text:
India can drive growth in digital: Dell Technologies
The number of unicorns and global companies being built out of India presents a significant opportunity, said Amit Midha, president, Asia Pacific & Japan, Dell Technologies.
Priyanka Sangani
India has the potential to be at the centre of a multi-decade growth opportunity due to the growth in digital and data-led solutions in the country, a top executive of Dell Technologies said.
"That represents a significant multi-decade opportunity ahead in terms of creating economic value, talent growth, employment as well as inclusion," Midha said.
Dell's global revenues were up 20% in the previous quarter at $28 billion, with Asia growing at 50% to $3.2 billion. India is the largest business for Dell in the Asia Pacific Japan region, though exact numbers are not available.
The company is betting big on emerging technologies like 5G, Edge, security and modern infrastructure as growth drivers for the business in India going forward.
Customers, Midha said, are now seeking a distributed infrastructure in order to better manage the workforce or factories.
"They want to make sure they are enabling the branches to work on the Edge and be connected. Edge is becoming a much bigger part of the conversation," he said.
Companies are focusing on how they can use artificial intelligence to gain greater value from the data they have and on data protection, security and compliance around data, he said.
They are also investing in automation to make processes repeatable.
For Indian enterprises to take advantage of this opportunity, he said they need to be data driven, agile and have scale, for which people, process and technology were all important.
"You can't always hire the most tech-savvy talent from outside people in the organization that have process knowledge, who have customer knowledge, who understand the operation side of things. They need to become more tech savvy," Midha said.
The company has worked on digitising processes and mapping the customer journey through the organisation to find gaps and inconsistencies.
"This way, not only do we have consistency, but now in any time we bring innovation in one location, we can take it to another location as we are agile and scalable and can replicate things very quickly," he said.
This, too, needs an investment in people.
"You need process engineers who are thinking digital," said Midha.
The Covid-19 pandemic had resulted in a K-type recovery, with companies that had invested in technology, digital and data continuing to do well, he added.
telecom equipment


Our supreme detailing, in collaboration with JNT Automotive Detailing, has gone up a level this Summer. We have completed several 'ceramic coatings'; and a double concours winning Triumph TR7 was our most prized work!
The TMS Team ventured to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix. Saturday saw a superb hot lap from Lewis Hamilton to put him on pole. The race did not quite pan out as expected, but we saw some excellent driving from Hamilton to get himself onto the podium.
Dino was in action for the Porsche Supercup, a disappointing qualifying in the sweltering heat meant he started 12th on the grid. However, some breathtaking overtake maneuvers saw him finish a sensational 7th! Dino returned to the Carrera Cup GB last weekend to take on his peers at Snetterton. A 1st and a 3rd mean he is back in the lead of the championship!


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Boehner's two-step plan: Risky politics
Featured, FUBAR, News
Speaker of the House John Boehner (Reuters)
So many Americans are so sick of political acrimony over raising the U.S. debt limit that it might seem unfathomable to have to do it all over again early next year. But that is exactly what the top U.S. Republican, John Boehner, is proposing for some practical political reasons.
If Boehner, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, prevails, President Barack Obama will sign legislation by August 2 to raise U.S. borrowing authority by about $1 trillion, or just enough to carry the government through March.
That would set up a second tortured debt limit debate to avert default just as the U.S. presidential campaign heats up.
Obama and his fellow Democrats, citing the need to ensure financial stability, demand the Treasury Department's credit limit be extended for longer, through the 2012 presidential and congressional elections.
Democrats and Republicans are rattling financial markets with their stand-off over raising the debt limit by the August deadline. Both sides have offered competing plans for making sure the United States can pay its bills.
"I'm not sure there's any grander strategy than to do what's possible," said John Feehery, a former adviser to House Republican leaders. "The two-step process makes sense if you think the House of Representatives can handle only so much in a hurry."
Boehner, who took the U.S. government to the brink of shutdown in April during a nasty fight over short-term spending, struck an agreement with Obama at the last minute, saying he held out for the best deal he could get for his Tea Party-driven conservatives.
The incoming Tea Party-aligned lawmakers had campaigned against the overall size of the U.S. government, the size of its deficits and the mountain of national debt, which has ballooned to $14.3 trillion.
And so the smaller the debt limit hike the better for Boehner and his ability to get along with the Tea Party, even if public opinion polls show growing impatience with Republican tactics.
"To the Republicans, it's more important to please the Tea Party base than it is to take the chance that the general public might be turned off to their methods," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.
"The theory is that the Tea Party is the group paying attention to the debt vote whereas the general public (including independent voters) will vote on the state of the overall economy" next year, Sabato said.
FIRMING SUPPORT
Boehner still has a way to go to solidify Tea Party support. For example, Senator Rand Paul, a leading Tea Party activist, has dismissed the House leader's deficit-reduction/debt limit plan as "not serious."
But if Boehner can firm up support with others in the Tea Party by advocating a two-step approach, the Republican Party can then move on to trying to appeal to the electorate more broadly.
By staging a second debt limit vote next year, said Ron Bonjean, another former aide to Republican leaders in Congress, "It keeps the spending and tax issues alive and makes Democrats go on record during an election year in favor of increasing taxes at a time of high unemployment."
"It's a perfect setup," Bonjean said, for Republican presidential candidates to attack Obama during their primary nominating season. He noted that a second debt limit debate could be getting under way in Washington just as the nation focuses more closely on Republican presidential candidates in the run-up to the New Hampshire primary and other key contests.
Paul Sracic, head of the political science department at Youngstown State University in the swing state of Ohio, said, "What Republicans really want is to get entitlement reform. They know they can't get that in one step," he said of moves to cut benefits in federally-funded healthcare and retirement programs.
So, a two-step procedure could provide a second shot at luring Democrats into some benefit cuts after failing to do so this time around.
U.S. debt standoff prompts a television duel (theglobeandmail.com)
Schumer: Boehner following the Tea Party, not leading it (thehill.com)
Tea Party Freshman Finds Voters Uneasy About Debt Stance (businessweek.com)
U.S. debt crisis: Are we at the brink? – Detroit Free Press (news.google.com)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The University of Dubai (UD) is a student-centered institution whose primary mission is providing quality education. New students become part of a university made up of welcoming classmates from diverse backgrounds. Students and faculty at UD provide a supportive atmosphere whose main focus is student success. By offering affordable tuition rates and having small class sizes in a convenient location, the University of Dubai offers a competitive alternative to other higher learning institutions in the region. UD's international accreditations, AACSB and ABET, are a gold standard in the field of higher education. The university is flexible in its class timings for working students, but is firm it its commitment to meeting the highest standards in higher education. Dedicated faculty and supportive classmates encourage students to form relationships that last a lifetime. With its rigorous but real-world curriculum, UD students are groomed to be leaders of tomorrow, whatever their background.


