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The 16:9 PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY SCREENFEED – DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT When I was at the big ISE pro AV trade show a few weeks ago, I yet  again saw several products that were billed as holograms, even though they didn't even loosely fit the technical definition. I am always paying attention to news and social media posts that use that terminology, and once in a while, I come across something that actually does start to align with the true definition of holograms and holography. Like Voxon, which operates out of Adelaide, Australia. Started years ago as a beer drinking and tinkering maker project in a garage, Voxon now has a physical product for sale that generates a visual with depth that viewers can walk around and see from different angles. That product is mainly being bought by universities and R&D teams at companies to play with and learn, but the long game for Voxon is to produce or be the engine for other products that really do live up to the mainstream, Hollywood-driven notion of holograms. I had a great chat with co-founder and CEO Gavin Smith. Subscribe to this podcast: iTunes * Google Play * RSS TRANSCRIPT Gavin, thank you very much for joining me. I know you're up in Scotland, but you are based in Adelaide, Australia, correct? Gavin Smith: Yes, that's right. I'm originally from Scotland. I grew up here, spent the first part of my life in the north of Scotland in Elgin, and then I went to university in Paisley, Glasgow and then eventually, after working for 10 years in the banking sector, I immigrated to Australia and I've lived in Adelaide for the last 14 years.  That's quite a climate shift!  Gavin Smith: Yes, it is a climate shift. I was speaking to my wife the day before, and it was about 40 degrees there, just now they're having a heat wave, whereas up in Elgin here, it's about 1 degree at the moment. Yeah. I'm thinking, why are you there in February? But on the other hand, why would you wanna be in Adelaide if it's 40 Celsius?  Gavin Smith: I quite like the cold. I prefer to be in this temperature right now than 40 degrees, that's for sure.  Oh, I just spent 45 minutes with my snow machine clearing 25 centimeters of snow off my driveway, so I wouldn't mind being in Adelaide today.   Gavin Smith: Thankfully I can have the best of both worlds. I'm heading back there in about a week and a half time.  I was intrigued by your company. I saw a couple of LinkedIn posts with embedded videos and thought that's interesting and I wanted to speak more. So can you tell me what Voxon does?  Gavin Smith: Yes, sure. So Voxon is a company that started in about 2012-2013, and it came out of two joint research projects. One was me and my friend Will, based in Adelaide, we had a Thursday Night Lab Session, as we called it, where we went to the shed and we drank a few beers and we tried to invent things. It was a bit weird, science-esque. So this wasn't exactly a lab?  Gavin Smith: It was a shed. Let's face it, with a beer fridge and there was a lot of machinery, which was in various stages of repair. We used to get hard rubbish off the right side of the road in Adelaide and take it apart and see what we could make.  It was just amateur invention hour. But it was at the start of that project, we built fairly rudimentary machines, CNC machines and we took apart laser scanners and were just inquisitive about how they work from a mechanical point of view. But that then turned into more of a, let's see how far we can push ourselves and learn new stuff, and we've been inspired by sci-fi, Star Wars, all those sorts of things. So we said, let's try and make the sort of 3D display that we'd seen in the movies and those science fiction movies always had the same type of display, and that wasn't a screen, that wasn't a headset. It was always some sort of floating image that you could walk around and you could look out from any direction and the common name for that in popular media was a holographic display. That's what people called it. So that's what we set out to build, and we very quickly figured out that this type of display had to be something to do with projecting images or dots onto some sort of surface that moved and that's because in order to render these little dots that make up the image, inside a space that had physical dimensions, you couldn't make the lights just appear on air. We figured you, you might be able to do some sort of gas or some sort of lasers and things like that. But the way we approached it was starting off by just shaking business cards back and forwards and shining lasers on them, and then that made a line because of persistence of vision.  I always think that Neanderthal man invented the volumetric display because they probably waved burning embers around on the sticks at nighttime and drew those patterns in the air and those patterns really only existed because of the persistence of vision and the extrusion of light through a volume of space, and so that's what we decided to do, and we realized if you could draw a line, then if you could control the laser and turn it off and on again, you could draw a dot. And so we did that by cutting the laser beam with a rotating CD that was stuck on a high-speed drill with some sticky tape on it. We chopped the laser into little bits, and by controlling the speed of the laser, we ended up having a single dot, which we referred to as a voxel, that's what we Googled that a dot in space is referred to as a voxel and then we extrapolated from there and say if we're building these images out of little pixels of light or voxels, we need more and more of these dots, and when you do the math you quickly realize that you need millions of dots of light or volume to make an image, and that's difficult. And really that started us down the road of experimenting with video projectors, with lasers with all sorts of things and more and more advanced moving surfaces, and eventually, we made a small helical display using a vacuum-formed helix that we basically made in Will's wife's kitchen when she was out, in the oven, and yeah, we created a very small image of an elephant. You might call it a hologram at the time. That's what we called it at the time, but it was a volumetric swept surface image. The terminology I'll go into a bit more detail, but at the time it was just a hologram to us, and we thought this was amazing and we'd never seen it before. So we put a video of it on YouTube and some guys in America who were unbeknown to us doing the same project got in contact with us and push came to shove, we decided to join forces and form Voxon, and that was back in 2013.  So when you created this little elephant, was that like a big ‘aha' moment? Like, “Oh my God, we figured this out”? Gavin Smith: Yes, very much so. We believed at the time, we were the first people to do this. In fact, we weren't. But it was the first time we'd seen this type of image, and it was literally spine tingly amazing, to see a truly three-dimensional object that you could look down from, above, from the sides, from any angle, and it filled a space the same way as you or I fill a space in the physical world, you could measure its length that's spread, that's height and even its volume in gallons or liters. It had a tangible existence in the physical world and not on a screen as other 3D images tend to do. At this point, was this a stationary object?  Gavin Smith: Yes, at this point the elephant was stationary and the way I'd created the elephant was we'd figured out, in order to make this elephant, we first needed to have the swept surface moving. So that was the helical screen, which was spinning at about 900 RPM on a very small electric motor and then we had a video projector that we'd managed to get going at about 1,200 frames per second, and in order to create the images, which were cross sections, helical cross sections of an elephant, that was all done offline. So the way I approached that was, we used software called 3D Studio Max, which is a design software, and in that, I modeled a helix and an elephant, and I then intersected the helix with the elephant in the software, rotated the helix digitally, and then I rendered out the resultant cross-section, the boolean operation of one on the other, and this is like taking a drill and drilling a hole into the ground and looking at just a helical core sample. So really it was like a CT scan of this elephant, but just slice at a time, and then I rendered those images to a file. I wrote some software to convert it to a new video format that we had to invent to compress all that data into this high-speed image stream, and then projected that onto the helix. Now, of course, the timing of the images and the rotation of the helix were not in sync, and so much like an old CRT screen where the vertical shift is not dialed in, the elephant would drift out the top of the display and come back in the bottom, and at that point, we knew that this was all about a combination of mathematics, optics, precision, and timing. And to make it interactive, we'd have to write a real-time computer program capable of generating these images in real-time, and that was the next part of the puzzle. This was a work working prototype basically.  Gavin Smith: This was a working prototype, yeah.  How big was it?  Gavin Smith: The helix was very small. It was about five centimeters in diameter, about an inch and a half in diameter, and about an inch tall. But because the projector that we used was a Pico projector at the time, and it was about half the size of a pack of cards. This tiny little thing that we got off the internet from Texas Instruments, and you could focus it at about one centimeter away. So all those little pixels were infinitesimally small, so it was a very high-resolution display and very small, and we realized to get these number of frames per second, we'd have to take advantage of one of the most incredible pieces of engineering ever conceived, in my opinion, and that is the DLP chip from Texas Instruments invented by Larry Hornbeck who passed away several years ago, sadly, and that is an array of mirrors that is grown on a chip using photolithography, the same process as you create microchips, and that array of mirrors contains upwards of a million mirrors arranged in a two-dimensional array, and they can tilt on and off physically about 30,000 times a second. And that's called a MEMS, a microelectromechanical display or in optical terms, a spatial light modulator. So it's something that turns the light on and off at ultra-high speed, and those on-off cycles are what give us our Z-resolution on the display. So that's the slices that make up the display. Wow. So where are you at now with the company now that you've formed it and you've grown it, what's happened since that very first prototype elephant? Gavin Smith: Following that we realized that my programming skills were finite. I'd spent 10 years as a COBOL programmer in banking, and I wasn't up to the task of writing what was needed, which was a low-level graphics engine. This didn't need a mainframe, no, and we couldn't afford a mainframe, even if we wanted one. So we looked up on the internet to see who we could find in terms of programming to join the company, and there were two programmers who stood out. They were referred to as the top two programmers in the world and were John Carmack of Oculus, and then there was Ken Silverman who wrote the graphics engine for Duke Nukem back in the late 90s, so we contacted Ken. John wasn't available so we contacted Ken and demoed to him at Brown University in Rhode Island where he was working subsequently as basically a computer programmer teacher with his dad, who was the Dean of Engineering there, and Ken really liked what we were doing and his understanding of mathematics and foxholes and 3D rendering really made him think this was something he wanted to be involved in. So he joined our company as a founder and chief computer scientist, and he has led the development of the core rendering engine, which we call the Voxon Photonic engine and that's really our core IP, it's the ability to tick any 3D graphics from a third party source, from Unity, from a C program or something else, and turn it into a high speed projected image, which can be processed in such a way as to de-wrap them when they're projected, so they're the right size. We use dithering in real time to make color possible, which is similar to newsprint, CMY newsprint in the newspaper, and this all basically allows us to project images onto any type of moving surface now and do it in real-time and make applications that are much bigger and extensible so we can plug it into other programs or have people write their own programs for our displays. So you've emerged from being an R&D effort in the shed to a real company to having working prototypes and now you're an operating company with the product.  Gavin Smith: I like to say we've emerged, but I'd very much say we're still crossing the chasm, so to speak, in terms of the technology landscape. After that initial prototype, we spent many years batting our heads together, trying to work as a team in America, and eventually, Will and I decided to raise some money in Australia and set up the company there. We raised about a million and a half Australian dollars. It was about a million US dollars back in 2017, and that was enough to employ some extra engineers and business development, and an experienced COO and start working on our first product, which was the VX1. Now, the VX1 was a different type of display. We decided not to do the helix back then, and we decided to make a different type of display, and that was a reciprocating display and so we invented a way of moving a screen up and down very efficiently using resonance. It's the same I guess mechanical thing that all objects have, and that is at a certain frequency, they start vibrating if there's a driving vibration force. So the Tacoma Bridge falling down when the wind blew at the right speed was an example of when resonances destroyed something. But an opera singer, breaking a glass at the right pitch is another example of something that vibrates due to a striving force, and so we found out if we built a screen, which was mounted on springs that were of a very particular weight, and the springs were a very particular constant of Young's modulus, we could vibrate that subsystem and the screen would vibrate up and down very efficiently and very fast, fast enough that you couldn't see the screen. So that's what the VX1 became, and onto the back of that screen, we project images and those images from a swept volume, and the VX1 had a volume of about 18x18x8 cm, I think it's about 7 inches square by about 3 inches tall, and we have a single projector mounted inside of that and a computer and a ton of electronics keeps it all in sync, and we built a software API for it and a library of programs that come built into it. So it's off the shelf, you turn it on and it works. And so we built that back in 2017 and over the last five years, it's evolved into something which is very reliable and now, you can't tell them apart when they're manufactured at the start, each one might look different with hot glue and duct tape and all the rest of it. But now we have a complete digital workflow. We outsource most of the manufacture of the parts and we do final assembly software, QC, and packaging up and then ship them out to companies we've sold probably about 120 VX1s globally since 2017, and those have gone out to companies all around the world, like Sony, MIT, Harvard, CMU, Unity, BA Systems, Verizon, Erickson, a lot of companies and they've bought them and they're generally going into explorative use cases.  Yeah, I was going to say, it sounds like they're going into labs as opposed to stores.  Gavin Smith: Yeah, they're not going into stores. The VX1 is really an evaluation system. It's not prime time ready for running all day long, and the reason for that is it has a vibration component to it, and also the refresh rate of the VX1 is actually variable within the volume. It's hard to explain, but the apparent volume refresh rate is 30 hertz in the middle and 15 hertz at the poles and so it has a little bit of flicker. But in a dark environment, it's really spellbinding and it's actually used in museums. There's some in Germany and a science museum there. It's been used in an art exhibition  in Paris, where the art was created by David Levine and MIT Media Lab and it's frequently used in universities and it pops up in all sorts of trade shows, and it's always a talking point and it always gathers a crowd around it, and what we like to say with the volumetric display from a marketing point of view, or really a description of what it is, it's really about creating a digital campfire. That's the kind of user experience.  It's gathering people around something intimately in a way that they can still have eye contact and maintain a conversation, and each person has their own perspective and view of the 3D data.  The scale you're describing is still quite small and that seems to be What I've experienced with, when I've seen demonstrations at the SID trade show of light field displays. They're all like the size of a soda bottle at most.  Is that a function of just the technology, you can't just make these things big? Gavin Smith: You can make them bigger, and we have since that point. The biggest display that we've made so far was one that we just delivered to BA Systems in Frimley near London, and fo that one, we've gone back to the helical display for that particular one, and it's. 46 centimeters in diameter and 8 centimeters deep. So that's about nine times the volume of the VX1. So that's a much bigger display.  Now you can, with a swept volume, you can go as big as you'd like within the realms of physics, and what I mean by that is with a rotating display, you can make the display as big as something that can rotate at a speed that's fast enough to make the medium kind of disappear. So if you think about propellers and fans, for example, I've seen pedestal fans that are a meter in diameter running faster than we run our display, and with rotating displays, it's easier to do because you have conservation of momentum and you have inertia which drives the display around, and yet you can rotate the volume as well, have it enclosed so that you're not generating airflow as a fan does.  So for example, if you have a propeller-shaped blade encased in a cylindrical enclosure, and that enclosure is spinning, then you don't get the air resistance you get with a fan and the display that we made for BA Systems is ultimately silent and flicker-free because we're running at exactly 30 hertz throughout the volume, which means you don't get flicker, but reciprocating displays, ones that go up and down, scaling them is more of a challenge because you're having to push the air out the way up and down, and as the size of the screen moving up and down gets bigger, if you're projecting from behind, for example, you also have to start considering things like the flexing of the substrate that you're projecting onto. For a front projection display where you project down from the top, we can go bigger because you can make a very lightweight, thicker screen out of exotic materials and those are materials that are very light but very stiff. Things like air gels and foamed metals, and very lightweight honeycomb structure so that way you can go bigger but we may need to move into the realms of using reduced atmospheric displays, partial vacuums, and things like that to reduce the resistance or using materials that are air permeable, such as meshes that move up and down very quickly. And we have done experiments with those and found that we can go a lot bigger.  However, with the current projection systems that we're using, you then have to increase the brightness because the brightness of the image is also stretched out through a volume. If you imagine a home cinema projector projecting 3k or 4k lumens, you have to consider that each of the images that it's projecting is pretty much evenly lit in terms of all the pixels that you're projecting. Whereas what we are doing is we are projecting these thousands of images, we're only illuminating the cross-section of every object. So we're maybe only using 1% of the available brightness of the projector at any one time, unless you project a solid slice all the way across, which is really you're building up this construct, which is how I explain it to people as it's very similar to 3D printing. If you look at how a 3D printer works, we are doing exactly the same thing, except we are printing using light instead of PLA and we're printing thousands and thousands of times faster.  In digital signage, the thing that always gets people nervous is moving parts, and that directly affects reliability and longevity. How do you address that? Gavin Smith: So the VX1 is a good example of moving parts in a display that isn't yet ready for long-running and when I say long-running, we do have it in exhibitions, but we have recently engineered it in such a way that the parts that may break or will break are the four springs that drive the machine, and those have been engineered to resonate at particular frequency. Now after several hundred million extensions of those springs, they can fatigue and they will fatigue break and that's something that we're working on, and that might be a month or three weeks of running 24/7, and so we've made those springs user replaceable. You can change them in two or three minutes for a fresh set. So it's almost like the mechanical profile of something like an Inkjet printer where you have to change the cartridge every so often. And we find with mechanical stuff, people accept mechanical things in their lives as long as the maintenance/utility ratio is at a level they can accept like bicycles, cars, and things like that. You maintain them as long as their utility outweighs the inconvenience of the repair. Now for projection equipment and things like that in digital signage, there are a lot of two-dimensional technologies that are ultra-reliable on those things, big LED panels, 2D video projectors and just lighting. You can turn them on and leave them and you should be okay. So in our rotating displays and we have another rotating display that we're working on, which we can't discuss just now cuz it's still under NDA, is part of the reason we're going down that rabbit hole or going down that design sort of path because we can make rotating displays, which are very reliable, they're effectively like a record player. You turn it on and it spins around and you could leave it and come back in three weeks and it would still be spinning around, and also a rotating display if properly manufactured within tolerances won't cause the vibration, and the vibration is really the thing that can cause the issues because vibration can lead to fatigue and failure in electrical components, electronic components, small cracks in circuits, and things like that. So from our point of view, we're going towards rotating mechanics because that ultimately allows us to make things which are reliable enough to be used in a wide range of industries including digital signage, advertising, medical imaging and gaming, and many more. In my world, there are all kinds of companies who are saying that they have holographic products of some kind or another. As somebody who's doing something that sounds very much like a hologram or close to what we thought of when we all saw Star Wars, what do you think of those things?  Gavin Smith: I don't like to be a troll, first of all on LinkedIn, and so I try to shy away from saying, look, that's rubbish. But what I try to do is politely point out how things work when it's not clear from someone's post how something might work or where it's misleading. Now if you look at the term hologram, it comes from the Greek, hólos and grammḗ, which means the whole message, and in a way, I tend to think of an actual hologram, which is created using lasers, laser interference patterns, and light beams and things like that they don't represent the whole message. Because if you take your credit card out, which is one of the few places you will see a hologram you'll notice that you can't look down on the hologram from above, you can't turn the card over and look at it from the back. They are a limited view of something, and so the term hologram has become, as you say, in popular fiction, and popular media, it's really a catchall for anything that is sci-fi 3D related, right? And it's misused, everyone calls it a hologram, and our staff sometimes call it a hologram. I like to say it's not a hologram because it has a lot more features than a hologram. Holograms have some really interesting properties, one of which is that you can cut a hologram into 10 little pieces and it turns into 10 individual little holograms, and that's a really interesting thing. But holograms from a 3D point of view don't exist in signage anywhere. They simply don't. The terminology used to describe things that you see in signage and popular media is completely misused, and I like to go through them and categorize them into different things. And those are, first of all, volumetric displays of which we're the only company in the world that's making a commercial volumetric display. There's one other company Aerial Burton, who are based in Japan that makes a volumetric display, but it's a very high-tech scientific prototype that uses lasers to explode the air and has very low resolution. And then you've got autostereoscopic 3D displays, and they broadly fit into the categories of lenticular displays which are as you probably know LCD panels, which have got a plastic lens array on them that allows you to see a left and a right image, and those left and right images can give you a stereoscopic view. I would call them stereoscopic displays because they're not 3d. You can't look at them from any direction and they don't physically occupy three-dimensional euclidean space, which is what the real world is, and those types of displays come in different formats. So you get some with just horizontal parallax, which means you can move your head left and right and see a number of distinct views. You've got some that you can move up and down as well, and also get a little bit of vertical parallax as well, and there's probably five or six companies doing those sorts of displays. You've got Looking Glass, Lightfield Labs, Acer, and Sodium, so that area can grow. The physical size of those displays can get bigger, but the bigger they get, the harder it is to move further away because you're pupil distance means it's harder to get a 3D view, and also with any display like that, the 3D image that you see because it's the result of you seeing two independent images with your left and right eye, that 3D image can never leave the bounds or the window of the display, and that's something in advertising, which is very misused a lot, they show a 2D monitor with the image leaping out beyond the border of the monitor, and that just can't happen. That breaks the laws of physics, and so that's the kind of three auto stereoscopic 3D landscapes, and it's hard to say that autostereoscopic, 3D display because people zone out and they go, is it a hologram? And no it's not.  The other types of 3D that are popular just now are obviously, glasses-based display, AR, VR, mixed-reality, and we don't really, we don't really mind about that or care about that because it's something you have to put something on your head, and that's our different thing really. So those offer you an immersive experience where you go down a rabbit hole and you're in another world and that's not what we are about. And then you've got the fake 3D displays, which are not 3D stereoscopically but appear that way, and that's where I get slightly annoyed by those displays, but I understand there are people making types of signage I guess you would say, that is perfectly suitable for a scenario and those are things like Pepper's ghost which is when you reflect a 2D image off a big piece of glass or plexiglass, and that's the pepper, the famous one, the Tupac hologram at Coachella. I met the guy and spoke to him. He's a really lovely guy and I had a good chat about that, and he knows full well that it's an illusion, but it's the illusion that Disneyland has been using for many years, and it's a perfectly good illusion for a seated studio audience because they see someone on stage and they're doing it now with the, I think the ABBA Show in London is a similar type of setup.  They call them holograms, but it's a 2D picture that's far enough away that you can be made to believe that it's three-dimensional and it might exist at different levels like a diorama. You could have a stack of images, on fly screens or whatever, that appear to be layered, but ultimately they are 2D, and then the one that's come out recently, which causes probably the most amount of confusion for people are the anamorphic projections on large billboards, and everyone's seen these displays on LinkedIn and YouTube, and they tend to appear on large curved billboards in parts of China where the rental of the billboards is sufficiently cheap as you can put these big images up there, film them from one particular spot in 2d, and then put that on LinkedIn and have people comment on it and say, wow, that's an amazing hologram. Even though a) they haven't seen this in real life and b) it's not a hologram and it's not even three-dimensional. It's a perspective-based 2D trick, and so one of our challenges is expectation management, and that is people see large-scale fake 2D images, and fake 3D images and then they conclude that it must be possible and they want to buy one, and then when they see yours they go, oh, it's much smaller than I imagined, and you feel like saying, it's real. It's actually based on science, and you could walk around it. And that's the challenge we're at just now. Trying to move away from this feeling that you have to have the biggest display in the world for it to be valid, and a lot of the business for us and a lot of the inquiries we get are from the likes of the Middle East, where they want to build very big, very impressive, very bright, very colorful displays and they say, we want a hologram that will fit in a football stadium and fly around in the sky, and you have to say well, that's great, but that's also impossible using anything that's even imaginable today, let alone physically achievable, and so yeah, we are very much a case of trying to be as honest as we can with the limitations, but also with the opportunities because regardless of the fact that our technology is relatively small compared to large screen billboards, we have got the ability to create sci-fi-inspired interactive displays that you can put in personal spaces, in museums, in galleries, in shopping centers, and they really do look like something up close under scrutiny that you might see in a Marvel movie, and that's the kind of relationship we're trying to find with other companies as well. There are other types of the display as well. You probably talked to Daniel about some of his displays, which are levitating grains of dust and things like that, and the challenge I have with them is yes, you can make a 3D image, but you have to look at how long it takes to make that 3D image and they're really more akin to painting with light. It's long-exposure photography. You have to manipulate something and move it around over a long period of time to bring it, to build a single image, and scaling those types of displays is impossible. It's the same with laser-based displays, whenever you're moving a single dot around, you run out of resolution extraordinarily fast because it's a linear thing, and even with Aerial Burton exploding the air with a laser they can only do about 1000 or 2000 dots every second, and that breaks down to being able to draw maybe a very simple two-dimensional shape whereas to draw a detailed image, an elephant or anything like that, that we've displayed in the past, it requires upwards of 30 or 40 million dots a second to do that with each image, each volume contains millions of dots.  Where do you see this going in, let's say, five years from now? And are you at that point selling products or are you licensing the technology to larger display manufacturers? Or something else? Gavin Smith: So at the moment what we're doing is we're looking for projects that we can scale and one of the first projects that we're working on just now and the technology can be applied to a range of different industries. As you can imagine, any new display technology. You could use it for CT scans, you could use it for advertising, for point of sale, for a whole lot of different things. But you have to choose those projects early on when the technology is immature, and that is low-hanging fruit if you want to use that term, and so our low-hanging freight at the moment, we believe is in the entertainment industry, digital out-of-home entertainment to be specific, which is the likes of video gaming and entertainment venues, and so 2018, we were in the Tokyo Game Show with one of our machines, and we were situated next to Taito at the company that made Space Invaders, and their board came across their senior members and they played with our technology and they really liked it. And so we entered into a conversation with them and over several years, we have built a Space invaders arcade machine called Next Dimension, and that's using our rotating volumetric display with three projectors each running at 4,000 frames per second and a large rotating volume, and we've written a new Space Invaders arcade game and Taito has granted us the license to bring that to market. In order to do that, we're now doing commercial testing and technical testing which involves taking the technology into venues, play testing it and getting feedback from the venues on the suitability of the game and the profitability of it as a product. So with that game, our plan is to follow in the footsteps of the previous Space Invader game, which was called Frenzy made by Roth Rolls. It sold 3000 or 4000 units globally. So if you could do that, it would be a profitable first venture in terms of bringing technology to market, and at the moment, we're looking to raise some capital. We need to raise $2-3 million USD to do the design from the manufacturer for that and build the first batch of machines which would be rolled out globally.  Now, that's really seen for us as a launch of technology using the IP of Space Invaders as a carrier, a launch vehicle for the technology, but once launched and once our technology is widely known and understood, what we then plan to do is build our own revenue generating model and technology platform that can be deployed to venues around the world who can use this as a kind of an entertainment device where you can run different IP on it from different vendors and do a sort of profit share with the venue owners. So a cinema, Chucke CheeseB, Dave & Busters, those types of venues, as well as bowling alleys, VR arcades, and all those types of entertainment venues that currently is starting to grow in strength, largely because people are now looking for entertainment experiences, not necessarily just staying at home.  COVID obviously threw a curve ball our way as well. When our Space Invaders machine was sent to Japan for testing, COVID had just happened so it went into internal testing within Taito, and then Square Enix who owns Taito, their parent company decreed that Taito would no longer manufacture arcade machines but would license their IP only so that kind of threw a spanner in the works and they've come back to us and said, we'd love the game, but we want you to bring it to market, not us. So that's one thing we're working on just now. There's a video of Space Invaders: Next Dimension on YouTube that you can look at, and it's a really fun experience because it's a four-player game. We've added the volumetric nature. You can fly up and down during sub-games. You can bump your next-door neighbor with your spaceship and get a power-up. It really is for us a way of saying, look, this is a new way, it's a new palette of which to make new gaming experiences and the future is really up to the imaginations of people writing software.  All right. That was super interesting. I learned a lot there and some of it is, as often the case, I understood as well. Gavin Smith: That's great. I'm glad you understand. It is a hard thing to wrap your head around, especially for us trying to demonstrate the nature of the technology in 2D YouTube videos and LinkedIn videos, and you really have to see it with your own eyes to understand it, and that's why this week I was over for a meeting with BA Systems, but I took the opportunity to spend several days in London at a film Studio in SoHo, in London, the owners very gratefully let me have a demonstration group there, and I spent two days last week demonstrating the product to ten or so companies come in and see the technology, and it's only then when they really start to get their creative juices flowing and that's where POCs projects kick-off.  So that's what we're looking for just now, are companies that have imaginative people and they have a need for creating some new interactive media that can be symbiotic with their existing VR and AR metaverse type stuff. But really something that's designed for people up close and personal, intimate experiences.  If people want to get in touch, where do they find you online?  Gavin Smith: So we have a website, which is just www.voxon.co. Voxon Photonics is our Australian company name, and you can find us on LinkedIn. Actually, my own personal LinkedIn is generally where I post most stuff. That's Gavin Smith on LinkedIn, you can look me up there around, and then we have the Voxon Photonics LinkedIn page and we're on Twitter and Facebook and YouTube as well. We have a lot of videos on YouTube. That's a good place to start. But if you wanna get in touch, contact us via Voxon.co. Drop us an email and we'll be happy to have a meeting and a video call.  All right, Gavin, thank you so much for spending some time with me.  Gavin Smith: My pleasure. Thanks very much for having me.

