Podcasts about VR

And so ends another year of the show. We've gathered some friends to talk about their year in gaming and what they've been playing and enjoyed. It's a nice wrap up that doesn't involve news of any kind be it good or bad, it's just friends talking about games and going over the year end lists. It's fun to reflect at times. Therapeutic almost, even with gaming. Especially when you listen to others and discover something new. Or, perhaps, you discover a different point of view on a game you had a completely different experience with. Which is, obviously, exactly how communication works. Especially among friends. All of us here at the show consider every single listener our friends. From those who just casually listen, tune in from time to time, the die-hards who show up in chat every single episode, to the ones who never say a word but still tune in down the line on YouTube or wherever. As well as everyone who's joined our discord. We cannot thank you enough for your support not only throughout the year but throughout the life of this show as we head into our 20th season in 2026. We appreciate you. We love you. And we can't wait to see you again on January 10th. Have a wonderful holiday season and we wish you all a fantastic new year. Listen Ubisoft, I know it won't happen but if you could put a little speed up on that Splinter Cell to get it released next year, I could stop tracking how horrible you are treating an exceptional franchise. I'm tired of counting the days but I'm not stopping. Get it done. It has been 4,507 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there's been 5,300 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2025.

In today's episode I chat with artist, composer, and record producer Prateek Rajagopal about building bold, immersive music. Prateek breaks down how he balances "feel" with technique, why rhythm is his north star, and how hardware synth/modular workflows can turn raw electric current into musical building blocks for composition and world-building. We also focus on Prateek's experience composing for "In the Current of Being," a haptic VR experience directed by Cameron Kostopoulos that tells the true story of Carolyn Mercer, a survivor of electroshock conversion therapy. Prateek Rajagopal is a film composer, record producer, and artist by way of Oman and India, known for his boundary-pushing work across film, immersive media, and music. He is the executive music producer and composer at KOST AI, where he scored In The Current of Being, which won SXSW 2025, premiered at Cannes Immersive 2025, and the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival. In the film and television world, Prateek has collaborated, written, and produced music on major studio projects including Trolls Band Together (Justin Timberlake), Star Wars' The Mandalorian Season 3, and Creed III (Michael B. Jordan), as part of the team under Joe Shirley and Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson; a path he began after being selected for USC's prestigious Screen Scoring program. Most recently, he has returned to his musical roots through close collaboration with electronic composer and producer Bobby Krlic (Midsommar, BEEF, Beau Is Afraid). Outside of film, Prateek is the chief songwriter and guitarist of GUTSLIT, India's leading death metal export.

This binge compilation contains 5 episodes.Episodes included:1. The First Step (December 15, 2025)2. The Road To Gaotteland (December 16, 2025)3. The Red Road (December 17, 2025)4. The Waiting Game (December 18, 2025)5. The Captains Vote (December 19, 2025)---Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.----CREDITS ✍️ Writer: Jake Kerr

MAXIMUM DISTRIBUTION URGENT HIRING FUNDRAISING VOLUNTEERS Apply Now WhatsApp: +7 905 633 3606Hi, why suffer? Your 8B+ Proposal: FROM ZERO TO BILLIONS in a few years — a transformative opportunity — is ready. Join the GPBNet Global Peace Ambassador Franchise of Social Service, Charities, Health, Help Children and Families to unleash +95% of Global Empowerment that you have been missing daily until today on your path to 430+ of our Global Benefits for your place.ACT NOW:Watch today's 24/7 blessings Actions LIVE: https://www.youtube.com/live/ySCc-vKbQw4REGISTER YOUR DANIIL FOUNDATION WITH YOU AS DIRECTOR AT YOUR PLACE & Get GPBNet Membership at our official portal https://1gpb.netAs the world faces division and conflict, we rise with a unified mission. Daniil Foundation GPBNet invites YOU to become an Architect of Peace. Your creativity is a vital instrument in this movement.✨ Participate in the #PeacePicture CampaignIn honor of Daniil Cirpala, we invite your global submissions under the theme:TOGETHER FOR CHILDREN – TOGETHER FOR PEACE

MAXIMUM DISTRIBUTION URGENT HIRING FUNDRAISING VOLUNTEERS Apply Now WhatsApp: +7 905 633 3606Hi, why suffer? Your 8B+ Proposal: FROM ZERO TO BILLIONS in a few years — a transformative opportunity — is ready. Join the GPBNet Global Peace Ambassador Franchise of Social Service, Charities, Health, Help Children and Families to unleash +95% of Global Empowerment that you have been missing daily until today on your path to 430+ of our Global Benefits for your place.ACT NOW:Watch today's 24/7 blessings Actions LIVE: https://www.youtube.com/live/ySCc-vKbQw4REGISTER YOUR DANIIL FOUNDATION WITH YOU AS DIRECTOR AT YOUR PLACE & Get GPBNet Membership at our official portal https://1gpb.netAs the world faces division and conflict, we rise with a unified mission. Daniil Foundation GPBNet invites YOU to become an Architect of Peace. Your creativity is a vital instrument in this movement.✨ Participate in the #PeacePicture CampaignIn honor of Daniil Cirpala, we invite your global submissions under the theme:TOGETHER FOR CHILDREN – TOGETHER FOR PEACE

MAXIMUM DISTRIBUTION URGENT HIRING FUNDRAISING VOLUNTEERS Apply Now WhatsApp: +7 905 633 3606Hi, why suffer? Your 8B+ Proposal: FROM ZERO TO BILLIONS in a few years — a transformative opportunity — is ready. Join the GPBNet Global Peace Ambassador Franchise of Social Service, Charities, Health, Help Children and Families to unleash +95% of Global Empowerment that you have been missing daily until today on your path to 430+ of our Global Benefits for your place.ACT NOW:Watch today's 24/7 blessings Actions LIVE: https://www.youtube.com/live/ySCc-vKbQw4REGISTER YOUR DANIIL FOUNDATION WITH YOU AS DIRECTOR AT YOUR PLACE & Get GPBNet Membership at our official portal https://1gpb.netAs the world faces division and conflict, we rise with a unified mission. Daniil Foundation GPBNet invites YOU to become an Architect of Peace. Your creativity is a vital instrument in this movement.✨ Participate in the #PeacePicture CampaignIn honor of Daniil Cirpala, we invite your global submissions under the theme:TOGETHER FOR CHILDREN – TOGETHER FOR PEACE

Zachęcamy do wypełniania ankiety podsumowującej rok 2025 dla słuchaczowidzów MKwadratLink – https://forms.gle/Y73qZUNpDnVYmWy9A W tym odcinku zajmiemy się próbą zdefiniowania tego czym jest, a czym nie jest gra indie, a w szczególności tym, kiedy grę traktować powinniśmy jako debiut.Oprócz tego, recenzja najnowszego Metroida, a także Skate Story, w sekcji VR nowy Thief i Resident Evill Village. W kulturce między innymi Bugonia i Barry. Podziękowania dla wszystkich Patronów za wsparcie, a najbardziej dla: Op1ekun, Jan Jagieła, Janomin, Paweł G., Uki, Mateusz „Kaduk” Kadukowski z kanału Kadukowo, Taktyki, Kosmaty dziadu z kanału 8biters, Pierek, SMRDVSKY, Sebastian (Gry Starego Boomera), Taamsky, Thomas Voland. Okładka i montaż: PerkaRozpiska: Rudy Discord MKwadrat Podcast- https://discord.gg/PafByaf9DU Discord akcji #PolishOurPrices: https://discord.gg/zvzvFp7qmE Kanał Defana: https://www.youtube.com/@wsumiespoko/ (00:00:00) StartW co ostatnio graliśmy(00:02:25) Simplex(00:08:08) PerkaNewsy naleśnikowe(00:29:44) TGA – Half-Life 3(00:31:05) Expedition 33 to nie indie(00:37:15) Nowe Tombrajdery! Robią Polacy ale bez polskiej wersji(00:38:46) Co zainteresowało Simplexa(00:45:00) MS mniej zły od Rockstara, na związki pozwala(00:46:46) Deus Ex Remastered opóźniony(00:48:41) Odklejka CDPR – zrobią 3 Wiedźminy w 6 lat(00:50:30) Odnowiony Asasyn Black Flag 4(00:52:48) Spin-Off Postala od ruskiego deva i afera o AISprzęt(00:58:18) RAM i dyski drożeją – jesteśmy w dupie(01:01:30) 8 bit do Retro Receiver for PS1/PS2Gry naleśnikowe(01:06:50) Metroid Prime 4 – Simplex(01:44:44) Skate Story – PerkaNewsy VR(01:59:44) Star Citizen VR(02:01:19) The Boys: Trigger Warning(02:03:44) VR znów umiera (Meta tnie budżet)(02:05:27) Mod VR do MGS Delta, który wygląda bardzo dobrzeSprzęt VR(02:07:34) Meta znów zmienia plany co do headsetówGry VR(02:09:00) Thief VR – Simplex, Perka(02:49:41) Resident Evil Village VR – PerkaKulturka(03:12:19) Beast in Me (Netflix) – Simplex(03:15:08) Bugonia – Simplex(03:19:07) Barry – PerkaSpołeczność/Publicystyka(03:29:48) Adam u Adama(03:31:16) BAJOP(03:34:14) Podziękowania dla patronów(03:34:54) Ankieta i komentarze(03:45:33) KONKURS THIEF Konsumpcja:MP3: https://mkwadratpodcast.pl/podcast/MKwadrat_224.mp3YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MKwadratPodcastRSS: https://mkwadratpodcast.pl/feed/podcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7e5OdT8bnLmvCahOfo4jNGiTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mkwadrat-podcast/id1082742315twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mkwadratpodcastInterakcja:WWW: https://mkwadratpodcast.pl/Forum: https://stareforumpoly.pl/Discord: https://discord.com/invite/PafByaf9DUFanpage: https://facebook.com/MkwadratPodcast/Grupa FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mkwadratpodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mkwadratpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mkwadratpodcast/Kontrybucja:Patronite: https://patronite.pl/mkwadratpodcastSuppi: https://suppi.pl/mkwadratpodcast