text:
Who Really Killed Adam Walsh? Witness Wants Case Files in Murder of "America's Most Wanted" Creator's Son
By Neil Katz
June 3, 2010 / 12:23 PM / CBS News
Adam Walsh, Ottis Elwood Toole (CBS/ AP) CBS/ AP
NEW YORK (CBS) Who really killed Adam Walsh, the 6-year-old child of "America's Most Wanted" creator John Walsh?
Amazingly, it's still an open question for a key witness in the case, even though prosecutors and John Walsh considered it settled two years ago when they pinned the brutal 1981 kidnapping, killing and decapitation of the boy on drifter Ottis Toole, closing the long-open cold case.
Before his own 1996 death, Toole had confessed and recanted several times to the crime. He was never convicted.
But the case continues to haunt Willis Morgan, a witness in the case, who says that on the day the little boy was abducted from a Hollywood, Fla., Sears store, he saw serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in the same location.
Now , according to the Miami Herald, Morgan is suing to get access to investigative files kept by Joe Matthews, a retired cop and close confidant of John Walsh.
Prosecutors relied heavily on Matthews' findings in closing the case, the paper said.
But re-opening the case may not be so easy.
The lawsuit claims that the files have either been destroyed or moved to Cuba, according to the Herald.
That's certainly odd for investigative files in a murder case, but Matthews was a private investigator and was allowed to take his evidence with him.
"They made a mistake in giving that material back," Morgan's attorney Thomas Julin told the Miami Herald. "It was their obligation to maintain a copy of their files."
Why all the mystery?
Ron Ishoy, a spokesman for Broward State Attorney Michael Satz, who is a defendant in the lawsuit, told the Miami Herald that Matthews' files were part of a manuscript and the former investigator hoped to write a book.
Perhaps then everyone will get to learn what's in those secret files.
First published on June 3, 2010 / 12:23 PM


Erin and Eri? are in a hurry to start their new school day together! And do you miss your school and your classmates too? Color these lovely kids anyhow you like! Then you can save the picture and send it with your Back to School greetings to your friends! Or click on the apple for more school-themed coloring game. Play Back to School In a Hurry to School Coloring game online. Played 40 times.
Here are some more Back to School In a Hurry to School Coloring related games in girl games category.


text:
Långviksudden är en udde i Finland.   Den ligger i den ekonomiska regionen  Borgå  och landskapet Nyland, i den södra delen av landet,  km nordost om huvudstaden Helsingfors.

Terrängen inåt land är platt. Havet är nära Långviksudden åt sydost. Den högsta punkten i närheten är  meter över havet,  km väster om Långviksudden.  Närmaste större samhälle är Borgå,  km nordost om Långviksudden.

Trakten ingår i den hemiboreala klimatzonen. Årsmedeltemperaturen i trakten är  °C. Den varmaste månaden är augusti, då medeltemperaturen är  °C, och den kallaste är januari, med  °C.

Kommentarer

Källor

Halvöar i Nyland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


A shudder rippled through Jake's body. Although he'd started to talk, and a tiny voice inside his head demanded to pour his out heart to Bruce—to let go for once and trust another human being again—his throat felt swollen and impeded further speech.
Bruce gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before he turned his head and pressed a chaste kiss to Jake's left temple. Jake gasped, startled by the sudden pressure of firm lips ghosting from his temple over his cheek to the tip of his nose.
Daniel Faraday ran through the jungle, grabbing at vines and branches that crossed his path, throwing them out of the way. He could hear a plane's engine starting, the mechanics crankily kicked into life. His clothes were torn, he was covered in blood, and his chest felt like it wanted to cave in with every step he took, but he kept running.
He'd been dead, and then he had not. And then he'd wanted to die. Then he was running for something he couldn't see, but knew he needed to reach above anything else. Seconds earlier, before he'dhit sneakers to dirt in a frenzy of feet, Daniel had seen a glimpse of red in the corner of his eye, like long red hair blowing past him. Then he'd heard a voice which told him to follow the sound of the plane, and the voice had sounded like Charlotte. So, he ran for it.
He broke into a nearby clearing just to hear someone shout, "Look! It's Dan! Don't take off!" Maybe it was more than one person—he couldn't say for sure.
The clouds were dark, and thick with damp. Thunder crackled through the air, but it didn't cover the agonized shrieks of the angel as the feathers were plucked from his wings.
His cries fell on deaf ears. He reached out to the other angels witnessing his punishment, but none of them came to his aid. Charles had committed the ultimate sacrilege, and was to be cast out of heaven and into hell. One by one, his smooth feathers were removed until he appeared more like a bat than an angel.
"This evening we have accepted an invitation for the family at a concert at the Royal Pavilion. A… friend of the family sponsored our visit for your brother's celebration," my mother said. She dabbed her napkin in the corners of her mouth, though she's barely touched her pastry, and gestured for a maid to take it away.
Cade though back to his childhood, after the illness has run its course and his mum had moved them to Witchconspy.
"Witchconspy is an industry town. It has a few industrial estates that produce everything from printing magazines to making windows to go into houses.
"There are a couple of parks but mostly everywhere you look are houses. We have a huge library that stocks books on every subject you would want — except vampires, though, it seems the vamps don't want people having access to too much information without their knowledge.
Trent shot up in bed, instantly awake at some unfamiliar sound. There, he heard it again. There was a rustling noise on the floor beside him.
Trent rubbed his hands over his face. He considered his options for a minute, but really he knew what he was going to do.
Having returned from their honeymoon, Kevyl and Maikaj settled into the daily routine of being the Sovereign and Consort of Talija.
Trevyl was first to notice the changes in the routine. Maikaj was always up early with the sunrise and in his den by 7am. Kevyl had started out on that schedule, but of late, he had been staying in bed later and later in the morning. At first, Trevyl thought that Kevyl was just getting a bit fatter and a bit lazier. As the days went by, he noticed that Kevyl was getting quite a bit larger.
Marshall thought he was going to be ill.
How many ways could she say that?
Alex groaned and sat up. Feeling a wave of dizziness, Alex grabbed the back of the sofa and inhaled. Once the room stopped spinning Alex glanced around the room, confused. The last thing he remembered was his cousin, Robbie, going to get him a drink. Everything after that was fuzzy.
Stumbling to his feet, Alex made his way to the door. He shook his head as he looked around. Everything was red. The walls were painted a deep blood red, the sofa and two love seats were red. Hell even the carpet and curtains were red. He needed to get out of here.
This entry was posted in Wednesday Briefs and tagged Carol Pedroso, Chris T. Kat, Cia Nordwell, Flash Fiction, Free Stories, Johayan, Jon Keys, Julie Lynn Hayes, Kazy Reed, Sarah Hayes, TC Collins, Wednesday Briefs on April 22, 2015 by wedbriefsfic.


