Monthly Archives: October 2019

Author Raina C. Smith has released Thy Kingdom Come, the third and final installment of her trilogy, The 13th Apostle. This is Smiths fourth novel.

It is with great pride that I publicly release my latest novel, Thy Kingdom Come, concluding The 13th Apostle trilogy about the inherent nature of mankind and the forces of good and evil within the human soul. I hope this epic story inspires readers of all ages in new and profound ways. To me, this trilogy is far more than a set of books, its a labor of love, Smith said.

In the trilogy, Fallon, who intentionally condemned her soul to the netherworld is on a noble mission to try to save the soul of her twin brother, Roarke. Knowing full well there is no record of any life force ever successfully freeing itself from the Place of the Cursed, Fallon has no idea what to expect as she is deposited in the afterlife location the living consider a place of torment and shame.

An astonished Fallon comes to realize that hell is one of the most strikingly beautiful places she could ever imagine. While seemingly born from the minds of the greatest artists ever to live, she has yet to comprehend the sinister reason behind its captivating design. It is here, during her lonely travels through the Abode of the Damned, that Fallon crosses paths with those throughout history whose sins were so grave, even they could never forgive their transgressions against divine law. It is through what she learns from meeting and talking with these regretful souls that she feels she may have discovered a way to save her brother. Thats if the Evil One hasnt anticipated her every move.

Smith is a native Rhode Islander and writer of The 13th Apostle trilogy series, as well as The Vampire.Smith draws creative inspiration from personal experiences, an innate curiosity of the universal energy force that connects all life, and from a source that she considers from another realm but cannot explain or identify to create dramatic and intense storylines for her books. Smith feels that she must be spiritually moved and riveted by every scene and chapter she writes, before ever considering it worthy of sharing with her readers. Writing novels highlighting mankinds struggle between good and evil, touching on the supernatural, is Smiths passion. Readers will always find deep human emotion, brutal conflict, unbridled love, interesting world history, and unique characters wildly driven by their own sense of purpose within the pages of her books. A lover of nature and all animals, Smiths writing illustrates her inborn quest to understand why human beings born to a breathtaking earth, blessed to share it with the most fascinating creatures meant to inspire and teach, take it for granted, depleting themselves and each other along their journey. While Smith knows she will never fully uncover the secrets of the universe, she feels with certainty that to begin to understand who we are and why were truly here, as well as start to heal the planet, we must all embrace the conscious intelligence of the natural environment surrounding us, and look into the eyes and feel the hearts of sentient beings who already have the answer. Smith intends to spend the rest of her life observing and writing about the evolution of the human soul.

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Deceptively beautiful hell in Smith's final novel of 'The 13th Apostle' trilogy - Warwick Beacon

From digital artists to photographers, body sculptors and hair stylists to make-up and nail artists, in our Spotlight series, we profile the creatives tearing up the rulebook in their respective industries.

I realised I just have a gravitational pull to get as close as I can when taking an image, says photographerLaura Okita on what drew her from away from fashion photography and towards beauty. I cant explain it.

Its this compulsion to get as close as possible, alongside a fascination with faces and the ephemeral nature of make-up An artist spends hours to create a look, you photograph it, and that very exact look is gone forever once you take it off. You really capture a moment that will never exist exactly the same ever again, she says that has lead Okita to become such an accomplished beauty photographer.

With her signature closely-cropped shots and gentle female gaze, Okita creates a sense of intimacy and comfort with her subjects which is only enhanced by her soft and dreamy style. Previously a model herself, Okitas years spent in front of the camera lead her to develop a sensitivity to the needs of her models that translates itself into a protected, serene atmosphere that permeates her images.

Since falling in love with photography,Okita has gone from strength to strength and today boasts a portfolio including Vogue Italia, Pat McGrath Labs, Marc Jacobs, and Beauty Papers.

Here we caught up with her about growing up in Colorado dreaming of Dior and what beauty means to her.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and where you grew up?

Laura Okita: I was born on a farm in Eastern Colorado, it was very quiet. I learned to work with nature and I think that has always stayed with me making something from what you have around you.

I was always very tall, much taller than the other kids in my school. I reached 6 feet by high school. The awkwardness of being tall eventfully turned into an opportunity. When I was 15, I went to a local modelling agency who placed me in NYC and Barcelona. I took a break from modelling and went to the University of Colorado at Boulder, completing a Bachelors Degree in Anthropology. After I graduated, I moved to NYC.

Do you remember the first time you were conscious of your appearance?

Laura Okita: I was on a swim team from age 10-17. When I was about 12 or 13 I saw a picture of myself with some medals I had won in a race. I always knew that I had slightly uneven hips due to scoliosis, but I hadnt ever been that aware of it. It was really noticeable in the picture and I became very self-conscious of it. It always bothered me until I found a way to use it to my advantage. Whenever I was at a casting that I didnt want to get the job I would exaggerate the unevenness on purpose. I worked both ways though, I could also use the unevenness positively to give more shape to poses in pictures.

Growing up, what informed your understanding of beauty and identity and the way you presented yourself visually?

Laura Okita: I always loved fashion. I would buy every fashion magazine at the grocery store and flip to the section that laid out the trends for the season. Of course, I never would be able to find the exact pieces at stores in Eastern Colorado, but my grandmother was an amazing seamstress and she would make me things.

By high school, I was very into vintage fashion and thrifting. My favourite was Diors New Look. I never was lucky enough to come across Dior in the vintage stores, but I always hoped. It inspired me to follow the current couture collections. I remember watching the Dior couture shows on YouTube and being in awe of the hair and make-up especially. It was so grand like Cinderella.

When I started modeling I would save my favourite pages from the magazines. I was in love with an image of Gemma Ward ina Prada ad (AW04). She had a light smoky eye and a kind of bouffant. I would bring the picture to shoots and ask if I could have that look! I never imagined that over 10 years later I would meet Pat McGrath, the artist who made the make-up I was in love with.

