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A Radical Approach to Forgiveness with Brenda Reiss
In this episode of Conversations with Smart People, I interviewed Brenda Reiss, a forgiveness coach whose graceful guidance has changed my life in so many beautiful ways.
I first interviewed Brenda back in 2017, when I was just beginning to move into the forgiveness process. At the time, I was struggling to accept that my marriage was unraveling, so I was grieving hard. But I still clung to hope that the relationship would recover.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may make a few pennies at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. And I promise that I only endorse products I personally love.
In this second interview, Brenda and I took a deeper look at forgiveness — what it looks like, how to know when you're ready for it, and how to remain open to the experience itself. We also examined some key concepts addressed in Colin Tipping's book Radical Forgiveness*, which has greatly influenced Brenda's work.
Since my marriage ended, I've continued my forgiveness. While the emotions are less intense than they once were, old emotions still occasionally bubble up. But that's how the grieving process works. It takes as long as it takes.
Here's a summary of our interview:
How do you know when you're ready for radical forgiveness?
If you're wondering how to know if you're ready to begin the forgiveness work, you're not alone. Like most important things, the question of readiness is personal. According to Reiss, jumping to forgiveness too quickly doesn't leave enough space for grieving. When we allow ourselves to get there naturally — when we're truly ready — we're more likely to get what we need from it.
So, how do you know when you're ready to forgive? "When you feel like you're on the other side of grief and you want to engage in life again," suggests Reiss. If we move there before we're ready, we're still too wrapped up in our identity as a victim to gain value.
In his book, Tipping describes this readiness as being "willing to see the situation differently."
How do our interpretations of our life events carry into our forgiveness work?
As tough as it is to admit, our interpretations of our experiences aren't always accurate. We jump to conclusions. We create fictional stories in an attempt to try and make sense of what's happened. We convince ourselves that since "THIS" happened, it must mean "THAT" is also true. But our interpretations are usually just random stories that we make up in our minds, based on our own beliefs and past experiences. And when we fill in the blanks with assumptions and interpretations, it only creates bigger stories...and negative emotions.
"The fact is what actually happened," says Brenda, "and the interpretation is all the stuff we make up."
This "interpretation is the source of our suffering," she says. And being able to separate fact from interpretation is where our growth begins.
How can we recognize our greatest teachers?
For me, one of the most profound takeaways from Tipping's book was that the people in our life who seem to cause us the most problems may indeed be our greatest teachers. "What we think they do to us they actually do for us," writes Tipping.
The people we perceive as hurting us might actually be nudging us to grow.
"On a differently level, those who hurt us didn't really mean to hurt us," explains Reiss. "Our teachers show us things about ourselves through a different means." It's just that we often don't like those means.
For example, if you find yourself overreacting to minor incidents, like a friend not showing up for lunch on time, or someone cutting you off in traffic, it's a sign that there's something bigger at play. Whatever triggered you probably isn't the root of your emotion. it's more likely something much deeper. And it's probably tied to an even bigger pattern if you examine similar past experiences.
Patterns show up in our lives to teach us something important, and they can come in the form of people, experiences, challenges, or situations. But what patterns also do is point us to our work, what needs our attention, what we need to learn. They guide us to where we need to heal.
What makes radical forgiveness so radical?
So, what is it about radical forgiveness that makes it so radical? This level of forgiveness opens us to the idea that nothing wrong took place and there is nothing to forgive.
If you're gasping, that makes two of us. I also had to re-read that several times myself. But that's exactly what makes it so radical. It forces us to reexamine the events, our stories, and the facts to see that what really happened to us happened for us.
While forgiveness doesn't excuse violations or condone bad behavior, it does lift the veil of our pain just enough to show us there might be something more within the experience for us to learn.
And when we can remove the heaviness of the event itself, we can begin to accept the peace that's waiting for us on the other side of the suffering.
That's how radical forgiveness helps us in future situations and relationships as well.
What happens when we get stuck in the WHY?
It's easy to get stuck in WHY questions. WHY did this happen? WHY did this happen to me? WHY did this have to happen right now?
While it's temping to go to that space, being stuck in WHY questions holds us hostage and keeps us mired in suffering. Insisting on knowing the reasons WHY is like "asking to know the mind of God," says Tipping.
Instead of asking why, try asking these questions:
What can I learn from this?
What's behind these feelings?
What is being shown to me?
What is this situation trying to show me?
What pattern is playing out?
How do I want my future to look?
What do I want to come of this?
Where is the gift in all of this?
Attachment to Outcomes
Our attachment to outcomes is another source of our suffering. When we become attached to specific outcomes or results, or have specific expectations of others, we give away our happiness, making it dependent on something or someone else.
In her book Loving What Is*, Byron Katie reminds us that acceptance is how we find peace. Katie's philosophy goes something like this: It should have happened because it did. (Her live workshops are phenomenal if you ever have a chance to attend one.)
Because the simple truth is, staying angry won't change your reality, and neither will re-experiencing the painful memories over and over again in our mind. It only prolongs our suffering. And from that perspective, it's easy to see that we are often the source of our own suffering.
Radical forgiveness has been a huge part of my self-care journey. It's helped me build strength and resilience, and while I still have a long way to go in terms of my healing, what I know for certain is that no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay.
How to navigate the forgiveness process
I used to think the grieving process was linear. But it isn't. So far, mine has looked something like this: I went up a couple hills, fell down, blackened my eye, circled back again a few more times, and now I'm having a cocktail on the beach. But I'll probably fall again.
The process just isn't linear, and there's no single direction to get to the other side. It looks however it looks and it takes as long as it takes.
But the most important thing is to keep moving forward. Even if it sometimes feels like we're moving backward, we're still making progress as long as we're moving.
If you're feeling ready to begin the forgiveness work, I highly recommend working with Brenda Reiss, either one-on-one or by attending one of her courses.
Have a thought about forgiveness? Leave a comment below.
*LivingUpp is a participant in affiliate programs, which means we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases on affiliate links to Amazon and other affiliate sites. Information on this website should not be interpreted as providing or replacing medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content is intended for adults over the age of 18.
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Class teaches the traditional art of making violins
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The University of New Mexico and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) signed a landmark Institutional Agreement that provides staff from both institutions unprecedented access to collaborative research and allows for academic appointments for LANL staff...
School of Engineering receives national award for diversity efforts
The University of New Mexico School of Engineering just received a Bronze Award from the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) in the inaugural Diversity Recognition Program. UNM is one of 82 engineering programs around the country — and the...
CHTM signs international collaborative research agreement with CIMAV
Science and research are without borders, and with advancements in travel and communications, the opportunities for international partnerships have never been more accessible. Collaboration on an international scale provides numerous benefits for...
UNM finalizes agreement allowing access to Adobe Creative Cloud
Through a partnership between the Provost's Office and the Office of the CIO, The University of New Mexico has finalized an agreement with Adobe that allows UNM to license all main campus and HSC students, and interested faculty and staff, for the full...
UNM alumna honored for research on vanishing languages
Shelece Easterday, who received her Ph.D. in linguistics from The University of New Mexico in 2017, has received this year's Joseph Greenberg Award from the Association for Linguistic Typology for the best piece of typological research embodied in a...
2019 Festival Flemenco Albuquerque
2019 National Senior Games
2019 Inspirational Graduates | Holly Olivarez
2019 Inspirational Graduates | Taylor Bui
2019 Inspirational Graduates | Emily Wilks
By Amanda Gerard July 10, 2019
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By Sarah Scott July 10, 2019
The University of New Mexico's Institutional Support Services (ISS) announces the creation of UNM Capital & Space Strategies, a new department that will provide strategic coordination, guidance and planning resources for institutional space, facility...
Communication & Journalism interns shine at National Senior Games
By Del Moon & Steve Carr July 06, 2019
Senior athletes participating in the 2019 National Senior Games presented by Humana weren't the only ones to shine during the 12-day event. A group of interns from The University of New Mexico's Communication & Journalism department played a key role in...
Running Medicine to host milestone celebration
Running Medicine is celebrating 500 runs with people across New Mexico. The community-oriented running group, co-founded by UNMH family medicine doctor Anthony Fleg, is holding a celebration to mark the occasion and all are welcome to attend. "At...
