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stolemyspoons · 2 years

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Stranger Things and Netflix are trying to capitalize off the Holocaust.

No, this is not a joke. This is not a stretch of the imagination. And no, I’m not putting a read-more on this post because it deserves a full look-through. This is happening in Lithuania, right now, where Netflix has turned a former Nazi prison into a Stranger Things themed hotel.

Yes, you read that right. Just a quick Google search will confirm its existence. The Lukiškės Prison in Vilnius, Lithuania is a former Nazi prison. In a country that already tries to erase it’s involvement with the Holocaust (I’m still talking about Lithuania), this offense is particularly egregious.

Here’s the change.org petition that @chaosklutz sent me that first alerted me to this abhorrent, insensitive bullshittery: https://www.change.org/p/hold-netflix-and-stranger-things-accountable.

Copy-pasted below is the description from the petition.

It has come to the attention of the Jewish and Rroma community that the new season for Stranger Things was filmed in the Lukiškės prison in Lithuania. Though having functioned as a prison centuries before, it became notorious during WWII for it's Nazi involvement and the kidnapping, imprisonment, and torture of about 100,000 Jews, Rroma, and political prisoners.

To make matters worse, Stranger Things and Netflix have both agreed to turn Lukiškės into a fully functioning hotel, ran by Airbnb, where visitors can spend the night in themed cells, tour the Stranger Things themed building, and make waffles. The price ranges from about €104-114 a night and it was said to start it's function June 4th.

Fans of Stranger Things are now getting numerical tattoos on their arms because they are inspired by the show, the Stranger Things Instagram has even reposted photos their fans have submitted; thus encouraging their behavior. Not only does this mock the shared trauma of the Jewish and Rroma community, but it further desecrates the living memories of Holocaust survivors (a significant portion are alive today) and their descendants.

Lithuania is already known for their outright denial of their participation in the Holocaust and their allyship with the Nazis. Lithuania turned Seventh Fort, a concentration camp responsible for one of the worst mass killings in Lithuanian history, into a wedding venue. A Nazi prison where Jews, Rroma, and political kid prisoners were kidnapped, starved, imprisoned, and tortured is now a wedding venue.

We refuse to let this continue.

We, Jews and Rroma, call you to sign this petition and hold Stranger Things and Netflix accountable for their Holocaust erasure. Money earned from this season should be put back into the Jewish and Rromani communities of Lithuania as reparations for the damage this season is causing and a public apology from Airbnb, Netflix, and Stranger Things should be issued immediately with a full understanding as to how this adds to the erasure of the victims of the Holocaust and the ongoing persecution of Romani communities. We also demand the immediate shut down of the Airbnb.

We will not be erased. The Holocaust is not for the entertainment industry to build wealth off of and turn into theatre. It is our genocide and for Rroma it is ongoing.

We hope to reach out to current Jewish and Rroma communities in Lithuania in hopes of help for accountability. Either way, sharing this petition, signing it, and donating to the Jewish and Romani organizations and charities below would be a great help! Thank you!

TO CONTACT US PLEASE EMAIL: [email protected]

WAYS TO SUPPORT THE JEWISH AND RROMA COMMUNITIES:

LIETUVOS ZYDU (LITVAKU) BENDRUOMENÈ (Lithuania Jewish Community): donations accepted! https://www.lzb.lt/en/

ERRC (European Rroma Rights Center): A perfect tool to learn, volunteer and donate http://www.errc.org/get-involved/donate

Domari Society: Rroma in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip! Donate, learn about them and support their businesses! https://www.sunbula.org/en/article/10/Domari-Society-of-Gypsies-in-Jerusalem The Jewish Center for Community Development: https://www.jdc-iccd.org/#about

ERGO (European Rroma Grassroots Organization): donate, learn, volunteer, and support their projects! https://ergonetwork.org

Memorial Museum of Holocaust in Lithuania and Vilna Ghetto: https://www.jmuseum.lt/en/about-the-museum-3/i/220/memorial-museum-of-holocaust-in-lithuania-and-vilna- ghetto/

Again, here is the petition link: https://www.change.org/p/hold-netflix-and-stranger-things-accountable.