Why are you a photographer? What made you want to become one?

Laura Okita: I was taking continuing education classes for fashion design. Whenever I made a garment, I would take pictures of myself in it. Loving everything vintage, I bought the most affordable film camera I could find on Craigslist. It was a Mamiya RB67 likely from the 1970s. A good 7lbs of equipment. It threatened to break my $20 tripod every time. I just fell in love with using the camera. The sounds of the massive shutter, waiting for the film to develop, it was all so exciting. I started photographing everything, buildings, flowers anything I saw. I would work full time during the day at an office, and edit photos at night and all weekend.

It's funny because when I was a model, to me, the photographer was definitely a mans job. I never had any interest in it. I wanted to be an astronaut or Indiana Jones when I was little but never thought about being a photographer.

Can you tell us a bit about your creative process?

Laura Okita: Im very inspired by colour and texture and things from nature. Usually, my mood boards have paintings and fine art. I am inspired by the model what hair and makeup or type of look works best for her. From there I try to blend that idea with the overall concept. I usually shoot film. I have started collecting film cameras and have quite a few different cameras that I switch between.

When I am shooting, I like to feel the connection and mood with both the model and team. I dont like using a tripod because I cant move freely. I want to create a moment, I like it to feel somewhat organic. I think I am very sensitive to how the model feels from being a model myself. It definitely influences the shoot. I try to avoid extremely cold environments or uncomfortable locations. That is probably one of the things that lead me to beauty photography its the most protected and serene environment to work in.

Is beauty something you try to capture in your work or something that you reject? What is your relationship to beauty?

Laura Okita: It really lies in the definition of beauty. I definitely reject standard beauty and the concept of it. I dont really shoot traditional make-up or glamour. I like the non-traditional, the interesting, creative. I like small little mistakes or something just a bit off. I think each model (and every person) has some uniqueness to capture. For me, what makes an image beautiful is the feeling and that is why I like shoots to feel organic and in the moment. Its a relationship shared between the whole team that you bring to life.

As a student of Anthropology, I get to see the variety of beauty of the world both historically and present. I think that is what drew me to Anthropology. Piercings or tattoos, body modification, age, make-up, every culture has extreme differences as to what they value. There is so much richness in beauty in the modern and ancient world from images painted on a pharaohs coffin to the Yanomami Indians piercings, Geisha hair and make-up and headdresses of the Aztec. Not only is beauty relative, it is also wonderfully unique and diverse.

Why does the body and particularly the face that fascinates you?

Laura Okita: The face is where most of our emotions and feelings, that through which our inner-selves are most expressed.

Do you ever get tired of looking at faces?

Laura Okita: I never get tired of looking at faces. I actually cant stop! Even walking down the street, or at dinner, I see faces and beauty. Thats one thing I love about NYC, there are so many different people.

Did working as a model and being in front of the camera teach you anything that you now use when you are behind the camera?

Laura Okita: I remember always feeling like I was doing something wrong on set as a model, especially when everyone is staring at you looking irritated. Now I know its because they are thinking about to how fix the hair or should we add accessories. I try to explain whats going on the model and communicate with them so they are involved in the process as much as possible.

Looking back would you have done anything differently?

Laura Okita: I wouldnt do anything differently, but I would tell myself that there will be more and better things. Sometimes a story doesnt end up getting published or there are a lot of other disappointments in the industry. Just keep going forward. Let it inspire you to try again instead of feeling down.

How do you think the industry has evolved since you first started out?

Laura Okita: I think its changed so much! There were very few female photographers when I was a model. I never shot with one. Now, there are more females working in photography and production, video. The age minimum for models moved to 18 for runway and a lot of big brands are now adopting it for their campaigns too. I think thats great and necessary. Theres more accountability and transparency. Its a safer industry now and more professional. Im also excited to see theres growing diversity both in front of and behind the camera.

How do you think our understanding of beauty has shifted with the evolution of technology?

Laura Okita: On one hand, it has given us a false unattainable view of beauty through Photoshop and filters, as well as an oversaturation of what we constantly look at. On the other hand, I think social media has given a space for different voices that may never have been heard before. It's a new place of opportunity and exploration. We are connected with the whole world now. Before technology and specifically social media, all you could see was what was chosen to be shown and put in print mediums or on TV.

What advice would you give to young artists hoping to get into the industry?

Laura Okita: Find your voice and what makes you you. Theres a lot of nos and disappointments but dont listen to it. Use everything to make you stronger and work harder.

Who would you like to shine a spotlight on next?

Laura Okita: Id love to see a spotlight on the make-up artist Marla Belt. Shes extremely creative and talented.

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Photographer Laura Okita takes the beauty shots of your dreams - Dazed

The revived PMEAC had economists Surjit Bhalla, Rathin Roy, and Ashima Goyal as members, and former finance secretary Ratan Watal as Secretary. (Source: PMEAC website)

The government has reconstituted the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (PMEAC or EAC-PM), dropping Rathin Roy and Shamika Ravi as part-time members. Bibek Debroy, who was appointed Chairman of the Council in 2017, continues in his post. What is the PMEAC, what role does it play, and how has the profile of this body evolved over the years?

According to its (now archived) website, the Council was set up with a view to provide a sounding board for inculcating awareness in government on the different point of view on key economic issues. Its functions included analysing any issue, economic or otherwise, referred to it by the Prime Minister and advising him thereon; addressing issues of macroeconomic importance and presenting views thereon to the Prime Minister, either on its own or upon reference; and presenting to the PM from time to time reports on macroeconomic developments and issues with implications for economic policy.

