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This episode we are covering the end of the reign of Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou.  We cover the events in the Chronicles, including the death of Nakatomi no Kamatari, the creation of the Fujiwara family, the destruction of Goguryeo, and the continued development of the Baekje refugees. For more, check out the podcast blog at: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-128 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 128: Immigrants, Princes, and High Officials. There was a pall over the house, despite the visiting royal retinue creating something of a stir,.  While craftspeople were still hard at work repairing damage from the lightning strike only a few months earlier, that wasn't the reason for the low spirits.  Rather, the house was worried for their patriarch, the Naidaijin, Nakatomi no Kamatari.  He had fallen ill, and despite all the pleas to the kami and the Buddhas , it seemed the end might be near. And so even the sovereign himself had come.  Kamatari was not just a loyal official, but  a close friend of the sovereign, someone who had been there since the beginning.  And so we can imagine how Naka no Oe felt.  He may have been the sovereign of Yamato, but he was still a human being, visiting his friend of some 30 or so years, knowing that for all of the power that he held, there was nothing he could do against the ravages of time and disease.     The year is 668—Naka no Oe has moved the capital to Ohotsu, on the banks of Lake Biwa, and has formally assumed the throne. This episode we are going to cover the last several years of Naka no Oe's reign.  In contrast to last week's dive into Yamato science, this week is going to be a bit of a grab bag, looking at what was going on in Yamato and talking about what was recorded in the Chronicles. And for the most part, the entries for the rest of the year 668 are fairly normal, and yet there are some oddities… For instance, in the fourth month we are told that Baekje sent Mitosapu and others to offer tribute.  And any other time that would be just a normal thing.  Except that at this point in history, Baekje was about as going a concern as a parrot in a Monty Python sketch.  So if the Kingdom of Baekje was no longer a thing, who was it that was sending the tribute? Most likely it was the Baekje communities in exile living in the archipelago.  Remember how many of them had settled around Biwa and in 666, two thousand Baekje people were settled somewhere in the East.  These immigrants  were still being supported by the Yamato government, who were basically subsidizing their settlement for the first three years, during which time they would be expected to make it into a permanent settlement. Based on the way the Chronicles talk about it, these early Baekje communities sound like they were maintaining a kind of kingdom in exile.  With many immigrants from Baekje living together in proximity, they were likely keeping their own groups, with their own language and traditions, at least for now.  It would be interesting to know if there were specific Baekje settlements that have been identified through the archaeological record.   That said, we definitely see Baekje's mark on the archipelago: Physically, there are the Baekje style castles, and various temples following Baekje style layouts.  Of course there were also continental building styles, but some of that was shared across multiple cultures at this point, and one should consider how much Baekje influence might have been found in things that we later see as Japanese. Additionally, Baekje nobles were involved in the court, often given court rank based in part on their rank in Baekje, though it wasn't quite equivalent.  Still,  in time, some of the nobles would trace their lineages back to Baekje nobles and princes. Speaking of princes and Baekje, on the fifth day of the fifth month of 668 —a day that would come to be known as Ayame no hi, or Tango no Sekku, one of the major days of court ceremony—Naka no Oe went out hunting on the moor of Kamafu, known today as Gamou district, near Kanzaki, where 400 Baekje people had been settled.  He was out there with the Crown Prince, his younger brother, aka Prince Ohoama, and all the other princes and ministers.  A grand outing. A month later, however, tragedy struck.  One “Prince Ise” and his younger brother died on consecutive days.  While this was undoubtedly a blow to the court, the interesting thing for our purposes – which also highlights the challenge of interpreting the Chronicles is that we aren't exactly sure who this is referring to.  It's not the first time we've seen this title: we first see a “Prince Ise” show up around 650, during the presentation of the white pheasant that ushered in the Hakuho era, but we later see that that individual had passed away in 661.  We also see the name show up less than 20 years later in the Chronicles for another prince, so this can't be the same.  So this is clearly a position or title for a prince, but it isn't clear if it was passed down or inherited.   One possibility is that “Prince Ise” or “Prince of Ise” was a title for one of the royal sons. IAt this point in the narrative, Naka no Oe had three sons.  Prince Takeru had passed away at the age of 8, but he also had Prince Kawajima, Prince Shiki, and Prince Iga, aka Prince Ohotomo, all sons of “palace women”.  We know, though, that these princes show up later, so I don't think the so-called Prince Ise was one of them.  Perhaps another line?   The term “Prince” might also refer to something other than a royal son.  You see, English translators have often been somewhat cavalier with the way we tend to render titles.  The English term “Prince” has  been used for “Hiko”, “Miko”, or “Ou” (which was probably pronounced “Miko” in many of these cases).  And in English, we often think of “Prince” as the son of a king, but “Prince” can also be an independent ruler of a principality, or may just refer to a person with power in a monarchic state.  Even the term “king” is not unambiguous—early European accounts of Japan during the Warring States period often refer to the various daimyou as “kings”, given the often absolute dominion with which they apparently ruled their particular domains. At this time, the term “Miko”  (also pronounced “ouji”, or “koushi”, or even “sume-miko”) seems rather unambiguously to refer to a “royal prince”, from the lineage of the sovereign.  The term “Ou”, which also seems to be read as “Miko” in some cases, is also the term for “King” and probably more broadly fits the concept of a “prince” as a ruler.  However, in this case, it seems to be equal to the term “Miko”, and may have been used almost interchangeably for a time, though later it would be used to refer to members of princely rank who were not directly related to a reigning sovereign—the grandchildren and so forth of royal princes who did not go on to inherit. In this case, I think the best we can say for certain is that Prince Ise—or the Prince of Ise—was someone important enough to be included in the chronicles – but who he was, exactly, will remain a mystery for now. The following month, the 7th month, was chock full of activities.  First of all, Goguryeo sent envoys by way of Koshi—meaning they landed on the Japan Sea side, probably around Tsuruga.  While this may just have been closer, I suspect it meant they avoided any Tang entanglements traveling through the Bohai sea.  They did run into a spot of trouble, however, as the winds and waves prevented their return. Koshi also shows up as presenting some strange gifts to the court:  burning earth and burning water.  There is some thought that maybe this is something like coal or natural oil deposits. We are also told that in this month, Prince Kurikuma was appointed the governor of Tsukushi.  Kurikuma no Ou appears to have been the grandson—or possibly great-grandson—of the sovereign, Nunakura, aka Bidatsu Tennou.  The position Kurikuma was given was important, of course, overseeing the Dazai, which meant overseeing anyone traveling to the archipelago from the continent. This would be a relatively short-lived appointment—this time.  He would be re-appointed about three years later, which would prove important, as he would be governor there during some particularly momentous events.    Stories appear to have continued about him in the Nagasaki region, and various families traced their lineage back to him. Also in that month, we are told that Afumi, home of the new capital, practiced military exercises—likely in preparation in case of a future Tang or Silla invasion.  Recall we discussed in Episode 126 how the choice of Afumi as a capital site might have been related to its defensibility in the event of such an invasion. At the same time, the court entertained Emishi envoys, and the toneri, by royal command, held banquets in various places. There is also mention of a shore-pavillion, presumably at Lake Biwa, where fish of various kinds came, covering the water.  Interestingly enough, there is another story of a “shore pavilion”, likely the same one, in the Fujiwara Family Record, the Toushi Kaden.  We are told that Prince Ohoama – Naka no Oe's younger brother spiked a large spear through a plank of wood in some kind of feat of strength.  This apparently shocked Naka no Oe, who saw it aa  kind of threat—perhaps seeing that his five-years younger brother was still hale and healthy.  Granted, Naka no Oe was only in his 40s, but his brother Ohoama was in his later 30s.  We are also told that at this time, in 668, Naka no Oe was apparently not doing so well, with people wondering if he would be with them much longer. The Toshi Kaden account seems rather surprising in that it claims Naka no Oe was so shocked by this proof of his brother's vitality that he wanted to have him put to death, suggesting to me that he felt that Ohoama might be a threat to him and his rule.  Ultimately, though, he was talked out of this by his old friend, Nakatomi no Kamatari – the one whom he had plotted with to overthrow the Soga, and whose relationship was initiated by an interaction on the kemari field, as we discussed in Episode 106. Speaking of whom: Nakatomi no Kamatari was still Naijin, the Inner or Interior Minister, and so  quite prominent in the administration. In the 9th month, as a Silla envoy was visiting the court, Kamatari sent Buddhist priests Hoben and Shinpitsu to present a ship to the Prime Minister of Silla, which was given to the Silla envoy and his companions, and three days later, Fuse no Omi no Mimimaro was sent with a ship meant for the King of Silla as well. This incident is also recounted in the Toshi Kaden.  In this case it says that the people, hearing about the gifts to Silla, were quite upset.  After all, it stands to reason:  Yamato was still smarting from their defeat at the hands of Tang and Silla forces, and building up defenses in case of an attack.  They'd also taken in a number of Baekje nobles and families, who may have also had some influence on the court.  We are told that Kamatari himself excused all of this by stating that “All under heaven must be the sovereign's land.  The guests within its borders must be the sovereign's servants.”  In this case, all under heaven, or “Tenka”, is a common phrase used to describe a monarch's sovereignty over everything in the land.  And so, while Silla envoys were in Yamato as guests, they also fell under similar rules, and as such were considered, at least by Yamato, as the sovereign's servants and thus worthy of gifts. The Silla envoys stayed for over a month.  They finally departed by the 11th month of 668, carrying even more gifts, including silk and leather for the King and various private gifts for the ambassadors themselves.  The court even sent Chimori no Omi no Maro and Kishi no Woshibi back with the envoy as Yamato envoys to the Silla court. This all tells us that just as the Tang were working to woo Yamato, Silla was likely doing so as well.  And while Yamato might still begrudge the destruction of Baekje, they also had to face the political reality that Baekje was probably not going to be reinstated again—especially not while the Tang government was occupying the peninsula. So making nice with both Tang and Silla was prudent. Furthermore, though they had been visited by Goguryeo envoys earlier that year, Yamato may have had some inkling that Goguryeo was not in the most powerful position.  Ever since the death of Yeon Gaesomun, the Goguryeo court had been involved in infighting—as well as fighting their external enemies.  One of Gaesomun's sons had been exiled and had gone over to the Tang, no doubt providing intelligence as well as some amount of legitimacy.  What they may not have known was that as Yamato was hosting the Silla envoys, a new assault by the Tang-Silla alliance was advancing on Pyongyang and setting siege to the city.  The Nihon Shoki records that in the 10th month of 668 Duke Ying, the Tang commander-in-chief, destroyed Goguryeo. This would dramatically change the international political landscape.  Tang and Silla had been triumphant—Yamato's allies on the peninsula had been defeated, and what we know as the “Three Kingdoms” period of the Korean peninsula was over.  However, the situation was still fluid.  The peninsula was not unified by any sense of the imagination.  The Tang empire had their strategic positions from which they controlled parts of the peninsula and from which they had been supplying the war effort against Goguryeo.  They also likely had to occupy areas to ensure that nobody rose up and tried to reconstitute the defeated kingdoms.  In fact, there would be continued attempts to revive Goguryeo, as might be indicated in the name we use: by the 5th century, the country was actually using the name “Goryeo”, a shortened form of “Goguryeo”, but we continue to refer to it as “Goguryeo” to distinguish it from the country of the same name that would be established in 918, laying claim to that ancient Goguryeo identity. A bit of spoilers, but “Goryeo” is where we would eventually get the name that we know the region by, today:  “Korea”.  In the Nihon Shoki it is referred to as “Gaori”. But none of that could have been known at the time.  Instead, there was no doubt some exuberance on the side of both Silla and Tang, but that would settle into something of unease.  With Baekje and Goguryeo destroyed, Silla may have thought that Tang would leave, allowing them to solidify their hold and manage those territories as an ally.  If this is what they thought, though, I'm not sure they had run it by the Tang empire just yet. In the Yamato court, there appear to have been separate factions: a pro-Tang faction, and also a pro-Silla faction.  We have to assume, based on the actions in the record at this time, that this was a ongoing debate. The last thing I'll note for the year 668 is attempted theft.  The Buddhist priest Dougyou stole Kusanagi, the famous sword forming part of the imperial regalia, and escaped with it.  Kusanagi, you may recall, was the royal sword.  It was named “Kusanagi” or “grass cutter” because it is said that when Prince Yamato Takeru was subduing the eastern lands, he was surrounded in a field that had been set on fire, and he used Kusanagi to create a firebreak by cutting down all of the grass around him.  The sword was given to him by Yamato Hime, the Ise Princess at the time, and it was thought to have been first found by the god Susanowo inside of the legendary Yamata no Orochi.  We talked about this in Episodes 16, 34, and 35.  Yamato Takeru left the sword in Owari, and it would eventually live there, at Atsuta Jingu, Atsuta Shrine, its traditional home. It isn't clear if Dougyou obtained the sword from Owari or if it was being kept in the capital at the time.  It would have likely been brought out for Naka no Oe's coronation, but then it would probably have been returned to the shrine that was holding it. Dougyou tried to head to Silla with his illicit goods, but wind and rain forced him to turn back around.  This is a fascinating story and there's a lot to dive into here. So first off, let's point out that this is supposed to be a Buddhist priest.  What the heck was going on that he was going to try to run a heist on what are essentially the Crown Jewels of the Yamato crown?  While the sword, mirror, and jewel were still somewhat questionable as the sole three regalia, they were clearly important.  We aren't given Dougyou's motives.  We don't know enough about him.  Was he anti-Yamato or anti-Naka no Oe?  Was he actually a Buddhist priest of his own accord, or was he a priest because he was one of those who had been essentially conscripted into religious orders on behalf of some powerful noble?  Was he a Buddhist who wanted to attack the hold of the kami? Was he pro-Silla, or perhaps even a Silla descendant, trying to help Silla? Or was he just a thief who saw the sword, Kusanagi, as a valuable artifact that could be pawned outside of Yamato? That last possibility feels off.  While we aren't exactly sure what Kusanagi looked like, based on everything we know, the sword itself wasn't necessarily blinged out in a way that would make it particularly notable on the continent.    And if Dougyou and whoever his co-conspirators were just wanted to attack the Yamato government, why didn't he just dump Kusanagi in the see somewhere?  He could have destroyed it or otherwise gotten rid of it in a way that would have embarrassed the government. It seems mostly likely that this theft had something to do with pro-Silla sentiment, as if Silla suddenly showed up with the sword, I imagine that would have been some diplomatic leverage on the Yamato court, as they could have held it hostage.  In any case, the plan ultimately failed, though the Chronicles claim it was only because the winds were against him—which was likely seen as the kami themselves defending Yamato. On to a new year.  At the start of 669, Prince Kurikuma (who we mentioned above) was recalled to the capital and Soga no Akaye was appointed governor of Tsukushi. We mentioned Akaye a couple of episodes back.  He was involved in the broken arm-rest incident, where Prince Arima was plotting against Takara Hime, aka Saimei Tennou, and Akaye's daughter Hitachi no Iratsume, was one of the formal wives of Naka no Oe, who would give birth to the princess Yamabe. Now Akaye was given the position of governor of Tsukushi. This position is an interesting one throughout Japanese history.  In many ways it is a viceroy—the governor of Tsukushi has to effectively speak with the voice of the sovereign as the person responsible for overseeing any traffic to and from the continent.  This also was likely a highly lucrative position, only handed out to trusted individuals. However, it also meant that you were outside of the politics of the court.  Early on that was probably less of a concern.  At this time, court nobles were likely still concerned with their traditional lands, which created their economic base, meaning that the court may have been the political center, but there was still plenty of ways to gain power in the archipelago and it wasn't solely through the court.  Over time, as more and more power accrued to the central court government, that would change.  Going out to manage a government outpost on the far end of the archipelago—let alone just going back to manage one's own estates—would be tantamount to exile.  But for now, without a permanent city built up around the palace, I suspect that being away from the action in the capital wasn't quite as detrimental compared to the lucrative nature of a powerful position.  Later, we will see how that flips on its head, especially with the construction of capitals on the model of those like Chang'an. For now, new governor Soga no Akaye was likely making the most of his position.  On that note, in the third month of 669, Tamna sent their prince Kumaki with envoys and tribute.  They would have come through Tsukushi, and Soga no Akaye likely enjoyed some benefits as they were entertained while waiting for permission to travel the rest of the way down to the Yamato capital.  The Tamna embassy did not exactly linger at the court.  They arrived on the 11th of the 3rd month, and left one week—seven days—later, on the 18th.  Still, they left with a gift of seed-grain made to the King of Tamna. On their way out, they likely would have again stopped in at Tsukushi for provisions and to ensure that all of their business was truly concluded before departing. A couple of months later, on the 5th day of the 5th month, we see another hunting party by Naka no Oe.  This seems to have been part of the court ritual of the time for this ceremonial day.  This time it was on the plain of Yamashina.  It was attended by his younger brother, Crown Prince Ohoama, as well as someone called “Fujiwara no Naidaijin” and all of the ministers. “Fujiwara no Naidaijin” is no doubt Nakatomi no Kamatari.  This is an interesting slip by the Chroniclers, and I wonder if it gives us some insight into the source this record came from.  Kamatari was still known as Nakatomi at the time, and was still the Naidaijin, so it is clear they were talking about him.  But historically his greatest reputation is as the father of the Fujiwara family, something we will get to in time.  That said, a lot of the records in this period refer to him as “Fujiwara”.  We've seen this previously—because the records were being written later they were often using a more common name for an individual, rather than the name—including title—that the individual actually would have borne at the time of the record.  This really isn't that different from the way we often talk about the sovereigns using their posthumous names.   Naka no Oe would not have been known as “Tenji Tennou” during his reign.  That wouldn't be used until much later.  And yet, many history books will, understandably, just use the name “Tenji” because it makes it clear who is being talked about. This hunting trip is not the only time we see the name “Fujiwara” creep into the Chronicles a little earlier than accurate: we are told that only a little later, the house of “Fujiwara” no Kamatari was struck by lightning.  But that wasn't the only tragedy waiting in the wings.  Apparently, Kamatari was not doing so well, and on the 10th day of the 10th month, his friend and sovereign, Naka no Oe, showed up to pay his respects and see how he was doing. Ever since that fateful game of kemari—Japanese kickball—the two had been fast friends.  Together they envisioned a new state.  They overthrew the Soga, and changed the way that Japan even conceived of the state, basing their new vision off continental ideas of statehood, governance, and sovereignty.  Now, Kamatari was gravely ill. What happens next is likely of questionable veracity Sinceit is unlikely that someone was there writing down the exact words that were exchanged, but the Chronicles record a conversation between the sovereign and his ill friend.  And the words that the Chroniclers put in their mouths were more about the image that they wanted to project.  According to them, Naka no Oe praised his friend, and asked if there was anything that he could do. Kamatari supposedly eschewed anything special for burial arrangements.  He supposedly said “While alive I did no service for my country at war; why, then, should I impose a heavy burden on it when I am dead?”  Hard to know if he actually felt like that or not, or if thr Chroniclers were likening him to  Feng Yi of the Han dynasty, the General of the Great Tree.  He was so-called because he would often find a tree to take time to himself.  He likewise was renowned for his dislike of ostentation, much like Kamatari foregoing a fancy burial mound. Five days later, Naka no Oe sent Crown Prince Ohoama to Kamatari's house to confer on him the cap of Dai-shiki, and the rank of Oho-omi.  They also conferred on him and his family a new surname:  Fujiwara, and so he became Fujiwara no Daijin, the Fujiwara Great Minister.  The next day he died.  One source known as the Nihon Seiki, said that he was 50 years old, but according to the Chronicles there was an inscription on his tomb that stated he died at age 55. Three days later, we are told that Naka no Oe went to the house of the now late Fujiwara no Naidaijin, and gave orders to Soga no Akaye no Omi, declaring to him his gracious will and bestowing on him a golden incense-burner.  This is somewhat odd, because as we were just talking about, Soga no Akaye had been appointed governor of Tsukushi, though the Toshi Kaden claims that it was actually Soga no Toneri who was in Tsukushi—but these could also mean the same people.  Why this happened right after Kamatari's death suggests to me that Soga no Akaye may have had something to do with the arrangements for Kamatari's funeral or something similar. Let's talk about this whole incident.  There are many that think the Nihon Shoki has things a bit out of order, and on purpose.  Specifically, it is quite likely that the name “Fujiwara” was actually granted after Kamatari's death, and not on the day of, as it has here.  He may even have been posthumously elevated.  But since the Fujiwara family would go on to be quite powerful, the order of events and how they were recorded would have been very important in the 8th century. By naming Kamatari's line the Fujiwara, the court were effectively severing it from the rest of the Nakatomi.  The Nakatomi family would continue to serve as court ritualists, but the Fujiwara family would go on to much bigger and better things.  This change also likely meant that any inheritance of Kamatari's would go to his direct descendants, and that a brother or cousin couldn't necessarily just take over as the head of the household.  So it's very possible that this “setting apart” of the Fujiwara family immediately upon Kamatari's death is a later fiction, encouraged by the rising Fujiwara themselves, in an attempt to keep others from hanging on to their coat tails, as it were. Also a quick note about the idea that there was an inscription on Kamatari's tomb.  This is remarkable because so far, we have not actually found any such markers or tombstones on burials prior to this period.  We assume that they would have been stone or wood markers that were put up by a mound to let you know something about the person who was buried there.  Over time, most of these likely wore away.  But it is interesting to think that the practice may have had older roots. The death of Kamatari wasn't the only tragedy that year.  We are also told that in the 12th month there was a fire in the Treasury, and that the temple of Ikaruga—known to us as Houryuuji, the temple built by Shotoku Taishi—also was burnt.  It isn't said how bad, but only three months later, in 670, another fire struck during a thunderstorm, and we are told that everything burned down—nothing was left. That said, it seems that they may have been able to reuse some of the materials.  I say this because an analysis of the main pillar of the pagoda in the western compound suggests that the tree it came from was felled in 594. The rest of 699 included some less dramatic events. For instance, in the 8th month, Naka no Oe climbed to the top of Takayasu, where he took advice as to how to repair the castle there.  The castle had been built only a couple of years earlier, but already needed repairs.  However, the initial repair project had been abandoned because the labor costs were too much.  The repairs were still needed, though, and they carried out the work four months later in the 12th month, and again in the 2nd month of the following year, and that stores of grain and salt were collected, presumably to stock the castle in case they had to withstand a siege. I suspect that the “cost” of repairing the castle was mostly that it was the 8th month, and the laborers for the work would have to be taken away from the fields.  By the 12th month, I can only assume that those same laborers would be free from their other duties. Speaking of costs, sometimes the Chronicles really make you wonder what was going through the mind of the writers, because they noted that the Land-tax of the Home Provinces was collected.  Maybe this was the first time it had actually been instituted?  I don't know.  It just seems an odd thing to call out. There was also 700 more men from Baekje removed and settled in Kamafu—Gamou District—in Afumi.  And then there was a Silla embassy in the 9th month, and at some point in the year Kawachi no Atahe no Kujira and others were sent to the Tang court.  In response, an embassy from the Tang to Yamato brought 2000 people with them, headed by Guo Wucong, who I really hope was getting some kind of premiere cruiser status for all of his trips. The following year, 700, started out with a great archery meeting, arranged within the palace gate.  I presume this to mean that they had a contest.  Archery at this time—and even for years to come—was prized more highly than even swordplay.  After all, archery was used both in war and on the hunt.  It is something that even the sage Confucius suggested that people should practice.  It is also helpful that they could always shoot at targets as a form of competition and entertainment. Later, on the 14th day of the 1st month, Naka no Oe promulgated new Court ceremonial regulations, and new laws about people giving way on the roads.  This rule was that those of lower status should get out of the way of those of higher status.  Funnily enough, in the description of Queen Himiko's “Yamateg”, back in the 3rd century, this was also called out as a feature of the country.  It is possible that he was codifying a local tradition, or that the tradition actually goes back to the continent, and that the Wei Chroniclers were projecting such a rule onto the archipelago.  I'm honestly not sure which is which.  Or perhaps they expanded the rules and traditions already in place.  There were also new laws about prohibiting “heedless slanders and foul falsehoods”, which sounds great, but doesn't give you a lot to go on. The law and order theme continues in the following month.  A census was taken and robbers and vagabonds were suppressed.  Naka no Oe also visited Kamafu, where he had settled a large number of the Baekje people, and inspected a site for a possible future palace.  He also had castles built in Nagato in Tsukushi, along the route of any possible invasion from the Korean peninsula. In the third month, we have evidence of the continued importance of kami worship, when they laid out places of worship close to Miwi mountain and distributed offerings of cloth.  Nakatomi no Kane no Muraji pronounced the litany.  Note that it is Nakatomi no Muraji—as we mentioned, the Nakatomi would continue to be responsible for ceremonial litany while the Imibe, or Imbe, family would be responsible for laying out the various offerings. Miwi would seem to be the same location as Miidera, aka Onjou-ji, but Miidera wouldn't be founded for another couple of years. In the 9th month of 670, Adzumi no Tsuratari, an accomplished ambassador by this point, travelled to Silla. Tsuratari had been going on missions during the reign of Takara Hime, both to Baekje and to the lands across the “Western Seas”.  While we don't exactly know what transpired, details like this can help us try to piece together something of the relative importance of the mission. In the last entry for 670, we are told that water-mills were made to smelt iron.  If you are wondering how that works, it may have been that the waterwheel powered trip hammers—it would cause the hammer to raise up until it reached a point where it would fall.  Not quite the equivalent of a modern power hammer, it still meant that fewer people were needed for the process, and they didn't have to stop just because their arms got tired. The following year, 671, got off to a grand start, with a lot of momentous events mentioned in just the first month of the year. First off, on the 2nd day of the first month, Soga no Akaye – now back from his stint as governor of Tsukushi - and Kose no Hito advanced in front of the palace and offered their congratulations on the new year.  Three days later, on the 5th day, Nakatomi no Kane, who had provided the litany at Miwi, made an announcement on kami matters.    Then the court made official appointments.  Soga no Akaye was made the Sadaijin, or Prime Minister of the Left, and Nakatomi no Kane was made Prime Minister of the Right.  Soga no Hatayasu, Kose no Hito, and Ki no Ushi were all made daibu, or high ministers.  On top of this, Naka no Ohoe's son, Prince Ohotomo, was appointed as Dajodaijin. “Dajodaijin” is a new position that we haven't seen yet, and it is one of those positions that would only show up on occasion.  It is effectively a *Prime* Prime Minister.  They were considered superior to both the ministers of the left and the right, but didn't exactly have a particular portfolio.  The Ministers of the Left and the Right each had ministries under them that they were responsible for managing.  Those ministries made up the Daijo-kan, or the Council of State.  The Dajodaijin, or Daijodaijin, was basically the pre-eminent position overseeing the Council of State.  I suspect that the Dajodaijin seems to have been the evolution of the Naidaijin, but on steroids.  Nakatomi no Kamatari had administered things as Naidaijin from within the royal household, but the Dajodaijin was explicitly at the head of the State.  Of course, Prince Ohotomo was the son of Naka no Oe himself, and the fact that he was only 23 years old and now put in a place of prominence over other ministers who were quite likely his senior, is remarkable.  I wonder how much he actually was expected to do, and how much it was largely a ceremonial position, but it nonetheless placed Ohotomo just below his uncle, Crown Prince Ohoama, in the overall power structure of the court. Speaking of which, following the new appointments, on the 6th day of the year, Crown Prince Ohoama promulgated regulations on the behalf of his brother, Naka no Oe.  There was also a general amnesty declared, and the ceremonial and names of the cap-ranks were described in what the Chronicles calls the Shin-ritsu-ryo, the New Laws. Towards the end of the first month, there were two embassies, both from now-defunct kingdoms.  The first was from Goguryeo, who reportedly sent someone named Karu and others with Tribute on the 9th day, and 4 days later, Liu Jenyuan, the Tang general for Baekje sent Li Shouchen and others to present a memorial.  I'm not sure if the Goguryeo envoys were from a government in exile or from a subjugated kingdom under Tang and Silla domination.  The Tang general in Baekje was a little more transparent.  That said, that same month we are told that more than 50 Baekje nobles were given Yamato court rank, perhaps indicating that they were being incorporated more into the Yamato court and, eventually, society as a whole.  That said, the remains of the Baekje court sent Degu Yongsyeon and others with tribute the following month. This is also the year that Naka no Oe is said to have placed the clepsydra or water clock in a new pavilion.  We talked about this significance of this last episode.  We are also told that on the third day of the third month, Kibumi no Honjitsu presented a “water level”, a Mizu-hakari.  This would seem to be what it sounds like:  A way of making sure that a surface is level using water.  There is also mention of the province of Hitachi presenting as “tribute” Nakatomibe no Wakako.  He was only 16 years old, and yet we are told he was only one and a half feet in height—one shaku six sun, more appropriately.  Assuming modern conversions, that would have put him approximately the same height as Chandra Dangi of Nepal, who passed away in 2015 but who held the Guiness World Record for the world's shortest person at 21.5”—or 54 centimeters.  So it isn't impossible. The fact that he is called “Nakatomibe” suggests that he was part of the family, or -Be group, that served the Nakatomi court ritualists.  Unfortunately, he was probably seen more as an oddity than anything else at the time.  Still, how many people from that time are not remembered at all, in any extant record?  And yet we have his name, which is more than most. In the following month, we are also told that Tsukushi reported a deer that had been born with eight legs.  Unfortunately, the poor thing died immediately, which is unfortunately too often the case. And then the fifth day of the fifth month rolled around again. This year there was no hunting, but instead Naka no Oe occupied the “Little Western Palace” and the Crown Prince and all of the ministers attended him.  We are told that two “rustic” dances were performed—presumably meaning dances of some local culture, rather than those conforming to the art standards passed down from the continent.  As noted earlier, this day would be one of the primary ceremony days of the later court. The following month, we are told that there was an announcement in regards to military measures requested by the messengers from the three departments of Baekje, and later the Baekje nobles sent Ye Chincha and others to bring tribute.  Once again, what exactly this means isn't clear, but it is interesting to note that there were three “departments” of Baekje.  It is unclear if this was considered part of the court, or if this was Baekje court in exile managing their own affairs as a guest in Yamato. It is also interesting that they seem to have been traveling to the Yamato court while Li Shouchen was still there, sent by the Tang general overseeing Baekje.  That must have been a bit of an awkward meeting.  We are told that they all took their departure together on the 11th day of the 7th month.  Does that mean they left with the Tang envoy?  Was the Tang inviting some of them to come back?  Or just that they all left the court at the same time. The same month, Prince Kurikuma was once more made Governor of Tsukushi—or possibly made governor the first time, depending on whether or not you think the Chronicles are accurate or that they pulled the same event twice from different sources.  We are also told that Silla sent envoys with gifts that included a water buffalo and a copper pheasant for the sovereign. The 8th month of the year, we hear that Karu of Goguryeo and his people took their leave after a seven month long visit.  The court also entertained the Emishi.  Two months later, Silla sent Kim Manmol and others with more tribute, but this envoy likely found a different feeling at court. And that is because on the 18th day of the 8th month, the sovereign of Yamato, Naka no Oe, took to his bed, ill.  There was a ceremony to open the eyes of 100 Buddhas in the interior of the palace, and Naka no Oe sent messengers to offer to the giant Buddha of Houkouji a kesa, a golden begging-bowl, an ivory tusk, aloeswood, sandalwood, and various objects of value, but despite any spiritual merit that may have accrued, it didn't seem to work.  Naka no Oe's illness continued to grow more serious.  He would continue to struggle for another two months, until, on the 3rd day of the twelfth month, Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou, sovereign of Yamato, passed away. For all that we should be careful to avoid the “Great Man” theory of history, it is nonetheless hard to deny that Naka no Oe had an incredible impact on the country in his days.  From start to finish, while one could argue that many of the reforms were simply a matter of time as the archipelago absorbed more and more ideas from across the straits, Naka no Oe found himself in the middle of those reforms.  The Yamato State would never be the same, and he oversaw the birth of the Ritsuryo state, a new state nominally based on laws and rules, rather than just tradition.  It may not be entirely clear, but he also helped inculcate a new sense of the power of the sovereign and of the state, introducing new cultural imaginaries.  Yamato's reach wasn't just vague boasting, but by instituting the bureaucratic state they were able to actually expand the reach of the court farther than any time before. And through those changes, Naka no Oe had, in one way or another, been standing at the tiller.  Now, he was gone, as were many of his co-conspirators in this national project.  Which leaves us wondering:  What comes next? Well, we'll get to that, but not right now.  For now, let us close this episode with Naka no Oe's own end.   Next episode, we can get into the power struggles that followed, culuminating in an incident known as the Jinshin no Ran:  The Jinshin war. Until then, thank you once again for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

