break in from the rooftop. Thanks Gary, I’ve been a bit freaked out by that notion myself from time to time. Though that story isn’t quite as interesting as our other assumption, that it was enclosed to keep crazy Hollywood types from diving off into the pool 8 stories below….. or was it?</p> <p>quoted from Oldman</p> <p>“We lived in a flat that you could pretty much fit in my current kitchen. No wonder people drink! I can’t understand why they don’t throw themselves off the balconies.” -Gary Oldman</p> <p><em>My overly creative assumptions redeemed.</em></p> <p>I now think of the soirées that may have occurred, writing crafted, roles rehearsed, music played, and books read… all where we write, read, rehearse and entertain…. happily keeping the creative mojo of the place going.</p> <p>One of the great gifts of living over Hollywood is the creative energy that seems to reverberate from the lights below. It is an energy neither created nor destroyed, just transferred between those who inhabit it. As artists, we will graciously accept the creative juju that may have seeped into our walls.</p> <p>Thanks Mr. Oldman, we’ll proudly continue the Hollywood heritage of #602</p> <p>#mediumchallenge #hollywoodlife #writerswrite #powermomma #artisthome #creativemojo</p> </section>	Gary Oldman slept here… If our walls could talk oh the great stories #602 would tell. After over 4 years of living in our place in Hollywood, our building manager revealed to us that one of our all time favorite actors Gary Oldman once inhabited our penthouse apartment. In a neighborhood full of celebrity tour buses that I regularly poke fun of, it was sweetly ironic to know a bit of Hollywood trivia is found surprisingly in our own home. A place that is perfectly Hollywood and Hollywood imperfect, it makes me love our home even more. An old 1950s building with a rickety elevator and weather beaten walls…. it was the floor to ceiling sweeping views of Tinseltown, downtown LA, and even Catalina on a clear day that pulled us in. A home that keeps us in the heart of the action, steps away from the famous Walk of Fame, El Capitan, and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and of course the Oscars every year. It’s a place that screams for parties with fancy cocktails and cultured debates and debacles overlooking the glittering Hollywood skyline. We’ve been happy to oblige. One of our favorite rooms is what we have deemed the parlor… a proper sitting room of family antiques including a dry bar from the 1800's that has been in my husbands family for decades. I regularly check us in there as it does serve the best drinks in town — it’s also my office where I write. Rumor has it Oldman had our balcony/parlor enclosed amidst concerns that someone would break in from the rooftop. Thanks Gary, I’ve been a bit freaked out by that notion myself from time to time. Though that story isn’t quite as interesting as our other assumption, that it was enclosed to keep crazy Hollywood types from diving off into the pool 8 stories below….. or was it? quoted from Oldman “We lived in a flat that you could pretty much fit in my current kitchen. No wonder people drink! I can’t understand why they don’t throw themselves off the balconies.” -Gary Oldman My overly creative assumptions redeemed. I now think of the soirées that may have occurred, writing crafted, roles rehearsed, music played, and books read… all where we write, read, rehearse and entertain…. happily keeping the creative mojo of the place going. One of the great gifts of living over Hollywood is the creative energy that seems to reverberate from the lights below. It is an energy neither created nor destroyed, just transferred between those who inhabit it. As artists, we will graciously accept the creative juju that may have seeped into our walls. Thanks Mr. Oldman, we’ll proudly continue the Hollywood heritage of #602 #mediumchallenge #hollywoodlife #writerswrite #powermomma #artisthome #creativemojo	12012fb3-b0df-524c-8f23-a0aa0067c34a	25/08/2025 18:01:25
https://medium.com/yopuppet/bringing-puppets-to-mixed-reality-8ea5d9771c4f	medium.com	Bringing Puppets To (Augmented) Reality	Having been born a child of the 80’s, I grew up in the golden age of puppets. My generation was raised on The Muppets, Sesame Street, Star…	2020CV Inc	https://medium.com/@2020cv-inc	8ea5d9771c4f	https://miro.medium.com/…EO_-JwhAP9w.jpeg	3 min	2017-05-17T18:41:55.990000	2017-05-31T16:26:01.058000	2019-03-15T22:22:56.465000	1	71	en	Virtual Reality,Apps,Technology,Programming,Augmented Reality	<section> <p>YoPuppet Demo</p> <p>Having been born a child of the 80’s, I grew up in the golden age of puppets. My generation was raised on <em>The Muppets, Sesame Street, Star Wars, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, The Never-Ending Story, ET, Gremlins, ALF</em>, and the list goes on.</p> <p>My brothers and I would crowd around a small TV and VCR and had our imaginations captured by the creations of Jim Henson et al. Puppets have been around for two and a half millennia, and they are still alive and well today (though used more sparingly in modern cinema). There is an undeniable absurdity to making a moving hand come to life, but it has never ceased to amuse us. Yet, after having a daughter of my own, I can see how the magic I once experienced as a kid might be lost in translation to the hard-to-impress, mobile phone generation. Suffice it to say, that your 80’s console of choice (in my case, a Commodore 64) required quite a bit of imagination to suspend one’s disbelief.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/576/1*PmzUj6VpjASEO_-JwhAP9w.jpeg" width="576" height="389" loading="lazy" /> <p>As much of a boon as computer-generated content has been for the entertainment industry, it has also sucked much of the life out of it (personally, I strongly prefer the Yoda confined to Luke’s back over the one flipping around a green screen like a circus monkey). Maybe I’m just being nostalgic, but I think that part of what brings me back to the films of my childhood is that the hand-crafted special effects served a purpose, and were performed extemporaneously—unlike the lifeless, lazy, and premeditated renderings of modern cinema.</p> <p>So, in an attempt to reclaim some of that magic for my daughter’s generation (and the ones that preceded her), I’ve gone about creating a mobile app that brings both worlds together. <a href="http://yopuppet.com">YoPuppet</a> is still at an early stage of development, and our main goal here is simply to get some feedback from the internet . Right now our app is geared toward families and content creators, with the ability to record and share if desired. I’m confident that with a little help I can take this app to a production-ready state on iOS and Android devices (and desktops, as well). Up to this point we are self-funded, and we are debating how to best fund this project going forward.</p> <p>For anybody interested from a technical perspective, you can read on below. Otherwise, I appreciate your reading this far and thank you in advance if you shared or donated!</p> <p>This app was developed using <a href="http://opencv.org/">OpenCV</a>, <a href="http://www.cocos2d-x.org/">Cocos2d-x</a>, & <a href="http://esotericsoftware.com/">Spine</a>. Most of the code was written in C++. I haven’t tested on anything other than an iPhone 7 Plus, but it achieves around 60 FPS with little in the way of optimization. It works with both the front and back cameras of mobile devices. It adapts to any color of skin (even with something like a blue latex glove over the hand). It will work with either hand (eventually), and for anybody with at least 2 fingers (and in theory, even with prosthetic limbs). The process, at a high level, is segmenting the skin from the background (HSV back-projection), then segmenting the hand contour (thresholding, erosion, dilation) from there. Segmentation works reasonably well in most light conditions and backgrounds with a little manual tweaking of thresholds, but it will need to be improved for consumer use (probably by adapting to the environment dynamically). I attempt to find landmarks around the hand and arm using defects in the contour’s convex hull and that is really where the difficulty ends. From there, I’m simply rigging up skeletons to the landmarks and rotating and scaling as necessary. As you might be able to discern, I’m not an artist, and these puppets you see rigged to the skeleton are just placeholders for far more creative art than my own. I chose to use one particular planar hand orientation and 2d over 3d simply to be able to make something that works on a mobile device and reliably. In theory, it could be expanded to support other orientations and 3d puppets, but that is a challenge for a team far bigger than myself. For those that are unfamiliar, hand gesture recognition is far more complicated than facial feature detection — due to the many degrees of freedom of the hand and fingers — and it’s a largely unsolved area with 2d cameras.</p> </section>	Bringing Puppets To (Augmented) Reality YoPuppet Demo Having been born a child of the 80’s, I grew up in the golden age of puppets. My generation was raised on The Muppets, Sesame Street, Star Wars, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, The Never-Ending Story, ET, Gremlins, ALF, and the list goes on. My brothers and I would crowd around a small TV and VCR and had our imaginations captured by the creations of Jim Henson et al. Puppets have been around for two and a half millennia, and they are still alive and well today (though used more sparingly in modern cinema). There is an undeniable absurdity to making a moving hand come to life, but it has never ceased to amuse us. Yet, after having a daughter of my own, I can see how the magic I once experienced as a kid might be lost in translation to the hard-to-impress, mobile phone generation. Suffice it to say, that your 80’s console of choice (in my case, a Commodore 64) required quite a bit of imagination to suspend one’s disbelief. A few of those iconic puppets… As much of a boon as computer-generated content has been for the entertainment industry, it has also sucked much of the life out of it (personally, I strongly prefer the Yoda confined to Luke’s back over the one flipping around a green screen like a circus monkey). Maybe I’m just being nostalgic, but I think that part of what brings me back to the films of my childhood is that the hand-crafted special effects served a purpose, and were performed extemporaneously—unlike the lifeless, lazy, and premeditated renderings of modern cinema. So, in an attempt to reclaim some of that magic for my daughter’s generation (and the ones that preceded her), I’ve gone about creating a mobile app that brings both worlds together. YoPuppet is still at an early stage of development, and our main goal here is simply to get some feedback from the internet . Right now our app is geared toward families and content creators, with the ability to record and share if desired. I’m confident that with a little help I can take this app to a production-ready state on iOS and Android devices (and desktops, as well). Up to this point we are self-funded, and we are debating how to best fund this project going forward. For anybody interested from a technical perspective, you can read on below. Otherwise, I appreciate your reading this far and thank you in advance if you shared or donated! This app was developed using OpenCV, Cocos2d-x, & Spine. Most of the code was written in C++. I haven’t tested on anything other than an iPhone 7 Plus, but it achieves around 60 FPS with little in the way of optimization. It works with both the front and back cameras of mobile devices. It adapts to any color of skin (even with something like a blue latex glove over the hand). It will work with either hand (eventually), and for anybody with at least 2 fingers (and in theory, even with prosthetic limbs). The process, at a high level, is segmenting the skin from the background (HSV back-projection), then segmenting the hand contour (thresholding, erosion, dilation) from there. Segmentation works reasonably well in most light conditions and backgrounds with a little manual tweaking of thresholds, but it will need to be improved for consumer use (probably by adapting to the environment dynamically). I attempt to find landmarks around the hand and arm using defects in the contour’s convex hull and that is really where the difficulty ends. From there, I’m simply rigging up skeletons to the landmarks and rotating and scaling as necessary. As you might be able to discern, I’m not an artist, and these puppets you see rigged to the skeleton are just placeholders for far more creative art than my own. I chose to use one particular planar hand orientation and 2d over 3d simply to be able to make something that works on a mobile device and reliably. In theory, it could be expanded to support other orientations and 3d puppets, but that is a challenge for a team far bigger than myself. For those that are unfamiliar, hand gesture recognition is far more complicated than facial feature detection — due to the many degrees of freedom of the hand and fingers — and it’s a largely unsolved area with 2d cameras.	415718e0-b435-53f8-a60b-4c4d5c3d76b0	25/08/2025 18:01:26
https://ghreact-hub.medium.com/seo-vs-ppc-which-is-better-pros-cons-more-f71dcd4fee37	medium.com	SEO vs. PPC: Which is Better? [Pros, Cons, & More]	For years, people have been debating on 🤜 SEO vs. PPC 🤛 which is better and which one give more ROI.	Ghreact Hub	https://medium.com/@ghreact-hub	f71dcd4fee37	https://miro.medium.com/…loHaGKfX_yhk.png	10 min	2022-01-12T14:24:52.330000	2022-01-08T11:48:10	2022-01-15T02:23:29.940000	0	2	en	SEO,PPC,Seo Marketing,PPC Marketing	<section> <p>For years, people have been debating on 🤜 SEO vs. PPC 🤛 which is better and which one give more ROI.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1024/0hllUloHaGKfX_yhk.png" width="1024" height="528" loading="lazy" /> <p>Which is better: paying your way to the top of search engines with a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign or growing your organic (or natural) search engine marketing approach via search engine optimization (SEO)?</p> <p>Deciding where to spend your digital marketing budgets is a challenging for many business owners, and it frequently leaves individuals wondering which method is better.</p> <p>Is there a correct or incorrect answer? Is it possible to have both? To make this decision, you must first go through the Pros and Cons of both SEO and PPC.</p> <h1>SEO and PPC (Paid Ads): Why You Should Care</h1> <p>The two bedrocks of digital marketing, according to many, are SEO and Paid ads or PPC. We can see why by looking at some organic and paid ads statistics.</p> <p>Organic and PPC or Paid ads account for 68 percent of all website traffic in total:</p> <ul> <li>Organic search accounts for 53% of site visitors.</li> <li>Paid search accounts for 15% of total site visitors.</li> </ul> <p>These values represent an average of all industries. (The figures vary depending on the industry.) Organic traffic accounts for 64% of B2B traffic, for example.</p> <p>Paid traffic accounts for almost 24% of all traffic in eCommerce.)</p> <p>Furthermore, it has been discovered that sponsored and organic search account for 72 percent of all revenue.</p> <p>Perhaps we should pause for a moment to take that in.</p> <p>According to research, organic and sponsored search together bring in two-thirds of all traffic.</p> <p>According to research, organic and paid search account for two-thirds of all revenue. That’s a ridiculously high figure. That is why SEO and paid advertising are important.</p> <h2>SEO vs. PPC: What’s the core Difference?</h2> <p>When comparing SEO and PPC, there are two key variables to keep in mind: positioning and pricing.</p> <p>While PPC advertising display above organic listings at the top of search results, you must pay for each ad click.</p> <p>Organic traffic via SEO, on the other hand, is free, but your site will show behind paid ads in search results.</p> <h2>SEO vs. PPC: Your cheat sheet</h2> <p>For a quick breakdown of SEO vs. PPC, check out this table:</p> <p><strong>SEO</strong></p> <p>Free Delivers long-term benefits Drives relevant, targeted traffic Encourages a user-friendly website</p> <p>Faces ever-changing Google algorithms Requires ongoing maintenance Takes time</p> <p><strong>PPC</strong></p> <p>Offers maximum visibility in search results Delivers immediate results Offers complete control Provides flexibility</p> <p>Requires a constant investment Deters some users Costs add up Comes with a learning curve</p> <p>Table source <a href="https://www.webfx.com/blog/seo/the-online-race-seo-vs-ppc/#:~:text=SEO%20is%20best%20for%20long,work%20in%20your%20SEO%20strategy.">webfx</a></p> <h2>What Should You Know About PPC?</h2> <p>In this summary of PPC’s merits, cons, and definition, learn more about PPC in the PPC vs. SEO debate:</p> <h2>What exactly is PPC?</h2> <p>You can place ads in the sponsored results part of each search engine’s results page, and you’ll be charged a fee if someone clicks on them.</p> <p>Paid search is the process of paying to have your website and articles appear more popularly on search engines or their partner sites. It’s also known as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.</p> <p>The goal is to have these sponsored adverts appear at the top of the SERP. Bidding and keyword targeting are used to accomplish this.</p> <p>Costs are usually incurred when they are clicked (cost-per-click or CPC) or when a large number of individuals see them (cost -per-thousand or CPM).</p> <p>PPC advertising platforms are available from Google, Bing, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Amazon.</p> <h2>Pros of PPC</h2> <ul> <li>Quick to produce results</li> <li>Useful for time-sensitive content</li> <li>Provides more control over performance</li> <li>Laser-focused audience targeting</li> <li>Provides detailed analytics</li> <li>Higher ROI short term</li> </ul> <h2>Cons of Paid Search</h2> <ul> <li>More expensive short term</li> <li>Requires more maintenance</li> <li>Grows less effective over time</li> <li>Can require bigger budgets</li> </ul> <h2>What Should You Know About SEO?</h2> <p>In the SEO vs. PPC argument, learn more about SEO, including its benefits, drawbacks, and definition:</p> <h2>What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?</h2> <p>SEO is the method of obtaining visitors through search engines’ “free” or “natural” listings, such as Google or Bing. SEO is similar to a marathon in that it takes a long time to see the fruits of your labor.