This week we take a trip down memory lane and discuss Los Angeles free form radio from the 70s and 80s. We also discuss a technology that may make LCD TVs obsolete. And finally we talk about audio reviewers and whether it's worth listening to what they have to say. Plus we read your emails and the week's news. News: Hisense Logs Record 2022 TV Shipments, Now Second Largest in the World Xperi CEO's Bold Declaration: TiVo OS Will Power 7 Million Smart TVs By 2026 LG Display Calls Out Samsung QD OLED Screen Burn Other: HT Guys Listener Playlist Thank you Joseph MantelMount Freeform Radio from the 1970s and 80s The other day I was wondering about a DJ that used to work at KLOS in Los Angele. Her name was Linda McGinnis. She had a beautiful voice and was an excellent DJ. So I wondered if she was still on the radio someplace. As it turned out she had passed away in 2003. If you lived in San Diego or the Bay area during the 70's and 80's I am sure you heard her. However, in doing my search I found a couple of recordings that some had done and digitized off of an old cassette tape and posted on the Internet. It was an hour of Linda's daily show from October of 1981 replete with commercials of the day. It was a glorious trip down memory lane!  This started my trip down the rabbit hole! I found many other recordings from the DJs of KLOS and KMET all making me sad for the days when radio had true artists spinning the tunes. Back then, at least on freeform rock stations, DJs would curate music for you and help you discover artists and bands you never knew you needed to hear. For the past few days, I have been listening to these recordings in my car with a huge smile on my face. Some DJs like Jim Ladd (from both KLOS and KMET fame) have freeform shows on Sirius radio. Jim can be found on Deep Tracks channel 27. Otherwise if you had a favorite DJ from your youth I recommend that you search his or her name and see if there are recordings from back in the day. You will thank me for this.  Surprisingly, Apple Music Radio is old school with it's DJs. My tastes have broadened to include country music so I listen to Apple Music Country and find their DJs are very much like the DJs of the 70s and 80s. They create sets based on their mood, time of year, or what their listeners are requesting. The DJs are in the industry and based in Nashville so they have their fingers on the pulse of what is happening in the country music scene. I have discovered a bunch of country artists before everyone else in my circles. It's kind of fun being ahead of the curve like I was in highschool! I am giving my daughters music suggestions and they are wondering how on earth this old man knows about new artists before they do!! I haven't listened to the other Apple Music stations but I assume the same thing happens there. Do you have a favorite station that's old school? Let us know because it's probably available through an app. I am going to play about a minute of Linda on the radio. It made me sad and happy at the same time. Also, John in Cornwall there is a baseball comment in there that I hope you enjoy! Linda McInnes, KLOS-FM Los Angeles, CA December 28, 1981 (Restored Unscoped) Bob Coburn, Steve Downes, KLOS-FM Los Angeles, CA July 6, 1982-May 21, 1990 (Unscoped) Meta-display concept could retire LCD panels in big-screen TVs The metasurface display technology could replace the LCD layer in flat-screen televisions, bringing thinner panels, higher resolution, fast response times and lower power consumption. Full article here… The metasurfaces are 100-times thinner than liquid crystal cells, offer a tenfold greater resolution and could consume less energy. metasurface cells would replace the liquid crystal layer and would not require the polarisers, which are responsible for half of wasted light intensity and energy use in LCD displays. The new technology pixels are made of silicon, which offer a long life span in contrast with organic materials required OLED. Moreover, silicon is widely available and cheap to produce. The metasurface array could effectively just replace the liquid crystal layer in today's displays, which means manufacturers won't need to invest in brand new production lines to make panels. The next phase of research will be building a large-scale prototype and generating images, which is hoped to be achieved within the next five years. Once the prototype has successfully generated high-definition images it is expected the technology will be integrated into flat screens and available to the public within the next 10 years. A Room Full of Audio Reviewers Can't Hear Obvious Flaws A couple months ago, I went to a press event I decided not to write about. The reason I demurred is that I could hear crackling and hiss coming out of the speakers when nothing was playing. But it occurred to me that no one else noticed that the system—a six-figure rig with some well known high-end gear in it—had the noise floor of a transistor radio playing static. This is not the first or last time I've been in a room with audio reviewers who seemed to have no clue. I can recall one demo where the tweeter was blown on one of the speakers, and another where the source material turned out to be 96 kbps MP3. No wonder some of these folks avoid double-blind tests like the plague. Entire Thread on AVS Forum  