新鮮事、新奇事、新故事《一銀陪你聊“新”事》 第一銀行打造公股銀行首創ESG Podcast頻道上線啦 由知名主持人阿Ken與多位名人來賓進行對談 邀請您一起落實永續發展 讓永續未來不再只是想像 各大收聽平台搜尋：ㄧ銀陪你聊新事 https://sofm.pse.is/7qknax -- 小福利麻辣鍋-最強麻辣火鍋加豐盛Buffet，平日698起，美味通通無限享用！ 有頂級和牛、安格斯黑牛、天使紅蝦，多款海陸食材吃到飽！ 還有炸蝦天婦羅、職人炙燒握壽司、以及哈根達斯！ 美味一次滿足，請搜尋「小福利麻辣鍋」 https://sofm.pse.is/7qr2q9 －－－－以上訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 全球對台灣晶片的依賴愈來愈深，「矽盾」的戰略意涵何在？它是保障、還是風險？在中美科技戰與地緣政治緊張的當下，台灣的企業與政府應如何應對這場大國競逐？聯電創辦人曹興誠在紀錄片「造山者」中受訪，當年進入工研院電子研究所參與RCA技術轉移計畫，被視為台灣半導體產業的起點。從工研院到創辦聯電，成為台灣第一家民營半導體業者，初期面對技術、市場與資金等挑戰，是如何克服的？是否有一個關鍵時刻改變了聯電的命運？曹興誠在1990年代主導聯電轉型為純代工模式，這樣的決策為何能成功？當時是否遭遇內部阻力？聯電與台積電有什麼本質上的差異？回顧工研院技術商轉與聯電的成功經驗，這套模式今天還適用於其他創新產業嗎？台灣半導體能有今天的成就，政府政策扮演了什麼角色？站在企業家與公民的雙重身分上，曹興誠對下一代台灣青年與創業者有什麼期待與建議？精彩訪談內容，請鎖定@華視三國演議！ 本集來賓：#曹興誠 #矢板明夫 主持人：#汪浩 以上言論不代表本台立場 #造山者 #聯電 #半導體 #AI 電視播出時間

In Part 2 of our conversation with Caroline Burger, CMO at GlobalLogic, we explore her approach to marketing in a complex digital ecosystem. Caroline shares insights on sales-marketing alignment, talent-driven strategies, and how GlobalLogic navigates the Hitachi brand network. She offers practical tips for aspiring CMOs, talks about balancing data with insights, and champions the power of measuring ROI. Plus, don't miss her surprising confession about running, and her golden rule for both life and marketing: always order the French fries! How to Grow a CMO is brought to you by The Marketing Practice - the global marketing agency for B2B technology brands. To find out more, visit https://www.themarketingpractice.com.

Ann Latham is the Founder of Uncommon Clarity, a consulting firm helping professionals gain cognitive clarity. As a clarity consultant, she has worked with notable businesses, including Hitachi, Boeing, and Medtronic. Ann is also the author of The Power of Clarity, The Disconnect Principle, The Clarity Papers, and Uncommon Meetings. Her insights have appeared in The New York Times, Bloomberg, and Management Today. In this episode… The word “clarity” is used frequently in business contexts, but what does it mean? For entrepreneurs and leaders, clarity involves identifying your goals and methods for achieving them. How can you gain clarity in all aspects of your professional life? Widely recognized “Clarity Queen,” Ann Latham has discovered the common roadblocks to goal progression, including a lack of specificity and clear communication. She maintains the importance of gathering enough information to make informed decisions about the next steps. This involves identifying specific decisions and action steps and developing detailed plans to execute them. In this episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show, Andrea Heuston sits down with Ann Latham, the Founder of Uncommon Clarity, to discuss how to gain clarity in your professional life. Ann explains how to accelerate results and optimize communication in meetings, the takeaways from her TEDx talk, and insights from her books.

In part two of our conversation, Hitachi's CMO shares how even small teams can lead in the age of AI. Whether you're building executive events, redefining customer engagement, or grappling with your data strategy, this episode delivers clear frameworks, sharp insight, and hard-earned perspective.Arya Barirani returns to break down how to scale enterprise-level lessons into practical action. From the structure of an AI advisory board to the real-world implications of physical infrastructure, he unpacks what it takes to prepare your team—and your tech—for what's next.

In der heutigen Folge sprechen die Finanzjournalisten Anja Ettel und Holger Zschäpitz über einen lukrativen Kosmetikdeal bei Carbios, eine Robotaxi-Rallye bei Pony AI und strahlende Gewinne mit Atomaktien. Außerdem geht es um Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, PDD Holdings, Okta, Rheinmetall, Hensoldt, Renk, Leonardo, BAE Systems, L'Oréal, L'Occitane International, Strategy, MetaPlanet, Semler Scientific, Bitcoin, Boyaa Interactive, GameStop, Twenty One Capital, Trump Media und Technology, Cameco, Westinghouse, NuScale, Mirion Technologies, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hitachi, IHI Corp., VanEck Uranium and Nuclear Technologies ETF (WKN: A3D47K) und WisdomTree Uranium and Nuclear Energy ETF (WKN: A40Y9J). Wir freuen uns an Feedback über aaa@welt.de. Noch mehr "Alles auf Aktien" findet Ihr bei WELTplus und Apple Podcasts – inklusive aller Artikel der Hosts und AAA-Newsletter.[ Hier bei WELT.](https://www.welt.de/podcasts/alles-auf-aktien/plus247399208/Boersen-Podcast-AAA-Bonus-Folgen-Jede-Woche-noch-mehr-Antworten-auf-Eure-Boersen-Fragen.html.) [Hier] (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6zxjyJpTMunyYCY6F7vHK1?si=8f6cTnkEQnmSrlMU8Vo6uQ) findest Du die Samstagsfolgen Klassiker-Playlist auf Spotify! Disclaimer: Die im Podcast besprochenen Aktien und Fonds stellen keine spezifischen Kauf- oder Anlage-Empfehlungen dar. Die Moderatoren und der Verlag haften nicht für etwaige Verluste, die aufgrund der Umsetzung der Gedanken oder Ideen entstehen. Hörtipps: Für alle, die noch mehr wissen wollen: Holger Zschäpitz können Sie jede Woche im Finanz- und Wirtschaftspodcast "Deffner&Zschäpitz" hören. Außerdem bei WELT: Im werktäglichen Podcast „Das bringt der Tag“ geben wir Ihnen im Gespräch mit WELT-Experten die wichtigsten Hintergrundinformationen zu einem politischen Top-Thema des Tages. +++ Werbung +++ Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? [**Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte!**](https://linktr.ee/alles_auf_aktien) Impressum: https://www.welt.de/services/article7893735/Impressum.html Datenschutz: https://www.welt.de/services/article157550705/Datenschutzerklaerung-WELT-DIGITAL.html

Arya Bairani on Transforming a Legacy Brand and Leading Modern B2B Marketing at ScaleHitachi's brand is globally recognized—but often for the wrong things. In this episode, Arya Bairani, CMO of both Hitachi Americas and Hitachi Digital, joins Clark Newby to break down how he's reshaping perceptions of a 110-year-old company and applying cutting-edge marketing strategies across $16B in business.From AI transformation and brand reframing to ABM, event strategy, and small-team execution, Arya shares how a lean, modern marketing team can drive measurable business results—without relying on massive headcount or outdated tactics.

Digital forensic expert Sharman Fox-Henry testifies about key evidence found on Erin Patterson's computer in the Mushroom Murder Trial. Mr Fox-Henry reveals a Google search for a site featuring death cap mushrooms on May 28, 2022—approximately one year before the fatal lunch where three people died after allegedly consuming toxic mushrooms.• Digital forensics team created a clone of Patterson's computer to search for evidence• Computer had three storage units including Samsung drive and Hitachi hard disk• Investigators searched for terms including "death cap mushrooms" and "poisons"• Evidence showed a search at 7:20and 7:21 on May 28, 2022 for a death cap mushroom page on iNaturalist.org• Page documented a mushroom sighting at Bricca Reserve in Moorabbin• Shortly after viewing this page, an alleged search for "Korrumburra Middle Pub" was made• Chrome autofill data showed Erin Patterson's name and mobile number used around the same time• Prosecution building timeline suggesting alleged research into deadly mushrooms a year before the incidentThanks for listening. For more information, visit my website. Make sure you subscribe to my newsletter on www.mushroommurdertrial.com, it's jam-packed with news about the trial. Plus I'm on Instagram at Erin underscore pod. You can find me on Facebook. Just search the podcast, the mushroom Murder Trial podcast. I also will put links in the show notes to those social media accounts. And if you were feeling like rewarding me for the thousands of hours I've spent on this work, I have a buy me a coffee membership which allows you to pay $5 as a thanks and I get a coffee. This goes towards the editing, studio hire, liability, insurance, equipment, sound and voiceovers. Plus there's exclusive membership material on the site, just for you.Instagram @Erin_PodcastTwitter @lisapodcastsMushroom Murder Trial Website Facebook page

Send us a textCurious about how a tech leader's vision can redefine business operations and drive innovation? In this episode of Exchanges, a podcast by Hitachi Solutions, host Matt Volke sits down with Alex Rigaud, Vice President of Incubation Solutions, to explore his strategic vision after reaching 100 days with the company—a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of data, AI, and industry-specific solutions.You'll also hear firsthand insights from Dr. Michael Green, Director of Product Management, who delves into the Hitachi Solutions Empower Data Platform and its role in transforming data management. Nonika Bajaj, Industry Cloud Practice Lead, shares how Engage solutions are tailored to accelerate implementation across various sectors, and Stuart Morris, Director of R&D, talks about the latest AI advancements and their impact on business processes.Here's why you should tune in:Discover how Alex Rigaud's leadership is shaping the future of innovation at Hitachi Solutions, fostering collaboration and driving strategic initiatives.Learn about the Empower Data Platform's capabilities in centralizing data and enabling advanced analytics and AI for unparalleled business insights.Explore the Engage suite's industry-specific solutions designed to provide exceptional value and accelerate business transformation.Understand the role of AI and agentic solutions in managing data efficiently and extracting meaningful insights for strategic decision-making.Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Hitachi Solutions is leveraging technology to redefine business operations and create value for customers.If you want to stay ahead in the tech innovation space, this episode is packed with expert perspectives, actionable advice, and stories from the front lines of Hitachi Solutions' journey. Don't miss it!global.hitachi-solutions.com