UNM volunteers help make National Senior Games a huge success
When Albuquerque was chosen as the host city for the 2019 National Senior Games, it became the second-largest event in the City and the single-largest athletic event in the country with more than 14,000 athletes participating. Not only that, but The...
Laura Montoya retires after 30 years at UNM
By Dorene DiNaro June 26, 2019
"I am New Mexico," words uttered more than once as Laura Montoya reflected on her last 30 years with The University of New Mexico. Montoya is set to retire from her post as the coordinator of UNM Recreational Services...
UNM to conduct test of its emergency notification systems Tuesday, June 11
The University of New Mexico will conduct a test of its emergency notification systems on Tuesday, June 11 at 11:02 a.m. The test will include all parts of the University's warning systems including sirens, e-mail, text messaging, social media updates...
Staff Council announces new leadership
By Rachel Whitt June 03, 2019
The University of New Mexico Staff Council is welcoming new leadership. It held elections for its Executive Committee on May 21, designating Ryan Gregg as the new president. "I'm sincerely humbled to serve as Staff Council President, especially at this...
Outstanding Staff, Workgroup & Excellence in Advising recipients honored
The role of academic advisors and support staff are critical to student success at The University of New Mexico making it important to recognize their excellence. This year, the Provost Committee for Advising (PCA) and the Provost's Committee for Staff...
Costantinidis named UNM Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration
By Steve Carr May 20, 2019
University of New Mexico President Garnett S. Stokes has appointed Teresa Costantinidis as Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, effective July 1, 2019. "During our search for a new Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration,...
By Kim Delker July 09, 2019
UNM announces finalists for Vice President for Enrollment Management
The University of New Mexico has announced three finalists in its search for the next vice president for Enrollment Management. The finalists will visit campus this week and participate in public forums open to faculty, staff, students and community. The...
Dr. Henry C. Ellis, age 91, Distinguished Professor Emeritus and former chair of The University of New Mexico's Department of Psychology, died peacefully surrounded by family on Thursday, July 4, 2019. He was preceded in death by Florence, his beloved...
Critically-acclaimed poet and former UNM student and faculty member Joy Harjo is the new United States Poet Laureate – the first Native American to hold the position. "It's not just me carrying this title, it has to do with my family, my people, this...
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By Natalie Rogers June 24, 2019
Imagine a future of cyber-transactions with unbreakable encryption. Thermometers that never need calibration. Near-absolute measurements of time. Medications customized at the molecular level. These advances are imaginable because of new support for...
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+ More news
Discovering campus
Departments and clubs welcome incoming Lobos by showing all that UNM has to offer.
Honoring Tradition
Students, teachers and community members come together for the opening ceremony of the 19th "Traditional Medicine without Borders: Curanderismo in the Southwest and Mexico" class.
The National Institute of Flamenco, in partnership with The University of New Mexico and the National Hispanic Cultural Center present Festival Flamenco Alburquerque 32, June 15-22, 2019
Welcome, New Lobos!
It's the first week of New Student Orientation, with sessions running through the end of July. Check out nso.unm.edu for scheduling and registration.
Countdown to Commencement 2019
'Tis the season... for grad photos! Hang in there Lobos, summer break is in sight.
Stare down those final exams like Darth Vader glaring down a Wookie Cookie.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Bridlespur Hunt Celebrates 90th Anniversary
By Ciara Walsh
Huntsman Eleanor Hartwell and the foxhounds of the Bridlespur Hunt
This year, 2017, marks the ninetieth season for the Bridlespur Hunt Club (MO). The Club has survived two World Wars, loss of land, uprooting of hounds and clubhouse, and hopefully will endure for another ninety years at least. Over the years, the Hunt has been honored by the patronship and Mastership of wonderfully dedicated individuals.
Bridlespur was founded in 1927 with the support and assistance of the late Mr. August A. Busch, Sr., president of Anheuser-Busch and brewer of what is still the most popular beer in the U.S. Mr. Busch obtained his original draft of hounds from the well-known Joseph B. Thomas1-Percy Rockefeller pack at Overhills, North Carolina. The pack consisted entirely of American hounds or, as better known, Virginia Hounds. By careful breeding and observation the two guiding spirits of the hunt, Mr. August A. Busch, Jr.2 and Mr. Adelbert von Gontard, Sr., developed a pack with most excellent nose and voice. Today, the pack consists mainly of Crossbred hounds.
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# Leslie Granger 2017-12-21 22:01
And a grand weekend it was.
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Засоби інфрачервоної протидії — системи, які використовуються у військовій авіації та застосовуються для протидії ракетам з інфрачервоною голівкою самонаведення (ІЧГСН), таким як Р-27(Э)Т, Р-60, Р-73, ракети переносних зенітно-ракетних комплексів (ПЗРК) і іншим, для того, щоб відволікти ракету і змусити її атакувати хибну ціль — штучні цілі відволікання ураження які не впливають на боєздатність підрозділу/технічної одиниці.

Використовуються два види перешкод: випускні фальшиві теплові цілі (пастки) і стаціонарні генератори пульсуючих інфрачервоних перешкод.

Історія
Вперше міри по протидії ракетам ПЗРК почали використовувати США, у В'єтнамській війні (1972—1975 рр.), що включали в себе застосування теплових пасток і конструктивних змін, направлених на зниження інфрачервоного випромінення літаків і вертольотів. Після того ці засоби розвивались і ставали більш портативними, легкими і надійними, але основна ідея залишається та сама.

Примітки

Авіаційні засоби протидії
Маскування

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Over Gr1p
What: workshop People, Data and Power
When: Monday March 21st, 9 AM- 6 PM
Where: Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS), Mauritskade 62, Amsterdam
Register: Places have almost filled up, please write to dorien@gr1p.org if you are interested in joining.
On March 21st 2016 the University of Amsterdam, the Centre for Urban Studies, Maastricht University and the Gr1p Foundation will organize a day of discussions, round-table sessions and keynote presentations on the promise of equal stakeholdership in the Smart City.
Many cities in the world are currently 'upgrading' into Smart Cities: cities made more sustainable and efficient by means of smart technologies and that will be most of all participatory. Yet, which responsibilities can citizens, municipalities and corporations effectively take in the mutual shaping of these cities? And what types of organizations and technologies should play a role? On this day, a broad mixture of people from different disciplines and domains – from privacy activists to urban scholars, and from representatives of corporations to municipalities and citizen organizations – will gather insights and share knowledge around these questions.
The conference aims to be one node in a growing alliance of people concerned with the mutual co-creation of Smart Cities. One of the outcomes will be an inventory of questions pertaining to equal relationships within Smart Cities which urgently need to be addressed. The aim of this inventory is to facilitate new alliances, new practice-based research projects and plans for open and accountable technological infrastructures and institutional arrangements. Results will be discussed at the City as a Lab evening in Pakhuis de Zwijger on March 24th as well as on this website.
Keynote speakers will be Adam Greenfield and Yan Zhu.
Adam Greenfield is a London-based writer and urbanist, currently a teaching fellow at the Bartlett School of Architecture. His books include Everyware: The dawning age of ubiquitous computing (2006), "Against the smart city" (2013), and a title forthcoming from Verso in 2016.
In his keynote, taking a very critical look at the term 'Smart City', Greenfield establishes some basis for meaningful commoning work in, with and around networked information technologies.
Yan Zhu is a security researcher and Technology Fellow at the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, working on Let's Encrypt, HTTPS Everywhere, and other projects for encrypting the web. She is also a Software Engineer at Brave Software, a developer of SecureDrop, and a former member of the W3C Technical Architecture Group.
In her keynote, Zhu will introduce the audience to threat modelling and invites them to collaboratively come up with a threat model for smart cities. She will then reflect on ways that engineers, government officials, and city residents can help avert these threats, mostly using lessons she has learned from cyberspace and the growing Internet
of Things.
Round-table sessions
In thematic round-table sessions we will look at concrete cases and possible future scenarios around Smart City innovation. The overarching question of each of the roundtables is: Given the ideal of equal stakeholdership in the Smart City, what should be the respective roles of citizens, municipalities, firms and civic organizations in its creation and what types of technological arrangements can best safeguard this equal stakeholdership? How does this ideal relate to what happens now in practice? What needs to change? Each round will discuss these questions with participants from various backgrounds. The round-table sessions are organized in three themes looking at Smart City projects from the perspective of citizens, municipalities and firms.