What happens when curiosity, resilience, and storytelling collide over a lifetime of building something meaningful? In this episode, I welcome Nick Francis, founder and CEO of Casual Films, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, presence, and what it takes to keep going when the work gets heavy. Nick's journey began with a stint at BBC News and a bold 9,000-mile rally from London to Mongolia in a Mini Cooper, a spirit of adventure that still fuels how he approaches business and life today. We talk about how that early experience shaped Casual into a global branded storytelling company with studios across five continents, and what it really means to lead a creative organization at scale. Nick shares insights from growing the company internationally, expanding into Southeast Asia, and staying grounded while producing hundreds of projects each year. Along the way, we explore why emotionally resonant storytelling matters, how trust and preparation beat panic, and why presence with family, health, and purpose keeps leaders steady in uncertain times. This conversation is about building an Unstoppable life by focusing on what matters most, using creativity to connect people, and choosing clarity and resilience in a world full of noise. Highlights: 00:01:30 – Learn how early challenges shape resilience and long-term drive. 00:06:20 – Discover why focusing on your role creates calm under pressure. 00:10:50 – Learn how to protect attention in a nonstop world. 00:18:25 – Understand what global growth teaches about leadership. 00:26:00 – Learn why leading with trust changes relationships. 00:45:55 – Discover how movement and presence restore clarity. About the Guest: Nick Francis is the founder and CEO of Casual, a global production group that blends human storytelling, business know-how, and creativity turbo-charged by AI. Named the UK's number one brand video production company for five years, Casual delivers nearly 1,000 projects annually for world-class brands like Adobe, Amazon, BMW, Hilton, HSBC, and P&G. The adventurous spirit behind its first production – a 9,000-mile journey from London to Mongolia in an old Mini – continues to drive Casual's growth across offices in London, New York, LA, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong and Greater China. Nick previously worked for BBC News and is widely recognised for his expertise in video storytelling, brand building, and corporate communications. He is the founding director of the Casual Films Academy, a charity helping young filmmakers develop skills by producing films for charitable organisations. He is also the author of ‘The New Fire: Harness the Power of Video for Your Business' and a passionate advocate for emotionally resonant, behaviorally grounded storytelling. Nick lives in San Francisco, California, with his family. Ways to connect with Nick**:** Website: https://www.casualfilms.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@casual_global  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casualglobal/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CasualFilms/  Nick's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickfrancisfilm/  Casual's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/casual-films-international/  Beyond Casual - LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6924458968031395840 About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson  01:21 Well, hello everyone. I am your host, Mike hingson, that's kind of funny. We'll talk about that in a second, but this is unstoppable mindset. And our guest today is Nick Francis, and what we're going to talk about is the fact that people used to always ask me, well, they would call me Mr. Kingston, and it took me, as I just told Nick a master's degree in physics in 10 years to realize that if I said Mike hingson, that's why they said Mr. Kingston. So was either say Mike hingson or Michael hingson. Well, Michael hingson is a lot easier to say than Mike hingson, but I don't really care Mike or Michael, as long as it's not late for dinner. Whatever works. Yeah. Well, Nick, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're Nick Francis  02:04 here. Thanks, Mike. It's great to be here. Michael Hingson  02:08 So Nick is a marketing kind of guy. He's got a company called casual that we'll hear about. Originally from England, I believe, and now lives in San Francisco. We were talking about the weather in San Francisco, as opposed to down here in Victorville. A little bit earlier. We're going to have a heat wave today and and he doesn't have that up there, but you know, well, things, things change over time. But anyway, we're glad you're here. And thanks, Mike. Really looking forward to it. Tell us about the early Nick growing up and all that sort of stuff, just to get us started. Nick Francis  02:43 That's a good question. I grew up in London, in in Richmond, which is southwest London. It's a at the time, it wasn't anything like as kind of, it's become quite kind of shishi, I think back in the day, because it's on the west of London. The pollution from the city used to flow east and so, like all the kind of well to do people, in fact, there used to be a, there used to be a palace in Richmond. It's where Queen Elizabeth died, the first Queen Elizabeth, that is. And, yeah, you know, I grew up it was, you know, there's a lot of rugby played around there. I played rugby for my local rugby club from a very young age, and we went sailing on the south coast. It was, it was great, really. And then, you know, unfortunately, when I was 10 years old, my my dad died. He had had a very powerful job at the BBC, and then he ran the British Council, which is the overseas wing of the Arts Council, so promoting, I guess, British soft power around the world, going and opening art galleries and going to ballet in Moscow and all sorts. So he had an incredible life and worked incredibly hard. And you know, that has brought me all sorts of privileges, I think, when I was a kid. But, you know, unfortunately, age 10 that all ended. And you know, losing a parent at that age is such a sort of fundamental, kind of shaking of your foundations. You know, you when you're a kid, you feel like a, you're going to live forever, and B, the things that are happening around you are going to last forever. And so, you know, you know, my mom was amazing, of course, and, you know, and in time, I got a new stepdad, and all the rest of it. But you know, that kind of shaped a lot of my a lot of my youth, really. And, yeah, I mean, Grief is a funny thing, and it's funny the way it manifests itself as you grow. But yeah. So I grew up there. I went to school in the Midlands, near where my stepdad lived, and then University of Newcastle, which is up in the north of England, where it rains a lot. It's where it's where Newcastle Football Club is based. And you know is that is absolutely at the center of the city. So. So the city really comes alive there. And it was during that time that I discovered photography, and I wanted to be a war photographer, because I believe that was where life was lived at the kind of the real cutting edge. You know, you see the you see humanity in its in its most visceral and vivid color in terrible situations. And I kind of that seemed like an interesting thing to go to go and do. Michael Hingson  05:27 Well, what? So what did you major in in college in Newcastle? So I did Nick Francis  05:31 history and politics, and then I went did a course in television journalism, and ended up working at BBC News as a initially running on the floor. So I used to deliver the papers that you know, when you see people shuffling or not, they do it anymore, actually, because everything, everything's digital now digital, yeah, but when they were worried about the the auto cues going down, they we always had to make sure that they had the up to date script. And so I would be printing in, obviously, the, you know, because it's a three hour news show, the scripts constantly evolving, and so, you know, I was making sure they had the most up to date version in their hands. And it's, I don't know if you have spent any time around live TV Mike, but it's an incredibly humbling experience, like the power of it. You know, there's sort of two or 3 million people watching these two people who are sitting five feet in front of me, and the, you know, the sort of slightly kind of, there was an element of me that just wanted to jump in front of them and kind of go, ah. And, you know, never, ever work in live TV, ever again. But you know, anyway, I did that and ended up working as a producer, writing and developing, developing packets that would go out on the show, producing interviews and things. And, you know, I absolutely loved it. It was, it was a great time. But then I left to go and set up my company. Michael Hingson  06:56 I am amazed, even today, with with watching people on the news, and I've and I've been in a number of studios during live broadcasts and so on. But I'm amazed at how well, mostly, at least, I've been fortunate. Mostly, the people are able to read because they do have to read everything. It isn't like you're doing a lot of bad living in a studio. Obviously, if you are out with a story, out in the field, if you will, there, there may be more where you don't have a printed script to go by, but I'm amazed at the people in the studio, how much they are able to do by by reading it all completely. Nick Francis  07:37 It's, I mean, the whole experience is kind of, it's awe inspiring, really. And you know, when you first go into a Live, a live broadcast studio, and you see the complexity, and you know, they've got feeds coming in from all over the world, and you know, there's upwards of 100 people all working together to make it happen. And I remember talking to one of the directors at the time, and I was like, How on earth does this work? And he said, You know, it's simple. You everyone has a very specific job, and you know that as long as you do your bit of the job when it comes in front of you, then the show will go out. He said, where it falls over is when people start worrying about whether other people are going to are going to deliver on time or, you know, and so if you start worrying about what other people are doing, rather than just focusing on the thing you have to do, that's where it potentially falls over, Michael Hingson  08:29 which is a great object lesson anyway, to worry about and control and don't worry about the rest Nick Francis  08:36 for sure. Yeah, yeah, for sure. You know, it's almost a lesson for life. I mean, sorry, it is a lesson for life, and Michael Hingson  08:43 it's something that I talk a lot about in dealing with the World Trade Center and so on, and because it was a message I received, but I've been really preaching that for a long time. Don't worry about what you can't control, because all you're going to do is create fear and drive yourself Nick Francis  08:58 crazy, completely, completely. You know. You know what is it? Give me the, give me this. Give me the strength to change the things I can. Give me the give me the ability to let the things that I can't change slide but and the wisdom to know the difference. I'm absolutely mangling that, that saying, but, yeah, it's, it's true, you know. And I think, you know, it's so easy for us to in this kind of modern world where everything's so media, and we're constantly served up things that, you know, shock us, sadness, enrage us, you know, just to be able to step back and say, actually, you know what? These are things I can't really change. I'd have to just let them wash over me. Yeah, and just focus on the things that you really can change. Michael Hingson  09:46 It's okay to be aware of things, but you've got to separate the things you can control from the things that you can and we, unfortunately aren't taught that. Our parents don't teach us that because they were never taught it, and it's something. That, just as you say, slides by, and it's so unfortunate, because it helps to create such a level of fear about so many things in our in our psyche and in our world that we really shouldn't have to do Nick Francis  10:13 completely well. I think, you know, obviously, but you know, we've, we've spent hundreds, if not millions of years evolving to become humans, and then, you know, actually being aware of things beyond our own village has only been an evolution of the last, you know what, five, 600 years, yeah. And so we are just absolutely, fundamentally not able to cope with a world of such incredible stimulus that we live in now. Michael Hingson  10:43 Yeah, and it's only getting worse with all the social media, with all the different things that are happening and of course, and we're only working to develop more and more things to inundate us with more and more kinds of inputs. It's really unfortunate we just don't learn to separate ourselves very easily from all of that. Nick Francis  11:04 Yeah, well, you know, it's so interesting when you look at the development of VR headsets, and, you know, are we going to have, like, lenses in our eyes that kind of enable us to see computer screens while we're just walking down the road, you know? And you look at that and you think, well, actually, just a cell phone. I mean, cell phones are going to be gone fairly soon. I would imagine, you know, as a format, it's not something that's going to abide but the idea that we're going to create technology that's going to be more, that's going to take us away from being in the moment more rather than less, is kind of terrifying. Because, I would say already, even with, you know, the most basic technology that we have now, which is, you know, mind bending, compared to where we were even 20 years ago, you know, to think that we're only going to become more immersive is, you know, we really, really as a species, have to work out how we are going to be far better at stepping away from this stuff. And I, you know, I do, I wonder, with AI and technology whether there is, you know, there's a real backlash coming of people who do want to just unplug, yeah, Michael Hingson  12:13 well, it'll be interesting to see, and I hope that people will learn to do it. I know when I started hearing about AI, and one of the first things I heard was how kids would use it to write their papers, and it was a horrible thing, and they were trying to figure out ways so that teachers could tell us something was written by AI, as opposed to a student. And I almost immediately developed this opinion, no, let AI write the papers for students, but when the students turn in their paper, then take a day to in your class where you have every student come up and defend their paper, see who really knows it, you know. And what a great teaching opportunity and teaching moment to to get students also to learn to do public speaking and other things a little bit more than they do, but we haven't. That hasn't caught on, but I continue to preach it. Nick Francis  13:08 I think that's really smart, you know, as like aI exists, and I think to to pretend somehow that, you know, we can work without it is, you know, it's, it's, it's, yeah, I mean, it's like, well, saying, you know, we're just going to go back to Word processors or typewriters, which, you know, in which it weirdly, in their own time, people looked at and said, this is, you know, these, these are going to completely rot our minds. In fact, yeah, I think Plato said that was very against writing, because he believed it would mean no one could remember anything after that, you know. So it's, you know, it's just, it's an endless, endless evolution. But I think, you know, we have to work out how we incorporate into it, into our education system, for sure. Michael Hingson  13:57 Well, I remember being in in college and studying physics and so on. And one of the things that we were constantly told is, on tests, you can't bring calculators in, can't use calculators in class. Well, why not? Well, because you could cheat with that. Well, the reality is that the smart physicists realized that it's all about really learning the concepts more than the numbers. And yeah, that's great to to know how to do the math. But the the real issue is, do you know the physics, not just the math completely? Nick Francis  14:34 Yeah. And then how you know? How are the challenges that are being set such that you know, they really test your ability to use the calculator effectively, right? So how you know? How are you lifting the bar? And in a way, I think that's kind of what we have to do, what we have to do now, Michael Hingson  14:50 agreed, agreed. So you were in the news business and so on, and then, as you said, you left to start your own company. Why did you decide to do that? Nick Francis  14:59 Well, a friend of. Ryan and I from University had always talked about doing this rally from London to Mongolia. So, and you do it in an old car that you sort of look at, and you go, well, that's a bit rubbish. It has to have under a one liter engine. So it's tiny, it's cheap. The idea is it breaks down you have an adventure. And it was something we kind of talked about in passing and decided that would be a good thing to do. And then over time, you know, we started sending off. We you know, we applied, and then we started sending off for visas and things. And then before we knew it, we were like, gosh, so it looks like we're actually going to do this thing. But by then, you know, my job at the BBC was really taking off. And so I said, you know, let's do this, but let's make a documentary of it. So long story short, we ended up making a series of diary films for Expedia, which we uploaded onto their website. It was, you know, we were kind of pitching this around about 2005 we kind of did it in 2006 so it was kind of, you know, nobody had really heard of YouTube. The idea of making videos to go online was kind of unheard of because, you know, broadband was just kind of getting sorry. It wasn't unheard of, but it was, it was very, it was a very nascent industry. And so, yeah, we went and drove 9000 miles over five weeks. We spent a week sitting in various different repair yards and kind of break his yards in everywhere from Turkey to Siberia. And when we came back, it became clear that the internet was opening up as this incredible medium for video, and video is such a powerful way to share emotion with a dispersed audience. You know, not that I would have necessarily talked about it in that in those terms back then, but it really seemed like, you know, every every web page, every piece of corporate content, could have a video aspect to it. And so we came back and had a few fits and starts and did some, I mean, we, you know, we made a series of hotel videos where we were paid 50 quid a day to go and film hotels. And it was hot and it was hard work. And anyway, it was rough. But over time, you know, we started to win some more lucrative work. And, you know, really, the company grew from there. We won some awards, which helped us to kind of make a bit of a name for ourselves. And this was, there's been a real explosion in technology, kind of shortly after when we did this. So digital SLRs, so, you know, old kind of SLR cameras, you know, turned into digital cameras, which could then start to shoot video. And so it, there was a real explosion in high quality video produced by very small teams of people using the latest technology creatively. And that just felt like a good kind of kick off point for our business. But we just kind of because we got in in kind of 2006 we just sort of beat a wave that kind of started with digital SLRs, and then was kind of absolutely exploded when video cell phones came on the market, video smartphones. And yeah, you know, because we had these awards and we had some kind of fairly blue chip clients from a relatively early, early stage, we were able to grow the company. We then expanded to the US in kind of 2011 20 between 2011 2014 and then we were working with a lot of the big tech companies in California, so it felt like we should maybe kind of really invest in that. And so I moved out here with some of our team in 2018 at the beginning of 2018 and I've been here ever since, wow. Michael Hingson  18:44 So what is it? What was it like starting a business here, or bringing the business here, as opposed to what it was in England? Nick Francis  18:53 It's really interesting, because the creatively the UK is so strong, you know, like so many, you know, from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin to the Rolling Stones to, you know, and then on through, like all the kind of, you know, film and TV, you know, Brits are very good at kind of Creating, like, high level creative, but not necessarily always the best at kind of monetizing it, you know. I mean, some of those obviously have been fantastic successes, right? And so I think in the UK, we we take a lot longer over getting, getting to, like, the perfect creative output, whereas the US is far more focused on, you know, okay, we need this to to perform a task, and frankly, if we get it 80% done, then we're good, right? And so I think a lot of creative businesses in the UK look at the US and they go, gosh. Firstly, the streets are paved with gold. Like the commercial opportunity seems incredible, but actually creating. Tracking it is incredibly difficult, and I think it's because we sort of see the outputs in the wrong way. I think they're just the energy and the dynamism of the US economy is just, it's kind of awe inspiring. But you know, so many businesses try to expand here and kind of fall over themselves. And I think the number one thing is just, you have to have a founder who's willing to move to the US. Because I think Churchill said that we're two two countries divided by the same language. And I never fully understood what that meant until I moved here. I think what it what he really means by that is that we're so culturally different in the US versus the UK. And I think lots of Brits look at America and think, Well, you know, it's just the same. It's just a bit kind of bigger and a bit Brasher, you know, and it and actually, I think if people in the US spoke a completely different language, we would approach it as a different culture, which would then help us to understand it better. Yeah. So, yeah. I mean, it's been, it's been the most fabulous adventure to move here and to, you know, it's, it's hard sometimes, and California is a long way from home, but the energy and the optimism and the entrepreneurialism of it, coupled with just the natural beauty is just staggering. So we've made some of our closest friends in California, it's been absolutely fantastic. And across the US, it's been a fantastic adventure for us and our family. Michael Hingson  21:30 Yeah, I've had the opportunity to travel all over the US, and I hear negative comments about one place or another, like West Virginia, people eat nothing but fried food and all that. But the reality is, if you really take an overall look at it, the country has so much to offer, and I have yet to find a place that I didn't enjoy going to, and people I never enjoyed meeting, I really enjoy all of that, and it's great to meet people, and it's great to experience so much of this country. And I've taken that same posture to other places. I finally got to visit England last October, for the first time. You mentioned rugby earlier, the first time I was exposed to rugby was when I traveled to New Zealand in 2003 and found it pretty fascinating. And then also, I was listening to some rugby, rugby, rugby broadcast, and I tuned across the radio and suddenly found a cricket game that was a little bit slow for me. Yeah, cricket to be it's slow. Nick Francis  22:41 Yeah, fair enough. It's funny. Actually, we know what you're saying about travel. Like one of the amazing things about our Well, I kind of learned two sort of quite fundamentally philosophical things, I think, you know, or things about the about humans and the human condition. Firstly, like, you know, traveling across, you know, we left from London. We, like, drove down. We went through Belgium and France and Poland and Slovenia, Slovakia, Slovenia, like, all the way down Bulgaria, across Turkey into Georgia and Azerbaijan and across the Caspian Sea, and through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, into Russia, and then down into Mongolia. When we finished, we were due north of Jakarta, right? So we drove, we drove a third of the way around the world. And the two things that taught me were, firstly that human people are good. You know, everywhere we went, people would invite us in to have meals, or they'd like fix our car for not unit for free. I mean, people were so kind everywhere we went. Yeah. And the other thing was, just, when we get on a plane and you fly from here to or you fly from London, say to we, frankly, you fly from London to Turkey, it feels unbelievably different. You know, you fly from London to China, and it's, you know, complete different culture. But what our journey towards us, because we drove, was that, you know, while we might not like to admit it, we're actually quite, you know, Brits are quite similar to the French, and the French actually are quite similar to the Belgians, and Belgians quite similar to the Germans. And, you know, and all the way through, actually, like we just saw a sort of slowly changing gradient of all the different cultures. And it really, you know, we are just one people, you know. So as much as we might feel that, you know, we're all we're all different, actually, when you see it, when you when you do a drive like that, you really, you really get to see how slowly the cultures shift and change. Another thing that's quite funny, actually, was just like, everywhere we went, we would be like, you know, we're driving to Turkey. They'd be like, Oh, God, you just drove through Bulgaria, you know, how is like, everything on your car not been stolen, you know, they're so dodgy that you Bulgarians are so dodgy. And then, you know, we'd get drive through the country, and they'd be like, you know, oh, you're going into Georgia, you know, gosh, what you go. Make, make sure everything's tied down on your car. They're so dodgy. And then you get into Georgia, and they're like, Oh my God, you've just very driven through Turkey this, like, everyone sort of had these, like, weird, yeah, kind of perceptions of their neighbors. And it was all nonsense, yeah, you know. Michael Hingson  25:15 And the reality is that, as you pointed out, people are good, you know, I think, I think politicians are the ones who so often mess it up for everyone, just because they've got agendas. And unfortunately, they teach everyone else to be suspicious of of each other, because, oh, this person clearly has a hidden agenda when it normally isn't necessarily true at all. Nick Francis  25:42 No, no, no, certainly not in my experience, anyway, not in my experience. But, you know, well, oh, go ahead. No, no. It's just, you know, it's, it is. It's, it is weird the way that happens, you know, well, they say, you know, if, if politicians fought wars rather than, rather than our young men and women, then there'd be a lot less of them. Yeah, so Well, Michael Hingson  26:06 there would be, well as I tell people, you know, I I've learned a lot from working with eight guy dogs and my wife's service dog, who we had for, oh, gosh, 14 years almost, and one of the things that I tell people is I absolutely do believe what people say, that dogs love unconditionally, unless they're just totally traumatized by something, but they don't trust unconditionally. The difference between dogs and people is that dogs are more open to trust because we've taught ourselves and have been taught by others, that everyone has their own hidden agenda. So we don't trust. We're not open to trust, which is so unfortunate because it affects the psyche of so many people in such a negative way. We get too suspicious of people, so it's a lot harder to earn trust. Nick Francis  27:02 Yeah, I mean, I've, I don't know, you know, like I've been, I've been very fortunate in my life, and I kind of always try to be, you know, open and trusting. And frankly, you know, I think if you're open and trusting with people, in my experience, you kind of, it comes back to you, you know, and maybe kind of looking for the best in everyone. You know, there are times where that's not ideal, but you know, I think you know, in the overwhelming majority of cases, you know, actually, you know, you treat people right? And you know what goes what goes around, comes around, absolutely. Michael Hingson  27:35 And I think that's so very true. There are some people who just are going to be different than that, but I think for the most part, if you show that you're open to trust people will want to trust you, as long as you're also willing to trust Nick Francis  27:51 them completely. Yeah, completely. Michael Hingson  27:54 So I think that that's the big thing we have to deal with. And I don't know, I hope that we, we will learn it. But I think that politicians are really the most guilty about teaching us. Why not to trust but that too, hopefully, will be something we deal with. Nick Francis  28:12 I think, you know, I think we have to, you know, it's, it's one of the tragedies of our age, I think, is that the, you know, we spent the 20th century, thinking that sex was the kind of ultimate sales tool. And then it took algorithms to for us to realize that actually anger and resentment are the most powerful sales tools, which is, you know, it's a it's something which, in time, we will work out, right? And I think the problem is that, at the minute, these tech businesses are in such insane ascendancy, and they're so wealthy that it's very hard to regulate them. And I think in time, what will happen is, you know, they'll start to lose some of that luster and some of that insane scale and that power, and then, you know, then regulation will come in. But you know whether or not, we'll see maybe, hopefully our civilization will still be around to see that. Michael Hingson  29:04 No, there is that, or maybe the Vulcans will show up and show us a better way. But you know, Nick Francis  29:11 oh, you know, I'm, I'm kind of endlessly optimistic. I think, you know, we are. We're building towards a very positive future. I think so. Yeah, it's just, you know, get always bumps along the way, yeah. Michael Hingson  29:24 So you named your company casual. Why did you do that? Or how did that come about? Nick Francis  29:30 It's a slightly weird name for something, you know, we work with, kind of, you know, global blue chip businesses. And, you know, casual is kind of the last thing that you would want to associate with, a, with a, with any kind of services business that works in that sphere. I think, you know, we, the completely honest answer is that the journalism course I did was television, current affairs journalism, so it's