Please sign and share the petition, and donate if you can. The signature goal is 7.5k - they’re almost there! We can surpass that goal!

This kind of behavior is utterly disgusting and those at fault need to be held accountable. If your blood isn’t boiling after reading about this, read again.

#serious post #change.org #petition #we need to stand up for our jewish and rroma friends #if not now then when?#please sign

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djuvlipen · 1 year

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There's something I've been meaning to talk about for a while now.

It's the impact of the trans rights movement on the Romani feminist and gay rights movements.

Now, most Romani rights organizations are very disconnected from the Romani masses. They really don't speak for us at all. Most of them get private fundings from the EU and billionaires like Soros (x). That's what leads a lot of Romani feminist groups to supporting the sex trade (x), despite Romani women being among the first victims of sex trafficking in Europe (x).

With the trans rights movement, we've got Romani feminist groups praising Romani men for taking the place of Romani women. Antonella Lerca Duda, a Romanian Romani transwoman, is featured on many Romani feminist posts whose aim is to present empowering Romani women (x) (x). Antonella Lerca Duda is "the first transexual Romani woman to run for mayor in Romania".

German Romani feminist organization RomaniPhen even chose to include his portrait in their post about powerful Romani women - instead of chosing to picture an actual Romani woman (x). Duda also created a "sex work" organization that fights for the decriminalization of prostitution. He's not our sister and he doesn't fight for Romani women. Yet he was even invited to co-write and star in a play from the only female-only Romani theater troup in the world, Giuvlipen, once again taking the job that could have gone to an actual Romani female playwright and to an actual Romani female actress (x).

In Spain, the trans movement is piggybacking on the back of the Romani rights movement. "Trans women" and "Gitanas" are associated in a manner much similar to what the TRA movement is doing in the US by associating "Trans people" and "Black women". Thus Spanish Senator Teresa Ruiz-Sillero recently said that ""Personas LGTBI (en particular trans), inmigrantes, personas gitanas" se considerarán "colectivos vulnerables de atención prioritaria"." ("LGBTI people (trans in particular), immigrants, romani people" will be considered "vulnerable groups to give a priority attention to") (x)

Many tweets from popular TRA Spanish accounts associate Romani women and trans women (I'm only gonna add three examples because this post is already long; you can look up "gitanas + trans" on twitter to judge by yourself):

And many Spanish Romani activists and organizations are denouncing TERFs as fascist and fighting for self-ID laws

Nevermind the fact that Romani women desperately need sex-segregated spaces considering that Romani women are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence and sexual assaults (x). Nevermind the fact that saying Romani women are not female because we're Romani is inherently racist.

But it's even worse when we think about the Romani gay rights movement. As opposed to many other gay rights movements, the Romani one is very recent. Which means we never got to build up a proper LGB Romani movement detached from "queer theory". We never got a movement only dedicated to SSA Roma, because trans and queer activists are behind all our LGBT groups. Gender rhetoric is deeply embedded in the Romani gay rights movement.

Here's a clip from the ERRC, the largest Romani rights organization in Europe, organizing a workshop on LGBTIQ Roma in the Balkan and in Spain. No lesbian or bi woman is present in this video. There's only one (straight) woman. The person with the longest speaking time is a TIM. This is particularly bad considering Romani orgs have a tendency to ignore Romani women's voices (x).

Ara Art is one of the largest Romani LGBT organization in Europe. On their website, they have interviews with trans Roma. These interviews are deeply sexist and homophobic: here's one in which a gay boy raised in a homophobic family comes out as a trans woman. This story is framed in a positive light.

Romani organizations are repeating the lie that Stonewall was started by "trans women" and are further erasing gay men and lesbians from their own history (x). They publish articles framing LGB Roma's sexuality as "sexual dissidence" (x). By supporting the trans rights movement, orgs like Ververipen, Ara Art and ERRC are supporting the sterilization of LGB Roma. All over Europe, Romani organizations hold conferences to discuss "LGBTIQ rights" (x) and are interviewing Romani TRAs (x), all in order to fight for trans rights (that last link even includes an interview with a biromantic asexual transman lmao). There's no LGB rights movement that exists outside of the gender realm for Roma.

source: Asociacion Gitanas Feministas por la Diversidad (x) and E-Romnja, one of the largest Romani feminist org in Romania (x)

Gadje newspapers are writing articles about "Queer Roma" (x). Gadje academics are writing gender theory thesis about "Queer Roma" (x).