Smart Citizens
Policy-makers, citizen groups and corporate representatives the world over tout the promise of Smart Cities shaped by active, involved citizens, operating at equal footing with corporations and governments. But what are the possibilities for citizens to actually get involved in the creation of Smart Cities? Smart Cities also gather large amounts of data on them without their knowledge, and not many people feel invited to be involved in the design of their digital surroundings. What forms of debate, types of technological infrastructures, accountability platforms and interventions are required to involve citizens in the mutual shaping of their city?
Smart Municipalities
As cities collaborate with private firms and academic researchers on data-driven projects, city governments are continuously challenged to decide how to balance the public and the personal: on what basis should they make these decisions, and how collaborative should they be?
Smart Firms
Corporations that develop and implement Smart City services and products are increasingly challenged to become trusted parties regarding data collection, storage and analysis and to better involve citizens into their innovation processes. The sessions in this theme discuss the various ways in which companies balance these demands with other interests such as the need to make a profit, to be fast and flexible and to honor existing agreements with their business partners.
Walk-in & coffee/tea
Welcome, introduction and presentation of the NWO research project on Equal Stakeholdership in the Smart City by Dorien Zandbergen;
Presentation of the Maps4Society research project From data subjects to data producers: negotiating the role of the public in urban geo-information data by Linnet Taylor.
Keynote Yan Zhu: a security researcher and Technology Fellow at the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, working on Let's Encrypt, HTTPS Everywhere, and other projects for encrypting the web. She is also a Software Engineer at Brave Software, a developer of SecureDrop, and a former member of the W3C Technical Architecture Group.
In her talk, Zhu will introduce the audience to threat modelling and invites them to collaboratively come up with a threat model for smart cities. She will then reflect on ways that engineers, government officials, and city residents can help avert these threats, mostly using lessons she has learned from cyberspace and the growing Internet
Parallel sessions round 1
Platform City (Smart Citizens): Government bodies both local and national are currently experimenting with digital infrastructures such as online citizen platforms. Austerity measures, decentralisation policies and the growing importance of civic self-organization are important motivational factors therein. Yet, how can governments, involved corporations and users collaboratively assure that these digital networks aren't dominated by top-down interests and technology-push? How can these networks continue to profit from already existing, non-digital, initiatives that have proven to be successful and smart in connecting demand and offer, for instance in the realm of care.
Case presenter: Wanda Huinink (Burennetwerk)
Discussants: Justus Uitermark (Universiteit van Amsterdam) and Mieke van Heesewijk (Netwerk Democratie)
Smartening-up public infrastructures (Smart Municipalities): Public-private consortia in many cities in the Netherlands are currently experimenting with embedding 'smartness' into existing public infrastructures. Sensors and/or camera's placed in roads, sewage pipes, energy-grids, traffic lights or lampposts can contribute to a more efficient orchestration of urban life. Yet, they also alter public spaces in ways that are as yet unknown and collect data on domains previously non-existent. For most citizens it is unclear how to have a say in these developments. How can we involve citizens more actively in the interrogation and co-construction of these smart infrastructures? We will address this question by looking more closely at the case of the Smart Lampposts in Amsterdam Zuidoost.
Case presenters: Ger Baron (CTO Amsterdam Municipality) and Pepijn Nabbe (KPN)
Discussants: Jan Duffhues (Amsterdam Municipality), Holly Robbins (TU Delft) and Arnan Obserski (Amsterdam Municipality)
The 'googlization of health' (Smart Firms): Much of the enthusiasm surrounding research using data generated from social media and mobile technology stems from the easy access to large data sets. But if for-profit companies become mediators, gatekeepers, or proprietors of data sets that are to some extent considered a public good, the question of who gets access, for what purposes and at what cost needs to be considered. In the current situation, we see a growing digital divide between big data "haves" and "have-nots," based on access to and control over new technological infrastructures, databases, and forms of expertise. How can companies, health-researchers, users of health-apps and regulators come to agreements that can establish more equal relationships between all these stakeholders involved? These questions will be introduced by a presentation of research findings by technology-philosopher dr. Tamar Sharon on the 'googlization of health'.
Case presenter: Tamar Sharon (Maastricht University)
Discussants: Joost Plattel (Quont.us) and Ingrid Geesink/Marjolijn Heerings (Rathenau Institute)
Smart Activism (Smart Citizens): Is the smart city a rebel city? Digital networks are making it possible for urban social movements to scale up in ways that until the very recent past were unimaginable. At the same time, these same digital networks can also work against the power these movements build up and they can also extend the reach of state power through dataveillance and data-driven policing. How do movements and activists deal with this double-edged weapon? What technological, political and cultural resources can or should they mobilize? We will open up a discussion on these questions with a presentation by Simone Zeefuik, involved in decolonization initiatives and digital archiving projects documenting the black diaspora in Europe.
Case presenter: Simone Zeefuik
Discussants: Dan Hassler-Forest (Utrecht University) and Juan-Carlos Goilo (Amsterdam Municipality)
Rotterdam Smart City (Smart Municipalities): Based on an overview of Rotterdam-based Smart City practices, we will discuss how municipalities can make a difference in defining the extent to which data-gathering projects are open to democratic values and stakeholder involvement vis-a-vis them serving as surveillant apparatuses. In particular we will look at the differentiating role that can be played by technological design decisions.
Case presenter: Liesbet van Zoonen (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
Discussants: Willem Schinkel (Erasmus University Rotterdam) and Michiel de Lange (Utrecht University)
Privacy-friendly data sharing (Smart Firms): Many Smart City technologies are based on the collection, analysis, use and distribution of large amounts of data about and from people. One of the parties within the Smart City landscape is Tippiq, an R&D initiative of grid operator Alliander. Tippiq is currently developing a data-sharing platform for services in and around the home. A key focus of Tippiq is to enable people to have control over the type of data they share and the conditions under which this happens. In this session, the initiators of this project will give their view on transparant data sharing where users and providers collaboratively organise data-sharing services. Their question for this table is what it would require to make such a data-sharing system – focused on privacy, safety, and user control – viable in the long run. Which roles and responsibilities can and should different stakeholders, such as service providers, users, and other organisations, take on? What kinds of governance mechanisms can guarantee the lasting reliability and trustworthiness of this system?
Case presenter: Bob Kronenburg (Tippiq)
Discussants: Scott Smith (Changeist) and Jaya Baloo (Chief Information Security Officer KPN)
Building an alternative Smart City (Smart Citizens): In the past decades several networks of hackers, engineers, activists, designers, entrepreneurs and citizen organisations across the world have actively explored ways in which to give more interventionist power to citizens living in a digital society – whether focusing on public debate and awareness or the design of alternative technological infrastructures. Yet, what needs to be done for such initiatives to mature into viable, bottom-up, peer-to-peer Smart City infrastructures? This question will be kicked off by a presentation of Jaromil who is playing an important role in many of these developments, amongst others through his Dowse project.
Case presenter: Jaromil (Dyne)
Discussant: Frank Kresin (Waag Society) and Tsjalling Swierstra (Maastricht University)
Sensing Cities (Smart Municipalities): As cities collaborate with private firms and academic researchers on data-driven projects, technologies and practices emerge that make citizens more visible through their data and challenge the boundary between private and public. In this session we will highlight the challenges involved and suggest ways of responsible decision-making through a discussion of several urban projects based on the private collecting of sensor-based data in public spaces.
Case presenter: Alison Powell (London School of Economics and Political Science)
Discussants: Marjolein Lanzing (3TU Centre for Ethics and Technology) and Karin Pfeffer (University of Amsterdam).
The public use of mobile phone data (Smart Firms):Mobile phone data is being used and sought by city governments around the world as a source of information on the dynamics of human activities, behaviour and mobility. However, these data, even in aggregated and deidentified form, are some of the most sensitive available and have implications both for the city's ability to measure its functioning and for its data management and governance practices. What kind of collaborations are emerging between city governments, researchers and telecoms firms, and how is access to and the use of this type of data being negotiated? In this session Jaya Baloo will present the considerations that mobile phone operators need to make when thinking about how to make mobile phone data available for city applications.