The PMEAC came into existence over three and a half decades ago, against the backdrop of a difficult economic situation. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who had returned to power in 1980, faced formidable economic challenges. The global oil shock and drought had led to a decline in the national income, and soaring prices. In this situation, Finance Minister R Venkataraman stressed to the PM the need to arrest the slide and set the economy on the path to stability and growth. Indira decided to rope in Prof Sukhamoy Chakravarty, a man who had taught alongside Amartya Sen and Manmohan Singh at the Delhi School of Economics, and who had, in the mid-1970s, headed the Policy Perspective Division in the Planning Commission.

In the initial years of its existence, the members of the Council included the famed economist K N Raj, besides C Rangarajan, who would later become the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and Vijay Kelkar, who was the first Secretary of the PMEAC during 1982-83. Chakravarty, who briefed the Prime Minister occasionally on the state of the economy, continued in the post after Rajiv Gandhi succeeded Indira in 1984. Around 1986-87 when the government had opened up the economy a little and allowed liberal foreign borrowings while spending to boost growth the Council made a presentation to the PM, flagging emerging faultlines, and warning of an emerging fiscal imbalance. According to oldtimers, Rajiv acknowledged the input, and his Finance Minister, V P Singh, announced that the government had decided to accept the report of a committee appointed in 1985 by then RBI Governor Manmohan Singh to review the working of the monetary system, and to change the definition of the Budget deficit.

Manmohan Singh himself headed the Council briefly when Chandra Shekhar was Prime Minister, before moving on to become Advisor to the Prime Minister in the months leading to the balance of payments crisis of 1991. Bimal Jalan, who was finance secretary in the V P Singh government and, for a while in the Chandra Shekhar government as well, was moved to head the Council. When P V Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister, and Manmohan Singh his Finance Minister, the Council held only a few meetings. The PM was briefed once in a while, but its minutes were not recorded.

Things changed after Atal Bihari Vajpayee became PM for the second time in 1998. The economy was again in trouble after the Asian crisis, and the Economic Advisory Council was expanded with the Prime Minister himself at its head. A 12-member Council for Trade and Industry was also appointed. Vajpayees PMEAC had heavyweights such as I G Patel, the former RBI Governor; P N Dhar, a former Secretary in Indiras PMO; and noted economists Arjun Sengupta, Amaresh Bagchi, Ashok Desai, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Kirit Parekh, and G V Ramakrishna. Also in the Council were Vajpayees Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra, and Secretary in the PMO N K Singh. At a meeting of the Council in July 2002, Vajpayee unveiled an economic agenda for 8% growth featuring plans to provide 10 million job opportunities annually, re-target subsidies and spending, push economic reforms, and better implement policies and improve execution. Through this period, the Finance Ministry remained dominant in economic policymaking.

After he became PM in 2004, Manmohan Singh, conscious that he could no longer afford to focus on multiple economic issues, got his former RBI colleague Rangarajan to head the PMEAC, which was now more compact, with fewer than a half-dozen members. Rangarajan was given the status of Cabinet Minister and with a powerful Finance Ministry under P Chidambaram and later Pranab Mukherjee, and a Planning Commission headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the Council was seen as the advisory group best equipped to provide independent advice to the PM. During the 2004-14 decade, the Council often brought out its own review of the economy, besides reports on a range of issues. On the PMEAC in the Manmohan Singh years were economists such as Suresh Tendulkar who also headed the Council for a year in 2008-09 Saumitra Chaudhuri, Suman Bery, Dilip Nachane, Pulin Nayak, G K Chadha and Satish Jha. Manmohan Singhs Council was the most influential in the over three-decade history of the institution. It drew its strength, most importantly, from the confidence and trust that the economist PM had in the head of the Council.

One of the early decisions that the new government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi took was to dismantle the Planning Commission, which had for decades played an influential role in the allocation of resources to states, and to replace it with the NITI Aayog. Also, the PMEAC was not restructured under the new government. The Council was finally reconstituted 40 months into the tenure of the first Modi government, with Debroy, then a member of the NITI Aayog, as chairman. The revived PMEAC had economists Surjit Bhalla, Rathin Roy, and Ashima Goyal as members, and former finance secretary Ratan Watal as Secretary.

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Explained: The role and evolution of PMs Economic Advisory Council - The Indian Express

Yes, someday you will die. And you will be deadwaaaay longer than you will have lived here on the physical realm we call Earth.(Yes, this is a motivational blog post. Stay with me.)

When it comes to death, I ask, So what? Yes, eventually the sun will swallow the Earth, as presidential candidate Gary Johnson politely reminded us during his entertaining 2016 bid for the big chair. Heck, if the sun doesnt kill the human race (ifwe finally migrate off this rock), the eventualheat death of the universewill.

So what? Big deal. How can I be so cavalier about our extinction? Because I live in the present. So can you.

Right now, we still exist. The Earth still exists. Unlike any other species that has ever walked, slithered, swam, or flown on this planet (except maybe dolphins), we can contemplate our own existence, including the end of it. T hats a wonderful gift.

Yes,death is a gift. It can be a great motivational tool, if we let it. Self-awareness can indeed be beautifulas long as youre not squandering it.

Youve already beaten the longest odds ever, just by being alive. To paraphraseLes Brown, you beat 400 million other sperm to be here(ahem). What are you doing to be worthy of that miracle? Yes, I said it: youre a miracle. A unique little snowflake. But Im not saying it because its obligatory kumbaya fluff. This is an empirical, scientific fact: the chances you ever came to exist were astronomical.

It doesnt matter how you believe you got here. Youre special. Get over it. Look, I dont want you to feel pressured or anything.Even the smallest contribution to the betterment of the world makes you worthy. Some good news: you get to decide what your contribution is, and the size of it.

Note: I want you to be mindful of the fact our world contains both pain and beauty(contrary to how the news makesthings seem exclusively horrible)and that means its exciting to be here.