This doesn't help LGB Roma. In my so-called progressive, Western European country, my Romani relatives used to tell me that LGBs were deviant perverts while I was growing up. My local Romani community openly calls for the lynching of LGB Roma. Most European Roma are deeply religious (muslim or christian), sometimes to the point of being fundamentalists. The vast majority of European Roma are working class and don't care about "queer theory".

Yet the associations that are supposed to be fighting for us are reinforcing the idea that LGBs are perverts and that not supporting the homophobic trans ideology makes you a fascist. Since Romani rights groups are all very recent, we never even got the chance to make our own movements before we got swipped into the gender trend.

The trans rights movement is actively harming Romani women, LGB Roma, Romani feminist and Romani gay rights movements.

#roma #gender critical #drop the t #lgb #radical feminists do interact #radical feminists please interact #radical feminists do touch #radical feminists please touch #radfems do touch #radfems please touch #radfems do interact #radfems please interact #radblr #radical feminism #this post is so long and boring i hope it won't flop tho it took me an hour lol

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romanistan · 9 months

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The incident occurred on the 23 July 2019, as reported by the ERRC on 1 August 2019. Two Romani young men, aged 18 and 17, were arrested and severely beaten by police officers after they were detained at a local pub. Two other women, including the mother and aunt of one of the men, were also physically assaulted after officers entered their home and attacked the family. The officers detained the two young Romani men, put them in a police car, where one was beaten for the duration of the journey to the local police station in Čaňa. One of the young men described how “they took us into the car and started hitting us all the way there.” At the station, he and the other “stood for three hours. I lay on the ground because I could no longer stand up; I was sitting in the middle between two of them and they hit me everywhere. The police officers also spat in my mouth.”

#romani #roma #rómovia #slovakia #slovensko #slovensky #antiziganism tw #articles

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usafphantom2 · 2 years

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IMAGES: USAF completes 72-hour historical resistance mission with KC-135 aircraft

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/10/2022 - 12:00 in Military

Two KC-135 Stratotankers simultaneously performed 72-hour single aircraft resistance missions, demonstrating multi-day mission generation capabilities from October 4 to 7, 2022.

For more than 72 hours, the aircraft landed only to refuel, change crew and maintain engine oil, keeping at least one engine running.

This mission was carried out with crews from the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, along with partners from the 141st Air Refueling Wing, 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March Air Base, California, and 134th ARW at McGhee Tyson, Tennessee National Air Guard Base, continuously operating two KC-135 participants to demonstrate our fleet's ability to design unparalleled

Missions like these are critical to maximizing our capabilities. The lethality of the joint force in a theater as large as the Indo-Pacific requires a mobility force prepared to carry out its mission over long distances and under extended conditions

“The Air Mobility Command is the joint force maneuver,” said General Mike Minihan, AMC commander at the Air and Space and Cyber Symposium of the Air Force Association, on September 21, 2022. "We are the significant maneuver. There is a lot of water and a lot of distance for anyone else to do this in a relevant way, in rhythm, in speed, in scale. The role of everyone is fundamental, but the AMC is the maneuver for joint force. If we don't act together, no one wins. No one is in a position. No one is lethal.

"If we cannot take [the assets] to where they need to be to fulfill their mission, we are wasting our time. Rehearse as if it were going to happen tomorrow and go after it," Minihan challenged.

The resistance mission covered more than 36,000 miles and included full operational support from the force of several units across the country. During the mission, the two KC-135 refueled B-2 Spirits, B-52 Stratofortresses, an E-3 Sentry and an E-6B Mercury.

The flight crews changed perfectly during the three-day mission. Each jet had two flight crew chiefs for support and used hot-pit teams at the Air Bases of Fairchild, McGhee Tyson and March.

“The execution of this resistance mission is a proof of concept to support the planning efforts of the Pacific Air Force and the focus of the Air Force on the Generation of Persistent Missions,” said Colonel Craig Giles, commander of the 92nd Maintenance Group. "Two aircraft have carried out a series of engine crew changes and hot-pit refuelling to minimize the amount of time the aircraft are on the ground and maximize the reliability of the aircraft, eliminating the need for power, hydraulic and avionic cycle."