</p> <h2>Pros of SEO</h2> <ul> <li>Less expensive long term</li> <li>Requires less maintenance</li> <li>Generates consistent, sustainable traffic</li> <li>Builds brand trust and credibility</li> <li>Wider potential reach</li> <li>Higher ROI long term</li> </ul> <h2>Cons of SEO</h2> <ul> <li>Takes longer to produce results</li> <li>Poor for time-sensitive content</li> <li>Provides less control over performance</li> <li>Provides vaguer analytics</li> </ul> <p>Paid advertisements display at the top of the search results page. They have a strong presence above-the-fold and are always the first thing a user sees.</p> <p>On desktop, they can take up to four snippets, and on mobile, they can take up to three. Paid advertising can sometimes show at the bottom of a page, making them the last thing a user views.</p> <p>Organic search results occupy the remaining ten snippet slots on a page, but users must scroll through sponsored adverts to get the top-ranking organic results.</p> <h3>Real Estate on SERPs: SEO vs. PPC</h3> <p>Organic content takes up more space than paid adverts, which appear first. Paid advertisements always appear in the same places and are limited in the amount of space they can take up on a page.</p> <h3>The content on organic SERPs is more flexible.</h3> <p>Thanks to things like FAQ schema, page snippets can expand and include additional branded information.</p> <p>With rich snippets, the local Map Pack, and the Knowledge Graph, brands may leverage SEO to appear in extra parts of a results page.</p> <p>All of this adds up to a lot of potential SERP real estate for brands to promote via SEO.</p> <h2>Cost of Positioning: SEO vs. PPC</h2> <p>Businesses must pay for their advertising to appear on <a href="https://mxblog24.com/whats-serp-top-10-serp-checker-tools-online/">SERPs</a>, therefore paid search has a direct cost (via CPC or CPM). As a result, the expenses of paid search ads can easily spiral out of control.</p> <p>There is no direct expense associated with SEO. Search engines provide free placement in organic results, making it a much more cost-effective technique in the long run.</p> <p>Both SEO and sponsored search involve indirect expenses, of course. For example, the expenditures of creating, developing, and maintaining internet content.</p> <h2>KPIs for SEO vs. PPC</h2> <p>The following are two of the most effective key performance indicators (KPIs) for both SEO and PPC:</p> <ul> <li>CTR stands for: click-through-rate.</li> <li>CVR stands for: conversion rate.</li> </ul> <p>According to the most recent data, the top organic search result in Google has an average CTR of 31.7 percent. (The second and third places, respectively, yield 24.7 percent and 18.6 percent.)</p> <p>Google’s paid advertising have a CTR of 5% on average. Their CVR is 3.75 percent on average.</p> <p>While it’s impossible to calculate an average conversion rate for SEO, it’s been estimated that organic search results are 8.5 times more likely to be clicked than sponsored search advertisements, with paid search ads being 1.5 times more likely to convert.</p> <p>That would give SEO a CVR of about 2.5 percent.</p> <h2>Which Strategy Is Most Appropriate for Your Business Objectives? SEO vs. PPC</h2> <p>Let’s get right to the point.</p> <p>The distinctions between SEO and paid search have been discussed. It’s up to you to decide which is superior. (Spoiler alert: they’re both fantastic.)</p> <p>Now we’ll get down to business and speak in words that are specific to your company.</p> <p>To accomplish so, we’ve compiled a list of the most common objectives that businesses set for their digital initiatives.</p> <p>We’ll compare how effectively both — SEO vs. Paid Search advertising — stacks up against each other and conclude which one you should use.</p> <p>Paid search is the way to go if you want to produce rapid sales.</p> <p>Purchase intent might be fickle. Consumers are quick to alter their minds, so it’s critical for companies to get in front of them when they’re ready to buy.</p> <p>PPC advertising is the quickest approach to reach search engine users who are ready to buy.</p> <p>Implementing SEO takes time and yields excellent returns. More immediate effects are possible with PPC.</p> <p>As a result, paid search is an excellent short-term solution for promoting your products and services, particularly if they are seasonal or time-sensitive.</p> <p>So, if you’re looking for a quick fix, go with PPC.</p> <p>The goal of increased exposure boils down to the number of people who can be reached. In this aspect, SEO outperforms sponsored search.</p> <p>Not only does SEO allow you to brand more <a href="https://mxblog24.com/whats-serp-top-10-serp-checker-tools-online/">SERP</a> real estate, but it also allows you to rank on various search engines and for multiple search queries with little extra effort or money.</p> <p>To deliver sponsored advertisements in a similar way, you’ll need to establish various campaigns and ad sets across a range of channels, which costs time and money.</p> <p>With SEO, you may enormously and continuously grow your total reach with a single piece of content. And, while sponsored search may have better overall targeting, nothing beats organic search.</p> <p>And, while sponsored search may have greater general targeting, nothing compares to the impact SEO has on local exposure.</p> <p>Any marketing strategy must have a thorough understanding of your target demographic and the ability to properly target them.</p> <p>SEO can target certain inquiries, but beyond that, the options are restricted. Paid search targeting tactics, on the other hand, have no limitations.</p> <p>PPC advertising allows you to target your ideal customers in the most comprehensive way possible.</p> <p>The sheer number of targeting options offered by PPC ad providers is mind-boggling. It’s enough to make any digital marketer guffaw.</p> <p>To guarantee that your ads are displayed to the appropriate people at the right time, you can segment your audiences by:</p> <ul> <li>Age,</li> <li>Geographic area,</li> <li>Gender,</li> <li>Affinity,</li> <li>Language,</li> <li>Device,</li> <li>lookalike audiences,</li> <li>Parental status,</li> <li>Income,</li> <li>In-market interests,</li> <li>Keywords,</li> <li>Online behavior, and a variety of other criteria.</li> </ul> <p>Brands’ long-term performance is determined by their internet credibility. Repeat commerce is based on trust and goodwill.</p> <p>New customers are attracted by authority and knowledge.</p> <p>Advertising, especially when poorly planned, can come across as contrived and invasive. As a result, people are less likely to trust paid search adverts.</p> <p>On the other side, SEO is all about establishing credibility.</p> <p>EAT content is given a lot of weight by search engine algorithms.</p> <ul> <li>Expertise,</li> <li>Authoritativeness,</li> <li>and Trustworthiness</li> </ul> <p>Are all qualities conveyed by this type of information. A high ranking is a sign of approval for your company.</p> <p>Anyone with enough cash may pay to be at the top of the PPC results, but companies must earn their way to the top of the organic results.</p> <p>Users are aware of this. They frequently skip over search ads in favor of organic results.</p> <p>Start with reachable, less competitive keywords to build your brand’s credibility with SEO, then work your way up to greater volume targets as your website grows.</p> <p>Scalability refers to the simplicity with which you can grow the number of impressions, traffic, and clicks, as well as customers, revenue, and profit.</p> <p>When done correctly, SEO can become a significant source of all those returns over time. Because the best organic optimizations compound over time, this is the case.</p> <p>Paid search, on the other hand, is a different story. In fact, the reverse is true.</p> <p>PPC ads have short lifespans compared to organic content. (Typically lasting one to two months, at best, compared to several years for organic.) Their returns start to diminish after a short period of time.</p> <p>And the second you stop paying, their returns dry up completely. All this makes it impossible to cost-effectively scale your advertising.</p> <p>SEO can sustain growing returns over the long term. To accomplish this, we recommend building a majority of your <a href="https://mxblog24.com/content-writing-for-seo/">SEO content</a> around evergreen content (i.e. content that will not grow outdated).</p> <p>That way you ensure your content is strongly positioned to sustainably scale.</p> <h2>Goal: Control</h2> <p><strong>Edge:</strong> Paid Search</p> <p>Having control over your marketing operations is essential for accurately calculating budgets and schedules. To that end, paid search provides far more control than SEO.</p> <p>Google algorithms have the final say on what ranks where with organic content. While the right SEO experts can circumnavigate Google’s algorithms to provide the best results, it still makes it more challenging to control your marketing.</p> <p>Especially since SEO changes can take days, sometimes months, to effectively appear in search results.</p> <p>Paid search ads, however, are unaffected by organic <a href="https://mxblog24.com/google-search-redesign-mum-algorithm/">Google algorithm updates</a>.</p> <p>Your budget dictates performance, not Google. Once your campaign is set up, your ads will appear as you’ve written them in the placements you’ve selected.</p> <p>By controlling the bid, keywords, targeting and creative, you (or a paid search expert on your behalf) determine how effective your SEM will be.</p> <h2>Goal: Budget</h2> <p><strong>Edge:</strong> SEO</p> <p>SEO typically does not require as large a budget as paid search. <a href="https://mxblog24.com/services/">The right SEO agency</a> can optimize organic strategies at minimal cost to return huge results.</p> <p>To get similar numbers of visitors, revenue and profit from paid search would require a much larger budget. Especially right out of the gate.</p> <p>Don’t get us wrong. PPC campaigns are incredibly effective. But they can be expensive to run, especially in competitive industries.</p> <p>They also often cost much more to get started than SEO. We’ve seen instances where an SEO campaign with a $10K per month budget outperforms a paid search budget in the millions per year.</p> <h2>Goal: Beating the Competition</h2> <p><strong>Edge:</strong> SEO and PPC</p> <p>In today’s marketplace if you’re not <a href="https://mxblog24.com/how-to-adapt-your-marketing-strategy-to-deal-with-the-coronavirus/">performing multichannel marketing</a>, you’re not competing. Your competitors are probably doing both SEO and PPC.</p> <p>And if they aren’t, you have an easy opportunity to get ahead.</p> <p>Here are some of the ways in which SEO and PPC can be used together to <a href="https://mxblog24.com/influencer-marketing/">improve your marketing</a> efforts:</p> <p>Bottom Line: To succeed in SEM, businesses need to leverage both SEO and PPC in a collaborative marketing strategy.</p> <h2>Conclusion: SEO and Paid Search are Both Great</h2> <p>So, which is better: SEO or PPC?</p> <p>Neither. They’re both great.</p> <p>Both SEO and paid search ads can benefit your business and provide amazing ROIs.</p> <p>But ONLY if you know when to use them for maximum effect.</p> <p>Ultimately, which digital marketing channel you choose and when you use it depends on your goals.</p> <p>There’s a good chance you’re looking at the goals we listed above and thinking to yourself,</p> <p><em>“ </em>But all those are my goals. So if I can only choose one which should I go with?<em> “</em></p> <p>If you’re unable to do both right away, rank your goals and start implementing the strategy that applies to the one at the top.</p> <p>Then work your way down from there. That said, we recommend taking a cue from that last goal — in order to remain competitive and dominate your industry you need to effectively implement both SEO and PPC.</p> <p>That’s the only way to ensure you profit from all your business goals.</p> <p>Well, that and a really great support team.</p> <p>Every team member at Mxblog24 is a <a href="https://mxblog24.com/services/">triple-certified search engine marketing expert</a>. Contact us to <a href="https://mxblog24/contact/">learn more about how you can benefit</a> from a partnership with our team, and use SEO <em>and</em> PPC to provide the best return for your goals.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/0Mn0eV_nmRdeYjC8O.gif" width="480" height="260" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/160/0*03iEoKWrNhAkiUHn.png" width="160" height="56" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://mxblog24.com/seo-vs-ppc</em>-which-is-better/">https://mxblog24.com</a> on January 8, 2022.</p> </section>	SEO vs. PPC: Which is Better? [Pros, Cons, & More] For years, people have been debating on 🤜 SEO vs. PPC 🤛 which is better and which one give more ROI. Which is better: paying your way to the top of search engines with a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign or growing your organic (or natural) search engine marketing approach via search engine optimization (SEO)? Deciding where to spend your digital marketing budgets is a challenging for many business owners, and it frequently leaves individuals wondering which method is better. Is there a correct or incorrect answer? Is it possible to have both? To make this decision, you must first go through the Pros and Cons of both SEO and PPC. SEO and PPC (Paid Ads): Why You Should Care The two bedrocks of digital marketing, according to many, are SEO and Paid ads or PPC. We can see why by looking at some organic and paid ads statistics. Organic and PPC or Paid ads account for 68 percent of all website traffic in total: Organic search accounts for 53% of site visitors. Paid search accounts for 15% of total site visitors. These values represent an average of all industries. (The figures vary depending on the industry.) Organic traffic accounts for 64% of B2B traffic, for example. Paid traffic accounts for almost 24% of all traffic in eCommerce.) Furthermore, it has been discovered that sponsored and organic search account for 72 percent of all revenue. Perhaps we should pause for a moment to take that in. According to research, organic and sponsored search together bring in two-thirds of all traffic. According to research, organic and paid search account for two-thirds of all revenue. That’s a ridiculously high figure. That is why SEO and paid advertising are important. SEO vs. PPC: What’s the core Difference? When comparing SEO and PPC, there are two key variables to keep in mind: positioning and pricing. While PPC advertising display above organic listings at the top of search results, you must pay for each ad click. Organic traffic via SEO, on the other hand, is free, but your site will show behind paid ads in search results. SEO vs. PPC: Your cheat sheet For a quick breakdown of SEO vs. PPC, check out this table: SEO Free Delivers long-term benefits Drives relevant, targeted traffic Encourages a user-friendly website Faces ever-changing Google algorithms Requires ongoing maintenance Takes time PPC Offers maximum visibility in search results Delivers immediate results Offers complete control Provides flexibility Requires a constant investment Deters some users Costs add up Comes with a learning curve Table source webfx What Should You Know About PPC? In this summary of PPC’s merits, cons, and definition, learn more about PPC in the PPC vs. SEO debate: What exactly is PPC? You can place ads in the sponsored results part of each search engine’s results page, and you’ll be charged a fee if someone clicks on them. Paid search is the process of paying to have your website and articles appear more popularly on search engines or their partner sites. It’s also known as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. The goal is to have these sponsored adverts appear at the top of the SERP. Bidding and keyword targeting are used to accomplish this. Costs are usually incurred when they are clicked (cost-per-click or CPC) or when a large number of individuals see them (cost -per-thousand or CPM). PPC advertising platforms are available from Google, Bing, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Amazon. Pros of PPC Quick to produce results Useful for time-sensitive content Provides more control over performance Laser-focused audience targeting Provides detailed analytics Higher ROI short term Cons of Paid Search More expensive short term Requires more maintenance Grows less effective over time Can require bigger budgets What Should You Know About SEO? In the SEO vs. PPC argument, learn more about SEO, including its benefits, drawbacks, and definition: What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? SEO is the method of obtaining visitors through search engines’ “free” or “natural” listings, such as Google or Bing. SEO is similar to a marathon in that it takes a long time to see the fruits of your labor. Pros of SEO Less expensive long term Requires less maintenance Generates consistent, sustainable traffic Builds brand trust and credibility Wider potential reach Higher ROI long term Cons of SEO Takes longer to produce results Poor for time-sensitive content Provides less control over performance Provides vaguer analytics Paid advertisements display at the top of the search results page. They have a strong presence above-the-fold and are always the first thing a user sees. On desktop, they can take up to four snippets, and on mobile, they can take up to three. Paid advertising can sometimes show at the bottom of a page, making them the last thing a user views. Organic search results occupy the remaining ten snippet slots on a page, but users must scroll through sponsored adverts to get the top-ranking organic results. Real Estate on SERPs: SEO vs. PPC Organic content takes up more space than paid adverts, which appear first. Paid advertisements always appear in the same places and are limited in the amount of space they can take up on a page. The content on organic SERPs is more flexible. Thanks to things like FAQ schema, page snippets can expand and include additional branded information. With rich snippets, the local Map Pack, and the Knowledge Graph, brands may leverage SEO to appear in extra parts of a results page. All of this adds up to a lot of potential SERP real estate for brands to promote via SEO. Cost of Positioning: SEO vs. PPC Businesses must pay for their advertising to appear on SERPs, therefore paid search has a direct cost (via CPC or CPM). As a result, the expenses of paid search ads can easily spiral out of control. There is no direct expense associated with SEO. Search engines provide free placement in organic results, making it a much more cost-effective technique in the long run. Both SEO and sponsored search involve indirect expenses, of course. For example, the expenditures of creating, developing, and