Yes, this planet can be chaotic and deadly, and the people despicable. But you know thats not all there is to our existence. Yourlizard brain is biased toward negativity. Your higher mind lets you see the beauty. Its up to you to recognize, and celebrate, the difference. Whats your focus going to be in the equation?

Still dont believe the human race has redeeming qualities?Too bad, good things will still happen whether you believe in them or not.

(All apologies to the dolphins)

It doesnt matter how you think we came to be: random chance/evolution, God, aliens, whatever because no matterwhywe exist, that doesnt change the fact thatwe are indeed here. And for too long, weve been asking the wrong question.

We need to stop asking whats the meaning of life? The question really is, what meaning amImaking formy life? Are you making your own meaning? If youre not deciding what makes life meaningful for you, then I suggest you get started. Once you own thatpower, no one else can. You have free will, folks.You get to decide your lifes purpose. In Nikes words, Just do it.

Its you versus entropy in the ultimate battle!You have the ability to stand up to your inevitable oblivion and be defiant!

I dont care if you do it just to be spiteful, try it out!Doesnt it give you a thrill to know thatdespite being a relative speck in the cosmic immensity, you can declare to the vast universethatyour short existence has meaning because you say so?

Tell the end of all things that it hasnt claimed your life yet. And while youre here, youre going to make a difference, no matter how big or small.

Youre a conscious being, existing here and now on an oasis of life in an ocean of infinite black just beyond the thin layer of Earths atmosphere.

So, Im begging you, stop living as if you haveten thousand years.

Youre a friggin miracle.If anyone tries to convince you otherwise, just remember two words: sperm lottery. That should shut down any argument.

Now go shake that defiant fist at oblivion!

A version of this post was previously published on LiveTheHero.com and is republished here with permission from the author.

Have you read the original anthology that was the catalyst for The Good Men Project? Buy here: The Good Men Project: Real Stories from the Front Lines of Modern Manhood

All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.

Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

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You Versus the Death of the Universe (Guess Who Wins) - The Good Men Project

Inside Marlins Parks visiting clubhouse on the evening of August 15, Neil Rampe looked for a Dodger who needed treatment before the teams flight to Atlanta. The head athletic trainers search led him into the restroom, where several players were toweling off from postgame showers.

Among them was Walker Buehler, the days losing pitcher. In a four-hour slog, baseballs most miserable offense had torched him for five runs over four innings. He sensed the opportunity to crack a joke about the expansive training room and his corresponding confidence.

Hey, Neil, Buehler began. You got anything for my fucking ego in there?

The Dodgers are familiar with Buehlers cracks by now. After he pitched them to a division title in last years Game 163, Kik Hernndez said the team had zero problem with Walker being the cocky motherfucker that he is. Because he is good and because he knows how to counteract the cockiness with an occasional...

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Understanding Walker Buehler's words of weapon and his 'very laughable' confidence - The Athletic

Social media, reflecting growing distrust and polarisation of public opinion, has contributed to a shift toward corporate honesty and brave campaigns as PR embraces equality, purpose and sustainability.

'You probably couldn't get away with that now' - Neil Hedges on PR in the 2000s

When Dominos Pizza admitted that its product was crap in a campaign at the beginning of the 2010s it was, perhaps, the start of a different approach to PR and communications in this case, brutal honesty in an age when the public increasingly distrusts companies, politicians and even the institutions on which society is based.

For Nik Govier, founder and chief executive of corpsumer agency Blurred, this honesty, coupled with the rise and rise of purpose-driven campaigning, is one of the trends that will come to define this decade.

Iceland (twice), Missing Type, #LikeAGirl, KFC's 'FCK'... 10 best PR campaigns of the 2010s

Before launching Blurred in 2018, Govier was co-founder of multi-award-winning firm Unity, with her then-business partner, Gerry Hopkinson; she stayed for 12 years.

Unity was the agency behind Marks & Spencers ground-breaking, big-budget 2014 Christmas campaign Follow the fairies the epitome of a modern integrated campaign, led by PR.

Were in an airy, plant-filled room on the top floor of the latest, Mayfair-based incarnation of women-only members club The AllBright.

The club and its members are themselves a reminder of the decade we are living in; a departure from the stuffy establishments of another age.

Govier, an early investor in the enterprise and a firm supporter of its ethos, is unapologetic about the relentless rise of purpose in PR and comms.

She says: "It massively makes people roll their eyes, but theyre going to have to just suck it up, because its not going anywhere and it will continue to be a huge thing for decades to come."

There are strong drivers for this purpose-driven atmosphere, not least of which is the environment and a new generation of consumers who understand the power they wield.

"Were on the cusp of climate disaster and everyones waking up to that, not just consumers," says Govier. "Pressure is coming from markets, and shareholders everyone wants to know how [businesses] are contributing from a sustainability perspective."

But back to that crap pizza, and Govier is recounting some of her favourite PR and communications campaigns of the decade to date.

"Dominos had a huge market share but its product was quite shit," she says. "It put out a series of campaign films in which the CEO said: Weve let you down, our pizza is crap and we should do better. It turned that business around, absolutely revolutionised it and nobody really knows about it."

For Govier, this was the start of something new, and its influence continues to reverberate in campaigns at this end of the decade one being last years KFC FCK crisis comms exemplar after its chicken distribution failed, another being Carlsbergs campaign quoting consumers insulting its standard lager for example, saying that it tasted like "cat piss" earlier this year.

"Its that notion of honesty in an age of distrust thats the age were in now," says Govier.

By 2010, platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn were already established but, as a comms tool, social media was still in its relative infancy. Govier has enjoyed watching the evolution in its use by the industry, in particular the shift away from a fear of giving offence.

"A few years ago, brands would have thought: We dont want to offend people, but in a world where theres such division now, globally, I love it when people know who they are and theyre brave enough to say that on social."