The maintenance technicians performed simultaneous maintenance of the engine oil during one of the engine operation team (ERRCs) changes to ensure that oil consumption did not limit the amount of time the engines could remain running.

This allowed the crews to demonstrate the concept of "drop-in" of the tank with the minimum of time spent vulnerable on the ground, a strategy that is crucial for survival in a disputed high-level fight.

During the resistance mission, teams were able to apply several key features of Agile Combat Employment through hot-pit refueling operations, main maintenance and simultaneous maintenance, reducing downtime and increasing our ability to demonstrate unparalleled overall reach.

“This was the first 72-hour resistance mission in continuous operation for the KC-135,” said Colonel Chad Cisewski, commander of the 92nd Operations Group. "Part of the ACE concept is that aircraft will continue to advance while spending the minimum time on the ground. This mission is an example of aviators using ACE concepts in the way they could be employed in the Pacific. I am extremely proud of our Operations and Maintenance team for their tireless work in this."

As America's Super Tanker wing, the Fairchild Team continues to set new standards for global reach and the lasting strength of tankers. The previous record for a KC-135 resistance mission was 40 hours.

“I am continually impressed with the Fairchild Team and our partners,” said Colonel Chesley Dycus, commander of the 92nd ARW. "This required tenacity and exceptional teamwork to accomplish. The lessons learned here and our readiness will only improve the wing's ability to support the Mobility Guardian of AMC's 'crown crow's of mobility exercises' in 2023 and demonstrate our critical capabilities in the Pacific."

Tags: Military AviationBoeing KC-135 StratotankerUSAF - United States Air Force / US Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. It has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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blue-nardo · 1 year

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Leo: Could a traumatized person make this joke?

What did the DJ name his son? Errc *immediate sobbing* - Out of Glass

Leo: *SCREAMS*

#ooc #out of glass

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ciolookleaders · 3 days

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Unveiling the Power of Blue Ocean Strategy: A Path to Uncontested Market Space

In the competitive landscape of modern business, standing out from the crowd is crucial for sustained success and growth. The Blue Ocean Strategy offers a revolutionary approach to strategic planning, enabling organizations to break free from the constraints of traditional competition and carve out uncontested market space. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the principles, strategies, and real-world examples of the Blue Ocean Strategy, exploring how businesses can chart their course to success in uncharted waters.

Understanding the Blue Ocean Strategy:

The Blue Ocean Strategy, conceived by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, represents a departure from conventional business paradigms. It urges organizations to break away from the competitive battlegrounds of existing markets, often termed as “red oceans,” characterized by cutthroat competition and diminishing profit margins. Instead, the strategy encourages the pursuit of untapped market spaces, referred to as “blue oceans,” where competition is irrelevant and opportunities abound.

Key Components of the Blue Ocean Strategy:

1. Innovation

Central to the Blue Ocean Strategy is innovation – not merely incremental improvements, but transformative breakthroughs that redefine industry boundaries and create new demand.

2. Value Creation

Organizations must focus on creating exceptional value for customers, addressing their unmet needs, and delivering solutions that resonate deeply with their preferences and aspirations.

3. Differentiation

By offering products or services that stand out from the crowd, organizations can differentiate themselves from competitors and establish a unique position in the marketplace.

4. Strategic Positioning

Successful implementation of the Blue Ocean Strategy requires careful strategic positioning, ensuring alignment between the organization’s strengths, market opportunities, and customer preferences.

5. Execution Excellence

Execution is paramount in realizing the potential of the Blue Ocean Strategy. It involves translating strategic insights into actionable plans, mobilizing resources effectively, and driving organizational alignment and commitment.

In essence, the Blue Ocean Strategy represents a shift in mindset – from competing in overcrowded markets to creating new market spaces where competition is irrelevant and value innovation reigns supreme. It empowers organizations to chart their own course, discover untapped opportunities, and chart a path to sustainable growth and profitability.