Jaridani leo  tunaangazia afya na hali ya kiuchumi katika nchi zenye maendeleo duni- LDC5.  Makala tutaelekea nchini Tanzania na mashinani nchini Sudan, kulikoni?Ikiwa leo ni siku ya kusikia duniani , shirika la afya la Umoja wa Mataifa WHO limesema maelfu ya watu duniani wanakabiliwa na changamoto ya kupoteza uwezo wa kusikia katika kiwango cha kuhitaji vipimo na matibabu.Kuanzia siku ya jumapili tarehe 5 mpaka 9 ya mwezi huu wa Machi, huko Doha nchini Qatar viongozi kutoka kila pembe ya dunia watakutana katika mkutano wa tano wa Umoja wa Mataifa wa nchi zenye maendeleo duni- LDC5 ili kukubaliana na kuangalia namna ya kuzisaidia nchi hizo ziweze kustawi wakati huu ambapo dunia inakabiliwa na changamoto lukuki.Katika makala tunakwenda nchini Tanzania kumulika ni kwa vipi mradi wa Jumuiya za Hifadhi za Wanyamapori, WMAs, unaotekelezwa kwa pamoja kati ya Wizara ya Maliasili na Utalii nchini humo na shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la mpango wa maendeleo duniani, UNDP wa kuzuia ujangili na uhifadhi wa wanyamapori umesaidia jamii kunufaika sio tu na uwepo wa wanyamapori kwenye maeneo yao lakini pia kuishi kwa utangamano na wanyama kwa kuzingatia kuwa leo ni siku ya wanyamapori duniani na ujumbe ni ushirikishaji jamii katika hifadhi ya wanyamapori.Na katika mashinani na tutaelekea nchini Sudan kusikia njia mbadala za kuhakikisha usalama wa chakula na kuondokana na umaskini kwa jamii ambazo zilikuwa zinategemea upatikanaji wa ardhi, maji na malisho ya mifugo wengi.Mwenyeji wako ni Leah Mushi, karibu!