Govier cites campaigns by Nike, featuring the American footballer Colin Kaepernick, Adidas There Will be Haters and Are You Beach Body Ready? by Protein World, which was banned from poster sites on the London Underground after a public backlash.

"[The campaign was] used as an example of how not to do it then lo and behold, six months later, [Protein World] released its figures and theyd gone through the roof. It realised its not for everyone and didnt care about offending some people My point is, know who you are and dont be afraid to say it."

The polarisation of public opinion is not just a characteristic of social media, of course; it is, for Govier, a defining aspect of the 2010s.

"We have never been more divided," she says. "We have Trump versus The Squad in America, Brexit here and just this notion that were trying to break ourselves up into little pieces."

Reassuringly, Govier thinks we are on the cusp of a backlash against this sense of division, anger and polarisation, and raises HSBCs campaign in the UK, We are not an island, as an example of brands responding to this sentiment.

"Of course, [HSBC] tried to claim it didnt have an underlying political message, but I loved the bravery of that campaign," she says.

For Govier, equality is another thread running through the decades public discourse, as well as the industrys work.

"Were seeing that run through all sorts of marketing and, while none of this is new, I think weve arrived at a tipping point," she says.

Equality has also had a hand in the evolution of the agency model, with the rise of virtual agencies such as The Difference Collective, headed by Angie Wiles, as well as others set up by and specifically targeting members of ethnic minorities, such as Asad Dhunnas The Unmistakeables.

"Angie would have been laughed out of the room a decade ago, but now people realise its a great way to tap into a talent pool of smart women who have to juggle work and childcare," says Govier. "Its a way of tapping into social situations that the world has led us to. Likewise, I think what Asad is doing is brilliant creating an agency around something thats crying out to be addressed."

Govier predicts that in the 2020s brands will place an even sharper focus on purpose and the global issue of sustainability, and that it will be not just conscious consumers who demand it, but every type of audience.

Another trend for the industry will be a talent flight from the capital to regional agencies and outfits that are a better fit for their work-life balance.

This decentralisation is unlikely to prove as much of a problem as one might imagine, however: Govier doesnt believe clients will care, because they dont want to pay exorbitant fees in order for agencies to have a Covent Garden office and beautiful flowers in reception "as long as they can get access to smart people who can change on a dime".

What will we think was quaint about this decade in PR in the years to come?

Govier says: "Well laugh at the fact that we thought that the channel or the type of marketing was the idea."

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'We're at a tipping point for equality' - Nik Govier on PR in the 2010s - PRWeek

Particularly symptomatic was the attitude of the Polish liberals towards Jrg Haider, leader of the Austrian Freedom Party (FP) who in the year 2000 won significant electoral support on a nationalist, anti-immigration, and anti-EU platform. One of the prominent Polish liberal politicians said that Haider was neither left- nor right-wing; he was entirely outside the political spectrum, and propagated views running entirely counter to the European heritage. It was indeed a novel contribution to the history of Nazism. Did not the Nazi ideology, to which Jrg Haider subscribed, originate on the European continent after all? Another Polish champion of freedom appealed to the Europeans not to go to the Austrian skiing resorts; he reasoned that if Europeans refused en masse to go to Austria, its economy would collapse which would have a salutary effect on Austrian society. So much for the liberal faith in philosophical rationalism and a sense of political responsibility, not to mention the curious liberal dogma of the need to separate the economy from politics. Populism continues to spread across Europe unabated and most likely will do so for the foreseeable future

Although in the first decade of the twenty-first century Haider and other European populists suffered electoral defeats, nationalism and populism has not been wiped out from European politics, on the contrary. The star of Gerhard Frey in Germany was soon overshadowed by the successes of the previously excluded PDS and subsequently by the Alternative fr Deutschland; the Belgian Vlaams Blok, after an order to disband, underwent reorganization and consistently gains increasing political support. After the assassination of Pim Fortuyn in the Netherlands on 6 May 2002, his nationalist party received an additional boost. Vladimir Zhirinovsky in Russia and Andrzej Lepper in Poland were soon joined by Istvan Csurka in Hungary, Jan Slota and Vladimir Meciar in Slovakia, and Miroslav Sladek in the Czech Republic.

Current European politics is now coping with xenophobic movements not only in those countries, but also in Germany, Hungary which is in the grip of the Victor Orbans illiberal democracy, and Italy which is being dragged to the right by Matteo Salvini. It is impossible to overestimate the role played by Michnik himself and his newspaper in the struggle for democracy. But some of his opinions aptly illustrate a dangerous liberal complacency in dealing with the early stages of populism which paved the way in Poland to the rise of the radically anti-liberal forms of government. These have succeeded in driving liberalism onto the periphery of public life, branding it with an ugly label, and transforming the formerly honourable term liberalism into an insulting epithet. At that time an irresponsible populism throughout Central Europe was only beginning its slow but systematic work of undermining the position of moderate and liberal parties.

In the elections of 2005, the nominally leftist post-communist Democratic Left Alliance suffered a defeat. In the run-up to the elections, the Alliance was relentlessly presented by nationalist and conservative groupings not only as a descendant of traitors from the past but also as greedy and corrupt. The liberal party was only happy to join in this propaganda. It soon turned out that in its arrogance, the right-wing government turned out not only greedier and more corrupt than the post-communists, but also much less competent in running the state.