Key Principles of the Blue Ocean Strategy:

1. Value Innovation

The Blue Ocean Strategy emphasizes the importance of value innovation, which involves simultaneously pursuing differentiation and low cost. By creating products or services that offer unique value to customers at a lower cost, organizations can break away from the trade-off between value and price commonly seen in red ocean markets.

2. Focus on Non-customers

Traditional market strategies often revolve around targeting existing customers within a specific industry or demographic. In contrast, the Blue Ocean Strategy encourages organizations to expand their market reach by focusing on non-customers – those who are currently underserved or excluded by existing market offerings.

3. Eliminate, Reduce, Raise, Create (ERRC) Grid

The ERRC grid is a key tool in the Blue Ocean Strategy framework, helping organizations identify strategic options for value innovation. By evaluating factors that can be eliminated, reduced, raised, or created across different industry attributes, organizations can uncover opportunities to redefine market boundaries and create blue oceans.

4. Pursue Differentiation and Relevance

Blue ocean markets are characterized by innovation and relevance, offering products or services that address unmet needs or provide unique value propositions. Organizations must focus on differentiation and relevance to stand out in the marketplace and attract customers away from existing alternatives.

Real-World Examples of the Blue Ocean Strategy:

1. Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil revolutionized the entertainment industry by combining elements of traditional circus acts with high-quality theatrical performances. By targeting adults rather than children and families, Cirque du Soleil created a new market space that transcended the limitations of traditional circuses.

2. Yellow Tail Wine

Yellow Tail Wine disrupted the wine industry by offering approachable, fruit-forward wines at an affordable price point. By simplifying wine selection and packaging, Yellow Tail appealed to a broader audience of casual wine drinkers, expanding the market and challenging established competitors.

3. Nintendo Wii

Nintendo Wii redefined the gaming industry with its innovative motion-controlled gaming console. By targeting non-gamers, such as families and seniors, Nintendo Wii expanded the gaming market and introduced a new way to play video games, positioning itself in a blue ocean of uncontested market space.

Challenges and Opportunities:

While the Blue Ocean Strategy offers a compelling framework for business success, implementing it effectively requires careful planning, execution, and adaptation. Organizations may face challenges such as resistance to change, uncertainty about market acceptance, and the need for continuous innovation. However, by embracing the principles of value innovation, customer-centricity, and strategic agility, organizations can overcome these challenges and unlock new opportunities for growth and differentiation.

Implementing the Blue Ocean Strategy presents both challenges and opportunities for organizations seeking to redefine their competitive landscape and carve out new market spaces.

Challenges:

Resistance to ChangeOne of the primary challenges organizations encounter is internal resistance to change. Employees and stakeholders accustomed to traditional business models may be reluctant to embrace innovative strategies and may fear the unknown.

Market Uncertainty: Venturing into uncharted waters entails inherent risks and uncertainties. Organizations may face challenges in accurately gauging market demand, understanding customer preferences, and predicting competitor reactions.

Continuous Innovation: Sustaining competitive advantage in blue oceans requires a relentless commitment to innovation. Organizations must continually adapt and evolve their offerings to meet evolving customer needs and market dynamics.

Resource Allocation: Pursuing blue ocean opportunities often requires significant investments in research, development, and marketing. Allocating resources effectively while balancing short-term demands and long-term objectives can be a daunting task.

Opportunities:

Market Leadership: Successfully implementing the Blue Ocean Strategy can position organizations as market leaders in untapped market spaces, offering opportunities for growth and dominance.

Differentiation: By focusing on value innovation and differentiation, organizations can create unique value propositions that set them apart from competitors and attract new customers.

Increased Profitability: Blue oceans typically offer higher profit margins compared to crowded red ocean markets, providing opportunities for increased profitability and revenue growth.

Customer Engagement: Creating innovative products or services tailored to unmet customer needs can foster deeper engagement and loyalty among customers, driving long-term relationships and brand advocacy.

Strategic Flexibility: Embracing the Blue Ocean Strategy fosters strategic agility and adaptability, enabling organizations to respond effectively to changing market conditions and emerging opportunities.