Case presenter: Jaya Baloo (Chief Information Security Officer KPN)
Discussants: Paul Suijkerbuijk (Open Overheid, ICTU) and Linnet Taylor (University of Amsterdam)
drinks & snacks break
concluding session based on round-table discussions
keynote Adam Greenfield, followed by discussion
In this talk, taking a very critical look at the term 'Smart City', Greenfield establishes some basis for meaningful commoning work in, with and around networked information technologies.
Gr1p wordt gesteund door:
Stichting Democratie en Media
Stimuleringsfonds creatieve industrie
© Stichting Gr1p 2019


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Honeywhip
Science > Biology > Xenobiology
A Skunkwhip attracts a swarm of bipterid flies
The honeywhip gets its name from the sweet smelling strands, or whips, of sticky "silk" that it spins out from its body to catch its prey. Depending on the species, a honeywhip may produce anywhere from one to six strands of silk which it dangles from its body while hanging upside down from underneath a convenient tree limb. Each strand of silk is tipped with a drop of aromatic, but extremely sticky, fluid which it uses to attract the insect equivalents that inhabit the Trees ecosystem. When these creatures attempt to feed on the "nectar" on the tip of the strand they become stuck and are then further entangled in the silk by their struggles before being rapidly pulled into the honeywhips maw as it withdraws the strand back into its body.
The honeywhip is generally described as resembling a cross between a Terran king crab and a beetle. The creature possesses an armored body and six long, chitinous legs (generally extending three times the diameter of its own body) ending in hooks used to anchor it to the trees where it makes its home. Coloring is typically designed to provide camouflage in the creature's native environment. Along its back, where a crab would have a single continuous carapace, the shell is split into two halves that hinge outward like the wing cases on several species of Terran insect. When the honeywhip opens its shell it uncovers a set of sharp mouthparts and one or more spinnerets which it uses to produce its hunting silk.
Honeywhips come in a variety of sizes and species, ranging from the dwarf honeywhip, often called a miniwhip, of the northern arctic forests (leg span of 1 centimeters), to the elusive giant honeywhip (leg span of 1/3 meters) of the Wirali Archipelago. Two of the most famous honeywhip species are the rainbow honeywhip, which often hunts in flowering trees and is colored accordingly, and the so-called skunkwhip which uses scented strands that mimic the smell of rotting flesh to attract carrion eating prey.
The silk and 'honey' of the honeywhip are both produced naturally as a byproduct of the creature's digestive processes. Although it is not actually classified as a plant and is considered an animal life form, the honey of the honeywhip actually bears more of a chemical resemblance to the secretions of some varieties of Terran carnivorous plants than the sweet concoction its name is partially derived from.
Pspyder
Trees (HD 3823 II)
Text by Todd Drashner
Initially published on 12 July 2007.


>Okay, let me see if I've got this right.
>A "loonie" is a one-Canadian-dollar coin.
>A "twonie" is a two-Canadian-dollar coin.
>hoarded money...would that make me "looney-tunes?"
I heard many such around the time that the twonie came out!


text:
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Benefits of an Ownership Culture Through A Crisis with Brian Brasch and Erik Hopperstad at PRX Performance
April 19, 2020 /in Culture, Growth Think Tank /by Gene Hammett
Every business owner I know is under tremendous pressure right now. For some, it is the pressure to keep up with the new demand for their services and products. For many, it is how to navigate through a crisis. If you are like me, you believe there is an opportunity in times like this. Today we are looking at the benefits of an ownership culture through a crisis. My guests are Brian Brasch and Erik Hopperstad at PRX Performance. Their company was ranked #189 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. We talk about how their business is booming with the demand for in-home gym equipment. We also look at the foundation of their company, which centers on an ownership culture. If your business is not taking off right now, you still have a ton to gain by understanding the power of an ownership culture. Discover how you can engage your team to new levels through a crisis.
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Brian Brasch and Erik Hopperstad: The Transcript
Target Audience: Joe Blewitt is the CEO of Epion Health demonstrating the Smart Screen Health Tablet at Health Tech: Next Generation in San Francisco, CA. Epion Health offers a cloud-based, software as a service patient engagement solution at the point of care – beginning with the patient check-in process. Epion provides a variety of mobile health applications and content.
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Disclaimer: This transcript was created using YouTube's translator tool and that may mean that some of the words, grammar, and typos come from a misinterpretation of the video.
Brian Brasch [0:00]
With the empowerment is we encourage people to make mistakes. I always say I probably make twice as many decisions as everyone because I make them fast. And I make like one or two out of those 10 decisions will be a mistake. But that's okay. Because I got the other eight done much faster. I encourage the team to do the same thing. They don't need to check with everybody. They just need to do their research, do their best, and make a decision and keep the ball moving.
Erik Hopperstad [0:27]
I think at the end of the day, where you know, if you're not making mistakes, you're holding yourself back and you're not going to reach your full potential.
Intro [0:36]
Welcome to Growth Think Tank. This is the one and only place where you will get insight from the founders and the CEOs the fastest-growing privately held companies. I am the host. My name is Gene Hammett. I help leaders and their teams navigate the defining moments of their growth. Are you ready to grow?
Gene Hammett [0:54]
Breeding an ownership culture? What does that mean to you? Well, I can tell you what it isn't. It doesn't require wire you to have a financial instrument that backs up this ownership, options, profit sharing. It helps, but it doesn't require it. So what is the formula for an ownership culture? Well, I've seen that some of the key ingredients to this empowerment, inclusion, transparency, trust, a value that is given to the employees, it continues to increase over time, more skills, more experience, they show up not because they're here to collect a paycheck, they show up because they want to, they don't do the work just because they have to. They do it because they want when you can inspire an ownership culture as a leader. You have more than just people doing the work. You have a family, you have a tribe, you have people that are connected together and aligned to a common mission. All of those things are true.
Today, we have a company that lives this and breathes it every day. PRx Performance they create home equipment that is professional grade but also space-saving. They have patents around this really great to see how they're exploding through the Coronavirus issues that are going on right now. But not every business is able to do that. One reason why they're able to be that their people are able to see these things come in and make decisions and they've given them the power to do that they've empowered them. We talked about some of the details and how they do that in their meetings. And it really does help align them together and create this ownership. We have with us the CEO Brian Brasch, and we have president Erik Hopperstad said had a look at my notes here. They grew really fast to the Inc list, and they're booming because of Coronavirus. You want to tune in this episode because you could learn something from their own culture and allow you to be the leader that your team deserves.
Commercial [2:54]
Thanks for tuning in here to Growth Think Tank. Really excited about sharing this with you and Before you run, I have done so many interviews in the last few weeks, I have such an exciting time to share with you that those interviews have been organized into the 12 core principles of fast-growth companies. So all you have to do to get that is go to genehammett.com/worksheet. So you can get the 12 principles, and I've been able to go in there and find which episodes will align with each individual episode. When you subscribe to Growth Think Tank, you will find exactly what you need so that you can move forward. And many of them haven't been published yet, depending on when you're hearing this. But you can tune in to the date that means the most you to you. Now here's Eric and Brian.
Hi, guys, how are you?
Excellent. How are you doing today? Thanks for having us on.
Doing well Gene.
Excited to have you don't get a chance to do a three-way kind of interview much but I'm excited to have two founders here that are committed to a bigger mission than just making money. So I want you to tell our audience a little bit about that. PRx Performance?
You bet. So PRx Performance as an idea around a campfire and beers as probably most ideas start that way. And but it changed the next day. And we actually bought a web domain and, and put it into action. And since then, it's been an amazing ride. And, you know, grew it to about a $10 million business. But now with this economy, we're actually on a run rate to hit an about 100 million, you know, annually this year, given the latest pandemic that's going on. So it's been a challenging but fun ride.
I know you guys are probably thinking through this. Some businesses are seeing a boom from the opportunity. You're, as I understand the products that you have really do fit well with a home gym. Just give us a little bit of an idea of what you're selling and what you're offering.