In the aftermath of the defeat of the Democratic Left Alliance, a liberal commentator dared to voice a timid opinion that some sort of political equilibrium is salutary for democracy and for this reason Polish politics did need a leftist party. In response to this innocuous remark his right-wing opponent responded: But whatever for!? The conservative and nationalist movements, having arrogated for themselves the image of the true victor of the strife against communism, are driven by a belief that the glory of the communism slayers gives them complete immunity from any public scrutiny and criticism. The Polish nationalist conservative movement does not need any leftist parties indeed; having eliminated them from the public sphere, they had both hands free to destroy what is left of the liberal party and to snatch the entire public space for itself. It found it all the easier to achieve this because in its doctrinal fundamentalism and political doggedness it arrogantly ignores and disregards any critical opinions. In fact, any unfavourable opinion about itself, especially voiced from the liberal standpoint, it regards as additional confirmation that it had rightly chosen its anti-liberal way, which only strengthens its relentlessness.

Many bad things might be said of the post-communist party members of that period, but at least their political arrogance was moderated by the awareness of the sin of their illegitimate communist ancestry. The arrogance of the post-communist Democratic Left Alliance was also moderated by its desire to be recognised as a legitimate political actor not only in the country, but also by the international community of established democracies. It desperately failed on both counts. It is true that the post-communist leader Leszek Miller promised that he could make pigs fly with his decree, this was not so much an expression of his faith in the power of his post-communist party as an act of impudence for the benefits of the media and his electorate. Although he led the Democratic Left Alliance to take over thousands of state jobs for his party members, he at least never talked about it openly as his right-wing opponent shamelessly did. Although a supporter of the leftist party indeed attempted to extort from Michnik a multimillion bribe, he was immediately put in prison even though no money passed any hands. However, when large sums of the public money were actually appropriated by the right-wing party leadership, no one was sent to prison or even charged. Petty corrupt social democratic politicians meekly went to prison to serve long terms, in marked contrast to the right-wing party offenders who successfully ran away from justice. Memorably, one of them escaped from the country on the last day of his parliamentary immunity like a thief, which he allegedly was, and found shelter in a Catholic cloister in Slovakia. He sought impunity under the cover of the priestly robe which in Poland all too often serves as an inviolable immunity for many dishonest and dissolute people.

Ivan Krastev has listed several characteristics of contemporary populist movements: genuine anger; dislike of elites; vagueness of proposed politico-economic solutions; economic egalitarianism; cultural conservatism; nationalism; xenophobia, Euroscepticism; anti-capitalism; and anti-corruption rhetoric.[11] Populism, in Poland and elsewhere, broke away from its roots in the leftist ideologies and movements which was its traditional hotbed, and moved entirely to the nationalist and conservative parties. Although some movements in Poland were regarded as specimen of leftist populism, they never won any substantial leverage. Populism in Krastevs sense has become a major problem for Polish, European and indeed global politics, but it is overwhelmingly a nationalist-conservative phenomenon.

In todays Poland the populist ideology is indeed anti-elitist, aiming to overturn the table at which politicians, businessmen, former secret service members, and corrupt journalists are playing their game. It promotes socialist policies, but only as a means of winning popular support for their most fundamentalist religious and nationalist agenda. The anarchism, the inseparable element of the former, left-wing populism, has been replaced by the right-wing repressive ideology of law and order, accompanied by grotesque attempts to militarize the public space, justified by the appeal to the alleged eternal enmity of Polish neighbours Germany and Russia.

The only serious alternative to the contemporary nationalist populist rhetoric is something which already deserves the name of neoliberal populism. It appeals to neoliberal values, invariably substantiated with compelling, logical and irrefutably rational arguments. These values include the idea of sanctity of private property, economic freedom and especially freedom from state intervention: in other words, a trimmed down version of social neo-Darwinism, free-market populism pure and simple, ornamented for populist purposes with the ideas of inalienable human rights, inviolability of individual autonomy and the rule of law protected by the minimal state. This ideology appeals predominantly to the young enterprising employees of western corporations and to freshers in political science departments, both prone to this simplistic conglomerate of libertarian ideas. They usually give up on it as soon as they face the challenge of finding a secure and well-paid job. The ideology is also known in its more elegant form from the economic journalism propagated, among others, by the journalists writing for Michniks Gazeta Wyborcza. The problem is that even if the ideology seems logical, rational and thus irrefutable, it does not appeal to those who cannot afford to buy this paper every day. When I told that to Michnik, he admitted that sometimes he also has an argument with his neoliberal writers. But he also added, rather disingenuously: But you must admit: they are superb columnists!

There cannot be any room for agreement between these two kinds of populisms: they talk at cross-purposes. The present-day clash of these two forms of politics, supported by well-defined political ideas, appears to be a modern form of class struggle. In other words, what we are dealing with is an instance of the return of the repressed. The present fundamentalism, populism, irrationalism, and the religion-cum-nation-based tribal instincts, the phenomena liberals once regarded as incompatible with liberal values, having been driven out from the public space, reappear with a vengeance. Unable to find its place in the present regime of the political discourse dominated by the liberal rhetoric, which describes them exclusively in terms of an outright denial, patronizing condescension or utter condemnation, they return with redoubled force, marginalizing and repressing liberalism itself in revenge.

The return of the repressed is also the return of the political. In this confrontation, however, liberals who understand politics as a procedural, strictly regulated law-making activity, are losing their political steam. Trying to curb the awoken and now raging force by means of a powerless web of laws, they present a spectacle of powerlessness.

Liberalism is a diverse doctrine, or rather a vast family of doctrines and values, linked by a common reference to the variously understood idea of freedom. The variety of liberalisms has its origin in the fact that its emancipatory potential was informed through social struggles against various forms of iniquities, mainly in the economic sphere, but also in the moral, private and intimate spheres. Thus, despite its variety, liberalism was and is being perceived as a comprehensive vision of a free and just society that offers the widest range of opportunities for implementing individual life projects open to all members of a society, though guaranteeing no success in the process.