While challenges may arise in the pursuit of blue ocean opportunities, organizations that embrace the principles of value innovation, customer-centricity, and strategic agility can overcome obstacles and unlock new avenues for growth, differentiation, and success. By navigating these challenges thoughtfully and seizing opportunities strategically, organizations can chart a course to sustained prosperity in uncharted waters.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Blue Ocean Strategy provides a transformative approach to strategic thinking, enabling organizations to break free from the constraints of traditional competition and create uncontested market space. By focusing on value innovation, targeting non-customers, and pursuing differentiation and relevance, organizations can chart their course to success in blue oceans of opportunity. As businesses navigate the ever-changing landscape of the global marketplace, the Blue Ocean Strategy offers a compass for navigating uncharted waters and unlocking new avenues for growth, profitability, and sustainable success.

Also Read: Exploring the Pros and Cons of Veneers: A Comprehensive Guide

#Blue Ocean Strategy

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neuvowebtech · 4 months

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#Safety #alarm

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f0xd13-blog · 4 months

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It ain't just palestinians its literally everyone thay they think it ain't black and romany people also...

Niggw census lol

#Instagram

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essayly · 1 year

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GB580 Assignment 3

You will need to complete scenes 1-10 in FLIGBY, if you have not already done so, craft an ERRC grid for yourself based on your reading in Blue Ocean Strategy, Chapter 2. Take into consideration your personal and professional life. Have at least two goals in each of the four quadrants. Focus on the most important two (out of 8) goals that you inserted into the grid. Using the Goal Setting Plan…

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gulfcoastpowerandlight · 8 months

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#electricians #ERRCS

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womanemire09 · 2 years

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First Date Tips: How to Have a Successful First Date the Blue Ocean Way

ONLINE COURSE

Nine strategic tips for a good first date.

Written by The Blue Ocean Team

The Blue Ocean Team shares case studies, stories and practical insights related to the blue ocean tools and principles developed by Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne.

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Does the thought of going on a first date make you kinda nervous? Does your memory of the last one make you cringe with embarrassment? Maybe you don’t know what to do on a first date? Maybe you lack first date ideas? If so, you’re not alone. Few people find dating simple and straightforward, even (and perhaps especially) in the age of Tinder and Match.com.

The good news is that, with the right strategy, you can avoid some of the more common pitfalls and anxieties. Going on a date will be something to look forward to rather than dread.

Blue ocean strategy is a strategic framework for creating an uncontested market space and making the competition irrelevant. But apart from its application in business, it can be just as easily applied to personal lives. One of the tools we utilized to come up with first date tips here is called the Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create (ERRC) grid, developed by Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, the authors of a global bestseller Blue Ocean Strategy. Creating value is as much about eliminating and reducing what the prospective customers (in this case, your date!) don’t value, as it is about raising and creating what they might find worthwhile.

Approach first dates like a blue ocean strategist and stand apart from your competition.

We had some fun and applied the ERRC grid to first dates. Here’s what we came up for first date advice. See if you agree.

First Date Tips

Follow these tips and having a great first date will be more than just a dream. You’ll stand out from the crowd of me-too dates. These work as first date tips for men and women alike.

1. Don’t overcomplicate things

The first date with someone you know little or nothing about is full of uncertainty. Don’t make things more complicated by trying to arrange the perfect romantic dinner, or planning a whole day out. Instead, keep things short and simple. A cup of coffee in a central location will make it clear fast if your date is someone you would like to spend more time with. And if things go well, the coffee could turn into a lunch or dinner, adding some spontaneity into the mix.

A successful first date doesn’t need to be complicated.

2. Don’t stress unnecessarily

A bit of anxiety is natural on a first date – in fact, it’s half the fun. But you’ll want to eliminate the kind of stress that will make you flustered and your date uncomfortable. Remember, the more relaxed you feel, the more comfortable your date will be around you. One simple trick is to sit at a right angle to your date rather than face them directly. This takes the pressure off trying to fill every pause in the conversation, and you can both do a bit of people-watching instead.

3. Cut down the texting, and meet in person

The conversation might have started on an app or a website, but it shouldn’t stay there for too long. Texting can certainly give you a sense of another person, but to really get to know each other, you need more than messages on a screen: facial expressions, body language and tone of voice are just as important. So don’t waste time on a virtual relationship – go out there and meet the real person behind the words.

4. Prepare some first date topics

You might ask, how to prepare for a first date?

