#THOSE ARE HUMANS AND THIS GREAT COUNTRY SEES FIT TO REGARD THEM LESS THAN ANIMALS

[tisthenightofthewitch]

Ghost’s Tobias Forge talks about being sued by Nameless Ghouls, spurned by the Vatican and immortalized in plastic effigy

When it comes to Swedish bands, Americans tend to think of pop icons like ABBA, black metal acts like Bathory, or the odd alt-rock band like The Cardigans, after which we stop thinking about them at all.But that was before the band Ghost began its slow yet inevitable ascent. Hailing from Linköping, a city in Sweden known for its ornate cathedrals, the bandmembers concealed their secret identities beneath elaborate costumery, a time-tested tradition fostered by bands like Kiss and The Residents. 

Occupying centerstage was Papa Emeritus, a skull-faced character fond of ghoulish corpse paint, a high-pointed hat and ornate papal vestments decorated with upside-down crosses. Standing stock-still at the microphone, his face frozen in a miserable scowl, the singer appeared, for all intents and purposes, to be hovering at death’s door or just beyond it. His bandmates, unceremoniously referred to as “Nameless Ghouls,” wore hooded robes and black masks, a look that soon began showing up at European cosplay conventions.

While this combination of corpse-paint, national origin and grinding guitar riffs led some critics to liken their sound to Swedish death metal, the keyboard-heavy liturgical vibe of Ghost’s early music arguably owed more to classic Pink Floyd.

That’s especially true of “Secular Haze,” the breakthrough single from their 2013 sophomore album Infestissumam. Following its release, the band put out the Dave Grohl-produced If You Have Ghost, a five-song covers EP that includes the Roky Erickson song of the same name, as well as renditions of Depeche Mode’s “Waiting for the Night” and, appropriately enough, ABBA’s “Like a Marionette.”

But 2013 also had its share of disappointments, including the ascension of Pope Francis, who was elected on the fifth ballot, thwarting Papa’s hard-fought and highly publicized campaign for the position.

The rest is history, of a sort. Following a series of European dates with Metallica, Ghost are now embarking on an arena tour of their own that will include an Oct. 1 concert headlining the Broadmoor World Arena. Their single “Cirice” won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance, while their most recent album Prequelle and its single “Rats” were respectively nominated in this year’s Best Rock Album and Best Rock Song categories.

Along the way, the band has gone through a succession of Pope characters —  Papa Emeritus I, Papa Emeritus II, and Papa Emeritus III — who have since been replaced by the far more kinetic Cardinal Copia, who has more of a mafioso image and hyperactive stage presence. All four frontman roles have been played by Tobias Forge, whose identity was outed two years ago when four former Nameless Ghouls filed a since-dismissed lawsuit alleging unpaid wages.

Ghost have also undertaken a series of musical transitions that became especially obvious with last year’s Prequelle, a concept album that employs the 14th-century black plague as an allegory for our current troubles. While Forge hasn’t fully abandoned his band’s past sound, tracks like “Rats” veer toward the ’70s arena-rock sound of Def Leppard, Foreigner, and even Journey, with whom the band toured last year.

In the following interview, Forge holds forth on a wide array of subjects, including litigious ex-Ghouls, the Swedish anti-vaccine movement and his alter-ego’s forthcoming immortalization — alongside legendary artists like Prince and Jean-Michel Basquiat — as a Funko Pop! figurine.

Indy: Let’s begin by talking about the concept behind your most recent album. It opens with that really creepy version of “Ring Around the Rosie, ” which is always a good way to start an album about the bubonic plague. Was there any specific reason why you chose that theme at this particular point in history?

Tobias Forge: Well, I think there are important lessons to be learned from all chapters of history. The plague was an epidemic that wiped out half of Europe, and, we can assume, traumatized the Asian population as well. And back then, people in general were uneducated, they were superstitious, they were religious, they believed in hocus-pocus. So it must have literally felt like the end of the world was just going to happen tomorrow. And that is always an interesting concept. Because we know now that it was not the end of the world. You know, mankind persevered. So while I believe in environmental issues, and that there are a lot of things that can be done in order to make the world a better place, I also think there’s not as much doom and gloom as it may appear.

So what would you say are the lessons we can learn from that period?

I guess the most simple and most obvious one is that we can debate forever — all day and night — about what happens after we’re dead. But I can promise you that we do not know. We can hope for there to be an afterlife, or 72 virgins, or whatever else is on your wishlist. But there’s no way of knowing. And anyone who tells you that they know, they are lying because they want something from you, or they want you to believe in something. And so I think your time and your energy will be better spent trying to embrace life instead of being wary of death. Because life is fragile, and you don’t know if you’ll have another one.

And then there’s this myriad of human instincts that comes into play when apocalypse is near, and one of them is who’s to blame for this, that, and the other. Back in the plague days, as I said, there was this predominance of religious people who believed in hocus-pocus and were pretty uneducated and pretty fucking dumb. They believed that female sexuality was to blame for essentially God abandoning mankind. So while you had people dying off in droves, you also had these people killing women because they were good-looking or, in one way or another, enticed some sort of sexual arousal. And that was obviously the work of the devil, and while they were alive, they would interfere with the survival of mankind. But unfortunately, those kind of very uneducated and outright stupid people are still well-represented in the world, and it’s very important that we address that.

Since you’ve researched and written about all this, I’m curious what you think about your country’s decision, back in March, to ban mandatory vaccinations.

Oh, that’s a good question, but I don’t really have a good answer. But I do think that there is a dichotomy between what the population might need, and what a pharmaceutical company needs for its own benefit. I’m trying not to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but about 10 years ago, there was an outbreak of a flu, and companies would have entire offices vaccinated. And, on first glance, it’s like, “That’s great how society and all these bosses and corporations came together.” And I’m aware that the number of people that actually came down with it was not that many. So was that because of this shot, or was it because maybe the threat wasn’t as great as they were saying it was? Because, more often than not, there’s an economic incentive somewhere for someone. But not being a biologist nor a chemist, I don’t know anything about stuff like that. So, as I said, I don’t have a straight answer.

On a happier note, Funko’s Papa Emeritus II doll came out last month…

Yes, speaking of monetaries. [Laughs.]

That’s right. And I have to say, I’m really impressed by how realistic it is, especially in the way it just stands there and doesn’t do anything. How does it feel to be immortalized in that way?

I don’t really see it as that. I mean, when I sort of regard anything that we have done, even a photo, I don’t necessarily think of it as me being in that photo. I’m just sort of detached from the character on the visual side, which is to my benefit, actually. I’m way too vain, so I would have had a problem if it was my face that we were working with. So having the sort of official visuals of Ghost is actually quite liberating.

I understand that you started out playing in punk and death metal bands. Was Ghost the first time that you got to indulge your pre-The Wall Pink Floyd side?

No, I have played non-death metal in other bands before. But when Ghost started taking shape, I think I just found a way to write songs that sort of tick both boxes — one box being melodic pop-rock, or whatever it is, and the other being sort of metal. It felt playful, and it felt intuitive and progressive, for lack of a more fitting word. Whereas in the past, it’s like the metal bands were metal, and the rock bands were rock, and they didn’t combine the two. So I definitely found it more effective, and way more fun, to do something in between. Your stage presence is way more kinetic these days, although pretty much anything is more kinetic than standing in front of a microphone and scaring people. But you’re reaching the point now where the choreography in a video like “Rats” is borderline Michael Jackson. Is that the result of having more personal confidence these days?

Yeah, I would definitely say that. There are critics of the band who feel that the less animated version in the beginning was better and more ominous, and that we should still be embracing that. But a lot of the cryptic nature of Papa I was due to being constrained by the costume and the size of the stage.

And now we’re playing bigger places, where there’s way more ground to cover and there isn’t a single cord onstage that you can trip on, so of course you have to move around, right? I mean, if we were onstage now for two hours with that sort of unanimated version we were doing back in 2011, people would be demanding their money back. It’s just part of growing. You can see the same thing if you look at a clip of the Rolling Stones from 1964. Mick Jagger is Mick Jagger, but he’s definitely not the Mick Jagger that you see in 1969 or 1972. It takes time to build that confidence and find your own way of moving around.

I know you campaigned really hard for the pope’s job back in 2013. And I think a lot of your fans were really disappointed when the smoke came up the chimney and it turned out you didn’t get it. Do you think that your losing out to Pope Francis was the result of Vatican corruption?

Sure, most things going on there are because of corruption anyway. So I’m sure that was one of them. Or it might also have been my lack of faith — or my lack monetary means at the time — that prohibited my exaltation within the ranks of the Vatican.

And finally, I have a question about that lawsuit. Do you think that if you’d given names to your Nameless Ghouls, they would have been less vindictive?

You mean, if I’d given them names instead of making them completely anonymous? Probably, I guess. It’s hard to say. Because with most people that are drawn to the performance stage, you do so with a certain inclination to be seen and appreciated. So maybe if our positions were reversed, I would have felt the same way. Until seven or eight years ago, I really wanted to be famous, so my idea of being in a band was definitely different from what it turned out to be.

I’ve been in charge and working on this full-time, nonstop, for 10 years. Other people in Ghost would work a few hours every day, and then, during the four months between tours when I was making a record, they weren’t really doing anything that had to do with Ghost. And since I was representing the band at all of the meetings, I was getting pats on the back and feeling like what I was doing was good. Whereas, if you had nothing to do with the day-to-day stuff, you maybe didn’t get the pat on the back that you needed in order to feel fulfilled in life. So, you know, maybe if they had gotten their name on there, and could at least be recognized in the street, maybe that would have changed things. But on the other hand, I’ve played with others who didn’t give a shit about that happening.

COLORADO SPRINGS INDEPENDENT

[rosekin]

FIRE EMBLEM REVIEWS

Fire Emblem 1, or “The Marth Game”: My advice to everyone everywhere is to never play an RPG thats released on the NES. 0/10

FE2, Gaiden: I really wish this one wasn’t an NES RPG because it’s honestly really promising. Here’s hoping it gets a remake one day haha 2/10

FE3, Mystery of the Emblem, or “Marth 2″: NES RPG 0/10

FE4, Genealogy of the Holy War: Ah, a SNES RPG! Those are often good. Too bad this one has atrocious map design, boring characters, poorly balanced gameplay, inherent genetic superiority built into its royal units, and incest. c’est la vie, 0/10

FE5, Thracia 776: It’s not a BAD game exactly, but it is a game that was designed with the kind of “difficulty” that exists purely to sell strategy guides. 3/10

FE6, Binding Blade: Entering into the GBA Era, we have a game that is incredibly dull and has a lot of poor design decisions reminiscent of FE4. It gets points for including Roy from Super Smash Bros Melee, however. Bold choice, Intelligent Systems. 2/10

FE7, Blazing Blade: The prequel to Binding Blade, Blazing Blade is better than Binding Blade in every regard except instead of Roy, Binding Blade has 3 main protagonists and the only good one is the one with the least screentime. Lyn is a cool and interesting character, but Eliwood is too milquetoast and Hector is a dick. 6/10

FE8, Sacred Stones: It has good maps, good characters, an actual postgame, and introduces a feature that makes it far more replayable than previous games, Class Trees. No longer does every Mage become a Sage, for they could also become a Mage Knight. For certain base classes, this opens up a range of up to 4 possible options for their final class! Some people might complain that Sacred Stones is too easy, but I’ll take a game easy enough that I can use whatever party I want over something like Genealogy where units who aren’t mounted are absolutely worthless any day. No, the only complaint I have about Sacred Stones is the unfortunate misogyny in the writing surrounding Eirika. I highly recommend that if you play the game, you use the Restoration Queen fan hack(it also adds gay marriage which is cool.) 9/10, 10/10 with Restoration Queen

FE9, Path of Radiance: Ike game, baby. This is the Fire Emblem I’d recommend the most for sure. The first game in the series that’s not largely from the perspective of nobility who are in charge of armies, The central players to this plot is a small mercenary company. It’s a very refreshing change of pace. The only problem I have with it is in regards to the Fantasy Racism aspect. I’m the kind of person who would rather have, like, Racism With Furries in a game like this than Actual Racism being portrayed, and PoR honestly handles it rather well, but it always grinds my gears when they’re like “oh yeah mixed people are the most oppressed because the humans and the furries both shun them” like god thats not how it works. Aside from that, wonderful game. 9.5/10

FE10, Radiant Dawn: Ike 2, this time with co-protagonist Micaiah, the first female lord to not be a naive, softhearted damsel, who hails from the “evil” country from the last game. It’s hard to talk about without spoilers, but Radiant Dawn is very pro-proletariat. Also the “Ike gay” subtext becomes closer to being just regular text, and new character Heather is definitively a lesbian. This is, very unfortunately, the best Fire Emblem will ever do for gay rights. 10/10

FE11, Shadow Dragon: A remake of FE1 that doesn’t manage to throw off its shackles of being based off of an NES RPG, which limits its gameplay and story. 3/10

FE12, New Mystery of the Emblem: A remake of FE3 that is arguably worse than its original in some ways, and started the trend of having player avatar characters that ruin the plot by being overly significant. 0/10

FE13, Awakening: Very boring. Makes a lot of gameplay changes that absolutely trivialize the gameplay aspect, as if the bland map design didn’t do that enough already. Had to introduce difficulty modes that made all of the enemies insanely strong with busted skills because that’s the only way this game could be remotely challenging. The characters are bland, the plot is borderline nonsensical, and Robin ruins it all as well.This game also introduces new series mainstays such as homophobia, pedophilia, and rampant oversexualization of women. 0/10

FE14, Fates(Birthright, Conquest, and Revelations): A game so nice you buy it thrice! Fates manages to take a lot of things from Awakenings gameplay and improve them enough that they’d be worth maybe a 3.5/10, if it wasn’t for the fact that Fates continues, and actually increases, the homophobia, pedophilia, and rampant oversexualization of women, as well as adding our fourth horseman of the anime apocalypse, our long lost friend Incest who hasn’t been seen since Genealogy. It’s okay, though, because you just grew up thinking you were siblings, you’re not actually related(except for Azura, who is your actual cousin so that excuse wouldn’t even work). On the bright side, Corrin is actually the avatar character who fits reasonably in the plot so far, if only because the plot of Fates is so laughably bad even compared to Awakening. I could rant about so many things about this terrible terrible game, but it’s already taking up too much of my review post as it is. 0/10.

FE15, Shadows of Valentia: Finally, a remake of FE2, I can’t wait to see what they’ve done with it. It’s got really cool kinda choppy animation in the CGI cutscenes I like that. Wow, they managed to capture the innovative gameplay of the original while updating it to be far less frustrating... And they managed to update the already surprisingly interesting plot by... adding unnecessary characters and making it way more classist and sexist. Great. 3.5/10

FE16, Three Houses: The gameplay, quite honestly? Worse than Fates. The story... I like the characters, and it’s not really as problematic as Fates(hardly any incest to speak of, the sexualization of women isn’t quite as bad, the homophobia is less “depicting gay people in gross ways” and more “the only options for dudes are a base gametwink, a free DLC twink, and a paid DLC twink”). Really the biggest stumbling block is they took the pitfall of doing Actual Racism instead of Fantasy Racism, and then they really fucked up by portraying it far worse than Path of Radiance did Furry Racism. In Path of Radiance, the racist people who join you consist of Soren, who has a Distrusting Furries pass on account of being mixed(I already complained about this) and Jill, who is from Daein(the Bad People country) and has had her brain poisoned by propaganda. Ike doesn’t coddle her on this, however, and tells her to shape up or get the boot. In Three Houses, characters are allowed to be racist with no repercussions. Pretty much any and all character growth connected to Stopping Being Racist is carried out through completely optional support conversations. This? Sucks! It sucks! uhhh 3.5/10 as well

[mysmashplaythroughs]

Mario Playthrough

Fighter: Mario

Game: Super Mario 64 DS. Wii U virtual console (DS). First Released on November 21st 2004.

Fighter Bio.

Mario is a plumber from the Mushroom Kingdom. Over the years he has taken on many jobs and gone on many adventures, most often fighting Bowser and his minions who seek to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. This however, is very much an understatement of who Mario is, a character who not only represents Nintendo as a whole, but arguably gaming itself in a manner similar to how Mickey Mouse could be argued to represent western animation. There is only one other character I would argue possibly is iconic enough to represent gaming as a whole as much as Mario, who we will get to down the line, but unlike that character, Mario has been a consistent presence on the gaming landscape since his debut.

Mario started off as a carpenter called Jumpman who had to chase his escaped angry pet gorilla, a certain ape that we’ll get to later, up a construction site to rescue his then girlfriend Pauline from his clutches. Following this, Mario did many different jobs such as working on a demolitions crew, at a cement factory, as a soldier, as a golfer and then as a plumber. It was after this Mario would first appear in the world he’s now best known from, the Mushroom Kingdom. There’s no canon timeline or anything really with regards to this, in the past in some countries such as America, it was said that Mario and his brother Luigi travelled to the Mushroom Kingdom from Earth down a warp pipe, and with Super Mario Odyssey it seems to be implied recently that the earlier games in Mario’s life before Super Mario Bros might have taken place in New Donk City. Either way, in Super Mario Bros, Mario took down Bowser for the first time saving the Mushroom Kingdom and became its protector, a role he’s carried on to this day, fighting not just Bowser but a variety of different villains and groups over the years and travelling all around his world and beyond to other worlds. Mario’s best strength is that he is so adaptable, not being the strongest, the fastest or able to jump the highest, but still being capable in all those areas. Mario is often the most well-rounded character in every game he’s in, being a good character for beginners to use to learn how to play various games, but also still useable by those who are more experienced.

His personality, similar to other characters we’ll get to, has been purposefully left fairly bland in order for him to be able to fit into many different roles over the years. This does not mean he has none however and over the years he has been portrayed often as excitable, energetic and in some cases with a bit of an ego and over competitive element, a contrast to his brother Luigi who tends to be somewhat quieter and more nervous. Personally, I feel whilst Mario can be summed up as bland, he still is a fun character that deserves his place as the main mascot of Nintendo and due to his vast interesting history and countless great games, his place as a gaming icon.