called TV cadge, and so we, when we made a film for a local charity as part of that course. Course, we were asked to name our company, and we just said, well, cash, cash casual, casual films. So we called it casual films. And then when my friend and I set the company up, kind of formally, to do the Mongol Rally, we, you know, we had this name, you know, the company, the film that we'd made for the charity, had gone down really well. It had been played at BAFTA in London. And so we thought, well, you know, we should just, you know, hang on to that name. And it didn't, you know, at the time, it didn't really seem too much of an issue. It was only funny. It was coming to the US, where I think people are a bit more literal, and they were a bit like, well, casual. Like, why casual, you know. And I remember being on a shoot once. And, you know, obviously, kind of some filmmakers can be a little casual themselves, not necessarily in the work, but in the way they present themselves, right? And I remember sitting down, we were interviewing this CEO, and he said, who, you know, who are you? Oh, we're casual films. He's like, Oh, is that why that guy's got ripped jeans? Is it? And I just thought, Damn, you know, we really left ourselves open to that. There was also, there was a time one of our early competitors was called Agile films. And so, you know, I remember talking to one of our clients who said, you know, it's casual, you know, when I have to put together a little document to say, you know, which, which supplier we should choose, and when I lay it on my boss's desk, and one says casual films, and one says agile films, it's like those guys are landing the first punch. But anyway, we, you know, we, what we say now is like, you know, we take a complex process and make it casual. You know, filmmaking, particularly for like, large, complex organizations where you've got lots of different stakeholders, can be very complicated. And so, yeah, we sort of say, you know, we'll take a lot of that stress off, off our clients. So that's kind of the rationale, you know, that we've arrived with, arrived at having spoken to lots of our clients about the role that we play for them. So, you know, there's a kind of positive spin on it, I guess, but I don't know. I don't know whether I'd necessarily call it casual again. I don't know if I'm supposed to say that or not, but, oh, Michael Hingson  32:00 it's unique, you know? So, yeah, I think there's a lot of merit to it. It's a unique name, and it interests people. I know, for me, one of the things that I do is I have a way of doing this. I put all of my business cards in Braille, so the printed business cards have Braille on them, right? Same thing. It's unique completely. Nick Francis  32:22 And you listen, you know what look your name is an empty box that you fill with your identity. They say, right? And casual is actually, it's something we've grown into. And you know it's we've been going for nearly 20 years. In fact, funny enough for the end of this year is the 20th anniversary of that first film we made for the for the charity. And then next summer will be our 20th anniversary, which is, you know, it's, it's both been incredibly short and incredibly long, you know, I think, like any kind of experience in life, and it's been some of the hardest kind of times of my entire life, and some of the best as well. So, you know, it's, it is what it is, but you know, casual is who we are, right? I would never check, you know? I'd never change it. Michael Hingson  33:09 Now, no, of course not, yeah. So is the actual name casual films, or just casual? Nick Francis  33:13 So it was casual films, but then everyone calls us casual anyway, and I think, like as an organization, we probably need to be a bit more agnostic about the outcome. Michael Hingson  33:22 Well, the reason I asked, in part was, is there really any filming going on anymore? Nick Francis  33:28 Well, that's a very that's a very good question. But have we actually ever made a celluloid film? And I think the answer is probably no. We used to, back in the day, we used to make, like, super eight films, which were films, I think, you know, video, you know, ultimately, if you're going to be really pedantic about it, it's like, well, video is a digital, digital delivery. And so basically, every film we make is, is a video. But there is a certain cachet to the you know, because our films are loved and crafted, you know, for good or ill, you know, I think to call them, you know, they are films because, because of the, you know, the care that's put into them. But it's not, it's, it's not celluloid. No, that's okay, yeah, well, Michael Hingson  34:16 and I know that, like with vinyl records, there is a lot of work being done to preserve and capture what's on cellular film. And so there's a lot of work that I'm sure that's being done to digitize a lot of the old films. And when you do that, then you can also go back and remaster and hopefully in a positive way, and I'm not sure if that always happens, but in a positive way, enhance them Nick Francis  34:44 completely, completely and, you know, it's, you know, it's interesting talking about, like, you know, people wanting to step back. You know, obviously vinyl is having an absolute as having a moment right now. In fact, I just, I just bought a new stylist for my for my record. Play yesterday. It sounded incredible as a joy. This gave me the sound quality of this new style. It's fantastic. You know, beyond that, you know, running a company, you know, we're in nine offices all over the world. We produce nearly 1000 projects a year. So, you know, it's a company. It's an incredibly complicated company. It's a very fun and exciting company. I love the fact that we make these beautifully creative films. But, you know, it's a bit, I wouldn't say it's like, I don't know, you don't get many MBAs coming out of business school saying, hey, I want to set up a video production company. But, you know, it's been, it's been wonderful, but it's also been stressful. And so, you know, I've, I've always been interested in pottery and ceramics and making stuff with my hands. When I was a kid, I used to make jewelry, and I used to go and sell it in nightclubs, which is kind of weird, but, you know, it paid for my beers. And then whatever works, I say kid. I was 18. I was, I was of age, but of age in the UK anyway. But now, you know, over the last few 18 months or so, I've started make, doing my own ceramics. So, you know, I make vases and and pictures and kind of all sorts of stuff out of clay. And it's just, it's just to be to unplug and just to go and, you know, make things with mud with your hands. It's just the most unbelievably kind of grounding experience. Michael Hingson  36:26 Yeah, I hear you, yeah. One of the things that I like to do is, and I don't get to do it as much as I would like, but I am involved with organizations like the radio enthusiasts of Puget Sound, which, every year, does recreations of old radio shows. And so we get the scripts we we we have several blind people who are involved in we actually go off and recreate some of the old shows, which is really a lot of fun, Nick Francis  36:54 I bet, yeah, yeah, sort of you know that connection to the past is, is, yeah, it's great radio. Radio is amazing. Michael Hingson  37:03 Anyway, what we have to do is to train some of the people who have not had exposure to old radio. We need to train them as to how to really use their voices to convey like the people who performed in radio, whatever they're doing, because too many people don't really necessarily know how to do that well. And it is, it is something that we're going to work on trying to find ways to get people really trained. And one of the ways, of course, is you got to listen to the old show. So one of the things we're getting more and more people to do when we do recreations is to go back and listen to the original show. Well, they say, Well, but, but that's just the way they did it. That's not necessarily the way it should be done. And the response is, no, that's not really true. The way they did it sounded natural, and the way you are doing it doesn't and there's reality that you need to really learn how to to use your voice to convey well, and the only way to do it is to listen to the experts who did it. Nick Francis  38:06 Yeah, well, it's, you know, it's amazing. The, you know, when the BBC was founded, all the news readers and anyone who appeared on on the radio to to present or perform, had to wear like black tie, like a tuxedo, because it was, you know, they're broadcasting to the nation, so they had to, you know, they had to be dressed appropriately, right, which is kind of amazing. And, you know, it's interesting how you know, when you, when you change your dress, when you change the way you're sitting, it does completely change the way that you project yourself, yeah, Michael Hingson  38:43 it makes sense, yeah, well, and I always enjoyed some of the old BBC radio shows, like the Goon Show, and completely some of those are so much fun. Nick Francis  38:54 Oh, great, yeah, I don't think they were wearing tuxedo. It's tuxedos. They would Michael Hingson  38:59 have been embarrassed. Yeah, right, right. Can you imagine Peter Sellers in a in a tux? It just isn't going to happen. Nick Francis  39:06 No, right, right. But yeah, no, it's so powerful. You know, they say radio is better than TV because the pictures are better. Michael Hingson  39:15 I agree. Yeah, sure, yeah. Well, you know, I I don't think this is quite the way he said it, but Fred Allen, the old radio comedian, once said they call television the new medium, because that's as good as it's ever going Nick Francis  39:28 to get. Yeah, right, right, yeah. Michael Hingson  39:32 I think there's truth to it. Whether that's exactly the way he said it or not, there's truth to that, yeah, but there's also a lot of good stuff on TV, so it's okay. Nick Francis  39:41 Well, it's so interesting. Because, you know, when you look at the it's never been more easy to create your own content, yeah, and so, you know, and like, in a way, TV, you know, he's not wrong in that, because it suddenly opened up this, this huge medium for people just to just create. Right? And, you know, and I think, like so many people, create without thinking, and, you know, and certainly in our kind of, in the in the world that we're living in now with AI production, making production so much more accessible, actually taking the time as a human being just to really think about, you know, who are the audience, what are the things that are going to what are going to kind of resonate with them? You know? Actually, I think one of the risks with AI, and not just AI, but just like production being so accessible, is that you can kind of shoot first and kind of think about it afterwards, and, you know, and that's never good. That's always going to be medium. It's medium at best, frankly. Yeah, so yeah, to create really great stuff takes time, you know, yeah, to think about it. Yeah, for sure, yeah. Michael Hingson  40:50 Well, you know, our podcast is called unstoppable mindset. What do you think that unstoppable mindset really means to you as a practical thing and not just a buzzword. Because so many people talk about the kinds of buzzwords I hear all the time are amazing. That's unstoppable, but it's really a lot more than a buzzword. It goes back to what you think, I think. But what do you think? Nick Francis  41:15 I think it's something that is is buried deep inside you. You know, I'd say the simple answer is, is just resilience. You know, it's, it's been rough. I write anyone running a small business or a medium sized business at the minute, you know, there's been some tough times over the last, kind of 1824, months or so. And, you know, I was talking to a friend of mine who she sold out of her business. And she's like, you know, how are things? I was like, you know, it's, it's, it's tough, you know, we're getting through it, you know, we're changing a lot of things, you know, we're like, we're definitely making the business better, but it's hard. And she's like, Listen, you know, when three years before I sold my company, I was at rock bottom. It was, I genuinely thought it was so stressful. I was crushed by it, but I just kept going. And she's just like, just keep going. And the only difference between success and failure is that resilience and just getting up every day and you just keep, keep throwing stuff at the wall, keep trying new things, keep working and trying to be better. I think, you know, it's funny when you look at entrepreneurs, I'm a member of a mentoring group, and I hope I'm not talking out of school here, but you know, there's 15 entrepreneurs, you know, varying sizes of business, doing all sorts, you know, across all sorts of different industries. And if you sat on the wall, if you were fly on the wall, and you sit and look at these people on a kind of week, month to month basis, and they all present on how their businesses are going. You go, this is this being an entrepreneur does not look like a uniformly fun thing, you know, the sort of the stress and just, you know, people crying and stuff, and you're like, gosh, you know, it's so it's, it's, it's hard, and yet, you know, it's people just keep coming back to it. And yet, I think it's because of that struggle that you have to kind of have something in built in you, that you're sort of, you're there to prove something. And I, you know, I've thought a lot about this, and I wonder whether, kind of, the death of my father at such a young age kind of gave me this incredible fire to seek His affirmation, you know. And unfortunately, obviously, the tragedy of that is like, you know, the one person who would never give me affirmation is my dad. And yet, you know, I get up every day, you know, to have early morning calls with the UK or with Singapore or wherever. And you know, you just just keep on, keeping on. And I think that's probably what and knowing I will never quit, you know, like, even from the earliest days of casual, when we were just, like a couple of people, and we were just, you know, kids doing our very best, I always knew the company was going to be a success act. Like, just a core belief that I was like, this is going to work. This is going to be a success. I didn't necessarily know what that success would look like. I just but I did know that, like, whatever it took, we would map, we'd map our way towards that figure it out. We'd figure it out. And I think, you know, there's probably something unstoppable. I don't know, I don't want to sound immodest, but I think there's probably something in that that you're just like, I am just gonna keep keep on, keeping on. Michael Hingson  44:22 Do you think that resilience and unstoppability are things that can be taught, or is it just something that's built into you, and either you have it or you don't? Nick Francis  44:31 I think it's something that probably, it's definitely something that can be learned, for sure, you know. And there are obviously ways that it can there's obviously ways it can be taught. You know, I was, I spent some time in the reserve, like the Army Reserve in the UK, and I just, you know, a lot of that is about teaching you just how much further you can go. I think what it taught me was it was so. So hard. I mean, honestly, some of the stuff we did in our training was, like, you know, it's just raining and raining and raining and, like, because all your kits soaking wet is weighs twice what it did before, and you just, you know, sleeping maybe, you know, an hour or two a night, and, you know, and there wasn't even anyone shooting at us, right? So, you know, like the worst bit wasn't even happening. But like, and like, in a sense, I think, you know, that's what they're trying to do, that, you know, they say, you know, train hard and fight easy. But I remember sort of sitting there, and I was just exhausted, and I just genuinely, I was just thought, you know, what if they tell me to go now, I just, I can't. I literally, I can't, I can't do it. Can't do it. And then they're like, right, lads, put your packs on. Let's go and just put your pack on. Off you go, you know, like, this sort of, the idea of not, like, I was never going to quit, just never, never, ever, you know, and like I'd physically, if I physically, like, literally, my physical being couldn't stand up, you know, I then that was be, that would be, you know, if I was kind of, like literally incapacitated. And I think what that taught me actually, was that, you know, you have what you believe you can do, like you have your sort of, you have your sort of physical envelope, but like that is only a third or a quarter of what you can actually achieve, right, you know. And I think what that, what the that kind of training is about, and you know, you can do it in marathon training. You can do it in all sorts of different, you know, even, frankly, meditate. You know, you train your mind to meditate for, you know, an hour, 90 minutes plus. You know, you're still doing the same. You know, there's a, there's an elasticity within your brain where you can teach yourself that your envelope is so much larger. Yeah. So, yeah, you know, like, is casual going to be a success? Like, I'm good, you know, I'm literally, I won't I won't stop until it is Michael Hingson  46:52 right, and then why stop? Exactly, exactly you continue to progress and move forward. Well, you know, when everything feels uncertain, whether it's the markets or whatever, what do you do or what's your process for finding clarity? Nick Francis  47:10 I think a lot of it is in having structured time away. I say structured. You build it into your calendar, but like, but it's unstructured. So, you know, I take a lot of solace in being physically fit. You know, I think if you're, if you feel physically fit, then you feel mentally far more able to deal with things. I certainly when I'm if I'm unfit and if I've been working too much and I haven't been finding the time to exercise. You know, I feel like the problems we have to face just loom so much larger. So, you know, I, I'll book out. I, you know, I work with a fan. I'm lucky enough to have a fantastic assistant who, you know, we book in my my exercise for each week, and it's almost the first thing that goes in the calendar. I do that because I can't be the business my my I can't be the leader my business requires. And it finally happened. It was a few years ago I kind of, like, the whole thing just got really big on me, and it just, you know, and I'm kind of, like, being crushed by it. And I just thought, you know what? Like, I can't, I can't fit other people's face mask, without my face mask being fit, fitted first. Like, in order to be the business my business, I keep saying that to be the lead in my business requires I have to be physically fit. So I have to look after myself first. And so consequently, like, you know, your exercise shouldn't be something just get squeezed in when you find when you have time, because, you know, if you've got family and you know, other things happening, like, you know, just will be squeezed out. So anyway, that goes in. First, I'll go for a bike ride on a Friday afternoon, you know, I'll often listen to a business book and just kind of process things. And it's amazing how often, you know, I'll just go for a run and, like, these things that have been kind of nagging away in the back of my mind, just suddenly I find clarity in them. So I try to exercise, like, five times a week. I mean, that's obviously more than most people can can manage, but you know that that really helps. And then kind of things, like the ceramics is very useful. And then, you know, I'm lucky. I think it's also just so important just to appreciate the things that you already have. You know, I think one of the most important lessons I learned last year was this idea that, you know, here is the only there. You know, everyone's working towards this kind of, like, big, you know, it's like, oh, you know, when I get to there, then everything's going to be okay, you know. And actually, you know, if you think about like, you know, and what did you want to achieve when you left college? Like, what was the salary band that you want? That you wanted to achieve? Right? A lot of people, you know, by the time you hit 4050, you've blown way through that, right? And yet you're still chasing the receding Summit, yeah, you know. And so actually, like, wherever we're trying to head to, we're already there, because once you get there, there's going to be another there that you're trying to. Head to right? So, so, you know, it's just taking a moment to be like, you know, God, I'm so lucky to have what I have. And, you know, I'm living in, we're living in the good old days, like right now, right? Michael Hingson  50:11 And the reality is that we're doing the same things and having the same discussions, to a large degree, that people did 50, 100 200 years ago. As you pointed out earlier, the fact is that we're, we're just having the same discussions about whether this works, or whether that works, or anything else. But it's all the same, Nick Francis  50:33 right, you know. And you kind of think, oh, you know, if I just, just, like, you know, if we just open up these new offices, or if we can just, you know, I think, like, look, if I, if I'd looked at casual when we started it as it is now, I would have just been like, absolute. My mind would have exploded, right? You know, if you look at what we've achieved, and yet, I kind of, you know, it's quite hard sometimes to look at it and just be like, Oh yeah, but we're only just starting. Like, there's so much more to go. I can see so much further work, that we need so many more things, that we need to do, so many more things that we could do. And actually, you know, they say, you know, I'm lucky enough to have two healthy, wonderful little girls. And you know, I think a lot of bread winners Look at, look at love being provision, and the idea that, you know, you have to be there to provide for them. And actually, the the truest form of love is presence, right? And just being there for them, and like, you know, not being distracted and kind of putting putting things aside, you know, not jumping on your emails or your Slack messages or whatever first thing in the morning, you know. And I, you know, I'm not. I'm guilty, like, I'm not, you know, I'm not one of these people who have this kind of crazy kind of morning routine where, like, you know, I'm incredibly disciplined about that because, you know, and I should be more. But like, you know, this stuff, one of the, one of the things about having a 24 hour business with people working all over the world is there's always things that I need to respond to. There's always kind of interesting things happening. And so just like making sure that I catch myself every so often to be like, I'm just going to be here now and I'm going to be with them, and I'm going to listen to what they're saying, and I'm going to respond appropriately, and, you know, I'm going to play a game with them, or whatever. That's true love. You know? Michael Hingson  52:14 Well, there's a lot of merit to the whole concept of unplugging and taking time and living in the moment. One of the things that we talked about in my book live like a guide dog, that we published last year, and it's all about lessons I've learned about leadership and teamwork and preparedness from eight guide dogs and my wife's service dog. One of the things that I learned along the way is the whole concept of living in the moment when I was in the World Trade Center with my fifth guide dog, Roselle. We got home, and I was going to take her outside to go visit the bathroom, but as soon as I took the harness off, she shot off, grabbed her favorite tug bone and started playing tug of war with my retired guide dog. Asked the veterinarians about him the next day, the people at Guide Dogs for the Blind, and they said, Well, did anything threaten her? And I said, No. And they said, there's your answer. The reality is, dogs live in the moment when it was over. It was over. And yeah, right lesson to learn. Nick Francis  53:15 I mean, amazing, absolutely amazing. You must have taken a lot of strength from that. Michael Hingson  53:20 Oh, I think it was, it was great. It, you know, I can look back at my life and look at so many things that have happened, things that I did. I never thought that I would become a public speaker, but I learned in so many ways the art of speaking and being relaxed at speaking in a in a public setting, that when suddenly I was confronted with the opportunity to do it, it just seemed like the natural thing to do. Nick Francis  53:46 Yeah, it's funny, because I think isn't public speaking the number one fear. It is. It's the most fit. It's the most feared thing for the most people. Michael Hingson  53:57 And the reality is going back to something that we talked about before. The reality is, audiences want you to succeed, unless you're a jerk and you project that, audiences want to hear what you have to say. They want you to be successful. There's really nothing to be afraid of but, but you're right. It is the number one fear, and I've never understood that. I mean, I guess I can intellectually understand it, but internally, I don't. The first time I was asked to speak after the World Trade Center attacks, a pastor called me up and he said, we're going to we're going to have a service outside for all the people who we lost in New Jersey and and that we would like you to come and speak. Take a few minutes. And I said, Sure. And then I asked him, How many people many people were going to be at the service? He said, 6000 that was, that was my first speech. Nick Francis  54:49 Yeah, wow. But it didn't bother me, you know, no, I bet Michael Hingson  54:54 you do the best you can, and you try to improve, and so on. But, but it is true that so many people. Are public speaking, and there's no reason to what Nick Francis  55:03 did that whole experience teach you? Michael Hingson  55:06 Well, one of the things that taught me was, don't worry about the things that you can't control. It also taught me that, in reality, any of us can be confronted with unexpected things at any time, and the question is, how well do we prepare to deal with it? So for me, for example, and it took me years after September 11 to recognize this, but one of the things that that happened when the building was hit, and Neither I, nor anyone on my side of the building really knew what happened. People say all the time, well, you didn't know because you couldn't see it. Well, excuse me, it hit 18 floors above us on the other side of the building. And the last time I checked X ray vision was fictitious, so nobody knew. But did the building shake? Oh, it tipped. Because tall buildings like that are flexible. And if you go to any tall building, in reality, they're made to buffet in wind storms and so on, and in fact, they're made to possibly be struck by an airplane, although no one ever expected that somebody would deliberately take a fully loaded jet aircraft and crash it into a tower, because it wasn't the plane hitting the tower as such that destroyed both of them. It was the exploding jet fuel that destroyed so much more infrastructure caused the buildings to collapse. But in reality, for me, I had done a lot of preparation ahead of time, not even thinking that there would be an emergency, but thinking about I need to really know all I can about the building, because I've got to be the leader of my office, and I should know all of that. I should know what to do in an emergency. I should know how to take people to lunch and where to go and all that. And by learning all of that, as I learned many and discovered many years later, it created a mindset that kicked in when the World Trade Center was struck, and in fact, we didn't know until after both towers had collapsed, and I called my wife. We I talked with her just before we evacuated, and the media hadn't even gotten the story yet, but I never got a chance to talk with her until after both buildings had collapsed, and then I was able to get through and she's the first one that told us how the two buildings had been hit by hijacked aircraft. But the mindset had kicked in that said, You know what to do, do it and that. And again, I didn't really think about that until much later, but that's something that is a lesson we all could learn. We shouldn't rely on just watching signs to know what to do, no to go in an emergency. We should really know it, because the knowledge, rather than just having information, the true intellectual knowledge that we internalize, makes such a big difference. Nick Francis  57:46 Do you think it was the fact that you were blind that made you so much more keen to know the way out that kind of that really helped you to understand that at the time? Michael Hingson  57:56 Well, what I think is being blind and growing up in an environment where so many things could be unexpected, for me, it was important to know so, for example, when I would go somewhere to meet a customer, I would spend time, ahead of time, learning how to get around, learning how to get to where they were and and learning what what the process was, because we didn't have Google Maps and we didn't have all the intellectual and and technological things that we have today. Well intellectual we did with the technology we didn't have. So today it's easier, but still, I want to know what to do. I want to really have the answers, and then I can can more easily and more effectively deal with what I need to deal with and react. So I'm sure that blindness played a part in all of that, because if I hadn't learned how to do the things that I did and know the things that I knew, then it would have been a totally different ball game, and so sure, I'm sure, I'm certain that blindness had something to do with it, but I also know that, that the fact is, what I learned is the same kinds of things that everyone should learn, and we shouldn't rely on just the signs, because what if the building were full of smoke, then what would you do? Right? And I've had examples of that since I was at a safety council meeting once where there was somebody from an electric company in Missouri who said, you know, we've wondered for years, what do we do if there's a fire in the generator room, in the basement, In the generator room, how do people get out? And he and I actually worked on it, and they developed a way where people could have a path that they could follow with their feet to get them out. But the but the reality is that what people first need to learn is eyesight is not the only game in town. Yeah, right. Mean, it's so important to really learn that, but people, people don't, and we take too many things for granted, which is, which is really so unfortunate, because we really should do a li