maintaining internet content. KPIs for SEO vs. PPC The following are two of the most effective key performance indicators (KPIs) for both SEO and PPC: CTR stands for: click-through-rate. CVR stands for: conversion rate. According to the most recent data, the top organic search result in Google has an average CTR of 31.7 percent. (The second and third places, respectively, yield 24.7 percent and 18.6 percent.) Google’s paid advertising have a CTR of 5% on average. Their CVR is 3.75 percent on average. While it’s impossible to calculate an average conversion rate for SEO, it’s been estimated that organic search results are 8.5 times more likely to be clicked than sponsored search advertisements, with paid search ads being 1.5 times more likely to convert. That would give SEO a CVR of about 2.5 percent. Which Strategy Is Most Appropriate for Your Business Objectives? SEO vs. PPC Let’s get right to the point. The distinctions between SEO and paid search have been discussed. It’s up to you to decide which is superior. (Spoiler alert: they’re both fantastic.) Now we’ll get down to business and speak in words that are specific to your company. To accomplish so, we’ve compiled a list of the most common objectives that businesses set for their digital initiatives. We’ll compare how effectively both — SEO vs. Paid Search advertising — stacks up against each other and conclude which one you should use. Paid search is the way to go if you want to produce rapid sales. Purchase intent might be fickle. Consumers are quick to alter their minds, so it’s critical for companies to get in front of them when they’re ready to buy. PPC advertising is the quickest approach to reach search engine users who are ready to buy. Implementing SEO takes time and yields excellent returns. More immediate effects are possible with PPC. As a result, paid search is an excellent short-term solution for promoting your products and services, particularly if they are seasonal or time-sensitive. So, if you’re looking for a quick fix, go with PPC. The goal of increased exposure boils down to the number of people who can be reached. In this aspect, SEO outperforms sponsored search. Not only does SEO allow you to brand more SERP real estate, but it also allows you to rank on various search engines and for multiple search queries with little extra effort or money. To deliver sponsored advertisements in a similar way, you’ll need to establish various campaigns and ad sets across a range of channels, which costs time and money. With SEO, you may enormously and continuously grow your total reach with a single piece of content. And, while sponsored search may have better overall targeting, nothing beats organic search. And, while sponsored search may have greater general targeting, nothing compares to the impact SEO has on local exposure. Any marketing strategy must have a thorough understanding of your target demographic and the ability to properly target them. SEO can target certain inquiries, but beyond that, the options are restricted. Paid search targeting tactics, on the other hand, have no limitations. PPC advertising allows you to target your ideal customers in the most comprehensive way possible. The sheer number of targeting options offered by PPC ad providers is mind-boggling. It’s enough to make any digital marketer guffaw. To guarantee that your ads are displayed to the appropriate people at the right time, you can segment your audiences by: Age, Geographic area, Gender, Affinity, Language, Device, lookalike audiences, Parental status, Income, In-market interests, Keywords, Online behavior, and a variety of other criteria. Brands’ long-term performance is determined by their internet credibility. Repeat commerce is based on trust and goodwill. New customers are attracted by authority and knowledge. Advertising, especially when poorly planned, can come across as contrived and invasive. As a result, people are less likely to trust paid search adverts. On the other side, SEO is all about establishing credibility. EAT content is given a lot of weight by search engine algorithms. Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness Are all qualities conveyed by this type of information. A high ranking is a sign of approval for your company. Anyone with enough cash may pay to be at the top of the PPC results, but companies must earn their way to the top of the organic results. Users are aware of this. They frequently skip over search ads in favor of organic results. Start with reachable, less competitive keywords to build your brand’s credibility with SEO, then work your way up to greater volume targets as your website grows. Scalability refers to the simplicity with which you can grow the number of impressions, traffic, and clicks, as well as customers, revenue, and profit. When done correctly, SEO can become a significant source of all those returns over time. Because the best organic optimizations compound over time, this is the case. Paid search, on the other hand, is a different story. In fact, the reverse is true. PPC ads have short lifespans compared to organic content. (Typically lasting one to two months, at best, compared to several years for organic.) Their returns start to diminish after a short period of time. And the second you stop paying, their returns dry up completely. All this makes it impossible to cost-effectively scale your advertising. SEO can sustain growing returns over the long term. To accomplish this, we recommend building a majority of your SEO content around evergreen content (i.e. content that will not grow outdated). That way you ensure your content is strongly positioned to sustainably scale. Goal: Control Edge: Paid Search Having control over your marketing operations is essential for accurately calculating budgets and schedules. To that end, paid search provides far more control than SEO. Google algorithms have the final say on what ranks where with organic content. While the right SEO experts can circumnavigate Google’s algorithms to provide the best results, it still makes it more challenging to control your marketing. Especially since SEO changes can take days, sometimes months, to effectively appear in search results. Paid search ads, however, are unaffected by organic Google algorithm updates. Your budget dictates performance, not Google. Once your campaign is set up, your ads will appear as you’ve written them in the placements you’ve selected. By controlling the bid, keywords, targeting and creative, you (or a paid search expert on your behalf) determine how effective your SEM will be. Goal: Budget Edge: SEO SEO typically does not require as large a budget as paid search. The right SEO agency can optimize organic strategies at minimal cost to return huge results. To get similar numbers of visitors, revenue and profit from paid search would require a much larger budget. Especially right out of the gate. Don’t get us wrong. PPC campaigns are incredibly effective. But they can be expensive to run, especially in competitive industries. They also often cost much more to get started than SEO. We’ve seen instances where an SEO campaign with a $10K per month budget outperforms a paid search budget in the millions per year. Goal: Beating the Competition Edge: SEO and PPC In today’s marketplace if you’re not performing multichannel marketing, you’re not competing. Your competitors are probably doing both SEO and PPC. And if they aren’t, you have an easy opportunity to get ahead. Here are some of the ways in which SEO and PPC can be used together to improve your marketing efforts: Bottom Line: To succeed in SEM, businesses need to leverage both SEO and PPC in a collaborative marketing strategy. Conclusion: SEO and Paid Search are Both Great So, which is better: SEO or PPC? Neither. They’re both great. Both SEO and paid search ads can benefit your business and provide amazing ROIs. But ONLY if you know when to use them for maximum effect. Ultimately, which digital marketing channel you choose and when you use it depends on your goals. There’s a good chance you’re looking at the goals we listed above and thinking to yourself, “ But all those are my goals. So if I can only choose one which should I go with? “ If you’re unable to do both right away, rank your goals and start implementing the strategy that applies to the one at the top. Then work your way down from there. That said, we recommend taking a cue from that last goal — in order to remain competitive and dominate your industry you need to effectively implement both SEO and PPC. That’s the only way to ensure you profit from all your business goals. Well, that and a really great support team. Every team member at Mxblog24 is a triple-certified search engine marketing expert. Contact us to learn more about how you can benefit from a partnership with our team, and use SEO and PPC to provide the best return for your goals. Originally published at https://mxblog24.com on January 8, 2022.	a7b677fb-fb33-54a6-879e-5765b74306c1	25/08/2025 18:01:26
https://medium.com/agencymagazine/the-paladins-remorse-part-two-a03eaca88933	medium.com	The Paladin’s Remorse Part Two	A Man in Love	Bellisima Madrigale	https://medium.com/@bellisima.madrigale	a03eaca88933	https://miro.medium.com/…qb-DAYPrBrw.jpeg	9 min	2023-09-26T01:43:49.284000	2023-10-18T12:46:38.955000	2023-10-19T05:30:50.098000	3	219	en	Erotica,Fantasy,Short Story,Serial Fiction,Fiction	<section> <h3>Erotica \| Fantasy \| Serial Fiction \| Short Story \| Fiction</h3> <h1>The Paladin’s Remorse Part Two</h1> <h3>A Man in Love</h3> <p>I could tell that Angus’ spirit rose as we approached the mountains. He was always happiest high on the moors or picking along mountain passes. In the present case, it was a major road that led from Cat’s-Eye Paradise through the mountains to the west, but mountains are mountains.</p> <p>The tower that controlled the western pass had been visible several times as I slowly went uphill, crossing bridges and ascending switchback roads. Each pass across the mountains which encircled the haven that was Cat’s-Eye Paradise had one of these towers, made to control the pass and restrict access. But slowly the vigilance of the queen’s knights at Cat’s Eye Castle decreased. Really, it was not necessary to enforce the exclusion of males from within the girdle of mountains. By some magical agency enacted by the creation of the sanctuary men lacked strength and will within the circle of mountains, while women were strengthened in body and will.</p> <p>But recently it had been a woman in the form of a dark sorceress who had threatened the well-being of the haven, and the neglect of the borders now seemed to be a problem.</p> <p>So it was that Angus and I slowly approached the supposedly abandoned tower, and found it was occupied, and by men. They were not just any wandering homeless men, they were wicked men. I could sense it.</p> <p>A part of a Paladin’s powers come from their ability to discern what they call the Impetus of another being. It is their motivation, their reason for their actions. These men had darkness in their hearts. It was possible that in their past it was a choice of poverty that they became brigands, but I could sense that those days were long past, and their life of living off of others, killing, stealing, and taking whatever they wanted, had darkened their hearts.</p> <p>As I approached, they saw me coming, in fact, they had been watching me for some time, just as I had repeatedly seen the tower in the distance. Clearly, they did not mean to talk, their weapons were drawn, their intentions were ill, and their hearts were dark.</p> <p>I, too, drew my sword, and slowly approached them. A distant bow twanged, I deflected the arrow with my sword and charged. As I came closer the wickedness of these men became clearer, and I knew what I had to do.</p> <p>Angus courageously charged into their midst, my blade came down onto one of the men, striking the sword aside and cleaving his skull. Another raised a bow, but I raised my hand and by the power of the Eternal Light I smote the man, and he did not rise again. As Angus charged through their disordered and scattered numbers and got to the other side, I slipped off of his back and turned to face the men. One swung an axe up but was too slow and my blade darted into his eye. Another thrust with a sword, but I deflected it and brought mine up to his throat. I worked through a dozen men like this, all ruffians with no skill, just brutish strength. But here I was stronger, even without the Light of Ainyah the effect of the enchantment on these lands made wicked men weak, and good women strong.</p> <p>I could have swept through them with my eyes shut and only sensing the Impulse that directed their dark hearts and their vain attacks. One after another fell to my blade, to the force of the Light, or my knife which I threw into the throat of an archer.</p> <p>But my strength and power made me foolish. All the dark-hearted men were down and I thought we were done. But there was one man left, and he suddenly attacked like a demon. He was strong, when he should not be strong, and skilful unlike any of the others. But what unsettled me most was that his Impulse was not wicked. It was love that was in his heart.</p> <p>The strange man dismayed me and I was challenged like never before. His tirade of blows drove me back. I might have regained my footing and prevailed, but suddenly I was attacked from behind by a source I did not expect. Women filled with grief assailed me, and some blunt implement hit me hard on the back of the head, and darkness took me.</p> <p>When I awoke I gave thanks to Ainyah that I was not dead, and cursed my own arrogance to not expect the unexpected. Such thoughts were quickly overtaken when I realised that I was naked and tied spreadeagled in the main hall of the tower.</p> <p>Quickly I assessed the others in the room, using my eyes and not just my Paladin’s perception. The man was sitting in a large chair at the head of a feasting table. I don’t know if he had been watching me all the time, or had noticed that I was awake. He was handsome, but in a strong way, with robust brooding features. His hair dark and shorn short, his body tall and broad, with the build of a warrior. He really did not fit in with the brigands that I had earlier defeated.</p> <p>“The bitch is awake!” came a woman’s voice, and a small group of very disheveled women came out of the dark corners of the room. The man looked impassive, but the women were anything but that. Some of them had faces distorted by anger, others had faces filled with grief and tears. Then I used my Paladin’s training to discern them more deeply. All of the women were afraid, but I could not discern what they were afraid of. The man was still, but I could see what his motivation was. It was love that moved him. I was still perplexed with the idea that love could make a man become a brigand.</p> <p>“We should fecking gut you, bitch!” said one of the angrier women, standing uncomfortably near me with a carving knife.</p> <p>“Be careful,” said the man. “I saw her kill men at some distance with no weapon.”</p> <p>“She’s a witch?” asked a woman. “Or a sorceress?” asked another.</p> <p>“I think she’s a Paladin,” said the man.</p> <p>“What’s that, Cat?” One of the women asked. I smiled.</p> <p>“Your name is Cat?” I asked. I think he was slightly embarrassed.</p> <p>“That’s what they call me here, yes. I think some of the men did not mean it kindly, but I will not speak ill of the recently departed. You are a Paladin, aren’t you. Your accent would also suggest you are from the Western Isles. But you wear the armour of a knight of Cat’s Eye Castle.”</p> <p>“Are you the leader here? You do not seem like the other men.” He smiled.</p> <p>“You certainly have no fear. You are naked and bound yet you answer my questions with another question. Yes, they took me as their leader. Well the men did, the women actually had no say in the matter.”</p> <p>“So they have no agency here, yet they tied me up like this? Is it because you all started your time here tied up like this?”</p> <p>“You killed our men, bitch!” shouted one of the angry women, gripping her knife.</p> <p>“Were they yours? Did you choose them? Or did they take you and beat you until you submitted to them?” I could sense that their moods were changing, the grief and anger was ebbing. But the fear remained.</p> <p>“What is to become of us?” one of the women with tear-stained faces asked.</p> <p>“Stay here. Become women-at-arms and protect the border for the queen. We will train you.” One woman who had been standing at the back stepped forward, taking the dagger from the angry woman, and cut the ropes that held me.</p> <p>The man known as Cat stood up and walked over to stand in front of me. He was really quite tall, more orc-sized than human, and certainly a lot taller than me. He actually made me feel rather naked, which was unusual for me. I did not seem to mind the feeling, however.</p> <p>“So I suppose there will be more of you coming if you aren’t back in a day or two.”</p> <p>“Yes,” I said, a slight glow under my hands showing that I was healing the marks on my wrists. “Don’t worry, if I have not killed you they won’t.”</p> <p>“So why didn’t you kill me? I’m not that much better than the rest of the men.”</p> <p>“You are in love.” I said. He was awestruck.</p> <p>“You can tell?” I nodded. “Well since this is now your tower, I will show you to your room. There I will tell you all about it.”</p> <p>“First, where is my horse?” Angus had resisted any efforts by any of them to capture him, but he was very pleased to see me. I left him in the stables with some attentive children who wanted to feed him apples.</p> <p>Cat and I climbed the spiral case built within the wall of the great tower, and then passed through a door into what was once a fine room with a beautiful bed. Arched windows went around the perimeter of the room, providing an excellent view of the mountains and the pass below. There was no evidence of a woman ever sleeping in the room. He sat in the window looking West, where the sun was starting to set behind the mountains, and I stood by him, gazing at the setting sun.</p> <p>“It was years ago, when I was a knight in the army of Flussberg. There was a delegation from Cat’s-Eye Castle, and it was then that I saw her. I never even got to speak to her, but I saw her several times as she was one of the queen’s guards, and I was one of our king’s escort. I don’t know her name, but she had the most beautiful pale blue eyes and light blonde hair, with the cutest nose.”</p> <p>“I’m afraid that sounds like half the women in Cat’s Eye Paradise, I think they mostly come from the same stock.” He smiled.