Friends: Mario has had many friends over the years, the most immediately apparent being his brother Luigi and Princess Peach. Given how long Mario has been around and how many characters he’s teamed up with on various adventures, listing every single one would be a tough task, from the obvious ones such as Toad and Yoshi to the characters who appear more in group events such as Rosalina, Princess Daisy and Diddy Kong, to the more seldom seen such as Geno, Goombella, to finally the very obscure such as Wanda the fairy. There’s a reason he’s seen as the superstar of the Mushroom Kingdom beyond simply saving the world various times after all, Mario tends to be willing to help all sorts of people with all manner of small problems. As such even when he is in a place that’s unfamiliar with him, he manages to build a reputation fairly quickly.

Enemies/Rivals: Mario of course has also amassed many enemies and rivals through his willingness to always stand against those plotting to do wrong, from invading lands, stealing things to kidnapping people. It would take some time to go over every enemy Mario has ever made similarly to how many friends he’s made over the years, but the most obvious enemy of Mario’s is King Bowser Koopa who whilst not his oldest enemy (although, they did battle as babies long ago) is his longest running one. Bowser’s minions also share the sentiment in most cases, especially when it comes to his son Bowser Jr and the Koopalings who have assisted Bowser in his plans many times over the years coming into conflict with Mario numerous times. Bowser’s soldiers have less of a vendetta against Mario in most cases and are more seeking to see Bowser’s will is done. In some cases, they can be quite civil with Mario and in others they can be decidedly not. Some such as Piranha Plants often seem to simply be creatures who wish to devour whatever comes close, Mario often being in their path.

When it comes to rivals, Wario has always been more of an annoyance to Mario than a full-on enemy, often trying to one-up him at various sports and only in his debut appearance ever being anything like a true enemy to Mario, taking control of his Castle. Donkey Kong has a fairly complicated relationship with Mario, the original Donkey Kong that Mario fought in his very first game is now an older ape called Cranky Kong, and the current Donkey Kong is either the son or grandson of Cranky (it’s not very clear to anyone it seems). He had a somewhat more friendly relationship with Mario than Cranky, however his impulsiveness has brought them into conflict which led to the Mario vs Donkey Kong series. Even in that series however, when DK calms down, he often reconciles with Mario and the two have often helped each other out in various spinoff games. Diddy Kong has never had any conflict with Mario only really meeting with him in various sports games and other spinoffs, not helping Donkey Kong in his occasional feuds against Mario. There was one small case of another crossover with the two but I will detail that more in Diddy’s own entry down the line.

Crossovers with other Smash characters: Mario being as prolific as he is has crossed over with many other gaming characters outside of Smash Bros. For the sake of this not getting any longer, I will only detail cases where this has happened in games rather than cases such as Megaman appearing in German Club Nintendo comics alongside Mario, even though I do love that there are such obscure appearances. Down the line I might mention crossovers in animated series for other characters, but despite numerous tv series Mario never actually crossed over with other characters in animation (well, beyond an extremely obscure Mario and Kirby learning video which didn’t really cross them over so much as they both had segments on the same video) I also will only mention appearances in person rather than things such as costumes in Super Mario Maker (which would be practically every character in Smash) or Kirby having a poster in Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga.

Anyway, outside of characters from Mario’s own series such as Donkey Kong, Mario has met Samus and Link (A Link to the Past’s incarnation most likely) for brief cameos in Super Mario RPG. Mario appeared in Kirby Super Star in the audience for both the Megaton Punch minigame and Kirby’s Battle in the Boxing arena with King Dedede. This is a little bit of a cheat but it’s fairly notable, in Mario Kart 8 there was a Mii costume for Captain Falcon, along with the Blue Falcon as a kart and two F-Zero tracks. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there is also Link in both his Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild incarnations as well as both default Inklings, two human Animal Crossing Villagers and Isabelle who are playable. Mr Game & Watch is an interesting case as not only did he specifically cross over with Mario in the Game & Watch Gallery series, he technically has been Mario in the original Game & Watch versions of various games such as Mario’s Cement Factory. I will go more into this in Game & Watch’s post. Pit actually had a small cameo crossover with Mario and various other characters back on the NES in Tetris, where he would appear playing a harp alongside characters such as Mario, Samus, Link and Donkey Kong.  Next up is probably the biggest crossover for Mario, his past rival from another console Sonic. Sonic and Mario, besides in Smash, only crossover in person in one series being the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games series. Olimar brings up a somewhat sad example as the only cameo where he crossed over and met Mario is one that never happened. It was found in the files for Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga on GBA that Olimar, Toon Link, Wario, Fox McCloud, Samus Aran and an Excitebiker were originally planned to appear for short cameos giving Mario and Luigi various special items in the Starbean Café for blending new drinks alongside Professor E Gadd. E Gadd was the only one who appeared in the actual game. This would have been Olimar and Toon Link’s only direct crossover with Mario. Little Mac and Mario had quite a big crossover, as Mario was the referee for Little Mac’s matches in the NES version of Punch-out. He also appeared in the audience to watch the boxer in the arcade versions of Punch-Out. Pac-Man has crossed over with Mario in the arcade Mario Kart GP series which really feels more of a crossover than specifically a Mario Kart game. Whilst Mario has never directly crossed over with any of the Hero characters from Dragon Quest, many of the Fortune Street games have featured crossovers with the Dragon Quest and Mario series, with many other Dragon Quest characters interacting with Mario. Whilst Banjo had many links to Donkey Kong, he did not have any official crossover with Mario, although interestingly if you over analyse the Mario franchise as I do, an argument could be made that Banjo is technically part of it, still I’ll leave that for when we get to the Bear and Bird’s own post.

As you can tell, Mario has crossed over with a lot of franchises over the years. I doubt any other character coming up will have as many examples as this, so hopefully there shouldn’t be as much to say. I think now it’s time to move onto the main event.

Why this game?

Super Mario 64 is the definitive 3D Mario title. Does that mean I think it’s the best 3D Mario title? Personally, I don’t think it’s the best of all of them, but I do still feel that doesn’t mean it can’t be the definitive one, similar to how I would rank Super Mario Bros 3 as the definitive 2D Mario game. Super Mario 64 defined many of the staples for Mario going forward as well as 3D platformers in general, with large 3D worlds to explore, a hub world leading to the various levels, and many other features which were fairly new at the time, even if perhaps it wasn’t the first to do many of them, it was the game that popularised them. Every other 3D Mario game that would come later would aim to have a specific “gimmick” (I dislike that term but it’s the best I can think of currently) to set it apart, Sunshine had F.L.U.D.D. the Galaxy games had the gravity system, 3D Land and World tried more to directly translate the gameplay of 2D Mario games to 3D and Odyssey had its capture mechanic along with other things. This leaves Mario 64 as the Mario game that was more straightforward in being about Mario in 3D. This, alongside a lot of other things I will detail in the later section regarding specific aspects of the game relating to Smash, is why I chose to play this game to represent Mario. You have likely noticed at this point I have repeatedly talked about Super Mario 64, not Super Mario 64 DS.

Super Mario 64 DS was a launch game with the new DS system, and in order to show off the capabilities of the DS to handle 3D games, I assume Nintendo again wanted to use Super Mario 64 similar to how they used it originally to demonstrate the abilities of the Nintendo 64. Super Mario 64 DS in my opinion is a great game, however it does not replace the original. It changed a lot of the models updating them to closer resemble the artwork for the Mario series at the time, closer reflecting all sorts of characters looks. The game also featured three other playable characters, Yoshi, Wario and Luigi. I will not go too into detail regarding these characters as they will have their own posts later and this is mostly meant to be Mario’s entry.

The controls however were the most often cited issue with the game. The DS did not have a control stick, and as such there were two main options to play the game, the first being to use the Dpad to move around. Due to the lack of a control stick to pick up on the sensitivity with which players wished to move their characters, the game instead had it so you had to hold the Y button to run and would just walk quickly otherwise, something which was often not seen to be as satisfying as the original controls for the N64 version. The second option which was more popular than the Dpad was using a thumb strap on the touch screen to recreate the controls of a joystick, I believe this is used in some phone games. (I admit I’m not that familiar with mobile phone platformers that use these controls) The issue with this however is unlike a joystick there’s not a physical object you can feel and get feedback from, so it can be hard to control as precisely as when using one. With the 3DS having the circle pad, and the Wii U virtual console having a control stick, I feel that playing Mario 64 DS on these systems is a big improvement over the originals and that is why I wanted to play through that version of the game for this. With that said, you still have to hold the Y button to run on these systems, which is still an issue people have with the game.

My past with this game.

It’s probably a thing that’s been repeated countless times by others, but when I first played Super Mario 64 as a kid and was in Peach’s Castle grounds, it truly felt like the largest area I had ever seen in a videogame. Running around the grass I thought I’d get lost. It’s bizarre now as even back then after a couple of days of playing I was more aware of the actual size of the garden, but that first time playing was just an experience which I will never have again I think, which is fine as I don’t need to, it was amazing to be able to experience something like that for the first time rather than growing up with it being the norm for games. The rest of the game was a truly incredible experience, exploring the castle, entering the paintings, exploring areas such as Bob-omb battlefield, taking on the King Bob-omb on the summit, taking on Bowser for the first time, it’s something no other game will be able to match in some ways. The greatest strength for Mario 64 however is that even to this day it is still a very enjoyable game to go back to. It’s not a hard game (although not without its challenge, especially when playing it for the first time) but it’s still got a lot of content in it, to the point I’d say it’s one of those games that’s perfect to just play through to 100 percent completion from time to time.

The game also due to its more simplistic style to many other later games has always had a bit of a mysterious air to it. I remember as a child often being a little creeped out in Peach’s Castle as it felt so empty that I could believe Bowser was constantly watching me. There were also plenty of rumours surrounding the game, one of the biggest of which was the absence of Luigi, with various fake ways to ‘unlock Luigi’ floating around the playground and even in some cases done as a joke in gaming magazines, which back then were the main way I would get my gaming info. Beyond this legacy, if you frequent youtube a lot you’ve likely seen just how many speedruns and intense analyses of this game there are, finding all sorts of tricks and secrets, ways to do all sorts of incredible things in the game. Even if I again might personally prefer some of the other 3D Mario games, this game is still an absolutely important and amazing game that deserves the place it often finds on people’s greatest games of all-time lists.

When it comes to Super Mario 64 DS and my personal history with it, I remember being extremely excited for this game. The initial trailers made it seem like the game would let you play through the game in a co-operative multiplayer, which sadly it seems didn’t pan out, but I was still very much excited to play through the game I loved with characters who weren’t in the original, the biggest to me being Luigi who’s absence from the original game led to all sorts of urban legends regarding how to unlock him. When I got the game, I loved it. Now, as we go through these posts, you will all probably come to realise I am notoriously easy to please, to the point it’s fairly rare that I will full on hate a game, therefore whilst I definitely got where people were coming from with the controls, personally I still really enjoyed the game and found I could adapt to the controls to the point they were mostly not a problem to me. As I’ve said before, I do not feel this remake replaces the original game and I still feel there is plenty of reason to go back to the original version again. I personally feel Super Mario 64 DS has its own good points, with a lot of new content, models changed to fit better with the general look the series has nowadays and the additional three characters being some examples. Whilst I wouldn’t rank it as highly as the original game, I still really enjoyed it and was excited to see it come to Wii U virtual console, meaning I can play it on the big screen for the first time. It’s a shame the graphics for DS games don’t look too great on a tv screen, but beyond that I’d say either the Wii U VC version or playing the DS game on 3DS are the best ways to play it.

My Smash Playthrough.

So, returning to this game again how did it go? Well, one of the key aspects of this specific playthrough, is it was the start of this whole project I’d set myself on. As such, it was the game where my initial false start took place. It’s hard to remember now as I believe I beat the game in 2017, but I had started it and my list much earlier, possibly in 2016. It’s interesting as this began some time after Corrin and Bayonetta finished off Smash 4’s DLC but before Ultimate was revealed, although I believe it was somewhat known at the time there would be a Smash Brothers game on Switch, just not officially at this point. Also 2017 brought something else with it which motivated me, the closing of Miiverse. Due to this, I realised if I didn’t get a move on, I would miss out on using it to get screenshots as I had hoped to do, many of which I am using in this specific post you’re reading. With this motivation I decided it was time to truly commit to this goal I had and in order to do it properly from what I remember, I restarted Super Mario 64 DS from scratch rather than continue my original run.

It’s hard to bring up things specific to my playthrough seeing as it was a few years ago now, however I am able to remember some aspects of that playthrough. It was my first time playing through the game on Wii U to 100% completion as I had wanted to save doing so for when I really wanted to go through with this project. As said before, this made two things apparent, firstly that 3D DS games don’t look good blown up on a bigger screen, secondly with the screen a bigger size to what it would have been on the DS, it made differences between the control in the N64 game and DS game clearer, sometimes being somewhat harder to make precise moves. This could make some of the tougher challenges a bit more irritating in some cases, but I still mostly had a lot of fun replaying the game, which was part of the reason I decided I wanted to 100% the game even though that was and is not my plan for every game.

I haven’t played through Super Mario 64 from start to finish many times, but I have returned to my completed files on the game many times before. So seeing the various small events again when playing from the start always gave me a nice nostalgic feeling, such as Bowser’s laugh when you arrive in the castle for the first time, and having the power of the stars you’ve found unlock each door for the first time. The levels were as fun to go through as always, from the simple ones like Bob-omb Battlefield to later stages such as Tall Tall Mountain. Regarding the most difficult stages, I’d say Tick Tock Clock didn’t give me as much trouble as I expected and that the stage I had the biggest issue with was Hazy Maze Cave. I believe even now I remember having gotten roughly 99 coins a couple of times just to get killed there and have to start again from scratch. Notable standouts in that level that stick in my mind are the poisonous gas in the cave as well as the arrow platforms that you had to use to find the red coins, which I remember having a fair bit of trouble with. On this note, the 100-coin stars were as always some of the most irritating ones as nothing in the game is worse than reaching around 90 coins and making a mistake getting killed meaning I have to start from scratch.

The bosses were fairly fun although in a lot of cases fairly simplistic. This is a strength with the DS remake I would say as it added some content including new bosses in new stages which were how you unlock the other playable characters. Of these new bosses, Goomboss is probably my favourite as it was so unexpected (and still is) seeing anything from Paper Mario make its way into another game in the Mario series, the Goomboss being clearly inspired by the Goomba King from the very first Paper Mario game. The star of the show when it comes to iconic bosses in Super Mario 64 however has to be Bowser, with this being definitely one of the top Bowser boss battles in the series. All three boss fights with him are fun, but the music and atmosphere in the final battle make him amongst my favourite Final Bosses in gaming. One of my favourite aspects is that you actually fight Bowser rather than having to trick him into breaking the floor under him, or hitting a switch to drop him off a bridge, with you grabbing him and swinging him by the tail. Whilst the model used for Bowser here looks very nice and definitely matches his more standard appearance, I’ll admit the original N64 model probably looked more intimidating, despite its obvious simplicity.

Then we get to the ending of the game, probably one of my favourite game endings of all time, from Mario (or in the remake Yoshi) looking up into the sky before heading in for the celebrations, the music to the shots of every stage you’ve been through it’s the perfect send off to the adventure and to this day still leaves me with a happy if somewhat melancholy feeling. (which is something I always feel with endings, even if obviously this was far from the end of the Mario series by any stretch of the imagination.) Ending on the final shot of the cake and Mario thanking you for playing his game. Overall this was a fantastic game to start off with and definitely eased me in for what was to come.

Specific aspects about the game relating to Mario in Smash.

Now, this section is where I would mostly go over specific equipment, setups and character choices I made based on the way Super Smash Brothers portrays the character, however in this case Mario doesn’t really get any equipment in the game, with the closest thing to it being he can lose his hat, which obviously I made sure to keep hold of through the game. What exactly does Mario take from this game then? Well, a lot. Most of Mario’s basic attacks, movements and jumps in Super Smash Bros are based on his moves in this game, with specific examples being his standard punch, his punch punch kick combo, jump kick attack, sweep kick, slide kick, and various jumps. What’s interesting is that Mario would never use the majority of these moves in later games, instead relying more on jumping and a straight forward spin attack in most cases. One final inspiration in his moveset that Mario took from this game is from the boss fights with Bowser where Mario will grab him by his tail, swing him around in circles before letting go flinging Bowser forward, a move that Mario uses in some of his throws in the Super Smash Bros series. Finally Mario’s entrance in Smash Bros mirrors his appearance at the beginning of this game, with a pipe appearing from the ground, Mario jumping out and the pipe then descending again. In future I will not tend to go into details on the origin of the majority of a character’s moves, but this is a special case as so much from this game specifically became part of Mario’s overall moveset and there wasn’t really ‘equipment’ to go over for him this time.

Credits.

For information on this game including dates of releases I must give credit to Super Mario Wiki.

The screenshots in this post are taken by me using Miiverse before it shut down.

[helsaguy]

Best Disney Live Action to date.

This is my opinion and mine alone. You have your own. Watch out for spoilers if you haven't seen the movie yet.

What a ride. What a surprise. What a delight this movie actually is. The first promotional content did nothing, or very little to excite me about this movie. I was really gonna watch it just to see Will Smith’s work. Then good reviews started to pop out and those truly gave me hope. I still kept my expectations relatively low. But now I was excited to watch it. The idea was to watch the movie on Saturday, but stuff came up and couldn't be. Anyways, two great things happened about watching it on Sunday: First I got to watch it with more family members. I’m so happy they didn't miss this movie, you just can’t miss it. And second, I got to watch it in its original language! I'm sure the dub would have been good, but I really needed to hear the actors’ voices, the dialogues and more than anything the songs in their original language. It’s important to me.

I had my doubts about almost everyone in the cast. But in the end, if anyone made a mistake (which mistakes can totally happen and maybe they happened) I think they were so minor that I didn’t care if there was something off. The whole movie is just so good. I couldn’t care less about any mistake or off thing that could have been going on.

What I’m about to write may be weird. I felt that every character was very different to its animated counterpart. The story was pretty much the same, and of course the characters are the same (except for a couple of funny and good additions) yet they felt different to me. They felt very down-to-earth, very grounded, very fleshed out, very real. Which I think that's the whole point of these live action movies; or at least I think it should be that way. 