So basically, the corporate product mix we have is space-saving fitness equipment. So we try to develop design and patent products that allow people to essentially have that commercial gym experience in a small space. So in their home in their garage, small commercial space, that's just kind of our niche and what we focus on and just build around it every day.
I love it. I think that you know, the Wise leaders are thinking about what the new normal will be. And if you think about individuals, some people will enjoy working out at home or than they enjoyed going to the gym. So maybe this will continue as a pattern for you.
I think we'll definitely see a bit of a permanent change in consumer behavior after we all get through this.
Well, I want to dive into this. You guys had a quick ride up to the Inc list and you have about 40 employees said about right?
More every day, I guess.
what one of the keys to your growth you had said was a sense of ownership. What do you mean by ownership inside your culture?
So I was told many years ago by a mentor that the true test of leadership is when you go on vacation, what happens to your business? Does it dwindle? Does it thrive? Are there fire drills? So what we've instilled, neither Eric nor I am on-site more than a handful of days per year. So when we went out to hire employees, not only we looked for passion, we look for people who were experts in their area. And we could essentially with just a little amount of training, set them loose and essentially entrust them with the day to day decisions. And that allowed Erik and me to step back and focus on strategy and growth which was necessary, obviously with what we've accomplished.
I love this approach. But you guys started out early. Where did you get that from? I know, you talked about the vacation test. I've heard this before. But where did you really learn it and decide that's what you wanted to base your business on?
I think it probably we were almost forced into it. You know, even though we had this in mind, I think the business got to a point where, you know, neither one of us could do it all. And, you know, then, of course, employee number one comes along, and as things continue to, you know, hockey stick, so to speak, you're forced to delegate whether you're comfortable with it or not. And whether you're comfortable with it, or you're forced to do it. You learn how powerful that is. So having the right people in the right places is just that much more important.
Well, I know there's some real advantages to it. And it's one of the core big ideas that come out of these conversations, but I'm happy to have it with you guys. I'm sure I'll learn something new and we'll take it to a deeper level but I want to start breaking this down, like, have you thought about kind of a formula or framework around the sense of ownership?
I think when you start looking at people as a whole, I would say 90% of our recruiting has happened at, you know, in CrossFit gyms and boxes now granted, that's what our product is to, but I don't think that's a requirement. If you look at people who wake up at five in the morning and workout, have a huge sense of community. And you know, not only that, but they help their friends and their community become better to that type of person is who you want in your operation, whether they're in marketing, whether they're in finance, whether they're out in the warehouse, those core values, just become the foundation of your culture and the culture is one of the most important things about our business when you walk in the door. You feel the energy, you see the smiles, you see everyone just there to say.
Hold on for a second. They just said culture was important. How important Have you made culture inside your business? Are you more focused on the strategy of execution? Are you more focused on the metrics coming out of it? Or have you taken the time to be intentional about the culture you want to create? Have you created the time to really think about how that unity and loyalty happens across the company? The rituals that you have, either support your culture, or take energy away from it. Your job as a leader is to tune into that culture, to shape it, and to create a place that people love to come to work. I wanted to add this in here because it's just such an important piece. A lot of people forget when they're focused on strategy, metrics, and even that bottom line, I know it's important, it's why we're here. But you want to create a place where people love to come to work so that they give their heart and soul to it, create that space for them to grow. That's a strong call. Back to them.
Gene Hammett [10:07]
So hiring is important for sure. And I know there's probably some other pieces behind it, but I want to go beyond hiring when you are bringing someone on. One of the elements I've seen is such an important to inspire ownership is empowering them. And you guys just mentioned earlier, you know, hire an expert, and set them loose with a little bit of training, but you also want them to make decisions. Tell me just a little bit about this sense of empowerment that you guys look for.
Brian Brasch [10:42]
So with the empowerment is we encourage people to make mistakes. I always say I probably make twice as many decisions as everyone because I make them fast. And I make you know like one or two out of those 10 decisions will be a mistake, but that's okay because I got the other eight done. Much faster. I encourage the team to do the same thing. They don't need to check with everybody, they just need to do their research, do their best, and make a decision and keep the ball moving. Now, if you make a mistake, no problem, just learn from it. So next time you have that same situation, hopefully, we don't make a mistake next time, but it'll allow us to grow faster and move the ball down the field significantly faster than most other companies.
Erik Hopperstad [11:27]
I think at the end of the day, we're you know, if you're not making mistakes, you're holding yourself back and you're not going to reach your full potential.
Commercial [11:37]
One more second here, encouraging fast decisions, well, that starts at the top, you must lead by example if you are struggling to create the kind of decisions that are necessary for the company to move forward, whether they be small or large. People will take that cue from you. So you want to make sure you are making those decisions fast that you are being decisive when need to be I'm not saying that you've got to make every decision at the flip of a coin, but you've got to be decisive. You want your employees to be decisive, then you can't him and hot, you can't know, let's take some time and kick the can down the road, you've got to be able to make decisions. Maybe you've come up with a decision to test something, maybe you come up with a decision, and how we can move forward with the next step is, but you make decisions. If you want your employees to make decisions fast, you've got to make your own decisions fast. Hopefully, this is helpful. I want to shine a light on this because I see this is a big issue across many leaders that aren't really making the decisions as fast as they want to, and it comes down to trust. They don't trust themselves. If you don't have trust inside your own leadership, your team can feel it.
Let's look at that at a deeper level because I want to make sure the audience really understands what you mean by this. Do you put some boundaries around this? Do you give them you know, some level of state stay in between these lines or do you go, you can do whatever you want to do right here.
We don't really have any boundaries. Brian, I would say, I think with that said, though, you know, they all know when the good time is to maybe give us a call or if they want to run something by us. And we encourage that too. But for the most part, you know, we want them to run.
You know, when Erik and I started the company, we agreed that if there was any expenditure over $200, we would have a discussion about it. I was in the office three, four months ago, and a document came across my controller's desk, and she said, Do you know about this, and I looked in, one of my executives signed a $75,000 contract. I was like, I trust her. I mean, it's just going for it just make sense. I trust them.
It might even have been 100 bucks, Brian.
It's amazing how things start out, in the beginning, is like, Oh, these are really good ideas. And then now you are comfortable and you really trust your team. And that does say a lot about ownership. Now, you've got 40 employees, a lot of people think it's hard to create ownership across that many employees. I want to make sure I mean, I don't know the answer to this are you using like, options or any kind of Aesop or profit-sharing with them so that they have a financial stake in ownership.
So we did start the business with an option pool. So there are about 16 people that helped us get off the ground and we offered to pay him cash or give them options. Everybody took options. A few of those people cashed out early, but over half are still with us. And they're seeing now more than a 10 x return on their money, and I expect that to continue to go up. But for the day to day people, which I think is even more important. What we've committed to them is a profit-sharing number. So twice a year. We take the profit, and we pay them based on their hours worked and their total salary. So this year, everyone's going to get a very nice check-in June. And we also make sure we get to December for the holidays. And that I think really motivates them. And I'll say one thing even more important than profit sharing is, you know, people talk about community or family. One thing we do every Monday morning is all 40 people, you know, until COVID started, we gather around our conference room and it gets pretty full. Now we're run out of space. Again, we all say one thing about our weekend, our favorite thing or highlight of the weekend, and then we say one important thing that we're doing that week with the business that people should be aware of. And this meeting still only takes a half an hour, but you hear who's having a kid, you know, who did something special who got engaged. There are all these amazing stories, and it really creates a family atmosphere. And I wouldn't trade that for anything.
You know, a lot of people shy away from the personal elements, but you actually have brought it into a ritual that you do every Monday. What have you seen as the way that relates to people binding together,
I think you can just tell by the interaction of everybody on a daily basis, you know, whether that's in group messaging, or you know, in the actual workplace, they just interact differently. They treat each other, more like a family member as opposed to, you know, a quote-unquote, co-worker or colleague, it's just a, it's a totally different animal.
Any other rituals that you can share with us that bind gets together people around this the sense of ownership?