Perfumer since 1984 and President of Perfumers of the Province of Vicenza for 15 years, Leonardo Opali has a long experience in the world of perfumes. His passion for fragrances has a history studded with special encounters. First of all, the one with Francesca Faruolo and then the Fragrance Atelier with courses and workshops also in collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna. Leonardo also attended emerging noses, such as Andy Tauer, Spiros Drosopolus, Oliver Valverde, Martino Cerizza, Cristiano Canali, naturopaths like Marco Valussi and Luigi Cristiano and great masters like Souhitsu Hachiya … just to name a few. The continuous experimentation and the contamination of different worlds have always been at the base of his creative work and that is how he meets artists such as Ilian Rachov and Frances Middendorf. Through these special encounters and olfactory projects related to the world of art we have the achievement of the realization of a multi-sensory project with the famous Architect Gaetano Pesce. The experimentation also finds very special creations such as the ambient scent with digestive herbs for the Chef Stellato Giuliano Baldessari and the anti-stress fragrance that goes with the commercial vehicles of the Volkswagen group. But it is above all thanks to the meeting with the sociologist Mirko Domanti that TAF's dream begins to make its way, when Leonardo begins to explore the possibility that a person can wear a certain fragrance, provoking particular emotions and feelings in another person. And this is how TAF has come to life by becoming a reality that has chosen not to follow the path of large numbers and which has made craftsmanship the end result of the study of each customer's personality turning it into , its distinctive feature. Many people have been inspiring d and continue to inspire Leonardo Opali in his work as a fragrance creator. Please get to know them here.