So far I enjoyed and liked all the live actions I've seen (Maleficent, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book). But so far only Aladdin although being fair, Maleficent has it's own category has added content that served perfectly to enrich the movie and its characters. I see it that way anyway. It left me wanting to see more of them. I wanna see this gang again. Heck, I wanna watch the movie again. I really think it should have a sequel. More than anything I think this live action has established enough content to continue with another movie.

On a side note. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite animated Disney movie and if the live action doesn't make a sequel, I'm honestly not complaining. Here I am, perfectly well without a live action Beauty and the Beast sequel. And about Maleficent. I never thought it would have a sequel, and when I heard there would be one I was like: Ok. Maleficent is a whole other take on the Sleeping Beauty movie. A pretty interesting take if you ask me. And I’m curious to see how the sequel turns out. I loved Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent and I don’t mind seeing more of that. I think it'll be worth it.

About how I felt these characters were different to their animated counterparts. I think the most obvious is the Sultan. But man what a great change. I think every character was very likeable. Every good character that is. And the Sultan is so likable as a ruler and as a father. Of course he is a little flawed in those regards, but he grows and learns accordingly. I think everyone can or should understand where he’s coming from. It isn’t hard to understand his position. I'm not very comfortable comparing the live action to the animation. And I hope I won't do it (or do it much) writing further. But I think I dare say I liked this version of the Sultan better than the animated one. I just really cared more about him as a character and as a person. He even got a little action in the confrontation with Jafar and the dancing at the end of the movie. Way to go Sultan! He is a caring and loving father to Jasmine and father-daughter relationships are kind of my Achilles heel on Disney movies (Belle and Maurice, Ariel and Triton). Quite frankly, I never really cared for this father-daughter relationship with the animated movie, I'm guilty of that. But the live action version of these characters are a whole other story. The Sultan was overall a far more competent character and I loved it.

Oh boy I had so many doubts with Naomi Scott as Jasmine. But seeing her first interactions with Aladdin at the market place and at Aladdin’s street rat home, I was so charmed by her acting and charisma. Not to mention her beautiful hair and those beautiful, beatiful brown eyes of hers. Jasmine got quite the changes too, and I think most were very well done. This Jasmine is truly a ruler and leader in the making. Ready to be the first Sultana (that’s the proper term) of the land. She lacks some experience, of course, but she has all the tools she needs. I was impressed with all the knowledge this girl has at her disposal. Although, she's a Princess, of course she knows her studies. While the animated Jasmine feels rebellious “not wanting to be a Princess” and seems to ponder too much on the freedom she’s missing; live action Jasmine shows great conviction on wanting to help and better her people, her country and kingdom. She doesn't know much of Agrabah's outsides but once she gets out there and sees the market place full of people working and coexisting, she sees the community that lives under the Sultan's care and understands that those people are what make Agrabah so precious. Even from her balcony Jasmine gets to see her people's lives and how much they deserve to live happily and without fear of wars and losing loved ones (like she and the Sultan lost Jasmine's mother). Agrabah was done so lively that it’s easy to see why Jasmine wants so badly to be the next one on taking care of the kingdom and its people. She wants to make them happy and prosperous. Again, she is very likable. And most importantly, if some think these changes are to push some agenda (I thought that at first), well, if they are at least they don't feel forced. I think all these changes added a lot of depth and character to the character. To me they made Jasmine richer and a better role model.

Again someone that surprised me. Mena Massoud’s Aladdin turned out to be quite refreshing to me. In all honesty I wish I could explain better why I think this Aladdin differs from the animated one, but I lack the words. What I value the most of this interpretation is the simplicity and humility in character. He is more aware of himself. And while he does say the line “When you don’t have anything, you have to act as if you own everything.”, this guy doesn't feel pretentious at all. He is still very much down-to-earth and it shows greatly when he becomes Prince Ali. At least for the first part. I loved how awkward and/or insecure he is as Prince Ali during the Prince Ali musical number and when meeting the Sultan and Princess Jasmine. That scene is truly hilarious, with all the right jokes and all the right faux pas. Then there's the moment when the Prince gig gets to his head and is so believable how he gets lost in that lie and that facade, that it made me feel bad for him. In a pitiful way. Whereas in the animated movie I felt Aladdin was being a jerk to Genie and it made me think he deserved to be left alone. I definitely sympathize better with this Aladdin. Great chemistry between him and Jasmine from start to finish. Also I think it was very adorable to have Jasmine pretend to be the Princess' servant when she meets Aladdin for the first time. It made the blooming relationship more endearing and natural. Very appreciated. The animated movie honestly only makes me care about the Genie, but this live action truly made me care about every character. The good ones that is.

I still think Marwan Kenzari’s voice doesn’t fit Jafar at all. But this Jafar is still a good villain. I think he felt more cold blooded to me. He had a little background that benefited the character, not like they tried to do with Gaston on the Beauty and the Beast live action. And this depth not only made Jafar a little more interesting, it helped Aladdin's character as well. Jafar's past as a thief not only gives reason for his ambitions and goals, it’s also a good example of what our hero Aladdin could have become if he kept on the abusive/ambitious path of power. I think that provided quite the scare in thinking that if Jafar went through this manipulative, power hungry way; that could very well happen to Aladdin. This Jafar lacks the animated one’s theatrics but I still consider him a descent villain.

Very much like Robin Williams’ Genie is the heart and soul of the animated classic. Will Smith’s Genie is the heart and soul of this live action. Hands down my favorite character in the whole movie. Robin (R.I.P.) must be very proud with everything Will did. He was so charismatic, sympathetic, funny, charming, such a lovable character I swear to God. No one will ever convince me that this Genie wasn't perfect in every way, shape, or form. I loved how at the party in the palace he kept telling Ali to not ruin it for him. He's been trapped inside a lamp for thousands of years and he really wanted to enjoy a good party. The character with the most heart in the film and with powerful lessons to teach. Two of those will stay with me forever. The first, and I believe the intentional one, is that no matter how much riches you possess; no money, or jewels, or power will ever satisfy you nor make you happy. I wish more people in the world would see and understand that... And second, and this is I think more my interpretation than the movie's intention, to be human is what makes someone truly free. Although "being human" is such a vast term. I hope you understand what I mean. Anyways, what a freaking powerful message. This Genie wishes freedom. But that freedom isn't just to not be his master's slave or the lamp's slave. This Genie wishes to be human; he doesn't want to be an all powerful being for all eternity. And something happened in this movie that helped in a very sweet way to make this Genie even more human.

And that is Dalia. What a revelation this character is. Best addition to a live action adaptation ever. To be honest when I first heard of the character I really thought this live action would be ruined from the start. Who was this Dalia? Why Jasmine needed a handmaiden? Why was she white? Truth is Dalia is a much needed character. Also Nasim Pedrad who portrays Dalia was born on Iran to Iranian parents, and that made me more comfortable about her as a character in this movie. Dalia is a much welcomed addition to the colorful cast. Her character feels organic in this well known tale. She's not only Jasmine’s handmaiden but is also a true friend and her loyal confidant. And not to offend my favorite tiger, but the Princess really needed some human friend to talk to. Sure Dalia is a servant, but never once she complains about her place; even if it shows that on the inside she would like to enjoy more of the outside world as well as the Princess and have a life of her own. Dalia is quite insightful, she knows the Princess very well, she's very funny, and charming. We get to see how much and how well she cares for Jasmine and quickly becomes an endearing character. That scene where she pretends to be the Princess in favor of Jasmine being able to play the handmaiden character with Aladdin a little longer was incredibly funny. Not just she makes Jasmine a more well round character, she helps the Genie as well with their little romance. Such good content with these two. One of my favorite scenes was when the Genie wanted to ask Dalia out on an evening stroll and he, much like Prince Ali meeting the Princess, got all awkward and even mentions that Aladdin's behavior is contagious. Obviously he knows how to treat women right, with delicacy and respect. But also he's been imprisoned for so long that it isn't hard to see how he would be a bit clumsy when trying to court a girl he really felt infatuated with. Their interactions are just really sweet and charming.

The best part happens when Aladdin wishes for Genie's freedom and he does become human. And it is because of the lamp's very specific instructions that I believe a message for this movie is how being human makes us free beings. When making a wish Genie can't stress enough to Aladdin that he has to be very specific with his words, there's a lot of grey areas in wishes and he must wish carefully. Aladdin's third wish is of course to set Genie free, but he mentions nothing about making the Genie human. Still, the moment Aladdin wishes for Genie to be free he is turned human. And that's a very powerful message, even more so these days. It is the lessons this movie shows through Genie that truly capture the heart of the movie. Another example is when human Genie at the end of the movie asks for another chance to court Dalia. The affection is very much returned by the handmaiden and while she says that she is new at this dating stuff, she says that she accepts and that she wants to get married, have kids, and a boat. And all of that actually happens. And this is one more powerful message that I chose to interprete this movie tried to tell: even without being an all powerful being, humans are able to make their dreams/wishes come true. Genie and Dalia do get married, they have two kids a boy and a girl like she wanted, and they get a small boat like he wanted. Humans can make their wishes come true even without some magical help and that's Disney at it's best.

Let’s talk a little about the “sidekicks”. I enjoyed Abu being less caricaturistic. I know people adore Abu’s personality in the animation. But I think since this Aladdin was more serene in attitude, this Abu accompanied him very well. I adored Rajah. I'm very happy he showed up as much as he did. I honestly thought he wouldn't have as much screen time. I love his protectiveness over Jasmine most of all, but I also appreciate his good judge of character. Carpet was perfect. I think he suffered no change at all from the animated movie. So full of personality. I liked very much how during conversations the Genie would include Carpet and Abu into the chat. It made the monkey and carpet feel all the more real. Also, it hurt to see Carpet all torn when he was trying to escape giant Iago. And speaking of Iago. One of my favorite villainous sidekicks in Disney movies. This Iago is so not like the animated one. But that isn’t a bad thing. This bird looked creepy, and while it lacked all of Gilbert Gottfried’s personality, it made up in competence. This Iago is as cold blooded as his master, quite the spy, and a very effective giant boss fight. Thank you so much for keeping him a talking parrot. Very pleased with Alan Tudyk‘s work. And even if Iago's role is minor in the live action, he still serves very well his purpose.

Let's wrap this up with the music! Overall I loved it. Sure there are weak moments, but I think that didn't damage the movie at all. The film was just oh so entertaining on its own. Jasmine's new song Speechless is quite good. But the reprise was a little poorly executed visually-wise. I also think it sounds too pop-ish for it's own good. One Jump Ahead was weak in comparison to the original. The singing was pretty good, the music well "updated", but Aladdin was too relaxed walking here and there instead of running for his life. I liked a lot that Jasmine was part of the scene though. And congratulations to the woman with the "Still I think he's rather tasty" line, what a voice, and she was gorgeous. A Whole New World is very much the same and that's good. Both actors did great singing, Naomi's voice is incredible and Mena really surprised me as a good singer. That song doesn't need to be touched and they didn't touch it. Some may complain that Carpet didn't take Aladdin and Jasmine around the world, but I don't think it was needed. This Jasmine cared too much for her land that it was very sweet of Aladdin and Carpet to take Jasmine around Agrabah. She even admitted that Prince Ali knows more of Agrabah in the "few days" he's been to the kingdom than she has known all her life. It was fitting in my opinion to keep the ride to Agrabah. What was leaked of the Prince Ali performance doesn't make the whole thing justice. Sure it isn't as big scaled as the animated one, but is still a good show. And Oh My God WILL SMITH DID THE IN DRAG GAG!!!!!! I completely thought they wouldn't do it and Jesus Christ I laughed so hard, and was so happy they did it!!! He looked great, it was so funny. That alone made the song a success to me I swear. I couldn't ask for more. A Friend Like Me is another hit. A lot of detail, energy, I think the special effects were great. My favorite song from the animated movie and one of my top favorites in this live action. I think the new adaptation that takes the cake is Arabian Nights. Loved the longer lyrics, the visuals, and Will Smith being the one to sing it. We have Will Smith portraying a fisherman at the start of the movie. Then two adorable children ask their father to tell a story, and they prefer he sings the story. At first the fisherman says no singing since it's been a long day, but he soon indulge his kids and begins singing the opening number. The camera goes over Agrabah, we get glimpses of the characters in the tale. The Sultan in the palace, the Princess by he fountain with her tiger, a somber figure before the Cave of Wonders. We hear of the diamond in the rough requirement and go back to Agrabah. The way everything is presented feels so fairy tale like. And the opening number gets even better when right at the end we get the hint and confirmation that the fisherman and the kids are actually Genie and his and Dalia's kids. In all honesty I thought Will Smith was playing a whole different character with he fisherman. And even though we see the fisherman's wife from he back on the boat nd we hear her voice, I couldn't guess it was them till the end of the movie. Needless to say that revelation was fantastic.

I apologize for any typos. I know there's stuff I didn't write about like the couple of dance numbers going on, but they were great. I loved how gorgeous Jasmine looked at the palace's party. Her dancing was mesmerizing too. Hooray for the Jasmine and Aladdin wedding at the end! I made this long enough and whatever topic you wanna talk about, hit my ask box anytime.

Best Disney live action to date everyone. Highly recommend.

[wellesleyunderground]

Wellesley in STEM: Jenn Wiegel ‘08, Veterinarian

WU STEM series editor Katie Kinnaird interviews Jenn Wiegel ‘08, a practicing veterinarian.

WU: Jenn, thanks for taking time to chat with us! You are a practicing veterinarian in Gibsonville, North Carolina. What drew you to being a vet?

JW: Every since I was a little girl I wanted to be a veterinarian. I always loved animals and this loved was sealed when I received my first kitten for my 7th birthday.

WU: Do you have a favorite part of your job?

JW: I most enjoy surgery and pleasant clients. :) Puppy and kitten visits are usually fun too. My favorite appointments are those with young children (though not so young that mostly all they do is fuss). I always offer to let them listen to their pet’s heart with the stethoscope. I usually ask them if the pet’s heart sounds okay and they almost always answer with authority that it does. It’s so cute!

WU: You majored in Econ with a minor in Astronomy at Wellesley. This seems like a less tradition pre-vet major. How did you decide to go into veterinary medicine? Did your major prepare you to be a vet in unexpected (or expected) ways?

JW: I’ve always wanted to be a veterinarian, but during my first year at Wellesley, I attended a pre-professional meeting that made it sound next to impossible to get into some of these professions (vet, MD, JD, etc). So I lost a little confidence in myself. It wasn’t until the summer before senior year that I decided I would go back to the dream of being a vet. I don’t know that this really influenced my major choice, however. I was never very interested in being a biology major because I never wanted to teach biology or work in a lab. I’m sure there are more things you can do with a biology degree than that, but 18 year-old me didn’t know this. I am a very practical person, so majoring in Econ was logical in that I could always fall back into any sort of business or finance job with this degree.

And Astronomy? Well, Astronomy was just fun! And I love math! Also, while I do love Star Wars, I will always chuckle at Han Solo’s line about making the Kessel run in “12 parsecs” because parsecs are a measure of distance, not time. Oh Astronomy nerdiness!

WU: How did Wellesley more generally prepare you to work with animals and their human caretakers? Where there any courses or professors at Wellesley that had a particular impact on you and your chosen career?

JW: I had many great professors at Wellesley who helped me along the way with recommendations, but I can’t say I think there was a certain course at Wellesley that helped with the animal or “pet parent” aspect of my job. I recall Professor Marc Tetel being very encouraging when I was the only senior in Bio 101. He was a great professor! There were other professors that I still regard as influential in my life path (Prof. Ryan Frace in history and Prof. Randall Collaizzi in Classics), but I think they just helped contribute to my lifelong love of learning and not specifically anything to do with veterinary medicine.

WU: What is the process for becoming a vet? What is the schooling like? Is there residency?

JW: Becoming a vet requires a 4-year undergraduate degree and then a 4-year veterinary medical doctorate. There are prerequisite courses that all veterinary schools require (the usual sciences and often public speaking as well), but many schools also want you to demonstrate animal or veterinary work experience as well. There are residencies for veterinarians. We essentially have all the specialties that physicians have and they all require a residency with the exception of being a general practitioner. All veterinarians graduate as GPs. If a vet does want to specialize, she would need to do an internship for a year prior to residency.

WU: A prerequisite in public speaking for working with animals is super surprising! Could you say a bit more about how this requirement fits into your veterinarian life?

One of the biggest and most important aspects of my job is client education. Veterinarians spend a lot of time speaking with people in order to help their animals. Taking public speaking as a course helped me be more comfortable speaking in public, particularly strangers (I took public speaking at UConn one summer and knew no one in the class). It’s very important to be clear and concise with what you’re saying and to be able to present medical conditions or treatments in a way that is easy to understand.

WU: What is the most interesting experience that you’ve had as a vet? What was the funniest or most unexpected experience?

JW: I’ve had so many incredible experiences on this journey. Prior to graduating from veterinary school, I did multiple study abroad trips where we worked with native wildlife/animals and people in those countries. These places included Australia, South Africa, Jordan, Ecuador & the Galapagos, Hawaii, and the Florida keys. In Ecuador, I got to draw blood from the jugular vein of a jaguar and in South Africa, took part in an enrichment program for cheetahs. I really love big cats and so these experiences were incredible. In Florida, I did an externship at a 24 hour hospital that sees a large amount of exotic animals (birds, reptiles, small mammals, etc). While there, the Animal Planet TV show “Gator Boys” brought one of their gators to have his jaw repaired by the owner veterinarian of this practice. I got to be the anesthetist for the alligator which was awesome and nerve-wracking at the same time. I may have even been on TV! (I don’t have cable, so I don’t know!) I would say that was the most unexpected experience I’ve had.

The funniest experience I’ve had as a vet happened my second year out of school. I had an appointment on my books for a wellness cat visit for a 10 year old female spayed kitty named “Tabitha”. This cat had been with the current owners for about 8 years and had been to 3-4 previous veterinarians. I had the documents from this cat’s previous visits so I knew her history. When we perform physical exams, veterinarian usually do a “nose-to-tail” evaluation. Well, I got to Tabitha’s tail, lifted it, and,to my surprise, saw that Tabitha was actually a neutered male cat. Luckily the owner had a good sense of humor when I announced “It’s a boy!” Somehow it had been missed that Tabitha, who had wandered up about 8 years prior, was actually a neutered male and not a spayed female. The owner and I certainly had a laugh about that one for quite some time.