</p> <p>“Yes, I have been beaten up and sent back by several women that fit that description, but she was different. You actually remind me of her, although you look nothing alike.” He was looking at me strangely in the dying light of the Sun, his chest heaving with emotion. “So why have you not asked for your clothes to be returned to you?”</p> <p>“Possibly for the same reason that I haven’t asked for them,” I replied. Slowly his hand reached out to me and settled on my bottom. His large hands caressed the firm roundness of my buttocks, and I rested my hands on his thick arms, looking him in the eye. He could tell that I wanted him just as easily as I knew he wanted me. Abruptly I was pulled towards him, and his arms were around me, the buckles and studs of his leather army hard against my soft bare skin. His huge arms wrapped around my petite body in a tight bear-hug, and he lifted my lips towards his. Fiercely he kissed me, his lips were hard against mine, his tongue reaching deep into my throat. All I could do was give myself completely to his desire.</p> <p>He carried me to the bed, and threw me on it, feverishly pulling at his breeches until his massive cock sprung out. I thought of reaching for it, but his need was too great, and immediately his immense armoured body was on top of me, I only had time to spread my legs to welcome him.</p> <p>Desperately he held me, his throbbing shaft stabbing between my thighs until it found its home. So wet was I that he powered straight into me in one massive thrust and I groaned with the arousal. Like a beast he urgently fucked me, ferociously slamming his body into mine, harder and harder and harder. He growled like an animal as he neared climax, then with final brutal lunges he shouted out his ecstasy, filling me with his seed.</p> <p>He paused as his lust ebbed, laying on top of me, his cock pulsing the last cum into my pussy. But he was not done. More gently now he kissed me while he tried to unbuckle his armour. I pushed him away so that I could help him. His body was covered with scars from a life as a warrior and clearly he did not concern himself with the potions and poultices that heal completely. My body, although wounded in past battles, was unblemished, for the Light of Ainyah is a healing light.</p> <p>Now he was naked too, and tenderly his powerful arms embraced me. We lay on the bed in the dying light kissing and kissing, inhaling each other’s breath until our lungs were filled with each other. But after a while his passions returned, but not so much that he lost control. He entered me again, and in that state of union we existed for some time as the moon swept across the sky. He and I moved from position to position, at one moment he was on top, then later I was in his lap, and then I was on top, but of one flesh all of the time. The man was so large and strong, and I was so petite and light he could literally walk around the room with me impaled upon him. It was no bother for him to stand, holding my legs out each side, and slowly lift me up and drop me down on his shaft repeatedly. His cock was so big, and my body so toned, the movement of his member within me was always powerful and tight. Yet my desire for him meant he could turn me around from facing forwards to facing backwards with no bother at all.</p> <p>I do not remember sleeping that first night at all, but only that our bodies writhed together in passion, then at times clung together in affection.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://</strong>medium.com/@bellisima.madrigale/list/c55f2044afa5">Bella the Paladin <em>In a pseudo-mediaeval fantasy world Bella is a Knight Paladin, a spiritual warrior who works to create peace in the…</em>m</a>edium.com</p> </section>	Bella the Paladin in the mountains (my AI art) Erotica \| Fantasy \| Serial Fiction \| Short Story \| Fiction The Paladin’s Remorse Part Two A Man in Love I could tell that Angus’ spirit rose as we approached the mountains. He was always happiest high on the moors or picking along mountain passes. In the present case, it was a major road that led from Cat’s-Eye Paradise through the mountains to the west, but mountains are mountains. The tower that controlled the western pass had been visible several times as I slowly went uphill, crossing bridges and ascending switchback roads. Each pass across the mountains which encircled the haven that was Cat’s-Eye Paradise had one of these towers, made to control the pass and restrict access. But slowly the vigilance of the queen’s knights at Cat’s Eye Castle decreased. Really, it was not necessary to enforce the exclusion of males from within the girdle of mountains. By some magical agency enacted by the creation of the sanctuary men lacked strength and will within the circle of mountains, while women were strengthened in body and will. But recently it had been a woman in the form of a dark sorceress who had threatened the well-being of the haven, and the neglect of the borders now seemed to be a problem. So it was that Angus and I slowly approached the supposedly abandoned tower, and found it was occupied, and by men. They were not just any wandering homeless men, they were wicked men. I could sense it. A part of a Paladin’s powers come from their ability to discern what they call the Impetus of another being. It is their motivation, their reason for their actions. These men had darkness in their hearts. It was possible that in their past it was a choice of poverty that they became brigands, but I could sense that those days were long past, and their life of living off of others, killing, stealing, and taking whatever they wanted, had darkened their hearts. As I approached, they saw me coming, in fact, they had been watching me for some time, just as I had repeatedly seen the tower in the distance. Clearly, they did not mean to talk, their weapons were drawn, their intentions were ill, and their hearts were dark. I, too, drew my sword, and slowly approached them. A distant bow twanged, I deflected the arrow with my sword and charged. As I came closer the wickedness of these men became clearer, and I knew what I had to do. Angus courageously charged into their midst, my blade came down onto one of the men, striking the sword aside and cleaving his skull. Another raised a bow, but I raised my hand and by the power of the Eternal Light I smote the man, and he did not rise again. As Angus charged through their disordered and scattered numbers and got to the other side, I slipped off of his back and turned to face the men. One swung an axe up but was too slow and my blade darted into his eye. Another thrust with a sword, but I deflected it and brought mine up to his throat. I worked through a dozen men like this, all ruffians with no skill, just brutish strength. But here I was stronger, even without the Light of Ainyah the effect of the enchantment on these lands made wicked men weak, and good women strong. I could have swept through them with my eyes shut and only sensing the Impulse that directed their dark hearts and their vain attacks. One after another fell to my blade, to the force of the Light, or my knife which I threw into the throat of an archer. But my strength and power made me foolish. All the dark-hearted men were down and I thought we were done. But there was one man left, and he suddenly attacked like a demon. He was strong, when he should not be strong, and skilful unlike any of the others. But what unsettled me most was that his Impulse was not wicked. It was love that was in his heart. The strange man dismayed me and I was challenged like never before. His tirade of blows drove me back. I might have regained my footing and prevailed, but suddenly I was attacked from behind by a source I did not expect. Women filled with grief assailed me, and some blunt implement hit me hard on the back of the head, and darkness took me. When I awoke I gave thanks to Ainyah that I was not dead, and cursed my own arrogance to not expect the unexpected. Such thoughts were quickly overtaken when I realised that I was naked and tied spreadeagled in the main hall of the tower. Quickly I assessed the others in the room, using my eyes and not just my Paladin’s perception. The man was sitting in a large chair at the head of a feasting table. I don’t know if he had been watching me all the time, or had noticed that I was awake. He was handsome, but in a strong way, with robust brooding features. His hair dark and shorn short, his body tall and broad, with the build of a warrior. He really did not fit in with the brigands that I had earlier defeated. “The bitch is awake!” came a woman’s voice, and a small group of very disheveled women came out of the dark corners of the room. The man looked impassive, but the women were anything but that. Some of them had faces distorted by anger, others had faces filled with grief and tears. Then I used my Paladin’s training to discern them more deeply. All of the women were afraid, but I could not discern what they were afraid of. The man was still, but I could see what his motivation was. It was love that moved him. I was still perplexed with the idea that love could make a man become a brigand. “We should fecking gut you, bitch!” said one of the angrier women, standing uncomfortably near me with a carving knife. “Be careful,” said the man. “I saw her kill men at some distance with no weapon.” “She’s a witch?” asked a woman. “Or a sorceress?” asked another. “I think she’s a Paladin,” said the man. “What’s that, Cat?” One of the women asked. I smiled. “Your name is Cat?” I asked. I think he was slightly embarrassed. “That’s what they call me here, yes. I think some of the men did not mean it kindly, but I will not speak ill of the recently departed. You are a Paladin, aren’t you. Your accent would also suggest you are from the Western Isles. But you wear the armour of a knight of Cat’s Eye Castle.” “Are you the leader here? You do not seem like the other men.” He smiled. “You certainly have no fear. You are naked and bound yet you answer my questions with another question. Yes, they took me as their leader. Well the men did, the women actually had no say in the matter.” “So they have no agency here, yet they tied me up like this? Is it because you all started your time here tied up like this?” “You killed our men, bitch!” shouted one of the angry women, gripping her knife. “Were they yours? Did you choose them? Or did they take you and beat you until you submitted to them?” I could sense that their moods were changing, the grief and anger was ebbing. But the fear remained. “What is to become of us?” one of the women with tear-stained faces asked. “Stay here. Become women-at-arms and protect the border for the queen. We will train you.” One woman who had been standing at the back stepped forward, taking the dagger from the angry woman, and cut the ropes that held me. The man known as Cat stood up and walked over to stand in front of me. He was really quite tall, more orc-sized than human, and certainly a lot taller than me. He actually made me feel rather naked, which was unusual for me. I did not seem to mind the feeling, however. “So I suppose there will be more of you coming if you aren’t back in a day or two.” “Yes,” I said, a slight glow under my hands showing that I was healing the marks on my wrists. “Don’t worry, if I have not killed you they won’t.” “So why didn’t you kill me? I’m not that much better than the rest of the men.” “You are in love.” I said. He was awestruck. “You can tell?” I nodded. “Well since this is now your tower, I will show you to your room. There I will tell you all about it.” “First, where is my horse?” Angus had resisted any efforts by any of them to capture him, but he was very pleased to see me. I left him in the stables with some attentive children who wanted to feed him apples. Cat and I climbed the spiral case built within the wall of the great tower, and then passed through a door into what was once a fine room with a beautiful bed. Arched windows went around the perimeter of the room, providing an excellent view of the mountains and the pass below. There was no evidence of a woman ever sleeping in the room. He sat in the window looking West, where the sun was starting to set behind the mountains, and I stood by him, gazing at the setting sun. “It was years ago, when I was a knight in the army of Flussberg. There was a delegation from Cat’s-Eye Castle, and it was then that I saw her. I never even got to speak to her, but I saw her several times as she was one of the queen’s guards, and I was one of our king’s escort. I don’t know her name, but she had the most beautiful pale blue eyes and light blonde hair, with the cutest nose.” “I’m afraid that sounds like half the women in Cat’s Eye Paradise, I think they mostly come from the same stock.” He smiled. “Yes, I have been beaten up and sent back by several women that fit that description, but she was different. You actually remind me of her, although you look nothing alike.” He was looking at me strangely in the dying light of the Sun, his chest heaving with emotion. “So why have you not asked for your clothes to be returned to you?” “Possibly for the same reason that I haven’t asked for them,” I replied. Slowly his hand reached out to me and settled on my bottom. His large hands caressed the firm roundness of my buttocks, and I rested my hands on his thick arms, looking him in the eye. He could tell that I wanted him just as easily as I knew he wanted me. Abruptly I was pulled towards him, and his arms were around me, the buckles and studs of his leather army hard against my soft bare skin. His huge arms wrapped around my petite body in a tight bear-hug, and he lifted my lips towards his. Fiercely he kissed me, his lips were hard against mine, his tongue reaching deep into my throat. All I could do was give myself completely to his desire. He carried me to the bed, and threw me on it, feverishly pulling at his breeches until his massive cock sprung out. I thought of reaching for it, but his need was too great, and immediately his immense armoured body was on top of me, I only had time to spread my legs to welcome him. Desperately he held me, his throbbing shaft stabbing between my thighs until it found its home. So wet was I that he powered straight into me in one massive thrust and I groaned with the arousal. Like a beast he urgently fucked me, ferociously slamming his body into mine, harder and harder and harder. He growled like an animal as he neared climax, then with final brutal lunges he shouted out his ecstasy, filling me with his seed. He paused as his lust ebbed, laying on top of me, his cock pulsing the last cum into my pussy. But he was not done. More gently now he kissed me while he tried to unbuckle his armour. I pushed him away so that I could help him. His body was covered with scars from a life as a warrior and clearly he did not concern himself with the potions and poultices that heal completely. My body, although wounded in past battles, was unblemished, for the Light of Ainyah is a healing light. Now he was naked too, and tenderly his powerful arms embraced me. We lay on the bed in the dying light kissing and kissing, inhaling each other’s breath until our lungs were filled with each other. But after a while his passions returned, but not so much that he lost control. He entered me again, and in that state of union we existed for some time as the moon swept across the sky. He and I moved from position to position, at one moment he was on top, then later I was in his lap, and then I was on top, but of one flesh all of the time. The man was so large and strong, and I was so petite and light he could literally walk around the room with me impaled upon him. It was no bother for him to stand, holding my legs out each side, and slowly lift me up and drop me down on his shaft repeatedly. His cock was so big, and my body so toned, the movement of his member within me was always powerful and tight. Yet my desire for him meant he could turn me around from facing forwards to facing backwards with no bother at all. I do not remember sleeping that first night at all, but only that our bodies writhed together in passion, then at times clung together in affection. Bella the Paladin In a pseudo-mediaeval fantasy world Bella is a Knight Paladin, a spiritual warrior who works to create peace in the…medium.com	c90f8cd4-e679-54fa-a32d-060ee68ce63b	25/08/2025 18:01:26
https://medium.com/@opajdara/moodyscape-glacier-national-park-usa-photography-by-patrick-marson-ong-http-ift-tt-2al9eb4-3bd9d8b4e84	medium.com	Moodyscape Glacier National Park USA — Photography by Patrick Marson Ong http://ift.tt/2al9eB4	null	Dubie Bacino	https://medium.com/@opajdara	3bd9d8b4e84	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*zkmFZHmur8yZ54Or.	2 min	2016-07-28T21:14:54.841000	2016-07-28T21:14:55.677000	2016-07-28T21:14:55.677000	0	0	en	Opajdara,Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/506/0*zkmFZHmur8yZ54Or." width="506" height="742" loading="lazy" /> </section>	Moodyscape, Glacier National Park USA — Photography by +Patrick Marson Ong http://ift.tt/21uYZgo I have had the pleasure of spending two weeks vacation at Palouse and Glacier National Park with my best of friends!! I would consider this as one of my most tiresome trip since sun sets past 10 and rises around 5 the next day. Then you factor in the driving and the hiking, we ended up having 3 hours sleep almost everyday. BUT it was all worth it. Attitude plays an important part on a trip like this. Since the lack of sleep, exhaustion and frustration brings out the worst in each of us, you’ll definitely end up with having a nasty one even before your trip starts. I am blessed with these guys that despite all, everyone would just suck it up, go with the flow and laugh our hearts out all the way! Unending laughs on trails, horrific incidents while driving and the unlimited cup noodles to name a few that made this trip truly awesome. This spot was discovered and made famous by Ryan Dyar, his image titled “Into The valley” on 500px is da bomb! His Glacier National Park collection was the culprit that made me wanting to visit this place. Thanks for the inspiration man. Both of you and Candace continue to inspire us! The gruelling search from google map’s street views and generosity of friends (you know who you are) on sharing the locations made this trip a total success! Hillary Younger, you rock! I would have taken the long route if you hadn’t shared this to me. It was one of those gloomy and dramatic moments that we were waiting for. Drizzling like crazy, Dustin and I slid and fell but that wouldn’t stop us on getting up to this spot. The fog gave way for a couple of minutes and showed the face of the mountain just in time. Went up here four times, must say that I love this one the most. Hope you like it and feel free to share! — Patrick Marson Ong #glaciernationalpark #montana #landscapephotography	359fd15c-e362-5e10-a70e-fcbaf85b2a5e	25/08/2025 18:01:26