Karch enters the Craft Hall for the pivotal guildmaster vote, surrounded by an unsettling display of armed guards that suggests Polo may not accept defeat peacefully. But when he arrives at the council chamber, something is wrong—the captains and designates who will actually cast the votes are conspicuously absent, sequestered in another room. As Polo lounges with false confidence and Quinto paces with boredom, Vesper finally strides in with dangerous arrogance, ready to claim his position. The tension mounts as Karch realizes he has no idea which way this vote will swing, and whether he'll need to flee to Jasper's waiting boat before the day is done.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.----CREDITS ✍️ Writer: Jake Kerr

In Episode 83 of Moving Into the Future, host Jack Macejka sits down with Kunal Sharma, founder and CEO of FlipSpaces, to explore how AI, VR visualization, and global supply chains are redefining the design-build industry. Kunal discusses the philosophy behind spatial design, why performance now outweighs aesthetics, and how FlipSpaces developed its Co-Create framework to align function, culture, and creation. The conversation moves from India’s startup-driven design evolution to Dubai’s rapid development to the regulatory realities of the United States, highlighting why physical spaces must evolve as quickly as the digital tools shaping them. With real examples from projects across three continents, this episode examines what the next generation of workspaces will require from leaders, governments, and innovators. Catch more episodes at https://theadvancegrp.com/happenings/podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karch's carriage ride to the docks becomes a journey through paranoia as his protégé Vesper refuses to accompany him—a rejection that feels like betrayal. Meanwhile, Polo's triumph hangs by a thread when his heroic puppet Rogers can't be found. Meanwhile, Quinto returns to his duty as the Guildmaster Knight and Vesper prepares for the vote in his own quiet way.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.----CREDITS ✍️ Writer: Jake Kerr