You wouldn’t go for a job interview without preparing in advance, so why should a first date be any different? Think about some good first date questions you could ask, and some interesting answers to the questions that may come your way. Don’t treat the first date like an actual interview, though, or you’ll set alarm bells ringing.

What to talk about on a first date?

Here are some example first date topics and conversation starters that will help get you on the right track:

Admit you’re nervous! Honesty will get you a long way.

Favorite food. Everyone can talk about food and there’s always a story to tell or interesting questions to ask about memorable dishes, things you like to cook, etc.

Favorite movies. Like food, everyone has preferences, favorite genres, actors, etc. This is a great topic to quickly establish if you have the same taste in entertainment.

For some more great first date topics and questions, see this article.

Remember that good first date questions are just as important as answers. In fact, your focus should be less on what to talk about on a first date and more on listening well and making the other person comfortable. To that end, avoid sensitive topics related to sex or money. Asking how much the other person earns or why their last relationship ended are not good questions to ask on a first date.

The trick is to listen intelligently and respond appropriately.

5. Boost your confidence

People love to be around confident people. And body language is a powerful signal that will tell your date a lot about you. One way to boost your confidence is to do a bit of ‘power posing’ in advance. This means standing for a few minutes in an assertive posture, hands on hips (think of a superhero), so as to trick the brain into feeling more confident. Just don’t do it on the date itself, or you’ll look ridiculous.

6. Up your listening game

We all love to talk about ourselves – but don’t assume your date finds you as interesting as you do. In fact, making it all about you sends the wrong signals. On the other hand, you can’t just switch off and leave all the talking to your date – that’s also a recipe for failure. The trick is to listen intelligently and respond appropriately, such as when we summarize a point and ask a follow-up question, e.g., “So, you spend three months in Argentina, how was that?”

How to prepare for a first date? Prepare some first date topics.

7. Create a strong first impression

First impressions count. It only takes a few seconds for someone to form an opinion about you based on your appearance and demeanor. A great way to make a positive first impression is to smile. Smiling is one of the habits of likable people, a sign of happiness and a trainable skill. By smiling more, not only will you start feeling better, you will also project some of that positivity onto those around you. It’s all about those good vibes!

Also, take some time to dress well, but stay true to your usual style, and dress appropriately for the occasion. You wouldn’t turn up to a cafe in a tuxedo, but neither should you turn up to a cocktail party in shorts and t-shirt.

8. Be true to yourself

Dating in the 21st century can feel like a competition, and perhaps it has always been that way. But too often we measure our worth against those we perceive to be ‘winning’, with the result that we try to imitate and improve on what others are doing instead of finding our own way.

But dating shouldn’t be about winners and losers. It’s about finding someone you connect with and care about; someone who makes you happy and who you can make happy in return. This is only possible when you stay true to yourself and let your authenticity shine through.

Follow up a good first date with a simple text message.

9. Complete your successful first date with the right follow-up

What to do after the first date?

So you felt a connection, the conversation flowed and you had lots of things in common. Terrific. Now what? A successful first date is only as good as the follow-up, and this means arranging another meeting. You could do this right away, but it’s probably better not to put someone on the spot.

What to say after first date?

Why not send a message soon after just to say what a great time you had, and suggest a time and place to meet again. Don’t expect an immediate response, and don’t be impatient or else you’ll seem desperate. Remember, if you went into your first date with a smile, a bit of confidence, and a willingness to listen, then you’ve probably already set yourself apart from the competition.

Perhaps the most important thing, though, is to remember that success in dating, as in life, doesn’t come handed to you on a plate. If your first date didn’t work out, don’t let it get you down, but learn from the experience, get creative, and draw up a new strategy. Remember, there’s plenty more fish in the sea. In fact, there’s a whole blue ocean out there.

With this strategic first date advice in mind, going on a date will be a breeze!

The Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create (ERRC) Grid is just one of the many blue ocean tools that you can use in your business or life to stand out from the crowd.

To learn about the other tools and the fundamentals of blue ocean strategy, consider taking the Blue Ocean Strategy Online Course (see below).

Also, check out the other resources below.

What is Blue Ocean Shift

Five steps to making a Blue Ocean Shift

How to shift from red to blue oceans

Blue Ocean Shift tools

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