So you want your customers to have that same feeling of having something special, I mean, they're coming to us for a premium product and a premium experience. So not only after people order they get special emails and messages and understanding the whole experience. When their package shows up, they actually have a handwritten note on the box, you know, something like, you know, go get those gains thanks for your order PRx, something simple, but we have a rule that if we can get one more shipment out that day, at the expense of not writing out a box, we hold that shipment back we make sure every box has that handwritten note. And that's what makes us special. And then when you open the box, there's another little gift inside of it that they didn't order paid for and it's amazing. Social media. Half of the people. Half of the post on PRs is a picture of the box with handwriting on it. People love it and they just want to feel special. And it's a great way to kick off their new fitness journey.
I love little details like that. I have said For years from the stage and do this show that you don't have to give a financial reward to get someone to take ownership. And actually, ownership is best described as an internal drive an internal feeling. One of those is empowerment. Another one is I've seen his inclusion when you think about including people into, you know, some decisions are being made and letting the team bat around and brainstorm that stuff is that, uh, have you seen that to be a part of your own formula?
Yeah, I would say without a doubt. I mean, you know, Brian and I both make a lot of decisions for the business. But I don't know that there are very many decisions that we make, that may or may not impact them that we don't get feedback from them on. We always value any of their input. You know, we want to hear any concerns. We want to, we want to hear what we might be missing in a case like that.
And I also find that a part of that is the ability to be trained. parent, I, when you set out to lead this team into, you know, higher sales and really reaching the mission you have. Do you include transparency as a part of that? Like, are they free to talk about what's really going on? And so that you can hear it. And vice versa? Are they able to accept that level of transparency when you have to give them feedback?
Yeah, like even today? I think we're very transparent. Yesterday was a hard day for us. Everyone's very stressed, they're working just crazy hours. You know, I think a lot of times when people are, are sheltered at home with their families, our team is grinding so hard. So I heard that there was a lot of people are scared, they're nervous. They're stressed few mental breakdowns. So we got together like how do we fix this and we decided that We're shutting off our website this week, and we're not taking any sales because more and more And then profits and sales is making sure that our people are happy. So we're giving everyone you know, it's, you know, Easter weekend, don't even think of coming into work.
I am going to ask you for a big key question. I don't, I don't ask this as much anymore. But I've asked hundreds of founders, and I never know what's gonna happen, because you could say anything you want to hear. But I find that fast-growth companies react to this question differently. And it's a very, it's almost the impossible question as a leader. And so there's two of you here. But as a leader, what's more, important to your customers or employees?
Oh, I was gonna let out Eric answer first, but I'll take it. It's definitely the employees because if you take care of your employees, they will take care of the customers. It's, it's very simple. And I think we've only had like, two people quit our company in seven years. Because there's this And and you know that those two are amicable. There's one gentleman we still have over at our annual holiday party, we all go out to the lake and we spend a day a weekday just surfing and being together. And but you have to take care of your people. That's your family and they do that transfers on to your customers.
That's what I've seen. And I'll give you the data behind it. 94% of the people ask that question that are in the Inc 5000 will say its employees. Now outside of that slow-growing companies, big companies, like really huge corporate companies will say its customers. I get that its an impossible question, but we've seen it with this whole COVID-19 we've seen a huge resurgence of companies that are taking care of themselves, and those that are taking care of their employees. And I know it's a hard decision. If you've got to conserve cash, you want the business to be safe and be here beyond this. Right. There are some people that I've talked to some people that have lost 80% of the business, you guys are booming inside of this. But I really appreciate you guys sharing your insights around ownership. I want to give you one last kind of question. Is there anything that I should have asked you about ownership that I have we haven't covered today.
You know, there's probably another thing that we could throw in on the ownership thing that's just kind of happened within our organization. You know, empowering people thinking outside the box. We have a number of patents now, and quite a few in the pipeline. And I think I'm not sure when this is going to happen, Brian, but we have a product in r&d right now. And for the first time, we're going to have one of our employee's names on that path. And that is super cool.
Yeah, I see your smile on that, Brian. It's got to be pretty rewarding to know that they've shared ideas and you let them run with it and others see that too. And it adds to our Feeling that that sense of ownership around the company?
Yeah, it's, I would say, I've talked to over 100 inventors over the last few years, and they come to me with ideas. And in all honesty, I've only liked two of the ideas. And when my employee came up with this idea, it was a no brainer. And I'm like, what resources you need? Let's get an engineer on it. Let's do this. Let's do that. And I think I'm gonna be more proud of that patent than the other dozen that we've already been issued. It's an amazing feeling.
I would agree. 100%
Well, I appreciate you guys being here being a part of the Growth Think Tank team and sharing your wisdom.
Thanks a lot, Gene. Appreciate it.
Fantastic interview. I love talking to people about the sense of ownership. I love how it binds people together. Yes, they do have some options and they have profit sharing. But you can probably realize you don't have those things you can actually engineer them with intention, you can make it important for employees to make decisions to make a failure, okay? to include them in the strategies moving forward. And even to give them a chance to create their own products with their own paths. Love when leaders are willing to give credit to others, it lit them up when they talked about giving the chance to employee to have a patent.
All this I share with you because I know you as a leader want to continue growing and evolving. I work with leaders in the defining moments of their leadership, to challenge them to keep them really clear about how they've got to move forward. What do they need to let go up? How do they need to show up the next stage of their own leadership? That's my work. I'd love to work with you. I love to get to know you. So make sure you reach out to me [email protected]. As always, lead with encouraging we'll see you next time.
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Lil Dicky Tribute: Top 5 Best Comedic/Weird Songs Ever
by Adam McDonald · April 25, 2018
We have had so many fond memories with Weird Al Yankovic who ushered a new era in comedic music. He wrote his own rib-tickling lyrics over existing song tunes and he made us cry with laughter. However, David Andrew Burd AKA Lil Dicky has a different approach to comedic music. He creates his own lyrics and tunes and he plays with tunes, rhymes, bars and everything else in music. This, makes Lil Dicky stand out from the rest of the musicians out there.
Lil Dicky is a rapper-a comedic rapper. He has no macho, suave or the muscles to pose as a 'typical' rapper. In fact, he does the exact opposite. He is breaking the stereotype of 'rap' and 'rap music.' Hip hop, Pop and Rap are his genres with which he infuses the comedy of life. His music is inspired with everyday events, so most of them are quite relatable to everybody. Lil Dicky almost always releases a music video along with his songs and these videos play an integral part in narrating the story of his songs.
We will try and list down the top 5 of Lil Dicky's music so far, and with each of them we will detail a little bit more about Lil Dicky and his music.
WARNING: Content advisory- explicit lyrics and NSFW videos
List of Top 5 Best Songs of Lil Dicky
05. "Molly" Ft. Brendon Urie
"Molly" is a proper song-you will realize what this means as we progress through the list.
All the verses of "Molly" are rap, except for the chorus, which is done by Brendon Urie. And this song tells a massive story in a little under 6 minutes.
Lil Dicky starts the song by saying that what he is going to tell now is one of the "soft-test thing" he has ever done, but it is one of the most important things in his life. This makes us wonder if this song is drawn out of personal experiences.
"Fuck it, I don't even know what I could of done
Looking back thinking "That's what I should of done"
Wanted you back
But when the fact is I always put you second to rap
I'm not mad that you wouldn't come…"
In "Molly," Lil Dicky raps about a dreading situation which no guy or girl would ever praise to be in-attend their ex's wedding. However, Lil Dicky admits that the fallout with this girl was due to his busy schedule and his priority of rap and music over anything else. So we assume the breakup was quite clean and hence, he got the invitation for her wedding.
"Molly" is a lament of how David Burd wishes he would have done things differently when he had the girl.
04. "Ex-Boyfriend"
"Ex-boyfriend" is one of the songs that put Lil Dicky on the map. The song appears in Dicky's debut mix-tape 'So Hard' released back in 2013.
We are no entirely certain where the inspiration for this song came from, but we believe a lot of guys can relate to this song as well. The entire song is about how David Burd is insecure about his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend.
The ex-boyfriend we see in the video is best described by Dicky himsels in the lyrics.
"Cuz he's the best looking guy that I've seen in my whole life
He's got the thickest head of hair, chiseled jaw, an egregious bod
Man this the closest thing I've seen to a Grecian god…"
Then the entire song turns into a weep over how insecure Lil Dicky gets over this ex-boyfriend's penis, until the girl comes and reveals that she dated him in the second grade.