Send us a textWhat if self-care didn't require another appointment, another commute, or another barrier to entry? In this episode, we sit down with Quentin McAdoo—Founder and Principal of Mobile Saltworks—to talk about wellness, alternative healing, and what it looks like to bring restoration directly to the people who need it most. From salt therapy to VR meditation, Quentin shares how his all-electric EV Salt Cave is redefining accessible, inclusive, and even fun self-care across North Carolina.About Our Guest: Quentin McAdooQuentin McAdoo is the Founder of Mobile Saltworks, launched in January 2023. With 8+ years of experience across finance and healthcare, he's a results-focused, servant leader known for practical problem-solving and building transformative partnerships. Quentin holds a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and industry-recognized certifications including PMI-ACP and CSPO. As the son and brother of military veterans, he is deeply committed to prioritizing veteran hiring as the business grows.About Mobile SaltworksMobile Saltworks is a wellness-on-wheels company dedicated to making self-care more accessible, sustainable, and inclusive—especially for communities that often face barriers to wellness services.Mission: Break down barriers between people and wellness through mobile, holistic, eco-friendly innovation. Flagship Offering: The EV Salt Cave—the world's first all-electric mobile salt cave.Services Inside the EV Salt CaveSalt Therapy (Halotherapy): respiratory support, immune support, stress reliefZero Gravity Massage Chairs: deep relaxation and recoveryVirtual Reality Meditation: guided immersive meditation experiencesRed Light Therapy: supports cellular function and helps reduce inflammationChromotherapy (Color Light Therapy): mood and energy balancingWho They ServeIndividuals & Groups: seniors, athletes, parents, wellness seekers, event attendeesOrganizations: businesses, schools, hospitals, armed forces, and more via on-site wellness programsWhere They OperateResources & LinksMobile Saltworks: Home - Mobile SaltworksBook an appointment: Contact - Mobile SaltworksFollow Mobile Saltworks: FacebookFollow Quentin McAdoo: Quentin McAdoo, PMI-ACP | LinkedInWEBB Remedy Podcast: The WEBB Remedy PodcastCall to ActionIf today's episode resonated, share it with a friend who needs a little relief and restoration. And if you haven't yet, follow/subscribe so you don't miss upcoming conversations with the entrepreneurs changing the economic landscape across our state.DisclaimerThis episode is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any health concerns or before starting new wellness therapies.About WEBB SquaredWEBB Squared is a 501(c)(3) EIN 86-3751750 whose mission is to recognize and address the wealth gap by providing a suppoSupport the showThank you for listening.... Feel free to contact us with your thoughts, questions, or more. We would love to hear from you. Please contact rinnie@webbsquared.org

This episode explores the intersection of AI with healthcare, space innovation, and education. Preston and Seb discuss personalized genetic analysis, Google's space data centers, haptic touch tech, and the future of simulated realities. They also touch on AI bias, regulation, and how evolving tech might reshape society, purpose, and connection. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:05:20 - How genetic data is used to create custom supplement plans 00:07:21 - The role of AI in interpreting genetic information 00:16:21 - Why Google's space-based data centers could revolutionize computing 00:19:55 - Technical challenges of Bitcoin mining in orbit 00:24:17 - The implications of space debris and Kessler Syndrome 00:26:11 - How AI is personalizing education through initiatives like "Learn Your Way" 00:30:35 - Pros and cons of VR and humanoid robots in classrooms 00:38:45 - Ethical concerns around AI bias and centralization of regulation 00:54:37 - Advances in haptic touch technology for VR and robotics 00:50:12 - Philosophical questions about simulations, reality, and technology's impact on society Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Seb's book: ⁠⁠⁠The Hidden Cost of Money⁠⁠⁠. X Account: ⁠⁠Seb Bunney⁠⁠. Related⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ mentioned in the podcast. Ad-free episodes on our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Premium Feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. NEW TO THE SHOW? Join the exclusive ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIP Mastermind Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Follow our official social media accounts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bitcoin Fundamentals Starter Packs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIP Finance Tool⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Enjoy exclusive perks from our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠favorite Apps and Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Intrinsic Value Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠best business podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our ⁠sponsors⁠: Simple Mining Human Rights Foundation Unchained HardBlock Linkedin Talent Solutions Onramp Amazon Ads Alexa+ Shopify Vanta Public.com - see the full disclaimer here. Abundant Mines Horizon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm

Dive into the heart of NFL betting with our expert panel! Join Kelly Stewart, Marco D'Angelo and Gianni the Greek as they provide in-depth analysis and professional insights on Week 16 NFL games. Introduction 00:00TNF Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks 00:50SNF New England Patriots vs Baltimore Ravens 02:55MNF San Francisco 49ers vs Indianapolis Colts 06:56Steam Report with VR 11:20Barking Dogs 13:54Marco Barko 14:00VR's Barking Dog 16:34KIV's Barking Dog 20:10Marco's Deli 21:20Marco's Sandwich Game of the Week 21:45Best Bets 24:19VR NFL Best Bet 24:30Marco NFL Best Bet 30:00Kelly NFL Best Bet 33:40Recap 35:25

In public safety training, stress is not a side effect; it is part of the curriculum. The hard question is how to introduce it at the right time, at the right intensity, in a way that improves decision-making without turning scenarios into predictable check-the-box drills. A recent study from Texas State University's ALERRT takes aim at a core debate by asking whether virtual reality can trigger the kind of acute-stress response officers feel in high-fidelity, in-person scenarios, and what that could mean for training quality, consistency and scale. M. Hunter Martaindale is the director of research and an associate research professor at the ALERRT Center at Texas State University where he leads applied research on police performance, decision-making, and stress in high-risk environments. In this episode of Policing Matters, he breaks down his team's study comparing biomarkers and self-reported stress in a high-fidelity active attacker scenario versus a VR version built to match the live scenario as closely as possible, and he explains what VR can and cannot replace in modern training. About our sponsor This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is brought to you by LVT, the mobile surveillance solution trusted by public-sector leaders nationwide. LVT's solar-powered mobile surveillance units put eyes and AI analytics where fixed cameras can't — parking lots, remote borders, disaster zones, and large events. Agencies using LVT have seen up to an 83% drop in parking-lot incidents and a 54% reduction in burglaries. Each unit is rapid to deploy, cloud-connected via cellular or satellite, and secured end-to-end so your team can monitor and respond in real time with fewer resources. See how LVT's self-powered units protect communities, secure critical infrastructure and support law-enforcement operations and schedule a free trial today at LVT.com.