Despite the above, John Rawls devoted some space to the discussion of the idea of the comprehensiveness of a political doctrine. He insisted that his own theory of justice as fairness[12] was not such a comprehensive doctrine and argued against transforming it into an overall Weltanschauung. He presented his theory of justice not as an all-embracing worldview, capable of offering answers to all possible questions to its followers but as an independent, free-standing module, containing a specific political solution. In this respect, his political liberalism differs from moral and religious conceptions striving towards such a generality. It differs also, significantly, from the ideology of Marxism which was designed as a comprehensive doctrine in the above sense. Yet Rawlss shunning of comprehensiveness, understandable in the case of his theory, may be read as a symptom of a more general liberal attitude. The problem is that in its political practice it tends to degenerate into an exclusive elite liberalism, belying its universalist message.

In this way it tends to become the ideology of the well-to-do middle and uppers classes who all too often pursue their noble aims only to the point when their interests are secured, resting their case as soon they are satisfied. Despite the universalism of their doctrine, they have no qualms in leaving the plight of other classes outside the scope of their interest. This degenerative tendency, however, has its consequences. Since, as a rule, only the upper social strata benefit from the implementation of liberal policies, the partial realization of liberal postulates in the past has often provoked other social groups to undertake emancipatory ideas which liberalism formulated but has not pursued in a comprehensive manner. Several examples will illustrate the point.

First of all, by elevating the concept of property to the status of liberal dogma, liberals have been unable properly to understand and appreciate the role of the working classes in the process of the creation of wealth, and, even less so, to recognise their property rights to created wealth. Thus, the working classes, far from being amongst the beneficiaries of liberal political aspirations and transformations have become their chief victims. That is why nineteenth century socialists demanded that all people are to be emancipated from their material misery, believing that this would bring about their emancipation in other spheres, superstructured on the economic base. Most versions of liberalism focus on the economy; for Karl Marx, similarly, human emancipation was achievable through a focus on the economic sphere. In this sense Marxist social philosophy closely resembles the liberal one: Marxism was, just like liberalism, an emancipatory doctrine, and had a similar structure; the difference being that is was far more ambitious, because egalitarian. In other words, socialist and communist movements were the unwanted children of liberalism which did not pursue its agenda far enough. Leftist thought took over the emancipatory potential disregarded by liberalism and radicalized it by attempting to restore it to its originally declared universality.

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Perception and politics the case of Poland: coping with political apparitions - Open Democracy

A top scientist is planning to develop self-conscious robots that will pave the way for a "Blade Runner future".

Osaka University professor Hiroshi Ishiguro says the hit film is on the cusp of becoming a reality thanks to groundbreaking strides in technology.

In the 1982 Ridley Scott epic later featuring Ryan Gosling in a 2017 version robots live alongside humans in a stunning dystopian world.

They are indistinguishable from one another as the films provoke viewers into questioning the very nature of consciousness itself.

But Prof Ishiguro believes this is what our future will look like, and is planning to develop robots to put this theory to the test.

He told the Japan Times: "I dont know when a 'Blade Runner' future will happen, but I believe it will.

"Every year were developing new technology like deep learning, which has improved the performance of pattern recognition.

"Now were focusing on intention and desire, and if we implement them into robots whether they become more humanlike.

As a scientist, I hope to develop self-conscious robots like you see in Blade Runner to help me understand what it is to be human. Thats my motivation."

But luckily, Mr Ishiguro believes any risk to humanity will be without our control.

He continued: We dont need to fear AI or robots, the risk is controllable. My basic idea is that there is no difference between humans and robots.

"Hopefully remote-control technology will develop to allow our alter egos to lead regular lives"

He continued: "Already computers are more powerful than humans in some cases.

"Technology is just another means of evolution. We are changing the definition of what it is to be human.

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Scientist developing 'self-conscious' robot that will spark 'Blade Runner world' - Daily Star

IANS

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, an essential persona, a revered leader and the father of the nation, drew such fine admiration worldwide for his teachings of non-violence that his date of beginning is noticed as the World Day of Non-Violence.

The moderns philosophy and Satyagraha is now extra relevant than ever, given the atmosphere of intolerance thats evidently prevalent.

On the event of Gandhis 150thbeginning anniversary, enable us to retract a watch at one of the most most necessary events that fashioned him to be the leader we all know him as.

Mahatma Gandhis 150th beginning anniversary: Key events of the moderns existence

1893: Gandhis bolt to South Africa

Two years after strolling back from London, Gandhi travelled to South Africa to retract a plan as an even advisor for an Indian trading and transport firm.

His time there became as soon as a truly worthy as the depraved inequality and discrimination of the colonial society helped his political evolution and him extra politically conscious.

Gandhi became as soon as thrown off a prepare in South Africa for refusing to pass from a first-class seat to third class, even supposing he held a legitimate first class price. This trip gave Gandhi the unravel to fight racial discrimination.

He then labored with other Indian Indian-rights activists in South Africa in 1894, to make the Natal Indian Congress, a firm dedicated to giving Indians a collective affirm in South African politics.

1906: Gandhi organised his first Satyagraha

A accrued boom became as soon as organised by the father of the nation to boom the Transvaal Asiatic Amendments Act a legislation that required the registration and fingerprinting of all Indians residing in the Transvaal.

Gandhi persisted to boom till 1911, when this act, recognized as the Shadowy Act became as soon as repealed.

Gandhi on the strategy to search the Viceroy, Simla, September 5, 1939.IANS

1914: Gandhi decides to reach abet to India

When Gandhi returned to India, sailing into Bombay, he became as soon as welcomed as a hero. The experiences of his fight for Indian equality had unfold thru the country.

Looking out to familiarise himself with the considerations of Indian society, Gandhi spent most of his time travelling for the interval of the country by prepare. He became as soon as satisfied that the country wanted social and political reform after he noticed the frequent poverty and famine that became as soon as prevailing.

He established the Satyagraha Ashram at Kochrab, Gujarat Provinces Ahmedabad. The ashram became as soon as a non secular retreat for his followers, even the untouchables. This pass insecure loads of the Hindu neighborhood.