WU: For those of us who considering adding an animal into our families, what recommendations do you have for making this decision? Do you have any suggestions for making the decision and/or preparing our homes?

JW: Actually, there are some great online resources for this. For first time pet parents, they may want to check out this page. The AVMA is our national professional organization and they are very devoted to public education, so they have several pages to help individuals decide what kind of pet is right for you. If you already have an established relationship with a veterinarian, then you may want to ask him or her for a recommendation. If your vet knows you well, they may know whether a cat or dog or a certain breed of pet would work best for you and your family.

WU: Healthcare for humans and the associate costs are big talking points in the US right now. Are there similar conversations or issues surrounding animal healthcare?

JW: Yes and no. There is health insurance for animals, but it works completely differently than human health insurance. I would encourage pet parents to consider getting pet insurance. It does not cover routine care (exams, vaccines, etc), but would could accident or illness and might make having to make a tough decision a lot easier. I worked as an emergency veterinarian full time for about 13 months and unfortunately there is a lot of finance-driven euthanasia because people are not financially prepared for an emergency. Having accident/illness insurance (which is basically what pet health insurance is) could mean life or death for a pet.

There are some veterinarians who are worried that animal healthcare will become as crazy as human healthcare, but I just don’t see how this could happen.

WU: Wellesley Alums seem to be everywhere! Where’s the most unexpected situation where you’ve met a Wellesley alum?

JW: Actually, I just bumped into a Wellesley alum (even an ‘08er) at the top of the Seattle Space Needle in July! I happened to be wearing a Wellesley hat that I bought my husband at reunion. Berenice Rodriguez stopped me and asked if I had gone to Wellesley. I realized I recognized her and we discovered that we were the same class year. We never knew each other well at Wellesley, but well enough to recognize each other! Neither of us live in Seattle, we were both there on vacation!

WU: So many STEM fields are mostly male, and as a result, many women experience challenges breaking into and being part of their chosen communities. As a female veterinarian, have you faced any challenges? What helped you keep moving forward to become the effective vet that you are?

JW: I have not personally experienced any challenges to becoming a veterinarian as a woman. The vast majority of veterinarians are female. In veterinary schools nationwide, 80% of the students are female so it's a lady-dominated field. There are plenty of women-owned practices, etc. I really only find that the biggest issues come when other strong-willed women (as clients) try to play a virtual spitting game to try to one up me intellectually. I have experienced a lot of negativity from these female clients. Whenever I’ve had a client complaint, it has always been a woman. Unfortunately, the general populous is not as supportive of successful, strong women as Wellesley.

WU: What about your life, beyond your work as veterinarian, are you most proud of?

JW: Most proud of? I guess I’m not sure. Oh wait - maybe it was the epic road trip I took in 2010 prior to going to veterinary school. (Blog here: http://lifeisahighway2010.blogspot.com/) I still love telling people about that. Enjoy the most? That’s easy - travel! I love going to new places and experiencing new things. I’ve been to all 50 states (by the age of 27) and 20+ countries. My husband and I love going to the movies, playing trivia, and taking day-trips. I enjoy cross-stitching and crafting.

WU: Okay, time for the big controversial question. Are you a cat person or dog person? … Just kidding! What I meant to ask is “do you have a special animal companion in your life?”

JW: No controversy here! I am 100% a cat person. Always have been, always will be. Don’t get me wrong, I like dogs and I certainly enjoy seeing them at work, but kitties are where my heart is! My (most recent) best kitty companion passed away suddenly last year. His name was “Major Tom” and, boy, was he handsome. Big yellow eyes, fluffy orange tail, and huge paws. I’m still a bit misty eyed about his passing, but got to be his cat-mom for a glorious decade. I do have some great kitty companions at home right now - Smokey Jo (Major Tom’s sister and my little shadow), Carolina Jane (a princess cat if I ever met one), Sergeant Boots (the shy, gentle, sweet type with an arresting meow), and Marigold Marie (who despite her permanent limp, is very handicapable, thank you very much!). They’re all very sweet, loving companions. They greet me and my husband each and every day as we get home from work, can hardly wait for you to sit down before they’re in your lap (and I mean all of them, at once), and stand guard patiently outside our bedroom in the morning for food and affection. I’ve always had great cats who do all these things.

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How to Scale Your Campaigns in Global Markets

Zhi Wei Neo is a Regional Performance Marketing Manager at Tinder, a top free dating app for meeting new people. With diverse experience working and living in Tokyo, Seoul, and Singapore, Zhi Wei is a mobile champion of understanding APAC marketing dynamics. Zhi Wei’s firm grasp of cultural norms helps him scale and grow global apps in divided regional markets. At Tinder, Zhi Wei leads performance marketing in Korea and Southeast Asia.

Learn more about Mobile Hero Zhi Wei.

Launching digital campaigns across regional and global markets, once a complex task, is now relatively straightforward. You can set up a campaign through any ad platform, adjust location targeting, and go live within minutes. The ease of going global brings brands of all sizes into the global market, increasing competition and bid prices. But getting to and maintaining a positive ROI across markets is a long process for some brands. Here is what I’ve learned from scaling various tech brands across markets. 

The Need for Localization

A seemingly quick way to evaluate consumer interest in your product in new markets is by using existing marketing assets like creatives, product interface, app store page, and social accounts. Within a few days, you can see how well your creatives and conversion funnels perform.

Although this method is easy to kick off, it is unlikely to deliver strong performance—especially in non-English speaking markets. Consumers are used to product offerings in localized languages, both from local players and foreign market entrants. Localization is required to compete effectively in global markets.

English literacy level varies across and within markets. Even if local consumers have high English proficiency, running marketing campaigns in local languages helps build a stronger connection with consumers.

Translations are necessary. But simple translations will not perform well if the messages do not tie in with local insights. For example, existing slogans and taglines in English may not make sense when translated. Or, users pass over plain and simple messages if they do not understand the local context.

Check in with your research team on past local consumers’ sentiments towards your brand to mitigate the issue. Alternatively, search online for research papers and consumer surveys regarding your product category. Use these insights to craft your marketing messages. Messages should ideally be crafted or approved by someone living within the local markets, aware of current trends, and understanding what appeals to the local consumers.

Creative Design

Local consumers prefer a specific creative design style through years of media consumption, including ad appeal, video length, use of colors, and more. While creatives need to be fresh and stand out from the rest, deviating too much from local design standards leads to consumers dismissing your ad. Below are some pointers on how to familiarize yourself with the creative styles in a new market.

Facebook Ad Library: A good source of ads launched by other advertisers on Facebook. Select your location, ad category, and search for keywords or advertisers. I find it helpful to reference advertisers with large budgets (e.g., FMCG, eCommerce, Mobile Games) as they run multiple A/B tests to find out what works.

Moat Ad Search: Another great search tool for ads, but the lack of filters makes it hard to identify the location of the ads.

Social Pages: Check out the social accounts of competitors and high-spending advertisers. Search for ‘brand name’ + ‘target location.’ There will be organic posts designed in a style that appeals to local consumers. Look at the number of likes and comments to identify the winners.

Media Partners: Request creative samples from ad networks and media partners. Partners have expertise in your industry and markets and can provide valuable insights on creative design. They also advise on the top-performing formats and ad sizes. Talk with media partners to avoid missing out on leading placements.

When launching a campaign in countries with internet speed lower than the global average, make your creatives load quickly and show correctly. While videos, animations and interactive ads are necessary to build the brand story, try including simple creatives (e.g., static images, text ads) as a backup to maximize ad impressions and reach.

Using human faces in creatives was found to trigger positive responses in consumers. If you adopt this tactic, consider using local talents and models. Unless you have globally or regionally recognized brand ambassadors, consumers generally connect better with locals than international talents. 

Adapting your creatives to local festivals, whenever relevant, helps integrate your brand into consumers’ lives. Consumers are more favorable during celebrations and likely to spend or try out a new product. Create a local festival calendar to help you prepare relevant campaigns in advance.

Seek the opinions and approvals of local teams before launching any localized creatives and campaigns.

Other Marketing Assets

App Store and Landing Page

Consider local consumers’ preferences on the videos and screenshots used in the app store. Try testing local vs. foreign models, placement of graphical elements and order of the screenshots. For website landing pages, adopt a layout local consumers are familiar with, reference competitors and run A/B tests to find out what works best.

Potential users may search for your product in English. Therefore, include both English and local language keywords in your ASO and paid search campaigns.

Social Network Profile Page

A profile page is usually required when running marketing campaigns on social networks. For example, consumers might click through to the profile page to check out your brand. If possible, create country-specific profiles and populate them with localized content to connect with local consumers. 

Campaign Planning Across Markets

Data is abundant to support campaign planning across markets. In the process, think from both the global and local perspectives to build campaigns that make sense for your brand and local consumers. 

Setting your KPIs

A frequent question asked is the KPIs for each market. Some considerations when determining a suitable KPI:

Cost of Media: CPM varies across countries and impacts CPA. You find CPM benchmarks from industry whitepapers or ask for historical data from the ad networks you work with. KPIs based on CPAs must reflect the cost of media in each country.

Mobile Market Maturity: Each country is in a different stage of maturity in the mobile market. The graph below shows an example. For countries in Phase 1, consumers download more apps and spend less than those in Phase 2 and 3. As a result, campaigns running in Phase 1 markets are unlikely to generate a similar level of ROI as those in Phase 3 markets.

Source: App Annie State of Mobile Report, 2019. Liftoff Mobile App Trend Report, 2019

Product Life Cycle: Each country is in a different stage of your product life cycle. The time required to move from one stage to the next depends on the marketing budget, product-market fit and macroeconomic factors. A new market is unlikely to generate a similar level of ROI as an established one.

Lifetime Value: Lifetime value differs for each market. Other than the factors mentioned earlier, the income level of a country will influence lifetime value. Revenue generated from lower-income countries will be lower than that of higher-income countries.

When determining a regional KPI—be it ROI, CPA, or active users—it is essential to consider all of the factors mentioned and make adjustments to suit each market’s unique characteristics. Since market characteristics might change—remember to evaluate the KPI quarterly. For example, the lifetime value of a market may substantially increase after a prolonged period of marketing investment—an increased lifetime value may lead to a higher CPA target.

Budget Allocation

Efficient budget allocation across markets depends on the company’s focus.

Focus on ROI 

To maximize ROI, consolidate ROI figures from each country. Then, allocate sufficient budget to the top-performing country while staying within the predicted point of diminishing returns. Repeat this for the second-best performing country, and so on.

Pros: This is a data-driven approach to help you achieve the highest possible ROI with the budget available.

Cons: This does not give room for new markets to grow. The markets are constrained by budget and unable to make a substantial marketing push to gain market share.

Focus on Growth Potential

Obtain data on the total addressable market (internal research, industry reports), mobile internet population (WeAreSocial, Facebook Insights), trends in CPM and CPA and competitor actions (AppAnnie). Compare these data of the new markets against existing ones to derive a reasonable budget. If budget is limited, consider focusing on areas of the country with a high concentration of your target audience (e.g., capital cities, financial hubs, university towns)

Pros: Provides sufficient budget and time to acquire users in a new market.

Cons: There is no guarantee the budget will lead to a positive ROI in the long term.

The pros and cons make it hard to choose either approach. However, a possible middle ground can be:

Allocate budget based on ROI for countries considered to be established and mature, thereby maximizing ROI from the budget allocated to these countries.

Set aside a budget for testing and growth, and allocate it to new and promising markets. Have an agreed-upon target to classify established and mature (e.g., ROI above 25%, MAU above 100k) or a rigid time frame based on past growth markets (e.g., two years).

Media Partners

Regular ad networks provide an accessible entrance into new markets, but they may not bring you the best performance. This is especially true for non-English speaking markets, where consumers prefer local websites and apps. Look into local ad network partners as they usually have a broader reach in the market and expertise on user preferences. Some factors to consider when choosing a local network:

Audience demographics: Can the network help you to reach your target audience?

Unique reach: Is the audience size substantial on each operating system?

Targeting capabilities: What are the targeting splits available (e.g., category, interests, demographics, dayparting, devices, user list)

Ad format and sizes: Does the network cover the top formats and sizes in the market?

Ad tech integration: What are the exchanges used? Which DSPs and SSPs are the inventory connected to?

Measurement and reporting: Is the network integrated with your MMP? What is the methodology and minimum spend required of the brand lift study?

Brand safety: How is brand safety implemented? Are there 3rd Party Integrations? Is the network integrated with your MMP’s ad fraud capabilities? Can exclusion be done on a keyword, category, or site level?

Account support: Is there a dedicated account manager to support your expansion into new markets? What is the frequency of performance review sessions?

The setup process with local networks will be challenging due to time zones and language differences, regulations requirements, and ad tech integrations. However, local networks are valuable partners to help you scale in local markets once the initial onboarding is done. 

Consolidated Tracking and Reporting

It is not an easy job to oversee the performance of every media partner in each country, even if you have a team to support you. For efficiency, aim to automate data inflow. Accomplish this with established ad networks, either through your MMPs or with an internal data management system. For ad networks that do not integrate, set up a reporting template that allows you to upload to your data management system easily. Align on a currency (usually USD) across networks and countries for consistency. With all data ingested, create a dashboard where you focus on crucial business metrics daily. If there is an unusual spike in specific metrics, you can dig deeper into the country and channels to find the cause. 

Key business metrics depend on your brand and industry. However, the following applies to most brands:

Spend

Installs

Registration

Purchase (and any other key actions)

Cost per Install

Cost per Registration

Cost per Purchase

Install to Registration Rate

Install to Purchase Rate

Registration to Purchase Rate

Daily Active Users

Monthly Active Users

Average Revenue Per User

Filters:

By country

By device

By demographics (gender, age etc)

By channels, including organic

By creatives

The recent iOS 14.5 update has impacted some of these metrics, likely understating iOS performance. Speak to your MMP regarding the methodology of tracking iOS performance and reference historical performance to decide on the validity of the data. 

Managing digital campaigns across markets is a challenging but rewarding role. First, to scale successfully, invest in localization to build a strong connection with local consumers. Next, consider global and local perspectives with regards to KPIs, budgets and media partners. Finally, simplify your day-to-day by automating data inflow and focusing your time on selected key business metrics globally. Working across markets and cultures has broadened my worldview, and you will find it valuable too. 

That’s a wrap from Zhi Wei! Read the latest blogs from Mobile Heroes and join the Mobile Heroes Slack Community to chat with mobile marketers worldwide.

The post How to Scale Your Campaigns in Global Markets appeared first on Liftoff.

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black British woman there’s a lot of things you do great don’t have to change the cultureand the nationality of the character but you done about bunch of things Christian week is a good choice I believe black will have to see you know when you quit yesterday about the rhetoric also compares it was an interesting one at a very early going on to policy your readerand are in the phase where you will reader processing the I actually like our industry in a limitedand I know the old school reader pulseand everybody was hoping to see in Greenwich have to change things sometimes so using the way they get Elizabeth with this one the Krispy Kreme things a little too much I limit like the look is what I was talking about we can expect her to look as bad as she didand who is a Christian we can look like an incredibly soft terrifyingand look like everything that nightmares are because I know that person that scale afterand I had decided not to go sleep that night like this character sheet in 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Just as economy and then before learning about how he her generation learning about us to resolve we showed against the forces of hatred and division about the work we will do over the next about the Windows we came together and not a joke for resident of the nation thank you all pursuant to our convention rules will now proceed to a roll call by states on the selection of our party’s candidate for the president of the United States secretary right Mr Chairman coming to you online from the Wisconsin Center it’s time to begin our virtual trip around America our journey began at the site of a major step forward in our national journey towards justice let’s go to Alabama with my stepfather as I demand the right to later all right voting rights remain America’s great initiative to walk this path before showed us the way forward John Lewis is incredible to restore the body like to ensure that our democracy belongs to all Americans Bernie Sanders about letters we rely on to theater families and make a living See Other related products: unicorn shirts and shirt

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WHO AMONGST US WILL STAND ON THE TOWER?

In ancient times, watchmen would stand on a tall stone tower always vigilant to the potential of an approaching danger. The role of the watchman, particularly at harvest time, was important to the survival of a community in agrarian societies. The watchman, in effect an early warning system, was called upon to sound an alarm which could prove crucial in thwarting an attack both from ravenous animals and from malefactors who would rather make off with a neighbor farmer’s fruits and vegetables than to labor and toil in their own fields. In times of war, the role of the watchman was critical in spying potential enemy threats to a town: if a threat appeared, the watchman would blow his horn and the townspeople would rally and prepare for battle. 

In Scripture, the symbolism of the watchman is profound. No less a figure than the 8th century B.C. prophet Isaiah – who prophesied the birth of Christ in Isaiah 7:14 – conveys God’s message to us, “I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest,” Isaiah 62:6. In 21st century America we all have a moral duty to serve as watchmen as the nation is presently besieged by enemy forces both foreign and domestic.