https://medium.com/neon-tommy/5-things-to-do-during-thanksgiving-break-for-international-non-traveling-students-fa437a042c3e	medium.com	5 Things To Do During Thanksgiving Break for International/Non-Traveling Students	by Lizzy You	Lizzy You	https://medium.com/@lizzyyou	fa437a042c3e	https://miro.medium.com/…na5c1w3hO_A.jpeg	4 min	2015-11-06T19:11:43.882000	2015-11-18T08:58:40.429000	2018-03-20T19:16:05.160000	0	2	en	Travel,Los Angeles,Thanksgiving	<section> <h3>by Lizzy You</h3> <p>While most students are frantically booking their tickets back home for the long awaited Thanksgiving meal, international students and those who simply do not want to deal with the hassle of traveling are researching things to do during this upcoming break.</p> <p>Don’t panic, we are in Los Angeles. If anything, there are too many options.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/628/1nXdfv4Yfhrina5c1w3hO_A.jpeg" width="628" height="371" loading="lazy" /> <h3>1. Experience a Thanksgiving Dinner Locally</h3> <p>Most of the international students have yet to experience a traditional Thanksgiving meal. On the other hand, non-travelers crave their mother’s home-made turkey with stuffing. Who knew these problems could be so easily solved? Many restaurants around Los Angeles provide an exceptionally delicious Thanksgiving meal. If you are on a budget, <a href="http://cafegratitude.com/">Cafe Gratitude</a> in Venice provides a free and tasty vegan Thanksgiving meal on a first-come-first-serve basis. On the other hand, if you are feeling extra thankful this year, you can always sign up to volunteer during this annual event. If dining out requires too much effort, grocery stores like <a href="http://www.thinknsave.com/2012/11/trader-joes-thanksgiving-dinner.html">Trader Joe’s</a> and <a href="https://www.ralphs.com/onlinedeli/servlet/KRStoreFinderView?catalogId=10102&storeFinderPage=true&langId=-1&storeId=10154">Ralph’s</a> offer Thanksgiving “dinner-to-go” meals with pre-cooked Thanksgiving dishes. Don’t forget, USC always have the option to eat with President Nikias and spend your Thanksgiving with the Trojan family. It’s all up to you.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1024/1xeGDTo_pkbtB43OkViL6mQ.jpeg" width="1024" height="576" loading="lazy" /> <h3>2. Plan a Road Trip</h3> <p>A five-day holiday screams road trip. Los Angeles is the heart of short road trips and getaways. After all, we deserve a relaxing and fun getaway after weeks of sleepless nights and cramming. Outdoor and nature lovers can make a trip to sites like Yosemite Park, Big Sur, and Joshua Tree for hiking, rafting, rock climbing, and camping experiences. If you’d rather not drive that far, take a short trip to Malibu for a walk on the beach, horseback riding, or camping. San Diego is also always a good option: a slower paced alternative to Los Angeles with beautiful beaches like the one in Coronado Island. For the adrenaline junkies, Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear are perfect places for skiing and other related activities. Regardless of where you choose, a memorable trip is guaranteed.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3264/1U6ZbAfeaX0xoN0hpauyDuQ.jpeg" width="3264" height="2448" loading="lazy" /> <h3>3. Become a Foodie for a week!</h3> <p>You’ve seen it everywhere: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr. People are taking photos of their food. Whether you’re for this trend or not, it doesn’t hurt to try it out. Explore Yelp an1d the location tags on food Instagrams and you won’t be disappointed with the choice you make. Who knew the exploring process would be just as fun as the actual eating process? If anywhere, Los Angeles has all the food you could possibly crave. If you head to <a href="http://republiquela.com/">Republique</a> not far from campus, you’ll find yourself drooling over the variety of pastries as well as their delicious menu options such as their breakfast sandwich, brioche french toast, and regular breakfast. <a href="http://www.lepainquotidien.com/store/downtown-la/#.VkJxfxNViko">Le Pain Quotidien’s</a> avocado toast, warm Belgian waffle, and toasted ham & cheese croissant are also must-tries. Plus, they’re located just 10 minutes from the USC campus! No matter how full you are, there is <strong>always</strong> room for dessert. For a scoop of joy, visit <a href="http://saltandstraw.com/">Salt & Straw</a> at Larchmont for some freshly made ice cream. Currently, they offer Thanksgiving flavors such as Apple Cranberry Stuffing, Sweet Potato w/ Maple Pecan, and savory flavors like Buttered Mashed Potatoes & Gravy. You also can’t go wrong with their signature flavors, especially Honey Lavender and Roasted Strawberry & Toasted White Chocolate. Eat with no regrets or just eat now & regret later! And remember, take a picture of your food for future drools.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/11KhTL9Lx6m1X2_MBDn22mg.jpeg" width="640" height="480" loading="lazy" /> <h3>4. Stay Active</h3> <p>Need to burn off the turkey and stuffing or those stress binge sessions before exams? Los Angeles offers numerous hiking trails ranging from popular hikes to awesome but yet to be discovered hikes. The Mt. Hollywood Hike is one of those iconic hikes that you must visit sometime in your life. If you are up for a challenge, start the hike from Fern Dell instead of driving halfway up to the Observatory and hiking from there. Hiking the Cahuenga Peak and Wisdom Tree is also great for those who want a short but effective workout while getting a beautiful view of Burbank. Eaton Canyon Hike is also a quiet and moderate hike in Pasadena. If you’re lucky, the hike rewards you with a scenic waterfall that allows you to dive in and cool down. Not a lover of the outdoors? Sign up for a spinning class ten minutes from campus at <a href="http://www.bespokecyclingstudio.com/our-studio/">BeSpoke</a> that integrates pump up music into a sweaty workout or a kickboxing class 20 minutes from campus at <a href="http://www.prevaillosangeles.com/">Prevail Los Angeles</a> to alleviate all the stress you have been having. It’s hard to believe, but you can make exercising <strong>fun</strong>.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2716/1*cS73AB4nwPPaFvh-sN4ztQ.jpeg" width="2716" height="1810" loading="lazy" /> <h3>5. Reward yourself with Some R&R</h3> <p>Rest and relaxation are crucial after months of nonstop hustle and bustle. Take time for yourself because as fun as it is to immerse yourself in a crowd full of people you love, alone time is just as important. The end of 2015 is around the corner; reflect on great memories, people, and accomplishments from this year and let us not forget to remind ourselves how blessed and fortunate we are to be healthy, living, and of course, a Trojan. Make time for yourself and soak it all in; it is therapeutic and rejuvenating.</p> <p>Gobble gobble—stay safe and have a good break!</p> <p>Reach Contributor Lizzy You <a href="mailto:[email protected]">here</a>.</p> </section>	5 Things To Do During Thanksgiving Break for International/Non-Traveling Students by Lizzy You While most students are frantically booking their tickets back home for the long awaited Thanksgiving meal, international students and those who simply do not want to deal with the hassle of traveling are researching things to do during this upcoming break. Don’t panic, we are in Los Angeles. If anything, there are too many options. 1. Experience a Thanksgiving Dinner Locally Most of the international students have yet to experience a traditional Thanksgiving meal. On the other hand, non-travelers crave their mother’s home-made turkey with stuffing. Who knew these problems could be so easily solved? Many restaurants around Los Angeles provide an exceptionally delicious Thanksgiving meal. If you are on a budget, Cafe Gratitude in Venice provides a free and tasty vegan Thanksgiving meal on a first-come-first-serve basis. On the other hand, if you are feeling extra thankful this year, you can always sign up to volunteer during this annual event. If dining out requires too much effort, grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and Ralph’s offer Thanksgiving “dinner-to-go” meals with pre-cooked Thanksgiving dishes. Don’t forget, USC always have the option to eat with President Nikias and spend your Thanksgiving with the Trojan family. It’s all up to you. 2. Plan a Road Trip A five-day holiday screams road trip. Los Angeles is the heart of short road trips and getaways. After all, we deserve a relaxing and fun getaway after weeks of sleepless nights and cramming. Outdoor and nature lovers can make a trip to sites like Yosemite Park, Big Sur, and Joshua Tree for hiking, rafting, rock climbing, and camping experiences. If you’d rather not drive that far, take a short trip to Malibu for a walk on the beach, horseback riding, or camping. San Diego is also always a good option: a slower paced alternative to Los Angeles with beautiful beaches like the one in Coronado Island. For the adrenaline junkies, Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear are perfect places for skiing and other related activities. Regardless of where you choose, a memorable trip is guaranteed. Photo by Lizzy You 3. Become a Foodie for a week! You’ve seen it everywhere: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr. People are taking photos of their food. Whether you’re for this trend or not, it doesn’t hurt to try it out. Explore Yelp an1d the location tags on food Instagrams and you won’t be disappointed with the choice you make. Who knew the exploring process would be just as fun as the actual eating process? If anywhere, Los Angeles has all the food you could possibly crave. If you head to Republique not far from campus, you’ll find yourself drooling over the variety of pastries as well as their delicious menu options such as their breakfast sandwich, brioche french toast, and regular breakfast. Le Pain Quotidien’s avocado toast, warm Belgian waffle, and toasted ham & cheese croissant are also must-tries. Plus, they’re located just 10 minutes from the USC campus! No matter how full you are, there is always room for dessert. For a scoop of joy, visit Salt & Straw at Larchmont for some freshly made ice cream. Currently, they offer Thanksgiving flavors such as Apple Cranberry Stuffing, Sweet Potato w/ Maple Pecan, and savory flavors like Buttered Mashed Potatoes & Gravy. You also can’t go wrong with their signature flavors, especially Honey Lavender and Roasted Strawberry & Toasted White Chocolate. Eat with no regrets or just eat now & regret later! And remember, take a picture of your food for future drools. Mitch Barrie/Creative Commons 4. Stay Active Need to burn off the turkey and stuffing or those stress binge sessions before exams? Los Angeles offers numerous hiking trails ranging from popular hikes to awesome but yet to be discovered hikes. The Mt. Hollywood Hike is one of those iconic hikes that you must visit sometime in your life. If you are up for a challenge, start the hike from Fern Dell instead of driving halfway up to the Observatory and hiking from there. Hiking the Cahuenga Peak and Wisdom Tree is also great for those who want a short but effective workout while getting a beautiful view of Burbank. Eaton Canyon Hike is also a quiet and moderate hike in Pasadena. If you’re lucky, the hike rewards you with a scenic waterfall that allows you to dive in and cool down. Not a lover of the outdoors? Sign up for a spinning class ten minutes from campus at BeSpoke that integrates pump up music into a sweaty workout or a kickboxing class 20 minutes from campus at Prevail Los Angeles to alleviate all the stress you have been having. It’s hard to believe, but you can make exercising fun. 5. Reward yourself with Some R&R Rest and relaxation are crucial after months of nonstop hustle and bustle. Take time for yourself because as fun as it is to immerse yourself in a crowd full of people you love, alone time is just as important. The end of 2015 is around the corner; reflect on great memories, people, and accomplishments from this year and let us not forget to remind ourselves how blessed and fortunate we are to be healthy, living, and of course, a Trojan. Make time for yourself and soak it all in; it is therapeutic and rejuvenating. Gobble gobble—stay safe and have a good break! Reach Contributor Lizzy You here.	1d0cdaca-a3f9-5059-8794-3a846ea39035	25/08/2025 18:01:27
https://medium.com/@SourceWeeklyBend/the-pets-are-alright-b604168e3033	medium.com	The Pets Are Alright	Swap heartbreaking animal movies for those with happy endings.	The Source Weekly	https://medium.com/@SourceWeeklyBend	b604168e3033	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*GNmNRPvWOFfZ0hhu.	2 min	2017-08-03T21:03:44.170000	2017-08-03T21:06:21.891000	2018-05-30T23:34:45.076000	0	0	en	Movies,Pets,Animals	<section> <p>Swap heartbreaking animal movies for those with happy endings.</p> <h1>Don’t worry, no animals were harmed in any of these movies</h1> <p>BY <a href="https://www.bendsource.com/bend/ArticleArchives?author=2124677">JARED RASIC</a></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/620/0*GNmNRPvWOFfZ0hhu." width="620" height="413" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>I can watch people get shot, blown up and serial killed all day long, but as soon as something bad happens to an animal…I’m out. I’ve still never seen “Marley & Me” because I know how it ends and I’m not a masochist. For the Pet Issue of <a href="https://www.bendsource.com/">The Source Weekly</a> my normally snarky self was thinking about writing a few words about movies like “Cujo” and “Pet Semetary,” but instead join me for something completely different. This week we’re looking at movies where NO PETS</strong> DIE and no children are scarred for life.</p> <p><strong>Gremlins:</strong> Billy Peltzer’s dog Barney is in jeopardy the moment he breaks mean Mrs. Deagle’s ceramic snowman, not to mention from all the dang Gremlins. He gets tied up in some Christmas lights and the Gremlins definitely screw with the poor little pooch quite a bit, but he survives the movie happy and healthy. The same can’t be said of several humans.</p> <p><strong>Babe:</strong> Fun fact: The director of “Babe” is also the director of all the “Mad Max” movies. George Miller doesn’t play. Everyone has seen this, but in case it’s been a while, you should definitely watch it again. The story of a pig that wants to be a sheepdog is still one of the greatest family films of all time, and if you show it to the kids at the perfect age, you’ll save a lot of money on bacon. This film is timeless and an all-time classic. “Babe: A Pig in the City” is also pretty wonderful, in case you were wondering.</p> <p><strong>Alien:</strong> Jones is the “ship’s cat” aboard the Nostromo. This cat not only lives in space, but survives a kill-crazy alien with a really pokey tongue and acid blood. Jones is even responsible for one of the best jump scares in the classic film when he jumps out at Ripley while she’s trying to avoid a face hugger. After Jones and Ripley kill the Alien (well, Ripley does most of the work), they climb into their cryosleep chamber and sleep for 57 years until they’re woken up just in time for “Aliens.” That makes Jones the oldest cat in history. The more you know.</p> <p><strong>Keanu:</strong> Key and Peele’s ridiculous comedy gets funnier every single time I watch it. They play two nerdy best friends who find an adorable kitten that used to belong to a drug lord. When the kitten is kidnapped by some gangsters, Key and Peele pretend they’re a pair of tough guys and go through hell to rescue their kitten. Seriously, this kitten is so cute (especially when he gets dressed up like a gangster) that your heart will melt all over the place.</p> <p><strong>Best in Show:</strong> The wonderful thing about “Best in Show” is how much the film cares about how we connect with our pets and the lengths we’ll go to in order for them to be happy. The film is at times hilarious and heartwarming while also showing the behind the scenes of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. From the filmmakers behind “This is Spinal Tap” and “Waiting for Guffman,” this wonderful comedy deserves a place in your constant rotation.</p> <p>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.bendsource.com/bend/the-pets-are-alright/Content?oid=3716301">The Source Weekly</a> in Bend, Oregon.</p> </section>	The Pets Are Alright Swap heartbreaking animal movies for those with happy endings. Don’t worry, no animals were harmed in any of these movies BY JARED RASIC I can watch people get shot, blown up and serial killed all day long, but as soon as something bad happens to an animal…I’m out. I’ve still never seen “Marley & Me” because I know how it ends and I’m not a masochist. For the Pet Issue of The Source Weekly my normally snarky self was thinking about writing a few words about movies like “Cujo” and “Pet Semetary,” but instead join me for something completely different. This week we’re looking at movies where NO PETS DIE and no children are scarred for life. Gremlins: Billy Peltzer’s dog Barney is in jeopardy the moment he breaks mean Mrs. Deagle’s ceramic snowman, not to mention from all the dang Gremlins. He gets tied up in some Christmas lights and the Gremlins definitely screw with the poor little pooch quite a bit, but he survives the movie happy and healthy. The same can’t be said of several humans. Babe: Fun fact: The director of “Babe” is also the director of all the “Mad Max” movies. George Miller doesn’t play. Everyone has seen this, but in case it’s been a while, you should definitely watch it again. The story of a pig that wants to be a sheepdog is still one of the greatest family films of all time, and if you show it to the kids at the perfect age, you’ll save a lot of money on bacon. This film is timeless and an all-time classic. “Babe: A Pig in the City” is also pretty wonderful, in case you were wondering. Alien: Jones is the “ship’s cat” aboard the Nostromo. This cat not only lives in space, but survives a kill-crazy alien with a really pokey tongue and acid blood. Jones is even responsible for one of the best jump scares in the classic film when he jumps out at Ripley while she’s trying to avoid a face hugger. After Jones and Ripley kill the Alien (well, Ripley does most of the work), they climb into their cryosleep chamber and sleep for 57 years until they’re woken up just in time for “Aliens.” That makes Jones the oldest cat in history. The more you know. Keanu: Key and Peele’s ridiculous comedy gets funnier every single time I watch it. They play two nerdy best friends who find an adorable kitten that used to belong to a drug lord. When the kitten is kidnapped by some gangsters, Key and Peele pretend they’re a pair of tough guys and go through hell to rescue their kitten. Seriously, this kitten is so cute (especially when he gets dressed up like a gangster) that your heart will melt all over the place. Best in Show: The wonderful thing about “Best in Show” is how much the film cares about how we connect with our pets and the lengths we’ll go to in order for them to be happy. The film is at times hilarious and heartwarming while also showing the behind the scenes of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. From the filmmakers behind “This is Spinal Tap” and “Waiting for Guffman,” this wonderful comedy deserves a place in your constant rotation. This article originally appeared in The Source Weekly in Bend, Oregon.	44bf8caa-780c-508f-ad9c-97272b482602	25/08/2025 18:01:27