The 16:9 PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY SCREENFEED – DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT If an entrepreneur or an established brand wants to open a temporary pop-up store on a busy retail street, there's a lot of planning, work and cost involved in making that actually happen. So what if there was a retail space in a high profile location that could be rented for as short a time window as an hour ... that uses LCD video walls and software to establish the look and feel of the shop? That's the operating premise behind Sook, an interesting UK start-up that has digital-first spaces for rent in attractive locations around the UK, including London's retail-lined Oxford Street. I visited that Oxford Street location when I was in London recently, and had a good chat with Sook founder and CEO John Hoyle. Subscribe to this podcast: iTunes * Google Play * RSS TRANSCRIPT John Hoyle: So it's really easy to quickly create a clean and bespoke environment and so that means you can literally do whatever you want in these places. It's a space that is as much about non-retail uses as it is about retail. It could be somewhere to have a screening of a movie, it could be somewhere to do yoga, pilates, or meditation or it's a shop in the more traditional form.  The whole rationale behind this is that if you facilitate hourly access to units like this, which would otherwise be empty, you can actually drive three to five times more revenue than a traditional lease because you are making use of the time before, you know, standard rent is over a 10-year period, deeply inefficient because someone sits in a space and expects there to be effectively making all of their money on in the peak hours whenever those are, which is like a Saturday. Using this you can drive your own footfall, drive different peaks across 120 hours of the week and generate more revenue, as well as make it much more efficient for occupiers to come and engage with the space.  It's completely modular. You can take this entire fit-out away and move it elsewhere. It's all free-standing so there's a selection of furniture. You can see the hanging rails and shelving units here which makes it super easy for someone to come and self-serve if they want to. So using QR codes, you can learn exactly what you need to do, full WiFi, utilities, audio, et cetera, anyone can come quickly turn this into a space to use for whatever they want. These modules obviously can be disassembled and moved to another space. So we don't take leases. We are just a device that operates as an asset management tool within specific spaces. If a landlord wants to move us, they can, there's a small cost associated with that, but it's much more economically and environmentally sustainable to have this fit-out that can be reused in multiple other locations. This one is slightly compromised because we're over two stories and the rear loading is in the basement. It actually works better on one level with a big back of the house. It's a bit like a theater set. All of the physical preparation happens out back so that you can efficiently roll into the space for your activation.  I'll show you downstairs. Everything that's here, we can take away. There's storage out back, but this has been everything from a rave for Jaegrmeister who launched a party, to the launch of a High Streets Reports by a big industry insider to a salsa dancing class. So it's all about using the same space for multiple different activations and doing it in a way that allows digital content to drive how you make that place appropriate. That's why it's interesting to me that they have started to add digital screens to retail kind of after the fact and now we're in the situation where you have people who look like this, that are setting up pop-up retail with digital as the enabling part of it. So you can change the feel of a store, change the message, and everything else with a few keystrokes.  John Hoyle: Absolutely. If you think about where the brands of the future come from, they are gonna predominantly start online because the barriers to entry are much lower. But they need that IRL engagement to have an authentic touchpoint with their customers. But they don't wanna scale as the private equity-backed retailers in the past have by taking 120 leases and then marketing them. They want to dip in and dip out and have an online-type solution that's agile to determine where works best for their product and to make use of the fact that they can drive their own footfall through social media.  So if you think about it, I suppose a good example in the UK might be a, let's say Superdry, a challenger brand that's had to play the game of real estate to get where it is, to become AN established brand. We believe that we can facilitate that happening for the brands of the future without them having to need a real estate department to negotiate leases, to deal with the portfolio of assets. In fact, there will be this agile solution that they can use as they see fit, and what's interesting about that is that suddenly you are changing the role of a shop as a static distribution channel for stuff, and you're making it much more of a point of engagement for customers to actually meet IRL, the people that sit behind their brand and the products, and that can happen everywhere. There's no need now for perhaps the flagship in Central London or the concept store in Coven Garden because the various entries are lowered by this solution, you could take your product to secondary locations around the UK, do it for a weekend drives an enormous reaction because the people in, let's say Northeast England are not used to seeing something like that and then get out without any of the legacy, liabilities or commitments that you would normally get through these.  It's a service in just about every respect, right? If I'm a fashion designer, which is a very novel concept, if I wanted to open up a pop-up store for the weekend, I wouldn't have to worry about the AV. I wouldn't have to worry about any of that stuff, I just do a deal to have the space for six hours or whatever it is and you guys can take it from there, right?  John Hoyle: You can dice it in whatever way you want. So you could be completely absent and we would run the entire piece for you, including fulfillment, staffing, and even the design of your space, and you can obviously have complete control because using Canva, which is an Australian Photoshop unicorn, you can drag and drop whatever you want onto the walls and you can walk around in 3D before you come here. So you can be in the US and control space in Oxford Street without having to be here. So that opens up enormous opportunities where at a fraction of the cost we can serve you. But it's more about just that flexibility for occupiers. It's also making physical spaces available for all sorts of uses that are not necessarily traditional retailers. Social media is becoming increasingly important as part of the customer shopping experience. So working with those sorts of brands to engage IRL, onboard customers online, and complement what they're trying to do online is really powerful. But equally, if you think about amenities. In the UK, retail banking branches are closing down in record numbers because they just don't make any sense with the rise of online banking. There is a real community value to those places for some people. Could we run a banking offer in the lunchtime slot, which is when people wanna go to the banks and not be there the rest of the time? Can you bring digital art into play? Gaming, estate agency, car showrooms? A whole spectrum of retail uses that basically haven't existed in the physical high street for all sorts of reasons previously to be used in a much more agile way in our spaces.  Is there a typical time window, like the amount of time when you are seeing bookings? John Hoyle: It completely varies. We've had a guy take the space for an hour, turn it into a shrine to his girlfriend and propose to her. Equally, we were a Corona testing center in one of our spaces for I think 14-15 months, which is a sign of the times. We have three-month bookings. We have three-day bookings, and that's the point, different people wanna do different things at different times and that really is the core of what we do. No one needs a shop seven days a week, hardly, practically, no one needs a shop for a decade. Think about the time that you need to do activations. Let us manage the headache of all of that, learn from it from analytics, and then get out and do something different.  The old mantra in real estate about location. I suspect that still applies, right?  John Hoyle: It does, but it's a mindset rather than a reality. My belief is that footfall is a flawed metric, and that's what really underpins that location piece. The way we've done retail traditionally is that you found a location that suits you. Adjacencies are important, but you are really basing it off the demographic in the area, and then footfall, and that's a deeply inefficient model when you think about it. To make a 10-year bet on a place based on a data set that you see at that period in time, sit there for a decade, and only make money on maybe a Saturday or a Sunday. The rest of the time you have a loss-leading asset. You can't be agile and change if something about that location changes, and you're not learning anything about customers elsewhere. So what we are saying is why not be far more granular, why not figure out which hours of the week your product works in? So Greg's, which is an incredibly successful restaurant brand essentially, it's famous for its sausage rolls, and they sold more Greggs sausage rolls last year than there were Big Macs in the UK, to put some scale on it. So their biggest selling unit is at Birmingham New Street Station and its peak time is from 10:30 on a Friday evening. It's people who've been drinking in pubs, buying sausage rolls, and are out on their way home. The other time they do a lot of business for essentially the building trades very early in the morning. So they are completely different profiles to an apparel brand, for instance. What we're saying is why don't you blend all of those different uses into more concentrated, more efficient spaces?  Is it nimble enough that you could do multiple occupants in a day? John Hoyle: Yes, absolutely.  Have you done that? John Hoyle: Yes. When you think about it, most shops don't open till 10:00, and most close at about six. Then you've got four, maybe five hours in the morning, which lend themselves to wellness, for instance, and then in the evening when shops sit dormant, this could be an event space, and that's pretty lucrative. In fact, in its own right. I think we could hang our entire business model on what shops would see after hours in certain locations to use this amazing digital tool, to be a private room for a restaurant or could it be a Deliveroo restaurant for instance, or could it just be a party, but rather than renting a bar and having a minimum bar spend of a few thousand pounds, you can have something bespoke, where there is amazing digital content of the person whose birthday is, for instance. Children's parties, and meetups, there are limitless ways of effectively monetizing space when in normal retail times, it's just closed. Yeah, I've certainly heard of restaurants that are daytime cafes that have realized, okay, we have a kitchen and everything else, but we shut down at 3:00 PM, why don't we have a breakfast place in the evening? It's a Mexican place or whatever, and they're using the same kitchen, but you're sweating the asset more. John Hoyle: Absolutely. The same principle applies here, just we've gone to extra lengths to make it more versatile. The food and beverage pieces are probably our most challenging use case because of the infrastructure that's required. You can't just have bare walls and exact screens, so that's our limit. Although you can cater in these places, you just can't really prepare food through cooking. But yeah, given that there are fast approaching a hundred thousand empty shops in the UK alone, and that problem persists throughout developed markets, why aren't we making use of these assets better and doing it in a way that can be financially sustainable?  If you do it, what's really interesting is that there is a market for people who want to use these spaces at the right price point, and in the UK, if you have an empty shop it becomes a business rate liability, which is like property tax in the US. So an empty unit isn't just an empty unit, it's actually a liability for landlords. So what we're saying is let's bring them back into the community, let's make them accessible. Let's engage with customers in a completely different way, to the risk-free basis that has been the important use of the real estate asset furniture for so long and engages with a whole new spectrum of occupiers that just didn't exist 10 years ago. If you have a hundred thousand empty shops, is it a risk to you with that many available spaces, the rental property becomes commoditized, the price comes down, and it becomes a challenge for you to be competitive with that? John Hoyle: Not really, because our model is an arbitrage on whatever the rental levels are. Right now empty shops are a huge opportunity for us, and when you think about it from our customer's point of view, actually rent shop occupation costs are only about 30% of the total costs of having a shop. When you think about the cost of staffing an empty shop. To my point where if your shop is only really profitable on a Saturday, It is really painful having to staff it for the other six days of the week and a landlord will demand that you do. If you're in a shopping center, you have to be open. That is part of the deal, and you think about the inefficiencies around stock, people buy, and there are billions of pounds of stock sitting on shelves around the UK. It's absurd. Why not lend an online demand model with an IRL activation? Yeah, create a public showroom and get fulfillment on the back end.  John Hoyle: Exactly, so we believe that we are creating the opportunity for massive efficiency across the board. It is hard to get brands to think differently. There is a huge amount of inertia around some of the big established brands who just have always done things a certain way. It's the, “I want that unit. I want it for 10 years with a five-year break, If we get X amount of football and we price our stuff at Y, that will convert into profit.” There are lots of guys that cannot think beyond that and that's one of the challenges of being changemakers like we are is getting the 10% of early adopters to think differently about and do stuff, right?  So where did this come from, this idea? John Hoyle: I launched it out of an accelerator called Zinc, which is all about delivering social ventures for profit. My background is in real estate. I'm a landlord, formerly at Grosvenor in Central London. So I was deeply frustrated having been on the other side of the fence about the inefficiencies and the huge numbers of occupiers who are excluded from shops.  The reason there are a hundred thousand empty shops is partly price points, but partly accessibility. All the ancillary costs around lawyers, agents, and these guys are all set up to do deals that have to be at least a year, but generally five and ideally ten. That struck me as such an enormous opportunity for disruption. That we've seen in the office space. We've seen it in the huge residential space. Huge global unicorn businesses have disrupted those sectors, but no one has done that in retail yet, and it's slightly more complex. There are the customers of your customers to think about. There's stock, there's a brand, and that's why a fit-out is necessary to facilitate all of that.  So if I'm an apparel designer who has just come out of some fashion school and I wanted to open my own, the commitment to do so would be many hundreds of thousands of pounds to do that, and through this model, I can open up on Oxford Street where we are for a day and have a popup and it's gonna cost well, what would that cost for a day? John Hoyle: It depends. So it's demand-based pricing, so it's cheaper on a Monday than it is on a Saturday. If you can drive your own footfall, then you might as well take a low-value retail allowance. But you can on a good day get this space for probably just under a thousand pounds on Oxford Street, which yeah, no commitment, no utilities, no legacy issues. You come, do your thing, and when you work it works, you've got clear evidence of that that it is really useful as part of your entrepreneurial journey in terms of building momentum, it's great for content, et cetera, and the halo effect that we all recognize of our engagement is massive for your future on mindsets.   Are you funding this yourself or have you got financial backers?  John Hoyle: We have done four funding rounds. We are fundraising at the moment as well. This is our seed round where it's running for the next three months. We're likely to have strategic partnerships with big asset managers who are invested and some retail groups. To date, it's been largely angels in the UK. There's a really vibrant ecosystem of angel investment in the UK because the government gives some great tax breaks called EIS.  I'm curious if when you approach people if they give you when the tilted head looks or they get it quickly? John Hoyle: I think as with anything that's new, there is a bit of adoption. So we find that for our first booking, we insist that there is someone in our sales or customer service team present to help people because there's an element of anxiety. It's a bit like if you organize a party for your other half or family member and you're a bit nervous about the caterers and are people gonna turn up, et cetera, then the party starts and you relax. We see that a lot from our first-timers, but we're at 40% repeat customers, and so for subsequent uses, when you know where it all lies, you know what to expect, it's much less stressful for people.  It's just like your first day at the office when you don't know whether the photocopier works or what your password is, all of that becomes far less scary. So I think the answer is that onboarding involves more friction than we hope will ultimately be the case, and we are very much pushing the envelope of change. There is a bit of a learning curve, and then you see the penny drop and the opportunity. People's heads essentially explode with opportunities to do things that they could do because everyone's got an idea of how they might use a space like this more. I'm a digital signage guy, so that's what makes me awfully curious about it. How fundamental were the digital screens to make this work?  John Hoyle: Absolutely fundamental. So there is a business that is failing at the moment that I was a customer of. They are effectively a booking system for empty shops, and they're pioneers in many ways because they've pushed the idea of flexible occupation, but they really are no different from a normal real estate agent, and the problem with just being a booking system is that you don't provide any of the services that are absolutely essential to launching a shop. They're renting an empty cavity. You gotta figure out the rest? John Hoyle: Yeah, and if you do that, they'll only rent for a minimum of a week. You turn up. You spend the first day setting up, and the next couple of days, no one comes in because it's Tuesday or Wednesday. Maybe you have a launch event on Thursday. A few people pick it up a bit Friday or Saturday, and then it's over. You spent probably 15,000 pounds. You've had to buy all of this deeply unsustainable, both financially and environmentally stuff in order to facilitate the fit-out, and you've got nothing really to retain from a legacy perspective With ours, the digital screens are utterly fundamental because that's your fit-out. That's what gives you the environment. You can take that content, you can reuse it on your socials, and can reuse it in other Sook spaces. You can send your stock around. But we will provide essentially the entire platform to allow your Sook to take place without you, wherever else you want.  Could you do these locations without the screens?  John Hoyle: It would remove a USP of ours, and of course, there is sometimes demand, but what we are trying to do is a hundred percent occupancy, and a big part of that is out-of-home media. So when we're not actively booked, we can be a billboard for your screen, which is a super light touch. It can operate when shops are closed throughout the night and generate revenue. It is a really powerful, utilitarian way of squeezing revenue out of latent assets, and obviously, an empty shop's just an empty shop, and you can't do any of that.  Do you have a handle on what you're using for the displays? The screens are obvious, but, are you using a particular piece of software or…? John Hoyle: You have to ask the AV guys. We've been through several iterations and in classic startup style we've tried lots of tools, we keep the ones that work, we discard the ones that don't and we're constantly iterating and I would describe that device upstairs, like a massive iPhone. Obviously, it's way less sophisticated than the iPhone today. But the principle is the same. Physically, it iterates just your Apple device and then the software behind it upgrades, but without you needing to change the device. So that is the process that we're constantly evolving.  When did the first Sook open? John Hoyle: I opened one in 2019 as the sort of first MVP in Cambridge, and then we won a few prizes straight off the bat because it had such success in Cambridge.  Why Cambridge? John Hoyle: That's where I live. I wanted to prove that there was demand, which we did, and enough so that Legal in General, the insurance company, and pension fund, gave us our first proper site in a shopping center in Cambridge, which we opened in January, 2020, but of course, we all know what happened a month later. We were pretty quiet op operationally throughout all of 2020 and quite a lot of 2021 for obvious reasons. But we emerged from the pandemic with this site on Oxford street, one on South Molton Street, and one in Edinburgh. So it was clear that we had identified a need from landlords and we've expanded. Is it important to be on high streets like this, like really well-known ones? John Hoyle: Yes and no. So at this stage in our business, the startup, people don't know what it is to your point, people wanna understand it and they wanna be in great places, and we have to prove that investing is a success, and then we can generate revenue. So it is really helpful being on Oxford Street as opposed to somewhere unrecognizable. But our goal is for it to function everywhere and for it to be a platform where Nike can reach a customer in a place that is utterly undesirable from a profile perspective, but where there are still obviously many customers and we believe actually the impact in those places could be bigger, and you asked me earlier about whether the erosion of the retail market could affect us. Well, one of the things that brands will pay us for is the opportunity cost of being able to do this, which is often in less desirable retail locations with a much higher ROI for us than on Oxford Street. I'll give you a good example. MasterCard used our space in the Metro Center, which is in the northeast of England, it's probably one of the least affluent areas in the UK. We're in big shops, bigger shops and regional shopping centers there, and they're paying us London prices in Newcastle for the opportunity to have those spaces.  My dream is that there can be a Sook on every high street and it can address all of the community goals in the same way that maybe a town hall does, as well as being a state-of-the-art retail space for brands to dip in and out to engage with those customers and create a halo effect. Because a fashion designer can be in Newcastle and, doesn't have to come here to launch? John Hoyle: No, it's bigger than that. Why can't they be in New York or Dubai or Beijing? Stock light, you can use physical stock, but so much of it can be digital, purchases get made online, which through using QR codes, it's not necessarily about leaving with physical stuff, but if you are a global brand on a mission to scale, what a brilliant way of dipping your toe in the water. And because there are so many empty sites, landlords love something that is gonna delight, that's going to be good for placemaking and community and that in some instances is more important than actually a business case for the space. It's a tool for asset managers to drive footfall into assets. You see lots of distressed real estate where somebody's put in a gift shop or a calendar shop or whatever, and they don't have a lot of money and it just looks sad and it doesn't lift the street. It takes it down. John Hoyle: Exactly. We wanna be the opposite of that. And I really believe that constant rotation of activity is the way to bring life back. Because you could have the coolest brand in the world in your unit, I always use the fashion apparel one, but maybe there's a better example of that, but if its peak hours are only on a Saturday, the rest of the week is to all intents and purposes in an empty shop. So it isn't adding anything to those high streets.  But running up the costs.  So how many Sooks do you have now? John Hoyle: We've got 11. We want to double it next year, and part of that is reliant on fundraising. We're also allowing some other systems to list on our site, and we have our first overseas site agreed upon in South Africa, Johannesburg. Got opportunities in the UAE, the US, Canada, and Europe. As you would not be surprised to hear, I'm just balancing the amazing demand we have for our product with a fundraising environment that's a bit tepid, thanks to all sorts of reasons, not least in the UK because of very recent economic turmoil, which is completely self-inflicted.  Where is the business out overall, given what you just said about the economy and Covid? John Hoyle: We doubled our sales last year on year. I'm really happy about that.  But that would be in an anomaly year.  John Hoyle: No, I think we will potentially quadruple it this year, and even if we don't add any more sites, we should double it again. The demand from global brands is through the roof. TikTok, Quikr,. Sonos, Universal Music Group, Uber, MasterCard.  So they're finding you, even though you're a startup in most respect? John Hoyle: They're finding us so that's incredibly encouraging. My challenge is not having today, although I expect to rectify that in February, the capital really to run at so many of these opportunities. This is a brilliant time for a disruptor to emerge. The sector is on its knees, asset managers are desperate for a solution. We have a solution. It's proven. It can get better, it can get more exciting. The fit-out you saw upstairs can evolve dramatically, and in fact, there's a very exciting space that I'll point you towards up Oxford Street, which we hope to take over quite soon, that you should go and have a look at, which is really the next generation of what Sook could be even more immersive. Could you have a larger, almost like the department store, level place with multiple shops, like there are lots of department stores that I've shops within shops now. John Hoyle: Yes. So we've talked to two department stores about providing that service. My personal view is that the department store model is inherently inefficient because you go to some amazing stores that I love in New York, like SHOWFIELDS which is the new age department store, and just like every other shop it has a peak and then a massive drop when no one's in there, and that just to me, as a utilitarian, who is very focused on the revenues that real estate assets can yield, just seems a bit mad.  So the answer is yes, we could work in a department store, but we'd be in that instance much more beneficial to the department store than to us in terms of driving feet at times when they don't necessarily have customers.  If people wanna find out more about your company, where do they find you? John Hoyle: www.sook.space. Everything is on our website. We're at Sook Spaces on social media, across all channels. Follow me on LinkedIn. I'm John Hoyle, and yeah, tell the world about Sook because it is coming to a street near you. All right. Thank you. 