text:
Addictive Alchemy
Prophecies: In the Shadow of the Titan
Havok & Hijinks – Don't slay a dragon… BE one!
June 19, 2014 Hey Leave a comment
I'm really excited about this week's interview. About a year ago I had the pleasure of meeting the team at Epic Slant Press, and not only did I get a chance to try their incredibly fun card game, but I learned a lot about the business of game design, Kickstarter, and even leadership. I was so impressed with the team I backed the project that night, and later when I found out about their other projects I had to share them with the rest of you.
Recently, their team leader, Adam "Ferrel" Trzonkowski, took a few moments to talk with me about all of these things including Havok & Hijinks
David : Hello Adam thanks for taking the time to meet with me today.
Adam: It's my pleasure David, thank you for your interest in me and our project. I really appreciate it.
David: I want to start by saying I had the pleasure of meeting you, and your team at Epic Slant Press, during last year's DragonCon in Atlanta Georgia. You told me several things that have stood out to me as interesting, and useful. In fact I'd say I got more from our brief conversation than an entire con's worth of panels. The first of those being that Epic Slant Press works to be a business run with a positive tone both inside, and out. I didn't think to ask for details on how you do it, but even in our brief conversation I saw signs of it. Still, I'd like to learn more about this practice?
Game Design, Interview, Kickstarter
AndoCon Origins: Gaming Convention Plus
May 19, 2014 Hey One comment
Recently, I had a chance to talk with Ando, and Katie Mae the founders of last year's surprise hit board gaming convention AndoCon. If you're not familiar with AndoCon you might have a few questions about the convention, and the name. I've asked all of those questions, and from the people best suited to answer them.
David: Ando, Katie Mae, it's nice to see you, thank you for meeting with me.
Ando: Thank you, Dave. It's always a pleasure.
David: Many gamers local to Atlanta know you, and by extension AndoCon, still I sometimes meet people who haven't yet heard of AndoCon.
Katie Mae: We like to call AndoCon a "Gaming Convention Plus". Open gaming is kind of our biggest feature, but we have a lot of other things going on as well.
Ando: That's right – we will never forget our gaming roots, but we have a lot to offer.
AndoCon's iconic Viking Cow.
David: As a gamer it sounds like a fun project. Unfortunately I didn't find out about AndoCon in time to attend last year, but before I get into that I want to talk about the question that I suspect people have had for awhile. Your convention shares your name. I'm guessing there is a story behind this?
Katie Mae: (laughs) I can attest to the fact that it's not just an ego trip for him!
Ando: You would both be correct! AndoCon's roots are with a group of our friends from college, and a series of house gaming parties. We had a tendency to give each one a cute, unique name like "Dead Week Bash" (that one for our friends at Georgia Tech) or "Because Cake". But one time in 2009, I convinced two coworkers who were also geeks, to fly from their homes in New York and Washington state to Atlanta to game with us. We also had our first ever multiday party, spanning Friday and Saturday. At the end of the weekend, one of them was describing how much fun he'd had, and told me "You should do this every year! I dunno, call it……ANDOCON!" We laughed at it at first, but it kinda has a nice ring to it, don't you think? So it just…stuck.
Building a community of gamers. The Secret is out!
February 22, 2014 Hey One comment
New World Alchemy is based out of Atlanta, and let me tell you Atlanta is a great city to be a gamer in. We have an incredible gaming community, and a lot of public gaming events. One of the pioneers in Atlanta gaming is Roger Barnette. I recently spoke with Roger about his experience in creating a community of gamers, and what the future of social gaming as a hobby is about to look like for us.
David: Roger, thanks for taking the time to meet with me today. I understand you've been busy on several interesting projects lately.
Roger: That is the goal. I try to stay busy, but I will be the first to confess that helping people generally takes first priority. The most recent is my first public game design called "Jump!" It is an interactive puzzle quest that uses cell phones and online clues to allow players to race to a dramatic conclusion. We are building to the first SecretsCon at the end of March. That will be a fantastic gaming weekend here in Atlanta and then there is the ongoing gaming weekend that of course have been thrilling with new game designs and really getting to meet and game with new people every week. We are having a lot of fun, but that is the goal. To create experiences or foster experiences that people can use to meet new friends and take a break from the stresses of every day life. Its what we do.
David: Wow, hearing that all together at once really makes "busy" sound inadequate. Still, I'd like to get back to all of that, and by talking about your oldest, and most well known project The Secrets Factory. For those who may not have heard of The Secrets Factory can you tell us a bit about it, and where it's going?
Roger: Well. The Secrets Factory was founded to help us find each other. Literally to locate gamers in the Northwest part of Atlanta. The intent was originally to build some large-scale interactive games but we didn't have an audience. When we began to grow the group, we first encountered the Atlanta boardgaming world and there was nothing really brewing in that section of town, so we began as a place for that existing audience to come and join us. For most of the first year that space was perfect for our members, but it was not as profitable as we had hoped and we had to make a decision: Close the Secrets Factory and keep the friends and fans, or reshape it into an events promotion business and continue to encourage boardgaming in the area. We spent about a year in that mode with our friends and fans growing and with their encouragement we decided to undertake SecretsCon in late March 2014. That is the mode we are in today. Running weekly gaming on Thursdays and monthly game design and all day gaming once a month, plus the exciting annual SecretsCon. Our goal is to grow the convention to become the annual family reunion for gaming in the southeast. We are planning board gaming, Georgia Pathfinder, several other RPGs, Panels on the hobby and how to break into it, plus musical guests and some very remarkable game designers as guests as well. I am not sure that is a short answer, but it is the pretty short version.
David: SecretsCon sounds like an interesting evolution. I imagine this is something a fair number of people may not be familiar with. How would you describe the event? It has Con in the name, but I can't help but feel like you're doing something more than a classic convention?
Article, Interview
What is it like to play Ryuutama?
December 8, 2013 Hey Leave a comment
Recently I talked with Matt Sanchez about the incredibly popular Kickstarter Ryuutama. Myself, and some other people had followup thoughts and questions for Matt, so he kindly agreed to let us get some more details about the upcoming game. I think the important thing to remember is if you haven't had a chance to check out the Kickstarter you should. It's a very unique project, and looks to be a lot of fun. Although, Matt can describe it better than I ever could.
Dave: Matt thank you again for meeting with me. I must say people really enjoyed the last interview, and I thought while the Kickstarter was still going we could talk a bit more about Ryuutama.
Matt: Great! We have less than 1 week left and there are still some things to come.
Dave: First I want to say at the time of this interview the Ryuutama Kickstarter is doing more than incredible. 1,519 people have pledged $74,359, and there is still roughly a week to go. Can you tell us what it is like to see your project become successful so quickly, and then continue to grow at such an impressive rate?
Matt: Well, the amount of interest and the high energy level of the fans is humbling. I'm really happy that I can be a part of this project! I know Okada-sensei has put a lot of heart into this game, and I think that's why it's doing as well as it is.
Dave: On the Kickstarter page, and in other places you guys have talked a lot about what people can expect from the rules, setting, tone, and general world of Ryuutama. However, I was wondering if you could share with us some of the experiences you've had in the game. Although, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. I was wondering if you could share with us your role playing experience leading up to Ryuutama?
Matt: I was sort of a late bloomer, I guess. I talk about this in one of our more recent podcast episodes, but I didn't start playing RPGs of the tabletop variety until a year after I graduated college. I played for a year in LA then moved to Japan, where, long story short, I fell in love with JRPGs. I have run and participated in lots of different games, from Fiasco to Dungeons and Dragons 3.5, from Trail of Cthulhu to Iron Kingdoms. Someday, I will fulfill my dream of writing the perfect Jojo's Bizarre Adventure RPG. Until that day, I cannot die.
Dave: As you know with RPGs sometimes the first experience you have with one is as a player who hasn't even read the rules. What was your understanding of the game the first time you played it? What role did you play? What was it like filling that role the first time you played? What unexpected things happened?
Matt: The first time I saw the book, my Japanese wasn't that great. I flipped through it at a Yellow Submarine and looked at all the pretty pictures and imagined something pretty much exactly like the game actually is. The art really adds a lot to the book's tone. The first time I played, it was with my Japanese group and I was a plucky konekogoblin (tiny cat-goblin). I think I was a hunter/attack type, because I launched myself at enemies first chance I got. Of course, since konekogoblins start with low strength scores, it didn't amount to much! I think somehow my character ended up learning that not everything had to be solved using violence…
Dave: That sounds really adorably violent. (Is that a thing?) Anyway, moving on, was there a moment where you said "a-ha" this game gives me something I haven't seen before in other games? What was that like?
Matt: Yeah, it was probably the traveling stuff. It was actually exciting! My little guy had stubby little paws and tended to get himself in trouble just by walking. One bad day of travel and you didn't want to get caught in anything dangerous!
Dave: It sounds like konekogolbins might be an advanced class? Or would you recommend them to beginners? Either way do you have any additional advice for future kitten goblins?
Matt: No, they're not an advanced class, just another optional race for character creation. I probably wouldn't recommend them to beginners (there are certain classes listed as such in the book) but I wouldn't tell a beginner that they couldn't play one. I think that if you're a cat person like me, you probably won't need much advice to play a konekogoblin!
Dave: Just about every RPG campaign of any length has one of those moments where things go off the rails. Can you tell us about one of those in Ryuutama?
Matt: Hah! Well, in the campaign that you're in now, Dave, it has jumped off the rails several times. First may have been when the gob-roach man ended up summoning a horde of gob-roaches to destroy the steampunk town you guys crash landed at. But then we got it back on the rails you guys killed the gobroach queen. And then there was the part where someone bought a strange idol from a creepy old dude at the port town… (Editor note: The play session with the idol was not recorded.)
Dave: Things did go a bit off the rails with the gobroaches didn't they? At the same time it made for an exciting adventure. To anyone who has had a chance to watch your Youtube series it's clear you know how to roll with the punches as a GM. However, I've noticed in the Kickstarter comments that some people backing this are new to RPGs. Any advice for them when things go off the rails? I'm sure the first time a player does something they don't expect they'll panic.
Matt: As any GM will tell you, a GM's plans very rarely survive contact with the players. A new GM should keep in mind that they can't plan for all eventualities, so they should be flexible. Remember that each session you run is a dialogue between the GM and the players and ultimately the players will have as much input as the GM as to where the story goes. The skill of improvisation will come with practice and nobody is expecting you to get it right the first time. Just relax and have fun!
Dave: So you're saying that it happens all of the time. Ryuutama offers a little more player agency for world building than most RPGs. I imagine some pretty interesting ideas can come up when this happens. What are some of the more interesting/bizarre traits you've seen appear in the world building?
Matt: In our current campaign, we decided that the world is sort of a hollow-earth sort of deal. I thought that was kind of cool although it was totally off the cuff. I can't think of anything TOO crazy off the top of my head–Oh wait! Sharktopus gang leaders! (The Sharktopuses are also in the not recorded session.)
Dave: What are some of the world building traits that were just so awesome they had to be rejected for the campaign?
Matt: We left it all in, I think! It's a glorious wonderful mess!
Dave: I think there is an important statement in that about the nature of running an RPG. Whenever possible say yes, or at least "no and", or "no but". Speaking of RPG tips I've noticed some of your backers have picked Ryuutama as their first RPG. In response to that a little while back you posted a video explaining how to make a character in Ryuutama. You also offer some tips for making characters. I was wondering if you'd be able to share some additional advice to new, and experienced, gamers a like on team world building?
Matt: Don't be afraid to offer suggestions, but also don't be afraid to say when you don't like someone elses' suggestions there should be room for compromise. However, if someone has something that they strongly object to, the group obviously shouldn't include it. I think next time I'm going to try assigning each player an aspect of the town and have them come up with something interesting, then compiling it all and see what happens!
Dave: That sounds like an awesome idea. I can't wait to see how it plays out.
Dave: Some RPGs almost require that every player fills out a "role" that is every group needs a healer, a tank, a damage dealer, a "skill monkey", etc. Does Ryuutama have roles that need filling in a similar way? If so what should players do to make sure their group has the best chance in the wilds? What if they are down a man? How can the GM help make sure they still have an interesting story told?
Matt: There are no "roles" as in Dungeons and Dragons 4e, but there are certainly advantages of having characters with certain abilities around. Hunters, for example, can help keep the group fed while Healers keep the group healthy. The three different Types also have ways of making a party balanced. For example, a group without a healer would do just fine if one of the party members had healing magic. That being said, there is no hard and fast rule as to what classes or types need to be present. A campaign of only merchant PCs could be fun! The GM might have to be careful what sort of obstacles or conflicts appear in the scenarios, however.
Dave: Will the game come with some predefined adventures for players? If so what sort of adventures can players expect from the books? What sort of tools does it include to help build adventures?
Matt: Absolutely, there will be some example scenarios in the book. There's already a published scenario that you can grab off my blog or from the G+ community. There is also a section in the book with instructions and worksheets for those who might need guidance for creating their own scenarios. I hope that players can share what they've created on the G+ community for others to use, as well!