https://medium.com/@temptingholiday/7-places-you-just-cant-afford-to-miss-in-hong-kong-f69c61d35fe3	medium.com	7 Places you Just Can’t Afford To Miss In Hong Kong	A place where shining harbor sings to the sky full of towering skyscrapers in the midst of shopping malls, high-speed trams, delicious food…	Anand Patel	https://medium.com/@temptingholiday	f69c61d35fe3	https://miro.medium.com/…btl4GBSf7Dg.jpeg	4 min	2017-06-27T12:40:22.248000	2017-06-27T13:06:05.456000	2017-06-27T13:06:22.200000	0	0	en	Hong Kong,Ladiesmarket,Star Ferry,Tempting Holiday	<section> <p>A place where shining harbor sings to the sky full of towering skyscrapers in the midst of shopping malls, high-speed trams, delicious food and just about everything; Hong Kong is just too good to let to. One of the most densely populated places on the face of this earth; it almost feels like the city has legs.</p> <p>The fast-paced traffic and transportation, lively people and mesmerizing neon-lit streets most often make one breathless. The city has infectious energy and you almost feel like you’re missing something if you’re not out on the streets.</p> <p><strong>Victoria Peak:</strong></p> <p>It is one of the most popular attractions of the city, if not the most popular. The Peak Tram is the best way to reach the peak which is a mind boggling experience in itself. The peak provides glorious views of the city including; shimmering harbor, eye-popping skyscrapers and vast green stretches of the new territories. The highest point of the city, Victoria Peak has an observation platform, a museum and also few options for dining and shopping.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/510/1QnMmmPzwD95btl4GBSf7Dg.jpeg" width="510" height="340" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Disneyland:</strong></p> <p>The park houses numerous of attractions for both kids and adults ranging from marvel’s theme ride to Star War’s Tomorrowland experience. The park has four theme zones and each one is more fun than the previous one. You can really have some serious fun with your friends and family here and make some indelible memories for years to come. There are also few good restaurants and shops to make your experience an unforgettable one.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/800/16CGGyq2OzUAcvlqvdp8tng.jpeg" width="800" height="514" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Ocean Park</strong></p> <p>The world’s largest aquarium or not; this place has everything to captivate your interest. Here, the two main entertainment zones of the park are connected by a cable car. The park has several animal shows, thrilling rides and various other points of interest for tourists. If you love animals or want a peak at the aquatic life from up-close or if you have kids with you; this place is a must visit for all terms.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2048/1J-rDkDNo2LYyGDufDAEsjQ.jpeg" width="2048" height="1536" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Ladies Market</strong></p> <p>If you’re a woman and you are reading this, then you can never ever afford to give this place a miss. The market has over 100 stalls, selling women clothing, accessories, cosmetics, handbags, jewelry, household items and other things. Ladies, this is the place where you can put your bargaining and haggling skills to test and trust me if you’re any good you can grab some really exciting and affordable deals here.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/1Xav8RNCqzxFfOOvZxeSSEA.jpeg" width="1280" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Star Ferry</strong></p> <p>The ferry is one of the oldest modes of transportation for locals and the ride between Kowloon and Hong Kong is considered as a lifetime experience by most of the tourists around the globe. The ferry ride offers spectacular views of the Victoria Harbor in contrast with a beautiful canvas of the gleaming Skyscrapers in between. Although other means of transport have developed through the years, the ferry still remains as one of the most popular means of transport for both tourists and locals.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/980/10SUKNlwWlm4Wgaql3r4Q2g.jpeg" width="980" height="551" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>The Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery</strong></p> <p>The 32 meters tall Buddha Statue is one of the most enthralling sites in Hong Kong. It is one of the most important sites of Buddhism in Asia and a must visit attraction for people in Hong Kong. You can take either stairs or a cable car to reach the statue and even plan to visit Po Lin Monastery that is located in its close proximity. There is a beautiful garden in the monastery and you can even enjoy delicious vegetarian food at its restaurant.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/610/1YTJr2Y2kj56_uyD_qCI4KA.jpeg" width="610" height="407" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Ngong Ping 260</strong></p> <p>The cable car journey starts with a 25 minutes ride which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. The 6 km ride drafts you back in time by giving a chance to explore the more cultural and traditional Hong Kong by at Ngong Ping Village which is located extremely close to Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. The village has lots of interesting attractions, mainly; Walking With Buddha, Monkey’s Tale Theatre and it also has lots of shopping options and eateries to keep you interested.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1295/1*0YKZGC8TqbHqCqqfgv38ew.jpeg" width="1295" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <p>Come and explore Hong Kong with <a href="http://www.temptingholiday.com/">TemptingHoliday</a></p> </section>	7 Places you Just Can’t Afford To Miss In Hong Kong A place where shining harbor sings to the sky full of towering skyscrapers in the midst of shopping malls, high-speed trams, delicious food and just about everything; Hong Kong is just too good to let to. One of the most densely populated places on the face of this earth; it almost feels like the city has legs. The fast-paced traffic and transportation, lively people and mesmerizing neon-lit streets most often make one breathless. The city has infectious energy and you almost feel like you’re missing something if you’re not out on the streets. Victoria Peak: It is one of the most popular attractions of the city, if not the most popular. The Peak Tram is the best way to reach the peak which is a mind boggling experience in itself. The peak provides glorious views of the city including; shimmering harbor, eye-popping skyscrapers and vast green stretches of the new territories. The highest point of the city, Victoria Peak has an observation platform, a museum and also few options for dining and shopping. Disneyland: The park houses numerous of attractions for both kids and adults ranging from marvel’s theme ride to Star War’s Tomorrowland experience. The park has four theme zones and each one is more fun than the previous one. You can really have some serious fun with your friends and family here and make some indelible memories for years to come. There are also few good restaurants and shops to make your experience an unforgettable one. Ocean Park The world’s largest aquarium or not; this place has everything to captivate your interest. Here, the two main entertainment zones of the park are connected by a cable car. The park has several animal shows, thrilling rides and various other points of interest for tourists. If you love animals or want a peak at the aquatic life from up-close or if you have kids with you; this place is a must visit for all terms. Ladies Market If you’re a woman and you are reading this, then you can never ever afford to give this place a miss. The market has over 100 stalls, selling women clothing, accessories, cosmetics, handbags, jewelry, household items and other things. Ladies, this is the place where you can put your bargaining and haggling skills to test and trust me if you’re any good you can grab some really exciting and affordable deals here. Star Ferry The ferry is one of the oldest modes of transportation for locals and the ride between Kowloon and Hong Kong is considered as a lifetime experience by most of the tourists around the globe. The ferry ride offers spectacular views of the Victoria Harbor in contrast with a beautiful canvas of the gleaming Skyscrapers in between. Although other means of transport have developed through the years, the ferry still remains as one of the most popular means of transport for both tourists and locals. The Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery The 32 meters tall Buddha Statue is one of the most enthralling sites in Hong Kong. It is one of the most important sites of Buddhism in Asia and a must visit attraction for people in Hong Kong. You can take either stairs or a cable car to reach the statue and even plan to visit Po Lin Monastery that is located in its close proximity. There is a beautiful garden in the monastery and you can even enjoy delicious vegetarian food at its restaurant. Ngong Ping 260 The cable car journey starts with a 25 minutes ride which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. The 6 km ride drafts you back in time by giving a chance to explore the more cultural and traditional Hong Kong by at Ngong Ping Village which is located extremely close to Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. The village has lots of interesting attractions, mainly; Walking With Buddha, Monkey’s Tale Theatre and it also has lots of shopping options and eateries to keep you interested. Come and explore Hong Kong with TemptingHoliday	f705b9e2-fa2c-56c3-9cc8-3a0c04eeec73	25/08/2025 18:01:28
https://medium.com/koinonia/lets-talk-about-living-peacefully-5b04bbd7f546	medium.com	Let’s Talk About Living Peacefully	How to obtain the fruit of peace, even during chaos	Brandon Swader	https://medium.com/@brandonswader	5b04bbd7f546	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*4z4fAF1CUKOkAUBl	1 min	2020-06-04T22:36:10.510000	2020-06-05T16:52:04.262000	2021-12-14T18:11:09.757000	0	206	en	Christianity,God,Peace,Christ,Trusting God	<section> <h3>How to obtain the fruit of peace, even during chaos</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/04z4fAF1CUKOkAUBl" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <p>Living a peaceful life can be very challenging during everyday life, and even more challenging during a personal struggle. Thankfully God is here to provide us with peace whenever we need it.</p> <p>Living a peaceful life all depends on our ability to trust God, regardless of our current circumstances.</p> <p>Mastering trust in God above all can be challenging, but when you trust in Him, you will succeed in obtaining a peaceful life.</p> <h3>Peace (Pineapple)</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2500/0MWxkayRj8qZMA2N_" width="2500" height="1669" loading="lazy" /> <p>Our struggles, both internal and external, work to take peace away from us, but God will not allow this to happen.</p> <p>God wants us to have peace throughout our struggles, and all He wants in return is for us to trust in Him and His word above all, and while this may be challenging at first, God understands if we struggle to trust Him and His promise.</p> <p>When you are struggling to live peacefully in your life, simply pray for the outcome that will grant you peace.</p> <p>If you find yourself struggling to trust in God fulfilling your prayer, try this simple request to God:</p> <blockquote>“Dear God, please eliminate the irrational voices in my head working to take my peace away from me, You are going to fulfill my every desire, please allow me to begin living as if you already have.”</blockquote> <p>This prayer has been life-changing for me, as I can now live a peaceful life, with God by my side; which I’m grateful for every day.</p> <p>God will grant us the fruit of peace when we turn to Him, trust in Him, and ask Him to eliminate all our worries because when you trust in God you will remain peaceful.</p> </section>	Let’s Talk About Living Peacefully How to obtain the fruit of peace, even during chaos Photo by Colton Duke on Unsplash Living a peaceful life can be very challenging during everyday life, and even more challenging during a personal struggle. Thankfully God is here to provide us with peace whenever we need it. Living a peaceful life all depends on our ability to trust God, regardless of our current circumstances. Mastering trust in God above all can be challenging, but when you trust in Him, you will succeed in obtaining a peaceful life. Peace (Pineapple) Photo by Julien Pianetti on Unsplash Our struggles, both internal and external, work to take peace away from us, but God will not allow this to happen. God wants us to have peace throughout our struggles, and all He wants in return is for us to trust in Him and His word above all, and while this may be challenging at first, God understands if we struggle to trust Him and His promise. When you are struggling to live peacefully in your life, simply pray for the outcome that will grant you peace. If you find yourself struggling to trust in God fulfilling your prayer, try this simple request to God: “Dear God, please eliminate the irrational voices in my head working to take my peace away from me, You are going to fulfill my every desire, please allow me to begin living as if you already have.” This prayer has been life-changing for me, as I can now live a peaceful life, with God by my side; which I’m grateful for every day. God will grant us the fruit of peace when we turn to Him, trust in Him, and ask Him to eliminate all our worries because when you trust in God you will remain peaceful.	78a79e2c-6600-5164-9c35-f48a89bcb105	25/08/2025 18:01:28
https://medium.com/@aminebouhia123/euthanasia-and-ethics-between-science-philosophy-and-christian-thought-f38ed8cdb372	medium.com	Euthanasia and Ethics: Between Science, Philosophy, and Christian Thought	null	Les	https://medium.com/@aminebouhia123	f38ed8cdb372	null	3 min	2025-08-24T15:41:25.792000	2025-08-24T15:44:29.808000	2025-08-24T16:29:36.924000	0	0	en	Philosophy,Writing,Politics,Relationships,Fiction	<section> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Euthanasia, commonly referred to as “mercy killing,” stands as one of the most divisive ethical dilemmas in modern times. It raises profound questions about human dignity, autonomy, and the moral weight of ending life intentionally. At its core, the debate on euthanasia lies at the intersection of three critical perspectives: medical science, which evaluates the practice in terms of suffering and care; philosophy, which interrogates its moral legitimacy; and Christian theology, which frames life and death within the sacred order of creation. By examining these perspectives, this article seeks to provide a balanced analysis of the ethical dimensions surrounding euthanasia.</p> <p>---</p> <p>1. The Scientific Perspective</p> <p>From a medical standpoint, euthanasia is often defined as the deliberate act of ending a patient’s life to relieve suffering, particularly in cases of terminal illness where no cure is possible. Medicine differentiates between active euthanasia (directly causing death, e.g., lethal injection) and passive euthanasia (withdrawing life-sustaining treatment).</p> <p>Supporters of euthanasia within medical science argue that it is a compassionate response to unbearable suffering, one that respects patient autonomy and the right to die with dignity. The principle of beneficence — acting in the best interest of the patient — is invoked to justify easing pain even if it results in hastening death.</p> <p>However, opponents stress the dangers of legitimizing euthanasia. They point to advances in palliative care, which can alleviate pain without resorting to death, and warn of potential abuses, such as pressuring vulnerable patients. Furthermore, the Hippocratic Oath’s ancient injunction, “do no harm,” remains a cornerstone of medical ethics, reminding physicians that their vocation is fundamentally oriented toward healing, not killing.</p> <p>---</p> <p>2. The Philosophical Perspective</p> <p>Philosophy brings a deeper inquiry into the moral dimensions of euthanasia. Ethical theories present divergent views:</p> <p>Utilitarianism (John Stuart Mill, Jeremy Bentham) holds that actions are right if they maximize happiness and minimize suffering. From this standpoint, euthanasia may be ethically permissible if it reduces unbearable pain and fulfills the patient’s wishes.</p> <p>Deontological ethics (Immanuel Kant) rejects such reasoning. For Kant, moral duties are absolute, and human beings must always be treated as ends in themselves, never as means. Intentionally ending a life violates the categorical imperative, regardless of the consequences.</p> <p>Beyond these frameworks, contemporary philosophers raise questions about human dignity. Is dignity preserved by choosing the time and manner of one’s death, or is it inherent in enduring life until its natural end? Similarly, debates about autonomy highlight the tension between individual freedom and societal responsibility: can personal choice justify actions with such profound moral and social implications?</p> <p>---</p> <p>3. The Christian Perspective</p> <p>Christianity, particularly within the Catholic tradition, firmly opposes euthanasia, affirming that life is a sacred gift from God. The Fifth Commandment — “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13) — is interpreted as prohibiting not only murder but also any direct taking of innocent life. For the Church, euthanasia undermines the divine sovereignty over life and death.</p> <p>Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae (1995), emphasized that euthanasia represents a “false mercy,” replacing authentic compassion with the destruction of life. Instead, Christianity advocates for palliative care, which alleviates suffering while respecting life’s inherent dignity. Pain, though deeply tragic, may even hold a spiritual dimension, uniting the believer with Christ’s own suffering.