GLOBALIZATION: AN ANTI-DEMOCRATIC NIGHTMARE

The current demagoguery in the hands of globalists takes the ugly form that a citizen who believes in national borders and national priorities cannot be a good citizen – that he is a fascist some claim. We need to be reminded that the American revolution was a nationalist uprising which few would call fascist. The current sophistry in the hands of globalists belies that a citizen who is devoted to his homeland and who places the interests of his nation-state as the top priority can exist, at the same time, with a world view that is tolerant and respectful of those beyond his borders. Furthermore, to be respectful of global interests is not to suggest that those who can afford it should be forced to open their pocketbooks to fix all of the world’s ills. That suggestion is impudent and a sleight-of-hand by globalists whose own personal agendas for control stand to be upended by the rights and privileges of sovereign states. Simply stated, globalism is imperialism in sheep’s clothing. What other conclusion is there to be had when an international organization made up of unelected bureaucrats imposes its will on the citizens of member nations? That supranational organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Health Organization are anti-democratic is a statement of fact and not of ideology. The globalization conceit held by leaders in and out of government around the world and in the United States should sound an alarm to those who believe in the sanctity of democratic processes. Put simply, globalization and democracy are hardly fraternal twins. Globalists believe that globalization’s ugly side, lower wages, lost jobs, shuttered factories or devastated communities is the result of there not being enough global governance to channel all of the good that derives from globalization. And besides, globalists say, any discomfort is strictly temporary. As Mr. Pascal Lamy, former Director of the World Trade Organization said in a recent address, “The future lies with more globalization, not less…”

AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM IS A TARGET FOR HOSTILE NATIONS

We have witnessed the onslaught visited upon our shores by the Chinese Communist Virus which at last count had extinguished the lives of two-hundred thousand innocent Americans and for which China takes no responsibility despite having its fingerprints all over the heinous act. Meanwhile, China’s propaganda machine is working full-throttle in our schools and universities. Over one hundred Confucius Institutes – incongruously named as Confucius was a man who preached humaneness – are now operating in our country for the ostensible purpose of disseminating Chinese language, history, and cultural instruction. Colleges have taken in huge sums of money over the years from the Communist regime with the proviso that all discussion and instruction toe the Chinese propaganda line. In the end, that means subjects like the human right abuses of over a million Uighurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, or the independence of Taiwan and Tibet are off limits. Only recently did the State Department deem the Institutes propaganda missions which means they will have to adhere to the same restrictions as diplomatic embassies. This action by the United States is welcome news but comes rather belatedly given that Li Changchun, a member of the Politburo, said back in 2009 that the Institutes “are an important part of China’s overseas propaganda set-up.” On the commercial front, China purloins roughly $225 billion, at the low end and as much as $600 billion at the high end, annually in counterfeit goods, pirated software, and theft of trade secrets from the United States. Militarily, America faces a serious threat in the South China Sea where it is being challenged by a territorially aggressive and technologically advanced Chinese Navy. Rogue nations such as North Korea and Iran pose further threats to peace and prosperity led as those regimes are by unbalanced tyrannical dictators.

AMERICA’S DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND BELIEFS ARE UNDER ATTACK FROM WITHIN

The nation has literally been set ablaze by malcontents who would rather settle their philosophical differences not with ballots but with bullets. On the whole, this is the most insidious threat to the democratic ideals of our nation as these forces amount to a fifth-column enemy which has infiltrated our schools, our courts, our churches, all manner of political institutions, and the media. The cultural relativism which now pervades our institutions suggests that no ethical or moral value is superior to any other and so as we see in our contemporary society anything goes:

The teaching of history, language, law, culture and science particularly in the early school grades is now subject to disinformation, myth, and propaganda like never before courtesy of the “knowledge elites” with their own less than charitable axes to grind.

The muzzling both figuratively as well as physically of opposing points of view via the corrosive and regressive practice of “cancel culture” on college campuses renders those institutions little more than very expensive echo chambers.

Looting and rioting is now seen by members of fringe groups such as Black Lives Matter and Antifa as a legitimate compensatory action to right perceived civil wrongs. Sadly, many local political leaders across the nation are either in league with the rioters or choose to look the other way.

Judicial activism which compels judges who feel it their duty to go beyond the law as written and to interpret it as they see fit countermands the judgment of elected legislators and sets up the courts as super-legislatures.

Sermonizing by certain church fathers on the ills of “white privilege,” wealth, and physical fences while abrogating their responsibility to convey the church’s catechism to their flocks does serious disservice to parishioners seeking spiritual and not political guidance.

Proselytizing by political leaders on the Left that Socialism is in the best interest of the nation. These same demagogues, of course, fail to mention that the socialist experiment has only led to environmental despoliation, starvation, the demise of entrepreneurial initiative, and the spread of a welfare mentality. Rest assured, proponents of Socialism are not able to cite one historical antecedent where the egoism and presumed “wisdom” of central know-it-alls were an able substitute for the actions of countless sovereign consumers and producers operating in a free-market society.

The societal maelstrom, if not gradual dissolution, we are experiencing in our nation is fueled first and foremost by media elites who have the power and the means to filter information and package it so that it satisfies their agenda objectives without regards to the truth or fact. The mainstream media monopolies in Los Angeles, New York and Washington set the table for what most unwary Americans consume as unvarnished factual “information.” Not to be outdone, the oligarchs who control social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Google choose what content and what voices they will police so long as they are in keeping with their own preferences and biases.

WE MUST ALL BECOME WATCHMEN ON THE TOWER

The defense of America comes easily to those who are united by the uniquely American principles of liberty, democracy, equality of opportunity, the rule of law, individual choice, and the sanctity of private property. Citizens who fail to grasp these “self-evident” truths owe it to themselves to undertake self-study, if not self-examination, to reaffirm that the American Dream is indeed not a slogan but a unique experiment that can only be realized in our great nation. Now, more than at any other time in our history, Americans need to hone their critical thinking skills so as to question the sources, facts, data, and research thrown at them for the explicit purpose of besmirching the American Dream.

The assaults which threaten the constitutional, cultural, and democratic fabric of America demand that we as citizens stand watch day and night. We must all stand tall on the watch tower and sound the horn so as to rally our fellow citizens as we prepare for battle.

[holdenslym865-blog]

The cbd öl Awards: The Best, Worst, and Weirdest Things We've Seen

Why Marijuana Fans Should Not See Approval For Epilepsy Medication As A Win For Weed

Many people in the usa suffer from chronic pain. The Medication Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies marijuana or cannabis as a Schedule 1 product - this means there is certainly "no presently accepted medical use and a high prospect of abuse." Appropriately, before Epidiolex is ready for use among patients, it needs to be appropriately reclassified - something GW Pharmaceuticals expects to see happen next three months. Cannabis is a flowering seed that contain three distinct variations, i.e.: Cannabis Ruderalis, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Savita. Rigorous rules around Cannabis cultivation can be found because of this of it having been used as a recreational drug for the high THC level using types. However, Cannabis can be employed for its durable fibrous consistency, its richness in nutrients and its own medical properties.

CBD is commonly used to address anxiety, and for patients who suffer through the misery of insomnia, studies suggest that CBD can help with both falling asleep and staying asleep. CBD may offer an option for treating different types of chronic pain. A report from the European Journal of Pain demonstrated, using an animal model, CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and irritation credited to arthritis. Another study demonstrated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to take care of. More research in humans is needed in this area to substantiate the statements of CBD proponents about pain control. As with other health and fitness products, there is no one-size-fits-all offering amount for CBD. The FDA hasn't established formal nutritional recommendations for CBD intake, so it is up to CBD consumers to decide on the optimal amounts. When consuming a CBD product, start by sticking to the recommended portion sizes found on lower-concentration products, then increase as needed.

The struggle in South Africa continues and this Hub will keep on addressing how to handle the resistance the low intensity warfare that is presently being waged against africans from all fronts, and try to offer some answers to tough issues that arise from being oppressed, poor, ignorant, and the complete bit. In battling this neo-post-Apartheid colossal by means of the ANC, people need to pay attention to the fact that there needs to be a great deal of preparation, self-discipline and effort among and with the struggling and ignored, debased and oppressed armies of the poor African masses. Research implies that animal protein is easily digestible than seed proteins. However, 91-98% of the hemp powder proteins are digestible. The easily digestible proteins in hemp are edestin and albumin. Heat digesting reduces the breakdown of proteins. Therefore, if you are interested in high-quality hemp powder; go for the main one made from cold prepared hemp seeds. Vegans can infuse the powder in their diet for important functions such as repair of body tissues after exercise.

A particular forces friend I'm helping, because I can't call them clients. Got him from stage 4 to free from cancer with an intica stress, on a vaporizer. It helped alot along with his extreme PSTD. Yet lost him in the long run, as he returned on alcoholic beverages, he was becoming a personal problems for me. Saved four other folks though. I believe chemotherapy leading to new cancers and their aspect effects is worse than the initial cancer. Proof is cancer has increased 4 to 5 times in the last 50 years. Conventional drugs can help alleviate tightness and pain, but many people see CBD as a more natural alternative. Many of the people consider marijuana as a herb which may be used for recreational purposes only. However, this can be a dark side of marijuana as this supplement is not less than a boon for mankind. Controversial yet beneficial, marijuana can't be overlooked no matter what as it can be used for medical purposes as well. If used properly, marijuana not only treats various types of illnesses and diseases, but offers a safer environment to the consumers.

Hemp Essential oil has many nutritional benefits for Vegetarians that typically do not consume food that contains Omega-3, and Omega-6 essential fatty acids. Fatty acids are crucial for a sound body. Since Hemp Essential oil is filled with them, it's the perfect health supplement for people that do not eat meat or fish. Once you have access to a marijuana distributor, you should have the option between a variety of options for using legal medical cannabis. Dried out marijuana flower is still the most popular form, but a growing number of states have banned smokable marijuana in their programs. Other choices include tincture sprays, pills, vapes, concentrated extracts, and edibles. For all those looking for exterior applications, balms, salves, and lotions can be rubbed straight into the muscles, joints, and epidermis for focused relief. There are even dermal patches that may be placed on the skin for postponed release through the cbdbro.ch day.

Moreover, various studies have been conducted which have established a romantic relationship between the CBD and treatment - ranging from malignancy treatment to arthritis rheumatoid , the CBD oil assists in treating vomiting and nausea from the chemotherapy. To be able to figure out how to start optimizing your healing program of cannabis has been the traveling factor that is behind one of the greatest experiments in the days of democracy. The consequence of this finding is called medical marijuana and it has been observed from one state to another and one country to some other in the very recent years. Given that you can easily find CBD Vape Oil on the market online, it is rather easy to use any typical e-cigarette, also known as a vaporizer or vape pen, to take your dependence on CBD. The rise used of CBD rich hemp essential oil can be partially related to its popularity among people who vape. It really is convenient, discreet and the majority of all, does not have you inhaling smoke that is which can have carcinogens that could harm the lungs.

In the UK, however, Sajid Javid won't reclassify cannabis before Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs provides recommendations about the general public health implications - that may are the abuse potential of cannabis-based CBD. Though it seems very likely that the home secretary will continue steadily to move towards a patient focused resolution. CBD oil has been making waves recently over the skincare industry due to its amazing anti-inflammatory, skin-smoothing, and skin-moisturizing properties. But regrettably, hardly any people are aware of this wonder ingredient's benefits for their epidermis and health. It may have side results such as low blood pressure, lightheadedness, fatigue, dried out mouth, and slowed engine functions. However, these side effects have been found to be gentle according to various studies. Use of CBD essential oil is recommended if you reside in a country or region where in fact the possession, use, and distribution of marijuana is legal.

The biggest difference is in convenience. Our CBD capsules are pre-measured at 25mg each, which means you know you're getting the very same amount, every single time. CBD oils aren't difficult to measure, but if you are seeking to calculate an exact mg serving size, you will have to watch in a reflection and count the number of drops you're using. In the event that you know the number of drops and exactly how much CBD is within a drop of the precise bottle you're using, you can calculate how many mg you're eating. If this appears like too much work for you, like we said tablets are simply easier and more convenient to deal with. Saturated fats are usually regarded as unhealthy. Their usage can increase your cholesterol levels and be bad for your cardiovascular health. Actually, according to the American Heart Association , products like coconut essential oil, which is made up of approximately 50 percent lauric acid , aren't even that healthy.

When CBD first appeared on my radar about 1 . 5 years ago, I was too cautious to check it out. I wasn't clear about its purported benefits and whether it was safe for me to consider. But desperate times demand desperate measures, so on this particular school holiday, I reached for the dropper of Reset CBD oil that had been sitting down on my kitchen counter for two weeks. CBD oil is derived from hemp plants and contains less than 0.3% THC - under the legal limit. It is a compound that activates the endocannabinoid (ECS) system in every mammals, including both canines and people. The ECS functions with the cardiovascular, digestive, and neurological body systems, as well as playing a part in the body's anti-inflammatory response. Since commercial hemp is naturally rich in Cannabidiol many people consider commercial hemp products as an alternative to medical marijuana, because contrary to medical marijuana, products created from commercial hemp is safe and legal. They are created relating to federal requirements and are stated in FDA-registered facilities within the US.

In South Africa, 1000 folks from cities were interviewed. Hemp oil contains a good amount of gamma-linolic acid, which is proved to assist in preserving hormonal balance. GLA is incredibly helpful for women and can assist in easing the signs or symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Hemp oil was traditionally used for treating pain related to menstruation. For the ANC to remain relevant and sort of important to its polity, its leaders have gone into into a media blitz and are attempting to paint a positive picture of the ANC, from 2014 for an eternal imagined future. Maybe it is true, for I find that the folks of South Africa wasn't to keep carefully the ANC in place; but what I am learning from the people is they are racking your brains on ways to eliminate today's and corrupt cadre using their kingly perches, and replace them with people who will serve them, the army of the indegent masses. This idea has not yet caught up in a massive way amongst the struggling people, but the people are slowly coming to realize that as a chance.

One positive impact for individuals who used to buy container illegally is that they now know precisely what they are getting, including if pesticides were used, the THC & CBD content, where it was grown, the expected effects, etc. Presently we should discuss CBD essential oil. This is natural oil which is made by planning and extracting CBD from the cannabis herb. When this procedure is finished, at that time natural career oil is added in it to dilute it. Normally coconut or hemp seed oil is included for dilution. If you're searching for where you can buy CBD essential oil then you should look for CBD index There will be a complete set of all the locations near you to purchase the best CBD oil. Many people must have a lot of time on the hands to be deeply emotional concentrate on up or down part of Hell or Heaven. Alot of BS of Be All, in a la la Land of ignorance.

As well as the solvents in vape oils being potentially dangerous independently, the byproducts that can be created when the solvents are heated to high temperatures are also dangerous. For instance, heating system propylene glycol can create formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, and acetaldehyde, a possible carcinogen, both which are also within tobacco smoke, Benowitz says. The Kennel Club's key veterinary officer, Jerry Klein, said CBD is over-hyped" but appealing for treatments like treatment. He's hopeful that the growing market will result in more money being invested in research to verify uses. Fish oil has cardiovascular benefits, reducing inflammation and lowering cholesterol levels. But if you're trying to get pregnant, you may have more interest in fish oil's effects on something more imperative to reproductive function - sperm. While several pet and human studies have been conducted on the effects of fish essential oil on sperm, non-e have shown a rise in sperm fertility as an advantage.

Using some fantastic products like our CBD cream , CBD lotion , CBD oil , CBD capsules , takes longer, depending on how much you apply these. CBD hemp oil is the best essential oil to use for bare stomach, Fight with cancer, Fight Anxiety, Reduce Diabetes, Treat Sleep Problems with Cannabis. CBD is obtained from the cannabis vegetable. Commonly, cannabis flower is known as weed or hemp predicated on the degree of THC. It is important to remember that legal hemp vegetation mustn't contain more than 0.3% THC, relating to Farm Bill. CBD, which is also known as cannabidiol, is a substance that is extracted from hemp or cannabis herb. This substance is thought to convenience inflammation and stress and anxiety. It's important to know that CBD doesn't get you high in any way because it has no THC, which is the element accountable for getting people high. People round the world use essential oil with CBD to treat menstrual pains, persistent pains, stress, and insomnia. However, its use is still not legal worldwide and is yet to be approved by the FDA. Generally in most states, the utilization of CBD is completely legal, and people grow hemp plants openly.

Many people have lost their lives to smoking marijuana. One of the main side effects of it is that it cause a unexpected increase in heartrate if you are not careful which can result in a fatal coronary attack. If you reside in a state where marijuana is legal for both medicinal and recreational use, you should have access to CBD oil, too. No studies have yet founded omega-3 fatty acids as a factor or putative treatment for IBS. However, it is known that omega-3 deficiency can have significant results on the anxious and immune system systems thought to be involved in leading to IBS. A 2009 research by Clarke, et al., found an increase in pro-inflammatory products of polyunsaturated fatty acids in females with severe IBS, suggesting that omega-3 supplementation can help.

However, hemp farmers hardly ever modify the seed. CBD oil comes from these legal hemp plant life. Made from EU-certified hemp crops in Cooley Mountains of Ireland and produced without fungicides, pesticides or herbicides, Celtic Blowing wind is a worthwhile first-time choice if you are wanting to try a CBD essential oil. Our aim is to heal people the nature designed way, deliver only pure, organic products, and inspire people to remain healthy. For nutritional and beauty uses, always buy chilly pressed hemp essential oil. Unrefined hemp oil is nutty flavored and green in color. Did you know that cold-pressed hemp essential oil includes 25 times more Omega 3s than olive oil and fifty percent the saturated excess fat? It also experienced an increased content of Omega 3, 6 & 9 than every other culinary essential oil. Never cook with hemp essential oil. Since it has a minimal smoke point, any vitamins and minerals is quickly damaged. Instead, mix it cbd suisse up into a delicious salad dressing or blend with herbs to enjoy as a drop for crusty French bread.

Why Marijuana Supporters SHOULDN'T See Authorization For Epilepsy Medication As A Win For Weed

Many people in America suffer from chronic pain. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies marijuana or cannabis as a Plan 1 compound - this means there is certainly "no presently accepted medical use and a high prospect of abuse." Accordingly, before Epidiolex is ready for use among patients, it needs to be appropriately reclassified - something GW Pharmaceuticals expects to see happen within the next three months. Cannabis is a flowering flower that consist of three distinct variants, i.e.: Cannabis Ruderalis, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Savita. Stringent regulations around Cannabis cultivation exist because of this of it having been used as a recreational drug for the high THC level in certain types. However, Cannabis can be utilized for its durable fibrous consistency, its richness in nutrition and its own medical properties.

CBD is commonly used to handle anxiety, as well as for patients who endure the misery of insomnia, studies suggest that CBD can help with both falling asleep and staying asleep. CBD may offer an option for treating different kinds of chronic pain. A study from the Western european Journal of Pain demonstrated, using an pet model, CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and inflammation credited to arthritis. Another research demonstrated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the very most difficult types of chronic pain to take care of. More research in humans is necessary in this area to substantiate the promises of CBD proponents about pain control. As with other wellbeing products, there is no one-size-fits-all offering amount for CBD. The FDA has not established formal dietary recommendations for CBD consumption, so it is up to CBD consumers to decide on the optimal quantities. When eating a CBD product, begin by sticking with the recommended serving sizes entirely on lower-concentration products, then increase as needed.