This episode we are looking at the early years of the official reign of Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tenno, including the building of a brand new capital on the shores of Lake Biwa. For more information, see: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-126 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 126:  New Beginnings The local farmers couldn't help but talk.  There was so much construction, but it wasn't entirely clear what was being built.  The land between the mountains and the lake had been neatly groomed fields, but now that the government workmen had moved in, all of those fields were being cleared.  This new construction was much larger than anything that people had seen before.  Rocks were coming in from far flung quarries, and local kilns were being set up to create tiles, while woodcutters were sent into the forests to bring logs to the site. There were various stories about what was going on—a new provincial government office, or perhaps a new temple, but perhaps the most outlandish was that this was going to be some kind of royal palace.  The sovereign himself was taking in interest in this little slice of Afumi, and he was going to abandon the Home Territories of Yamato and bring his entire court to the shores of Lake Biwa. What a far-fetched story!  …Wasn't it? Last episode we recapped a lot of the history of Prince Naka no Oe and how he had come to this point: the Isshi Incident, the Taika reforms, as well as the reigns of his uncle, Prince Karu, aka Koutoku Tennou, and his mother, Takara Hime, aka Saimei Tennou.  With Takara Hime's death, Naka no Oe was now – finally, as he might have thought -- running things officially.  He had prosecuted the war in Baekje, and with that loss, he had turned his focus back to the archipelago.  He now had refugees to settle, and defenses to set up.  And then there were the embassies that would be coming, in an apparent attempt to normalize relations post-conflict.  That could only go so far, however, given that Tang and Silla had simply turned their war efforts against Goguryeo.  So one imagines that any diplomatic discussions were held with the understanding that the international order was still in flux. And so we arrive in the 8th month of 665, as some of the first defensive castles were being erected.  That same month, Tamna—the kingdom on the modern island of Jeju—sent ambassadors to the Yamato court.  The diplomatic ties between Yamato and Tamna were a relatively recent occurrence, but with Baekje gone, one wonders if Yamato wasn't feeling out a new alliance on the continent.  That said, Tamna does not appear to have been a major player on the international stage.    They had been a tributary of Baekje, and may have even been one of the last holdouts of the proto-Japonic language for a long time.  Indeed, a 15th century Joseon history records a foundation myth of Tamna that emphasizes close early ties with the Japanese archipelago. The following month saw another visit by Tang ambassadors, only a year after Guo Wucong had come to the court.  Guo Wucong had been wined and dined, and things seem to have gone well, as this time he returned, but he wasn't the one leading the embassy this time.  That honor went to Liu Degao, sub-prefect of Yizhou, among his many titles.  Yizhou is the same location where the previous missions from Yamato to the Tang court had made landfall.  Presumably, Liu Degao would have had experience with the embassies that passed through Yizhou, so he seems a logical choice to be sent over to the archipelago. This seems like an escalation, with a more titled ambassador leading the party. It is possible that the Tang were trying to not only reset their relationship with Yamato, but also attempt to woo them to their side.  The Tang likely knew that if they defeated Goguryeo, then they would have another problem to work out:  The alliance with Silla.  At the moment both Tang and Silla were in a partnership of convenience, but the Tang empire didn't get where it was by just giving up territory. And Silla was, itself, ambitious.  It would be in the Tang dynasty's best interest to have Yamato on its side in case Silla became a problem.  At the very least, the Tang court could have just been trying to make sure that Yamato would stay out of any continental entanglements, such as by supporting Goguryeo. Within the Yamato court, it is unclear which way, exactly, they were leaning at this point.  The court was clearly building defensive positions—fortresses and more.  At the same time, there were likely those who welcomed any return to stable relations with the Tang.  After all, there were still Wa in Chang'an and elsewhere, and there was still a hunger in the archipelago for the books and other goods that the Silk Road could provide.  On the other hand, they may have felt more at home with Goguryeo, or even Silla.  The bonds with the Korean peninsula were older and likely stronger.  And, as long as the Tang Empire was busy with other states, then perhaps they would be too preoccupied to attack Yamato. Liu Degao and his entourage had arrived at Tsushima on the 28th day of the 7th month.  They would have been put up there for a time, and entertained.  If this embassy followed later conventions, they would have likely pulled into a harbor, like the one near Kofunakoshi.  This is a narrow spot between the two parts of Tsushima, where we know that in the 9th century, ships from the Tang empire would stop, register goods and people, and likely have them transferred to Japanese ships.  All of the checking and cataloging would happen  at nearby Bairinji temple. Even if they didn't have to transport everything to another ship, it is likely that they would held at Tsushima for a while for security purposes.  Tsushima was ideal, both for its distance, halfway between the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago, but also for its shape, with numerous places that ships could sit at anchor in secluded bays away from any weather or rough seas that could otherwise cause problems. We don't know exactly what the Tang embassy's stay was like, but we know that they were at Tsushima for roughly two months, which was probably the time it took to get a message to the Yamato court and back.  We know how long it was because we learn that it is on the 20th day of the 9th month that they finally made landfall at Tsukushi, or Kyushu, and two days later they forwarded a letter-case to the Yamato court. Two months later, we know they were at the court, as there was a banquet held for Liu Degao on the 13th day of the 11th month, and then a month after that, Liu Degao and the rest of the mission were presented gifts, after which they left and returned to the Tang court.  We are also told that Mori no Kimi no Ohoishi, along with Sakahibe no Muraji no Iwashiki and Kimi no Kishi no Harima all went to the Tang court that same month, no doubt traveling with Degao and Wucong. On the first month of the following year, Neungnu of Goguryeo was sent to the Yamato court to offer tribute.  On the same day, the 11th day of the first month, Tamna also sent someone identified as Prince Siyeo to offer presents.  Immediately, I'm wondering about the way that this is presented.  Both of these states – Goguryeo and Tamna - were allies of the former Baekje kingdom.  I have to wonder how the Goguryeo ships made their way—did they come down the western side of the peninsula, through the Bohai sea, and thus past possible Tang patrols between their peninsular and continental territories, or did they head through the East Sea, aka the Japan Sea, where they would have to pass by the coast of Silla, whom they were also not on great terms with?  The fact that both missions are mentioned at the same time suggests that maybe the Goguryeo embassy sailed down to Tamna, on Jeju Island, and then the two groups made their way over to Yamato together from there. Other things about this entry to note is that the Chroniclers use different terms for these visits to the Yamato court.  Goguryeo uses a term that Aston translates as “offering tribute” while Tamna uses a different term indicating that they were “offering presents”.  This may be as simple as the difference in the various relationships between the polities, as viewed by the Chroniclers.  After all, there was a long relationship between Yamato and Goguryeo, which was considered one of the three Han, or Samhan.  Whether true or not, I could certainly see the Chroniclers feeling that Goguryeo was in a subordinate relationship with Yamato.  Tamna, on the other hand, was a more recent addition to the Yamato diplomatic sphere.  As such, it would be understandable, to me if the Chroniclers still saw it as a more independent entity. It also may hint at different messages being communicated.  As far as we can tell, Tamna wasn't under direct threat by the Tang empire—though they may have been feeling a little bit of heat, given the fall of Baekje and the Tang empire's new outpost on the peninsula.  Goguryeo, however, was under more direct threat, and had been in conflict with the Tang for years.  On top of that, based on what we can tell, it seems that Yeong Gaesomun, the despot who had been ruling Goguryeo and helping it defend against the Tang, had just passed away.  It may have been that the Goguryeo court was seeking support against Tang and Silla, as they were in a moment of instability, themselves.  As such, “Tribute” might indicate that they were more formally petitioning Yamato for support. Goguryeo envoy Neungnu left about 5 months later, on the 4th day of the 6th month but then another envoy, this time Minister Eulsyang Oemchu, arrived a little more than four months later.  Much like with the Tang, this feels like Goguryeo was upping the ante, sending higher ranking officials to negotiate with Yamato.  That lends some credence to the theory that there was something of a bidding war going on for Yamato's involvement in international affairs.  For Yamato, however, it would seem that getting involved in continental affairs was hardly something they were itching to do.  Instead, they continued their moves to fortify. In local events, we know that on the 11th day of the 10th month of 665, while the Liu Degao delegation was still in Yamato, there was a great “review”, by which they seem to mean a sutra reading, at Uji.  It is unclear just where this was held, as I haven't found reference to any particular temple.  However, it does indicate that there was activity in the area. Uji is probably most popular, today, for its role as a setting in the Tale of Genji.  There indeed numerous reminders there of the Heian period, including the hall of Ujigami Shrine, and the famous Hou-ou-do, or Phoenix Hall, of the Byoudouin. In 1053, Fujiwara Yorimichi inherited the villa from his father, Fujiwara Michinaga, and he converted it into a Pure Land temple.  Michinaga is thought to have been one of the people on whom Murasaki Shikibu based the character of the Shining Prince, Hikaru Genji.  That's all too late for this moment in the Chronicles, of course., but we do have earlier references to Uji as a place, as well as in various names.  It seems to have been part of the territory of the Hata, who controlled much of the area of modern Kyoto and environs.  There is a temple, Houjouin, also known as Hashidera, which claims to date back to the 7th century, and may have been the site of the above-mentioned sutra reading in 665.  According to the Temple's own legend, it was built around 604, when Hata no Kawakatsu built the famous Uji bridge, or Hashi, on the orders of Prince Umayado, aka Shotoku Taishi.  Other sources give the date as 646.  The temple was rebuilt in the 13th century, and as far as I can tell, nothing remains of the original temple, but it is possible that it was the site of this review. The next non-Diplomatic record of the Chronicles is from the 3rd month in 666.  The Crown Prince went to the house of Saheki no Komaro no Muraji, paying a sympathy call as Saheki appears to have passed away after having been gravely ill.  Saheki no Komaro no Muraji was one of those who had helped Naka no Oe in the Isshi Incident.  He had been introduced to the plot by Nakatomi no Kamatari, and then critical in the literal execution at the court.  He later led forces against Furubito no Oe, assuming that “Sahekibe no Komaro” is the same as “Saheki no Muraji no Komaro”.  There is also a relative, possibly his son, Takunaha, who was one of the Yamato court's overseas envoys.  Thus, one can understand that he had some importance to the Royal family, and we can probably assume that he had been involved in much more.  The Crown Prince, we are told, lamented him on account of his loyal service from the very beginning. One of the confusing things in this part of the Chronicle is the term “Crown Prince”.  It doesn't help that the Chroniclers were pulling from different records, and sometimes using anachronistic titles for individuals.  Naka no Oe had been known as the Crown Prince since the time of Takara Hime, whether he actually was or not.  Now he was in charge of the government, but it isn't clear that he had been formally invested as tennou.  More than that, there is mention of an investiture in either 667 or 668, several years after his quote-unquote “reign” had begun.  This makes some sense.  After all, when Takara Hime passed away, there was a foreign war to prosecute, and that probably took a fair bit of resources.  Plus, Naka no Oe had been running things for a while before that, or so we are told.  It would make sense if things just kept on going as they had been, and they held the actual investiture when they got around to it. We also know that he was busy with building projects: not just for the defense of the archipelago, but even a new capital and a new palace.  We'll talk about it a bit more, later, but suffice it to say that he may have been taking his time and gathering everything together. All of this makes the Chronicles themselves somewhat confusing.  They throw around the terms “Crown Prince” and “Sovereign”—well, “Sumera no Mikoto”—almost interchangeably.  Meanwhile, they've also stated that the Crown Prince was Prince Ohoama, Naka no Oe's younger brother. Based on my read of things, I believe we can distinguish between the two by whether or not it specifically calls them out as just “Crown Prince”, or “Crown Prince, younger brother to the sovereign”.  The latter is clearly Prince Ohoama, and the first is most likely Naka no Oe.  After all, in this instance, why would Prince Ohoama be the one so struck by the death of Saheki no Muraji?  Based on the story the Chronicles have told us, wouldn't it make more sense that it was Naka no Oe lamenting the death of one who had helped put him on the throne, rather than sending his brother? So keep that in mind as we go through the narrative.  I'll try to point out whom I believe they are speaking about, at least until we reach the point where Naka no Oe actually is invested. Getting back to the Chronicles, in the 7th month of the year 666, some four months after the illness and death of Saheki no Komaro no Muraji, another disaster struck—this time a natural disaster.  Great floods were reported—how widespread we aren't told.  This is often a problem in a land with many mountains that often gets large rains.  It is especially problematic when much of your agriculture is based on being just at or below the level of the rivers and streams so that it can be flooded on purpose.  We are told that the government remitted the land-taxes and commuted taxes that year, likely as a form of disaster relief to those affected by the flooding. In 666, we are also told a story that actually links this reign to the previous.  We are told that a monk, named Chiyu, gave the sovereign something called a south-pointing chariot.  I'll talk about what this was in another episode.  What's important here is to note that there was a previous entry in the era attributed to Saimei Tennou, aka Takara Hime, where a monk named Chiyu, or something similar, using different characters, also created a south-pointing chariot.  Likewise, we are later told in this reign how Naka no Oe installed a clepsydra, a water clock.  This is also mentioned in the previous reign.  It is possible that these reference completely different accounts.  Or they could be connected in some way. The south-pointing chariot is probably not something that we'll have evidence of, as it would have been mobile and probably deteriorated over time.  However, the water clock would have been a fixed installation with some clear architectural remnants, and indeed we think we know where at least one was built in Asuka.  Both of the water clock entries say that it was the “first” time, so make of that what you will. Also in 666, we see that some 2000 people of Baekje were settled in the East, possibly meaning the Kanto region, though this could be anywhere between modern Nagoya out to the far eastern edge of Honshu.  They were maintained at the government expense for three years, after which they were expected to have built new lives for themselves. In later periods, there is much to be said about “Men of the East”.  There are those that point to this region as being the origin point of many of the warrior traditions that would arise and become the military samurai.  Some of the weapons and fighting styles, especially some of the horse-riding archery seems to point to continental influences that made their way to the Kanto region and beyond.  One has to consider just how much did they bring with them and how did it grow, often beyond the view of the court and the court chronicles.  For now, though, it seems to have largely been a form of a refugee program, since the Baekje no longer had a kingdom to return to. Finally, we have an omen.  In the winter of 666, the rats of the capital, in Asuka, headed north to Afumi.  As with previous entries about rats departing a capital for a direction, this is again meant as an omen.  It probably didn't happen.  But it does foreshadow an account in the following year, when, on the 19th day of the 3rd month, the capital, surprise-surprise, moved to Afumi. And perhaps I shouldn't be flippant.  It was a surprise to have the capital move to Afumi.  There are accounts of legendary sovereigns that had their palace outside of the Nara Basin or Kawachi area, but at this point Yamato had been really building up those areas.  So why would they suddenly relocate to Afumi, of all places? Well, probably because of the same thing that had been driving the rest of their large-scale building projects during this period—from the Water Castle protecting the Dazai to the various Baekje style fortresses from Tsushima down to the Nara Basin.  Afumi was a naturally defensive position.  And in such an uncertain time, having a well-defended capital must have seen like a very good idea.  In fact, though they didn't formally change the capital until the 3rd month of 667, they probably had started work on it as soon as they got back from the loss at Hakusukinoe. As far as locations go, it wasn't necessarily a bad choice.  There were still routes to the port at Naniwa, which could still house various delegations when they arrived.  There were also routes to the east, leading to Owari and the rest of central and eastern Honshu, as well as mountain passes to get to the Japan Sea.  The area where the new palace was located was in the district of Ohotsu.  Ohotsu means something like “Big Port” and I don't know if it was already a major port along the banks of Lake Biwa or if that was a name that came from having the capital there.  Ohotsu was a long-inhabited area, even well before the 660's, and an important site for trade.  In the southern end of modern Ohotsu city is Ishiyama-dera, the stone mountain temple, it which was built in the 8th century, but in front of the temple are the remains of the largest freshwater shellmound in Asia.  As you may recall from some of our earliest episodes talking about the prehistoric period in the Japanese archipelago, shell mounds are typically evidence of ancient settlements, remnants of dump sites where they could throw their detritus.  This probably included a lot more than just shells, but shells, bones, and sometimes things like pottery sherds, would remain.  And while much of the wood and waste of the period would have disintegrated over time, shells do not.    These shell mounds accordingly provide important insight into the lives of people back in that day, and the size can also help us understand things about how large a settlement might have been or how long it was there.  The sheer size of the shellmound at Ishiyama-dera likely indicates that the region had been settled for many centuries prior to the 600's. In addition to the shellmound, and more closely related to the current times we are discussing, is evidence of a rock quarry found at the temple site and showing evidence of techniques familiar to people of the 6th to 8th centuries. You see, Ishiyama is a source of a particular white stone called wollastonite.  The quarry sits below the main hall of the temple, and so it probably would not have been quarried after the hall was built, which was in the 700s, so the site is believed to have been active before that.  From the composition of the stone and the markings on the remnants, we can see similarities to stones in the base of one of the buildings at Kawaradera, in Asuka, which we've talked about before and which was one of the pre-eminent temples of its day.  So this demonstrates a link between the region and the court even before the construction of the new Ohotsu palace. Speaking of the palace, we've known of its exact position since 1974,  when archeologists found evidence of the foundation of a large complex in a residential district in Nishikori.  While some initially suggested it was an old temple, further evidence makes it pretty clear that it was the dairi, or inner sanctum, of a palace.  This is very much in the same mould as the Toyosaki Palace in Naniwa and the various palaces in Asuka from around the same period.  In front of the dairi would have been the actual government buildings, but that area has not been excavated. That brings up another question: was this a full-on capital city, Ohotsu-kyo, or just a palace, the Ohotsu-no-miya?  So far we have only found the palace, But since the area is fairly built up, it may take time to find more, assuming it hasn't been destroyed by previous urban development in the area.  There are some hints that there was more: while there were already at a couple of temples that had been built by the mid-7th century, we see several temples built in ways that not only borrow features from important Asuka temples, like the layout of Kawaradera, but they also match the alignment of the Otsu palace ruins, hinting that they were built at the same time.  For example, there is are the ruins of an abandoned temple in Shiga-Minami – actually once thought to have been the Otsu palace. There was also Soufukuji, a temple in the mountains nearby meant to protect the Northwest from malign influences, likely based on continental geomantic concepts, part of what we might today think of as Feng Shui. This same kind of protective temple building is what we see in later capital cities. Of course, we know that this would not be a permanent capital for the nation of Yamato or of Japan—we aren't that far off from the Nara period, and then, a century later, the capital at Heian-kyo.  But that couldn't have been known at the time.  There was no way to know how long tensions with the continent would last, and it was just as possible that people at the time expected this to be a permanent move.  Its preeminence lasted, too: we do have evidence that even centuries later, the region was still known as an ancient “capital”. No matter what Naka no Oe's intentions were in moving the capital to Afumi, however, it didn't exactly go over well.  It was apparently quite unpopular—so unpopular that the move was mocked in song of the time.  That said, Naka no Oe's mind was made up, and the move took place regardless.     Before moving the capital, however, there was still business to attend to.  Takara Hime and Princess Hashibito were reinterred together in the Misasagi on Wochi Hill.  We are told that men of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla all mourned along the processional route.  The Crown Prince—I'm assuming Naka no Oe, this time given his connection to both of these women—apparently had started the work on a stone sarcophagus.  By this was probably meant the actual stone vault of the tomb, rather than just the coffin, which was also likely made of stone.  This was in Kuramaki, in Takatori, in the Takaichi District of the Nara Basin. Three months after the move to the new capital, the district of Kadono, in the west of modern Kyoto, presented to the sovereign a white swallow—an omen of some sort. The following month, on the 11th day of the 7th month, Tamna sent another embassy, led by a Minister known as Cheonma, with presents for Yamato.  This may have been the first envoy to actually visit the new Ohotsu capital, but certainly not the last. Cheonma stuck around for a few months.  In the intercalary 11th month, which is to say the extra 11th month of 667, inserted to keep the lunar and solar calendars at least partially aligned, Cheonma and his companions were presented with brocade and other cloth, as well as axes, sickles, and swords, presumably to take home to Tamna. While Cheonma was at the court, there was apparently another bit of diplomatic ping-pong going on.  Liu Jenyuan, the Tang general in charge of Baekje, sent Szema Facong and others to escort Sakahibe no Iwashiki and those with him to the Dazai in Tsukushi.  They didn't stay long, though—we are told they arrived on the 9th day of the 11th month and left only 4 days later, on the 13th day of the same.  When they left, however, they, themselves, were given escorts of Yuki no Muraji no Hakatoko—the same one whose memoirs we relied on for that previous trip to the Tang court—as well as Kaso no Omi no Moroshi.  So I guess they were escorting the escorts?  At what point does it end?  Hakatoko and others made it back about three months later, on the 23rd day of the first month of 668, and reported on their own escort mission.  That suggests that they didn't escort them that far.  They may have just seen them back to the Korean peninsula and that was it. Hakatoko's escort mission did mean that he missed a rather important event—the Crown Prince assuming the dignity.  That is to say, Naka no Oe finally took the title of sovereign.  A note in the text suggests that there were other sources that said it was the third month of the previous year—the same time that the Otsu capital was built.  Four days later they held a banquet in the palace for all of the court ministers. A little over a month later, his wife, Yamato bime, was appointed queen.  We are then told of his other wives and consorts. To be clear, Naka no Oe had been collecting consorts for ages.  So let's talk about a few of them. To start with there was Yamatobime, the Yamato Princess, daughter of none other than Naka no Oe's half-brother, Prince Furubito no Oe, his former rival to the throne. Then there was Wochi no Iratsume, aka Princess Miyatsuko, the daughter of Soga no Kurayamada no Ishikawa Maro.  She had a son, Prince Takeru, who died in 651 at the age of 8.  That suggests that she and Naka no Oe had been together since at least 643, two years before the Isshi Incident.  Another one of her daughters, Princess Uno, would go on to marry Naka no Oe's younger brother, Prince Ohoama, the new Crown Prince. Wochi no Iratsume seems to have died of grief in 649, after her father and much of her family were destroyed on the orders of her husband, Naka no Oe.  We are told that Naka no Oe also married Wochi no Iratsume's younger sister as well, Mehi no Iratsume.  She had two daughters, Princess Minabe and Princess Abe.  At this point Abe was only about 7 or 8 years old, herself, but she would eventually be married to Prince Kusakabe, the son of Prince Ohoama and Princess Uno, whom we just mentioned. Naka no Oe also had two other consorts.  Tachibana no Iratsume was the daughter of Abe no Kurahashi no Maro no Oho-omi—he was the first Sadaijin, or Minister of the Left, at the start of the Taika reforms, immediately following the Isshi Incident.  And then there was Hitachi no Iratsume, the daughter of Soga no Akaye. Soga no Akaye is an interesting figure.  You may recall the name from Episode 118.  Soga no Akaye was the acting minister in charge in Yamato when Prince Arima tried to start up a revolt against Takara Hime.  It was in his house where Prince Arima laid out his plan, but a broken armrest convinced Soga no Akaye to turn against the conspirators and turn them in.  And so it is interesting to hear that his daughter was married to Naka no Oe. We are also told of four “palace women” that Naka no Oe is said to have had children with.  The implication seems to be that these were women at the palace but they were not formally recognized with the same status as that of the formal consorts and, of course, the queen, his primary wife.  This fits in with at least one theory I've seen that Naka no Oe was something of a ladies' man.  It seems he got around even more than Murasaki Shikibu's fictional “Shining Prince”, Hikaru Genji.  We are told that there were at least 14 children among the nine official wives—and one has to consider that they were unlikely to record many of the women whom he may have slept with that he didn't also have children with.  And there is a theory that one of those not mentioned, may have been his own sister, full blooded sister.  Specifically, his sister Princess Hashibito, who was married to none other than Naka no Oe's uncle, Prince Karu, aka Jomei Tennou. To be clear:  we have no clear evidence that they were anything other than close siblings, but as you may recall how we mentioned back in Episode 114 that there was something that caused a falling out between Prince Karu and Naka no Oe, such that Naka no Oe disobeyed the sovereign's direct order in moving himself and the royal family back to Asuka.  That meant Naka no Oe, his wives, his mother, AND his sister, Princess—now Queen—Hashibito.  So, yeah, he absconded with Prince Karu's wife who was Naka no Oe's full-blooded sister.  And, as we've noted before, ancient Yamato's concept of incest was pretty narrow.  It was only if you had the same mother that you were considered full siblings—even if the father were someone else.  I suspect that this is related to the matrilineal nature of succession as well, which is why it was so important to insist that the ancient sovereigns had a direct lineal connection to the royal line through their mother as much as through their father. So if Naka no Oe and his sister were having any kind of relationship that was considered wrong or scandalous, then that could also help explain why he didn't take the throne sooner, and why it passed over to his mother.  But now, both Takara Hime and Hashibito were quite literally dead and buried, and Naka no Oe had ascended to the throne. Of the so-called “Palace Women” that  are listed as being likewise married to—or at least in a relationship with—Naka no Oe, I'd like to focus on one:  Iga no Uneme no Yakako.  For one, she is specifically mentioned as an uneme—one of the women sent to the court specifically to serve in the palace.  But her parentage isn't further illuminated other than the name “Iga” which is probably a locative, possibly referring to the area of Iga. This is also interesting because we are also told that she gave birth to a son named Prince Iga, also known as Prince Ohotomo.  Despite his mother's apparently unremarkable status, Prince Ohotomo seems to have been quite the apple of his father's eye.  He was born in 648, so in 668 he was about 20 years old, meaning that around this time he was probably just coming into his own at court.  He was married to his cousin, Princess Touchi, daughter of his uncle, Crown Prince Ohoama.  He was also married to Mimotoji, who appears to have been a daughter of Nakatomi no Kamatari, meaning that he was pretty well connected. But we'll get into that in a future episode.  For now, I think we'll leave it here: with the move of the capital to Ohotsu and the formal ascension of Naka no Oe to the throne. We'll talk about what that might mean in the future.  Until then, thank you once again for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

A Spotlight on Innovation: Penske's AI-Driven Transformation with Hitachi Digital Services - Penske, in collaboration with Hitachi Digital Services, is setting a new benchmark for the future of fleet management through AI-led innovation. This strategic partnership has focused on enhancing vehicle uptime, operational efficiency, and customer experience by transforming maintenance practices from reactive to predictive. Penske and Hitachi Digital Services co-developed cutting-edge, AI-powered fleet solutions that have already demonstrated significant impact. These solutions have prevented over 90,000 breakdowns and enabled more than 117,000 efficient repairs. This transformation has reduced operational disruptions and delivered measurable business value, highlighting the power of AI in real-world applications. To explore the full case study and learn how this collaboration is reshaping the transportation and logistics landscape, please visit: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hitachi-digital-services-penskes/

It's hard to believe (at the time of this recording) that it's April, and hopefully we all survived tax day and are able to get out and enjoy some of the beautiful Spring foliage that's popping up all over. On this Spring day, I've invited Lawrence Payne to join me as my guest. He is an award-winning copywriter, editor, voice actor and composer,  who has worked with some of the world's most progressive companies such as Yamaha Digital Musical Instruments, Yamaha Audio, Teac, Hitachi and Brother.  Many of them in his capacity as a senior copywriter at Intermart Advertising/Tokyo.  He's received awards for his creative work featured in prestigious national and regional competitions and he has a reputation for excellence in technical documentation and communications. Lawrence has over 32 years of professional experience covering subjects ranging from music, cultural history, philosophy, religion, robotics, telecom and travel.   Lawrence has contributed widely to consumer and trade publications, including the graphic-design journal How.  As a  knowledgeable musician and critic, he has written for Guitar Player magazine, served as associate editor at Music Connection magazine and studied with the Latin guitar virtuoso Jorge Strunz. He produces the YouTube channel Deep Space Theater, which features his own musical compositions. Among his recent literary efforts are the books of a Zen Buddhist abbot whose influence is spread throughout Asia to the Americas and Europe.   However, with all of the aforementioned projects, the one title that's missing from Lawrence Payne's accomplishments, is as LinkedIn's Chief Cheerleader and Encourager! On any given day, you can find Lawrence reposting, commenting and encouraging others on their accomplishments.  It's that kind of generosity and kindness that has brought us together to have a conversation. You may contact or follow Lawrence via the following: Business email Address(s): writerhead@msn.com, blueworldeditors@gmail.com LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-payne-b64a532/ Music: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbzKL0rxVV5MXm0fWaLJLg Music for media: https://desertviewrecordsllc.disco.ac/cat/325091309/artists/9749899 Blog: https://medium.com/@blueworldeditors Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/creative-drive-lawrence-payne If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow 19 Stories wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. It would be greatly appreciated if you gave a nice review and shared this episode well :-) To give feedback or a story idea: 19stories@soundsatchelstudios.com To listen to my demos: https://www.cherylholling.com/ To contact me via VO work or to host your podcast, I can be reached at: cheryl@cherylholling.com Follow me on Instagram: @cherylhollingvo Theme Song Credit:  'Together' by For King & Country "We got it together" insert: Barry White Proverbs 23:18 "Surely there is a future, and your Hope will not be cut off."

The only thing worse, in policy terms, than Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on countries across the world, are the constant US policy flip-flops, senior wind industry figures have said.As Trump began to impose tariffs on US imports; many countries, including China, responded in force with their own tariffs, sparking fears of a global trade war. Although the US president has since relented on high tariffs for some countries, the world remains on high alert for yet another US policy reversal creating a climate of uncertainty which has knocked the confidence of the wind industry to invest. Ian Griggs, editor of Windpower Monthly, was at last month's Wind Europe conference in Copenhagen as the tariffs began to bite and he took the opportunity to speak to delegates from DNV, Statkraft, Modvion and Hitachi about what they might mean for the wind industry. They said the constant policy reversals were potentially even more harmful than the tariffs themselves but that this was tempered by some silver linings too.This episode was produced by Inga Marsden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Supernatural Japan, we dive into the mysterious legend of the Hollow Ship of Hitachi, one of Japan's earliest recorded UFO sightings from 1803. Was it an alien encounter, a strange foreign vessel, or something even more mysterious? We explore the historical records, the strange details of the ship and its occupant, and how this bizarre event fits into both Edo-period folklore and modern UFO theories. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind one of Japan's most intriguing supernatural mysteries!

Welcome to episode 276 of the Grow Your Law Firm podcast, hosted by Ken Hardison. In this episode, Ken sits down with Hamid Kohan, founder of Law Practice AI.   Hamid is an experienced entrepreneur with a diverse background in technology and law. He earned his engineering degree at 17 from Chico State University and was quickly recruited to Silicon Valley, working for prominent companies. By 21, he completed an MBA in business marketing, propelling his career in business and technology. Hamid was integral in developing the world's first laptop at Grid Systems and later worked at SUN Microsystems, helping the company grow from 200 to 13,000 employees. He also held senior positions at Hitachi and Tandem Computers, directing business and technology development. In 1999, Hamid became Division President of Emblazed Technology, where he led the company to a 300% growth and a $1 billion valuation in just one year. In 2004, he co-founded CAPLUCK Inc., launching Cap60, a data management system provider recognized as the largest service provider for nonprofits in the U.S. In 2016, Hamid entered the legal field by founding Law Practice AI (formerly Legal Soft Inc.) offering practice management solutions for law firms. Under his leadership, Law Practice AI grew rapidly, helping firms expand across the U.S. Hamid's expertise in law firm management has made him a sought-after speaker and author of three books, including How to Scale Your Stupid Law Firm. His practical approach has made him a respected figure in legal practice management. What you'll learn about in this episode:   1. Client Follow-up and Communication: - Law Practice AI streamlines client follow-up processes through automated calls, texts, and emails, allowing for personalized sequences and efficient communication. - The AI technology collects and analyzes documents in real-time, providing immediate feedback and facilitating document collection during client interactions. 2. Document Summarization and Organization: - Law Practice AI offers document summarization and analysis, enabling the rapid processing of large volumes of documents, such as medical records, in under five minutes. - The platform allows for easy organization and filing of documents, enhancing client file management and workflow efficiency. 3. Centralized AI Solutions for Legal Operations: - Centralized AI solutions like Law Practice AI aim to simplify legal operations by integrating with CRMs to automate data management, calendaring, and client interactions. - Virtual staff integration alongside AI tools presents a strategic approach to scaling law firms efficiently and cost-effectively. 4. Simplified Tech Environment: - Law firms benefit from a centralized tech environment provided by platforms like Law Practice AI, avoiding the need to navigate multiple systems for different tasks. - Future versions of Law Practice AI feature API integrations with CRMs to automate matter opening, data storage, calendaring, and flag-setting processes. 5. Intake AI and Client Communication: - Intake AI technology addresses challenges in client communication by providing a seamless experience, including quick escalation to live agents for high-value cases. - Law Practice AI differentiates itself by offering personalized and efficient intake processes tailored to the legal industry's unique needs and complexities.   Resources:  Website http://www.mylawfirm.ai/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Law-Practice-AI/61556510846445/ Twitter https://x.com/LawPracticeAI LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/law-practice-ai/ Additional Resources:    https://www.pilmma.org/aiworkshop https://www.pilmma.org/the-mastermind-effect https://www.pilmma.org/resources https://www.pilmma.org/mastermind

A new Ashina succession crisis threatens the balance of power! Date Masamune puts forth his own brother for headship, but house Satake of Hitachi has other plans. And what does Toyotomi Hideyoshi think of all this?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Riversidewings on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or buy ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠some merch at Fourthwall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. (Music is "Shinshun Ryoutei," "Kyoto no Ohayashi," "Hokora Uta," and "Yamagami no Yashiro," from 「MOMIZizm MUSiC（もみじば）｜フリーBGM 」)

Masa Takeda discusses investment opportunities in Japan. He likes Sony (SONY), Hitachi, 7&I Holdings, the parent company of 7-11, and more. He describes the Hennessy Japan Investor Fund (HJPNX) and why investors might be interested. He thinks Japan is becoming more investor-friendly and focused, and argues that it has world-class companies that can give 10%+ annualized return. He expects the Japanese yen to remain weak.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Jeff Bezos cannot possibly have designed a rocket that is more phalic than his "Hitachi sponsored" flying c@ck.Ironic that it was filled with mostly femanists...

Join Staffbase Head of Content Brian Tomlinson as he speaks with Stephanie Roberts, Chief Communications Officer at Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems, to explore the evolving role of internal communications in modern organizations. Stephanie shares insights on why comms should report directly to the CEO, how to influence leadership, and why AI still can't replace human connection. In this episode, Stephanie unpacks the challenges of engaging frontline workers, the importance of cultural nuances in global comms, and how storytelling can make even the most technical products compelling. She also reveals why every executive needs to be active on LinkedIn — and how communicators can make it happen. Whether you're leading comms, advising executives, or rethinking your internal strategy, this conversation is full of actionable insights to help you drive real impact.

How BIG is Ritchie Brothers spring auction? Well on this episode, we find out! Mack sits down with Mark McPyke, Edmonton yard refurb manager, and Rob Chappell, Regional Sales Manager for Ritchie Brothers to talk all about Ritchie Bros big spring auction in Edmonton AlbertaWe learn about what it takes to move thousands of pieces of equipment through the Edmonton yard to buyers around the world. From inspections and refurb, to lining it all up for buyers to view, we cover it on this episode!Learn more about Ritchie Bro's Edmonton auction here https://www.rbauction.com/lp/edmonton-abFind Ritchie Bros on social media @ritchiebrosFind Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or visit the website https://earthmoversmedia.com/

Are you looking to boost your B2B marketing results with high-impact video content? In this episode of the DMC Marketing Nugget, Devin Herz is joined by Tim Bradley, Co-Founder of Pennant Video and a seasoned expert in mid-funnel video strategies. With experience leading major creative teams and working alongside global tech brands like Cisco, Hitachi, and Philips, Tim shares proven tactics to turn interested leads into loyal customers. Discover how to elevate your mid-funnel video game and create content that truly converts. From crafting authentic stories to avoiding common mistakes, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can start using right away. In this episode, you'll learn: The Power of the “Video Marketing Trifecta” Tim explains his signature framework and why mid-funnel videos are essential for nurturing leads and driving conversions. Common Mid-Funnel Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Learn about the biggest pitfalls B2B companies face and get expert advice on how to correct your video strategy. How to Differentiate, Demonstrate, and Validate Tim shares real-world examples of how Pennant Video helps clients boost conversions by focusing on these three critical pillars. Storytelling Techniques for Impactful Video Content Discover Tim's top tips for creating authentic, relatable videos that resonate with your target audience. Bonus Nugget: The Video Marketing Playbook Tim offers exclusive insights into his playbook to help businesses craft compelling video strategies that deliver results. That's a wrap for another impactful episode of the DMC Marketing Nugget! Be sure to like & follow, listen on your favorite streaming platforms, and visit DMCmarketingnugget.com to catch up on all our past episodes. Here's to your marketing success! #VideoMarketing #B2BMarketing #MidFunnelStrategy #MarketingTips #ContentMarketing #TimBradley #PennantVideo #Storytelling #LeadConversion #DMCMarketingNugget

Are you looking to boost your B2B marketing results with high-impact video content? In this episode of the DMC Marketing Nugget, Devin Herz is joined by Tim Bradley, Co-Founder of Pennant Video and a seasoned expert in mid-funnel video strategies. With experience leading major creative teams and working alongside global tech brands like Cisco, Hitachi, and Philips, Tim shares proven tactics to turn interested leads into loyal customers. Discover how to elevate your mid-funnel video game and create content that truly converts. From crafting authentic stories to avoiding common mistakes, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can start using right away. In this episode, you'll learn: The Power of the “Video Marketing Trifecta” Tim explains his signature framework and why mid-funnel videos are essential for nurturing leads and driving conversions. Common Mid-Funnel Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Learn about the biggest pitfalls B2B companies face and get expert advice on how to correct your video strategy. How to Differentiate, Demonstrate, and Validate Tim shares real-world examples of how Pennant Video helps clients boost conversions by focusing on these three critical pillars. Storytelling Techniques for Impactful Video Content Discover Tim's top tips for creating authentic, relatable videos that resonate with your target audience. Bonus Nugget: The Video Marketing Playbook Tim offers exclusive insights into his playbook to help businesses craft compelling video strategies that deliver results. That's a wrap for another impactful episode of the DMC Marketing Nugget! Be sure to like & follow, listen on your favorite streaming platforms, and visit DMCmarketingnugget.com to catch up on all our past episodes. Here's to your marketing success! #VideoMarketing #B2BMarketing #MidFunnelStrategy #MarketingTips #ContentMarketing #TimBradley #PennantVideo #Storytelling #LeadConversion #DMCMarketingNugget

Aaron, Jack, and TJ recap their recent trip to Japan to visit Hitachi factories and customers. Kon'nichiwa! Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com! Stay Dirty! We're thrilled to have Ariat as our official Dirt Talk Podcast sponsor! They make world-class footwear and workwear that we see on every job site we visit, and their folks are just as great as their products. Dirt Talk listeners can receive 10% off their first order with Ariat by clicking here or visiting Ariat.com/dirttalk.