In this Greatest Hits episode of TechMagic, hosts Cathy Hackl and Adam Davis McGee dive into the cutting edge of spatial computing, AI, and extended reality. Join Cathy and Adam as they unpack Meta's XR partnership with Palmer Luckey, Snap's smart glasses ambitions, and Apple's sleek AR design strategy. Cathy dives into the strange world of vibe coding and discovers anyone can gamify the pitfalls of the dating scene. The conversation also explores AI dating experiments, haptic tech in entertainment, and the evolving ethics of privacy in a spatially connected world. With insights from AWE and ILMxLAB, they reflect on the shift from storytelling to “story living” and highlight key legislation shaping AI security. A must-listen for anyone tracking the future of tech-human interaction.Come for the tech, stay for the magic!Cathy Hackl BioCathy Hackl is a globally recognized tech & gaming executive, futurist, and speaker focused on spatial computing, virtual worlds, augmented reality, AI, strategic foresight, and gaming platforms strategy. She's one of the top tech voices on LinkedIn and is the CEO of Spatial Dynamics, a spatial computing and AI solutions company, including gaming. Cathy has worked at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Magic Leap, and HTC VIVE and has advised companies like Nike, Ralph Lauren, Walmart, Louis Vuitton, and Clinique on their emerging tech and gaming journeys. She has spoken at Harvard Business School, MIT, SXSW, Comic-Con, WEF Annual Meeting in Davos 2023, CES, MWC, Vogue's Forces of Fashion, and more. Cathy Hackl on LinkedInSpatial Dynamics on LinkedInLee Kebler BioLee has been at the forefront of blending technology and entertainment since 2003, creating advanced studios for icons like Will.i.am and producing music for Britney Spears and Big & Rich. Pioneering in VR since 2016, he has managed enterprise data at Nike, led VR broadcasting for Intel at the Japan 2020 Olympics, and driven large-scale marketing campaigns for Walmart, Levi's, and Nasdaq. A TEDx speaker on enterprise VR, Lee is currently authoring a book on generative AI and delving into splinternet theory and data privacy as new tech laws unfold across the US.Lee Kebler on LinkedInAdam Davis-McGee BioAdam Davis-McGee is a dynamic Creative Director and Producer specializing in immersive storytelling across XR and traditional media. As Senior Producer at Journey, he led the virtual studio, pioneering cutting-edge virtual experiences. He developed a Web3 playbook for Yum! Brands, integrating blockchain and NFT strategies. At Condé Nast, Adam produced engaging video content for Wired and Ars Technica, amplifying digital storytelling. His groundbreaking XR journalism project, In Protest: Grassroots Stories from the Frontlines (Oculus/Meta), captured historic moments in VR. Passionate about pushing creative boundaries, Adam thrives on crafting innovative narratives that captivate audiences worldwide.Adam Davis-McGee on LinkedInKey Discussion Topics:00:00 Intro: Welcome to Tech Magic with Cathy Hackl06:33 Meta's Eagle Eye: Military XR Partnership with Palmer Luckey14:05 Apple's Liquid Glass: Paving the Way for AR Glasses17:25 Haptic Innovation: Apple's F1 Movie Trailer Experience19:18 Human vs AI: Why F1 Racing Needs the Human Element22:27 Browser History Dating: AI's Latest Match-Making Experiment26:27 Snap's Vision: Consumer Smart Glasses Coming in 202631:27 From Storytelling to Story Living: ILMxLAB's Immersive Future33:54 Closing Thoughts: Summer Break Announcement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 years ago today Mark welcomed Ela Darling, the Marketing Director of ViRo Club and Adult Film performer and Santa Claus who took time out of his busy schedule to stop by. Ela talked about how adult film stars tend to be deceptively smart, and how she got her Masters Degree in 2 years and became a librarian, who turn out to be freedom fighters. Mark complimented her acting while bound and having a ball gag in her mouth and she told the story about how she became the first Virtual Reality webcam girl which involves Dungeons and Dragons. Check out the ultimate in adult interactivity. See the future that Ela was talking about on the show at viro.club Santa was his usual jolly self, and acknowledged that Ela was the reason for the demand in VR helmets this year. He talked about his foot fetish in great detail and acknowledged Christmas' pagan roots. He also had gifts for Ela and cohost Hannah who called in and got a little naughty when Ela was seated on his lap. Give the gift of The Dark Mark Show this holiday season. Go to www.teepublic.com/user/dms1 for shirts, mugs, phone/laptop covers, masks and more! This podcast is sponsored by Raze Energy Drinks Go to https://bit.ly/2VMoqkk and put in the coupon code DMS for 15% off the best energy drinks. Zero calories. Zero carbs. Zero crash Tactical Soap Smell Great with Pheromone infused products and drive women wild with desire! Go to https://grondyke-soap-company.myshopify.com/?rfsn=7187911.8cecdba

Za čo Trump žaluje BBC? Rusko odmieta sviatočné prímerie na fronte. Vráti prezident novelu trestného zákona naspäť do Národnej rady?

Maela climbs the familiar stairs of the Thieves Tower, but today they feel like judgment itself. She must face Alard. fearing he'll think she's abandoning the guild just as its walls are finally holding.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.----CREDITS ✍️ Writer: Jake Kerr

(December 16,2025) KTLA & KFI tech reporter Rich DeMuro joins the show for ‘Tech Tuesday.’ Today, Rich talks about Google opening up live translation to all earbuds, Disney+ now available on Meta’s VR headset, Roomba filing for bankruptcy, the US government is launching a new tech task force, and the top 10 tech gifts that are on everyone’s list this year. Chinses billionaires having dozens of U.S. born babies via surrogate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Eric Klein, Assistant Provost, Doctoral Research & Student Success, American College of EducationIn this episode, part of our Academic Integrity Series, sponsored by ⁠Integrity4EducationYOUR cohost is Thomas Fetsch, CEO, Integrity4EducationYOUR host is ⁠Elvin Freytes⁠How does an online university grow enrollment by doubling every year for 5 years while maintaining 85% graduation rates & 95% student satisfaction without raising tuition since 2016?What happens when an institution refuses Title IV funding & offers master's degrees for under $10,000 & doctoral programs under $25,000 while delivering $19.20 in ROI for every $1 students invest?How does a focus on transparency & student centeredness through personalized pathways, immersive VR learning & clear job placement data prepare 12,000 students for lifelong learning in an AI enabled world?Listen in to #EdUpThank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp!Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elvin Freytes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠& ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Joe Sallustio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠● Join YOUR EdUp community at ⁠The EdUp Experience⁠We make education YOUR business!P.S. Want to get early, ad-free access & exclusive leadership content to help support the show? Then ⁠⁠​subscribe today​⁠⁠ to lock in YOUR $5.99/m lifetime supporters rate! This offer ends December 31, 2025!

 In this episode, we explore a common question among veterans: Can you own a business while receiving VA disability benefits? We break down how service-connected disability compensation interacts with entrepreneurship, what programs and resources exist to support veteran business owners, and what considerations to keep in mind if you're thinking about starting or running your own company. From understanding the basics of VA benefit rules to exploring opportunities like the VR&E self-employment track and veteran-owned business certifications, this episode offers practical insight for veterans who want to build something of their own.

This Week: We’re covering all the biggest premieres, announcements, and winners from The Game Awards 2025, gaming’s biggest night of the year. Highlights include a Control Resonant sequel, Resident Evil Requiem, two new Star Wars games, and surprise reveals from studios like Crystal Dynamics, Larian Studios, and Bad Robot Games, among many others. Plus, Synth Riders officially lands on Nintendo Switch, and we’re joined by Kluge Interactive’s Arturo and Abraham Aquero to talk about bringing the hit rhythm VR game to a new platform, including what new artists and features fans can expect!

Is it possible to build community within AI? Can we challenge search engines to put humanity and the truth at the forefront of their outputs? According to Troy Snyder, astrology student turned entrepreneur, the answer is ... maybe. In this episode, Tessa Burg and Troy examine the balance between technology and humanity. They discuss the challenges of having AI determine what is “true,” how brands can stay authentic and build trust in an increasingly automated world, and even how to view AI through an astrology lens.  Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op.  About Troy Snyder: For more than three decades, Troy has operated at the frontier of digital innovation—helping to guide the evolution of streaming from early SD pipelines to HD, 4K, the first waves of VR, and early AI efforts—while studying the timeless frameworks that have shaped human understanding for thousands of years. Troy has led the creation of authentication systems, video CMS architectures, large-scale distribution networks and multiband rural wireless. He has also contributed to emerging AI-driven digital identity tools with Mebot.ai where “Human AI” and how we create true lifelike representations of self in the AI age is explored. Beyond his work in digital innovation, Troy is committed to long-term social impact. He serves as founder and chairman for Wonderful Foundations, a charity that owns and supports 27 schools serving more than 15,000 kids. This effort reflects Troy's belief that technology and infrastructure should exist in service of human potential. In addition to being a technologist, Troy is also a practicing Vedic astrologer whose work spans invention, executive leadership, creative production, fundraising and systems engineering, always with an eye toward the deeper patterns that connect technology, people and purpose. About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.

Exhausted and exposed on the ancient Dragon Road, Raylan, Rebecca, and Philos encounter Outlanders who attack without warning or negotiation. When three pike-wielding men emerge from the granite shadows, Philos transforms from silent guardian into devastating war machine, revealing his mount is no simple draft horse but a trained warhorse built for brutal combat. The violent clash shatters any illusion of safe passage through the Plains, forcing the trio to confront a harsh reality: not everyone respects the thieves guild seal, and the road ahead may demand blood rather than words.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.----CREDITS ✍️ Writer: Jake Kerr

0:00 Hey Hey it's.. MonJay! Without The “J”0:53 Intro/Housekeeping 2:40 Coffee Cup Rant5:00 Phlegm 6:40 Gamecat Meetup7:02 Welcome To Derry7:30 Tips9:00 Zero Caliber First Impressions23:30 Tips26:05 Blood & Truth, Is Sony Plotting Something?27:50 The Tide Is Turning31:35 Ace Combat 8, No VR Mode40:30 Game Key Cards41:20 RE4 Numbers Jump Up With The Sale49:00 Tips51:00 What is the “Satisfactory” Devs VR Problem?1:08:00 Bioshock in VR?1:09:45 Four Minute Challenge1:19:55 Final Tips1:21:45 Thank You!1:23:09 Outro

Hello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore the use of VR for teaching and learning. Today I'm joined by Aaron Sorrels, founder and world creator of The Soapstone Comedy Club, to talk about the recent launch of Soapstone Comedy – Heckler's Bay in Meta Horizon worlds. We'll explore how this social VR space supports confidence, communication, and skill development for teens and young adults, and what educators can learn from its approach to safety, avatars, and learning transfer from virtual performance to real-world settings.  Check out https://www.soapstonecomedy.com/.

Tyler and Mike read listener email and discord messages! They discuss VR, the 3DS, and a AAA Oregon Trail. The theme music is by RoccoW. The logo was created by Dani Dodge.

https://lordsofgaming.net/LORDS AFTER DARK on Insider Game App! ANDROID: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.insidergaming.appIOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/insider-gaming/id67539846481) ADVANCEDGG Use Code "IRONLORD" for 10% off https://advanced.gg/pages/partner-ironlords?_pos=12) VALARI PILLOW Use Code "ILP15" valari.gg/?ref=ironlordspodcastroundtable3)  ILP MERCH: https://ironlordspodcast-shop.fourthwall.com/collections/allsofgaming.net/4) NZXT & IRON LORDS PC Use Affiliate LINK: https://nzxt.co/Lords5) HAWORTH Gaming Chairs & ILP Use Affiliate LINK: https://haworth.pxf.io/4PKj7M*********************************************************00:00 - ILP#427 Pre-Show22:34 - ILP#427 Intro1:29:40 - Terminator 2D No Fate & Neon Inferno2:04:35 - Game Award Winners/Crown Your Lord2:40:40 - Game Award Reveals Best In Show3:17:22 - Xbox Developer Direct Predictions3:32:52 - ILP Crown Your Lord CORRECTION! LOL4:22:47 - ILP#427 Outro*********************************************************Welcome to The Iron Lords Podcast!Be sure to visit www.LordsOfGaming.net for all your gaming news!ILP Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6XRMnu8Tf1fgIdGlTIpzsKILP Google Play:play.google.com/music/m/Iz2esvyqe…ron_Lords_PodcastILP SoundCloud: @user-780168349ILP Itunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/iron-…uiR-IgF6cE9EQicIILP on Twitter: twitter.cm/IronLordPodcastILP on Instagram: www.instagram.com/ironlordspodcast/ILP DESTINY CLAN:www.bungie.net/en/Clan/Detail/178626The Iron Lords and the Lords of Gaming have an official group on Facebook! Join the Lords at:www.facebook.com/groups/194793427842267www.facebook.com/groups/lordsofgamingnetwork/Lord COGNITO--- twitter.com/LordCognitoLord KING--- twitter.com/kingdavidotwLord ADDICT--- twitter.com/LordAddictILPLord SOVEREIGN--- twitter.com/LordSovILPLord GAMING FORTE---twitter.com/Gaming_ForteILP YouTube Channel for ILP, Addict Show & all ILP related content: www.youtube.com/channel/UCYiUhEbYWiuwRuWXzKZMBxQXbox Frontline with King David: www.youtube.com/@xboxfrontlineFollow us on Twitter @IronLordPodcast to get plugged in so you don't miss any of our content.