Dave: I can't wait to try creating my own scenario. As you've noticed the merchant really speaks to me. I might make something about trade routes, and trade guilds. That could be a lot of fun. Still, I wanted to thank you again for sharing more about Ryuutama. I know there are a lot of people who can't wait to play it for the first time.
Article, Interview, Kickstarter
Ryuutama – Japan's take on tabletop RPGs
November 6, 2013 Hey Leave a comment
Here's a quick quiz for you? What reached its Kickstarter goal in roughly 3 hours, and in the few days more than quadrupled said goal? The correct answer comes in essay form, but I'll leave that essay to the experts. Instead, I'll give the short answer. It's Ryuutama (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/diamondsutra/ryuutama-natural-fantasy-role-playing-game) a recently translated Japanese tabletop RPG (JRPG) that's probably unlike any RPG you've ever played, or possibly heard of.
So what is it about Ryuutama that has Kickstarter all-a-flutter? Again, essay answer (see below), but the short is answer Kotodama Heavy Industries, the translation team behind the English release, has already shown they do incredible work with their previously successful project Tenra Bansho Zero.
So that essay I promised you? Well recently I was fortunate enough to have a chance to talk with the team behind Ryuutama–Matt Sanchez and Andy Kitkowski–so it comes in the form of an interview:
David: Matt, Andy thanks for taking the time to talk with me.
Matt: It's always a pleasure to chat with you, Dave!
David: Just recently, you've both started a new Kickstarter for a Japanese pen and paper RPG called Ryuutama. I'm going to assume everyone reading this knows what a pen and paper RPG is, but I'm guessing most people aren't familiar with Japanese RPGs (JRPG) and how they might be different from American classics like D&D. Can you describe what an American player who hasn't seen a JRPG might notice when he first sits down to play one?
Matt: Well, other than the obvious difference in language, I think the first thing that one might notice is probably the art. Just as western RPG books are filled with "realistically" styled art, most JRPGs are filled with the manga inspired art you might expect. Lots of JRPG books have slip covers over the cover, too, with a character sheet on the inside for easy copying. Depending on the publisher, a large portion of the book might be a replay, too. (Editor's note: A replay is a script of an actual game session to give the players a sense of how the game is played.)
Andy: As Matt says, the art is probably the first giveaway. But the other common thing, especially with recent publications, is the size: Many recent book offerings are in "bunko" size format, which is the size of traditional Japanese novels. They are about one thumb-width thick, printed on fine, soft paper, and are about the size of your hand. Much smaller than normal paperback novels in the US. Many are not the "8.5×11" or "A4-Sized" full-color huge books we come to expect in the US.
David: Speaking of differences, the actual JRPG rules are known to have a few differences as well. What sort of things would an American gamer find for the first time in a JRPG manual?
Matt: While it's not a good idea to generalize, you could say that old school charts show up in a lot of games. There are often very explicit rules for scenario creation and enforcing a three act structure. Most of these games are meant to be played either as a one shot or a series of one shots in a 4-6 hour slot.
Andy: The charts that Matt alludes to are there, and they're usually there not for determining the impact of bullets or the bounce of grenades, but to randomize your character's potential backgrounds, connections, feelings towards major NPCs, or backstory elements. They are often on a "Roll or Choose" system, which means you roll on a chart for inspiration: If it sticks, you have a cool new story element for your character. But if it's totally alien for your character's concept, you simply pick another. Seems weak since you're not forced to pick the result, but in practice this system works extremely well.
Beyond that, it's hard to generalize, as Matt said. One thing they all have in common is that, while they might have conceptually unique settings or rules, they very much stick to a traditional "there is always a GM" playstyle. There aren't that many experiments with GM-less or distributed authority. Instead, true to Japanese innovation, they stay "thinking inside the box", but completely change all the concepts within that box: Improving, streamlining, innovating.
David: Now that we have a sense of what a JRPG is lets talk about Ryuutama. I think the first, and most obvious question is, what the crisp does Ryuutama mean?
Matt: It translates to "Dragon Egg", but it doesn't quite slip off the tongue as well.
Andy: Indeed. Ryuutama just flows so much better than "Dragon's Egg". Even the French edition kept the "Ryuutama" name!
Dave: I see what you're saying, and I'd say it's a good sign that it's getting multiple international releases. Still, with a name like that I am guessing this will have more than a few things in common with D&D?
Matt: Well, in that it is medieval fantasy, of a sort, I suppose. But the focus is on the natural world, on exploration, and on normal townspeople, not murderous bands of ruffians. Not that there's anything wrong with that. There are dragons, but they're not really there to fight anyone.
Andy: Yeah, it's interesting: While there is combat, and things like "total party kills" can happen (and in my case, where I played with the author, we had five 1st level heroes that were almost all killed by two 4th level Giant Bees!), the focus is clearly on travel and meeting people. You get about 1/10th the experience for defeating powerful enemies as you do for overcoming challenging terrains and weather conditions.
David: What kind of gamer would enjoy Ryuutama? And what about the game may appeal to them?
Matt: I think this game would appeal to those who are interested in RPGs but are not drawn to the violent aspect of them. It's a gateway game for those who are normally sort of leery, too, I think. My wife, for example, has no interest in playing D&D but she played Ryuutama and would like to play again. It has that "feel good/honobono" aspect to it that the Studio Ghibli films do.
Andy: If you want to play a game about helping people with people-problems, and keep a bit of wonder in your heart, and can deal with things in your fantasy world like "Cat-Goblins with Teacups on their Heads" and spells like "Summon a Cubic Meter of Dried Leaves", then you are the audience for this game.
I mean, it's essentially a game about all those NPCs you normally come across in a village when you play the Hero of some Japanese console game: The baker, the minstrel, the healer who heals your party, some farmer wandering in a circle, the guy who sells you swords and armor; those are the characters you choose from. You aren't the heroes and demon-slayers, instead you're basically Normal Everyday Fantasy People just trying to stay alive on this journey.
David: Cat-Goblins! Incredible. Alright, so someone asked me just yesterday if it was meant to be a solo campaign kind of game? I get the impression it would play very well with just a GM and a single player. Is that correct? What's the recommended number of players?
Matt: It's certainly possible, and I think that could be an interesting campaign that could go a lot of ways. But it could get rough. The more people you have in your party, the easier the survival aspects of the game are going to be.
Andy: Yeah, I've played it a lot, and indeed the sweet spot is one GM and 3-5 players. More than 6 is likely too much. Games with 1-2 players are absolutely possible, but they will be more intimate, and the GM will have to plan encounters with utmost care: One traveling Magic-Using Healer is not going to be able to face the same challenges (in travel or combat) as a group with Technical and Attack type characters.
David: Rumor has it (at this point confirmed in the Kickstarter description) that it's not unlike Oregon Trail. Will players suddenly die of terrible diseases? In what ways is it like Oregon Trail? I can imagine these similarities will only help the fan base for the game to grow?
Matt: There are no terrible diseases unless the black Ryuujin unleashes one… (hey that sounds like a good scenario!) but it is just as easy to die from passing over rough terrain as it is in combat. If you are not prepared, you will get lost and you will starve or fall to the elements. Luckily getting prepared is fun and there are some options as to how you can go about shopping. For people who would rather just jump into the traveling aspect, there are "picnic rules," where the players each receive a predetermined set of items.
David: I like the idea of role playing shopping, but I can see how it might not work for everyone. Still, what I'm hearing does make me think of Oregon Trail.
Andy: Actually, Yes! I actually made up that comparison a while back, calling it "Hayao Miyazaki's Oregon Trail" (ala the Oregon Trail video game; in fact, I'm making sure to add a Grandfather Clock to the starting equipment list in the English Version as a shout-out!). To which people immediately ask, "Can you die of dysentery?"
The answer to that is, "Yep!" You could fail/fumble in a travel roll which reduces your hit points down to 25% of their total. What does that mean? Did you twist your ankle? Did you get heatstroke? Did you drink some bad water? If you think the latter is appropriate, the GM might say, "Okay, you are now infected with a level 6 Sickness", which makes you weaker at everything, and vulnerable to other damage. You have to rest/heal and maybe the next day you'll get over that sickness. But yeah, in a way you can "Die of Dysentery" (or at least be critically weakened by it).
Though the actual physical effects of Dysentery, like Giardia or parasite infections, aren't really "honobono" when you go into their gruesome "bowel-oriented" details, so I'd just leave it at "your stomach hurts".
David: That's great, all of the pieces are in play to make it as much like Oregon Trail as you like. Now I have to say there are a lot of JRPGs you could have translated. Why did you choose Ryuutama? (Also why not Shinobigami? Seriously. Like it's the best game ever.)
Matt: Andy and I were talking about a game we could do while working on Shinobigami (which is our next project) and this game really stuck out to me.
Andy: There was a certain order to things. First Maid, to understand how the translation and publishing process works. I learned a lot from that. Then Tenra Bansho Zero, my dream project of some seven years. Then Ryuutama, and Shinobigami. We basically worked on them in the order in which we approached those companies. Each game, we get a little better at doing this, make better connections, and get closer to the wonderful artists responsible for these works.
I too can't wait to bring Shinobigami to a wider audience. That will happen once we have Ryuutama to their backers!
David: Ryuutama has a unique mechanic involving a dragon person. Is this sort of thing common in a JRPG? Or is it pretty unique to Ryuutama? Can you describe what a player might expect from the dragon person, and the role he/she plays in the game?
Matt: I haven't seen any other game, western or Japanese, that has a GM character like the Ryuujin. (Editor's note: Ryuu = dragon, jin = person) They have their own character sheet and stats, but the stats are different than the PCs. Their abilities are used to affect the story, not perform actions. The Ryuujin is allowed to journey and interact with the party but cannot take center stage like GMPCs (Editor's note: Game Master Player Characters are fully functioning PCs, often used to fill roles, and have the full agency of a normal PC.) in other games might.
Andy: Also, to add to Matt, it's brilliant that the GM character also gets XP, but in a totally different way from the characters: They gain XP solely by the GM running sessions/scenarios for players. One scenario is One XP, and most level gains only require 1-3 or so XP.
The more levels the Ryuujin gains, the more effects they can do to help the party members: As a GM, they provide adversity for the party, but as the secretive Ryuujin, always off screen, they are there to help the party succeed with abilities like "turn a PC's failed roll into a success". They can only do these abilities a very few times a session though, they can't pull them out of every jam.
David: Kind of reminds me of the old D&D cartoon with the dungeon master character except a lot cooler. By now it's safe to say combat is not a huge focus in the game. However, I imagine it will still come up. What will combat look like in a Ryuutama game?
Matt: Combat is simplified and abstracted. There are 4 areas: enemy and friendly sides and within those are front and back areas. Players roll initiative using their stats, and that becomes their defense value as well. One of the cool things about combat is that before it begins, everyone comes up with 5 objects in and around the combat area in the fiction, and they can interact with those objects for bonuses.
Andy: Yeah, when you see the grid, it looks like an old console RPG, clearly inspired by Dragon Quest or the like: Simple, straightforward, and fun. But very much driven by the die rolls: If you get cold dice and no one in your party rolls well at all, it can be a very one-sided fight!
David: Still, it sounds incredible! I've played my fair share of maps and minis RPGs, and there is nothing wrong with it, but this sounds like a breath of fresh air to say the least.
Matt: That could be because you always lose at maps and minis games.
David: My reputation precedes me. OK, I got three questions I always ask every time I look at a new RPG. What's the setting? What does the character sheet look like? What are the core mechanics, and how are they unique from what I've seen in the past? This always brings me to my forth question, what dice are used? (Author's note: More recently I've started to ask what are the randomizing elements?)
Matt: The book has rules for coming up with the entire world together as a group. If that isn't to your taste, the GM can handle it all themselves. But it is assumed that the world is a low magic medieval fantasy.
We have sample character sheets for both PCs and Ryuujin on our site that you can check out.
And to answer your third and fourth questions, stats are not numbers, but dice sizes, similar to Savage Worlds. So, for example, a character might have d8 strength and d4 dexterity. Skill checks are performed by rolling two stats at once, with a fumble occurring at double 1s and a critical occurring if both dice rolled their maximum value or if both dice rolled a 6. Rolling a fumble nets you a Fumble Point, which can be traded in later for a bonus to a roll!
David: This game seems full of inventive, and unique mechanics. That combined with an interesting take on the fantasy world. It hits both of my weak spots. You can definitely be assured I'll be backing this Kickstarter.
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Please join me in thanking the students of I Cantori who share their music with us. The words of the offertory are from Matthew 18:19-20, sung in Spanish. As you prepare your heart to worship I invite you to meditate quietly on this passage.
"Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
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In this feature-length documentary, filmmaker and biofuel advocate Josh Tickell explores the origins of America's dependence on fossil fuels, eventually detailing the cross-country road trip that he took in his biodiesel-converted van, campaigning for the more sustainable, environmentally friendly fuel. Tickell interviews people in his film from all over the spectrum of fuel use, from oil company executives to those devastated by water contamination stemming from oil companies to Midwestern families considering buying Hummers. Hoping to paint as complete a picture as possible of American fuel use, Tickell explores how we fuel our lifestyle in the present and how we can hope to in the future.