03. "Freaky Friday" Ft. Chris Brown
"Freaky Friday" is released in March 2018 and is possibly Lil Dicky's most viral song yet. The song features vocals and video features appearance by Chris Brown. The video also features guest appearances by DJ Khaled, Kendall Jenner and Ed Sheeran.
This song is based on the popular movie 'Freaky Friday' (2003) where mother and daughter switch between each other's bodies by a magic from a fortune cookie. This song encompasses those elements, but the souls switch between Lil Dicky and Chris Brown. Then it goes on to show how both these rappers are not quite satisfied with their lives-Dicky wants to be cool like Chris and Chris wants a more discrete life like Dicky.
I woke up Chris Breezy, oh my god I'm the man (oh shit)
I'm so fly and I can dance (whoa, whoa shit)
There's tattoos on my neck (oh, oh)
At the beginning of the video, Dicky also shows the perception of the fans and the industry on Lil Dicky the comedic rapper.
"He's not like a 'rapper' rapper… he's like a funny rapper…"
"Freaky Friday" is possibly the last 'song' we mention on this list and things take a turn from the next track in line.
02. "Pillow Talking" Ft. Brain
This is just some next level music. 'Pillow talking' is a slang used to describe the intimate discussions happening between a couple usually immediately after sex. That is exactly what is happening in the song-but the Lil Dicky version.
Lil Dicky portrays himself as a nerd and he embraces it in the this song and video. He talks about alien invasions, multiverses, God, dinosaurs and life in this session of 'pillow talking.' David Burd's brain too joins the conversation as a third person.
The entire song happens as a conversation between Lil Dicky and this girl whom he had a one-night stand with. Hence, beats, rhymes, bars and tunes flow into and out of place every now and then.
Let us know what you think about this one in the comments below.
01. "Professional Rapper" Ft. Snoop Dogg
"Professional Rapper" tops the list due to several reasons. This song is sort of an introduction to who Lil Dicky is as a rapper-because most of us have a difficult time understanding his music. Then, this song tells Dicky's story growing up. This song tells Dicky's strengths and weaknesses in music and this song has Snoop Dogg in it. And the video is animated.
Lil Dicky explains his upbringing as;
"I was born out of Philly grew up in a little silly old town called Cheltenham
It was in the suburbs, upper-middle wealth around…"
So, no real life struggles he could base his rap around.
How did Dicky start up rap;
"Man, my Bar Mitzvah money…"
Why does he do rap;
"Literally I can reinvent myself
I get a forum to project myself
It's never boring, every morning I wake up and try to best myself…"
Now, by this time, the interviewee-Snoop Dogg has almost had it with Lil Dicky. He sees little to no potential in Lil Dicky's rap career. So he questions Dicky about his music style;
"If you wanna do this, then you won't get far acting like a little bitch"
To this, Dicky explains himself;
"Nah, that's my niche!
Don't get offended by this, but that's the market y'all missed
That's the target I'll hit
And that's the heart of my pitch
I wanna do this whole thing different…"
And so it goes.
Lil Dicky may not be your average rapper persona. But he certainly makes up for it with his creative skills. He does lyrics different and music different and he has been successful so far.
Hope you enjoyed this best of Lil Dicky list made by JustRandomThings. Of course, this is our view and we would love to hear yours. Do let us know in the comments below, if we missed your favorite Lil Dicky track.
You can check out more of Dicky's weird music on his YouTube account and you can connect with him on tour dates and updates on his website.
Tags: Lil Dicky
Adam McDonald
Hi! I am the founder and lead author and editor of Justrandomthings music community. A vast range of personal interests from Hip-Hop to Country to Hard Rock and Punk music will keep you entertained.
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Ex-President Jonathan, Alison-Madueke, Tunde Ayeni, Named In Fraudulent Oil Contracts That Cost Nigeria Billions
PREMIUM TIMES has uncovered one of the most fraudulent crude oil deals carried out by the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, which saw cronies of the president pocket billions of naira through a domestic crude oil transportation contract that violated Nigeria's procurement and economic regulations.
by Ogala Emmanuel Sep 16, 2015
PREMIUM TIMES has uncovered one of the most fraudulent crude oil deals carried out by the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, which saw cronies of the president pocket billions of naira through a domestic crude oil transportation contract that violated Nigeria's procurement and economic regulations. Former President Jonathan, Tunde Ayeni, Idahosa Wells and Diezani Alison-Madueke PremiumTimes
Our estimates indicate that the contracts, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has now admitted were unnecessarily exorbitant and inappropriately awarded, cost Nigeria N509.3 billion.
How much service the companies offered to pocket that amount remains unclear even to the state oil company, insiders say.
The deal, later disguised as security contract and channeled through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, saw two companies belonging to Idahosa Okunbor and Tunde Ayeni, illegally rack up billions of naira to purportedly transport crude oil from Escravos to Warri refinery, and Bonny Island to Port Harcourt refinery, by ship, since 2011.
The deal involved the transportation of five millions barrels of crude oil, monthly, from drilling terminals to the refineries using ships, and circumventing direct linking pipelines, at the cost of N3.063.00 ($15.4 USD) per barrel of crude.
The cost of this contract is several times higher than it takes to transport crude oil through the more efficient pipelines which PPMC, an arm of NNPC operates. The cost of transporting a barrel of crude through the pipeline is as low as N5.97.
Although, awarding the firms the job to transport crude oil by ships was a very expensive alternative, the administration pressed on, ignoring the fact that it increased the cost of transporting only a fraction of locally refined crude oil by several billions of naira monthly and was economically unjustifiable.
While the shady contract lasted, the NNPC, at the same time, transported crude through a national pipeline that originated from Escravos and landed in Warri Refinery before proceeding to Kaduna Refinery.
The Escravos-Warri Refinery arm of the project was conceived in 2010, shortly after Goodluck Jonathan became president. The contract kicked off properly in January 2011 and was explained to the few who knew about it back then as a way of circumventing vandalized pipelines to keep Nigeria's refineries amply fed with crude oil.
The contract was never advertised and no competitive bidding was done, a clear violation of Nigeria's procurement law. Cheaper options were neglected. Two companies, PPP Fluid Mechanics and Ocean Marine Securities, OMS, were awarded the job by presidential and ministerial discretion.
The two companies initially got N1.1 billion monthly payment each by NNPC, for a three months trial, documents sighted by PREMIUM TIMES show.
PPP Fluid Mechanics got the contract offering to transport the crude using Very Large Crude Carriers – super tankers – used in transporting crude oil. OMS got the contract to provide security for the 22.2km (12 nautical miles) journey, despite every other waterways security arrangement that existed at the time.
This brazen case of impropriety has, till date, been sustained by a tight web of secrecy.
"I do not have details" of the contract, NNPC spokesman, Ohi Alegbe, told PREMIUM TIMES more than one month after receiving our inquiries, and weeks after he later announced the corporation was canceling the contract.
Paying the cabal
This contract was conceptualized and executed in a classical mafioso style.
After the then Petroleum Minister, Deziani Alison-Madueke, in 2010, got the then President Jonathan to approve the deal, the NNPC secretly invited bids from international shipping contractors. PPP FM, managed by two Israelis at the time, was handpicked for the logistics part of the job. OMS, managed by Messrs. Okunbor and Ayeni, was invited to handle the security aspect.
There are no records of OMS ever bidding for the contract. Insiders who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES also claim OMS never bidded.
They were selected by a board led by Mrs. Madueke, which also had NNPC Group Managing Director at the time, Austin Oniwon, and eight others, including Yinka Omorogbe, the legal adviser to the corporation.
The contract was initially explained as a three-month trial to circumvent pipelines that were believed to be under serious threat from militants and oil thieves in the Niger Delta. It, however, lasted till August 2015, almost five years later.
How it escaped public scrutiny for the period it lasted is what is likely to shock many Nigerians.
Contract documents indicating the contract was supposed to last only three months were issued on December 2, 2010. Shipping began the following month – January 2011 – after PPP FM provided one mother vessel and three smaller shuttle vessels.
Contract documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES showed the each arm of the contract for the trial period was to cost NNPC N1.1 billion ($5.82 million USD) monthly. This is at the rate of N900 per barrel ($5.2 USD per barrel) split equally between shipping and security.