Our first ever Season 26 episode answers a question I've never asked: what is to be done with all those VR headsets Silicon Valley tried to force on us before they forced AI on us?The answer is: so that bad dads can teach their teenaged sons about the birds and the bees by forcing them to watch brutal POV strangulation porn which in turn leads to a series of assaults on teen girls. We also meet Detective Kate Silva for the first time on MMB and wish we'd been watching the episode happening in a parallel timeline about the playground footlicker instead.Music:Divorcio Suave - “Munchy Business”Thanks to our gracious Munchies on Patreon: Jeremy S, Jaclyn O, Amy Z, Diana R, Tony B, Barry W, Drew D, Nicky R, Stuart, Jacqi B, Natalie T, Robyn S, Amy A, Sean M, Jay S, Briley O, Asteria K, Suzanne B, Tim Y, John P, John W, Elia S, Rebecca B, Lily, Sarah L, Melsa A, Alyssa C, Johnathon M, Tiffany C, Brian B, Whitney C, Alex, Jannicke HS, Erin M, Florina C, Melissa H, Olivia, Holly F, Karina H, Zak B, Karyn R, and Summer S - y'all are the best!Be a Munchie, too! Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/munchmybensonBe sure to check out our other podcast diving into long unseen films of our guests' youth: Unkind Rewind at our website or on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcastsFollow us on: BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Reddit (Adam's Twitter/BlueSky and Josh's BlueSky/Letterboxd/Substack)Join our Discord: Munch Casts ServerCheck out Munch Merch: Munch Merch at ZazzleCheck out our guest appearances:Both of us on: FMWL Pod (1st Time & 2nd Time), Storytellers from Ratchet Book Club, Chick-Lit at the Movies talking about The Thin Man, and last but not least on the seminal L&O podcast …These Are Their Stories (Adam and Josh).Josh discussing Jackie Brown, The Love Witch, and The Long Goodbye with the fine folks at Movie Night Extravaganza, debating the Greatest Detectives in TV History on The Great Pop Culture Debate Podcast, and talking SVU/OC and Psych (five eps in all) on Jacked Up Review Show.Visit Our Website: Munch My BensonEmail the podcast: munchmybenson@gmail.comNext New Episode: Season 20, Episode 24 "End Game"Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/munch-my-benson-a-law-order-svu-podcast--5685940/support.

On this episode of the Ruff Talk VR podcast we are going over ever trailer shown on our Ruff Talk VR Gaming Showcase from this past weekend, including our thoughts on the showcase as a whole! From our pre-show featuring games such as Maestro and Deadly Delivery, to main show announcements from games like Ghosts of Tabor announcing their wipe date and teasing their next IP collab DLC, as well as Masters of Light announcing their mixed reality mode, and much more!Use code RUFFTALKVR at checkout to save on any game or hardware on the Meta Quest store and help support the show!Showcase form: https://forms.gle/HxwkK9zuwydwbkKM8Big thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Become a supporter of the show today at https://www.patreon.com/rufftalkvrDiscord: https://discord.gg/9JTdCccucSPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/rufftalkvrIf you enjoy the podcast be sure to rate us 5 stars and subscribe! Join our official subreddit at https://www.reddit.com/r/RuffTalkVR/Support the show

247 | Warum ist Google die Überraschung und die EU der Flop des Jahres? Flo Heinemann & Alex machen den traditionellen Jahresrückblick.Finde eine Geschäftsidee, die perfekt zu dir passt: ⁠⁠digitaleoptimisten.de/quiz⁠⁠Kapitel:(00:00) Intro(04:18) Was war der Deal des Jahrs?(18:21) Was ist das Unternehmen des Jahres?(26:42) Was war die Überraschung des Jahres?(38:32) Was war der Flop des Jahres?(50:27) Wer war die Person des Jahres?(58:09) Was war die Erkenntnis des Jahres?Mehr Kontext:In dieser Episode blicken Alexander Mrozek und Florian auf das Jahr 2025 zurück, analysieren die wirtschaftlichen Entwicklungen, bedeutende Deals und Unternehmen sowie die Überraschungen des Jahres. Sie diskutieren die Trends im Bereich AI und die Veränderungen in der Wahrnehmung von Unternehmen wie Google und Nvidia. In dieser Episode diskutieren Alexander Mrozek und Florian die wichtigsten Themen des Jahres, darunter die Hype-Kultur in der Startup-Welt, die Flops des Jahres im Bereich Virtual Reality und AI, die Herausforderungen der Nachhaltigkeit, die Wahl von Zoran Mandani als Person des Jahres und die Erkenntnis, dass Autarkie für Europa eine neue Realität darstellt.Keywords:Jahr 2025, DAX, Wirtschaft, Arbeitslosigkeit, Deals, Unternehmen, Überraschungen, AI, Google, Nvidia, Startup, Hype, Flop, Nachhaltigkeit, Zoran Mamdani, Autarkie, Realpolitik, AI, VR, Investitionen

Photo by David Klein on Unsplash Published 15 December 2025 e535 with Michael M and Andy – adversarial poetry to jailbreak LLMs, iFixit's FixBot, power of digital twins, putting the breaks on Rewind, Nintendo Virtual Boy and a whole lot more. Michael M and Andy start things off with a most intriguing concept – adversarial poetry.  By using ‘memetic language', researchers formulated prompts with imagery and metaphor instead of direct operational phrasing to trick LLMs into providing unsafe responses.  Michael makes the point that AI prompts are becoming more and more like spells or incantations.  See the show notes below for a link to the paper for any budding AI poet laureate wannabes.  Perhaps Jabberwocky can be used in a snicker snack way.   Switching to another AI use case, Andy and Michael discuss the iFixit FixBot. The FixBot provides expert advice and guidance for repairs, by talking to the human who likely needs both hands to effect the repair. Next up are a couple of stories on digital twins, and how they leverage game technology. By taking sufficient data points to create a digital twin, multiple attempts can be made virtually to see the improvement before applying the capability to the non-digital twin. Andy is reminded of an article that outlines the affinity between the metaverse and digital twin concepts. Nvidia has a concept of this in their Omniverse capability. Another example of a digital twin with a game overlay is the Job Simulator Game. This game is written as a 2050 historical virtual reality environment allowing the player to experience what it was like to have a job in 2020. This fun VR historical reenactment experience is one of the stories that Tobi Lütke discussed in his recent interview with the Acquired team. Staying on the VR simulation theme, Andy and Michael take a look at the Rats Play Doom game which trains rats in an immersive way to play Doom. In the last section of the episode, the team takes a look at some metaverse news. Meta has acquired limitless.ai and is shutting down Rewind on the Mac, and is also shifting more investment from the metaverse to AI. Wrapping up the episode, Michael and Andy look at the Nintendo Virtual Boy and Xteink 4. What poetry would you write to prompt an LLM? Have your bots

Ralan's mission to the Pietro's study is cut short before it even begins when Rangers intercept his group beyond the South Gate. What should be a friendly encounter with allies turns hostile as arrows are nocked and accusations of treason fly. And to make matters worse, Ralan has forgotten where the shallow crossing of the Great River is.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.----CREDITS ✍️ Writer: Jake Kerr

In a post capitalist society with equal opportunity and no need to work for all citizens, where does inherent human nature drive people? Do they rise to greater heights or become lazy and goalless? Are people still in control of their own fate when AI teach the children, AI provide a police force, and AI look after the mentally ill? Maji grows up when this type of society is brand new and she becomes lost, not knowing what she wants to become. Just because equality has been achieved does not mean the new society has no pitfalls.Featured tech:A.R. glasses - Augmented reality glasses for digital overlays.V.R. rig - Virtual reality rig for immersive gaming experiences.Explorers of Paris Underground - VR game set in a simulated underground Paris.Assist - AI assistant for messaging, navigation, and voice commands.Old tablet - Handheld device used for drawing and creative work.Emulated teachers - AI teacher personalities that individually guide each student.Double-decker train system - 24/7 underground train with upper and lower levels running opposite directions.Constructor bots - Robots that carve rock and build structures with neighborhood appeal.Arboretum - Botanical garden facility within the underground colony.Farm animal petting zoo - Interactive animal facility for residents.Memorial plaza - Public commemorative space built by robots.Computer with emulated A.I. personalities - System hosting 20 million AI engineers and scientists for factory planning.Automated manufacturing factories - Self-operating production facilities capable of making anything.Recycle systems - Technology converting all garbage into reusable resources.Food and water utilities - Next-generation systems providing surplus fresh food and water.Household trash robots - Daily robots that collect, sort, and process household waste.Geothermal power plant - Energy source powering the entire underground colony.D. sub-surface hologram portraits - Holographic displays of historical figures.A.R. Ms Weever - Augmented reality teacher avatar for personalized instruction.Virtual book - Digital project idea book for graduation assignments.E.P.s (Emulated Personalities) - AI brainstorming assistants like Franklin that students can consult.Communication from moon - Interplanetary messaging system between Earth and lunar colonies.A.R. workspace - Augmented reality interface for work and multitasking.AR hologram avatar - AI representation (Butler) with simplified human features.EEG TMS caps - Brain stimulation caps treating space-related medical conditions.Total immersion V.R. - Advanced virtual reality without needing physical rigs.Fusion reactor - Power generation technology offered by the Butler AI.Autonomous hospitals - Self-operating medical facilities that cure cancers and deadly diseases.Smart toilets - Sanitation fixtures that analyze waste for health monitoring.Smart sheets and blankets - Bedding that scans for cancer hot spots.Embedded RF sensors - Body implants detecting diseases at the cellular level.Food tech - Technology making healthy food taste appealing and nutritious.Health-monitoring AI - Artificial intelligence improving yearly at disease detection.Autono-flat - Autonomous flat vehicle for transporting groups of people.Screen ceiling - Display showing simulated sky with moving clouds and birds.Climbing robots - Automated vine-trimming robots for building maintenance.A.R. element - Shared augmented reality content viewable by multiple users.Link-ink pen - Digital pen for schoolwork and digital interaction.Autono-camera - Autonomous camera on wheeled tripod for recording events.Two-seater - Two-person autonomous vehicle for individual transport.E.P. guardians - AI guardians monitoring people with mental health conditions.Bot bays - Automated food preparation stations offering free specialized meals.Industrial fans - Large-scale ventilation fans moving air through tunnels.Hanging bots - Robots riding cable lines mounted on tunnel ceilings.Coveralls with total hoods and heat pump backpacks - Protective smart clothing for hazardous environments.A.R. tutor - Augmented reality teaching assistant for student guidance.Enclosed turbine platform - Testing apparatus for wind turbine prototypes in storm conditions.Live feed embedded cam - Camera providing real-time video streaming from remote locations.Cool suits - Protective suits with environmental control and heat management.Open-top autono-cart - Autonomous open-air vehicle for traveling tube streets.Lutin bot - Humanoid robot that can be ridden or assist with transport.A.R. dot - Augmented reality location marker for navigation.Follow carts - Autonomous carts that follow users carrying belongings.Oppressive soundproof walls - Flat acoustic dampening technology in older apartments.Mini free food and drink kiosk - Automated food and beverage dispenser.Theater-length wall screen - Large display screen for entertainment and presentations.Lending library AI - AI system tracking borrowed items and managing micro-payment penalties.Police bot - Security and surveillance robots throughout the colony.Spotlight police bots - Security robots equipped with illumination for monitoring.Portable meal maker - Compact food preparation device running on electricity.Scuba gear - Underwater breathing apparatus for flood emergencies.Air-sealed service rooms - Sealed chambers above tubes providing flood protection.BritLights - Flickering emergency lighting fixtures in abandoned areas.A.R. night vision - Augmented reality low-light enhancement for dark environments.Paper clothes - Disposable garments popular in space colonies.Neural stimulation pod - Chamber for VR experiences with headset and wire connectivity.Remote robot control - Capability allowing AI to operate robots from a distance.Many of the characters in this project appear in future episodes.Using storytelling to place you in a time period, this series takes you, year by year, into the future. From 2040 to 2195. If you like emerging tech, eco-tech, futurism, perma-culture, apocalyptic survival scenarios, and disruptive science, sit back and enjoy short stories that showcase my research into how the future may play out. The companion site is https://in20xx.com These are works of fiction. Characters and groups are made-up and influenced by current events but not reporting facts about people or groups in the real world. This project is speculative fiction. These episodes are not about revealing what will be, but they are to excited the listener's wonder about what may come to pass.Copyright © Cy Porter 2025. All rights reserved.