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15 Polarizing TV Character Exits From Grey's Anatomy, Buffy and More
By Team TVLine / March 22 2020, 1:00 PM PDT
Courtesy of ABC, 20th Television, Sony Pictures Television
Saying goodbye to a beloved TV character is always tough, but it becomes even harder when something about their departure feels… off.
As the debate surrounding Alex's exit from Grey's Anatomy rages on — 48 percent of TVLine readers still hate that Karev randomly reunited with secret-mom Izzie, while 25 percent love it and 27 percent admit to being somewhere in the middle — we thought we'd look back at some other polarizing TV departures on which we also admit to being "somewhere in the middle."
Quick disclaimer: This is more about the manner in which a key character's story was wrapped up, not the mere fact that an actor left a long-running show. For example, Nina Dobrev's departure from The Vampire Diaries after six seasons certainly sent shockwaves through the CW drama's fandom, but her character's exit storyline — Elena was placed under a sleeping curse, keeping her somewhat in the picture — was largely well-received by fans. In other words, not polarizing.
No, we're talking about those truly "WTF" character departures that either had you screaming at your TV in disgust or desperately Googling in confusion. From unnecessary deaths on shows like Veronica Mars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer to unceremonious exits on shows like Lizzie McGuire and Law & Order: SVU, we've assembled 15 of TV's messiest conclusions.
TV's Most Polarizing Exits
And here's another disclaimer: Because we're discussing major exits from more than a dozen TV shows, it should go without saying that this gallery is a spoiler minefield. You've been warned.
Browse our gallery of some of TV's most polarizing exits — you can click here for direct access — then drop a comment with your thoughts below. Which befuddling character departures would you add to our list?
TAGS: Grey's Anatomy, Veronica Mars
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Topic summary contributed by volunteer(s): Linda
I was only a kid when doctors sent my grandmother home in a wheelchair to die at age 65. Diagnosed with end-stage heart disease, she had already had so many bypass operations the surgeons essentially ran out of plumbing—the scarring from each open-heart surgery had made the next more difficult until they finally ran out of options. Confined to a wheelchair with crushing chest pain, her doctors told her there was nothing else they could do.
I think what sparks many kids to want to become doctors when they grow up is watching a beloved relative become ill or even die. For me, it was watching my grandma get better.
Soon after she was discharged, a segment aired on 60 Minutes about Nathan Pritikin. He had been gaining a reputation for reversing terminal heart disease and had just opened a new center—a live-in program where everyone was placed on a plant-based diet and then started on a graded exercise regimen. My grandmother somehow made the trek to become one of its first patients. They wheeled her in, and she walked out.
Later featured in Pritikin's biography Pritikin: The Man Who Healed America's Heart, she was described as one of the "death's door people":
"Frances Greger…arrived in Santa Barbara at one of Pritikin's early sessions in a wheelchair. Mrs. Greger had heart disease, angina, and claudication; her condition was so bad she could no longer walk without great pain in her chest and legs. Within three weeks, though, she was not only out of her wheelchair but was walking ten miles a day."
At that time, reversing cardiovascular disease didn't even seem possible. Drugs were given to try to slow the progression, and surgery was performed to circumvent clogged arteries to try to relieve symptoms (literally bypassing the problem), but the disease was expected to worsen until you died. Today, we know that as soon as we stop eating an artery-clogging diet, our bodies may start healing themselves, in many cases opening up arteries without drugs or surgery.
By the time I became a doctor, giants like Dean Ornish, M.D., had already proven beyond a shadow of a doubt what Pritikin had shown to be true. Using the latest high-tech advances—cardiac PET scans, quantitative coronary arteriography, and radionuclide ventriculography—Dr. Ornish and his colleagues showed that heart disease, our leading killer, may be reversed with the lowest-tech approach—diet and lifestyle.
The information on this page has been compiled from Dr. Greger's research. Sources for each video listed can be found by going to the video's page and clicking on the Sources Cited tab. References may also be found at the back of his books.
All Videos for Cardiovascular Disease
Are PCSK9 Inhibitors for LDL Cholesterol Safe and Effective?
Those with genetic mutations that leave them with an LDL cholesterol of 30 live exceptionally long lives. Can we duplicate that effect with drugs?
Can Cholesterol Get Too Low?
Why might healthy lifestyle choices wipe out 90 percent of our risk for having a heart attack, whereas drugs may only reduce risk by 20 to 30 percent?
Can Vegan Fecal Transplants Lower TMAO Levels?
If the microbiome of those eating plant-based diets protects against the toxic effects of TMAO, what about swapping gut flora?
Hospitals with 100 Percent Plant-Based Menus
The American Medical Association has passed a resolution encouraging healthy plant-based food options be available in hospitals.
Lifestyle and Disease Prevention: Your DNA Is Not Your Destiny
Treating the underlying cause of chronic lifestyle diseases.
How Low Should You Go for Ideal Cholesterol Levels?
Having a so-called normal cholesterol in a society where it's normal to drop dead of a heart attack isn't necessarily a good thing.
How Much Longer Do You Live on Statins?
What are the pros and cons of relative risk versus absolute risk versus number-needed-to-treat versus average postponement of death taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs?
The True Benefits vs. Side Effects of Statins
A Mayo Clinic visualization tool can help you decide if cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are right for you.
Are Doctors Misleading Patients About Statin Risks and Benefits?
What is the dirty little secret of drugs for lifestyle diseases? If patients knew the truth of how little these drugs actually worked, almost no one would agree to take them.
Who Should Take Statins?
How can you calculate your own personal heart disease risk and use it to determine if you should start on a cholesterol-lowering statin drug?
The Scientific Consensus on a Healthy Diet
The leading risk factor for death in the United States is the American diet.
The Effects of Cleaning Products and Air Fresheners on Lung Function
There is a reason the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prohibits not only smoking, but also scented or fragranced products in its buildings.
Older Videos