“We're giving [companies] the avenue to take something that historically has been an inconvenience and turn that into an opportunity to make them some money, whether that be selling energy to the grid, or putting energy back into the operations of their facilities. So, what could have cost them money in the past can now be a huge benefit. At the same time, you're doing something great for the world and our future.” Autumn Huskins on Electric Ladies Podcast Addressing climate change presents two big questions: How do we reduce waste and keep it out of landfills, and how can we power our electricity-dependent economy without exacerbating climate change? An innovative waste-to-energy technology in San Luis Obispo, California is diverting waste from landfills, creating exciting new revenue streams – and even helping make wine! Listen to Autumn Hustins, Finance Director at Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), as she explores a renewable energy source that is providing clean power to ~600,000 homes and businesses in the local economy, with plans to grow. You'll hear about: How Hitachi Zosen Inova's waste-to-energy plant is converting agricultural and food waste into electricity for the local grid. New revenue streams that waste-to-energy innovations create for business and local communities. Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on the adoption of waste-to-energy projects. How the green energy transition is creating new jobs in places previously reliant on fossil fuels. Plus, the secret to a great career is surprisingly simple. "You go to work every day in the job that you're in. You do your absolute best. You give your all to that particular position, and the positions will follow. I don't care what your role is. I don't care if you're the janitor or the CEO, I think you approach the job the same way and do the best that you can possibly do, and it'll work out.” Autumn Huskins on Electric Ladies Podcast Read Joan's Forbes articles here. You'll also like: ICWS Webinar, Joan Michelson moderates an enlightening webinar with top leaders on The Future of the Energy Transition and the Grid. Gauri Singh, Deputy Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency, on the deployment of clean energy around the world. Björk Kristjánsdóttir, COO/CFO of Carbon Recycling International, on turning CO2 into valuable products. Bethia Burke, President of The Fund For Our Economic Future, on the impact of green jobs on local economies. Vanessa Chan, former Chief Commercialization Officer of the Department of Energy, on funding the transition to clean energy. More from Electric Ladies Podcast!  Join us at The Earth Day Women's Summit on April 22, 2025, in Dallas, Texas! Register today with the code “EDWS” for the Women's Summit and a special rate. Elevate your career with expert coaching and ESG advisory with Electric Ladies Podcast. Unlock new opportunities, gain confidence, and achieve your career goals with the right guidance. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, articles, events and career advice – and special coaching offers. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Don't forget to follow us on our socials Twitter: @joanmichelson LinkedIn: Electric Ladies Podcast with Joan Michelson Twitter: @joanmichelson Facebook: Green Connections Radio

Send us a text⚛️ Did scientists almost create a black hole? Scientists at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider were smashing particles together at nearly the speed of light, reaching temperatures hotter than the sun. One physicist suggested we may have created our own version of a black hole. Big bang anyone?

Can Japan solve climate change with $3 million? Why are Japanese companies creating AI Customers? Why aren't any of Japan's Universities in the Global Top 100 for AI?SHOW NOTESJAPANIAEA Upbeat, but Niigata Governor Delays Kashiwazaki-Kariwa RestartSUPPLY CHAIN WARJapan to give $3 mil to help Pacific islands fight climate changeChina's EUV breakthrough: Huawei, SMIC reportedly advancing LDP lithography, eye 3Q25 trial, 2026 rolloutU.S. to levy fees on ships linked to China, push allies to do similar – draft executive orderSOCIETY 5.0　Hitachi uses generative AI to create "AI customers" and generate catchy slogansNissan tests driverless vehicles in city streets filled with cars and peopleJapanese university unveils AI program for medical student trainingJapan research team develops technology to visualize acne-causing bacteria using AIOnce-reluctant builders now using unmanned machinery, AIIbaraki's Tsukuba and Tsuchiura cities to introduce AI into childcare facility admission selection processRelease of Japanese voice platform models "Izanami" and "Kushinada"Trinity, the AI camera company, launches "unlimited SIM plan for security cameras" that does not require an internet connectionAI: The Future of Ibaraki - Part 1: Efficiency (3) Automatic detection of fires and floods, 24-hour non-stop safety monitoringOsaka Metro to start offering "face recognition ticket gate" service from March 25thNEC unveils completely contactless "face recognition payment" to be introduced at the World ExpoWave, an autonomous driving startup backed by SoftBank Group, moves closer to launching commercial services49 Chinese universities in the top 100 for AI, zero in Japan; half of top US researchers are from China'Another DeepSeek moment'? Chinese start-up launches new AI agent, sparking widespread attention

“I do not chase goals, I answer callings." A quote from Olympian & Olympic Coach, Dr. Jeff Spencer, who is today's guest on the pod. This episode has so many universal truths that will hit home for a wide range of people. In addition, if you are someone that is working towards a big goal or the creation of something bigger than yourself, this is the exact episode you need. We talk about how to know you've chosen the right goal (intention) and why people lack clarity or motivation in the pursuit of a goal and what you need to know about life to push past that. Dr. Jeff Spencer is a man who has spent five decades building champions.At the age of 11, Jeff wrote a contract with himself to make the 1972 Olympic Games – a goal he accomplished in his early twenties competing in 2 cycling events and learning the keys to goal achievement.Since then, his 500,000 hours in the high-performance world allows him to see things from every perspective. Dr. Spencer has helped athletes win over 40 gold medals and cycling teams to eight Tour De France victories. I've also experienced him speak and coach first hand and it is unlike anything I've ever witnessed.Dr. Spencer has also authored three books, been awarded International Sports Chiropractor of the Year, is creator of The Champion's Blueprint methodology, and had his glass-blowing art displayed in some of the world's finest galleries.Today, Dr. Spencer is most renowned as mentor to thought-leaders and businesses who want to exponentially grow and catapult to iconic status. Some of his notable clients include Tiger Woods, Richard Branson, the band U2, Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador, Maria Sharapova (so cool), Nike, Hitachi, and Dave Asprey's Bulletproof.However, his proudest achievement is the raising of his adopted daughter, Kin, with his wife Kristina. Links Mentioned in Episode:How to Get Clear On The Path To Achieve Your Goals: https://jameswhitt.com/the-champions-path-with-dr-jeff-spencer/The Book Jeff is Loving Right Now: https://a.co/d/4CDQrh9 More about Dr. Jeff Spencer:Website: drjeffspencer.comLinkedIn: Dr. Jeff SpencerMore about the host, Livi Redden, at:I would love it if you left a podcast review: click hereSocials, Book, TEDx: stan.store/livireddenWebsite: liviredden.comGet your questions personally answered by future podcast guests by joining:My text community (US + Canada Only)My IG Broadcast Channel

Laura Fleming and Alfredo Parres from Hitachi Energy dive into the critical challenges of integrating renewable energy, particularly offshore wind power, into the UK grid. They explore innovative solutions, including HVDC technology and digital advancements, that are driving efficient, reliable energy distribution and shaping the future of the global energy landscape. With Laura's over 25 years of experience in the energy sector and Alfredo's long history in renewables, the two give insights into how Hitachi is making the energy transition possible. Fill out our Uptime listener survey and enter to win an Uptime mug! Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard's StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes' YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Allen Hall: With power grids adapting to accommodate growing renewable energy, the challenges of integration had never been more critical. This week, we speak with Alfredo Parres group, senior Vice President and head of Renewables at Hitachi Energy. And Laura Fleming, country managing director at Hitachi Energy UK and Ireland. Together, they explain how Hitachi's technology is enabling efficient, reliable connections between massive wind farms and our existing electrical infrastructure. This is a great interview. Stay tuned. Welcome to Uptime Spotlight, shining Light on Wind Energy's brightest innovators. This is the progress. Powering tomorrow. Allen Hall: Laura and Alfredo, welcome to the podcast. Laura Flemming: Glad to be here. Alfredo Parres: Hey, huh. Allen Hall: How are you? Laura, let's start with you because I've watched a number of your interviews on YouTube and there's just a lot happening within Hitachi. What are some of the main challenges in the UK facing sort of the renewable energy grid and all of the particularly wind power, which is what we're focused on. There's a lot of wind power offshore being deployed in the UK at the minute. How is a Hitachi trying to handle that and distribute that energy? Laura Flemming: Yeah. Thank you for the question. And uh, it's a super exciting time, as you're saying in in the uk energy space. And maybe just to explain briefly what is going on the UK. At the moment, it's very hard at work to decarbonize the electricity grid. It's actually planning to be fully carbon zero by 2030. That's only in five years time now. And that's obviously a very big job. What we're doing in order to reach that as a country is switching away from from carbon sources. And so about six weeks ago. We switched off our last coal-fired power station, for example. But of course we still need energy and we still need a lot of electricity. So what we're doing instead is building out a lot of renewable energy predominantly offshore wind because that allows us to produce vast amounts of electricity quickly cheaply and sustainably. The result of all of that is that actually we're producing electricity in very different places than that we used to. So offshore wind, obviously produced in the sea, mainly in the north of Scotland particularly in Scotland. But the demand centers are all in the s of the country, predominantly around London and Birmingham areas. So we needing to transport this electricity around the system in a very different way. And all of that is triggering lots of grid reinforcements requiring to be done as well. So, and obviously without that grid, we can't move around this this new electricity from the generation source to the to the demand centers in a very efficient and also in a reliable way. And also making sure that we don't have too many losses on the system. So this is a huge task.

30 years ago: Computer industry booms as consoles slump, Nintendo announces Ultra64 & The internet gets scary These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM! This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industry in August 1994.  As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events. Alex Smith of They Create Worlds is our cohost.  Check out his podcast here: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/ and order his book here: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book Get us on your mobile device: Android:  https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly92aWRlb2dhbWVuZXdzcm9vbXRpbWVtYWNoaW5lLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz iOS:      https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/video-game-newsroom-time-machine And if you like what we are doing here at the podcast, don't forget to like us on your podcasting app of choice, YouTube, and/or support us on patreon! https://www.patreon.com/VGNRTM Send comments on Mastodon @videogamenewsroomtimemachine@oldbytes.space Or twitter @videogamenewsr2 Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vgnrtm Or videogamenewsroomtimemachine@gmail.com Links: If you don't see all the links, find them here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/123352781/edit 7 Minutes in Heaven: Cliffhanger (Amiga) Video Version: https://youtu.be/KZ7J9qEpqxI     https://www.mobygames.com/game/29830/cliffhanger/ Corrections: July 1994 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/july-1994-part-1-116538490         https://www.patreon.com/posts/july-1994-part-2-116538674 Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/     Defunctland Jim Henson Series - https://youtu.be/BVoGf1JTVeI?si=PBwUInz2t7hBe-Eq     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_superhighway     https://en.namu.wiki/w/RX-78%20Gundam     https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/SPECIAL     https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW164         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Cook     Wrestling with Games - XBAND - https://youtu.be/k_5M-z_RUKA?si=tuuDxPGj6GnTPc-B     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_(service)               1994: Canada to get their own ratings     New VCR proves 6 heads are better than 1, The Toronto Star, August 11, 1994,Thursday, FINAL EDITION, Section: FAST FORWARD; Pg. F2, byline: BY ROBERT WRIGHT TORONTO STARON THE EDGE California presses forward with video game violence bill     https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3018-egm2-issue-02-august-1994/   pg. 29       https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-13-mn-45306-story.html IDSA board selected     Mattel takes a second look at games     Mattel Hires Sega Executive, The Associated Press, August 2, 1994, Tuesday, BC cycle Square goes public     CORPORATE PROFILE: SQUARE, Jiji Press Ticker Service, AUGUST 5, 1994, FRIDAY Japanese companies playing with fire     "As derivatives proliferate, so do worries Companies try to control risks from transactions intended to rein in costs but which can backfire, The Nikkei Weekly (Japan), August 15, 1994, Section: FINANCE; Pg. 13, Byline: BY ASAKO ISHIBASHI Staff writer" Acclaim buys Valiant     ACCLAIM ACQUIRES VOYAGER COMMUNICATIONS FOR $65 MILLION Marks Company's Diversification into Comic Book Publishing, Business Wire, August 2, 1994, Tuesday     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_book_collecting#Bust_of_the_speculator_market UK video rental market embraces games... illegally     Games Spark Sagging U.K. Vid Biz; But Many Don't Have Licenses To Rent Them, Billboard, August 13, 1994, Section: HOME VIDEO; Pg. 76, Byline: BY PETER DEAN     Sonic out to zap the 'swapping' boom, The Scotsman, August 23, 1994, Tuesday, Byline: By Chris Mullinger UK teens tune out to games      MEDIA GUARDIAN: LUST FOR NASTIES AND HARD NEWS, The Guardian (London), August 8, 1994, Section: THE GUARDIAN FEATURES PAGE; Pg. T17      Sega announces US theme park     Universal Teams With Sega on Theme Park, Disneyland Annex Scaled Back, The Associated Press,  August 12, 1994, Friday, AM cycle, Section: Business News, Byline: By E. SCOTT RECKARD, AP Business Writer     Report: Sega Plan to Open 50 High-Tech Theme Parks in U.S., The Associated Press, August 16, 1994, Tuesday, BC cycle, Section: Business News Sega buys Data East Pinball     Sega acquires Data East Pinball, Business Wire, August 26, 1994, Friday Doom coming to arcades     DOOM IS ALL AROUND US, Business Week, August 1, 1994, Business and Industry, Section: Pg. 72;        https://doom.fandom.com/wiki/Trivia         https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/112509-share-your-epic-doom-related-stories/ Atari Games President passes     Play Meter, August 1994, pg. 32 Hasbro readies to enter VR market     No Headline In Original, ADWEEK, August 15, 1994, Eastern Edition, Byline: By Jennifer Comiteau and Penny Warneford, with Cathy Taylor        https://www.unseen64.net/2018/10/04/hasbro-toaster-virtual-reality-console/ Begone Project Reality, all hail Ultra 64     https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3018-egm2-issue-02-august-1994/  pg. 28      Sega teams up with Hitachi in Japan     HITACHI SALES TO HELP SEGA MARKET VIDEO GAMES, Jiji Press Ticker Service, AUGUST 3, 1994, WEDNESDAY             Sega, Hitachi Sales link up to sell video game machine, Japan Economic Newswire, AUGUST 3, 1994, WEDNESDAY Sega buys Cross Products     The leading video game development tool, Business Wire, August 15, 1994, Monday         https://segaretro.org/Cross_Products         https://web.archive.org/web/19961227100911/http://www.crossprod.co.uk/      Jaguar CD to launch by Xmas     https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3018-egm2-issue-02-august-1994/  pg. 29     ATARI CORP. ANNOUNCES SECOND QUARTER 1994 RESULTS, PR Newswire, August 1, 1994, Monday - 19:55 Eastern Time, Section: Financial News Sanyo gives console market a TRY     SANYO TO RELEASE INTERACTIVE GAME MACHINE TRY, Jiji Press Ticker Service, AUGUST 31, 1994, WEDNESDAY 3DO announces losses     Video Game System Company Posts $ 16.1 Million First-Quarter Loss, The Associated Press, August 11, 1994, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Business News     COMPANY NEWS; SHARES OF 3DO SOAR ON FORECAST FOR NEW SYSTEM, The New York Times, August 24, 1994, Wednesday, Late Edition - Final, Distribution: Financial Desk, Section: Section D; ; Section D; Page 3; Column 1; Financial Desk ; Column 1;                3DO UNVEILS PLANS TO BOOST POWER OF GAME PLAYERS, WALL STREET JOURNAL, August 25, 1994, Thursday, Section: Section B; Page 8, Column 4, Byline: BY JIM CARLTON              ANOTHER KEY EXEC DEPARTS O&M'S, INTERACTIVE GROUP; 3DO POWERS UP TO MEET COMPETITION; INTERACTING:; OTHER NEWS: Advertising Age, August 29, 1994, Section: Pg. 14 Mortal Friday gets $10 million budget     ACCLAIM'S 'MORTAL KOMBAT II' PREPARED TO STRIKE ON 'MORTAL FRIDAY,' SEPTEMBER 9; Company Spending Over $10 Million on Global Launch, Business Wire, August 4, 1994, Thursday     https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_121/page/n29/mode/2up Acclaim buys into FMV    Playthings, August 1994, pg. 19           https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_061_August_1994/page/n157/mode/1up?view=theater Macromedia and Microware want to bring PCs and ITV together     Agreement to Make Computer Programs Available for Interactive TV Use, The Associated Press, August 1, 1994, Monday, AM cycle, Section: Business News, Byline: By STEVEN P. ROSENFELD, AP Business Writer       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macromedia        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microware      Computer industry profits boom     Not drowning, waving at profits, The Age (Melbourne, Australia), August 2, 1994 Tuesday, Late Edition, Section: COMPUTERS; Mass Storage; Pg. 34 SPA reports huge boom in sales     "NORTH AMERICAN PC SOFTWARE SALES REACH $1.48 BILLION, IN FIRST QUARTER 1994; HOME EDUCATION SALES LEAD GROWTH -- UP 128%, PR Newswire, August 8, 1994, Monday - 14:29 Eastern Time, Section: Financial News" CDRom bundles discouraging sales         Dataquest Consumer Survey Shows Where CD-ROM Title Developers Can Be Successful, Business Wire, August 8, 1994, Monday     Sirius Publishing to release long-awaited 5-ft. 10-Pak Volume II, Business Wire, August 8, 1994, Monday     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-08/page/n15/mode/2up     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-08/page/14/mode/2up Flash memory prices tumbling     Not drowning, waving at profits, The Age (Melbourne, Australia), August 2, 1994 Tuesday, Late Edition, Section: COMPUTERS; Mass Storage; Pg. 34        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory Cyrix to take on AMD     Infoworld August 8, 1994, pg. 5 Employers begin to crackdown on games     Games they play, The Times, August 1, 1994, Monday, Section: Business, Byline: Jon Ashworth Microsoft targets "loosely supervised Executives"     SUNDAY, August 7, 1994; Playing Games at Work, The New York Times, August 7, 1994, Sunday, Late Edition - Final, Distribution: Magazine Desk, Section: Section 6; ; Section 6; Page 12; Column 1; Magazine Desk ; Column 1; MacPlay expands lineup     Playthings, August 1994, pg. 44 Ad game business booming in Germany     https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-08/page/n29/mode/2up Media Vision collapse profiled     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-08/page/10/mode/2up     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-08/page/12/mode/2up Victormaxx announces Cybermaxx     Virtual Reality Headset For PCs A Reality, Newsbytes News Network, August 5, 1994       http://videogamekraken.com/cybermaxx-by-victormaxx Mice go 3D     Echoes of Silicon Valley, Agence France Presse -- English, August 04, 1994 08:13 Eastern Time, Section: Domestic, non-Washington, general news item, Dateline: PALO ALTO, California, Aug 4         https://www.ebay.com/itm/304724946528 Microprose to bring Magic to PC         IT'S IN THE CARDS' FOR MICROPROSE(R) AND WIZARDS OF THE COAST(R);PR Newswire, August 10, 1994, Wednesday - 17:23 Eastern Time, Section: State and Regional News     https://www.mobygames.com/game/530/magic-the-gathering/        https://www.mobygames.com/game/6274/magic-the-gathering-battlemage/ Star Trek licenses are a mess     https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-08/page/14/mode/2up TEN to bring SimCity online     Total Entertainment Network will feature online debut of popular SimCity, game, Business Wire, August 10, 1994, Wednesday      The web becomes a scary place     E-mail evil, The Jerusalem Post, August 4, 1994, Thursday, Section: OPINION; Pg. 6,  Byline: SANDY ROVNER Siliwood goes Online     DISNEY, AMERITECH, BELLSOUTH AND SOUTHWESTERN BELL PLAN ALLIANCE TO DEVELOP AND OFFER VIDEO SERVICES, PR Newswire, August 8, 1994, Monday - 13:31 Eastern Time, Section: Financial News Fujitsu brings habitat back to USA     Fujitsu to start 'cyberspace' game business in U.S., Japan Economic Newswire, AUGUST 10, 1994, WEDNESDAY Computer Porn outpacing UK lawmakers     https://archive.org/details/Atari_ST_User_Issue_103_1994-08_Europress_GB/page/n39/mode/2up Labor promises telecommunications reform     Party line for fun and games, The Times, August 5, 1994, Friday, Byline: Emma Woollacott        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Communications Interactive TV license purchasers default     SOME TOP BIDDERS AT AIRWAVE AUCTION FAILING TO PAY UP, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania), AUGUST 12, 1994, FRIDAY, SOONER EDITION, Section: BUSINESS, Byline: BLOOMBERG BUSINESS NEWS Acorn enters set top box market     https://archive.org/details/AcornUser145-Aug94/page/n7/mode/2up      Ziff Davis buys Compute     ZIFF-DAVIS ACQUIRES ASSETS OF COMPUTE MAGAZINE; COMPUTER LIFE AND FamilyPC'S ADVERTISERS TO GET UNEXPECTED BONUS CIRCULATION, PR Newswire, August 8, 1994, Monday - 19:06 Eastern Time Teenage reviewers on the rise     Teenage games writers get to call the shots, The Age (Melbourne, Australia), August 2, 1994 Tuesday, Late Edition, Section: COMPUTERS; Pg. 40, Byline: Amy Harmon Computer game book rights up for grabs     Book Notes, The New York Times, August 3, 1994, Wednesday, Late Edition - Final, Distribution: Cultural Desk, Section: Section C; ; Section C; Page 20; Column 5; Cultural Desk ; Column 5;,Byline: By Sarah Lyall         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_novels_based_on_video_games Disney gets MYST rights     Out of the 'Myst': Disney plays game for book, film; Hit CD-ROM software is going Hollywood, The Hollywood Reporter, August 11, 1994, Thursday, Byline: Scott Hettrick Stormfront to simulate strike season     PENDING BASEBALL STRIKE PROMPTS VIDEO GAME DEVELOPER TO PINCH HIT FOR REAL THING, PR Newswire, August 12, 1994, Friday - 09:02 Eastern Time, Section: Financial New          Real Unreal Baseball, The Associated Press, August 17, 1994, Wednesday, PM cycle, Section: Sports News, Byline: By JIM LITKE, AP Sports Writer     Indians overtake White Sox in AL Central; Braves, Expos torrid in Nintendo, Baseball League, Business Wire, August 21, 1994, Sunday Leonard Herman releases Phoenix     https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-13-mn-45306-story.html  pg. 32      Nintendo ordered to pay $208 million     Nintendo U.S. unit told to pay 208 mil. dlrs in damages, Japan Economic Newswire, AUGUST 2, 1994, TUESDAY      https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-08/page/14/mode/2up     No Headline in Original, Ad Day, August 8, 1994, Section: Corridor Talk Pg. 38, byline: Kevin Kerr Recommended Links: The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/ Gaming Alexandria: https://www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/ They Create Worlds: https://tcwpodcast.podbean.com/ Digital Antiquarian: https://www.filfre.net/ The Arcade Blogger: https://arcadeblogger.com/ Retro Asylum: http://retroasylum.com/category/all-posts/ Retro Game Squad: http://retrogamesquad.libsyn.com/ Playthrough Podcast: https://playthroughpod.com/ Retromags.com: https://www.retromags.com/ Games That Weren't - https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/ Sound Effects by Ethan Johnson of History of How We Play. Copyright Karl Kuras    