#聽了財知道 #財訊 #MR #AR #VR 蘋果新產品呼之欲出！台廠３大技術突破，頭戴裝置商機起飛！ 過去一年，從Google、Meta到蘋果，都積極和台灣合作，共同發展可融合實境與虛擬資訊的混合實境裝置。 《各節重點》 00:00 開場 00:47 蘋果眼鏡備受矚目 VR AR MR是什麼 09:15 台廠技術突破 成為頭戴裝置軍火商 15:19 全球科技巨頭訂單 2台廠擴大投資備戰 24:50 回覆網友留言 ★ 訂閱財訊這裡請→https://www.wealthstore.com.tw/ ★ 打電話也可以訂財訊→(02)2551-5228 轉 10。 ★ 商業合作請洽 service1@wealthgrp.com.tw，或撥專線 (02)2551-2561 轉 255。 製作｜財訊雙週刊 主持｜陳雅潔 來賓｜林宏達 企劃｜吳尚哲 攝影｜吳尚哲 剪輯｜李國奉

Le marché de la Location Courte Durée (LCD) ne cesse de croître. Il se professionnalise aussi. Les clients sont devenus de plus en plus exigeants et les éléments à surveiller pour offrir la meilleure expérience client de plus en plus nombreux. Alors comment dans ce contexte profiter de la forte rentabilité espérée sur ce type d'exploitation sans se rater et surtout sans y passer toutes ses journées ? C'est ce qu'on va voir avec Vanessa Guerin, notre invitée du jour. Investisseuse en immobilier Vanessa a créé sa conciergerie en région bordelaise en 2020. Dans cet épisode, elle partage avec nous ses déboires des débuts ainsi que tout ce qu'elle a mis en place pour gérer au mieux ses biens et ceux de ses clients investisseurs. Au cours de notre conversation, on verra notamment : Quel est l'état du marché de la LCD aujourd'hui en France dans les grandes villes et à la campagne ? Quelles sont les étapes pour se lancer ? Comment tester le marché, se démarquer des offres concurrentes, optimiser ses prix et automatiser la gestion au maximum ? Quelles erreurs éviter absolument et comment gérer un ou plusieurs mauvais avis sur Airbnb ? Tu trouveras dans cet épisode des outils d'optimisations opérationnels bien pratiques surtout si tu démarres en LCD ou que tu souhaites comparer tes pratiques avec les meilleurs standards du marché. Notes et références de l'épisode sur : investisseurs40.com/126 PARTENAIRES DU PODCAST Voir les offres de nos partenaires SOUTENIR LE PODCAST ❤️ Le podcast te plait ? : Fais-le savoir auprès de ton entourage et et laisse un commentaire 5 étoiles inspiré sur Apple podcast, ça m'aide beaucoup à le faire connaitre ;) Tu peux aussi nous suivre sur : Site web (investisseurs40.com : toutes les notes des épisodes, les ressources des invités, les playlists des meilleurs épisodes..) Instagram (contact direct, les news les plus fraiches) Youtube (tous les épisodes et sessions Live en vidéos) Linkedin Twitter Tik Tok

AVexcel - Episode 196 Recorded on February 12, 2023 Hosts: Patrick Norton and Robert Heron  The rundown: - Dolby Vision HDR Football - Make your TV look its best - 2023 OLED PC monitor lust - Mini LED is the new LCD hotness - Micro LED TVs are impressive/expensive - Soundbars and Hisense P1 Sonic Screen - Dolby Vision 4K UHD Blu-ray disc players - Your excellent feedback & questions - Email us at ask@avexcel.com - What we're watching AVexcel is 100% powered by our excellent crew of Patreon supporters - thank you!  Visit www.AVexcel.com for links, show notes, contact info, and more!

i2c / SPI character LCD backpack - STEMMA QT / Qwiic (0:11) https://www.adafruit.com/product/292?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=videodescrip&utm_campaign=newproducts Adafruit Bicolor LED Square Pixel Matrix with I2C Backpack - Qwiic / STEMMA QT (2:25) https://www.adafruit.com/product/902?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=videodescrip&utm_campaign=newproducts Adafruit ESP32-S3 Feather with STEMMA QT / Qwiic - 8MB Flash No PSRAM (3:22) https://www.adafruit.com/product/5323?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=videodescrip&utm_campaign=newproducts Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 NoIR - 12MP 75 Degree Infrared Lens (4:33) https://www.adafruit.com/product/5659?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=videodescrip&utm_campaign=newproducts Adafruit microSD Card BFF Add-On for QT Py and Xiao (6:32) https://www.adafruit.com/product/5683?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=videodescrip&utm_campaign=newproducts Adafruit NeoKey BFF for Mechanical Key Add-On for QT Py and Xiao - For MX Compatible Switches (7:19) https://www.adafruit.com/product/5695?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=videodescrip&utm_campaign=newproducts ----------------------------------------- New nEw NEWs New Products, News, and more: https://www.adafruit.com/newsletter #newnewnew Shop for all of the newest Adafruit products: http://adafru.it/new Visit the Adafruit shop online - http://www.adafruit.com Adafruit on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adafruit LIVE CHAT IS HERE! http://adafru.it/discord Subscribe to Adafruit on YouTube: http://adafru.it/subscribe New tutorials on the Adafruit Learning System: http://learn.adafruit.com/ -----------------------------------------

Bienvenue sur le replay d'un d'Atelier diffusé en Live sur YouTube le lundi 09 Janvier dernier. Léo et moi étions en compagnie d'Alexandre Lacharme pour évoquer ensemble l'investissement dans les parkings. Alexandre investi dans les parkings principalement à Paris depuis plus de 10 ans et il était un nos premiers invités sur le podcast sur l'épisode 012. On se penche ici les caractéristiques d'un bon ou d'un mauvais investissement, les manières de trouver une affaire sur Le Bon Coin ou de gérer ses nombreux locataires. Je te rappel que tu peux participer à ces sessions Atelier et soit en direct avec nous tous les lundi à partir de 20h30 soit en posant tes questions à l'avance sur investisseurs40.com/atelier. On y réponds dans l'ordre d'arrivée Les Questions auxquelles on répond : Comment avoir des arguments de négociation sur un garage ou une place de parking ? Comment présenter le projet à la banque ? comme LCD ou LLD ? Est-ce interessant d'investir dans les parkings comme premier investissement ? Est-ce scalable dans toutes les villes ? Comment tu as négocié ton différé avec ta banque sur une place de parking? Faire un crédit immo avec ce taux d'intérêt actuel bon ou pas ? ​Acheter une place , ce n'est pas rentable. Quel est le plus petit lot conseillé? SPONSORS DU PODCAST