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In Ukraine, only ten regions are ready to a weakening of the quarantine
Statistics in Ukraine is not encouraging.
In Ukraine 10 regions met the criteria for an easing of the quarantine restrictions as of June 19, reports the Chronicle.info with reference to Country.
In particular, among the regions in which met all three targets, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Kiev, Kirovograd, Lugansk , Nikolaev, Odessa, Poltava, Sumy, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy and Chernihiv region.
While in Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Volyn, Zhytomyr, Transcarpathian, Ivano-by Frankosky , Lviv, Rivne, Ternopil , Kharkiv and Chernivtsi regions exceeded the rate of incidence, which, according to the established criteria must be less than 12 per 100 thousand population.
It is also reported that the Transcarpathian region is exceeded, the occupancy rate of beds allocated for the treatment of patients with COVID-19.
At the same time, all the regions meet the established coverage testing, which should be more than 12 per 100 thousand population. The lowest indices were recorded in Dnipropetrovsk (16,62) and Luhansk (16,65) regions.
Yesterday for the first time since may 2, the growth of new cases cases COVID-19 to actively ill in Ukraine exceeded 5%. In addition, recorded a stable growth of the average number of cases over the 14 days as of 18 June it is 644 event. The growth trend in this indicator observed since the end of may.
Health Minister Maxim Stepanov said Friday that the Ministry of health will initiate the introduction of strict restrictions in the conditions of adaptive quarantine in certain regions. In addition, the Ministry is in favour of limiting the operation of certain establishments, particularly Nightclubs.