Hello everyone, welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how VR is being used for teaching and learning. Today we're talking about one of the most important challenges in immersive learning: how to scale VR beyond a single demo or one-off experience. Joining me is Dwayne Melcher, CEO of Melcher Studios, the team behind the innovative VR Hub — a growing library of job-role simulations, safety modules, and career exploration experiences designed to help institutions deliver meaningful VR training at scale, including in remote or hard-to-reach communities. In this episode, we'll explore the story behind the VR Hub, why so many organizations struggle to expand their VR use, and how Melcher Studios is creating solutions that make immersive learning more accessible and sustainable.

I won't speak too much on the structure of The Game Awards. It's the usual thing year in and year out. We've been here before and we'll be back here again next year. Same show. Same complaints. What I will talk about is why we're announcing games that, at the earliest, we'll never see until 2030. I know we've had announcements of games far in advance before but this one feels significant, I guess. We've also had games announced that never got released so this isn't all that new but it just seems a waste to put it out there while we'll likely never hear about it again for another 2 years or maybe 3. Elder Scrolls 6 was teased back in 2018, I think, and we've heard nothing about it since. Perhaps it really depends on the game. Like Elder Scrolls there is a massive fan base who are familiar with waiting and waiting on the next installment though this has been a rather longer wait than ever before. And so we're here with a Star Wars title that won't release before 203 – again a massively large fan base who are also familiar with waiting on the next installment. Of course, they'll need to tread lightly. We've waited on games and other media before for very long times only to have them arrive with massive disappointment. Eventually the waiting builds up enough hype to where it peaks before the thing even releases and by then everyone's expectations are either so high the game never lives up to it or so low it doesn't sell because people have already peaked their hype and moved on. Gamers have short memories, however. But I haven't forgotten about Ubisoft. It has been 4,500 days since a new Splinter Cell game (non-animated series or guest spot in another game franchise, remake, BBC radio drama, or VR exclusive) was released. Also, there's been 5,300 job losses in the gaming industry since January 1, 2025.

Dave is back with a packed studio and longtime friend of the show Nick Coleman — olive oil educator, sensory expert, and musician behind HGH — fresh off a trip to Greece teaching at the International Olive Oil Network. They go deep on how to detect defects in olive oil by smell alone, why fruité noir works when done intentionally, olive fly maggots, pruning for quality fruit, and why every producing country swears theirs is the best.Noma scientist and author Ariel Johnson joins mid-show, jumping straight into flavor chemistry: why plum frozen yogurt tastes like strawberries, how to reverse-engineer hogo for non-alcoholic tiki drinks, sulfur compounds in durian, chlorophyll behavior in green herb oils, and more. Saffron custard gelato, carotenoids, pressure-cooking aromatics, British potatoes — nothing is safe.The crew also spirals into glorious tangents:• DIY Danish pork roast & the perfect crackling sandwich• Street food logic — what should be eaten on the move• The underrated beauty (and stink) of ginkgo trees• Why wrapping potatoes in foil ruins them• Delivery fries, baguette sandwiches, and sidewalk etiquette rage• VR garbage, museum exhibits, waiting for Godot w/ Keanu & Alex WinterPlus olive oil tasting in-studio, Patreon callers, and a preview of upcoming episodes — including Kevin from Noma returning soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

¡Apoya Reconectados, escucha programas exclusivos y participa en todos los sorteos! ✅ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reconectados La gala The Game Awards nos ha dejado un buen número de anuncios, fechas, confirmaciones y cambios de planes. Junto a los premios en las distintas categorías y el previsible Game of the Year, en este encuentro con mucho que discutir hemos sabido de los nuevos Tomb Raider, del que será el proyecto más grande de los padres de Baldur's Gate 3, de un nuevo juegazo de Star Wars a cargo del director de KOTOR y Mass Effect, de Control Resonant, del nuevo juego del creador de Braid o The Witness, del creador de Yakuza, del creador de Left 4 Dead, un nuevo Total War Warhammer 40.000, el regreso de Mega Man, Pragmata, Saros... Ha habido mucho y variado que nos permite debatir y reflexionar de hacia dónde va la industria. Además, esta semana analizamos Octopath Traveler 0 y su descaro, el puntiagudo Skate Story o el regreso de Thief ahora en VR. Todo esto junto a otros temas y debates en una de las semanas más felices del año para los consumidores de videojuegos. ¡Gracias por acompañarnos y comentar el episodio! Time stamps: (00:00:00) - Intro y agradecimientos: Hasta siempre, Robe (00:08:20) - The Game Awards: Anuncios y opiniones de la gala (00:32:20) - El regreso y futuro de Lara Croft (00:43:44) - Divinity es BRUTAL, resuelto el misterio de la estatua (00:49:56) - Star Wars, sorpresa de la noche (00:57:18) - Más anuncios y un circo en el escenario (01:14:17) - Expedition 33 arrasa en los GOTY, ¿merecido? (01:34:04) - Octopath Traveler 0, una chapa de 100 horas (02:00:50) - Skate Story, la última sorpresa del año (02:13:57) - Thief VR, tren de la bruja de ladrones (02:35:51) - Despedida: tenemos una cita el lunes Compra más barato en nuestro enlace de Instant Gaming: https://www.instant-gaming.com/es/?igr=reconectados ¡Apoya Reconectados, decide y participa en todos los sorteos! ✅ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reconectados ¡Sigue nuestro canal de Twitch! ✅ Suscríbete a Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/reconectados ¡Únete a nuestro grupo de Telegram de ofertas! ✅ Canal de ofertas: https://t.me/ofertasvideojuegosreco ¡Escucha Reconectados cada semana: Jueves 07:00am! Ivoox: https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-reconectados-videojuegos_sq_f1467878_1.html Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0TzgUfUZppavUlKeRreIXL Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/reconectados-videojuegos/id1304330116 ¡Síguenos en redes sociales! X-Twitter: @ReconectadosPod Jabote: @Jabote22 Manu: @ManuGmn Paula: @paulacroft02 Borja: @borjaruete TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reconectadospod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReconectadosPodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reconectadospod/

This binge compilation contains 5 episodes.Episodes included:1. The Root And The Rot (December 08, 2025)2. The Ghost And The Liars (December 09, 2025)3. The Dragons Are Waking (December 10, 2025)4. Vesper's Update (December 11, 2025)5. A Wolf In The House (December 12, 2025)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.----CREDITS ✍️ Writer: Jake Kerr

Brazilian beat doctor HeyDoc! dropped out of med-school to provide the true treatment to medicate your soul: more bass. This week he takes over the Dirtybird Radio frequencies to celebrate his new 2-track EP release, Da Beat. VR warm-up set:Fernanda Arrau & Ketiov - "Mexico Tour (Theus Mago)" [Duro]J. Worra & Benni Ola - "perfect" [dialogxe]Papa Lu feat. The $how - "Better" [Rules Don't Apply]Lennard Ellis - "You've Been On My Mind" [Box Of Cats]HeyDoc! guest set:HeyDoc! - Astro DanceTony Romera - La Street x Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow (Acapella)Dj Dan, Carabetta - PsychosisKyle Watson - FeelDiscip - Off The ClockChris Lake, Skrillex, ANITE B QUEEN - La NocheHeyDoc! - IDDJ Glen - Fanfare (HeyDoc! Remix)SecondCity, Tyler Rowe - I EnterLEFTI - Your LightHeyDoc! - IDNoizu - RattlesnakeMarco Strous - In The ParkCesco - GITP50 Carrot - DirtySimula - DescentLYNY - SectionSammy Virji - BogeymanMPH - FiestaID - IDMoksi, AK RENNY - Never Come DownHeyDoc! - Da Beat

We discuss Meta confirming a funding shift from the Metaverse toward AI glasses, reports of a delay for its ultralight headset, and work starting on a gaming-focused Quest 4. We also cover Samsung Galaxy XR getting realistic avatars, the first clip of Xreal's Project Aura device, and Valve's comments on the blurring lines between VR and non-VR content.Here's the full topic list, in order:1. Valve On The Blurring Lines Between VR & Non-VR Content2. Share Quest Activity As Discord StatusMeta Statement & Leaked Memos3. Meta Confirms Shifting Some Funding From Metaverse Toward AI Glasses4. Meta Delays Ultralight Headset, Starts Work On Gaming-Focused Quest 4Android XR Features & Xreal Project Aura Tease5. Samsung Galaxy XR Gets 'Likeness' Avatars & Travel Mode6. First Clip Of Xreal's Project Aura Android XR Device7. Android XR AI Feature Turns Any 2D Window 3D

What does the future of learning look like? In this episode, we go behind the scenes with Jenn Womble, the visionary driving the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), to get an exclusive look at what's coming to Orlando in January 2026.Jenn reveals the bold ideas, immersive experiences, and innovative programming shaping one of the world's most influential edtech gatherings. From stepping into a full-immersion VR classroom and exploring a reimagined vendor floor to cutting-edge talks on AI, FETC 2026 is packed with surprises that celebrate creativity, leadership, and the evolving role of technology in schools. Get your front-row seat to the future of learning!---ABOUT OUR GUESTJennifer Eakin Womble is a nationally recognized leader in education and technology, dedicated to advancing professional development and innovation in the edtech space. Since 2010, she has served as the Conference Chair for the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC)—the largest independent edtech conference in North America—curating high-impact events and professional learning experiences. She also leads the FETC Webinar Series and contributes to District Administration magazine. A nationally recognized speaker, Jennifer has been honored as an EdTech and eLearning Top Influencer, an EdTech Digest Leadership Award recipient, and a judge for the District Administration Top EdTech Products and Reimagine Education Awards.---SUBSCRIBE TO THE SERIES: ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠YouTube Music⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Overcast⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW US: ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠POWERED BY CLASSLINK: ClassLink provides one-click single sign-on into web and Windows applications, and instant access to files at school and in the cloud. Accessible from any computer, tablet, or smartphone, ClassLink is ideal for 1to1 and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠classlink.com⁠⁠⁠.

What up, jeeks?

William's back, this time with Redban! They chat about wild Portugal. The Man party stories and $400 sushi disasters to cruise-ship fears, VR hangouts, fraternity madness, weird smells, and holiday traditions. It's The William Montgomery Show! Need a new pair of headphones this holiday season? Go to https://buyraycon.com/montgomeryopen for 30% off your first order!

The Podcast That Rocked for 12/10/25. Can Avenged Sevenfold still make magic? Garbage VS Beach Balls, Gene Simmons is awful (again), and more. Get 25% Off Everything at Heavys Audio with code XMAS25 at checkout! https://www.heavys.comDiscussion Topics:Avenged Sevenfold release new song “Magic” through Call of Duty, announced co-headline tour with Good CharlotteGood Things Fest in Australia featured an angry Shiriley Manson of Garbage and beachballsGene Simmons claims Ace Frehley's death was due to his “Bad Decisions”The Pretty Reckless to play on Jimmy Kimmel Live, ft. Taylor's AbsMore of our favorite albums from 2025Upcoming tours/albums and more SONG OF THE WEEK: Gore. “Wrath” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am_q3P705rY “Surprise! Avenged Sevenfold have released a brand-new song, Magic. Following 2023 album Life Is But A Dream…, the Huntington Beach metallers have teamed back up with Call Of Duty to share a new track as part of the Season 01 patch for Black Ops 7. And just like LIBAD…, it's one hell of a trippy ride…“Our new song, Magic, is out everywhere on streaming now,” A7X posted on their website. “Thanks to our friends at Call of Duty BO7 for letting us have some fun yesterday. Listen to the new song, watch the 360 VR music video, and enjoy the lyric video with incredible single art by Wes Lang here.” (Kerrang) Can AVENGED SEVENFOLD Still Make Magic? | The Podcast That Rocked

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We're checking into Universal Helios Grand Hotel to see if this Celestial Park stunner truly lives up to the hype. From gorgeous views and modern rooms to breezy pool vibes and a rooftop bar that practically begs you to stay all night, we're breaking down everything you need to know about Universal's newest Signature resort.But before we get too relaxed, we do the exact opposite of relaxing… and launch ourselves straight into the Upside Down for the Sandbox VR Stranger Things experience. If you've ever wondered what it feels like to be a freshly recruited Hawkins Lab test subject — complete with haptic vests, free-roam VR, and Vecna breathing down your digital neck — this one's for you. We'll walk you through the story, the scares, the teamwork chaos, the Demogorgon encounters, and of course… who on our team “carried the squad” (the after-action video never lies).From high-end luxury at Helios Grand to high-intensity thrills in Stranger Things VR, we're covering food, vibes, gameplay, pricing, and whether these two experiences are worth adding to your next Universal vacation.

Jeff and Christian welcome Victor Lucas from EPTV back to the show this week to discuss an indie studio channeling Burnout unable to make it work, Netflix getting all of WB Games in its $82 billion purchase, and 50 upcoming VR games showcased. The Playlist: Vic: Octopath Traveler 0, Batman: The Animated Series GB on ModRetro Chromatic, Rogue Squadron N64 on Analogue 3D, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, Metroid Prime 4, Expedition 33  Christian: Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls closed beta 2; Metroid Prime 4: Beyond; Ghost of Yōtei VR Talk: Vic: Deadpool VR and Pistol Whip Jeff: Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow, The Phoenix Gene Parting Gifts!