Ted Romanowitz has been around the commercial display and tech sectors for a whole bunch of years, and for the last two or so, has been an industry analyst for the research firm Futuresource Consulting. Futuresource is in the UK, but Ted works out of the Portland, Oregon area - spending his time looking at professional display technologies, ranging from projectors to mini and microLED video wall products. He was at CES and he'll be at ISE this week, meeting with manufacturers and walking the halls, seeing what's new and interesting. We had a good chat about where the different display technologies are at, and how miniLED is seeing a lot of traction for fine pitch LED displays. We talk projection and we spend quite a bit of time discussing the state and vast potential for microLED. One thing I particularly liked was his qualifier about "true" microLED, as all kinds of manufacturers market their premium products as microLED, when they're really miniLED. Ted, thank you for joining me. Can you explain what you do for Futuresource and what Futuresource is all about?  Ted Romanowitz: Oh, I'd love to do that. I'm a principal analyst at FutureSource Consulting in our business-to-business (b2b) practice. I lead the entire professional display Segment. So we cover everything Projection, LCD panels, tiled LCD, and interactive displays, as well as my forte, as you may know, is LED. I have more than 10 years of industry experience in LED with Planar, Leyard and Christie Digital. It's wonderful. There's a lot going on in pro displays right now.  So what would you be doing primarily? Are you producing research reports? Are you talking to companies? You know, what's your day-to-day? Ted Romanowitz: We do three really big things. One, we do quarterly trackers for all these technologies. So you can look at the data by company, by specification, by country, and comparatively by brand. We also do annual reports. We've just published a video wall report as well as a strategic market outlook. We've got a big digital signage report coming in the springtime. We're looking forward to publishing that, as well as a refresh of our true micro-LED report coming in the first half of the year. So we do a lot of annual reports, and then the third bit is custom research. So if there are any companies out there that have a specific business need for the information, they can reach out to me and we'd love to talk to them about a one-off type of project to get the analytics that they need to make an informed business.  How hard is it to get the data from all the different display manufacturers and to talk about their sales and their market size?  Ted Romanowitz: It is definitely a challenge and I think, especially during the Covid timeframe, to keep relationships established has been challenging. We just came back from a major trip to the Asia Pacific in November, so we were literally the first company meeting these large pro AV vendors in Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. We spent two weeks over there face-to-face and you just can't say enough about building face-to-face relationships and having those conversations and that's why we're so much looking forward to ISE this year, getting everybody back together.  So when you say you are the first company, what do you mean by that?  Ted Romanowitz: A lot of these vendors haven't had research companies or other people come and visit them face-to-face. So they were really glad, almost ecstatic to have us show up at their doorstep for a meeting. It was wonderful to rebuild a lot of relationships. It's so much different to do it face-to-face. It's more meaningful. As opposed to at a table in a trade show booth? Ted Romanowitz: That's also face-to-face, so I think those are good as well.  It's hard to get good data, setting yourself aside, there are one or two other companies that are focused on this, but there's this avalanche or a steady torrent of crap coming out of research factories from India. Do you have to fight against that?  Ted Romanowitz: I think what Futuresource is really good at is having these long-term relationships. We've been doing this for two decades. We have relationships with the brands. We're getting data, hard data. We're having not only quantitative discussions, but we're having qualitative trends impacting the industry, what's coming next, and those sorts of things, so it's much more robust practice that we do, and that's why people are coming to us wanting our research.  And part of your routine as well is going to the big trade shows, I believe you're just at CES and you're planning to go to ISE as well? Ted Romanowitz: Absolutely. It was my 14th trip to CES in my career, and it's like a little bit of a family reunion for me actually. But it was amazing to see the energy and people actually queuing up to be able to get into some of the booths there, the larger booths because they were controlling the traffic for Covid and everything. But the energy was there, a lot of great new technologies. It was quite exciting, and as a little preview, I know we're gonna talk about micro LEDs at some point, but I was able to see the industry's first true micro-LED displays, so that was worth the trip, just that one thing.  Yeah, I get asked every year, am I going to CES? And I say, I've done it, don't want to do it again, too many people line up for everything. But the biggest thing is it's consumer electronics and it's pushing away to some degree it seems at least from displays into gadgets and cars and everything else, so I'm curious if you said that one thing alone was worth the trip, but for somebody who is maybe not as well versed as you, is it worth going to CES if you're in the digital signage industry?  Ted Romanowitz: There were digital sign signs everywhere, even in some of the smaller halls like North and West, there were LED signs in almost every single booth promoting different technologies and companies, brands. It was amazing. But yeah, I was also amazed at how some of the big consumer brands were starting to bring in LED technology in particular, and showing the consumer applications of that and it's still not gonna be sold through a CEDIA channel, it's going to be sold through pro AV consultants. So it's our heart and soul still for some years before it becomes priced for the mass markets if you will. Do you get cues from CES about, a product that comes out for TVs whether it be OLED or QLED whatever the case may be, are those cues to what's gonna happen on the pro side or does it not necessarily track that way? Ted Romanowitz: There's not one way or the other, but I definitely think, specifically to LED technology, that is primarily a pro-AV thing and it is starting to creep into CES and that's exactly why I was at the show.  Venetian had three floors of smaller companies, and it's amazing how much of our ecosystem is starting to show up there. Different companies looking for ODM and OEM arrangements were in the Venetian, showing prototypes and whatnot of not only LED but also see-through LED and transparent OLED.  I was curious about one of the announcements at CES where LG unveiled an OLED TV that was wirelessly powered. Now there was a box that you still had to plug in, but between the box and the display panel itself, there was no wire. It was being transmitted by IR or something or other, I forgot. Is that something that you see as coming or is it just an outlier that nobody would actually use? Ted Romanowitz: LG had a wireless OLED display. But my understanding is that it was wireless connectivity on the data side and not necessarily on the power side. But that's certainly something I think it'll be interesting to see if that shows up at ISE, and definitely, a trend that we should all watch, especially in historic buildings across the east coast of America plus Europe, where you have a historical building and you wanna hang a display in this space, but you don't have power to it, and you don't want a god awful power cord, video signal cord running down the beautiful brickwork or whatnot. There could be some real applications for it.  Yeah. I know a company in Israel. I did a podcast with them and they now have wireless power technology and they insisted it's safe and everything else, and you don't get fried if you walk in front of it, or anything. Ted Romanowitz: Interesting. I'm not aware of that. I'll have to get the information from you so we can have a good look.  So what display segments are growing right now?  Ted Romanowitz: Overall, the pro display is growing over the next five years at about an 8% compound annual growth rate, which is healthy. That's really being driven primarily by direct view LED, which is, over 20% year-over-year growth. So that's really where the growth is. LCD is still showing basically flat growth over the next five years. It's very slow growth, but yet by 2026, it's still 50% of the pro displays marketplace, and we won't see that shift between LED and LCD until we have some of these advanced technologies like mini LED, as defined by flip chip COB, which I think we're gonna see some really interesting demos at ISE on this technology finally. There have been technical and manufacturing issues that have held it back from mass production. So I think 2023 will be the year, we're predicting that 2023 will be the year when companies will come into mass production and resolve these manufacturing and technical issues. So that's where you get pixel pitches under 0.7, 0.6, perhaps even 0.5 with flip chip COB that will start to challenge LCD panels, which are really that close-up viewing experience really predominant.  Yeah, I remember Leyard's CTO or he some kind of title like that, he was saying once you get to about 0.7, you're very close to the pixel pitch that you would have on an LCD.  Ted Romanowitz: That is correct. It's around 0.5-millimeter pixel pitch on an LCD screen. So yeah, LED is getting there, and then the really last bit is, once you have that close-up viewing experience, you can put it into, let's say small to medium room sized meeting rooms as well as digital signage, eye level, close up wayfinding, informational displays, those kinds of things. It gets really interesting for LED, but the price differential right now is still fairly substantial. What is it now? I understand there are a whole bunch of variables. Ted Romanowitz: That's a loaded question. I wish I could just say, oh, it's X percent but it depends. I hate that answer, but it's the truth. We're seeing these advanced technologies in LED come in the mass volume where you get economies of scale, you're gonna see that differential shrink. So that's first with this flip chip CEOB, mini LED and that gets you to around, 0.5-0.6 millimeter, certainly 0.7 so you're on the verge of competing with LCD panels and then with what we're calling true micro LED technology, that is sub-100-micron chiplets mass transferred onto a TFT backplane with an active driver technology. So that is what one of the brands was showing at CES Samsung. They had from 55-inch to about 140-inch displays. They weren't able to give me pricing on that officially, but we know they estimated it last year at about $150,000 for a 4K display over 100 inches. And that's probably not gonna go into your house or mine, although we aspire to that. But over the years as they come into mass production in the next five to seven years, it's going to drop from $150,000 down to around $4,000 is what we're estimating and volume production, once you get under, let's say 40,000 or 30,000, it'll start showing up in the CEDIA channels. So it'll start shifting from pro AV consultants to the CEDIA channel but they'll need lots of help to figure out how to do it, and then once it gets into the $4,000 to $5,000 range, it's definitely more of a broad consumer electronic, still very expensive for you and I, a lot of people will really want to jump on this technology. It looks really beautiful. The stuff that Samsung was showing at CES was that when you frame it as true micro LED, as the Samsung stuff part of the wall series and they're now doing genuine micro LED with that?  Ted Romanowitz: That's a great question, but they had the wall separately. These were consumer television sets that are true micro0LED, but they weren't ready yet to do an announcement in the pro AV space but one could reasonably assume that might be coming, that they'll offer this true micro-LED display, and whether they brand it ‘The wall' or whatever else they're gonna call it, that's up in the air.  But it looks fantastic. It'll start to impede LCD panels in a significant way, and then shift the industry towards that where right now, LED is already in video walls the predominant technology that has the highest value. Within five years, it'll be three times the value of a tiled LCD. So LED  is taking over the video wall. We see in the broader pro AV space, not in the next five years, but certainly, within the next 10 years, LED will be the number one display technology.  Yeah, I think there's always going to be a demand for LCD for some kind of meat and potatoes digital signage, like menu boards and ticketing information, all that sort of stuff, but you get into any kind of specialty application or something where shape needs to be flexible, they're gonna go to mini or micro-LED once the price is there.   Ted Romanowitz: Yes, true micro-LED eventually will also challenge LCD panels in that more, I guess what you would call hang and bang, on the commodity side. I believe that it'll bring LCD prices down. There'll always be a place for LCD technology but LED will start to take over where image quality, where impact is really important and there's just a smaller uplift in pricing for that better experience where people and customers want that big impact, it's going to be LED.  I was at Touch Taiwan about four years ago, pre-Covid, and I left that trade show with a distinct impression from manufacturers that they saw mini-LED as kind of an interim technology, and it was mostly gonna be used for LCD backlighting like addressable zones, local dimming that, all that stuff. But it seems like mini-LED is getting a lot of take-up as a direct-view LED product as well.  Ted Romanowitz: Absolutely, and LG has a version of their consumer LED product showcased at CES. It was about a 150-inch display and had some really good features. I think it was 1.2 millimeters with beautiful image quality but it's $300,000. It's still the consumer market that is very expensive for them to get into. But, then again, personally, as a product manager for LED, I've worked in multiple companies where we have done high-end homes with LEDand, putting up a $750,000 wall in a Bel Air home wasn't a problem They have the budget. That's again, not my house as much as I would like that.  Yeah, as much as I'd like to be a midfielder for Manchester United, I'm too small and way too old, I don't think I'm gonna have that kind of salary.   Ted Romanowitz: I think you and me both, but we can still hope, can't we? It's not too late.  Oh, I think it is for me at least. Ted Romanowitz: I think another important thing is with projection, you were talking about where the pro AV industry is going and all of that, projection both front and rear are in relatively steep decline, and some people would say, oh my gosh, that's super scary, there are so many projection companies out there, and we see so many demos at ISE and at CES, there are a lot of consumer protection companies displaying products. Even though projection is in decline, double-digit decline over the next five years, in the end, it's still a $4 to $5 billion market, it's massive, and so it's not like projection is gonna go away, it's just getting a little bit smaller.  So I think there's some hope there and we're seeing high brightness being a big thing over the last year. Already we've heard whispers from several of the projection brands that they're gonna be unveiling new high-brightness projectors. A lot of demos on projection mapping, blending, warping, and those sorts of things to support immersive, really engaging interactive displays.  Yeah, in the right physical environment and lighting conditions and everything else, projection is awesome because it's got that ability to surprise you. It just shows up and forms around things in a way you can't do with more conventional displays. Ted Romanowitz: Exactly, and if you need to have a large display of information or whatnot, there's no more cost-effective way to do that, to show a big image, let's say in a theater or something other than projection, right? LED is just far too expensive to do that, although some brands are in customer-facing theaters. Some very large technology brands are putting in LED displays to impact their ecosystem, and their end customers in a very impactful way, but still, projection is wonderful. It has legs to continue for decades but LED is the up-and-coming thing.  Why is projection getting better, like they're able to do brighter, is it because of laser, or are there other factors? Ted Romanowitz:  Yeah, it's the laser technology that they're implementing. I think smaller form factors, are quieter, as well as the prices are coming down as well. Those are all factors that are gonna give it legs for quite some time. One other thing too, I think there are so many immersive exhibits that are happening now, right? In Portland, Oregon, we get one every month or two where they're using projection and or a blend of projection in LED to provide a really amazing sensory exhibit. And when our team was in Japan, we went and saw the Team Labs exhibit there and it was wonderful that you actually took your shoes off, and put them in a locker. You roll up your pant legs and you're about knee-deep in warm water and, it was really cool, the projection map Koi onto the water that you're walking through, and the fish react to you. So you can reach out or, as you approach one of the fish, it'll look over at you and then scurry off as if it was a real fish. It was just an amazing experience to go do that.  I'm curious as well about OLED and light field displays and I recognize that light field displays are still probably a few years off, but are you seeing advances in that?  Ted Romanowitz: That's one of the things that we're going to be doing some further research on at ISE and it'll be interesting to see how that trend emerges, and OLED is really interesting. On the transparent side, a lot of companies have been working on that to help with merchandising or promoting products, putting them in an OLED box and putting marketing messages around the product even while you're able to reach in and touch the product.  Those are some super creative things, but at the LG booth at CES and a couple of others, they're showing transparent OLED and transparent LED applications where you can get a 10-foot high glass wall and cover it with an image. It's just cool. It's beautiful. It'll be interesting to see how corporations and other organizations invest in that, and what the adoption rate will be, and that's definitely an area where we're going to be researching further.  Yeah, the LED on film and LED embedded in glass particularly when micro-LED matures, that seems exciting as hell in terms of the amount of brightness you can get and the fact that you can just make it part of the building material. Ted Romanowitz: Exactly, yes, and you look at all these big cities. I don't know when you were in China last, but you go to Hong Kong and you're sitting on the Calhoun side at night and the choreographer does some choreography with music and a light show of all the major tall office buildings on Central. It's just amazing. And Shenzhen, Shanghai, a lot of cities in China are doing these light shows and lighting up all the buildings and in America, we're starting to see that as well. Obviously, Las Vegas is a great example, but I think it'll be interesting to see how that evolves, not only in America but also in Europe with all of the historical buildings, what the regulations will be and you know how they'll allow technology to be used architecturally and artistically on some of these historic buildings, or if we'll just keep doing projection onto them. Which you can do without affecting the building, which I'm sure makes the people who protect buildings happy.  Ted Romanowitz: Absolutely.  You're going to ISE, I assume. For somebody who's going and they're particularly interested in seeing what's new and what's emerging and what's important to know on the display side of things, what would you recommend? What should they be looking for? Ted Romanowitz: I definitely think the big trends will be the flip chip COB, and mini-LED. I don't know if a true micro-LED display will be shown, but they're certainly, if not from one of the big brands, I would expect some of the manufacturers like BOE or Seoul Semi might be showing some things in their booth, so that's one thing to look for. I think projection is gonna be sexy. People are gonna be doing projection mapping and blending and warping and all of that. 8K displays, I think you'll see more and more of those out there. Yeah, those are some of the big things. There's the digital signage section as well. We're gonna be spending a lot of time out there.  As I mentioned, we are doing a digital signage report in the next few months. So we will be looking at that as well.  Would that be a display report or software?  Ted Romanowitz: It'll be both. It'll be the whole ecosystem.  This is great because it's so hard to get any credible research on the software side of this business.  Ted Romanowitz: Exactly, and It'll be hardware and not only just the displays itself but the media servers, players, the content in the cloud. All of the above. It's gonna be a really exciting report. We're very much looking forward to that one.  Good. All right. Ted, thank you so much for spending some time with me.  Ted Romanowitz: Thank you so much and I look forward to seeing you in Barcelona.  Absolutely. Tapas! Ted Romanowitz: Exactly. See you there!