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Keep in mind, the amount you pay at the door will be based on when you submitted the registration for your ticket.


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October 12, 2017 October 12, 2017 charlesgageLeave a Comment on Three Song Thursday
Three Song Thursday
It's Thursday so I'll share another 3 songs with you that I can't stop listening to. Hope you enjoy!
Pearl Jam – Black
This is the unplugged version but it's beautiful. Anything Eddie Vedder touches is gold and Black (in my eyes) is one of Pearl Jam's best.
Knocked Loose – Last Words
I had the pleasure of seeing this guys last year when the opened for a band called The Acacia Strain. I was instantly hooked. Their album laugh tracks is phenomenal as well as their 5 song EP Pop Culture. Usually a band gets old to me after listening to them for a few months. It's going on a year and half listening to these guys and they still give me chills.
Leon Bridges – River
The Fort Worth native has an angelic voice. I don't have the vocabulary to accurately convey how his music makes me feel, so I'll throw in a professional's review. The following is an excerpt from a review done by Ann Powers of NPR:
"…the contemplative quality the band brings to gospel on the transcendent album closer, "River." That song is another blatant tribute to Cooke — Bridges was reborn by the river of that man's music, and he's determined to give full and constant credit. But the sensuality of Bridges' lyrics — "dip me in your smooth water," he sings, "I go in as a man with many crimes, come up for air " — are both deeply personal and connected to Golden Era gospel in a way that goes beyond mere posturing. The feeling Bridges and his band uncover throughout Coming Home may be "retro," but the feeling is immediate, and relevant, and profound."
That's it for this Thursday. I hope you guys enjoyed the music. I know this week was all over the place, but thats a reflection of my musical taste.
Categories UncategorizedTags beautiful, blog, explore, hardcore, knocked loose, Leon bridges, music, pearl jam, rock, Travel
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When I started to write and prepare for the "is there a ted talk in you" program at slow school of business my self beliefs spoke loudly, my childhood and the lessons learned announced themselves as important. The business owner, teacher and mother had something to say.
Being a part of the "is there a ted talk in you" program at slow school created an extraordinary opportunity to participate. To pull apart, deconstruct and search for meaning. To be 'real'!
Many uncomfortable and disconcerting moments arose. Periods of not knowing, not being able to link. Fully engaging and participating through all these phases was challenging. Being brave enough to work through these uncomfortable moments when it didn't feel right or sound right. Having enough courage to allow for disorganisation to occur. Being patient enough to wait for the idea for a story to present itself, but then preparing to accept it is as not the last version.
When we fully participate we experience. It is in the space when we fully take part and then experience we can feel the extraordinary , we can hear the possibilities, we can see the opportunities.
If life became a game of participation we are capable of anything and everything. The ability for anything and everything is found in the nothing. In the pauses, the silences, the quietness. It is in this space that our true capability emerges.
Putting yourself in a new and unfamiliar scenario where you feel out of your comfort zone and safety net, and have made a choice to open up, be exposed and reveal.
Begin by participating today with every part of you and the voice with a message desperate to share will implode and afterwards a heart bursting with pride will overcome you.