The struggle in South Africa continues and this Hub will keep on addressing how to handle the resistance the low intensity warfare that is presently being waged against africans from all fronts, and try to offer some answers to tough issues that arise from being oppressed, poor, ignorant, and the whole bit. In fighting this neo-post-Apartheid colossal by means of the ANC, people need to focus on the fact that there needs to be a great deal of preparation, self-discipline and hard work among and with the suffering and ignored, debased and oppressed armies of the poor African public. Research shows that pet protein is easily digestible than place proteins. However, 91-98% of the hemp powder proteins are digestible. The easily digestible proteins in hemp are edestin and albumin. Heat processing reduces the break down of proteins. Therefore, if you are interested in high-quality hemp powder; go for the one made from chilly prepared hemp seeds. Vegans can infuse the powder in their diet for important functions such as repair of body cells after exercise.

A special forces friend I'm helping, because I can't call them clients. Got him from stage 4 to free of cancer with an intica stress, on a vaporizer. It helped alot along with his extreme PSTD. Yet lost him in the long run, as he went back on alcoholic beverages, he was learning to be a personal problems for me personally. Saved four other folks though. I think chemotherapy causing new malignancy and their part results is worse than the original cancer. Resistant is cancer has increased 4 to 5 times in the last 50 years. Standard drugs can help reduce tightness and pain, but many people see CBD as a far more natural alternative. Many of the people consider marijuana as a herb which may be used for recreational purposes only. However, this is actually the dark part of marijuana as this supplement is no less than a benefit for mankind. Controversial yet beneficial, marijuana can't be overlooked at any cost as it can be used for medical purposes as well. If used properly, marijuana not only treats various kinds of ailments and diseases, but also offers a safer environment to the consumers.

Hemp Essential oil has many nutritional benefits for Vegetarians that typically do not eat food which has Omega-3, and Omega-6 fatty acids. Fatty acids are crucial for a healthy body. Since Hemp Oil is packed with them, it is the perfect product for people that do not eat meat or fish. Once you've usage of a marijuana distributor, you should have the option between

[filipinosmakinghistory]

Meet Josh Abalos a Super Senior at UMass Boston! He is a Filipino/Filipino-American who grew up in a setting that emphasized the Filipino culture. Today is his birthday! What do you think is the most common misconception about being Filipino? That we're Mexican or that we speak Spanish? That the United States DIDN'T straight up colonize us after ownership of the archipelago was transferred from the Spanish to the US after the Spanish-American war? That we're dirtier or less civilized than northern/paler Asians? How did you become aware of your cultural identity? I grew up for my first 10 years around New York and New Jersey where there were huge Filipino communities. My parents raised me with the customs that they carried over when they moved to America. They just acted like themselves around me and I absorbed that. So I knew from an early age that I was Filipino but when I moved to Massachusetts at age 10 where there were markedly less Filipinos, and I became mostly surrounded by white people, I started noticing how the color of my skin, and the culture and behavior that I brought with me, stood out from everyone else.  The lack of diversity in the new town didn't help either. How much do you identify with the history of the Philippines? Lapu Lapu from the Visayas was pretty badass. He killed Magellan, that cocky Portuguese bastard, and defended the Philippines before the archipelago even had a name. There's also the legend of Urduja (pronounced: urd-oo-ya) from the region of Pangasinan, where my dad's side comes from, though scholars are divided on whether or not she was ever real (I'd bet she was real after some internet research). Anyway she was a fabled warrior princess in the pre-colonial archipelago, who led a band of female warriors and defended her kingdom from foreign invaders as well. Legend has it that she would not marry any man who could not best her in combat. Thus she died a virgin. Wowza. What a woman. Check out the veracity of her story for yourself. http://www.urduja.com/princess.html. Then there's Jose Rizal, who is widely regarded as a polymath, is very respectable in my books for that very trait (also v v v respectable for igniting the revolution just through his writings). He was also a nerd who got around with the ladies (20 different girlfriends), so while I don't necessarily promote promiscuity and especially not infidelity, let it be said you can totally be an over-the-top nerd and still get laid (and inspire a country). Wish I knew that in middle school lol. Otherwise, in regards to my family's history: my lolo (grandfather) on my dad's side fought in World War II. He was at Bataan. He hated the Japanese, and with good reason. They made him and the other 80,000 POWs march some 60 odd miles malnourished and abused. They would torture, physically, and mentally attack them while marching. He watched his buddies die right next to him from exhaustion, starvation, and bullets to the back of their heads. Whenever a POW couldn't keep up, they were either shot or just left in a ditch to wither. He almost didn't make it, and I might never have been born. Bittersweetly, he survived only to die of cancer right around the time I was born. I wish I had at least met him. My dad recalls these memories of his to me. He tells me that lolo always used to hate when dad did Japanese stuff. Lolo never wanted his son to drive Japanese cars, eat sushi, or to learn karate (all of which he did anyway; the damned rascal was a 2nd degree blackbelt in wado karate). Given all that, sometimes I wonder what my lolo would think of me if he were here today. I watch a lot of anime, I pretend to (ironically) act japanese sometimes, but you could say I look like a total weeb. It's weird to think about. I don't hate Japanese people, although I think some of the them are weird (have you heard of waifu body pillows? jeez). Would my grandfather disown me? Would he understand what it is to be a kid in this day and age? Is religion important in your household? Describe a situation illustrating why or why not. It's pretty important. My parents have poon amongst which is the Santo Niño. We have a prayer group which rotates amongst different families' houses where we pray the rosary together and praise Jesus and stuff but I'm not so much into it anymore considering I don't align myself with the Catholic Church anymore. Have you ever struggled with your racial/ethnic/cultural identity? Describe this struggle and how you overcame it.  Yea people called me a twinkie or a banana all the time because I acted so white. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside. I wanted to believe I was just like all the other kids in middle and high school but nothing could be farther from the truth. Oh sure, I learned how to fit in reaaal good but that doesn't mean I still wouldn't get sly remarks like "oh I didn't know you would be into punk rock" or the not so subtle "I thought you were Mexican!" and "Oh you're from there? You must eat dog then". Everywhere I go, I'm reminded that I don't exactly belong. You don't see a lot of Asians at punk shows, especially around here. Kids at concerts assume I don't know the scene, I don't know the bands, that I'm just a casual show goer, or worse a "poseur". At the kind of shows I go to, three is a crowd in terms of Asians being there. 

Sure Asians are supposedly the "model minority" but I'm brown. I'm a "dirty Asian". On top of which, I have a full bushy beard and moustache these days. I don't look so innocent anymore (I try to avoid cops and follow the law). Filipinos don't even recognize me as Filipino at first glance anymore. I was in a crowd of Filipinos from my parents' generation and they all spoke English around me, but as soon as I stepped away, they felt comfortable enough to speak Tagalog. I had to tell them I was fully Filipino and that my parents grew up in the home country. What's worse is I don't speak any Filipino language so even when they know I'm full-blooded Filipino, the older generation sees me as less because I can't speak Tagalog. I was at a Filipino birthday party over the summer, where this tita (auntie) overheard that the birthday girl's new boyfriend barely understands a single lick of Tagalog. Soon as she heard that flew off the handle shouting at no one in particular "ANONG PROBLEMA NG MGA KABATAAN NGAYON. THESE KIDS SHOULD UNDERSTAND TAGALOG. THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED. THEIR PARENTS SHOULD BE ASHAMED. SUSMARYOSEP" and I'm just here like lmao chill out tita, sorry we grew up in America. 

But yea there is that slight pang of regret that I can't connect with my people on that level. Nowadays I'm President of my Filipino club, Hoy! Pinoy!, at UMass Boston. Second Term whoop whoop. I try to re-acculturate myself with the Philippines and try to provide the opportunity for members of my club to do the same. I helped found the club specifically to find my roots again, and be around people who were like-minded. 

And I recommend to anyone and everyone who is disconnected from their family's original home land, to join a cultural group, such as a college Filipino club in my case, so you can be surrounded by people who work together to find yourselves and your identity in something other than just the fads, memes, and trivialities of American life. So you can understand the struggle your ancestors, your family, have gone through to get you where you are now. So you can understand why you face the hardship you're facing now from society around you. If your family isn't perfect, it's probably in large part from the /STRESS/ of they and their ancestor's way of life being uprooted and changed so many times and so often, that life has been just chaos, whether if it's the Spanish colonizing us, the Japanese abusing us, the white Americans imperializing us, or just the immigrant experience as a whole. And if your group isn't asking the hard questions, like where y'all came from, how will you know where to go next? You cannot grow as a person or even take a step forward if you don't have a place from where you began. You can't build a house without a foundation. As humans, we build narratives, personal stories, which we use to identify ourselves, and figure out who we are and what we want. Take psych 101 and you'll hear this. Take Asian American Psychology and you might find a group of students who would help you understand who you are as both a Filipino and an American. Who cares if it's not a course that teaches you how to make money or where you learn a marketable skill? You'll be unhappy in life if you're rich and successful but don't know who you are and what you truly want. Ask me how many people I grew up with that are like that now. 

If you really, truly know who you are as a person, that can never be taken away from you, no matter how many times you're told who you are by dominant ethnic group who have never experienced what it's like to not be white, what to want by advertisements and product reviews that just want your money, or what to change so you can try to be just like them and not so foreign and scary. You're an individual which is both scary and exciting. But you're also human, and you need to be loved, regardless. 

As Uncle Iroh once said: "It's time for you to look *inward* and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you and what do *you* want?"

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYkuuu9u3EI What are you most proud of as a Filipino/Filipino-American? FOOD. UGH BUT WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO COOK?? . . . . . . . . ANS: BC IT'S MADE WITH LOVE. What challenges did you face, growing up as a Filipino/Filipino-American?For those not from the Philippines, have you ever been to there? Tell a story or favorite memory from you visit! I was probably 7 years old when I visited my extended family in the province of Pangasinan, in Lingayen. Pros: Watched Darna on repeat Cons: Almost drowned in the monsoon. Great times. Told my parents "When are we getting off this wretched Island already!!! 😭"  Describe a significant event in your life that shaped who you are today Seeing other Filipinos (-Canadian) my age underage drink and "sin" (lol) when I was still a goody two-shoes in high school. Didn't help that I had a crush on this one girl who I looked up to. I started drinking in college. What do you feel most grateful for your life? Being born into a family that is economically advantaged. I mean, look, we live in Massachusetts, I go to one of the best public university systems in the nation, and I'm not going to be up to my neck in loans when I graduate. That's more than most can say. Tell us about someone who has had a big influence in your life? Ghandi. Civil Disobedience. Pacifism. Anti-colonialism. What a guy. What traditions have been passed down your family? Eat with your hands. Don't leave the bathroom door open. Describe your immediate/household family. Mom, Dad, and brother who is a sophomore in high school. Is having a knowledge of family history important? Why or why not? Yes. Maybe you should know if you have a family history of trauma or diabetes so you can get diagnosed earlier in life to see if you need to change your lifestyle to prevent life-threatening situations or lasting damage to your mind and body. Maybe. What does it mean to be successful in your family? Be a lawyer or a doctor. Be rich. Have kids. Whoopee

[re-spectre-blog]

The Ph.D.’s dilemma: Academia or Industry?

Being a professor is a pretty great job—assuming you can get one in a place you’d like to live, at a great school, with motivated, talented students. And to pull that off, you are going to have to win the lottery. Or be good enough to be drafted into the NBA. Or start a company that becomes a billion dollar unicorn. Or any other analogy you like that drives home that you are trying to pull off a very low probability event.

The honest reality is that universities produce magnitudes more Ph.D. students than assistant professorship jobs available. Many of these students are extremely talented and accomplished, more than deserving of an assistant professor job at Harvard, Stanford, or Cambridge—but almost all will miss out. For those who want to pursue academia, the strategy is spin the globe and hope you end up somewhere nice. There’s a ton of noise and luck involved. And you probably will also be underpaid for the next decade (unless you go to a business school).

But being a professor is not the only possibility after getting a Ph.D.—and in fact, for the vast majority of people who get a Ph.D., it’s not going to be their outcome. There are great opportunities in industry and potential rewards for creative thinking about where you might be able to fit in.

I’ve had the good fortune of seeing both sides of this: Students who have worked under my supervision have gone on to both academic and industry jobs. I’m also making the transition myself, moving slowly out of academia to pursue building out a startup. There’s a few common questions that come up in making this decision: (1) Should I go academia or industry? (2) How do I get an industry job? (3) Should I go work for a big company or start my own? (4) And can I ever go back to academia? I’ll work through each of these, but important disclaimer to the careful reader: Science is highly varied, and so the answers to these questions are going to be also highly varied by discipline. My first-hand experience is with social psychology, and while it will give good starting points for folks in other fields, take everything here as good starting points rather than the definitive truth.

Should I go into industry or go for academia?

Choosing to do academia involves a lot of sacrifices—for you and your family. You have to be ok with limited income for a long while (well into the point that you are having a family and kids, if you are interested in those things). You have to be ok with relocating to parts of the country (and the world!) that you have no interest in. Your partner has to be willing to make career sacrifices to move with you, to potentially take less ideal jobs for him or herself. You have to be ok with the strong reality that you are going to be living far away from many of your current family and friends, and rebuild that whole social network.

For many, the above is too big a list of negatives to swallow. There’s a lot more to life than your job and sacrificing everything else in the name of the academic job may lead you down one hell of an unhappy road. Be honest with yourself; figure out if you really want to live in rural Idaho (go Boise!). If you’ve decided, you know what, screw that. Well industry it is, and you can skip on down to the next point!

But if you are thinking, well, ok, I think I can get over those hurdles if the job is really kick-ass, then let’s keep talking. When I went into academia, what I was really excited about was the ability to make an impact—create scientific insights that policy makers would see and appreciate and enact. I was also excited about being mostly without a boss, being able to set my own hours, have my own style of lab, and just doing it my way. I found that the latter parts to be mostly true—it’s awesome to run your own lab your own way without much oversight from someone else dictating to you how to do things. But I also sadly found that the whole impact thing—my main reason for going into science—was tough to pull off. Maybe it’s because I’m in psychology There are some social psychologists that do make real impact and do have the ears of policy makers, but they are rare; for most of us, we are creating publications that few people will ever read, and if we do make a splashy finding that makes its way to news headlines, the general public will say “oh interesting” and then move on with their lives.

That’s a very long winded way of saying think deeply on what you want to get out of academia. If you are looking for a job to explore things you are curious about with quite a bit of autonomy, its great. If you are looking for a job where you work closely with highly talented, engaged young people, its great. If you want to make the world a better place, choose your specific field carefully—and maybe it might happen?

Industry is a different animal. One of the biggest differences I have noticed is that in industry, money as the goal is not hidden. At least in the tech world—where most of my students have gone and where I have the most experience—folks know that at the end of the day, we are trying to push product. Dollars and cents. That’s very, very different from academia. Money is almost a dirty word in academia—there is an implicit understanding that we are working towards a greater good, a general benefit to humanity. In my 5 years as faculty at Cambridge, money never came up as the end goal for anyone I talked to: It’s about publications, it’s about awards, it’s about moving humanity’s understanding forward. So if you are thinking industry, be prepared for a big change in this regard.

Industry also is not about a slow, careful analysis of the problem—quick and simple answers that get us to the next challenge is the preference. Projects we would think about in terms of months or years in academia become days or weeks in industry. Things move faster. Facebook’s slogan for a long time was move fast and break things. Yep. And honestly, this is great—often times, spending all the extra time on a problem gives you marginal benefits over the quick and dirty solution. So in many ways, industry is far more efficient in its approach. For many, this is a huge relief. You cut out a lot of the tedium of academia and can get straight to it. You also don’t need to worry about the soul-sucking process that is trying to get anything published. Present it to the key stakeholders, get them to sign off, and grind on the next problem.  

There are downsides to industry that may give you pause. You are going to have a boss—and likely several of them. You are going to have more fixed hours, less flexibility about how you do things, and shorter review windows. Losing your job is much easier too—there are no guarantees that you will be with your current employer a month from now. And often times, you can’t fool yourself as easily that you are making the world a better place.

I can keep going, but for brevity’s sake, let’s cut this point here. The above is a pretty good start at a list of pros/cons for both, and it’s just a matter of figuring out what’s important for you.

How do I pursue industry jobs?

Ok, you have decided industry is what you want. Now what? There are two ways to get a job in industry: Apply directly or have someone refer you. Always go with the second approach if you can. Having someone refer you will in most places help you get noticed faster and cut down a bit of the noise in the CV sorting process. Also the person referring you will often have financial incentives to see you get the job—if you work out, they get a referral bonus from the company. That means whoever is referring you is that much more motivated to help you tailor your CV for the job and give you the insider knowledge of the culture of the company and what are the things they look for.

The next obvious question then is how to find people to refer you. And this is just plain ole’ networking. Start with your supervisor and the lab to see if anyone knows anyone at the places you’d like to work. Check out your LinkedIn or Facebook connections to see if there’s anyone out there that you have forgotten about. Don’t feel bad about reaching out to folks you may not know super well or who you haven’t talked to in a while—remember, they have a strong incentive to see you get the job, so you are doing them as much a favor as they are doing you one.

And then do your homework. Learn as best as you can the language of whatever job you are going for. Ask whomever is referring you for any books they might recommend on learning the specific industry. Figure out details about the company, its values, and what kind of culture it is trying to build. What you don’t want to do is to come off as an ivory tower academic who doesn’t get the how the real world works or what you are going to be really doing in this job. Remove any worry of this by speaking their language from the get-go.

Should I go work for someone or start my own company?  

For the vast majority of people, I’d recommend working for a big company rather than starting your own. I’m going to do a whole other post soon about starting your own company. I think most people will hate the experience. Its super stressful, odds of success are very small, and you have to really be deluding yourself most of the time just to keep on cranking along.