</p> <p>Nevertheless, Christian ethics does recognize the moral legitimacy of refusing “extraordinary means” of treatment when they impose excessive burden with little hope of benefit. In such cases, allowing natural death is distinguished from active euthanasia, which directly intends death.</p> <p>---</p> <p>4. Dialogue and Ethical Tensions</p> <p>The ethical discourse on euthanasia reflects both convergence and conflict among these perspectives. Science emphasizes relief of suffering, philosophy provides frameworks for moral evaluation, and Christianity defends the sanctity of life. Tensions arise when autonomy clashes with religious principles, or when scientific pragmatism confronts absolute moral duties.</p> <p>Yet, dialogue remains possible. Advances in medicine can integrate philosophical and theological insights into a holistic approach to end-of-life care. Respect for human dignity can serve as a shared foundation, even if interpretations differ. The challenge lies in balancing compassion with moral integrity, and individual freedom with collective ethical responsibility.</p> <p>---</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The question of euthanasia reveals the complexity of moral decision-making in a pluralistic world. While science seeks to alleviate suffering, philosophy interrogates the justification of such actions, and Christianity defends life as inviolable. No single perspective fully resolves the dilemma, but together they illuminate the depth of the human struggle with mortality, freedom, and meaning. Ultimately, the debate on euthanasia is not only about how we die but also about how we define the value of life itself.</p> </section>	Euthanasia and Ethics: Between Science, Philosophy, and Christian Thought Introduction Euthanasia, commonly referred to as “mercy killing,” stands as one of the most divisive ethical dilemmas in modern times. It raises profound questions about human dignity, autonomy, and the moral weight of ending life intentionally. At its core, the debate on euthanasia lies at the intersection of three critical perspectives: medical science, which evaluates the practice in terms of suffering and care; philosophy, which interrogates its moral legitimacy; and Christian theology, which frames life and death within the sacred order of creation. By examining these perspectives, this article seeks to provide a balanced analysis of the ethical dimensions surrounding euthanasia. --- 1. The Scientific Perspective From a medical standpoint, euthanasia is often defined as the deliberate act of ending a patient’s life to relieve suffering, particularly in cases of terminal illness where no cure is possible. Medicine differentiates between active euthanasia (directly causing death, e.g., lethal injection) and passive euthanasia (withdrawing life-sustaining treatment). Supporters of euthanasia within medical science argue that it is a compassionate response to unbearable suffering, one that respects patient autonomy and the right to die with dignity. The principle of beneficence — acting in the best interest of the patient — is invoked to justify easing pain even if it results in hastening death. However, opponents stress the dangers of legitimizing euthanasia. They point to advances in palliative care, which can alleviate pain without resorting to death, and warn of potential abuses, such as pressuring vulnerable patients. Furthermore, the Hippocratic Oath’s ancient injunction, “do no harm,” remains a cornerstone of medical ethics, reminding physicians that their vocation is fundamentally oriented toward healing, not killing. --- 2. The Philosophical Perspective Philosophy brings a deeper inquiry into the moral dimensions of euthanasia. Ethical theories present divergent views: Utilitarianism (John Stuart Mill, Jeremy Bentham) holds that actions are right if they maximize happiness and minimize suffering. From this standpoint, euthanasia may be ethically permissible if it reduces unbearable pain and fulfills the patient’s wishes. Deontological ethics (Immanuel Kant) rejects such reasoning. For Kant, moral duties are absolute, and human beings must always be treated as ends in themselves, never as means. Intentionally ending a life violates the categorical imperative, regardless of the consequences. Beyond these frameworks, contemporary philosophers raise questions about human dignity. Is dignity preserved by choosing the time and manner of one’s death, or is it inherent in enduring life until its natural end? Similarly, debates about autonomy highlight the tension between individual freedom and societal responsibility: can personal choice justify actions with such profound moral and social implications? --- 3. The Christian Perspective Christianity, particularly within the Catholic tradition, firmly opposes euthanasia, affirming that life is a sacred gift from God. The Fifth Commandment — “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13) — is interpreted as prohibiting not only murder but also any direct taking of innocent life. For the Church, euthanasia undermines the divine sovereignty over life and death. Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae (1995), emphasized that euthanasia represents a “false mercy,” replacing authentic compassion with the destruction of life. Instead, Christianity advocates for palliative care, which alleviates suffering while respecting life’s inherent dignity. Pain, though deeply tragic, may even hold a spiritual dimension, uniting the believer with Christ’s own suffering. Nevertheless, Christian ethics does recognize the moral legitimacy of refusing “extraordinary means” of treatment when they impose excessive burden with little hope of benefit. In such cases, allowing natural death is distinguished from active euthanasia, which directly intends death. --- 4. Dialogue and Ethical Tensions The ethical discourse on euthanasia reflects both convergence and conflict among these perspectives. Science emphasizes relief of suffering, philosophy provides frameworks for moral evaluation, and Christianity defends the sanctity of life. Tensions arise when autonomy clashes with religious principles, or when scientific pragmatism confronts absolute moral duties. Yet, dialogue remains possible. Advances in medicine can integrate philosophical and theological insights into a holistic approach to end-of-life care. Respect for human dignity can serve as a shared foundation, even if interpretations differ. The challenge lies in balancing compassion with moral integrity, and individual freedom with collective ethical responsibility. --- Conclusion The question of euthanasia reveals the complexity of moral decision-making in a pluralistic world. While science seeks to alleviate suffering, philosophy interrogates the justification of such actions, and Christianity defends life as inviolable. No single perspective fully resolves the dilemma, but together they illuminate the depth of the human struggle with mortality, freedom, and meaning. Ultimately, the debate on euthanasia is not only about how we die but also about how we define the value of life itself.	2fac5257-a1df-53ad-aa41-275400cd462d	25/08/2025 18:01:28
https://medium.com/@thisisnastin/outsourcing-image-restoration-services-to-save-your-memories-2aaeaff091d3	medium.com	Outsourcing Image Restoration Services to Save Your Memories	Scrapes that happen on pictures due to dirt is quite common. Those especially on old pictures, which have an included expressive value to…	Nasrin Akhter	https://medium.com/@thisisnastin	2aaeaff091d3	https://miro.medium.com/…rt5YIyY7-LA.jpeg	2 min	2017-04-01T08:35:25.335000	2017-04-01T08:40:09.233000	2017-07-03T00:06:43.351000	0	1	en	Photography,Startup,Image Restoration,Image Enhancement,Image Manipulation	<section> <p>Scrapes that happen on pictures due to dirt is quite common. Those especially on old pictures, which have an included expressive value to the clients can use. Some other times the loss found on the pictures could be due to bad storage space and would be considered ineffective. Restoration of these pictures is a challenging process and this technique is picture restoration. In the modern era, many new technological innovations on the restoration procedure have allowed clients to enjoy the old pictures as good as new.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/750/1*yhJA1PUoownrt5YIyY7-LA.jpeg" width="750" height="522" loading="lazy" /> <p>The digital restoration process is one in which graphic designer discover ways to correct the confused places of a picture by using Photoshop. Photoshop allows publishers to discover alternatives through different configurations on different places of the picture to produce the result not surprisingly. Not many can do Image Restoration, only a professional expert who has years of experience can do the necessary changes and bring out the picture as good as new.</p> <p>The reason one may have to support on to the old pictures is it usually reminds them of the amazing past that made them the person they are nowadays. Even if image is unclear or broken, some will want to cherish a family portrait or a wedding picture. The work that every editor does to recover its unique self is extremely under-rated. Removal of spots, scrapes is an art with the best workmanship behind the moments. In other words, recovery is a procedure that will revive your previous and carry life back to your long-lost pictures.</p> <p>Although pictures are found with scratches and damages, graphic editors are capable of back its unique self and only a real professional in the area of photo editing can recover these pictures to their unique self in the real sense of the phrase. The question now would be, where do I delegate the pictures to and how do I identify the best company that provides photo restoration services? The best possible advice to choose a outsourcing company that provides photo restoration services is recommendations or get on the internet to get the best company that confirms with your rates and delegate the pictures accordingly.</p> <p>Any company that provides <a href="https://www.clippingpartnerindia.com/photo-restoration-services/">photo restoration services </a>will and should seek the services of execs that regardless of the situation will do the required as soon as possible. Outsourcing companies also offer other photo editing service along with restoration like,</p> <p>· Image Enhancement Services</p> <p>· <a href="https://www.clippingpartnerindia.com/image-manipulation-services/">Image Manipulation Services</a></p> <p>· Panorama Map Services</p> <p>· Photo Cutout Services</p> <p>· Photo Retouching Services</p> <p>· Image Colorization Services</p> <p>· Image Post Processing Services</p> <p>· Photo Restoration Services</p> <p>· Image Clipping Services</p> <p>· Photo Editing Services</p> <p>· Image Background Removal Services</p> <p>· Photo Resizing Services</p> </section>	Outsourcing Image Restoration Services to Save Your Memories Scrapes that happen on pictures due to dirt is quite common. Those especially on old pictures, which have an included expressive value to the clients can use. Some other times the loss found on the pictures could be due to bad storage space and would be considered ineffective. Restoration of these pictures is a challenging process and this technique is picture restoration. In the modern era, many new technological innovations on the restoration procedure have allowed clients to enjoy the old pictures as good as new. The digital restoration process is one in which graphic designer discover ways to correct the confused places of a picture by using Photoshop. Photoshop allows publishers to discover alternatives through different configurations on different places of the picture to produce the result not surprisingly. Not many can do Image Restoration, only a professional expert who has years of experience can do the necessary changes and bring out the picture as good as new. The reason one may have to support on to the old pictures is it usually reminds them of the amazing past that made them the person they are nowadays. Even if image is unclear or broken, some will want to cherish a family portrait or a wedding picture. The work that every editor does to recover its unique self is extremely under-rated. Removal of spots, scrapes is an art with the best workmanship behind the moments. In other words, recovery is a procedure that will revive your previous and carry life back to your long-lost pictures. Although pictures are found with scratches and damages, graphic editors are capable of back its unique self and only a real professional in the area of photo editing can recover these pictures to their unique self in the real sense of the phrase. The question now would be, where do I delegate the pictures to and how do I identify the best company that provides photo restoration services? The best possible advice to choose a outsourcing company that provides photo restoration services is recommendations or get on the internet to get the best company that confirms with your rates and delegate the pictures accordingly. Any company that provides photo restoration services will and should seek the services of execs that regardless of the situation will do the required as soon as possible. Outsourcing companies also offer other photo editing service along with restoration like, · Image Enhancement Services · Image Manipulation Services · Panorama Map Services · Photo Cutout Services · Photo Retouching Services · Image Colorization Services · Image Post Processing Services · Photo Restoration Services · Image Clipping Services · Photo Editing Services · Image Background Removal Services · Photo Resizing Services	acddbac5-7bb6-560a-bfe6-18a3bcf69b7f	25/08/2025 18:01:28
https://medium.com/penny-zine/dear-nnamdi-85db7c2ac0d0	medium.com	Dear Nnamdi	But on some western shore, my ancestor was sister to her ancestor, and they stole mine.	Penny	https://medium.com/@Penny_Zine	85db7c2ac0d0	https://miro.medium.com/…q7AeQ-WkYqw.jpeg	4 min	2017-06-04T15:05:13.938000	2017-06-09T16:47:22.451000	2018-01-02T19:46:05.070000	0	3	en	Nigeria,Illustration,Plum Illustration,Short Story	<section> <p>written by Tyrese Coleman \| illustrated and art directed by <a href="https://www.plumillustration.com/">Plum</a></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1692/1*ktcBNJo4QN8q7AeQ-WkYqw.jpeg" width="1692" height="2490" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Sent: Sat 8/15/2015 6:03 AM</strong></p> <p>I shouldn’t show up today, but I’m coming to your wedding. The <em>American </em>wedding. I will stand when the minister asks if anyone objects because I do, and I’ve always wanted to attend a wedding where that happens. I’m a law student, I know how to object. I’ve got evidence to sustain. Your poems. Dick-pics. Clothes in my dresser. Toothbrush in my bathroom. Morning calls. Morning wood. You. Here. Sleeping. Now.</p> <p>Maybe I am a whore like your mother thinks.</p> <p>But my bed is warm, body still slick and tender.</p> <p>Maybe we made a baby.</p> <p><strong>Sent: Sat 8/15/2015 11:28 AM</strong></p> <p>Just so you know, I don’t care about <em>Miss Nigeria</em>. The opposite of me with her bright cocoa skin, flawless weave, makeup expertly applied. Yes, I know what she looks like — saved your picture from the Metro Section. <em>Two doctors, first generation, prominent families, two weddings — here and in Nigeria — homes in D.C., London, Lagos.</em> Tell your Igbo-bougie mother you taught me how to make fufu. My southern accent doesn’t mean I’m stupid, just as much as her being asked to repeat herself because her words start with O’s wide like butts in Kente cloth doesn’t mean shit either.</p> <p>1. I will be an attorney. A judge! 2. You were my first, my only. 3. My father is a professor, my mother a chef, my sister a nurse. 4. I am a good woman.</p> <p>But — Miss Nigeria is Igbo.</p> <p>Congratulations. You found a suitable wife.</p> <p>Your precious mother hates the sight of me. I’m impure, I know, I know. My best friend says light-skin women have nothing to complain about. She pulls my hair like I’m a doll, tells me I need a tan: my legs are Perdue chicken thighs. That shit ain’t funny. My yellow-brown thighs signal wantonness, physical proof of brown legs split for a white dick — you know — we talked about that. Late night, ganja filled our chests, and we pontificated: Ann Petry’s <em>The Street</em>, the sex-crazed mulatta tragedy of Sara Jane in <em>Imitation of Life</em>. Literature doesn’t provide happy endings for women who look like me. Real life doesn’t either. That night you told me about her. Said she didn’t matter. Appease your mother, you said. Does Miss Nigeria know your poetry? The idleness of writing doesn’t seem to fit your mother’s ideal of a good Igbo boy. She hates the influence of my pale otherness on you, yet I know nothing but black.</p> <p>Black not African.</p> <p>“Never African. Never Nigerian. Never Igbo. Never for you.” Your mother chastened when we met as if you were a child bringing home a stray dog.</p> <p>But on some western shore, my ancestor was sister to her ancestor, and they <em>stole</em> mine. I’m no longer littered with sand, not enough grit to grip when the boat leaves, and we are tied feet to wrist. This will get me in trouble, but I speak what’s in my bones. It’s our bones from another lifetime, Nnamdi, lying at the sea bottom. If you marry her, they will never make it home.</p> <p><strong>Sent: Sun 8/16/2015 4:32 AM</strong></p> <p>This is not an apology.</p> <p><em>I </em>handled myself well. Had your mother not put her finger in my face — her sculpted head wrap quivering with each chicken-like neck jerk — if she had just sat down like the lady she claims, if she had not called me <em>akata</em> with her nose wrinkled like she smelled shit, or like I was shit, and what was I doing there, and who the hell did I think I was, then I may not have had to raise my voice and tell the church where you were at 6:03 AM. I know you said that word doesn’t mean <em>nigger</em>, but that’s how she said it. I know! If anyone out of us is a nigger, it’s me.</p> <p>I am not begging you to take me back.</p> <p>But, when she slapped me, was there any part of you that wanted to act? My face cracked, red, glowed with tears and blood vessels. You watched while every woman there spat in my face, your male cousins laughing, high-fiving behind your back. Did your heart stir? Eight years, and you can’t protect me?</p> <p>Friends warned me about Nigerian men. We’ve all dated at least one, a black woman’s rite of passage. It’s ignorant to generalize. Not <em>all</em> Nigerian men are like you. But, you don’t make it easy. Or is it just men? That’s what Amy Winehouse is singing to me. We staring down this dark liquid tunnel numbing my face, my body, what’s left of my mind. What is it about men? <em>What iis it ab-boouut men?