Genevieve Hayes Consulting Episode 53: A Wake-Up Call from 3 Tech Leaders on Why You're Failing as a Data Scientist Are your data science projects failing to deliver real business value?What if the problem isn’t the technology or the organization, but your approach as a data scientist?With only 11% of data science models making it to deployment and close to 85% of big data projects failing, something clearly isn’t working.In this episode, three globally recognised analytics leaders, Bill Schmarzo, Mark Stouse and John Thompson, join Dr Genevieve Hayes to deliver a tough love wake-up call on why data scientists struggle to create business impact, and more importantly, how to fix it.This episode reveals:Why focusing purely on technical metrics like accuracy and precision is sabotaging your success — and what metrics actually matter to business leaders. [04:18]The critical mindset shift needed to transform from a back-room technical specialist into a valued business partner. [30:33]How to present data science insights in ways that drive action — and why your fancy graphs might be hurting rather than helping. [25:08]Why “data driven” isn’t enough, and how to adopt a “data informed” approach that delivers real business outcomes. [54:08] Guest Bio Bill Schmarzo, also known as “The Dean of Big Data,” is the AI and Data Customer Innovation Strategist for Dell Technologies' AI SPEAR team, and is the author of six books on blending data science, design thinking, and data economics from a value creation and delivery perspective. He is an avid blogger and is ranked as the #4 influencer worldwide in data science and big data by Onalytica and is also an adjunct professor at Iowa State University, where he teaches the “AI-Driven Innovation” class.Mark Stouse is the CEO of ProofAnalytics.ai, a causal AI company that helps companies understand and optimize their operational investments in light of their targeted objectives, time lag, and external factors. Known for his ability to bridge multiple business disciplines, he has successfully operationalized data science at scale across large enterprises, driven by his belief that data science’s primary purpose is enabling better business decisions.John Thompson is EY's Global Head of AI and is the author of four books on AI, data and analytics teams. He was named one of dataIQ's 100 most influential people in data in 2023 and is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Michigan, where he teaches a course based on his book “Building Analytics Teams”. Links Connect with Bill on LinkedInConnect with Mark on LinkedInConnect with John on LinkedIn Connect with Genevieve on LinkedInBe among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE Read Full Transcript [00:00:00] Dr Genevieve Hayes: Hello, and welcome to Value Driven Data Science, the podcast that helps data scientists transform their technical expertise into tangible business value, career autonomy, and financial reward. I’m Dr. Genevieve Hayes, and today I’m joined by three globally recognized innovators and leaders in AI, analytics, and data science.[00:00:24] Bill Schmarzo, Mark Stouse, and John Thompson. Bill? Also known as the Dean of Big Data, is the AI and Data Customer Innovation Strategist for Dell Technologies AI Spear Team, and is the author of six books on blending data science, design thinking, and data economics from a value creation and delivery perspective.[00:00:49] He is an avid blogger and is ranked as the number four influencer worldwide in data science and big data Analytica. And he’s also an adjunct professor at Iowa State University, where he teaches AI driven innovation. Mark is the CEO of proofanalytics. ai, a causal AI company that helps organizations understand and optimize their operational investments in light of their targeted objectives, time lag and external factors.[00:01:23] Known for his ability to bridge multiple business disciplines, he has successfully operationalized data science at scale across large enterprises. Driven by his belief that data science’s primary purpose is enabling better business decisions. And John is EY’s global head of AI and is the author of four books on AI data and analytics teams.[00:01:49] He was named one of DataIQ’s 100 most influential people in data in 2023. and is also an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan, where he teaches a course based on his book, Building Analytics Teams. Today’s episode will be a tough love wake up call for data scientists on why you are failing to deliver real business value and more importantly, what you can do about it.[00:02:17] So get ready to boost your impact. Earn what you’re worth and rewrite your career algorithm. Bill, Mark, John, welcome to the show.[00:02:25] Mark Stouse: Thank[00:02:26] Bill Schmarzo: Thanks for having us.[00:02:27] John Thompson: to be here.[00:02:28] Dr Genevieve Hayes: Only 11 percent of data scientists say their models always deploy. Only 10 percent of companies obtain significant financial benefits from AI technologies and close to 85 percent of big data projects fail. These statistics, taken from research conducted by Rexa Analytics, the Boston Consulting Group and Gartner respectively, paint a grim view of what it’s like working as a data scientist.[00:02:57] The reality is, you’re probably going to fail. And when that reality occurs, it’s not uncommon for data scientists to blame either the executive for not understanding the brilliance of their work, or the corporate culture for not being ready for data science. And maybe this is true for some organizations.[00:03:20] Particularly those relatively new to the AI adoption path. But it’s now been almost 25 years since William Cleveland first coined the term data science. And as the explosive uptake of generative AI tools, such as chat GPT demonstrate with the right use case. People are very willing to take on AI technologies.[00:03:42] So perhaps it’s finally time to look in the mirror and face the truth. Perhaps the problem is you, the data scientist. But if this is the case, then don’t despair. In many organizations, the leadership just don’t have the time to provide data scientists with the feedback necessary to improve. But today, I’m sitting here with three of the world’s best to provide that advice just for you.[00:04:09] So, let’s cut to the chase what are the biggest mistakes you see data scientists making when it comes to demonstrating their value?[00:04:18] Mark Stouse: I think that you have to start with the fact that they’re not demonstrating their value, right? I mean, if you’re a CEO, a CFO, head of sales really doesn’t matter if you’re trying to make better business decisions over and over and over again. As Bill talks about a lot, the whole idea here is economic,[00:04:39] and it is. About engaging, triggering the laws of compounding you’ve got to be able to do stuff that makes that happen. Data management, for example, even though we all agree that it’s really necessary, particularly if you’re launching, you know, big data solutions. You can’t do this sequentially and be successful.[00:05:04] You’re going to have to find some areas probably using, you know, old fashioned math around causal analytics, multivariable linear regression, things like that, to at least get the ball rolling. In terms of delivering better value, the kind of value that business leaders actually see as valuable[00:05:29] I mean, one of the things that I feel like I say a lot is, you have to have an understanding of your mission, the mission of data science. As somebody who, as a business leader champions it. Is to help people make those better and better and better decisions. And if you’re not doing that, you’re not creating value.[00:05:52] Full stop.[00:05:53] Bill Schmarzo: Totally agree with Mark. I think you’re going to find that all three of us are in violent agreement on a lot of this stuff. What I find interesting is it isn’t just a data scientist fault. Genevieve, you made a comment that leadership lacks the time to provide guidance to data scientists. So if leadership Is it treating data and analytics as an economics conversation if they think it’s a technology conversation is something that should be handled by the CIO, you’ve already lost, you’ve already failed, you already know you failed,[00:06:24] Mark mentioned the fact that this requires the blending of both sides of the aisle. It requires a data scientist to have the right mindset to ask questions like what it is that we’re trying to achieve. How do we create value? What are our desired outcomes? What are the KPIs metrics around which are going to make your success?[00:06:39] Who are our key stakeholders? There’s a series of questions that the data scientist must be empowered to ask and the business Leadership needs to provide the time and people and resources to understand what we’re trying to accomplish. It means we can go back old school with Stephen Covey, begin with an end in mind.[00:07:01] What is it we’re trying to do? Are we trying to improve customer retention? We try to do, you know, reduce unplanned operational downtime or improve patient outcomes. What is it we’re trying to accomplish? The conversation must, must start there. And it has to start with business leadership, setting the direction, setting the charter, putting the posts out where we want to go, and then the data science team collaborating with the stakeholders to unleash that organizational tribal knowledge to actually solve[00:07:32] Dr Genevieve Hayes: think a lot of the problem comes with the fact that many business leaders see data science as being like an IT project. So, if you’ve got your Windows upgrade, the leadership It gives the financing to IT, IT goes along and does it. And then one morning you’re told, when you come into work, your computer will magically upgrade to the latest version of Windows.[00:07:55] So no one really gets bothered by it. And I think many business leaders treat data science as just another IT project like that. They think they can just Give the funding, the data scientists will go away and then they’ll come in one morning and the data science will magically be on their computer.[00:08:15] Bill Schmarzo: Yeah, magic happens, right? No, no, magic doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. There has to be that leadership commitment to be at the forefront, not just on the boat, but at the front of the boat saying this is the direction we’re going to go.[00:08:29] John Thompson: That’s the whole reason this book was written. The whole point is that, analytics projects are not tech projects. Analytics projects are cultural transformation projects, is what they are. And if you’re expecting the CEO, CFO, CIO, COO, whoever it is, to go out there and set the vision.[00:08:50] That’s never going to happen because they don’t understand technology, and they don’t understand data. They’d rather be working on building the next factory or buying another company or something like that. What really has to happen is the analytics team has to provide leadership to the leadership for them to understand what they’re going to do.[00:09:12] So when I have a project that we’re trying to do, my team is trying to do, and if we’re working for, let’s say, marketing, I go to the CMO and I say, look, you have to dedicate and commit. that your subject matter experts are going to be in all the meetings. Not just the kickoff meetings, not just the quarterly business review, the weekly meetings.[00:09:36] Because when we go off as an analytics professionals and do things on our own, we have no idea what the business runs like. , we did analytics at one company that I work for. We brought it back and we showed it to the they said, the numbers are wildly wrong. And we said, well, why? And they said, well, you probably don’t understand that what we do is illegal in 10 US states.[00:10:00] So you probably have the data from all those 10 states in the analysis. And we did. So, we took it all out and they look down there and go, you got it right. It’s kind of surprising. You didn’t know what you were doing and you got it right. So, it has to be a marriage of the subject matter experts in the business.[00:10:17] And the data scientists, you can’t go to the leadership and say, tell us what you want. They don’t know what they want. They’d want another horse in Henry Ford’s time, or they glue a, a Walkman onto a radio or something in Steve Jobs time. They don’t know what they want. So you have to come together.[00:10:36] And define it together and you have to work through the entire project together.[00:10:42] Mark Stouse: Yeah, I would add to that, okay, that a lot of times the SMEs also have major holes in their knowledge that the analytics are going to challenge and give them new information. And so I totally agree. I mean, this is an iterative learning exchange. That has profound cultural implications.[00:11:11] One of the things that AI is doing right now is it is introducing a level of transparency and accountability into operations, corporate operations, my operations, your operations, that honestly, none of us are really prepared for. None of us are really prepared for the level of learning that we’re going to have to do.[00:11:36] And very few of us are aware of how polymathic. Most of our challenges, our problems, our objectives really are one of the things that I love to talk about in this regard is analytics made me a much better person. That I once was because it showed me the extent of my ignorance.[00:12:01] And when I kind of came to grips with that and I started to use really the modicum of knowledge that I have as a way of curating my ignorance. And I got humble about it made a big difference[00:12:16] John Thompson: Well, that’s the same when I was working shoulder to shoulder with Bill, I just realized how stupid I was. So, then I just, really had to, come back and, say, oh, God nowhere near the summit, I have a long way to go.[00:12:31] Bill Schmarzo: Hey, hey, Genevie. Let me throw something out there at you and it builds on what John has said and really takes off on what Mark is talking about is that there is a cultural preparation. It needs to take place across organizations in order to learn to master the economies of learning,[00:12:48] the economies of learning, because you could argue in knowledge based industries that what you are learning is more important than what you know. And so if what you know has declining value, and what you’re learning has increasing value, then what Mark talked about, and John as well, both city presenting data and people saying, I didn’t know that was going on, right?[00:13:09] They had a certain impression. And if they have the wrong cultural mindset. They’re going to fight that knowledge. They’re going to fight that learning, oh, I’m going to get fired. I’m going to get punished. No, we need to create cultures that says that we are trying to master the economies and learning and you can’t learn if you’re not willing to fail.[00:13:29] And that is what is powerful about what AI can do for us. And I like to talk about how I’m a big fan of design thinking. I integrate design thinking into all my workshops and all my training because it’s designed to. Cultivate that human learning aspect. AI models are great at cultivating algorithmic learning.[00:13:50] And when you bring those two things together around a learning culture that says you’re going to try things, you’re going to fail, you’re going to learn, those are the organizations that are going to win.[00:13:59] John Thompson: Yeah, you know, to tie together what Mark and Bill are saying there is that, you need people to understand that they’re working from an outmoded view of the business. Now, it’s hard for them to hear that. It’s hard for them to realize it. And what I ask data scientists to do that work for me is when we get a project and we have an operational area, sales, marketing, logistics, finance, manufacturing, whatever it is.[00:14:26] They agreed that they’re going to go on the journey with us. We do something really simple. We do an exploratory data analysis. We look at means and modes and distributions and things like that. And we come back and we say, this is what the business looks like today. And most of the time they go, I had no idea.[00:14:44] You know, I didn’t know that our customers were all, for the most part, between 70 and 50. I had no idea that our price point was really 299. I thought it was 3, 299. So you then end up coming together. You end up with a shared understanding of the business. Now one of two things is generally going to happen.[00:15:05] The business is going to freak out and leave the project and say, I don’t want anything to do with this, or they’re going to lean into it and say, I was working from something that was, as Bill said, declining value. Okay. Now, if they’re open, like a AI model that’s being trained, if they’re open to learning, they can learn what the business looks like today, and we can help them predict what the business should look like tomorrow.[00:15:31] So we have a real issue here that the three of us have talked about it from three different perspectives. We’ve all seen it. We’ve all experienced it. It’s a real issue, we know how people can come together. The question is, will they?[00:15:46] Dr Genevieve Hayes: think part of the issue is that, particularly in the area of data science, there’s a marked lack of leadership because I think a lot of people don’t understand how to lead these projects. So you’ve got Many data scientists who are trained heavily in the whole technical aspect of data science, and one thing I’ve come across is, you know, data scientists who’ll say to me, my job is to do the technical work, tell me what to do.[00:16:23] I’ll go away and do it. Give it to you. And then you manager can go and do whatever you like with it.[00:16:29] Mark Stouse: Model fitment.[00:16:31] Dr Genevieve Hayes: Yeah. And then one thing I’ve experienced is many managers in data science are, you know, It’s often the area that they find difficult to find managers for, so we’ll often get people who have no data science experience whatsoever[00:16:46] and so I think part of the solution is teaching the data scientists that they have to start managing up because they’re the ones who understand what they’re doing the best, but no one’s telling them that because the people above them often don’t know that they should be telling the data[00:17:08] John Thompson: Well, if that’s the situation, they should just fire everybody and save the money. Because it’s never going to go anywhere. But Bill, you were going to say something. Go ahead.[00:17:16] Bill Schmarzo: Yeah, I was going to say, what’s interesting about Genevieve, what you’re saying is that I see this a lot in not just data scientists, but in a lot of people who are scared to show their ignorance in new situations. I think Mark talked about this, is it because they’re, you think about if you’re a data scientist, you probably have a math background. And in math, there’s always a right answer. In data science, there isn’t. There’s all kinds of potential answers, depending on the situation and the circumstances. I see this all the time, by the way, with our sales folks. Who are afraid we’re selling technology. We’re afraid to talk to the line of business because I don’t understand their business Well, you don’t need to understand their business, but you do need to become like socrates and start asking questions What are you trying to accomplish?[00:18:04] What are your goals? What are your desired outcomes? How do you measure success? Who are your stakeholders ? You have to be genuinely interested In their success and ask those kind of questions if you’re doing it to just kind of check a box off Then just get chad gpt to rattle it off But if you’re genuinely trying to understand what they’re trying to accomplish And then thinking about all these marvelous different tools you have because they’re only tools And how you can weave them together to help solve that now you’ve got That collaboration that john’s book talks about about bringing these teams together Yeah[00:18:39] Mark Stouse: is, famously paraphrased probably did actually say something like this, . But he’s famously paraphrased as saying that he would rather have a really smart question than the best answer in the world. And. I actually experienced that two days ago,[00:18:57] in a conversation with a prospect where I literally, I mean, totally knew nothing about their business. Zero, but I asked evidently really good questions. And so his impression of me at the end of the meeting was, golly, you know, so much about our business. And I wanted to say, yeah, cause you just educated me.[00:19:21] Right. You know, I do now. And so I think there’s actually a pattern here that’s really worth elevating. So what we are seeing right now with regard to data science teams is scary similar to what happened with it after Y2K, the business turned around and looked at him and said, seriously, we spend all that money,[00:19:45] I mean, what the heck? And so what happened? The CIO got, demoted organizationally pretty far down in the company wasn’t a true C suite member anymore. Typically the whole thing reported up into finance. The issue was not. Finance, believing that they knew it better than the it people,[00:20:09] it was, we are going to transform this profession from being a technology first profession to a business outcomes. First profession, a money first profession, an economics organization, that has more oftentimes than not been the outcome in the last 25 years. But I think that that’s exactly what’s going on right now with a lot of data science teams.[00:20:39] You know, I used to sit in technology briefing rooms, listening to CIOs and other people talk about their problems. And. This one CIO said, you know, what I did is I asked every single person in my organization around the world to go take a finance for non financial managers course at their local university.[00:21:06] They want credit for it. We’ll pay the bill. If they just want to audit it, they can do that. And they started really cross pollinating. These teams to give them more perspective about the business. I totally ripped that off because it just struck me as a CMO as being like, so many of these problems, you could just do a search and replace and get to marketing.[00:21:32] And so I started doing the same thing and I’ve made that suggestion to different CDOs, some of whom have actually done it. So it’s just kind of one of those things where you have to say, I need to know more. So this whole culture of being a specialist is changing from.[00:21:53] This, which, this is enough, this is okay , I’m making a vertical sign with my hand, to a T shaped thing, where the T is all about context. It’s all about everything. That’s not part of your. Profession[00:22:09] John Thompson: Yeah, well, I’m going to say that here’s another book that you should have your hands on. This is Aristotle. We can forget about Socrates. Aristotle’s the name. But you know. But , Bill’s always talking about Socrates. I’m an Aristotle guy myself. So, you[00:22:23] Bill Schmarzo: Okay, well I Socrates had a better jump shot. I’m sorry. He could really nail that[00:22:28] John Thompson: true. It’s true. Absolutely. Well, getting back , to the theme of the discussion, in 1 of the teams that I had at CSL bearing, which is an Australian company there in Melbourne, I took my data science team and I brought in speech coaches.[00:22:45] Presentation coaches people who understand business, people who understood how to talk about different things. And I ran them through a battery of classes. And I told them, you’re going to be in front of the CEO, you’re going to be in front of the EVP of finance, you’re going to be in front of all these different people, and you need to have the confidence to speak their language.[00:23:07] Whenever we had meetings, we talk data science talk, we talk data and integration and vectors and, algorithms and all that kind of stuff. But when we were in the finance meeting, we talked finance. That’s all we talked. And whenever we talked to anybody, we denominated all our conversations in money.[00:23:25] Whether it was drachma, yen, euros, pounds, whatever it was, we never talked about speeds and feeds and accuracy and results. We always talked about money. And if it didn’t make money, we didn’t do it. So, the other thing that we did that really made a difference was that when the data scientists and data scientists hate this, When they went into a meeting, and I was there, and even if I wasn’t there, they were giving the end users and executives recommendations.[00:23:57] They weren’t going in and showing a model and a result and walking out the door and go, well, you’re smart enough to interpret it. No, they’re not smart enough to interpret it. They actually told the marketing people. These are the 3 things you should do. And if your data scientists are not being predictive and recommending actions, they’re not doing their job.[00:24:18] Dr Genevieve Hayes: What’s the, so what test At the end of everything, you have to be able to say, so what does this mean to whoever your audience is?[00:24:25] Mark Stouse: That’s right. I mean, you have to be able to say well, if the business team can’t look at your output, your data science output, and know what to do with it, and know how to make a better decision, it’s like everything else that you did didn’t happen. I mean it, early in proof, we were working on. UX, because it became really clear that what was good for a data scientist wasn’t working. For like everybody else. And so we did a lot of research into it. Would you believe that business teams are okay with charts? Most of them, if they see a graph, they just totally freeze and it’s not because they’re stupid.[00:25:08] It’s because so many people had a bad experience in school with math. This is a psychological, this is an intellectual and they freeze. So in causal analytics, one of the challenges is that, I mean, this is pretty much functioning most of the time anyway, on time series data, so there is a graph,[00:25:31] this is kind of like a non negotiable, but we had a customer that was feeding data so fast into proof that the automatic recalc of the model was happening like lickety split. And that graph all of a sudden looked exactly like a GPS. It worked like a GPS. In fact, it really is a GPS. And so as soon as we stylized.[00:26:01] That graph to look more like a GPS track, all of a sudden everybody went, Oh,[00:26:10] Dr Genevieve Hayes: So I got rid of all the PTSD from high school maths and made it something familiar.[00:26:16] Mark Stouse: right. And so it’s very interesting. Totally,[00:26:21] Bill Schmarzo: very much mirrors what mark talked about So when I was the new vice president of advertiser analytics at yahoo we were trying to solve a problem to help our advertisers optimize their spend across the yahoo ad network and because I didn’t know anything about that industry We went out and my team went out and interviewed all these advertisers and their agencies.[00:26:41] And I was given two UEX people and zero data. Well, I did have one data scientist. But I had mostly UX people on this project. My boss there said, you’re going to want UX people. I was like, no, no, I need analytics. He said, trust me in UX people and the process we went through and I could spend an hour talking about the grand failure of the start and the reclamation of how it was saved at a bar after too many drinks at the Waldorf there in New York.[00:27:07] But what we’ve realized is that. For us to be effective for our target audience was which was media planners and buyers and campaign managers. That was our stakeholders. It wasn’t the analysts, it was our stakeholders. Like Mark said, the last thing they wanted to see was a chart. And like John said, what they wanted the application to do was to tell them what to do.[00:27:27] So we designed this user interface that on one side, think of it as a newspaper, said, this is what’s going on with your campaign. This audience is responding. These sites are this, these keywords are doing this. And the right hand side gave recommendations. We think you should move spend from this to this.[00:27:42] We think you should do this. And it had three buttons on this thing. You could accept it and it would kick into our advertising network and kick in. And we’d measure how effective that was. They could reject it. They didn’t think I was confident and we’d measure effectiveness or they could change it. And we found through our research by putting that change button in there that they had control, that adoption went through the roof.[00:28:08] When it was either yes or no, adoption was really hard, they hardly ever used it. Give them a chance to actually change it. That adoption went through the roof of the technology. So what John was saying about, you have to be able to really deliver recommendations, but you can’t have the system feel like it’s your overlord.[00:28:27] You’ve got to be like it’s your Yoda on your shoulder whispering to your saying, Hey, I think you should do this. And you’re going, eh, I like that. No, I don’t like this. I want to do that instead. And when you give them control, then the adoption process happens much smoother. But for us to deliver those kinds of results, we had to know in detail, what decisions are they trying to make?[00:28:45] How are they going to measure success? We had to really understand their business. And then the data and the analytics stuff was really easy because we knew what we had to do, but we also knew what we didn’t have to do. We didn’t have to boil the ocean. We were trying to answer basically 21 questions.[00:29:01] The media planners and buyers and the campaign managers had 21 decisions to make and we built analytics and recommendations for each Of those 21[00:29:10] John Thompson: We did the same thing, you know, it blends the two stories from Mark and Bill, we were working at CSL and we were trying to give the people tools to find the best next location for plasma donation centers. And, like you said, there were 50, 60 different salient factors they had, and when we presented to them in charts and graphs, Information overload.[00:29:34] They melted down. You can just see their brains coming out of their ears. But once we put it on a map and hit it all and put little dials that they could fiddle with, they ran with it.[00:29:49] Bill Schmarzo: brilliant[00:29:50] Mark Stouse: totally, totally agree with that. 100% you have to know what to give people and you have to know how to give them, control over some of it, nobody wants to be an automaton. And yet also they will totally lock up if you just give them the keys to the kingdom. Yeah.[00:30:09] Dr Genevieve Hayes: on what you’ve been saying in the discussion so far, what I’m hearing is that the critical difference between what data scientists think their role is and what business leaders actually need is the data scientists is. Well, the ones who aren’t performing well think their role is to just sit there in a back room and do technical work like they would have done in their university assignments.[00:30:33] What the business leaders need is someone who can work with them, ask the right questions in order to understand the needs of the business. make recommendations that answer those questions. But in answering those questions, we’re taking a data informed approach rather than a data driven approach. So you need to deliver the answers to those questions in such a way that you’re informing the business leaders and you’re delivering it in a way that Delivers the right user experience for them, rather than the user experience that the data scientists might want, which would be your high school maths graphs.[00:31:17] Is that a good summary?[00:31:20] John Thompson: Yeah, I think that’s a really good summary. You know, one of the things that Bill and I, and I believe Mark understands is we’re all working to change, you know, Bill and I are teaching at universities in the United States. I’m on the advisory board of about five. Major universities. And whenever I go in and talk to these universities and they say, Oh, well, we teach them, these algorithms and these mathematical techniques and these data science and this statistics.[00:31:48] And I’m like, you are setting these people up for failure. You need to have them have presentation skills, communication skills, collaboration. You need to take about a third of these credits out and change them out for soft skills because you said it Genevieve, the way we train people, young people in undergraduate and graduate is that they have a belief that they’re going to go sit in a room and fiddle with numbers.[00:32:13] That’s not going to be successful.[00:32:16] Mark Stouse: I would give one more point of dimensionality to this, which is a little more human, in some respects, and that is that I think that a lot of data scientists love the fact that they are seen as Merlin’s as shamans. And the problem that I personally witnessed this about two years ago is when you let business leaders persist in seeing you in those terms.[00:32:46] And when all of a sudden there was a major meltdown of some kind, in this case, it was interest rates, and they turn around and they say, as this one CEO said in this meeting Hey, I know you’ve been doing all kinds of really cool stuff back there with AI and everything else. And now I need help.[00:33:08] Okay. And the clear expectation was. I need it now, I need some brilliant insight now. And the answer that he got was, we’re not ready yet. We’re still doing the data management piece. And this CEO dropped the loudest F bomb. That I think I have ever heard from anybody in almost any situation,[00:33:36] and that guy, that data science leader was gone the very next day. Now, was that fair? No. Was it stupid? For the data science leader to say what he said. Yeah, it was really dumb.[00:33:52] Bill Schmarzo: Don’t you call that the tyranny of perfection mark? Is that your term that you always use? is that There’s this idea that I gotta get the data all right first before I can start doing analysis And I think it’s you I hear you say the tyranny of perfection is what hurts You Progress over perfection, learning over absolutes, and that’s part of the challenge is it’s never going to be perfect.[00:34:13] Your data is never going to be perfect, you got to use good enough data[00:34:17] Mark Stouse: It’s like the ultimate negative version of the waterfall.[00:34:22] John Thompson: Yeah,[00:34:23] Mark Stouse: yet we’re all supposedly living in agile paradise. And yet very few people actually operate[00:34:30] John Thompson: that’s 1 thing. I want to make sure that we get in the recording is that I’ve been on record for years and I’ve gone in front of audiences and said this over and over again. Agile and analytics don’t mix that is. There’s no way that those 2 go together. Agile is a babysitting methodology. Data scientists don’t do well with it.[00:34:50] So, you know, I’ll get hate mail for that, but I will die on that hill. But, the 1 thing that, Mark, I agree with 100 percent of what you said, but the answer itself or the clue itself is in the title. We’ve been talking about. It’s data science. It’s not magic. I get people coming and asking me to do magical things all the time.[00:35:11] And I’m like. Well, have you chipped all the people? Do you have all their brain waves? If you have that data set, I can probably analyze it. But, given that you don’t understand what’s going on inside their cranium, that’s magic. I can’t do that. We had the same situation when COVID hit, people weren’t leaving their house.[00:35:29] So they’re not donating plasma. It’s kind of obvious, so, people came to us and said, Hey, the world’s gone to hell in a handbasket in the last two weeks. The models aren’t working and I’m like, yeah, the world’s changed, give us four weeks to get a little bit of data.[00:35:43] We’ll start to give you a glimmer of what this world’s going to look like two months later. We had the models working back in single digit error terms, but when the world goes haywire, you’re not going to have any data, and then when the executives are yelling at you, you just have to say, look, this is modeling.[00:36:01] This is analytics. We have no precedent here.[00:36:05] Bill Schmarzo: to build on what John was just saying that the challenge that I’ve always seen with data science organizations is if they’re led by somebody with a software development background, getting back to the agile analytics thing, the problem with software development. is that software development defines the requirements for success.[00:36:23] Data science discovers them. It’s hard to make that a linear process. And so, if you came to me and said, Hey, Schmarz, you got a big, giant data science team. I had a great data science team at Hitachi. Holy cow, they were great. You said, hey, we need to solve this problem. When can you have it done?[00:36:38] I would say, I need to look at the problem. I need to start exploring it. I can’t give you a hard date. And that drove software development folks nuts. I need a date for when I, I don’t know, cause I’ve got to explore. I’m going to try lots of things. I’m going to fail a lot.[00:36:51] I’m going to try things that I know are going to fail because I can learn when I fail. And so, when you have an organization that has a software development mindset, , like John was talking about, they don’t understand the discovery and learning process that the data science process has to go through to discover the criteria for success.[00:37:09] Mark Stouse: right. It’s the difference between science and engineering.[00:37:13] John Thompson: Yes, exactly. And 1 of the things, 1 of the things that I’ve created, it’s, you know, everybody does it, but I have a term for it. It’s a personal project portfolio for data scientists. And every time I’ve done this and every team. Every data scientist has come to me individually and said, this is too much work.[00:37:32] It’s too hard. I can’t[00:37:34] Bill Schmarzo: Ha, ha, ha,[00:37:35] John Thompson: three months later, they go, this is the only way I want to work. And what you do is you give them enough work so when they run into roadblocks, they can stop working on that project. They can go out and take a swim or work on something else or go walk their dog or whatever.[00:37:53] It’s not the end of the world because the only project they’re working on can’t go forward. if they’ve got a bunch of projects to time slice on. And this happens all the time. You’re in, team meetings and you’re talking and all of a sudden the data scientist isn’t talking about that forecasting problem.[00:38:09] It’s like they ran into a roadblock. They hit a wall. Then a week later, they come in and they’re like, Oh, my God, when I was in the shower, I figured it out. You have to make time for cogitation, introspection, and eureka moments. That has to happen in data science.[00:38:28] Bill Schmarzo: That is great, John. I love that. That is wonderful.[00:38:30] Mark Stouse: And of course the problem is. Yeah. Is that you can’t predict any of that, that’s the part of this. There’s so much we can predict. Can’t predict that.[00:38:42] Bill Schmarzo: you know what you could do though? You could do Mark, you could prescribe that your data science team takes multiple showers every day to have more of those shower moments. See, that’s the problem. I see a correlation. If showers drive eureka moments, dang it.[00:38:54] Let’s give him more showers.[00:38:56] John Thompson: Yep. Just like firemen cause fires[00:38:59] Mark Stouse: Yeah, that’s an interesting correlation there, man.[00:39:05] Dr Genevieve Hayes: So, if businesses need something different from what the data scientists are offering, why don’t they just articulate that in the data scientist’s role description?[00:39:16] John Thompson: because they don’t know they need it.[00:39:17] Mark Stouse: Yeah. And I think also you gotta really remember who you’re dealing with here. I mean, the background of the average C suite member is not highly intellectual. That’s not an insult, that’s just they’re not deep thinkers. They don’t think a lot. They don’t[00:39:37] John Thompson: that with tech phobia.[00:39:38] Mark Stouse: tech phobia and a short termism perspective.[00:39:43] That arguably is kind of the worst of all the pieces.[00:39:48] John Thompson: storm. It’s a[00:39:49] Mark Stouse: It is, it is a[00:39:50] John Thompson: know, I, I had, I’ve had CEOs come to me and say, we’re in a real crisis here and you guys aren’t helping. I was like, well, how do you know we’re not helping? You never talked to us. And, in this situation, we had to actually analyze the entire problem and we’re a week away from making recommendations.[00:40:08] And I said that I said, we have an answer in 7 days. He goes, I need an answer today. I said, well, then you should go talk to someone else because in 7 days, I’ll have it. But now I don’t. So, I met with him a week later. I showed them all the data, all the analytics, all the recommendations. And they said to me, we don’t really think you understand the business well enough.[00:40:27] We in the C suite have looked at it and we don’t think that this will solve it. And I’m like, okay, fine, cool. No problem. So I left, and 2 weeks later, they called me in and said, well, we don’t have a better idea. So, what was that you said? And I said, well, we’ve coded it all into the operational systems.[00:40:43] All you have to do is say yes. And we’ll turn it on and it was 1 of the 1st times and only times in my life when the chart was going like this, we made all the changes and it went like that. It was a perfect fit. It worked like a charm and then, a month later, I guess it was about 6 months later, the CEO came around and said, wow, you guys really knew your stuff.[00:41:07] You really were able to help us. Turn this around and make it a benefit and we turned it around faster than any of the competitors did. And then he said, well, what would you like to do next? And I said, well, I resigned last week. So, , I’m going to go do it somewhere else.[00:41:22] And he’s like, what? You just made a huge difference in the business. And I said, yeah, you didn’t pay me anymore. You didn’t recognize me. And I’ve been here for nearly 4 years, and I’ve had to fight you tooth and nail for everything. I’m tired of it.[00:41:34] Mark Stouse: Yeah. That’s what’s called knowing your value. One of the things that I think is so ironic about this entire conversation is that if any function has the skillsets necessary to forecast and demonstrate their value as multipliers. Of business decisions, decision quality, decision outcomes it’s data science.[00:42:05] And yet they just kind of. It’s like not there. And when you say that to them, they kind of look at you kind of like, did you really just say that, and so it is, one of the things that I’ve learned from analytics is that in the average corporation, you have linear functions that are by definition, linear value creators.[00:42:32] Sales would be a great example. And then you have others that are non linear multipliers. Marketing is one, data science is another, the list is long, it’s always the non linear multipliers that get into trouble because they don’t know how to show their value. In the same way that a linear creator can show it[00:42:55] John Thompson: And I think that’s absolutely true, Mark. And what I’ve been saying, and Bill’s heard this until he’s sick of it. Is that, , data science always has to be denominated in currency. Always, if you can’t tell them in 6 months, you’re going to double the sales or in 3 months, you’re going to cut cost or in, , 5 months, you’re going to have double the customers.[00:43:17] If you’re not denominating that in currency and whatever currency they care about, you’re wasting your time.[00:43:23] Dr Genevieve Hayes: The problem is, every single data science book tells you that the metrics to evaluate models by are, precision, recall, accuracy, et[00:43:31] John Thompson: Yeah, but that’s technology. That’s not business.[00:43:34] Dr Genevieve Hayes: exactly. I’ve only ever seen one textbook where they say, those are technical metrics, but the metrics that really count are the business metrics, which are basically dollars and cents.[00:43:44] John Thompson: well, here’s the second one that says it.[00:43:46] Dr Genevieve Hayes: I will read that. For the audience it’s Business Analytics Teams by John Thompson.[00:43:51] John Thompson: building analytics[00:43:52] Dr Genevieve Hayes: Oh, sorry, Building[00:43:54] Mark Stouse: But, but I got to tell you seriously, the book that John wrote that everybody needs to read in business. Okay. Not just data scientists, but pretty much everybody. Is about causal AI. And it’s because almost all of the questions. In business are about, why did that happen? How did it happen? How long did it take for that to happen?[00:44:20] It’s causal. And so, I mean, when you really look at it that way and you start to say, well, what effects am I causing? What effects is my function causing, all of a sudden the scales kind of have a way of falling away from your eyes and you see things. Differently.[00:44:43] John Thompson: of you to say that about that book. I appreciate that.[00:44:46] Mark Stouse: That kick ass book, kick[00:44:48] John Thompson: Well, thank you. But, most people don’t understand that we’ve had analytical or foundational AI for 70 years. We’ve had generative AI for two, and we’ve had causal for a while, but only people understand it are the people on this call and Judea Pearl and maybe 10 others in the world, but we’re moving in a direction where those 3 families of AI are going to be working together in what I’m calling composite AI, which is the path to artificial, or as Bill says, average general intelligence or AGI.[00:45:24] But there are lots of eight eyes people talk about it as if it’s one thing and it’s[00:45:29] Mark Stouse: Yeah, correct. That’s right.[00:45:31] Dr Genevieve Hayes: I think part of the problem with causal AI is it’s just not taught in data science courses.[00:45:37] John Thompson: it was not taught anywhere. The only place it’s taught is UCLA.[00:45:40] Mark Stouse: But the other problem, which I think is where you’re going with it Genevieve is even 10 years ago, they weren’t even teaching multivariable linear regression as a cornerstone element of a data science program. So , they basically over rotated and again, I’m not knocking it.[00:46:01] I’m not knocking machine learning or anything like that. Okay. But they over rotated it and they turned it into some sort of Omni tool, that could do it all. And it can’t do it all.[00:46:15] Dr Genevieve Hayes: think part of the problem is the technical side of data science is the amalgamation of statistics and computer science . But many data science university courses arose out of the computer science departments. So they focused on the machine learning courses whereas many of those things like.[00:46:34] multivariable linear analysis and hypothesis testing, which leads to things like causal AI. They’re taught in the statistics courses that just don’t pop up in the data science programs.[00:46:46] Mark Stouse: Well, that’s certainly my experience. I teach at USC in the grad school and that’s the problem in a nutshell right there. In fact, we’re getting ready to have kind of a little convocation in LA about this very thing in a couple of months because it’s not sustainable.[00:47:05] Bill Schmarzo: Well, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back a second. We talked about, measuring success as currency. I’m going to challenge that a little bit. We certainly need to think about how we create value, and value isn’t just currency. John held up a book earlier, and I’m going to hold up one now, Wealth of Nations,[00:47:23] John Thompson: Oh yeah.[00:47:25] Bill Schmarzo: Page 28, Adam Smith talks about value he talks about value creation, and it isn’t just about ROI or net present value. Value is a broad category. You got customer value, employee value, a partner stakeholder. You have society value, community value of environmental value.[00:47:43] We have ethical value. And as we look at the models that we are building, that were guided or data science teams to build, we need to broaden the definition of value. It isn’t sufficient if we can drive ROI, if it’s destroying our environment and putting people out of work. We need to think more holistically.[00:48:04] Adam Smith talks about this. Yeah, 1776. Good year, by the way, it’s ultimate old school, but it’s important when we are As a data science team working with the business that we’re broadening their discussions, I’ve had conversations with hospitals and banks recently. We run these workshops and one of the things I always do, I end up pausing about halfway through the workshop and say, what are your desired outcomes from a community perspective?[00:48:27] You sit inside a community or hospital. You have a community around you, a bank, you have a community around you. What are your desired outcomes for that community? How are you going to measure success? What are those KPIs and metrics? And they look at me like I got lobsters crawling out of my ears.[00:48:40] The thing is is that it’s critical if we’re going to Be in champion data science, especially with these tools like these new ai tools causal predictive generative autonomous, these tools allow us to deliver a much broader range of what value is And so I really rail against when somebody says, you know, and not trying to really somebody here but You know, we gotta deliver a better ROI.[00:49:05] How do you codify environmental and community impact into an ROI? Because ROI and a lot of financial metrics tend to be lagging indicators. And if you’re going to build AI models, you want to build them on leading indicators.[00:49:22] Mark Stouse: It’s a lagging efficiency metric,[00:49:24] Bill Schmarzo: Yeah, exactly. And AI doesn’t do a very good job of optimizing what’s already happened.[00:49:29] That’s not what it does.[00:49:30] John Thompson: sure.[00:49:31] Bill Schmarzo: I think part of the challenge, you’re going to hear this from John and from Mark as well, is that we broaden this conversation. We open our eyes because AI doesn’t need to just deliver on what’s happened in the past, looks at the historical data and just replicates that going forward.[00:49:45] That leads to confirmation bias of other things. We have a chance in AI through the AI utility function to define what it is we want our AI models to do. from environmental, society, community, ethical perspective. That is the huge opportunity, and Adam Smith says that so.[00:50:03] John Thompson: There you go. Adam Smith. I love it. Socrates, Aristotle, Adam[00:50:08] Bill Schmarzo: By the way, Adam Smith motivated this book that I wrote called The Economics of Data Analytics and Digital Transformation I wrote this book because I got sick and tired of walking into a business conversation and saying, Data, that’s technology. No, data, that’s economics.[00:50:25] Mark Stouse: and I’ll tell you what, you know what, Genevieve, I’m so cognizant of the fact in this conversation that the summer can’t come fast enough when I too will have a book,[00:50:39] John Thompson: yay.[00:50:41] Mark Stouse: yeah, I will say this, One of the things that if you use proof, you’ll see this, is that there’s a place where you can monetize in and out of a model, but money itself is not causal. It’s what you spend it on. That’s either causal or in some cases, not[00:51:01] That’s a really, really important nuance. It’s not in conflict with what John was saying about monetizing it. And it’s also not in conflict with what. My friend Schmarrs was saying about, ROI is so misused as a term in business. It’s just kind of nuts.[00:51:25] It’s more like a shorthand way of conveying, did we get value[00:51:31] John Thompson: yeah. And the reason I say that we denominated everything in currency is that’s generally one of the only ways. to get executives interested. If you go in and say, Oh, we’re going to improve this. We’re going to improve that. They’re like, I don’t care. If I say this project is going to take 6 months and it’s going to give you 42 million and it’s going to cost you nothing, then they’re like, tell me more, and going back to what Bill had said earlier, we need to open our aperture on what we do with these projects when we were at Dell or Bill and I swapped our times at Dell, we actually did a project with a hospital system in the United States and over 2 years.[00:52:11] We knocked down the incidence of post surgical sepsis by 72%. We saved a number of lives. We saved a lot of money, too, but we saves people’s lives. So analytics can do a lot. Most of the people are focused on. Oh, how fast can we optimize the search engine algorithm? Or, how can we get the advertisers more yield or more money?[00:52:32] There’s a lot of things we can do to make this world better. We just have to do it.[00:52:36] Mark Stouse: The fastest way to be more efficient is to be more effective, right? I mean, and so when I hear. CEOs and CFOs, because those are the people who use this language a lot. Talk about efficiency. I say, whoa, whoa, hold on. You’re not really talking about efficiency. You’re talking about cost cutting.[00:52:58] Those two things are very different. And it’s not that you shouldn’t cut costs if you need to, but it’s not efficiency. And ultimately you’re not going to cut your way into better effectiveness. It’s just not the way things go.[00:53:14] John Thompson: Amen.[00:53:15] Mark Stouse: And so, this is kind of like the old statement about physicists,[00:53:18] if they’re physicists long enough, they turn into philosophers. I think all three of us, have that going on. Because we have seen reality through a analytical lens for so long that you do actually get a philosophy of things.[00:53:38] Dr Genevieve Hayes: So what I’m hearing from all of you is that for data scientists to create value for the businesses that they’re working for, they need to start shifting their approach to basically look at how can we make the businesses needs. And how can we do that in a way that can be expressed in the business’s language, which is dollars and cents, but also, as Bill pointed out value in terms of the community environment.[00:54:08] So less financially tangible points of view.[00:54:11] Bill Schmarzo: And if I could just slightly add to that, I would say first thing that they need to do is to understand how does our organization create value for our constituents and stakeholders.[00:54:22] Start there. Great conversation. What are our desired outcomes? What are the key decisions? How do we measure success? If we have that conversation, by the way, it isn’t unusual to have that conversation with the business stakeholders and they go I’m not exactly sure.[00:54:37] John Thompson: I don’t know how that works.[00:54:38] Bill Schmarzo: Yeah. So you need to find what are you trying to improve customer retention? You’re trying to increase market share. What are you trying to accomplish and why and how are you going to measure success? So the fact that the data science team is asking that question, because like John said, data science can solve a whole myriad of problems.[00:54:54] It isn’t that it can’t solve. It can solve all kinds. That’s kind of the challenge. So understanding what problems we want to solve starts by understanding how does your organization create value. If you’re a hospital, like John said, reducing hospital acquired infections, reducing long term stay, whatever it might be.[00:55:09] There are some clear goals. Processes initiatives around which organizations are trying to create value[00:55:18] Dr Genevieve Hayes: So on that note, what is the single most important change our listeners could make tomorrow to accelerate their data science impact and results?[00:55:28] John Thompson: I’ll go first. And it’s to take your data science teams and not merge them into operational teams, but to introduce the executives that are in charge of these areas and have them have an agreement that they’re going to work together. Start there.[00:55:46] Bill Schmarzo: Start with how do you how does the organization create value? I mean understand that fundamentally ask those questions and keep asking until you find somebody in the organization who can say we’re trying to do this[00:55:57] Mark Stouse: to which I would just only add, don’t forget the people are people and they all have egos and they all want to appear smarter and smarter and smarter. And so if you help them do that, you will be forever in there must have list, it’s a great truth that I have found if you want to kind of leverage bills construct, it’s the economies of ego.[00:56:24] Bill Schmarzo: I like[00:56:24] John Thompson: right, Mark, wrap this up. When’s your book coming out? What’s the title?[00:56:28] Mark Stouse: It’s in July and I’ll be shot at dawn. But if I tell you the title, but so I interviewed several hundred fortune, 2000 CEOs and CFOs about how they see go to market. The changes that need to be made in go to market. The accountability for it all that kind of stuff. And so the purpose of this book really in 150, 160 pages is to say, Hey, they’re not all correct, but this is why they’re talking to you the way that they’re talking to you, and this is why they’re firing.[00:57:05] People in go to market and particularly in B2B at an unprecedented rate. And you could, without too much deviation, do a search and replace on marketing and sales and replace it with data science and you’d get largely the same stuff. LinkedIn,[00:57:25] Dr Genevieve Hayes: for listeners who want to get in contact with each of you, what can they do?[00:57:29] John Thompson: LinkedIn. John Thompson. That’s where I’m at.[00:57:32] Mark Stouse: Mark Stouse,[00:57:34] Bill Schmarzo: And not only connect there, but we have conversations all the time. The three of us are part of an amazing community of people who have really bright by diverse perspectives. And we get into some really great conversations. So not only connect with us, but participate, jump in. Don’t be afraid.[00:57:51] Dr Genevieve Hayes: And there you have it, another value packed episode to help you turn your data skills into serious clout, cash, and career freedom. If you found today’s episode useful and think others could benefit, please leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. That way we’ll be able to reach more data scientists just like you.[00:58:11] Thanks for joining me today, Bill, Mark, and John.[00:58:16] Mark Stouse: Great being with[00:58:16] John Thompson: was fun.[00:58:18] Dr Genevieve Hayes: And for those in the audience, thanks for listening. I’m Dr. Genevieve Hayes, and this has been value driven data science. The post Episode 53: A Wake-Up Call from 3 Tech Leaders on Why You're Failing as a Data Scientist first appeared on Genevieve Hayes Consulting and is written by Dr Genevieve Hayes.