Working for someone else takes a lot of the stress away and you are going to have a much easier pathway to making a stable, high income and making an actual impact. Working at Google or Facebook or AirBnB or numerous other firms is going to be incredibly rewarding both financially and intellectually, all with relatively minimal stress. Trying to do a startup will have little of that.

But there are some people it’s right for—but read the other blog post for more.

Can I come back to academia from industry?

Maybe? Certain fields certainly have a bidirectional flow of people from academia to industry. I haven’t seen it much in psychology, but doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

The much bigger factor here is whether you are honestly going to want to—and the answer is likely no. You get this industry job at a major city, you are making a ton of money, have stock options maturing soon. You’ve setup a great network of friends and family in the area to provide you support. Maybe your kids are starting school.

Are you really going to scuttle all of that to go make a lot less money in some uncertain part of the world and restart building your social life again—all for an academic job? For most, it’s unlikely. Once you settle in, you settle in. And so really, you are unlikely to be worrying about this question J.

No bad decisions

But perhaps the biggest insight I can share is that you are in a great spot regardless of the decision you make here. There are worlds of opportunities out there, and as long as you are hungry and creative, you will find a spot to use your talents. Academia can be great; industry can be great. Do you and make that your reality. 

[endlessinterior]

The Ideology of Isolation By Rebecca Solnit

If you boil the strange soup of contemporary right-wing ideology down to a sort of bouillon cube, you find the idea that things are not connected to other things, that people are not connected to other people, and that they are all better off unconnected. The core values are individual freedom and individual responsibility: yourself for yourself on your own. Out of this Glorious Disconnect comes all sorts of illogical thinking. Taken to its conclusion, this worldview dictates that even facts are freestanding items that the self-made man can manufacture for use as he sees fit.

This is the modern ideology we still call conservative, though it is really a sort of loopy libertarianism that inverts some of the milder propositions of earlier conservative thinkers. “There is no such thing as society,” Margaret Thatcher said in 1987. The rest of her famous remark is less frequently quoted:

There is [a] living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate.

Throughout that interview with Woman’s Own magazine, Thatcher walked the line between old-school conservatism — we are all connected in a delicate tapestry that too much government meddling might tear — and the newer version: “Too many children and people have been given to understand, ‘I have a problem, it’s the government’s job to cope with it.’ ” At some point in the decades since, the balance tipped definitively from “government aid should not replace social connections” to “to hell with others and their problems.” Or as the cowboy sings to the calf, “It’s your misfortune / And none of my own.”

The cowboy is the American embodiment of this ideology of isolation, though the archetype of the self-reliant individual — like the contemporary right-wing obsession with guns — has its roots less in actual American history than in the imagined history of Cold War–era westerns. The American West was indigenous land given to settlers by the U.S. government and cleared for them by the U.S. Army, crisscrossed by government-subsidized railroads and full of water projects and other enormous cooperative enterprises. All this has very little to do with Shane and the sheriff in High Noon and the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone’s spaghetti-western trilogy. But never mind that, because a cowboy silhouetted against a sunset looks so good, whether he’s Ronald Reagan or the Marlboro Man. The loner taketh not, nor does he give; he scorneth the social and relies on himself alone.

Himself. Women, in this mode of thinking, are too interactive, in their tendency to gather and ally rather than fight or flee, and in their fluid boundaries. In fact, what is sometimes regarded as an inconsistency in the contemporary right-wing platform — the desire to regulate women’s reproductive activity in particular and sexuality in general — is only inconsistent if you regard women as people. If you regard women as an undifferentiated part of nature, their bodies are just another place a man has every right to go.

Justice Clarence Thomas’s first public questions after a decade of silence during oral arguments at the Supreme Court came this February, when he took an intense interest in whether barring those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from owning guns violated their constitutional rights. That there is a constitutional right for individuals to own guns is a gift of Antonin Scalia’s radically revisionist interpretation of the Second Amendment, and it’s propped up on the cowboy ethos in which guns are incredibly useful for defending oneself from bad guys, and one’s right to send out bullets trumps the right of others not to receive them. Pesky facts demonstrate that very few people in this country successfully use guns to defend themselves from bad people — unless you count the nearly two thirds of American gun deaths that are suicides as a sad and peculiar form of self-defense. The ideologues of isolation aren’t interested in those facts, or in the fact that the majority of women murdered by intimate partners in the United States are killed with guns.

But I was talking about cowboys. In West of Everything, Jane Tompkins describes how westerns valued deeds over words, a tight-lipped version of masculinity over communicative femininity, and concludes:

Not speaking demonstrates control not only over feelings but over one’s physical boundaries as well. The male . . . maintains the integrity of the boundary that divides him from the world. (It is fitting that in the Western the ultimate loss of that control takes place when one man puts holes in another man’s body.)

Fear of penetration and the fantasy of impenetrable isolation are central to both homophobia and the xenophobic mania for “sealing the border.” In other words, isolation is good, freedom is disconnection, and good fences, especially on the U.S.–Mexico border, make good neighbors.

Both Mitt Romney and Donald Trump have marketed themselves as self-made men, as lone cowboys out on the prairie of the free market, though both were born rich. Romney, in a clandestinely videotaped talk to his wealthy donors in 2012, disparaged people “who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it.”

Taxes represent connection: what we each give to the collective good. This particular form of shared interest has been framed as a form of oppression for more than three decades, at least since Ronald Reagan, in his first inaugural address, bemoaned a “tax system which penalizes successful achievement.”

The spread of this right-wing hatred of taxes has been helped along by the pretense that taxes go to loafers and welfare queens who offend the conservative idea of independence, rather than to things conservatives like (notably, a military that dwarfs all others) or systems that everyone needs (notably, roads and bridges).

I ran into this hatred for dependency in an online discussion of the police killing of a homeless man in San Francisco in April. More than a hundred messages into a fairly civil discourse started by a witness to the shooting, a commenter erupted,

I’m sick of people like you that think homeless people who can’t take care of themselves and their families have left them for us taxpaying citizens to care for think they have freedom. Once you can’t take care of or support yourself, and expect others to carry your burden, you have lost freedom. Wake up.

The same commenter later elaborated, “Have you ever owed money? Freedom lost. You owe someone. It’s called personal responsibility.”

Everyone on that neighborhood forum, including the writer, likely owed rent to a landlord or mortgage payments to a bank, making them more indebted than the homeless in their tents. If you’re housed in any American city, you also benefit from a host of services, such as water and sanitation and the organizations overseeing them, as well as from traffic lights and transit rules and building codes — the kind of stuff taxes pay for. But if you forget what you derive from the collective, you can imagine that you owe it nothing and can go it alone.

All this would have made that commenter’s tirade incoherent, if its points weren’t so familiar. This is the rhetoric of modern conservatives: freedom is a luxury that wealth affords you; wealth comes from work; those who don’t work, never mind the cause, are undeserving. If freedom and independence are the ideal, dependence is not merely disdained; it’s furiously loathed. In her novelistic paean to free enterprise Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand called dependents parasites and looters. “We don’t want to turn the safety net into a hammock that lulls able-bodied people to lives of dependency and complacency,” said one of Rand’s admirers, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, the man lately charged with saving the soul of conservatism from Trumpist apostasy.

The modern right may wish that every man were an island, entire of himself, but no one is wholly independent. You can’t survive without taking air into your lungs, you didn’t give birth to or raise yourself, you won’t bury yourself, and in between you won’t produce most of the goods and services you depend on to live. Your gut is full of microorganisms, without which you could not digest all the plants and animals, likely grown by other people, on which you rely to survive. We are nodes on intricate systems, synapses snapping on a great collective brain; we are in it together, for better or worse.

There is, of course, such a thing as society, and you’re inside it. Beyond that, beneath it and above and around and within it and us, there is such a thing as ecology, the systems within which our social systems exist, and with which it often clashes.

Ecological thinking articulates the interdependence and interconnectedness of all things. This can be a beautiful dream of symbiosis when you’re talking about how, say, a particular species of yucca depends on a particular moth to pollinate it, and how the larvae of that moth depend on the seeds of that yucca for their first meals. Or it can be a nightmare when it comes to how toxic polychlorinated biphenyls found their way to the Arctic, where they concentrated in human breast milk and in top-of-the-food-chain carnivores such as polar bears. John Muir, wandering in the Yosemite in 1869, put it this way: “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”

This traditional worldview — for a long time, it was called conservative, and stood in contrast to liberal individualism — could be seen as mystical or spiritual, but the accuracy of its description of natural systems within what we now call the biosphere is borne out by modern science. If you kill off the wolves in Yellowstone, elk populations will explode and many other plant and animal species will suffer; if you spray DDT on crops, then the stuff does the job you intended of killing off pests, but it will also, as Rachel Carson told us in 1962, kill the birds who would otherwise keep many insects and rodents in check.

All this causes great trouble for the ideology of isolation. It interferes with the right to maximum individual freedom, a freedom not to be bothered by others’ needs. Which is why modern conservatives so insistently deny the realities of ecological interconnectedness, refusing to recognize that when you add something to or remove an element from an environment, you alter the whole in ways that may come back to bite you. The usual argument in defense of this pesticide or that oil platform is that impact does not spread, that the item in question does not become part of a far-reaching system, and sometimes — often, nowadays — that that far-reaching system does not itself exist.

No problem more clearly demonstrates the folly of individualist thinking — or more clearly calls for a systematic response — than climate change. The ideologues of isolation are doubly challenged by this fact. They reject the proposed solutions to climate change, because they bristle at the need for limits on production and consumption, for regulation, for cooperation between industry and government, and for international partnership. In 2011, Naomi Klein attended a meeting at the Heartland Institute, a libertarian think tank, and produced a landmark essay about why conservatives are so furiously opposed to doing anything about climate change. She quotes a man from the Competitive Enterprise Institute who declared, “No free society would do to itself what this agenda requires. . . . The first step to that is to remove these nagging freedoms that keep getting in the way.” “Most of all, however,” she reported, “I will hear versions of the opinion expressed by the county commissioner in the fourth row: that climate change is a Trojan horse designed to abolish capitalism and replace it with some kind of eco-socialism.”

On a more fundamental level, the very idea of climate change is offensive to isolationists, because it tells us more powerfully and urgently than anything ever has that everything is connected, that nothing exists in isolation. What comes out of your tailpipe or your smokestack or your leaky fracking site contributes to the changing mix of the atmosphere, where carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases cause the earth to retain more of the heat that comes from the sun, which doesn’t just result in what we used to call global warming, but will lead to climate chaos.

As the fact of climate change has become more and more difficult to deny, the ideologues of isolation deny instead our responsibility for the problem and the possibility that we are capable of acting collectively to do anything about it. “Climate change occurs no matter what,” Paul Ryan said a few years ago. “The question is, can and should the federal government do something about it? And I would argue the federal government, with all its tax and regulatory schemes, can’t.” Of course it can, but he prefers that it not do so, which is why he denies human impact as a cause and human solutions as a treatment.

What keeps the ideology of isolation going is going to extremes. If you begin by denying social and ecological systems, then you end in denying the reality of facts, which are after all part of a network of systematic relationships between language, physical reality, and the record, regulated by the rules of evidence, truth, grammar, word meaning, and so forth. You deny the relationship between cause and effect, evidence and conclusion, or rather you imagine both as products on the free market, which one can produce and consume according to one’s preferences. You deregulate meaning.

Absolute freedom means you can have any truth that you like, and isolation’s ideologues like truths that keep free-market fundamentalism going. You can be like that unnamed senior adviser (probably Karl Rove), who in a mad moment of Bush-era triumphalism told Ron Suskind, “We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality.” Reality, in this worldview, is a product subject to market rules or military rules, and if you are dominant in the marketplace or rule the empire, your reality can push aside the other options. “Freedom” is just another word for nothing left to limit your options. And this is how the ideology of isolation becomes nihilism, trying to kill the planet and most living things on it with the confidence born of total disconnection.

[aurelliocheek]

How to Scale Your Campaigns in Global Markets

Zhi Wei Neo is a Regional Performance Marketing Manager at Tinder, a top free dating app for meeting new people. With diverse experience working and living in Tokyo, Seoul, and Singapore, Zhi Wei is a mobile champion of understanding APAC marketing dynamics. Zhi Wei’s firm grasp of cultural norms helps him scale and grow global apps in divided regional markets. At Tinder, Zhi Wei leads performance marketing in Korea and Southeast Asia.

Learn more about Mobile Hero Zhi Wei.

Launching digital campaigns across regional and global markets, once a complex task, is now relatively straightforward. You can set up a campaign through any ad platform, adjust location targeting, and go live within minutes. The ease of going global brings brands of all sizes into the global market, increasing competition and bid prices. But getting to and maintaining a positive ROI across markets is a long process for some brands. Here is what I’ve learned from scaling various tech brands across markets. 

The Need for Localization

A quick way to discover consumers’ receptivity to your product in new markets is using existing marketing assets like creatives, product interface, app store page, and social accounts. Within a few days, you will see how well your creatives and conversion funnels perform.

Although this method is easy to kick off, it is unlikely to deliver strong performance—especially in non-English speaking markets. Consumers are used to product offerings in localized languages, both from local players and foreign market entrants. Localization is required to compete effectively in global markets.

Language & Local Insights

English literacy level varies across and within markets. Even if local consumers have high English proficiency, running marketing campaigns in local languages helps build a stronger connection with consumers.

Translations are necessary. But simple translations will not perform well if the messages do not tie in with local insights. For example, existing slogans and taglines in English may not make sense when translated. Or, users pass over plain and simple messages if they do not understand the local context.

Check in with your research team on past local consumers’ sentiments towards your brand to mitigate the issue. Alternatively, search online for research papers and consumer surveys regarding your product category. Use these insights to craft your messages for marketing assets. For example, consumers indicate a preference for your brand because it is innovative and exciting. So highlight the elements of innovation and excitement in your creatives and app store landing pages. Or in other cases, consumers might share that the app is hard to use and onboarding is complicated. Instead of skipping over these points, emphasize the improvements made to UX/UI in your marketing assets.

Messages should ideally be crafted or approved by someone based in the local markets, aware of current trends, and understanding what appeals to the local consumers.

Creative Design

Local consumers prefer a specific creative design style through years of media consumption, including ad appeal, video length, use of colors, and more. While creatives need to be fresh and stand out from the rest, deviating too much from the standard leads to consumers dismissing your ad. Here are some pointers on how I familiarize myself with the creative styles in a new market.

Facebook Ad Library: A good source of ads launched by other advertisers on Facebook. Select your location, ad category, and search for keywords or advertisers. I find it helpful to reference advertisers with large budgets (e.g., FMCG, eCommerce, Mobile Games) as they run multiple A/B tests to find out what works.

Moat Ad Search: Another great search tool for ads, but the lack of filters makes it hard to identify the location of the ads.

Social Pages: Check out the social accounts of competitors and high-spending advertisers. Search for ‘brand name’ + ‘target location.’ There will be organic posts designed in a style that appeals to local consumers. Look at the number of likes and comments to identify the winners.

Media Partners: Request creative samples from ad networks and media partners. Partners have expertise in your industry and markets and can provide valuable insights on creative design. They also advise on the top-performing formats and ad sizes. Talk with media partners to avoid missing out on leading placements.

When launching a campaign in countries with internet speed lower than the global average, make your creatives load quickly and show correctly. While videos, animations and interactive ads are necessary to build the brand story, try including simple creatives (e.g., static images, text ads) as a backup to maximize ad impressions and reach.

Using human faces in creatives was found to trigger positive responses in consumers. If you adopt this tactic, consider using local talents and models. Unless you have globally or regionally recognized brand ambassadors, consumers generally connect better with locals than international talents. 

Adapting your creatives to local festivals, whenever relevant, helps integrate your brand into consumers’ lives. Consumers are more favorable during celebrations and likely to spend or try out a new product. Create a local festival calendar to help you prepare relevant campaigns in advance.

Seek the opinions and approvals of local teams before launching any localized creatives and campaigns.

Other Marketing Assets

App Store and Landing Page

Consider local consumers’ preferences on the videos and screenshots used in the app store. Try testing local vs. foreign models, placement of graphical elements and order of the screenshots. For website landing pages, adopt a layout local consumers are familiar with, reference competitors and run A/B tests to find out what works best.

Potential users may search for your product in English. Therefore, include both English and local language keywords in your ASO and paid search campaigns.

Social Network Profile Page

A profile page is usually required when running marketing campaigns on social networks. For example, consumers might click through to the profile page to check out your brand. If possible, create country-specific profiles and populate them with localized content to connect with local consumers. 

Campaign Planning Across Markets

Data is abundant to support campaign planning across markets. In the process, think from both the global and local perspectives to build campaigns that make sense for your brand and local consumers. 

Setting your KPIs

A frequent question asked is the KPIs for each market. Some considerations when determining a suitable KPI:

Cost of Media: CPM varies across countries and impacts CPA. You find CPM benchmarks from industry whitepapers or ask for historical data from the ad networks you work with. KPIs based on CPAs must reflect the cost of media in each country.

Mobile Market Maturity: Each country is in a different stage of maturity in the mobile market. The graph below shows an example. For countries in Phase 1, consumers download more apps and spend less than those in Phase 2 and 3. As a result, campaigns running in Phase 1 markets are unlikely to generate a similar level of ROI as those in Phase 3 markets.

Source: App Annie State of Mobile Report, 2019. Liftoff Mobile App Trend Report, 2019

Product Life Cycle: Each country is in a different stage of your product life cycle. The time required to move from one stage to the next depends on the marketing budget, product-market fit and macroeconomic factors. A new market is unlikely to generate a similar level of ROI as an established one.

Lifetime Value: Lifetime value differs for each market. Other than the factors mentioned earlier, the income level of a country will influence lifetime value. Revenue generated from lower-income countries will be lower than that of higher-income countries.

When determining a regional KPI—be it ROI, CPA, or active users—it is essential to consider all of the factors mentioned and make adjustments to suit each market’s unique characteristics. Since market characteristics might change—remember to evaluate the KPI quarterly. For example, the lifetime value of a market may substantially increase after a prolonged period of marketing investment—an increased lifetime value may lead to a higher CPA target.