Digital picture frames are not a new product category. In fact, they've existed nearly as long as LCD screens have been affordable. However, as time has gone on, new features have been added to these products in order to make them easier to use for those to whom we really want to give them. The … Continue reading Familink makes a truly connected photo frame for families @ CES 2023 → The post Familink makes a truly connected photo frame for families @ CES 2023 appeared first on Tech Podcast Network.

Official Website: https://www.lawabidingbiker.com On January 18, 2023, the Harley-Davidson New 2023 Models were released.  This included seven anniversary models, two new models, and the return of one model.  In this episode, we wrapped up everything we learned and put it into a nice package for you.     See our video on the topic!   Anniversary Models    The first six of the seven total anniversary models share a unique paint scheme described as Heirloom Red with a Midnight Crimson Fade and highlighted powertrain components. These models will have oxblood-colored inserts on the seats.  And, the Anniversary models sharing this paint scheme are the Ultra Limited, Tri Glide Ultra, Street Glide Special, Road Glide Special, Fat Boy, and Heritage Classic. SUPPORT US AND SHOP IN THE OFFICIAL LAW ABIDING BIKER STORE The seventh Anniversary Model is the CVO Road Glide Limited, being the only anniversary model with the larger 117 Cubic Inch M8 engine.  Its paint is a bit different and can be described as Anniversary Black and Midnight Crimson fade. And when viewed in the sun there is a red highlight to the black.  A subdued eagle split up between the fairing, tank, and bags. Generally speaking, only about 3,000 to 1100 of each anniversary model will be released and they'll all have serialized consoles. CHECK OUT OUR HUNDREDS OF FREE HELPFUL VIDEOS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND SUBSCRIBE! NEW MODELS The Breakout is returning to the lineup with that beautiful Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-Twin engine.  This bike will have a very wide rear tire, coming in at 240mm, a 5-gallon gas tank, and a 36-degree front rake, which makes it a long, low, wide, modern cruiser. The Nightster Special is the next new model for 2023.  What's so “Special” about this new Nightster?  To start, it has a passenger pillion and footpegs to allow two-up riding.  The handlebars and risers move the bars up and back for a more commanding rider position.  It has a four-inch round TFT display, replacing the analog speedometer and segmented LCD indicators, allowing for BlueTooth connectivity and navigation.  The Nightster Special is coming standard with cruise control, USB charging port, and you can add heated grips.  This new model is going to be a surprise for some. And for many out there, it is a long time coming.  It is the all-new Road Glide 3 Trike.  I'm going to say right up front that even if you've never been interested in trikes, this one is sure to turn your head a bit. Many riders have requested a Road Gide trike for years now and it looks like Harley made it happen.  A lot of engineering went into making the first Harley trike with a frame-mounted fairing including things like the placement of the fairing to accommodate the long rake and steering dampening of the trike. Note: By clicking on any pictures or links in this article & making a purchase, we do get a small commission. No additional cost to you. Help support us please if you appreciate what we're doing to help bikers. Neti Pot mentioned by Lurch in this episode NEW FREE VIDEO RELEASED: How To Remove The Forks On A Harley-Davidson Touring Motorcycle-DIY Video RIDER SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS Traction Control Systems will be offered as a new option for the Breakout, Low Rider S, and Low Rider ST models in 2023.  Electronic cruise control will be a standard feature for the Fat Boy, Fat Bob, Breakout, and Low Rider S models.  It remains standard on the Low Rider ST, Heritage Classic, and Sport Glide models. 120th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION The Harley-Davidson 120th Anniversary Homecoming Celebration Event is scheduled for July 13-16, 2023, in Milwaukee.  Harley informed us that this will become an annual event in Milwaukee.  Homecoming events will take place at venues across the Milwaukee area facilities and who knows, maybe we'll see ya all there.  Sponsor-Ciro 3D CLICK HERE! Innovative products for Harley-Davidson & Goldwing Affordable chrome, lighting, and comfort products Ciro 3D has a passion for design and innovation Sponsor-RickRak CLICK HERE The Ultimate Motorcycle Luggage Rack Solution Forget those messy straps and bungee cords Go strapless with a RickRak quick attach luggage system & quality bag Sponsor-Butt Buffer CLICK HERE Want to ride longer? Tired of a sore and achy ass? Then fix it with a high-quality Butt Buffer seat cushion? New Patrons: Brad Whitehead of Idaho Falls, Idaho Darrell Presley of Valdosta, Georgia Gray Smith of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Scott Bogut of Fullerton, California Naomi de Weert-Deelstra of Hoogezand, Groningen (Netherlands) Ty Fox of Nazareth, Pennsylvania If you appreciate the content we put out and want to make sure it keeps on coming your way then become a Patron too! There are benefits and there is no risk. Thanks to the following bikers for supporting us via a flat donation: Gilbert Morrissey Peter Hando Douglas Emerson ________________________________________________________ FURTHER INFORMATION:   Official Website: http://www.LawAbidingBiker.com   Email & Voicemail: http://www.LawAbidingBiker.com/Contact   Podcast Hotline Phone: 509-731-3548 HELP SUPPORT US! JOIN THE BIKER REVOLUTION! #BikerRevolution #LawAbidingBiker

Bienvenue sur le replay du mardi qui concerne une session Atelier diffusée en Live sur YouTube le lundi 19 Décembre dernier. Un atelier lequel avec Léo on répondais à tes questions sur l'investissement immobilier. On a parlé entre autres de LCD et règlements de copro, d'achat/revente de locaux commerciaux, financement de la première opération marchand de biens et d'objectifs immos pour Léo et moi sur 2023 Je te rappel que si tu veux participer à ce genre de Live ça se passe tous les lundi à partir de 20h30 et que tu peux participer dans tous les cas en posant tes questions à l'avance sur investisseurs40.com/atelier. On les prendra dans l'ordre d'arrivée pour une prochaine session. Bonne écoute LES QUESTIONS AUXQUELLES ON RÉPOND : Quelle ville à moins d'une heure de Strasbourg pour investir ? Rentabilité possible dans ville à 4500 euros/m2 ? Il y a t-il des subtilités entre une opé d'A/R sur un appartement par rapport à un local commercial ? Comment évaluer le potentiel de revente avec les capacités d'emprunt qui baisse ? Je vends ma SCI à l'IR je paie l'impôts sur la plus-value peut on récupérer l'impot sur un autre projet ? Investir dans des SCPIs : un choix judicieux ? Quels sont vos objectifs immo pour 2023 ? Lorsqu'on bénéficie d'une aide d'état pour la rénovation énergétique : quelles sont les contraintes ? (pour la revente ou autre) Pour une LCD : Si le règlement de copropriété autorise les professions libérales alors la LCD est-elle autorisée ? Quels sont les textes pour appuyer ma demande ? Pour transiter vers l'activité de marchand de bien faut-il être transparent envers sa banque pour la première opération ? ou bien le passer en financement locatif pour arbitrer après ? Comment intégrer la pension alimentaire dans le calcul du taux d'endettement ? Quel est le % de commission d'une conciergerie en LCD ? En tant que marchand peut on diviser un lot dans une copropriété sans AG extraordinaire Est ce que la LCD est limitée à 2 biens par investisseur autour de Disney ? SPONSORS DU PODCAST

Cars just aren't simple anymore. Computers control everything. We're going to find out from Coach what we need to know and hear your vehicle repair questions. Recalls for the week:Kia Recalls Vehicles for Faulty Airbags this includes: Forte Koup coupes; Forte sedans; Sedona minivans, and Soul and Soul EV hatchbacks. All repairs will be done for free, and Kia will begin notifying owners March 21. Those with additional questions can call the automaker at 800-333-4542Hyundai is recalling certain 2022 Santa Fe HEV and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. The instrument cluster liquid-crystal display (LCD) may invert the image on the screen upon vehicle startup, making the display illegible. WebsiteRam Recalls model-year 2019-20 HD Pickups for Faulty Windshield Wipers; Ram parent Stellantis will begin notifying owners March 18. Those with additional questions can call the automaker at 800-853-140354,000 Teslas Recalled Over ‘Rolling Stop' Full Self-Driving Function The entire Tesla lineup is affected, including nearly 54,000 model-year The automaker will begin notifying owners March 28, but in the meantime, those with questions can call Tesla at 877-798-3752.You can find out if your car has a past recall by going to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls and inputting your VIN number. Or find their SaferCar app.In the news: according to Cars dot com: new research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety questions if inflatable boosters are safe, specifically the BubbleBum and the Hiccapop UberBoost models.https://www.cars.com/articles/bubble-burst-iihs-questions-safety-of-inflatable-booster-446532/Auto Casey: Ford Bronco Short take: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0d9YuPHviM&t=0sLong version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyVH0CnySukCoach Charlie's Tip of the Week: don't touch the lightbulbs in your vehicle with your fingers. The oil on your skin can reduce the life of the bulb.Calls:cruise controlwasher fluidcars that lasttesla computerchanging oil emailneed help? call Customer Servicecruise controlstartertransmissionhigh mileagealarmwhat to do with carignition switchdealer oil change Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Northwest Cherry Grower's President, BJ Thurlby confirms that, yes, Little Cherry Disease is still out there and growers are working to learn the best ways to control and manage the potentially devastating problem.

Northwest Cherry Grower's President, BJ Thurlby confirms that, yes, Little Cherry Disease is still out there and growers are working to learn the best ways to control and manage the potentially devastating problem.

Demon Anus Breath. An LCD trip. Meat con carnage. Did You Ever Read About the Frog Who Wanted Pants? And Then He Got Some. Cop a Feel of That Onion. The Morning Sciatica. 8 maids a cleaning up bird shit. Yes, The Band! I Mean Yes, Not The Band. Or the Exclamation. You no take Candle in the Winf. Just one inflatable. Hold my Grinch. It's Clitoritor! Take Me Seriously! Deedly Doo! The Art of 1/3 of the Noise. Ginned up prank caller, I'm listening. Lego my Parts with Bill and more on this episode of The Morning Stream.

Today I'm speaking at Electronica in Munich with CEO and Cofounder of AZUMO, Mike Casper, and Matt Johnson of Bare Conductive and LAIIER.Mike Casper is the founder and CEO of AZUMO, a display technology company that is revolutionizing the industry. It's effective and ultra thin LCD 2.0 reflective technology not only enables high performance displays, but it also improve user experience and battery life. This energy efficient piece of technology is not only ideal for a consumer market, but also medical, industrial, and educational needs.From a young age Matt Johnson has always had an interest in electronics and design. Inspired by his interest in the creative process of design and engineering, he created Bare Conductive which is a resource that not only provides kits to help create prototypes, but also bridges the gap between STEM and STEAM by encouraging the use of design tools. After coming to the realization of the benefits of smart buildings, Matt launched LAIIR which is focused on improving performance, lowering maintenance costs and reducing the waste of buildings and facilities.

Demon Anus Breath. An LCD trip. Meat con carnage. Did You Ever Read About the Frog Who Wanted Pants? And Then He Got Some. Cop a Feel of That Onion. The Morning Sciatica. 8 maids a cleaning up bird shit. Yes, The Band! I Mean Yes, Not The Band. Or the Exclamation. You no take Candle in the Winf. Just one inflatable. Hold my Grinch. It's Clitoritor! Take Me Seriously! Deedly Doo! The Art of 1/3 of the Noise. Ginned up prank caller, I'm listening. Lego my Parts with Bill and more on this episode of The Morning Stream.