As urgent calls for climate change action continue, an energy supercycle is underway, driven by the increasing need for electrification and digitalization, particularly in high-growth sectors like AI and data centers. Securing a reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy supply to meet this demand is crucial.At the 2025 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting at Davos, Hitachi, Ltd. Executive Chairman Toshiaki Higashihara and Hitachi Energy CEO Andreas Schierenbeck, with Elisabeth V. Vardheim (Statnett) and Gerard Reid (Alexa Capital), participate in a panel discussion on 22 January 2025 to explore the parallels between today's energy landscape and offer insights into how global stakeholders can drive change to address the climate crises.In summary, how to turn couch potatoes into ironmen.   Laurent's conclusion is that Davos is a perfect microcosm to capture CEOs' Zeitgeist. And when you hear a global consensus, like 4 years ago on Net Zero and Climate and this year on AI… then it is probably time to SELL.  This event is part of the Davos Accredited Programme. Full video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIXafAbc1gc

In this episode, Andrew Barr, President of EMEA sits down with Mary-Jane Lintin, Brand & Communication Specialist from Hitachi Europe. Together, they discuss the future of Hitachi in EMEA, focusing on advancing key sectors: Mobility, Energy, and Digital. These innovations are shaping a smarter, more sustainable future for all. They also reflect on Andrew Barr's personal career journey, highlighting key moments and milestones along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Andrew Barr, President of EMEA sits down with Maxine Ghavi, EVP Head of Europe, Hitachi Energy, to explore the Energy sector across Hitachi EMEA. They discuss the evolution of the energy industry and its ongoing impact on the way we live and work. Reflecting on key milestones, they explore what the future holds for Hitachi's energy sector across EMEA. This conversation delves into the key trends shaping the future of energy, and offering valuable insights into how the landscape is transforming. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Seth and Bill take a look at an oft-forgotten, but strategically important, episode of the Pacific War. In July 1945, Admiral William F. Halsey took his mighty 3rd Fleet to the very shores of Japan. Sending his carriers into the harbors and towns to wreak havoc, Halsey then detached his surface forces, specifically his battleships, to shell steel mills and infrastructure facilities along the eastern coast of Honshu. Over the final weeks of the war, battleships like USS South Dakota, USS Massachusetts, USS Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and others, pounded Japanese infrastructure with impunity. The shellings at Kamaishi, Muroran, Hitachi, and other locales devastated Japanese economy and inflicted abject terror into the civilian populace. Tune in to see what the guys have to say about this little known parade of destruction laid on the Japanese towards the end of the war. #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #essex #halsey #taskforce38 #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #hollywood #movie #movies #books #mastersoftheair #8thairforce #mightyeighth #100thbombgroup #bloodyhundredth #b17 #boeing #airforce wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #hollywood #movie #movies #books #oldbreed #1stMarineDivision #thepacific #Peleliu #army #marines #marinecorps #worldwar2 #worldwar #worldwarii #leytegulf #battleofleytegulf #rodserling #twilightzone #liberation #blacksheep #power #prisoner #prisonerofwar #typhoon #hurricane #weather #iwojima#bullhalsey #ace #p47 #p38 #fighter #fighterpilot #b29 #strategicstudying #tokyo #boeing #incendiary #usa #franklin #okinawa #yamato #kamikaze #Q&A #questions #questionsandanswers