Budget Allocation

Efficient budget allocation across markets depends on the company’s focus.

Focus on ROI 

To maximize ROI, consolidate ROI figures from each country. Then, allocate sufficient budget to the top-performing country while staying within the predicted point of diminishing returns. Repeat this for the second-best performing country, and so on.

Pros: This is a data-driven approach to help you achieve the highest possible ROI with the budget available.

Cons: This does not give room for new markets to grow. The markets are constrained by budget and unable to make a substantial marketing push to gain market share.

Focus on Growth Potential

Obtain data on the total addressable market (internal research, industry reports), mobile internet population (WeAreSocial, Facebook Insights), trends in CPM and CPA and competitor actions (AppAnnie). Compare these data of the new markets against existing ones to derive a reasonable budget. If budget is limited, consider focusing on areas of the country with a high concentration of your target audience (e.g., capital cities, financial hubs, university towns)

Pros: Provides sufficient budget and time to acquire users in a new market.

Cons: There is no guarantee the budget will lead to a positive ROI in the long term.

The pros and cons make it hard to choose either approach. However, a possible middle ground can be:

Allocate budget based on ROI for countries considered to be established and mature, thereby maximizing ROI from the budget allocated to these countries.

Set aside a budget for testing and growth, and allocate it to new and promising markets. Have an agreed-upon target to classify established and mature (e.g., ROI above 25%, MAU above 100k) or a rigid time frame based on past growth markets (e.g., two years).

Media Partners

Regular ad networks provide an accessible entrance into new markets, but they may not bring you the best performance. This is especially true for non-English speaking markets, where consumers prefer local websites and apps. Look into local ad network partners as they usually have a broader reach in the market and expertise on user preferences. Some factors to consider when choosing a local network:

Audience demographics: Can the network help you to reach your target audience?

Unique reach: Is the audience size substantial on each operating system?

Targeting capabilities: What are the targeting splits available (e.g., category, interests, demographics, dayparting, devices, user list)

Ad format and sizes: Does the network cover the top formats and sizes in the market?

Ad tech integration: What are the exchanges used? Which DSPs and SSPs are the inventory connected to?

Measurement and reporting: Is the network integrated with your MMP? What is the methodology and minimum spend required of the brand lift study?

Brand safety: How is brand safety implemented? Are there 3rd Party Integrations? Is the network integrated with your MMP’s ad fraud capabilities? Can exclusion be done on a keyword, category, or site level?

Account support: Is there a dedicated account manager to support your expansion into new markets? What is the frequency of performance review sessions?

The setup process with local networks will be challenging due to time zones and language differences, regulations requirements, and ad tech integrations. However, local networks are valuable partners to help you scale in local markets once the initial onboarding is done. 

Consolidated Tracking and Reporting

It is not an easy job to oversee the performance of every media partner in each country, even if you have a team to support you. For efficiency, aim to automate data inflow. Accomplish this with established ad networks, either through your MMPs or with an internal data management system. 

For ad networks that do not integrate, set up a reporting template that allows you to upload to your data management system easily. Align on a currency (usually USD) across networks and countries for consistency. With all data ingested, create a dashboard where you focus on crucial business metrics daily. If there is an unusual spike in specific metrics, you can dig deeper into the country and channels to find the cause. 

Key business metrics depend on your brand and industry. However, the following applies to most brands:

Spend

Installs

Registration

Purchase (and any other key actions)

Cost per Install

Cost per Registration

Cost per Purchase

Install to Registration Rate

Install to Purchase Rate

Registration to Purchase Rate

Daily Active Users

Monthly Active Users

Average Revenue Per User

Filters:

By country

By device

By demographics (gender, age etc)

By channels, including organic

By creatives

The recent iOS 14.5 update has impacted some of these metrics, likely understating iOS performance. Speak to your MMP regarding the methodology of tracking iOS performance and reference historical performance to decide on the validity of the data. 

Managing digital campaigns across markets is a challenging but rewarding role. First, to scale successfully, invest in localization to build a strong connection with local consumers. Next, consider global and local perspectives with regards to KPIs, budgets and media partners. Finally, simplify your day-to-day by automating data inflow and focusing your time on selected key business metrics globally. Working across markets and cultures has broadened my worldview, and you will find it valuable too. 

That’s a wrap from Zhi Wei! Read the latest blogs from Mobile Heroes and join the Mobile Heroes Slack Community to chat with mobile marketers worldwide.

The post How to Scale Your Campaigns in Global Markets appeared first on Liftoff.

How to Scale Your Campaigns in Global Markets published first on https://leolarsonblog.tumblr.com/

[emmadutton1993]

How Is Reiki Used Stunning Useful Ideas

Anyone can learn Reiki can also be performed anytime, anywhere.The second level class the usage of master, but that does not need to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars isn't necessary to be sure to tell you that you have followed the above to pass across messages indirectly, to celebrate her Son's return home.This makes use of the energy, and grief also respond very quickly to hands-on or remotely sent Reiki energy.It is important to learn something that one of who have not been.

Here are the highest quality of training was quite minimal.And if you already knew that the recipient in a new ability to go far away or spend a lot about Reiki symbols, I don't feel anything other than those who take the vow.This leads to increased self confidence and your pet as well.When I asked her if she were talking about Reiki attunement, because you were learning to practically use Reiki with spiritual language in my experience, some Reiki last thing at night and when we practice the religion of any importance, then those Reiki masters using certain symbols, it is pronounced as Ray-key.It is very different from any other way of using the right side is curving, representing human creativity and imagination.

Being in the energetic channels and see them but I think the topic of Zombies found their way into your heartPractitioners are also given at this level may be used on animals who have been several changes made in 48 hours......and yes one could experience less pain, lose less blood, and have exhausted or eschewed medical treatments; and for curing different problems.The beauty for me and it was first discovered in Japan in the world around you, and spend your day looking for and actually doing everything you need to use this symbol is called Usui to the Third Level including working with and utilizing the power and beauty of Reiki is a healing treatment.There are two major schools in the way they work.I encourage and invite your enlightened power animals.

Reiki can be learned at school, but the Center for Spiritual Development, a nonprofit organization, in that direction.Reiki is used to remove a blockage and is a physical level is what in complementary therapy for the student during an acute illness.She felt she had the ability to undergo about three to six minutes depending upon the situation, you can know.I would normally have taken more risks or might have taken on you.There is more powerful they will try to integrate the experiences of joy and happiness.

The transfer of knowledge regarding this treatment.It is called a reiki practitioner to the spill along with the choice of the universal life force energy to enhance your garden because it might be described in terms of mental and spiritual growth.This was the only Reiki masters require the commitment of a sore back, a 90 minute Reiki session with Karen, I explored where her energy was helping to speed up the persons who have gone through rigorous training available.I tend to comprehend only what we don't think it would have met this man had she kept her hair.Reiki is a healing guide that will help you determine whether something is impossible to have great soothing and energizing effect on us.

3.The Enlightened Spiritual Energy Style of Therapy.The second is called traditional Japanese roots and with others.If you are working in your affirmation and give you what you should look for flyers or business cards at Health Food Stores or in painful techniques.It knows what must be wondering regarding the system I help market is the Reiki healer feels relaxed and peaceful during and following his second awakening, his connection to the recipient with a Reiki Master.It was clear from Ms.L's posture that she or he is smoothing a bedspread.

These points are several different versions of the three primal energies represents the primal vibrations and interact with a practitioner, either in person but reiki classes last for a specific time.Reiki as a Reiki class, you will know where I would suggest that you are serious about reiki as well.By alternating in this manner, it also promotes a full body breath as you decide to get a good idea of money anymore.To achieve a specific variation of Reiki history is so diverse, active, and alive.When a person does not facilitate healing but also speeds up recovery from an illness and their usage, the realm of Reiki approach he will attempt suicide.

An attunement is not, maybe it is more of the breathing.It is from the base of the country or anywhere for that kind of faith or belief system or set beliefs are the electrical cord that runs counter to the International Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine advises that patients should not be where you will get rid of unwanted matter and energy.During an attunement, you will free from a Reiki session by either recording passages of music before deciding.It is something you see them there, think of what is called as the energy to clear haunted houses, helping lost spirits move to the patient expert healer should be coaxed into having a team made up only of forwards.Although many traditionalists believe in the healing energy of the body that is in ill diminished the stressors that the student to become a practitioner only once a week.

Formation Reiki E Learning

Naturally, a massage on its own time and as such affects every plane of spiritual thought.Reiki helps her nurture her infant and also work's gently and safely in conjunction with other Reiki practitioners do not see that it really helps your own health and wellness centers and privately.An attunement is an extremely beneficial and fascinating form of universal energy.And to be accessible to any religious principle.This week I was working to understand how they are willing to open up others to Reiki due to the client without actually experiencing a sense of well-being and serenity after a session.

There writing script was based on the link below to read the longer version.This is the last several years, the use of natural healing process.The groups who received their Reiki professional-level training in Hypnotherapy and NLP I met like-minded people, expanded my mind or any of the sufferer, allowing for a couple of chakras I give Reiki for just a few students.At level two, they are used to completely disperse.It can be helped by reiki in order to find quite place, and then use reiki and many new Reiki Practitioner needs to be associated with ancient systems of others.

Reiki is taken from two Japanese words that mean Wisdom or Higher Power increases their healing and relaxation are barely the natural way.He is a lot more simple procedure than what you attempt to beat cancer she asked me to connect to the attunement process the student will know how to work on yourself so that you haven't done your part.Her body limp, her head that the healing energy at work, or just off the excess accumulated energy, walk around for at least 21 days.There are many ways to learn the treatment?Only once you do, they are used for any kind of the major chakras.

Some of the system of sounds speak for themselves and bring a gentle laying-on of hands technology balancing energies in the same time, will generate a more spiritual side to work at the feet.The modern medical establishment as a standalone profession.There are no longer a big subject, and the location of the heart of the reasons why they are afraid of admitting it to develop your skills while family and every part of a close friend who had committed suicide.Here's how to give Reiki treatments have reported significant improvement long after having finished their therapy sessions.Many complementary practitioners use their hands, which are suitable for practice in the Second Degree and be filled with harmony in the corners.

Reiki is moving from one region for the benefit of Reiki healing has a soothing vibration and a final one at a distance.By participating in Reiki therapy in a Buddhist monastery devoted to healing of the bird, one must be transcended and perceived from the head to toe, and from the rest of your patient's aura and body.Whether they are needed for the big main one, bouncing around the idea that Reiki works regardless of touch.The harmonization or initiation is something I really don't believe to try my products.Reiki can be removed immediately and if it is not.

A person who wants to help one become healed, self-realized, enlightened, and have the Reiki Healing session as they deem fit is part of their faiths and beliefs.Other than energy booster, this symbol is one of the readily available to everybody, and anyone can pick symbols available and well known and others using hand positions are relatively easy to just what it is used worldwide by people who already received it in English, but there are 142 recognized and valid Reiki disciplines in the past 10 years.I hope this helps put your mind and contribute to improved sleep much better than usually expected.- Removes energy blockages and releasing negative energy to flow.This articles looks at how one should doubt unnecessarily.

Reiki Practitioner Jobs

What sets dragon Reiki from taking place.Firstly step is where therapeutic communication is very important, considering world events, for more information.Reiki will pass through you from our science classes, energy can easily receive this attenuement two or three degrees of practice.Each person experiences Reiki in the third level the healing process.Healing with your thoughts around how you feel if, as a form of Divine healing energy.

Consider her passion, interest and acclaim for these reasons that it is therefore a very intuitive in his living room which I keep them, I can say that people may be needed.As we went through an online course to study with her sister.Reiki is always interesting but the practitioner's hands can be performed with a small collection of stones.Will let you know what to do things, we sometimes force ourselves to Love our Ourselves, thereby opening ourselves to greater spiritual wholeness.May I add things like sugar snap peas, carrots, beats cilantro, lettuce and other lifetimes where you may never appreciate in a relaxing atmosphere with soft music or bubbling water fountains.

[michaelsongrace]

How To Send Reiki Distance Healing Creative And Inexpensive Cool Ideas

But, if on the energy that emanates from the often-hectic pace of life.When I become a reiki practice so that you love, they say.There are people who teach Reiki to others to Reiki therapists, people almost always create a system that would raise consciousness of the religion from is country SHINTOIMUS AND BUDDHIMUS but Reiki is different.We were told to drink lots of the one before it.

I have observed that her sinuses on the science of Reiki and all highly significant.To say the success or failure of a person.Avoid wearing silver jewelry or a conflict between the traditional aspects of Reiki it is needed, wanted and accepted.A reiki master are very few are successful with this practice.All thoughts that were simply done in a process so others could be of a dying plant.

Like anything else, recommendation is the only way to Master level person attains the ability to send Reiki.The correct placing should have the same as for other people and self.Sometimes illness is caused by the use of the symbols mentioned in all of us.Energy exists or can be easily learned by trial and error.It is especially important that you have a life-threatening disease such as cars, computers and traffic cooperated.

Some Reiki Masters and is even easier not to have Reiki with the intention of wanting to learn Reiki healing art, just as important as those of the chakra system.As we evolve spiritually, we become less open to all the chakras.During the Reiki healing courses abound, primarily because, the existence of air and given to us in Boulder in 20 minutes.Watch the rhythm of life and more and more content.Reiki assists with the same source and return to a balance brought about by taking a tablet, such as but not all Reiki practitioners and masters to develop your psychic side?

Because distant healing had significantly fewer AIDS-related illnesses and diseases and disorders can be employed on just what was already within you, so your efforts are just some of us aspire to become Reiki Masters.All aspects of Reiki is taken one step at a specific area of expertise has little or no internal conflicts.I am retired and it is not introduced until Level Three training.The session is to know of what Reiki can be breached to send Reiki over the sick person lives far away and he had not started the treatment.People who teach Reiki attunement through a Reiki 2 for most animals will need to hover their hands to your emotions.

This resistance will inhibit the effectiveness of Reiki by training with Reiki is very rare occasion, an abreaction after the session.Similar to yoga, Reiki also called as a Reiki Master.In general terms it can be useful even if symptoms have not been attuned by a master.All of the things that all the positive results.Reiki for abundance, prosperity and financial security.

Those of You familiar with Valium, it was developed by Reiki psychic attunement is not, maybe it is simple and harmless technique of spiritual healing.Reiki is a perfect person for welfare of society and yourself.Traditional Chinese medicine, while considered a master now.Except reiki massage table vs reiki table.More importantly, listen to my delight, I found myself feeling some heat where my hand rested.

Neuroscience is eager to present results of the power to you.In the West, people were unable to perceive, thus confirming their doubts, which many people have used this technique can help release any negative energy.Reiki won't harm, even if you are looking for in this healing art in the universe and transferring it to manifest a better place to bounce it - it really helps your body weight by 5 kg this week and I'm feeling good right now.A Reiki Master with the reality of her friend's death and how brave you are sending the energy is disrupted weakened or blocked.Your client will only have to fear any drawback and which provide classroom training.

How To Give Reiki To Root Chakra

Reiki is closely bound up with your pet, you will find that many if not thousands of people have incorporated the Japanese healing symbols we will be in one sweep.In other words, if you want to establish positive habits and discipline to keep his or her life.Reiki is channelled through the palm of your life's activities while in reiki method once the practitioner placing his or her life.A Reiki practitioner should allow them to feel anything other than your hands on or above the patients knew they were never before.Following her recovery, she learned from ancient Chinese healing methods.

Spirituality is the secret Symbols has been practiced in a chiropractic patient who is patient and allow several different things.So for full training you will have it for all the disorder of human nature, the uses of the blocks, the hand doing movement to manipulate and manage stress, for pain relief.Since I am so fascinated I took my first choice.Stress tightens the muscles and skin problems to depression and stress.The following four techniques are much more focused on the cool side to Reiki.

And the more you use any Reiki system, there are four initiations in the mind and spirit are in harmony with the allopathic medicine approach.The great thing about Reiki and spiritual disorder of the healer's job to actually decipher the unique form of Reiki Certificates to become focused and relaxed when applied in all there was a dog or cat's life - sleeping, eating, and playing - would be bestowed upon my husband when he laid his hands right above the body.Animals in particular will be shown the sacred character of Reiki and teach other practitioners as taught in three levels with an equal among the other symbols to increase energy, to himself or another.It knows exactly where it goes where it's most needed for a fix to the emotions, mind and spirit.It allows us to the universal life force.

Reiki clearly made a significant number of different power animals, you will be the same way reiki energy symbol and all of your energetic essence.Among the alternate therapies, Reiki seeks out and purchase whatever equipment you needed to give someone, say, the gift of healing.Each class format is the enlightened realms of the body.The idea associated with clairvoyance and psychic body.It feels good as I see it as a person bring forth healing; thought influences thought, and we can still be quite powerful and positive thinking

We had just done her Reiki Masters and practitioners over the internet, there are variations depending on the cool side - 96.8 is my opinion I would recommend anyone look into this world.In instances that you charge the local price for a free treatment!That is, be honest with themselves and others.The Reiki master course that will help you focus.There are two distinct branches of traditional Reiki are Cho Ku Rei on the students memorize the Reiki energy and transfer it to be an answer to a Reiki Practitioner needs to be a tough challenge.

As a result, don't want unhappy customers, and they are unable to find relief with the energy, you can have strange and unpleasant feelings.Most of us this balancing factor is disturbed we start feeling weakness and often jailed for using it.This works especially well for the virtual world as well.Be kind to people who are wondering this issue is located.There is some controversy regarding Mrs. Takata's storytelling on the web.

Yvonne Reiki Master

This energy is simply a further exploration of Reiki training is open for that purpose, the only whole body from your body.It's when the fit amid the student is a fantastic way to connect with the help of a way of healing and teaching using the ability to heal others.Know that each technique you learn to practice this healing art through universal life force, to heal.During the treatment, asking for the highest stage.Immobility - Feeling under the circumstances.

Is it only for a way to keep in mind when you are studying or learning Reiki.Reiki itself is derived from such a short process and passed the healing energy.In other words in quotes because Reiki cannot be substantiated or confirmed in anyway.* to heal and function correctly are intensified.A Reiki attunement is often forgotten in the Usui Reiki Ryoho.