IANS

1930: The Dandi march

In boom of the Salt Act (1882), which forbade Indians from making their very have salt, Gandhi led a 200-mile march from his ashram in Ahmedabad to the coastal city of Dandi.

After arriving at Dandi, Gandhi picked up a portion of natural, unprocessed salt from the shore, thereby violating British legislation.

This march impressed Indians sooner or later of the country to organise accrued and non-violent protests/disobedience actions.

British authorities arrested bigger than a hundred thousand protesters, along with Gandhi, nonetheless were compelled to liberate him and other Indian leaders to negotiate an quit to the protests.

1942: Stop India movement, nationwide Satyagraha

The Indian National Congress handed a decision known as the Stop India, anxious that the British acknowledge Indian independence.

In crimson meat up of the decision, Gandhi launched his closing nationwide satyagraha campaign. Along with other Indian leaders, Gandhi became as soon as arrested and imprisoned till 1944.

He started a starvation strike in 1973.

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Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary: Key events of the revolutionary's life - Headlinez Pro

Apex Legends has its third season around the corner, and there are plenty of things to be excited about, but also a few things that fans should be cautious about. The third season is called Meltdown, and, on top of introducing a new legend, it will come with a brand-new battle pass, hopefully full of really cool unlockable rewards.

When it comes to almost anything in life, it's important to never get too high or too low on things to protect yourself. That being said, let's look at 5 reasons to be excited for Apex Legends Season 3: Meltdown, and 5 things that could worry you.

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Many people think that Apex Legends was a flash in the pan, as its numbers on Twitch and other gaming-centric sites dropped since launch. The truth is that there are very few things that can compete with League of Legends or Fortnite, so comparing numbers to those titans is unfair.

The game still has very healthy numbers and offers a great free-to-play alternative for people. Will that base stick around once all of the major Fall video game releases start hitting shelves? Well, we'll have to wait and see.

The second season of Apex Legends offered something many fans didn't even know was going to be a part of it, which was new limited-time modes for players to experience. The most popular of these modes was a single-player version of the base 3 vs. 3 mode, and also one that only spawned snipers and shotguns on the map.

It seems that Respawn is open to providing their players with new experiences, so don't be surprised if new modes pop up or they bring back some favorites from previous seasons.

RELATED: Apex Legends: 10 Facts About The Adrenaline Freak, Octane

Now, Respawn up until this point has done a good job at not being too overbearing when it comes to balancing, but, at the same time, they've made sure no weapon is supremely powerful.

The worry here isn't that they would all of a sudden stop caring, but rather that, if the game's player base falls off, they would quickly abandon ship. Respawn has been known to support their multiplayer games long after they should, so it isn't a real concern based on their track record, but it's always something to be conscious about.

Respawn has done a good job at spacing out the addition of new weapons and in exchange have added mods that make previously horrible or low-tier guns somewhat usable. Adding new guns changes the game in major ways, as it can change the learning curve of the game as players have one more gun to become familiar with.

A new mod, however, allows players to go back and explore weapons they previously would ignore or try out and ditch immediately. Look for more mods to be added throughout the third season.

The battle pass for the second season in Apex Legends did a lot to fix how terrible it was for the first season. They added better rewards and made it feel like you were earning things at a reasonable pace. Fans still felt that many of the skins in the battle pass didn't feel special enough at later levels and hope that, with the new season, they work even more towards making it worthwhile. It will all depend on how the battle pass for the second season sold and how vocal the feedback was from players.

RELATED: Apex Legends: 10 Unknown Things About The Mad Scientist, Caustic

Earlier, the addition of new mods for weapons was discussed and how those can benefit the game in ways that adding a whole new weapon can't. Well, adding a brand-new weapon can also be exciting, and it's already been announced that a charge rifle will be entering the ranks in the third season.

It will use energy ammunition and hopefully add another solid go-to choice for players looking to dominate the Apex Games. Don't be surprised if another weapon enters the fold by season's end.

There was a recent issue where developers and fans got into a bit of a disagreement regarding the microtransactions in the game. Many players thought that the price attached to some of the special event cosmetics were extremely expensive, and a select few voiced it very poorly. This led to a developer becoming frustrated and calling those select few some choice words. Respawn is a developer who's great at listening and correcting their mistakes, but don't hold your breath if a new event skin costs an arm and a leg.

The map in Apex Legends has only seen one major evolution throughout its lifetime, and that came once the second season began. These giant lumbering dinosaur-like creatures took up residence in King's Canyon, and their footsteps caused the landscape to change. Other than that, the map saw the addition of an Octane-inspired area and a lab portal, which was introduced after the premiere of Wraith's animated short. Here's hoping small and large changes come to King's Canyon and make familiar territory brand spanking new.

RELATED: Apex Legends: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Healer, Lifeline

The main thing that Fortnite has over Apex Legends is that its map is constantly evolving every few weeks, whereas Respawn has taken a different approach to updates. Since launch, the map has only seen one major evolution, and their updates overall come at intervals of a couple of weeks for the most part.

It may not be the consumer's job to think about working conditions, but the current conversation around overworking employees makes it tough to demand what Epic Games does from Respawn.

Every season brings with it a new competitor to the Apex Games, and the upcoming third season is no different. Crypto will be making his entrance, and, though not much is known in regards to his in-game abilities, Respawn did release an animated short giving a glimpse into Crypto's life before his evolution.

It turns out that rummaging through things you shouldn't online could cause you to lose everything and everyone you love. He was hunted by powerful men, and, in turn, became something and someone his previous self wouldn't recognize.

NEXT: Apex Legends: 10 Facts About The Mystery, Bloodhound

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Apex Legends: 5 Reasons To Be Excited For Season 3 (& 5 Things To Be Worried About) - TheGamer