Glimpse into how in five short years economies, careers and businesses could be redefined in this conversation between Michelle Martin and Theo Scherman, Chief Strategy Officer at Hitachi Asia and author of Infinite Futures: How Technology and Innovation Will Redefine Humanity by 2030. Discover how AI, renewable energy, and digital connectivity will reshape economies, redefine GDP, and drive the rise of universal basic income. Explore the implications of AI-driven deflation, shifts in business models, and the emergence of "premium careers." Theo shares insights on preparing for these seismic changes and why the next five years are pivotal for humanity’s future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The People of Hitachi podcast series highlights the remarkable contributions of Hitachi employees as they strive to achieve Hitachi's mission of contributing to society.In this episode, Andrew Barr, President of EMEA sits down with Sasan Moaveni, Global Business Lead, AI & High-Performance Data Platforms at Hitachi Vantara to explore the Digital sector across Hitachi EMEA. Together they discuss how the digital industry has evolved and continues to shape the way we live and work. They touch on key milestones, and what the future holds for the Digital industry at Hitachi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even with all of the property management software and tools breaking onto the scene lately, it seems that some entrepreneurs are still identifying gaps they could potentially fill… In today's episode of the #DoorGrowShow, property management growth expert Jason Hull sits down with Eric Nelsen of Walkthroo to talk about a new maintenance solution in development for property managers and vendors. You'll Learn [03:36] What is Walkthroo? [08:43] Developing Software and Utilizing AI [16:52] Getting Time Back with User-Friendly Tools [23:02] Get in Touch with Walkthroo Tweetables  ” It's a lot easier to make changes to software when you're smaller and you're getting things started and you're doing it in the right way.” “ Time is probably the biggest benefit we provide.” “ Vendors in a lot of situations end up being the eyes, ears and hands for the property manager.” “ User experience is a big deal when designing software.” Resources DoorGrow and Scale Mastermind DoorGrow Academy DoorGrow on YouTube DoorGrowClub DoorGrowLive TalkRoute Referral Link Transcript [00:00:00] Jason: It's a lot easier to make changes to software when you're smaller and you're getting things started and you're doing it in the right way. Once it turns into a giant beast and it's old, then it's really difficult.  [00:00:11] Welcome DoorGrow property managers to the DoorGrow Show. If you are a property management entrepreneur that wants to add doors, make a difference, increase revenue, help others, impact lives, and you are interested in growing in business and life, and you're open to doing things a bit differently, then you are a DoorGrow property manager. DoorGrow property managers love the opportunities, daily variety, unique challenges, and freedom that property management brings. Many in real estate think you're crazy for doing it. You think they're crazy for not, because you realize that property management is the ultimate high trust gateway to real estate deals, relationships, and residual income. [00:00:52] At DoorGrow, we are on a mission to transform property management business owners and their businesses. We want to transform the industry, eliminate the BS, build awareness, change perception, expand the market, and help the best property management entrepreneurs win. I'm your host, property management growth expert, Jason Hull, the founder and CEO of DoorGrow. [00:01:12] Now let's get into the show. And today I'm hanging out with Eric Nelson of Walkthroo. Eric, welcome to the DoorGrow Show.  [00:01:21] Eric: Thanks, Jason. Glad to be here.  [00:01:23] Jason: So Eric I would love to first get into your background. And my wife's chiming in saying I need to remember to promote DoorGrow live today, so I'll just do that right now real quick, and then we'll get to you, Eric. So if you are a property manager and you're watching this make sure you get tickets to DoorGrow Live like this is the most contribution focused, holistic property management conference in the industry. [00:01:44] We do things very differently. "There's heart" is kind of the feedback we get from others. People cry at our events. Like it's really awesome. It's going to be at the Kalahari resort here in Round Rock, Texas. And get your tickets right now. They go up in price over time. So head on over to DoorGrowLive.Com and get your tickets and be there. We've got sponsors. We've got cool speakers. It's going to be awesome. And DoorGrow magic is there. You're going to learn about growing your business from Sarah and myself and we'll help you out. All right, cool. Shameless plug inserted. [00:02:20] Now, Eric, I would love to get into your background. [00:02:23] You know, we hung out briefly in in Austin you came out and got to know each other a little bit, but I want my audience to get to know you share a little bit about How you kind of got into entrepreneurism, how you got into this. So tell us a little bit about your background.  [00:02:37] Eric: Yeah, sure. Sure. I grew up in Houston, Texas kind of came up through the finance world. So I spent about 10, 15 years in finance, went to grad school at Rice in Houston, and I just couldn't walk down the finance hallway. I saw the entrepreneurial professors down a different hallway, really wanted to kind of do my own thing. [00:02:55] So you know, stayed in finance for a couple more years and got into the pharmacy business. And through that business, I got exposed to IT technology and building software to kind of run our pharmacies and improve our ops and, and run those companies. And then a good friend of mine in Shreveport Springs, Texas was is a general contractor and said he works with these property managers and they, he does a lot of maintenance for rentals. [00:03:20] And he said, "yeah, Eric, I want to take on more business, but I can't keep track. There's so many little jobs. There's so much communication going on, text, emails, phone calls. You've got a software background. Can you help me?" And so that's, what's really exposed me to the property management industry and kind of started me on this path. [00:03:36] Got it. All right. So let's get into talking a little bit about Walkthroo and what it is. And it's, it's "walk T-H-R-O-O. So tell us a little bit about Walkthroo and what is it? What does it do?  [00:03:52] Yeah. So Walkthroo is, it's a really kind of a mindset and approach to the business and the underlying core is as much as accounting and tenant screening and even inspections, that software, those tools have grown, you know, with technological advances and whatnot. [00:04:13] If you really look at what we think is one of the four main pillars of property management is the maintenance, that hasn't grown. I mean, if you look back 10 years ago you really couldn't get multiple bids to do any work. If you look back 10 years ago, you couldn't pull up on your screen and compare two different bids. [00:04:29] 10 years ago, you couldn't split charges on an invoice between a tenant and owner. And you look today, fast forward 10 years, and I would say You know, 90- 95 percent of the platforms, you still cannot do those things. Well, when my partner brought me into this, you know, first he wanted me to help him with his, you know, just his construction company, but we quickly realized the problem wasn't him. [00:04:52] It was the property managers he was working with and the inefficiencies that came with the way they handle maintenance. So right out of the gate within a month. We switched that mantra. We're going to work to help property managers. And so that's really been what Walkthroo's focus has been the last three years. [00:05:09] And we really just, again, within the first three months we can get multiple bidders, we can split charges. And so it just showed me right away that it's not for a lack of technology or, you know, lack of know how even. It's just when you look at these software platforms and these operating systems, they just have bigger fish to fry. [00:05:27] They, you know, they all agree we should be able to hire multiple bidders with a couple clicks, but we're going to spend time doing X. So I can't explain it, but again, within the first six months, we had all these features built. And so now we're coming up on three years. We're really looking to round out the platform and keep growing. [00:05:45] Jason: Okay. So besides doing multiple bids and splitting charges, what would you say Walkthroo is? Like, what is, what does it accomplish?  [00:05:53] Eric: So we're going to be a full operating system for property managers. We started backwards. I spoke with the former CEO of Buildium post sale to real page. [00:06:03] And he told me flat out, "we did a lot of great things." I think they were in 19 countries at the time. He's like, "but I'll be honest here. We never figured out maintenance. And so if that's where you're starting, you know, good on you. Good luck." And so we started with maintenance and we built our platform around maintenance. [00:06:18] We've recently added inspections. And so we'll keep growing. So Walkthroo will be A full suite of operating suite for property managers. Currently, we're not there yet, I'm going to go through a couple of rounds of raising money. Currently, we're a maintenance tool. People can use our platform. And we also provide maintenance services still. [00:06:39] So that's, that's, that's kind of what we do today. And the third leg, which just launched, is, and this is probably the most unique feature of what we're building, every other maintenance tool or platform or operating platform out there has property manager and they invite people in and the people have to learn how to use your system and whatnot. We actually sell our software straight to contractors. [00:07:02] So they're using it independent of property management They're using it to paint houses, do handyman jobs around around their cities, and so we're building this network where property managers will be on Walkthroo, the contractors are on Walkthroo, and it's just a simple connection and you don't have, you know, the training and, you know, as a vendor ourselves the last few years, I've been through some trainings to use different systems and I can imagine. It's can like a painter, you know, in downtown Austin that has two employees trying to figure out all these platforms and how to work with these clients. So we're, our goal is to really simplify all that for all the stakeholders.  [00:07:39] Jason: Got it. So it sounds like Walkthroo, you're building this from the ground up. [00:07:43] You're building it as a tool to support and help based on what business owners actually need in property management. You started with one of the biggest challenges, which is maintenance. You're now adding inspections, you're adding other things. And the goal, the roadmap is to make it a full suite that helps maybe a better property management back office or software solution. [00:08:05] So the next big piece is then I'm sure on the roadmap somewhere is accounting and, tenant portals, owner portals, so they can see statements and submit the maintenance request, maybe like all of this kind of stuff. And so yeah, and I don't, I think that there's, there hasn't been a lot of innovation. [00:08:23] We've seen Rentvine come out recently. And it was born kind of out of a lot of complaints people were having about Appfolio. Appfolio was kind of born out of a lot of complaints people were having about maybe Buildium and Propertyware. Right. Right. And so, you know, when software is born out of complaints, you know, of different tools, yeah, it's going to be better than that tool, but it is interesting to start from the ground up building around the needs of and supporting the property manager and the work that they're doing. It'll be very interesting to see where you guys end up and what's kind of the timeline for all of this? [00:08:55] Eric: Well, you know, it depends on fundraising, right? So it's expensive, especially, you get into the accounting engines and a lot of that. There's a lot of costs involved. So we're hoping in the next You know, 12 to 18 months, we'd have a product out of, you know, for small property managers to run their business off our platform. [00:09:12] Jason: That's pretty fast. That's really the goal right now. Yeah. Okay. Got it. Yeah. And it sounds like you guys move quickly. You know. It's a lot easier to make changes to software when you're smaller and you're getting things started and you're doing it in the right way. Once it turns into a giant beast and it's old, then it's really difficult. [00:09:30] Like some of the older maintenance software companies I'm sure they're toying with the idea. Like, should we just rebuild from scratch or throw all this away? Or do we just work this until this horse dies, you know? And so that's always the challenge with software. [00:09:46] And then adoption is always a big challenge. So getting people to use something new or to change to something else. And a lot of times it's easier to get the smaller guys and the smaller companies to make changes. And the big companies are usually watching the little guys make all the mistakes or test stuff out or see. [00:10:04] And then they stand back to wait to see who the winners are. So...  [00:10:08] Eric: yeah, yeah. And thankfully I've got some experience on our side. My partner, Travis, he before he got into construction, him and his dad ran a small microscope specialized software company they sell it to universities. I don't know the ins and outs of it, but they could like take a laser and look into this, you know, the elemental makeup of a molecule. [00:10:26] It was really, really specialized, but that was exactly where he came from. He's like, yeah, you could go with Hitachi or a big Japanese brand, but you can't get them on the phone. You know, like you said, they've, they've done good. They've built so big, but now that's a hindrance. And we're in the same path. [00:10:40] You know, we didn't have splitting the owner and tenant charges, but you know, after talking to a few clients and a few property managers, that was just a common, very common thing. And I said, "well, let's just build it." Well, we're small or nimble, you know, we can, we can get away with that. [00:10:53] So we're going to take that same approach as we go through the accounting side of things, you know, and just interviewing property managers and listening to the industry and saying, Hey, my background is finance and operations. And so, you know, when I met you, something you brought up a lot was transforming lives and, you know, kind of making people enjoy their work and that's something I don't see. When we launched this tool. We decided to launch it internally two years ago. So we haven't really been selling Walkthroo, we've been using it ourselves. We currently manage Over 250 jobs in nine states. And so I talked to more maintenance coordinators and property managers every day and a lot of them could be happier. [00:11:35] So as we build this out, we want these tools to allow some sort of automation and allow people to focus on growing doors and, you know, and doing other things that are more beneficial versus banging their head against walls.  [00:11:49] Jason: Sure. Yeah. I know property management business owners would much rather spend their time focusing on scaling their business than dealing with all the the nitty gritty day to day challenges and difficulty in all the tools that they're dealing with. [00:12:04] So Eric, we're in the middle of this AI revolution and you're like right in the middle of building this tool as we're coming into this new AI revolution where there's just tons of software just coming out. And people can create tools and software a lot more easily and their AI is helping them. [00:12:22] And then everyone's trying to integrate AI. And then you see all these companies that are dinosaurs. They're trying to strap chat GPT on the side of their crazy rollercoaster. And like, you know, say now we have AI. And so how's AI kind of tie into you guys, you know, getting Walkthroo built out? [00:12:43] Eric: Yeah, great question. We've got a roadmap for it. We don't have anything integrated yet. I think it's, it's too early, but you know, my background is really improving operations efficiencies. And so once we have this tool built out, then we will again, deploy AI where it makes sense. Like you said, it's a buzzword. [00:13:03] People will say everything is aI generated. It's like, no, that's just a search function, but call it AI. And so we, you know, we know most of the data. I'm not well tuned on the accounting yet, but definitely on the maintenance side, we know what data and what decisions are being made every day because again, we've lived that life and we're living it now we're doing jobs. [00:13:24] And so we will bring in AI kind of as we roll out the full suite, you know, I'm not sure to be perfectly honest. I don't know if it's going to be a heavy lift. I mean, again, it really comes down to the operations of the business and work and we see efficiencies and you know, there's some decisions you want eyes on, you know, you want, you want human interaction and others are a little more mundane task. [00:13:45] And so we, we are definitely have that in the playbook but I, at this point, you know, our plan is not to have this fully automated AI, you know, software, it's going to be just a much cleaner, easier tool to use and AI will be obviously just a natural component of that. [00:14:01] Jason: Got it. I mean, I think that makes sense. A lot of people start, you know, thinking, Oh, let's make AI do everything. But I think, I think it probably does make a lot more sense to make sure that the tools and systems are working for humans and they're working the right way first. And then AI create some leverage now that this is working well. [00:14:21] And I think that goes for how business owners should implement technology in general is you first do the process manually, and then you start to look for points of leverage and where can I leverage tech, where could a tool like Walkthroo facilitate what I'm doing now or help move things forward? So who's your current target audience? [00:14:39] Like, who are the people listening to this podcast that you think should reach out to Walkthroo to get an assessment on their current maintenance situation?  [00:14:49] Eric: Yeah. I mean, we've talked to everyone from PMI to sole proprietors to self managers. So I would say our sweet spot is probably property managers with, you know, 200 to 500 doors. [00:15:02] Seems to be small enough where the data is not overwhelming. They're doing a lot of work, I feel from what I've seen personally, and so working with Walkthroo helps some of that. And people can work with us in different ways. We some people just use our software. You know, we, If we can, if we can manage jobs across nine states, truly, you know, we know people can manage jobs in their own town or their own state and some of them just hire us as a, they just have us on their preferred vendor list, you know, we obviously I don't have staff in nine states, so I use my tool to manage jobs and manage vendors and the third way people can access and partner with us Is we come on as your maintenance coordinator, you know, we'll use their vendors, their top vendors, let us manage it. [00:15:43] One question I always ask property managers, not surprisingly, the answer is usually similar is, you know, "have you ever logged in as a vendor to whatever system are you using?" [00:15:51] " Well, why would I do that?" It's like, well, yeah, you probably wouldn't think of it, but I recommend it because you know, it's, it's one of those tasks. It's important, but it's also been done since the dawn of property management, I give someone a job, they go do it. But if you, if you're using tools, I recommend logging in as that contractor and seeing what they're seeing. And, oh, this is why it's hard to communicate because I can't upload anything or I can't text or, you know, whatever, whatever it may be. [00:16:20] So the maintenance coordinator role is something we've been taking on more and more where it's like, yeah, you give us your favorite painters and handyman, and we'll either API into your system, or you just send your tenants our way. You know, we structured any way that works best for our clients and the, let us do the dispatching, you know, all the status checks. [00:16:39] I mean, you know, it's just a constant barrage of phone calls every Monday morning on where we're at. And of course, Sunday night we send out reports so we don't have to get those calls. Those are the three ways that property managers can work with us currently.  [00:16:52] Jason: What, what are the results that people that start working will Walkthroo tend to notice or what sort of the changes that you're creating for these business owners.  [00:17:02] Eric: It's time. Time is probably the biggest benefit we provide. You know most I just mentioned the Monday check ins or daily check ins most maintenance tools that I've seen in, by the way, the other way that we know our, our tool is is well built, it's acting and being a vendor for the last three years. [00:17:21] I've logged into all the other tools. You know, when a property manager sees Walkthroo, yeah, they say Oh, Eric, yeah, we're always looking for a new painter. Here's our login to our system. Great. So immediately we take notes and, and figure out what's, what's wrong, but the time component I would say is probably the, the most we hear back on, on the biggest benefit and then most systems will have status indicators, maybe something's in progress. [00:17:44] We've got over 20 statuses. Are we waiting on the contractor to finish the work? Are we waiting on the tenant to accept the schedule and confirm it? Are we waiting on the after pictures to come in. I mean, there's all these nuanced steps that I think historically again, bigger companies are busy, but coming from at it from fresh from outside the industry, it was like, well, this is important to know if I know that I'm waiting on the tenant to confirm a schedule, I don't need to waste my time calling the contractor, ask what's going on. [00:18:14] And so those, that's a little microcosm of. How we built our system and also just a, again, just the workflow. I mean, I was shocked. None of the systems I've used since I've been in property management, offer me a way to do a change order. Very simple, very common request. And I have to like make a phone call or send an email. [00:18:32] And it's just time, time, time. So we make all that click, click, click.  [00:18:37] Jason: For the listeners. Explain a typical change order sort of situation.  [00:18:41] Eric: Leaky faucet. We've got a leaky faucet. We want somebody to go check it out. Contractor shows up on site, looks at a leaky faucet, and says, yeah, this faucet's leaking here. [00:18:51] I can fix that. But also, it created mold and damage all behind it. All under the counter. We've got to rip all these counters out. Well, that's not what the contractor was there sent to do. It's definitely not approved without, you know, anyone signing off on that. So he's got to communicate back to the property manager, "Hey, there's a much bigger issue here." [00:19:11] And so in the industry, it's, you know, typically referred to as a change order. And so now the contractor usually sits and waits and says, okay, I'll, I'll wait for the property manager to talk to the owner. And see if they want me to rip off this cabinet and do all this extra work. You know, I'm just, you know, I'm just a contractor. [00:19:28] Can I explain what I see? So now we're in a waiting game, right? So a week later, property manager boss comes in and says, "what's going on on one, two, three Smith street?"  [00:19:36] Jason: Yeah.  [00:19:37] Eric: "Oh, well, there was a problem."  [00:19:38] "Okay. What's going on now?" [00:19:40] "I don't know. Oh, it looks like, I think we're waiting for the owner to give us the green light to do the new repairs" [00:19:46] and so you can, you can step back and realize how that can. And you add that times 50 jobs or 100 jobs and it starts, it really adds up. So again, the way we built our system was to really eliminate a lot of that excess time. And where are we in this maintenance process? And just put it on the dashboard. [00:20:03] Just like, you know, many other things in life now. Put it in front of my face, so I know where all my jobs are and all my maintenance tasks are located.  [00:20:11] Jason: Hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Very cool. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I'm sure that's a challenge, like people discovering new work when they go out to do work. And there's also the issue a vendor goes out to do work and then they notice other stuff they think the property manager should be aware of. [00:20:25] And yeah, I mean, vendors in a lot of situations end up being the eyes, ears and hands for the property manager, so.  [00:20:32] Eric: Yeah, actually that's, that's why we built our own inspection tool. You know, we see everything else that's out there, but a lot of it's not connected. It's, you know, it's separate tools. So I've got a system that does this and does that. [00:20:45] So we tell our contractors, it's in our app, which I think there might be two or three other maintenance platforms, but not many that actually have an app in the app store for the vendor. So again, I challenged property managers to log into whatever system they're using as a vendor. And you'll probably see it's not the easiest thing to use or communicate with. [00:21:05] Well, we turned that upside down and. We've got an app live in the app store. Contractors can download it. So when they're doing work for us, it's super easy. They're on their phone. So we added an inspection tool and said we're going to require you to do, if it's vacant, to do a full inspection. And we just provide that as a free service, like, hey, in case, in case you or the owner missed something, we happen to notice these other 10 items that you didn't want us to fix, but here's some pictures and a report, and so again, like, just to your point, we know we're the eyes and ears a lot of time, you know, at the property, so anything we can do to capture all that data and get it back to the property manager. [00:21:43] We think so it's a win for everyone.  [00:21:45] Jason: Yeah, I love that So, I mean historically that's been a big complaint about some of the property management maintenance coordination tools out there is that the getting vendors to use it the adoption of vendors has been like real difficult and maybe it's Just your from your experience. [00:22:02] Maybe they're just not very good for the vendors through for their experience. It's just not a great experience. So user experience is a big deal when designing software. And it sounds like you guys have kind of designed this from the ground up to make sure that the vendors are going to have a good experience using it. [00:22:17] Eric: Absolutely. You know, again, we, you know, we're, we're signed on as preferred vendor across, across nine states. And so it's, you know, it's our insurance, our butts on the line if the jobs aren't getting done. So we figured out very quickly, we cannot make this difficult for this contractor in Florida that doesn't know Eric from Dripping Springs, Texas. [00:22:36] So let's make the tool super easy. And that's exactly what we did. And so we've had... oh, I would say over three years, I think maybe three or four times we've had to coach somebody through how to use our maintenance tool.  [00:22:48] Jason: Really? Sometimes vendors are old school. [00:22:49] They're not the most tech savvy. They're, they're using physical tools, you know, but yeah. And so that says a lot that it's pretty intuitive or easy for them to figure out.  [00:22:59] Eric: Yeah, that was a big focus for us right out of the gate.  [00:23:02] Jason: Got it. Okay, cool. Well, for those that are, like, hearing about this, or a little bit interested in this, is there anything else they usually have questions about that we didn't touch on, or that they should know about Walkthroo? [00:23:14] Eric: Let's see, not really. I mean, I think we covered most of it. Again, our goal is to really provide more time. I just, we see so much wasted time, you know, in the maintenance process. Obviously, we're going to carry that on through the rest of the modules and operating software, but our goal is to eliminate that time and give it back to property managers and really allow them to, like you said, I know they'd much rather growing doors and making connections and using their time more wisely. [00:23:39] So, yeah. If we can save them hours a week that's really, really our goal.  [00:23:45] Jason: Got it. Okay. Well, it sounds like you guys focus on simplicity. You focus on making these work. How can people get in touch with Walkthroo?  [00:23:55] Eric: Yeah, you can go to our website. It's www.walkthroo.com . You can also send an email over directly to me or my team. My email is eric@thewalkthroo.com and if you want to just send it to our team, it's work orders@thewalkthroo.com.  [00:24:21] Jason: Got it. So it's 'the Walkthroo' and through is T-H-R-O-O. Okay. All right. Everyone listening, go check that out. [00:24:30] Eric, appreciate you being here on the DoorGrow show and hanging out with us. And I'm looking forward. We'll have to have you come back on once you guys have added some new features and it sounds like you guys are pretty aggressive at doing that.  [00:24:44] Eric: Absolutely. Thanks, Jason. Appreciate the time. Good seeing you.  [00:24:46] Jason: Good seeing you too. [00:24:47] All right. For those of you that are looking to grow your property management business or you're struggling, check us out at doorgrow. com. We would love to help you. We are getting amazing results with our clients. And so if you want to get from 0 to 100 doors, from maybe 100 to 200 doors, or you wanted to go from 200 to 500 doors, Or from 500 doors to a thousand doors, we can help you at each of these stages and each of these sticking points to grow and scale your business rapidly and to get the right stress free ops and systems in place so that you are able to do this without making your life worse personally. [00:25:21] And so check us out at doorgrow. com. And until next time everybody to our mutual growth, bye everybody. [00:25:28] you just listened to the #DoorGrowShow. We are building a community of the savviest property management entrepreneurs on the planet in the DoorGrowClub. Join your fellow DoorGrow Hackers at doorgrowclub.com. Listen, everyone is doing the same stuff. SEO, PPC, pay-per-lead content, social direct mail, and they still struggle to grow!  [00:25:54] At DoorGrow, we solve your biggest challenge: getting deals and growing your business. Find out more at doorgrow.com. Find any show notes or links from today's episode on our blog doorgrow.com, and to get notified of future events and news subscribe to our newsletter at doorgrow.com/subscribe. Until next time, take what you learn and start DoorGrow Hacking your business and your life.

From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021. Our interviews on Entrepreneurs On Fire are meant to be evergreen, and we do our best to confirm that all offers and URL's in these archive episodes are still relevant. Alisa Cohn is an executive coach and the author of From Start-up to Grown-up. She has coached founders and executives at Venmo, Etsy, and DraftKings, along with enterprises such as Dell, Hitachi, and Pfizer. She writes for HBR and Inc and has been featured in Bloomberg, the BBC and New York Times. Top 3 Value Bombs 1. You do not need to set goals; instead, set directions. 2. When starting a business, the most important thing is building a thriving, sustaining organization with a structure and with people who have their own psychology management through successes and challenges. 3. The secret to great hiring is setting up a specific game plan about what you want to accomplish in 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days. 5 Scripts for Delicate Conversations at Work (plus one bonus script to make your life better - Alisa's Website Sponsors HubSpot When you combine the power of Marketing Hub and Content Hub, you can have your best quarter, every quarter. Visit Hubspot.com/marketers to learn more ThriveTime Show Attend the world's highest rated business growth workshop taught personally by Clay Clark and NOW featuring Rich Dad Poor Dad Author Robert Kiyosaki and Eric Trump at ThrivetimeShow.com/eofire Airbnb If you've got an extended trip coming up and need a little help hosting while you're away, just hire a co-host to do the work for you. Find a co-host at Airbnb.com/host

From the archive: This episode was originally recorded and published in 2021. Our interviews on Entrepreneurs On Fire are meant to be evergreen, and we do our best to confirm that all offers and URL's in these archive episodes are still relevant. Alisa Cohn is an executive coach and the author of From Start-up to Grown-up. She has coached founders and executives at Venmo, Etsy, and DraftKings, along with enterprises such as Dell, Hitachi, and Pfizer. She writes for HBR and Inc and has been featured in Bloomberg, the BBC and New York Times. Top 3 Value Bombs 1. You do not need to set goals; instead, set directions. 2. When starting a business, the most important thing is building a thriving, sustaining organization with a structure and with people who have their own psychology management through successes and challenges. 3. The secret to great hiring is setting up a specific game plan about what you want to accomplish in 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days. 5 Scripts for Delicate Conversations at Work (plus one bonus script to make your life better - Alisa's Website Sponsors HubSpot When you combine the power of Marketing Hub and Content Hub, you can have your best quarter, every quarter. Visit Hubspot.com/marketers to learn more ThriveTime Show Attend the world's highest rated business growth workshop taught personally by Clay Clark and NOW featuring Rich Dad Poor Dad Author Robert Kiyosaki and Eric Trump at ThrivetimeShow.com/eofire Airbnb If you've got an extended trip coming up and need a little help hosting while you're away, just hire a co-host to do the work for you. Find a co-host at Airbnb.com/host

Send us a textHear from the Hitachi Solutions Team on All Things AI CES is the world's largest electronic exhibition in the world. And the number one topic on everyone's mind is AI. In the acres upon acres of technology – from robotic coffee makers and vans with built-in helicopters, to the latest solar solutions and video games – the topic of AI is inescapable. AI is everywhere you turn in this massive event, including at the Hitachi booth at 8317 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, where our team of data and AI experts are on hand, showcasing the latest in data, AI, and Microsoft technology. Two members of that team, by Sr. Technical Product Manager Dr. Michael Green and Stuart Morris, Director of Research and Development, took the time in our Exchanges podcast to share what they're hearing on the exhibition floor, and how Hitachi Solutions is solving them with the latest technology.global.hitachi-solutions.com

In this episode, host Erika Schiller welcomes Simon Ninan, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Sustainability at Hitachi Vantara, to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability. They discuss the energy demands and environmental impacts of AI, alongside innovative strategies like Hitachi's eco-design technologies and AI-driven optimization of data centers to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions. The conversation highlights how renewable energy and smart grid advancements can support the growing digital landscape. Erika and Simon emphasize AI's dual role as a challenge and a solution, encouraging listeners to rethink sustainability strategies in the digital age. Subscribe to the ESG Decoded Podcast on your favorite streaming platforms and social media to be notified of new episodes. Enjoy tuning in! Episode Resources:  What Are Large Language Models (LLMs): https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/large-language-models Why Microsoft made a deal to help restart Three Mile Island: https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/09/26/1104516/three-mile-island-microsoft/ - About ESG Decoded ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Join Amanda Kuhl, Erika Schiller, and Anna Stablum for thoughtful, nuanced conversations with industry leaders and subject matter experts that explore the complexities about the risks and opportunities connected to (E)nvironmental, (S)ocial and (G)overnance. We like to say that “ESG is everything that's not on your balance sheet.” This leaves room for misunderstanding and oversimplification – two things that we'll bust on this podcast. ESG Decoded | Resource Links Site: https://www.climeco.com/podcast-series/ Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://go.climeco.com/ApplePodcasts⁠⁠  Spotify: ⁠⁠https://go.climeco.com/Spotify⁠⁠  YouTube Music: ⁠⁠https://go.climeco.com/YouTube-Music⁠⁠  LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/esg-decoded/⁠⁠ IG: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/esgdecoded/⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ESGDecoded⁠⁠ FB: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ESGDecoded ⁠⁠ About ClimeCo ClimeCo is an award-winning leader in decarbonization, empowering global organizations with customized sustainability pathways. Our team of respected scientists and industry experts collaborates with companies, governments, and capital markets to develop tailored ESG and decarbonization solutions. Recognized for creating high-quality, impactful projects, ClimeCo is committed to helping clients achieve their goals, maximize environmental assets, and enhance their brand. Partner with ClimeCo to drive meaningful environmental change and take your climate initiatives to new heights. ClimeCo | Resource Links Site: ⁠⁠https://climeco.com/⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/climeco/⁠⁠ IG: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/climeco/⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ClimeCo⁠⁠ FB: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/Climeco/⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@climeco-llc

2024 was a special year for Carnival and the Japan-New Orleans connection! Lafcadio Hearn's life & works inspired the theme for Rex Parade 2024: "The Two Worlds of Lafcadio Hearn - New Orleans & Japan". But why Hearn? What went into the float design? What other ways has Hearn left a lasting impact on both New Orleans & Japan? Find out today with a super-sized special Mardi Gras bonus episode, featuring insights from Rex historian/archivist Will French & historian/archivist emeritus Dr. Stephen Hales, Royal Artists float designer/artistic director Caroline Thomas, Lafcadio Hearn's great grandson Bon Koizumi,  legendary chef John Folse, Captain of the Krewe of Lafcadio John Kelly, JSNO's resident Lafcadio Hearn expert Matthew Smith, and even the Mayor of Matsue Akihito Uesada! Get ready for Mardi Gras 2025 by reflecting on this unique connection between New Orleans & Japan!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Music Credits ------Background music provided by: Royalty Free Music by Giorgio Di Campo for Free Sound Music http://freesoundmusic.eu FreeSoundMusic on Youtube  Link to Original Sound Clip------ Audio Clip Credits ------Thanks to Dominic Massa & everyone at WYES for allowing us to use some of the audio from the below Rex Clips:Segment about Royal Artist & Float DesignFull 2024 Rex Ball Coverage (Krewe of Lafcadio/Nicholls State segment)Thanks to Matsue City Hall & Mayor Akihito Uesada for their video message below:Message from Matsue Mayor Akihito Uesada------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Past KOJ Hearn/Matsue/History Episodes ------Foreign-Born Samurai: William Adams ft. Nathan Ledbetter (Guest Host, Dr. Samantha Perez) (S5E17)Foreign-Born Samurai: Yasuke ft. Nathan Ledbetter (Guest Host, Dr. Samantha Perez) (S5E16)Explore Matsue ft. Nicholas McCullough (S4E19)Jokichi Takamine: The Earliest Bridge Between New Orleans & Japan ft. Stephen Lyman (S4E13)The Life & Legacy of Lafcadio Hearn ft. Bon & Shoko Koizumi (S1E9)Matsue & New Orleans: Sister Cities ft. Dr. Samantha Perez (S1E2)------ Links about Rex ------2024 Rex Parade/Float PDF with Full DesignsCaroline Thomas's Website------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

Defaults on US credit card loans have hit the highest level since the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, and as payment fraud rises, banks and tech companies disagree on who should cover consumer losses. Syria's caretaker government has said it could take up to four years for the country to hold elections. Plus, how Hitachi's plan to monetize industrial data has revived its fortunes. Mentioned in this podcast:US credit card defaults jump to highest level since 2010 Who should foot the bill for cyber scams?Syrian elections may not be held for 4 years, says de facto leader ‘Monetising data': how Hitachi has soared with bets on AI futureThe FT News Briefing is produced by Niamh Rowe, Persis Love, Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Joseph Salcedo. Topher Forhecz is the FT's executive producer. The FT's global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show's theme song is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Insider's Guide to Energy, host Chris Sass sits down with Debrup Das, Head of North American Renewables for Hitachi Energy, to explore the future of renewable energy and grid innovation. The conversation dives into how utility-scale solar plants, energy storage systems, and grid modernization can address the growing demand for electricity as society transitions to electrification. Debrup highlights the economic advantages of solar energy, the rise of hybrid energy hubs, and the role of new technologies in ensuring a reliable, sustainable power supply. Debrup sheds light on how advancements like grid-forming technologies and energy storage solutions are reshaping how renewables integrate with the grid. He discusses the importance of balancing energy production with market economics, touching on innovative approaches that enable solar developers to adapt to changing regulations and market demands. The conversation also delves into the global supply chain's impact on renewables and how Hitachi Energy leverages its worldwide footprint to deliver cutting-edge solutions. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the collaborative efforts needed between developers, utilities, regulatory bodies, and technology providers to achieve a sustainable energy future. With a mix of optimism and expertise, this episode offers a comprehensive look at the challenges and opportunities shaping the renewable energy landscape, making it a must-listen for energy professionals and enthusiasts alike.We were pleased to host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrup-das/Visit our website:  https://insidersguidetoenergy.com/ 