But the cost of the deal quickly skyrocketed after the three months trial period.
Shortly after the project began, Messrs. Okunbor and Ayeni sought to own the entire project, and initiated a hostile takeover of PPP FM. Eight months later, they completed the takeover and PPP FM's founders, the Israelis, were kicked out.It is not clear how much they were paid to give up their company. It is also unclear whether they were merely used as fronts in the beginning.
The exit of the Israelis paved the way for one of the bloodiest financial hemorrhages Nigeria suffered during the Jonathan administration, and was perhaps still suffering till July 2015 when NNPC called it off after becoming aware this newspaper was investigating the deal.
With the Israelis out of the way, and believing the deal was now secret, the NNPC jacked up the cost of the deal to N1,496.10 ($7.52 USD) per barrel for transportation and the same amount for security.
This increase raised the cost of the contract to N6.7 billion monthly.
In August 2014, the former petroleum minister admitted to an oil and gas audience in the U.S. that NNPC was spending an average of $7.52 per barrel to transport crude oil locally to refineries by ship.
She was silent on the security costs. But multiple sources confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES the security cost was just as much as the shipping.
In four years, the NNPC shelled out at least N303 billion to the two companies owned by Messrs. Okunbor and Ayeni for the Escravos-Warri arm of the deal alone.
Thus, at the times the price of crude oil hovered around $50 per barrel, the NNPC paid these firms about a third of the cost of each barrel ($15.04) as shipment cost – in addition to all other cost of handling crude that existed before the contract.
These sums were paid despite the oil corporation reporting that it kept pumping crude oil from Escravos to Warri refinery through the pipeline, concurrently with the shipping deal.
Recently, during the opening of the renovated Port Harcourt Refinery, Mr. Okunbor confirmed to Thisday that his company did not even ship the total amount projected by the contract. But they got paid even while not shipping crude.
"Currently, we lift 950,000 barrels to the Warri refinery twice a month," Mr. Okunbor told Thisday. The projected amount was 2.2 million barrels, apparently 1.2 million barrels higher than actual shipment made by Mr. Okunbor and his partners.
While the deal was expected to supply Warri Refinery with 105.6 million barrels of crude, NNPC records show that the refinery only received 61.2 million barrels, combined. At least half of what was expected by ship alone was not delivered.
The Port Harcourt Refinery Deal
After running the Escravos-Warri Refinery deal successfully and secretly for two years, the NNPC opened the Bonny Island – Port Harcourt refinery route under the same covers. The Bonny Island – Port Harcourt refinery route was to transport 2.8 million barrels of crude oil monthly at the same cost with the same contractors, PPP FM and OMS.
Again, there were no competitive biddings before Mr. Ayeni and his partners were handed the contracts.
With the Bonny – Port Harcourt Refinery route added to the portfolio, Messrs. Okunbor and Ayeni were charged with transporting five million barrels of crude oil to the two refineries, via ships, monthly.
At that rate, NNPC was paying both companies N15.3 billion ($77 million USD) monthly on both fronts.
Like in the Warri refinery's case, Messrs. Okunbor and Ayeni did not deliver the full amount of crude expected of the illegal contract.
"Currently, we lift… approximately 1.6 million barrels twice a month to the Port Harcourt refinery using our VLCC," Mr. Okunbor told Thisday in July.
Cocktail of illegalities
These local crude oil transportation deals Messrs. Okunbor and Ayeni held until July were fraught with fraud, illegalities and irregularities.
Those familiar with the deal said the NNPC board, in the first place, had no businesses approving the initial contract in December 2010 because the cost exceeded their approval limit of N5 million, allowed by its laws, and $20 million US dollars allowed by Nigeria's procurement laws.
The decision to extend the contract beyond three months was the second major step in a cascade of fraudulent activities that defined the contract.
In 2013, the NNPC attempted to regularize these illegal crude oil transportation contracts. In October that year, it published an invitation to tender bids for the two crude oil transportation contracts in major Nigerian dailies.
Days later, just as many shipping companies were putting final touches to their bids, the corporation withdrew the bid through another newspaper publication.
The state oil company did not give any reason for the withdrawal of the call for bids. But top NNPC sources told PREMIUM TIMES a directive demanding the withdrawal came from the presidency describing the project as a "security contract".
Despite the only official explanation for the exorbitant contract being the drive to keep the refineries amply supplied with crude oil in the face of 'failing pipelines,' both the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries received crude oil volumes far less than the contract was expected to deliver.
Between January 2011 and December 2014, the Warri Refinery received crude supplies above two million barrels in six months only, NNPC crude distribution data shows.
In at least three months of 2014, the Warri Refinery did not receive a drop of crude supply. The Warri refinery received an average of 1.2 million barrels of crude oil monthly in those four years.
Port Harcourt refinery never received crude supply up to the full amount expected of the illegal contract while it lasted. In fact, NNPC data did not show any significant leap in supply after the transportation contract was initiated in 2013.
Within the period, the Port Harcourt refinery did not receive a drop of crude oil in three months. It received an average of 536 thousand barrels of crude monthly, at least 2 million barrels less than the contract was expected to deliver.
The NNPC data of crude received monthly by the refineries, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, showed that in the last four years, the refineries rarely received crude oil close to the volumes awarded for shipment alone from both Messrs. Okunbor and Ayeni, not to talk of pipeline sources that fed the refineries.
Satellite images obtained by PREMIUM TIMES showed that in some instances, no security boats escorted the ships deployed by PPP FM to transport the crude from production terminals to refinery jetties. Yet, NNPC purportedly paid billions of naira for the security escorts.
"Some of the vessels involved also sat anchored offshore the Niger Delta—presumably at a significant cost to the nation—for long periods when NNPC was not sending crude to the refineries at all," a recent report by Natural Resources Governance Institute said.
Besides being economically unjustifiable, many industry experts PREMIUM TIMES contacted for comment for this story were shocked by its details and ramifications.
"What happened to the crude oil received by these contractors in the months the refineries were down? Why did the refineries not receive full volumes of crude oil lifted by these contractors?" many asked.
Tunde Ayeni, one of the owners of the contracting firm in this deal is a long-standing ally of former governor of Bayelsa State, Depreiye Alamieyeseigha, and former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Mr. Jonathan succeeded Mr. Alamieyeseigha as governor of oil-rich Bayelsa state after the latter was removed from office in 2005 following money laundering scandal. Since his release from prison, Mr. Alamieyeseigha has remained active on the political scene.
Mr. Ayeni, a lawyer, gained notoriety following the corruption trial that brought down Mr. Alamieyeseigha as Bayelsa governor. He was mentioned in court documents as admitting helping Mr. Alamieyeseigha to execute some deals.
Mr. Ayeni was never convicted and has since then remained one of Nigeria's most ambitious businessmen, investing heavily in almost all key sectors of the Nigerian economy – oil and gas, telecoms and power. He's currently the chairman of Skye Bank and was awarded Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) – a national recognition – by the Jonathan administration.
In the build up to the 2015 general elections, Mr. Ayeni chaired a fundraising dinner organised by Mr. Jonathan's party, the Peoples Democratic Party, and made a shocking donation of N2 billion ostensibly to fund the president's re-election. He explained that half of the donation was raised by himself and an anonymous partner while the other half was raised by himself other anonymous friends.
Mr. Ayeni, whose law firm, Legal Resources Alliance, doubles as the company secretary to PPP FM, turned away PREMIUM TIMES reporters, who visited to request his comments for this story, from his 38 Birao Street, Wuse II, Abuja office.
Tunde Ayeni, right, fraternizing with President Buhari in the State House, Abuja, on Friday August 28 2015
The NNPC also declined to comment. After weeks of promises and excuses to respond to the website's inquiry, the state oil company tried to preempt our investigation by announcing it was calling off the illegal contracts.
In the announcing the cancelation, the corporation admitted the contractors were inappropriately engaged and the contract costs were exorbitant. It however did not say whether it planned to recover monies paid to the contractors even while not transporting crude.
The corporation's spokesperson, Ohi Alegbe, declined to provide further details. He told PREMIUM TIMES the corporation had no details of the contract.
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