</em> Amy and I, we commiserating.</p> <p>I saw the real you at the altar. Beautiful — no doubt, that’s why I love you. The ceremony in a golden dusky light, you were an eclipse. In you seeing her, I didn’t perceive romantic love. Nah. Greater. Greater than what I thought we had. I see it now. Saw it when you cried at the sight of her — pride instead of love. Your heart sang some language I don’t understand. Pride greater than any love you could ever have for me. I have no culture. I come from plain old slavery and miscegenation. She’s your lifelong dream. Of dances and song and food and family and hope and everything else. She’s your mother, and her mother, and her mother. She’s the reason why you’re here. The reason I fell for you. And for you…I could never be for you.</p> <p>I’ll take a wash for the past eight years and just say I’ll see you next lifetime. Maybe then we will both make it through the middle passage. Or not. I’ve got work tomorrow. Come get your shit.</p> <p>End.</p> <p><strong>About the artists:</strong></p> <p><strong>Tyrese L. Coleman</strong> is a writer, wife, mother, and attorney. She is also the fiction editor for District Lit, and an associate editor at SmokeLong Quarterly. A 2016 Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and a nonfiction scholar at Virginia Quarterly Review’s 2016 Writer’s Conference, her prose has appeared in several publications, including PANK, Day One, Buzzfeed, Brevity, The Rumpus, Hobart, listed in Wigleaf’s Top 50 (very) short fictions, and forthcoming at The Kenyon Review. She can be reached at <a href="http://tyresecoleman.com/">tyresecoleman.com</a>.</p> <p><strong><a h</strong>ref="https://www.plumillustration.com/about">Plum</a> is an illustration collective based in Brooklyn, NY.</p> </section>	Dear Nnamdi written by Tyrese Coleman \| illustrated and art directed by Plum Sent: Sat 8/15/2015 6:03 AM I shouldn’t show up today, but I’m coming to your wedding. The American wedding. I will stand when the minister asks if anyone objects because I do, and I’ve always wanted to attend a wedding where that happens. I’m a law student, I know how to object. I’ve got evidence to sustain. Your poems. Dick-pics. Clothes in my dresser. Toothbrush in my bathroom. Morning calls. Morning wood. You. Here. Sleeping. Now. Maybe I am a whore like your mother thinks. But my bed is warm, body still slick and tender. Maybe we made a baby. Sent: Sat 8/15/2015 11:28 AM Just so you know, I don’t care about Miss Nigeria. The opposite of me with her bright cocoa skin, flawless weave, makeup expertly applied. Yes, I know what she looks like — saved your picture from the Metro Section. Two doctors, first generation, prominent families, two weddings — here and in Nigeria — homes in D.C., London, Lagos. Tell your Igbo-bougie mother you taught me how to make fufu. My southern accent doesn’t mean I’m stupid, just as much as her being asked to repeat herself because her words start with O’s wide like butts in Kente cloth doesn’t mean shit either. 1. I will be an attorney. A judge! 2. You were my first, my only. 3. My father is a professor, my mother a chef, my sister a nurse. 4. I am a good woman. But — Miss Nigeria is Igbo. Congratulations. You found a suitable wife. Your precious mother hates the sight of me. I’m impure, I know, I know. My best friend says light-skin women have nothing to complain about. She pulls my hair like I’m a doll, tells me I need a tan: my legs are Perdue chicken thighs. That shit ain’t funny. My yellow-brown thighs signal wantonness, physical proof of brown legs split for a white dick — you know — we talked about that. Late night, ganja filled our chests, and we pontificated: Ann Petry’s The Street, the sex-crazed mulatta tragedy of Sara Jane in Imitation of Life. Literature doesn’t provide happy endings for women who look like me. Real life doesn’t either. That night you told me about her. Said she didn’t matter. Appease your mother, you said. Does Miss Nigeria know your poetry? The idleness of writing doesn’t seem to fit your mother’s ideal of a good Igbo boy. She hates the influence of my pale otherness on you, yet I know nothing but black. Black not African. “Never African. Never Nigerian. Never Igbo. Never for you.” Your mother chastened when we met as if you were a child bringing home a stray dog. But on some western shore, my ancestor was sister to her ancestor, and they stole mine. I’m no longer littered with sand, not enough grit to grip when the boat leaves, and we are tied feet to wrist. This will get me in trouble, but I speak what’s in my bones. It’s our bones from another lifetime, Nnamdi, lying at the sea bottom. If you marry her, they will never make it home. Sent: Sun 8/16/2015 4:32 AM This is not an apology. I handled myself well. Had your mother not put her finger in my face — her sculpted head wrap quivering with each chicken-like neck jerk — if she had just sat down like the lady she claims, if she had not called me akata with her nose wrinkled like she smelled shit, or like I was shit, and what was I doing there, and who the hell did I think I was, then I may not have had to raise my voice and tell the church where you were at 6:03 AM. I know you said that word doesn’t mean nigger, but that’s how she said it. I know! If anyone out of us is a nigger, it’s me. I am not begging you to take me back. But, when she slapped me, was there any part of you that wanted to act? My face cracked, red, glowed with tears and blood vessels. You watched while every woman there spat in my face, your male cousins laughing, high-fiving behind your back. Did your heart stir? Eight years, and you can’t protect me? Friends warned me about Nigerian men. We’ve all dated at least one, a black woman’s rite of passage. It’s ignorant to generalize. Not all Nigerian men are like you. But, you don’t make it easy. Or is it just men? That’s what Amy Winehouse is singing to me. We staring down this dark liquid tunnel numbing my face, my body, what’s left of my mind. What is it about men? What iis it ab-boouut men? Amy and I, we commiserating. I saw the real you at the altar. Beautiful — no doubt, that’s why I love you. The ceremony in a golden dusky light, you were an eclipse. In you seeing her, I didn’t perceive romantic love. Nah. Greater. Greater than what I thought we had. I see it now. Saw it when you cried at the sight of her — pride instead of love. Your heart sang some language I don’t understand. Pride greater than any love you could ever have for me. I have no culture. I come from plain old slavery and miscegenation. She’s your lifelong dream. Of dances and song and food and family and hope and everything else. She’s your mother, and her mother, and her mother. She’s the reason why you’re here. The reason I fell for you. And for you…I could never be for you. I’ll take a wash for the past eight years and just say I’ll see you next lifetime. Maybe then we will both make it through the middle passage. Or not. I’ve got work tomorrow. Come get your shit. End. About the artists: Tyrese L. Coleman is a writer, wife, mother, and attorney. She is also the fiction editor for District Lit, and an associate editor at SmokeLong Quarterly. A 2016 Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and a nonfiction scholar at Virginia Quarterly Review’s 2016 Writer’s Conference, her prose has appeared in several publications, including PANK, Day One, Buzzfeed, Brevity, The Rumpus, Hobart, listed in Wigleaf’s Top 50 (very) short fictions, and forthcoming at The Kenyon Review. She can be reached at tyresecoleman.com. Plum is an illustration collective based in Brooklyn, NY.	306ece4f-3e68-5f1f-bf42-e84e0171d81a	25/08/2025 18:01:28
https://medium.com/@bettymoore/stylish-kids-room-follow-basic-tips-18428ad151b	medium.com	Stylish Kid’s Room: Follow Basic Tips	As a rule, for a small child, there is a smaller room in the house, this is natural and even logical because the parent bedroom should not…	Betty Moore	https://medium.com/@bettymoore	18428ad151b	https://miro.medium.com/…Z485yR1eSYA.jpeg	4 min	2017-05-03T12:36:32.435000	2017-05-03T12:58:24.237000	2018-03-31T14:01:10.418000	0	0	en	Design,Interior Design,Interior,Interior Decorating,Kids	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3795/11B-Hq-KQ340Z485yR1eSYA.jpeg" width="3795" height="2880" loading="lazy" /> <p>As a rule, for a small child, there is a smaller room in the house, this is natural and even logical because the parent bedroom should not be smaller than the child’s bedroom. Therefore using of cold pastel shades is useful not only due to their neutral and calming properties but also because of their <strong>ability to expand space</strong>. Especially it concerns the blue, turquoise, and green shades. At the same time, remember that the less sunshine in the room, the warmer colors should be used.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/16dLWE6ETZM02Lz7oTLbqaA.jpeg" width="1000" height="651" loading="lazy" /> <p>A colored ceiling that matches the general color scheme is welcomed in the kid’s room. And here again<strong> the principle of warm /cold </strong>operates: the higher the ceiling, the warmer its color, the lower — the colder.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1111/1CXKtr6Te0aRs-TJiyEHJ5A.jpeg" width="1111" height="740" loading="lazy" /> <p>Children also like this technique, in which the ceiling and one of the walls are painted in the same color. <strong>Avoid the literal and obtrusive images in the wallpaper pattern</strong>. It is unlikely that you will change them every season, and such patterns are quickly tired and bear in mind for the rest of life.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/624/1IByeso6M0TUaqbzLK2mihA.png" width="624" height="779" loading="lazy" /> <p>Fabric decor and individual pieces of furniture can act as accents — they should combine more intense and saturated shades rather than the background colors of walls, floor, and ceiling.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/1I8asuLBn4nJ_PnI0QpWTig.jpeg" width="1000" height="1000" loading="lazy" /> <p>For example, if the room is made in a combination of peach and violet-blue, then the sofa or bedding should be more saturated purple, and the pillows — light peach. This combination can be supplemented with lilac-blue drapes, a rug, <a href="https://www.manhattanoutlet.com/catalogue/leather-ottomans">an ottoman etc</a>.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/623/1vkTnaLmu32Il8msNjt5Eqw.png" width="623" height="402" loading="lazy" /> <p>A teenager will fiercely defend his interests and preferences. They are <strong>nihilists in color</strong>, and they will demand from you achromatic solutions: a lot of white, gray and black. But the girl and boy will gladly accept the color accents; the children intuitively feel their strength and agree to large local color accents. Boys will prefer blue, red, orange and yellow colors.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/795/1Ao2yJxj6XE8BmbnzDMIqYw.jpeg" width="795" height="530" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/550/1S71QeQUPXrxlRpHAZvNoIQ.jpeg" width="550" height="550" loading="lazy" /> <p>For example, on a <a href="https://www.manhattanoutlet.com/catalogue/living-room-sofas">gray sofa</a> there are red pillows or a blue rug — but all this in an achromatic interior. Girls tend to choose more broken shades: purple, citrine, green (especially pistachio green), lilac and variations of fuchsia.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2078/1UG0fjGM6x3Kb6zP7hu8iMw.jpeg" width="2078" height="1383" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/990/1x1E-TH619db42djU9OWEJg.jpeg" width="990" height="662" loading="lazy" /> <p>Teenagers are interested in decoration and try to <strong>express their individuality through it</strong>. Often it reflects their interests. But there are some common features: black-and-white posters with elements of pop art, street art, technocratic sculptures, and brutal decor in ethnic style are good for boys.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/10kfBtaKs3Y-dvhwiSPsb1Q.jpeg" width="1600" height="1232" loading="lazy" /> <p>Products from rough stone, wood, metal are also appreciated.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/795/1INpONY21d46PVfAKocHLWA.jpeg" width="795" height="530" loading="lazy" /> <p>For girls there is a great variety of fabrics: textured pillows, drapes, <a href="https://www.manhattanoutlet.com/catalogue/carpet-rugs">rugs with pile</a>, mirrors, unusual ceramics and glass, compositions from photos.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/667/1lzq8IqM-0GynabFXUNMxRQ.jpeg" width="667" height="1000" loading="lazy" /> <p>All teens without exception will appreciate the ability to control the light in their room; this will allow them to change the atmosphere, to feel solitude.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/556/1ccqIIxJoZr__Mp6vCcGRwg.png" width="556" height="370" loading="lazy" /> <p>You need to be sympathetic to their desire to separate their space with a closed door; do not interfere it without permission. It is possible that the child will appreciate if his room is locked. It is important for a teenager to have a personal area where he can feel independent of his parents.</p> <p><strong>Typical mistakes:</strong></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/553/1*fNNrOwH4Lz6RdF-q7NphTQ.png" width="553" height="408" loading="lazy" /> <p>· Do not adhere the only one theme! What is good in 3 years cannot remain relevant in 10 years. As soon as the child begins to form a conceptual thinking, this situation becomes uncomfortable, retards development, the child can feel shy of his room in front of friends. Valuable qualities of the kid’s room are mobility and the ability to adapt easily to the age and needs of the child.</p> <p>· A disproportionately large room filled with pompous furniture, dark deep colors, poor lighting is also uncomfortable. The room should meet the needs and interests of the kids, not the parents.</p> <p>· It is not recommended to place the child in a walk-through room. If such a situation is unavoidable, then think about such an arrangement of furniture so that space is limited by a cabinet, a shelving unit, and temporary dividers. Do not place his workplace back to the entrance of the room. A sense of security and personal space is important for the children and especially for teenagers.</p> </section>	Stylish Kid’s Room: Follow Basic Tips As a rule, for a small child, there is a smaller room in the house, this is natural and even logical because the parent bedroom should not be smaller than the child’s bedroom. Therefore using of cold pastel shades is useful not only due to their neutral and calming properties but also because of their ability to expand space. Especially it concerns the blue, turquoise, and green shades. At the same time, remember that the less sunshine in the room, the warmer colors should be used. A colored ceiling that matches the general color scheme is welcomed in the kid’s room. And here again the principle of warm /cold operates: the higher the ceiling, the warmer its color, the lower — the colder. Children also like this technique, in which the ceiling and one of the walls are painted in the same color. Avoid the literal and obtrusive images in the wallpaper pattern. It is unlikely that you will change them every season, and such patterns are quickly tired and bear in mind for the rest of life. Unusual and unconventional wallpaper, only for bold kids :) Fabric decor and individual pieces of furniture can act as accents — they should combine more intense and saturated shades rather than the background colors of walls, floor, and ceiling. For example, if the room is made in a combination of peach and violet-blue, then the sofa or bedding should be more saturated purple, and the pillows — light peach. This combination can be supplemented with lilac-blue drapes, a rug, an ottoman etc. A teenager will fiercely defend his interests and preferences. They are nihilists in color, and they will demand from you achromatic solutions: a lot of white, gray and black. But the girl and boy will gladly accept the color accents; the children intuitively feel their strength and agree to large local color accents. Boys will prefer blue, red, orange and yellow colors. For example, on a gray sofa there are red pillows or a blue rug — but all this in an achromatic interior. Girls tend to choose more broken shades: purple, citrine, green (especially pistachio green), lilac and variations of fuchsia. Teenagers are interested in decoration and try to express their individuality through it. Often it reflects their interests. But there are some common features: black-and-white posters with elements of pop art, street art, technocratic sculptures, and brutal decor in ethnic style are good for boys. Products from rough stone, wood, metal are also appreciated. For girls there is a great variety of fabrics: textured pillows, drapes, rugs with pile, mirrors, unusual ceramics and glass, compositions from photos. All teens without exception will appreciate the ability to control the light in their room; this will allow them to change the atmosphere, to feel solitude. You need to be sympathetic to their desire to separate their space with a closed door; do not interfere it without permission. It is possible that the child will appreciate if his room is locked. It is important for a teenager to have a personal area where he can feel independent of his parents. Typical mistakes: · Do not adhere the only one theme! What is good in 3 years cannot remain relevant in 10 years. As soon as the child begins to form a conceptual thinking, this situation becomes uncomfortable, retards development, the child can feel shy of his room in front of friends. Valuable qualities of the kid’s room are mobility and the ability to adapt easily to the age and needs of the child. · A disproportionately large room filled with pompous furniture, dark deep colors, poor lighting is also uncomfortable. The room should meet the needs and interests of the kids, not the parents. · It is not recommended to place the child in a walk-through room. If such a situation is unavoidable, then think about such an arrangement of furniture so that space is limited by a cabinet, a shelving unit, and temporary dividers. Do not place his workplace back to the entrance of the room. A sense of security and personal space is important for the children and especially for teenagers.	5e695ce1-2b90-5243-b0d8-80559144894a	25/08/2025 18:01:29

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