This season was a long one! The Krewe re-groups to reflect on Season 5 as a whole, and everything that went into it...  with a SPECIAL GUEST! Join us for one last audio journey in Season 5 as we discuss all the milestones, top moments, challenges, & fun anecdotes, in addition to a look ahead to Season 6 & listener feedback! Let's GO!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

This is the first in a two part series on the people living to the Northeast of Yamato, in the areas of Tohoku and Hokkaido.  They are called in the Chronicles, the Emishi and the Mishihase, and these designations appear to refer to areas that include the Epi-Jomon and later Satsumon cultures as well as members of the Okhotsk Sea Culture, all archaeological designations for various people whom we know primarily through their archaeological remains.  We also discuss a bit about how all of this ties in (or doesn't) with the modern Ainu, and why we don't necessarily use that term until much later in the historical record. For more, check out our podcast blog at: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-116   Rough Transcript   Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 116: The People of the North, Part 1   A soldier stood watch on the Nutari Barrier.  It was only a few years old—built to define and defend the boundaries between the lands under Yamato rule and the untamed wilds, beyond.  Looking behind him, the soldier could see the smoke from the nearby settlement, also newly constructed, which would supply him and his fellow guards with food and clothing while they took their turn at the border. Looking outwards, the soldier wondered what life beyond the barrier was like.  He had seen people crossing through, mostly with various trade goods.  For the most part, they didn't seem all that different, but he had heard stories: stories of wild men and women who lived in caves and slept under the trees.  They were hunters who knew the woods and could easily slip through areas that didn't even have roads. As one traveled further north, things grew only more wild and untamed—or so the stories said.   Giant bears with paws as large as a human head roamed the land—he'd seen a skin once and it was massive.  The people of the north fought with them and, or so he'd heard, even kept them as pets. Further, well beyond the pale, there were people who lived on the sea.  They traveled between islands in the frozen north, and hunted the beasts of the ocean.  They were few, but they were mighty people. A chill went through the soldier's spine.  He'd only ever heard stories of most of these outsiders, and even then it was hard to tell what was truth and what was merely exaggeration.  He had never actually gone out to see it himself, though he'd met some who claimed they had. It gave him some sense of worth that he was out here, defending the settled, civilized lands of his people from the wild, ungoverned tribes beyond the border.  That said, he hoped with all his heart that things remained peaceful.  Yes, it would certainly be better that way for all involved.   We are just starting out the second reign of Takara Hime, which started in the year 655.  For her first reign, the Chroniclers would give her the title of Kougyoku Tennou, but when she retook the throne they named her Saimei.  As we talked about in the last couple of episodes, there was a lot going on at this point, not just on the archipelago, but in the rest of Asia as well.   We'll summarize that briefly just to set the stage for the beginning of Takara Hime's reign, but this episode we're going to primarily focus on the expansion of Yamato authority throughout the rest of the archipelago, or at least the rest of Honshu.  In this context, we'll be talking extensively about the people that the Chronicles call the Emishi, since this section of the Chronicles contains numerous entries that give us our clearest look, to date, at who they were, at least from a Yamato perspective.  We'll also be looking at another group in the north, known to us as the Mishihase, for whom we have even less information. As this whole episode got a bit long, we are going to be doing this in two parts.  This episode, I'd like to introduce you to some of the terms, discuss some of the problems and considerations around these topics, and touch on what we know based largely on the archaeological record.  In the second episode we'll focus on the narrative as it appears in the Nihon Shoki, which hopefully will be something that makes more sense once we have that archaeological context.  While there are certainly some things that appear to coincide between the two narratives, there are a lot of differences.  Archaeology can help us understand the material culture, and give us some insights into the lifeways of a particular group of people, but it doesn't let us know what they said, and rarely gives us information about a particular event. Before we dive into this, I think it would be useful to touch on terms that we are going to be using this episode, and next.  I mention this because while we are dealing with the past, our story of the past is very much affecting the lives of people in the present.  Most specifically, the lives of the Ainu people of Hokkaido, and how their history and experience intertwines with the concept of the “Emishi” that we see in the Chronicles.  So let's explore these terms, and see where it takes us. First, I should probably make a note about the difference between “Wa” and “Yamato”, at least as I'm using it in this episode.  When I use “Wa” I'll be referring to the ethnic group, while “Yamato” refers to the state.  For the most part, as we are focused on the historical state forming in central Honshu, we'll talk about Yamato, or the State of Yamato. That is a political entity that is majority Wa in its make-up, but that doesn't mean that there weren't Wa people outside of the Yamato state, nor that Yamato was made up of only people who identified, ethnically as Wa.  As we've seen, the Yamato state also included immigrants who identified as people of Baekje, Silla, Goguryeo, and even Emishi. Next, the Emishi.  The term “Emishi” is an exonym used by Yamato to describe those who are outside of Yamato's borders and controls, especially up in Tohoku.  By “exonym”, I mean that it's a term imposed from outside – in this case, by Yamato – on the group of people known as the Emishi, because we really don't know what they called themselves. Moreover, the term “Emishi” is complex, and doesn't necessarily describe a single, monolithic ethnic group or culture – more a group of possible ethnicities, that occupied a particular “slot” relative to Yamato cultural identity, namely that of outsiders.  The Chronicles refer to several different geographic regions as “Emishi”, situated relative to the core of the Yamato polity -- but the archeological evidence is much more nuanced.  A prime example are the studies carried out on the “Emishi” mummies of the Oshu Fujiwara, a 12th century ruling elite who lived in Hiraizumi and who were considered “Emishi” by the court in Heian-kyo—modern Kyoto.  In studying the mummies, it was determined that they were closely related to the Wa people of Japan and the Kinki region.  This finding is important and I'll come back to it in a bit, but the takeaway is that “Emishi” doesn't automatically mean physical or cultural differences like we might assume.  There were likely ethnic Wa Emishi, along with Emishi who were more closely connected with the indigenous people—descendants of the Jomon and possible ancestors to the later Ainu people. Finally, the Ainu.  It's extremely likely that some of the people that the Chroniclers called “Emishi” may have been the ancestors of the Ainu people of today.  But the correspondence is definitely not one-to-one, as some historians used to think.  And since this is a sensitive topic with ongoing patterns of inequity and silenced voices, it's important to lay some groundwork before going further. For my part, I would like to do my best to introduce the people and the history as we know it with as little bias as I can manage, but please realize that there are certainly controversies around this area and open wounds that have not yet healed. The modern Ainu are the indigenous inhabitants of Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and Kuril islands.  They also once inhabited the very northern part of Tohoku.  In their own language, Ainu Itak, these islands are part of Ainu Mosir, the Lands of the Ainu, and “Ainu” itself is simply a word for “humans” or “people”.  While there are many cultural and linguistic ties to the Japanese—they have been neighbors for centuries—they are culturally distinct, and their language, Ainu Itak, is considered a linguistic isolate, with no known relatives outside of the Ainu homelands. The relationship between the Ainu and the Wa people—the general term for ethnic Japanese—has been one of tension and conflict born of colonization.  In the 19th century in particular, the nation of Japan claimed Hokkaido and began to settle it.  The wide open spaces were great for new industries, such as cattle ranching, which could supply dairy and beef, two things that had come into vogue with other aspects of Western culture.  I won't get into the entire history of it, but the Japanese government used tactics similar to those used in the United States against indigenous populations, often forcing people to speak Japanese instead of their native language in a paternalistic attempt to quote-unquote “civilize” the Ainu people.  Only relatively recently have the Ainu been accorded some protections in Japanese law. For our part, the study of Ainu history has long been one conducted by outsiders looking in, which of course has come with all sorts of baggage.  For instance, as I alluded to above, there has long been a tendency to equate the Ainu with the Emishi, which along with everything else cast the Ainu as somewhat less culturally evolved.  Much of this study was also taking place during a time when Marxist concepts of societal evolution were in vogue.  Add to that the generally patronizing and Colonialist concepts that were rampant in Western anthropology at the time—things like the stereotype of the “noble savage” and even the concept of “primitive” societies—and there were definitely some problematic concepts that continue to echo through into modern discussions.  Another complexity in understanding Ainu culture and history has been that the Ainu people do tend to be physically distinct from many other Japanese, which has been linked to outdated ideas about physical types and ethnicity.  Many Ainu people show more tendency towards body and facial hair than mainland Japanese, with bushy beards being common among men, and blue eyes aren't uncommon – which, combined with overall light skin, led to early identification of Ainu people as being of “Caucasian stock” according to outdated racial classifications.  The theory was that they traveled from the west across Asia in the distant past and somehow settled in the islands north of Japan.  This ties into how much of the archaeological fervor of the 19th and 20th centuries in Japan was wrapped around ethno-nationalist ideals and looking to find the origins of the Japanese people, often using concepts of eugenics to seek out physical and cultural differences between the Japanese and “other” people, such as the Ainu, to help better define who are—and who are not—Japanese.  For example, remember those Oshu Fujiwara mummies and how they were from a group described by the Chronicles as “Emishi” but ended up being more physically similar to modern Wa than modern Ainu?  Some scholars took this finding to mean that all of the Emishi were Wa people, effectively denying any ancestral claims or links that Ainu people may have had to Honshu, other than those historically attested to from about the 15th century onwards.  In similar ways, for each instance of some new “finding”, there have often been those who would use it as a further reason to discriminate against the Ainu. There is a lot of important archaeological work that has been done in Tohoku and elsewhere to help shed more light on the people living in areas that the Chronicles associate with the Emishi and beyond.  But while archaeological digs in places like Honshu and Kyushu were often done with great public support, archaeological work in places like Hokkaido often involved investigating burials of potential ancestors without consent, and even today there is some contention over how various artifacts were acquired.  As with too many places in the world, the data was not always gathered under what we may consider, today, the strictest of ethical standards.  So as important as the archeological perspective is – at least we are going off of physical items that we find rather than on the narrative imposed on the region by those in Yamato – it's important to keep that context in mind. Even recent attempts to better contextualize Ainu history at places like the Upopoy National Museum in Shiraoi, while apparently doing their best to provide that context, are still hampered by the weight of previous missteps in the relationship between the Ainu and the government.  Activists have noted that even Upopoy, the first such national museum devoted to the Ainu themselves, is still built on colonialist policies and artifacts and human remains acquired without all of the necessary consent and consultation with local Ainu.  Upopoy, for its part, appears to have reached out to those willing to work with them, and for all that there may be some controversy, it certainly has a lot of information for those interested in it. So, given these caveats, what does the archeological record tell us about the wide range of people and areas called “Emishi” by the Chronicles, including both those areas closer to the Yamato heartland, and the areas we know today as Ainu Mosir? To understand the patterns of settlement and cultural trends that we see up north – in Tohoku and Hokkaido --let's go back to the end of the Jomon period and the very start of the Yayoi.  As wet rice paddy cultivation (and accompanying pottery styles and other material goods) began to make its way into the archipelago, up through about the Kinki region—the original land of Yamato, or Yamateg—it was brought by a people that seem quite strongly connected to other people in east Asia, and these people largely replaced the indigenous Jomon era populations in western Japan.  However, the new material culture traveled faster and farther than the new people themselves, and it appears that in eastern Honshu, at least, much of the new farming technology, pottery, and other lifeways of the Yayoi culture were adopted by people that appear to share a great deal in common, physically, with the previous Jomon populations, suggesting that local populations were, themselves, adopting the new technology and being absorbed into the Yayoi culture.  This expansion of Yayoi culture and rice farming initially exploded all the way up to the very northern edge of Tohoku, but over time it started to decline in the northernmost regions.  Whether due to a change in the climate or simply the fact that the colder, snowier regions in Tohoku were not as hospitable to farming, we see that rice cultivation fell into disuse, and people seem to have once again picked up the lifeways of their ancestors in the region, returning to a more hunter-gatherer style of subsistence.  Indeed, in northern Tohoku and Hokkaido we see the continued evolution of Jomon culture in a phase that is generally known as the Epi-Jomon, or, in Japanese, the Zoku-Jomon period, which generally lasted through the end of the 7th century.  This Epi-Jomon or Zoku-Jomon cultural region lay far outside the “official” Yamato borders according to the Chroniclers in an area considered to be part of “Michinoku” – literally past the end of the road – so it's understandably commonly associated with the Emishi.  But once again, it's not that simple, because we do see Yayoi and Kofun culture extending up into this region.  In fact, there are even keyhole shaped kofun up in Tohoku, the largest of these being Raijinyama kofun, thought to have been built between the late 4th and early 5th centuries.  It sits south of modern Sendai, and there are numerous other tombs there as well, suggesting it was well connected to Yamato and the kofun culture of central Honshu. Another complication is that we have regions officially designated Emishi that were much closer in – on the borders of Yamato itself.  Based on simply the written record, it would seem that “Emishi” resided as close to Yamato as the lands of Koshi and the land of Hitachi, at the very least.  The Emishi in Koshi are mentioned several times in the Chronicles, and both the Nihon Shoki and works like the Hitachi Fudoki mention Emishi or people who are at least outside of the Yamato cultural sphere.  This area bordering Yamato seems to have been the most affected by kofun and even Yamato culture, and also would have likely come into the most direct conflict with Yamato itself.  It is also the area most likely to include those who, for one reason or another, decided to yet themselves outside the growing reach of the Yamato state, a pattern that would continue for centuries to come.  On top of that, there is something else going on in northern Hokkaido, where, starting around the 5th century, we see different archeological assemblages from the south, indicating further cultural distinctiveness from the Tohoku and southern Hokkaido inhabitants.  These are mostly found on the coast in the northern part of Hokkaido, and match closely with the culture we see first in the Sakhalin island, and later the Kurils, along the edges of the Okhotsk Sea.  Hence the name we've given to this unknown culture:  The Okhotsk Sea Culture, or just the Okhotsk culture. From what we can glean, the people of the Okhotsk culture subsisted largely off the hunting of marine mammals, such as seals, sea lions, sea cows, and whales.  In contrast, the Epi-Jomon people appear to have subsisted more on inland hunting strategies, along with coastal fishing, which is represented in their settlement patterns, among other things.  This latter description likewise tracks with descriptions of the Emishi as subsisting largely off of hunted game. It is unclear what exactly happened to the Okhotsk Sea Culture, but they appear to be one of the ancestral groups of the modern Nivkh people, on the northern part of Sakhalin and the lower Amur River and coastal regions, though the Okhotsk Sea Culture also seems to have had a large influence on the development of the people known today as the Ainu.  Modern DNA testing of Ainu demonstrate connections both with the earlier Jomon people of Japan—a connection that is much stronger than in most Japanese—but also with people from the Okhotsk Sea region.  Still, how and in what ways those people came together is not clear. The connection to the Jomon and Epi-Jomon people appears to be strengthened by the fact that throughout Tohoku there are placenames that appear to be more closely related to the Ainu language than to Japanese.  For example, in Ainu itak, terms like “nai” and “pet” refer to rivers and streams, and we find a lot of placenames ending with “nai”, “be”, or “betsu”.  These are often written with kanji that would be understandable to Japanese speakers, but the prevalence and location of these names often make people think that they are likely related to Ainu itak, in some way—possibly a proto-Ainuic language or dialect that is now lost. While I can't discount the fact that some this could be due to false etymologies, we can add to it the fact that the term “Emishi” was eventually changed to “Ezo”, which itself came to be used primarily for Hokkaido and the people there, including the people we know of today as the Ainu.  However, it isn't clear that the term Emishi, or even “Ezo”, was consistently applied to only one group, and its usage may have changed over time, simply being used in each period to refer to the people of the Tohoku and Hokkaido regions outside of the control of the Japanese court. Another aspect of the archaeological record is the change in the Epi-Jomon culture to what we know as the Satsumon culture around the time of our narrative.  Satsumon, like Jomon, is derived from the distinctive pottery styles found.  “Jomon” means “cord-marked”, referring to the use of pressed cords and similar decoration on the pottery, and starting in the 7th century we see a new style using wood to scrape designs, instead.  Thus the term “Satsumon”.  It first pops up in Honshu, but by the 9th century it had spread to Hokkaido and eventually even spread to areas associated with the Okhotsk Sea Culture.  It would last until roughly the 13th century, when it was replaced by a culture that is more clearly related to the modern Ainu people. But the Satsumon culture wasn't just new types of pottery.  We see more ironwork appearing in the Satsumon culture, as well as the cultivation of millet and other types of agriculture.  Tohoku and Hokkaido were still a bit cold for the ancient forms of wet rice agriculture that were prevalent in more southern regions, and millet and other crops likely fit more easily into the lifeways of the people in these areas. Likewise, by the 8th century, we also see a new type of stove appearing in Satsumon villages.  This “kamado” seems clearly related to the type of stove that came over to Honshu from the Korean peninsula around the 5th century, reaching Hokkaido by the 8th, and eventually finding purchase on Sakhalin by the 11th, demonstrating a slow yet continuous adoption. Some of these changes might be explained by greater contact with Wa people and the trade networks that extended through Honshu and over to the mainland, but there were also trade routes through Sakhalin island over to the Amur River delta and beyond that should not be overlooked, even if they weren't as prevalent in the written histories of the time. I previously mentioned that in the next episode, we'll dive into more of what the Chronicles have to say about the Emishi, but to give a preview, the Chronicles have already mentioned the Emishi several times as trading and treating with the Yamato state.  Back in the era before the Isshi Incident, Naka no Oe's coup in 645, Soga no Emishi himself had dealings with the Emishi of the land of Koshi, which we covered in episode 107.  Then, in the previous reign, Emishi had attended court, but the court had also erected barriers and barrier towns in Nutari and Ihabune in 647 and 648 to protect the border areas from purported raids by the Emishi.  Hence the episode opener, imagining what it might be like for a soldier at one of these barrier towns.  But, there is also another people that we've already talked about, mentioned in the Chronicles:  The Sushen people, also glossed as either the Mishihase or Ashihase people.  In the Nihon Shoki, they first appeared in an entry in the reign of Kimmei Tennou, when a group of them came ashore on Sado island, which we discussed back in episode 86.  In this period, however, the  appear to be referencing a people who were living in the north of Hokkaido, and who were putting pressure on the people to their south, much as Yamato was putting pressure on the people to their northeast. The Sinitic characters, or kanji, used to name them in the Nihon Shoki uses a term from mainland writings for the Sushen people.  This name is first given to people mentioned in early Warring States documents, such as the Classic of Mountains and Seas, as living on the Shandong peninsula.  Eventually, however, as empires expanded, the term was used to refer to people along the Amur river region and the coast, in modern China and Russia—the eastern areas of what we know as “Manchuria”.  These were probably not the same people originally referred to as living in Shandong, and instead seems to apply to the Yilou people, and likely also is cognate with the later term “Jurchen”. In the ancient Sinic documents, the Sushen are described as hunter-gatherers who live in the open, using caves and other such natural features for temporary shelter.  They hunted with bows and arrows, which were tipped with stone arrowheads.  To the settled cultures of the Yellow River basin, they were considered a primitive and barbaric people. As for the people mentioned in the Nihon Shoki, it is quite likely that the term “Sushen” was used differently.  Rather than referring to Jurchen people, or someone from mainland northeast Asia, it is thought that the characters were used because of the similar role played by the people of northern Hokkaido and Sakhalin island—and possibly because of connection with the Amur river region, including the area referred to in older documents as “Su-shen”.  Still, the people referred to in the Nihon Shoki were probably what we know as the Okhotsk Sea culture, especially based on what we know from later descriptions.  From Yamato's point of view, they were likewise living in the extreme northeast and they were a hunter-gatherer society that used stone arrowheads in their hunting.  The fact that it is glossed as either Mishihase or Ashihase by later commentators suggests that this was the name by which the Yamato knew these people, and the kanji were just borrowed for their meaning of a people in the northeast. And so in the 7th century we have both the Emishi and the Mishihase, at least in the northeast.  There are also the Hayato, another group of people in the southern reaches of Tsukushi.  We are told that they and the Emishi both attended the court in 655 in great numbers.   Discussion of who the Hayato were is probably best left for another episode.  Suffice it to say that they appear to be culturally distinct from the groups in the northeast, at least at this point. And that's where we are going to pause things for now.  The archaeological record gives us some idea of the people inhabiting the areas of Tohoku and up to Hokkaido, but it only tells part of the story—and it is a story that we are continuing to uncover.  Even today people are working on archaeological sites that just may turn up new information that will change how we see things. Next episode, we'll dive into the narrative of the Nihon Shoki and take a look at the actions of individuals—especially the actions of Abe no Hirafu, a key player in what was to happen in the north. Until then thank you for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

How many original castles does Japan ACTUALLY have standing? Where is Japan's oldest castle located? When counting castles in Japan, do castle ruins factor in? The Krewe is joined by William de Lange, the author of An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles & many other Japan-related publications, to get the answer to these questions and so many more!------ About the Krewe ------The Krewe of Japan Podcast is a weekly episodic podcast sponsored by the Japan Society of New Orleans. Check them out every Friday afternoon around noon CST on Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Want to share your experiences with the Krewe? Or perhaps you have ideas for episodes, feedback, comments, or questions? Let the Krewe know by e-mail at kreweofjapanpodcast@gmail.com or on social media (Twitter: @kreweofjapan, Instagram: @kreweofjapanpodcast, Facebook: Krewe of Japan Podcast Page, TikTok: @kreweofjapanpodcast, LinkedIn: Krewe of Japan LinkedIn Page, Blue Sky Social: @kreweofjapan.bsky.social, & the Krewe of Japan Youtube Channel). Until next time, enjoy!------ Support the Krewe! Offer Links for Affiliates ------Use the referral links below & our promo code from the episode!Support your favorite NFL Team AND podcast! Shop NFLShop to gear up for football season!Zencastr Offer Link - Use my special link to save 30% off your 1st month of any Zencastr paid plan! ------ Past KOJ Architecture & History Episodes ------Foreign-Born Samurai: William Adams ft. Nathan Ledbetter (Guest Host, Dr. Samantha Perez) (S5E17)Foreign-Born Samurai: Yasuke ft. Nathan Ledbetter (Guest Host, Dr. Samantha Perez) (S5E16)Change in Urban & Rural Japanese Communities ft. Azby Brown (S5E15)KOJ Podcast S5E6 - Inside Japanese Homes & Architecture ft. Azby Brown (S5E6)Kendo: The Way of the Sword ft. Alexander Bennett, 7th Dan in Kendo (S4E16)Jokichi Takamine: The Earliest Bridge Between New Orleans & Japan ft. Stephen Lyman (S4E13)The Chrysanthemum Throne ft. Dr. Hiromu Nagahara [Part 2] (S2E18)The Chrysanthemum Throne ft. Dr. Hiromu Nagahara [Part 1] (S2E17)The Age of Lady Samurai ft. Tomoko Kitagawa (S1E12)------ Links about William de Lange ------An Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles (Amazon)Japan Then & Now (Amazon, Released June 2024)Walking the Edo Sanpu (Amazon, Released August 2024)William's Website------ JSNO Upcoming Events ------JSNO Event CalendarJoin JSNO Today!

Jason Swenk is the Founder of Agency Mastery 360, a company dedicated to helping digital agency owners grow and scale their businesses. With over 20 years in the agency space, he has built and sold his agency, and he now leverages his experience working with brands like AT&T, Hitachi, and Lotus Cars to mentor other agencies.  In addition to hosting the Smart Agency Masterclass podcast, the #1 podcast for digital marketing agency owners, Jason has developed a framework for growing agencies from nothing to eight figures. His unique perspective, shaped by his extensive experience and monthly interaction with over 100 agencies, provides valuable insights into navigating market disruptions and achieving sustained growth. In this episode… In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, agency owners face the daunting challenge of sustaining profitability and positioning their agencies as attractive candidates for acquisition. What factors set apart those agencies that thrive in the competitive market, and how can agency owners ensure they maximize their potential for growth and sale? This recap dives deep into Jason Swenk's strategies for growing a digital agency poised for acquisition. A seasoned expert in the agency space, Jason focuses on crucial performance indicators beyond revenue, highlighting profitability, MRR, customer loyalty, and strategic team-building as fundamental metrics. Jason emphasizes that agencies often inflate their revenue to appear more successful, but the true value lies in their profit margins and operational efficiency. Through real-world examples and a personal anecdote about missing out on the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon, he shares a unique acquisition strategy that prioritizes culture fit, autonomy, and shared success. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, revisit Dr. Jeremy Weisz' earlier interview with Jason Swenk, Founder of Agency Mastery 360, about mastering agency growth and acquisition. Topics include the importance of EBITDA over revenue for agency valuation, acquisition KPIs, Republix's unique approach to acquiring and nurturing digital agencies, and the key trends and challenges in the current agency acquisition landscape.

UnitedHealth confirms breach numbers. Patient privacy pains. Amazon vs. APT29. CDK vulnerability threatens user security. Fog and Akira take aim at SonicWall. Level up or log off. LinkedIn in hot water. Open source, closed doors.  Watt's the risk? Today, we are joined by Itzik Alvas, Entro Security's CEO and Co-Founder, discussing their research team's work on non-human identities and secrets management. And Muni Metro hits Ctrl+Alt+Delete on floppy disks! Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today, we are joined by Itzik Alvas, Entro Security's CEO and Co-Founder, discussing their research team's work on non-human identities and secrets management. You can learn more here.  Selected Reading UnitedHealth: 100 Million Individuals Affected by the Change Healthcare Data Breach (Heimdal) OnePoint Patient Care data breach impacted 795916 individuals (Security Affairs) Amazon identified internet domains abused by APT29 (AWS Security Blog)  RDP configuration files as a means of obtaining remote access to a computer or "Rogue RDP" (CERT-UA#11690) (CERT-UA)  AWS Cloud Development Kit flaw exposed accounts to full takeover (The Register)  Arctic Wolf Labs Observes Increased Fog and Akira Ransomware Activity Linked to SonicWall SSL VPN (Arctic Wolf)  Lazarus Group Exploits Chrome 0-Day for Crypto with Fake NFT Game (Hackread)  LinkedIn hit with $335 million fine for using member data for ad targeting without consent (The Record)  Linux creator approves de-listing of several kernel maintainers associated with Russia (The Record)  U.S. CISA adds Cisco ASA and FTD, and RoundCube Webmail bugs to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (Security Affairs) Cybersecurity Isn't Easy When You're Trying to Be Green (Dark Reading)  Goodbye, floppies - San Francisco pays Hitachi $212 million to remove 5.25-inch disks from its light rail service (TechSpot) Share your feedback. We want to ensure that you are getting the most out of the podcast. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey as we continually work to improve the show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burnie and Ashley discuss fake reviews, the power of averages, the gym lobby, corporate personhood, floppy disks, hard balls, misappropriated laws, the power of Hitachi, the baseball brawl, big bucks for big leagues, and the Dodgers as baseball's true underdog.Support the show