REPLAY de l'épisode 022 diffusé le 04 Mars 2021 -Le Revenue Management, une spécialité pratiquée depuis longtemps par les groupes hôteliers et de tourisme mais jusqu'alors très peu connue ou utilisée par les investisseurs en LCD. Pour en parler avec toi aujourd'hui je te propose une conversation avec Elise Ripoche, qui a passé plus de 10 ans dans les départements Revenue Management (ou RM) de multinationales dans les secteurs de l'affichage publicitaire, de l'hotellerie et du tourisme, avant de se mettre à son compte pour accompagner les hôteliers indépendants, conciergeries, et, naturellement les loueurs saisonniers à maximiser leur chiffre d'affaire. Sur la première partie on parle du parcours d'EliseSur une deuxième partie de l'épisode, on abordera avec Elise les spécificités du revenu management du point de vue de l'investisseur : les leçons que tu peux apprendre des groupes hoteliers (dont Elise faisait partie), les outils essentiels qu'il te faut adopter pour te lancer, les changements de mentalité à opérer pour mieux performer (et pourquoi te focaliser sur le taux d'occupation peut t'induire en erreur) les leviers autre que tarifaires que tu peux actionner pour booster tes ventesRetrouve Elise sur : Sa chaine youtubeLe site web J'affiche Complet Son groupe Facebook SPONSORS DU PODCAST

We look at Hisense's U7H and T+A's Solitaire T headphones. We also discuss TV screen panel uniformity and adding a subwoofer to a 2-channel music setup. Fidelity in Motion's David Mackenzie talks about his work on disc encoding

Ash Men, Sins and the Will of the Ancestors.By FinalStand. Listen and subscribe to the podcast at Steamy Stories.-You may outrun your sins, but never forget that someone will pay the toll-(Later Friday)“Having a bad day?” Pamela stopped our lesson.“I apologize. I am having trouble focusing on the lesson today,” I sighed.“Let us see if we can handle this dilemma,” Pamela took two steps back, signaling the end of this round of physical training. “In my experience, most internal issues can be resolved within five minutes.”“This should be fun then,” I smirked. Pamela smirked as well. “I was confirmed at this morning’s emergency Council meeting to be the sole heir, thus leader, of House Ishara.” With a slight dip of the head, Pamela acknowledged I’d surprised her. “I chose to stand for House Ishara; literally. I will not take the seat, or vote. I will hold the place for my first daughter of the Host.”“That last bit was your decision and your decision alone?” Pamela queried. I nodded. “Good, you gave up nothing you could hold onto while gaining honor for the practical choice, Cáel. What are your numbers now?”“Three,” I answered. Pamela’s look demanded an explanation.“I immediately brought Buffy and Helena into the House. Katrina has advised me to be cautious about adding too many too fast,” I stated.“Katrina’s agenda and yours are not the same, Cáel,” Pamela warned me. “You are the leader of a First House now. Katrina is responsible for the harmony of the Council and Havenstone. These are not the same thing.”“A woman in Katrina’s position has no friends. She cannot afford them,” Pamela told me.“I asked her to set up a commission to help select proper candidates for Ishara. She picks nine members and I have Helena representing us,” I informed her. Pamela shook her head.“You concede too much,” Pamela frowned.“Set an absolute date with a designated number of candidates. Make the date soon; a month; and the number 20. Keep the heat on the others. Don’t let them constrain you,” Pamela lectured. “That is not the Amazon way. You have made concessions to them. Now they must make concessions to you. You gain little by mollifying them.”“I am not sure that a pissing off Katrina and Hayden will increase my survivability,” I countered.“Irrelevant,” Pamela slapped the wall. “You are House Ishara now. What matters to you is House Ishara and its relationship to the Host. Tell me how being weak helps either.”“It doesn’t,” I bowed my head. My confusion dissipated and we got back to the lesson.Three more things completed my day. Pamela hung around me. I didn’t ask her to and I couldn’t figure a good way to tell her to leave. Secondly, I tried to see Hayden. She was busy. Katrina was out of the office. I knew the score. Finally, Buffy knew Havenstone’s HQ better than anyone. Together with Helena we gathered at a blind spot in their security and exchanged notes.We didn’t talk because our echoes could be picked up. My message to Helena and Buffy was clear: I wanted a list of twenty ‘Runner’ names by Monday morning. If Katrina and Hayden were stone-walling my process, we would induct twenty every three days until they relented, or something broke. Miraculously to me, Buffy and Helena didn’t bat an eye over this skullduggery.Katrina showed up for our 'end of day’ meeting, with my valise. The meeting was brief and perfunctory. I didn’t think Katrina, or one of her agents, had overheard my secret House plotting. She knew something was up because she knew me. We were on a collision course. There was no stopping it. We hated half-measures. No words were exchanged.On the way out, I learned I had a Security Detail assigned for my well-being. From what, I had no idea. Was I on Santa’s Naughty List; Robot Santa (à la Futurama), that is?Constanza and Naomi, I recognized. The other two I had seen briefly. Constanza looked like she’d rather be force-fed leeches than be anywhere close to me.“A moment please,” I requested from the group around me. Buffy was uneasy. Pamela was ignoring me, thus not giving me space.“Constanza, you hate me. I hate you. It was this way at six this morning and nothing a room-full of old ladies says alters that,” I said quietly. “I don’t expect you to respect me, tolerate me, or ignore my gender status because of what transpired. I do expect you to respect House Ishara. When I must stand for this House, honor it. Neither of us has a choice in that matter.”“I give you permission for nothing because I can’t dictate to your heart. It is yours and even this male understands yours is the heart of a true Amazon. My words will not change how you feel. I am okay with that because I have no choice. You are who you are. I request that you draw a line between me, Cáel, the unwelcome invader and the Head of House Ishara,” I asked.“You are nothing,” Constanza seethed. “Your words mean nothing. You are what you have always been; an abomination.”“Listen carefully,” Pamela said casually. “Talk like that again and you are dead. You are not dead because I can easily kill you. You are dead because you have brought shame to your House.”“You have called a member of the Council an abomination. This implies that all the other Council members are blind, fools, or corrupt. What will they do to you for making such an open, blanket accusation?” Pamela sounded bored. “You refuse to see that the Ancestors have spoken and this is their decision. Defy the Ancestors and you deny your heritage.”“Your name will be stricken from the rolls, you will be butchered like a sheep and your body burned. You will never see the cliffs in this life or the next. Despite you being a twisted mockery of all things Amazon; Cáel doesn’t know the true Amazon heart; he is trying to save your life. It is the person he is. He loves more than he hates. It is why he is winning.”“Who are you to speak to me this way?” Constanza spat at Pamela. Pamela was unfazed.“I am a 'cliff walker’,” Pamela replied. “I teach knife classes every day at three. I am a mother and grandmother. I am on a quest for my ancestors and I am looking for the six-fingered man.”“That…that is insane,” Constanza stammered.“Was it the kitten juggling, or the obstacle course for marshmallows?” I looked to Pamela.“No, it was the spot-checking for freckles in Rio de Janeiro,” Pamela regarded me seriously.“Do areolas count as freckles?” I looked hopeful.“You are both diseased,” Constanza shouted.I was still dealing with the wrongness of Constanza’s words when I experienced the sensation of Pamela moving beside me. Saint Marie may have been faster, but I wouldn’t swear to it. Constanza was pretty good too. Her mistake was knife-fighting 101; know your range. Constanza went for her pistol when we were all less than a meter apart.Pamela’s right hand sprouted her nasty little knife and scooped out Constanza’s left eye. Her left hand wrenched Constanza’s pistol from her grasp. Constanza stumbled backwards then fell, screaming all the way. Her left hand covered the gushing ruin of her left eye socket. The other members of the SD group had their guns pointed at us; Pamela and I.“No,” Pamela mused, “I don’t think areolas count since everyone has them.” Pamela wiped the blood and ocular bits off her blade on Constanza’s still thrashing covered calf. I picked up on her clues. I pulled out my phone and calmly called Medical, informing them that someone had insulted House Ishara and graciously only been robbed of their left eye.“She is coming with us,” Naomi informed me as her buddies closed in.“Pamela; gun,” I demanded. Pamela handed it over. For a second, everyone thought the situation was resolved. After making sure the safety was engaged, “Buffy,” and I tossed Buffy the gun. “No,” I met Naomi’s gaze. “I will not allow it.”“Cáel, this is not something you can deny.” Naomi was trying to be patient.“If I was Madi and Constanza called her diseased, and an abomination, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” I stared at her intently. “And if the next words your of your mouth are 'you are a male,’ I’ll personally order Elsa to cut out your eyes for compounding Constanza’s insult with this one.”“Cáel, I cannot let this pass,” Naomi insisted.“I’ll be okay,” Pamela touched my arm and tried to move past me. I stopped her.“I sincerely doubt my ancestor crawled back into the Greek camp thinking he’d save some of his sisters, leaving others to their fate. When I start abandoning any, I am no longer worthy of my blood. Stay put, Pamela.”“Naomi, let us pass, prepare to be attacked, or shoot me,” I met Naomi’s stare, “because here I come.” We pushed our way through the packed group into the elevator Dora had been holding. They even brought a sniffling, scowling Constanza along. Medical was first. The second the SD could hand their wounded comrade to the staff, they climbed back onboard.Elsa and five friends were waiting for us.“Saint Marie would like a word with you,” Elsa informed me. Since Saint Marie, the Golden Mare, was on the Council, I thought it wise to obey. She showed up looking really steamed.“Take the woman,” Saint Marie pointed to Pamela. “The rest can leave.”“I can’t allow that,” I stepped up. Saint Marie glared.“This is not an issue you can intervene on,” Saint Marie snapped. “She is not of your House.”“She is bound to me by the will of the Ancestors,” I proclaimed. Pretty much every woman was ready to tear my head off for that.“Saint Marie; Elsa, for the little amount of time you have known me, I have joked, been irreverent and even mocking of you and your ways. Look at me. Trust your instincts. Pamela is bound to me by the will of the ancestors,” I pledged.“How so?” Saint Marie studied me.“I cannot say,” I sighed. “Just because the Ancestors want something done doesn’t mean they make it easy for us to do. In my limited experience, they are rather obtuse about what they want and how they want that goal accomplished. You will have to take my word that Pamela and I share a bond.” There was a stand-off.“What was in the box the Arinniti showed you?” Saint Marie inquired.“You would have to ask them,” I answered.“I did. Now I’m asking you,” she persisted. Think.“They showed it to you, so you already know,” I stared.“Do you think that connection is possible?” Saint Marie posed. She meant 'did I believe I had a tie to man who lived 2694 years ago’ to the point we both fought with twin axes.“I don’t want to,” I sighed. “I want to live in a sane, scientific world that explains all this.”“Go,” Saint Marie commanded. Then, “Will Constanza regain the sight in her left eye?”“No,” Pamela shook her head. “She ignored the lesson and the warning. Next time, this will not be an issue.” It took my exiting the building to understand what Pamela was saying was 'you won’t find the body’. I also realized that Oneida was absent today; groan.“Cáel, why don’t you come home with me tonight?” Daphne offered. She was proffering her house’s protection as well.“I’m okay,” I grinned. “I’m going to keep to my old schedule as much as possible.”“Aren’t you worried?” Paula asked.“Worried about what? I don’t think any of the other Houses are going to kill me until I really screw up,” I snorted.“He has no idea?” Pamela scoped out the surrounding ladies.“None,” Buffy confirmed.“Care to enlighten me?” I hoped.“Have a good weekend, Cáel,” Pamela smiled. “Things will become truly interesting on Monday; believe me.”Yeah…like taking over an extinct Amazon 'First’ House wasn’t interesting enough. Things were going to get better; in the same way radiation burns were 'better’ than sunburn. I biked home, brushing a city bus and a BMW getting there. On the landing between the second and third floors I found an Amazon with baleful eyes; waiting.In front of my door was her psychic twin.“Can I get you and/or your cohort anything?” I politely inquired. Yesterday; the cold shoulder.“Thank you for the consideration. We will wait until our itinerary is clarified,” she nodded. I went in, catching the abrupt cut off of some 'O’ talk.'O’, as in Odette and Oneida. They were on the sofa, half-turned to face each other when I walked in. Oneida stood and gave the standard Amazon respectful nod.“Oneida was all screwed up inside about last night in the Park, so I was explaining some of the basic tenants of BDSM to her,” Odette blithely blathered.“BDSM? What do you know about BDSM? I barely know about it and I’ve been having non-stop sex for years,” I exclaimed.“Cáel of Ishara, did you do those things to Rhada in an effort to fulfill her dreams?” Oneida desperately pleaded. Worse, it was spoken in English.“I can’t talk about it,” I replied.“That is 'Cáel’ for 'yes’,” Odette intruded. “I began reading up on BDSM after you got the suspension rig,” was her saucy response to me.“Would you ever do that to me?” Oneida gave me those big doe-eyes as she sat down.No, she didn’t want a rape fantasy. That kind of submission wasn’t her thing. I paced around, stomped into the kitchen then back to the living room.“No Oneida, I would never do something like that to you,” I promised. “I like having sex; a whole bunch. I like the women I’m with to have a great time too.”“That means I figure out what really excites her and provide it because I normally want to have sex with that girl again,” I explained, neglecting the 'and again and again and again.’“Is it over between you two?” Oneida asked. She meant Rhada and me.“Oneida, did I ask you to come over today?” I countered.“Have I upset you?” Oneida’s lower lip trembled. 'Yes’ would make things so much easier.“No,” I lied. “Let’s look at this from another angle. How would you feel if Paula showed up at your domicile unannounced? You walked in and there she was.”“Oh,” she stood up again. “I apologize.” At this moment, saying nothing meant she’d leave. I’m an idiot.“Do you want to stay for dinner?” I offered. It took a few seconds for Oneida to forgive herself enough to accept my suggestion. Me raping Rhada less than 24 hours ago? We’d deal with that later, or so she promised herself.“Okay…if it is not too much trouble,” Oneida nodded.In came the doom and gloom duo and we ordered some over-sized sandwiches from an Italian Deli two blocks away. After the two walked through my place (again, I was sure) and the food arrived, the bodyguards relaxed into a close proximity of human beings. The freakishness continued as Odette bonded with the Amazon killers with tales of my sexual exploits.At the same time, I romanced Oneida in half a dozen languages. Storming those gates was going to take more time than I normally gave a single sexual encounter. Oneida kissed me. She loved kissing me. She was ecstatic about kissing me. She made it real clear there would be not petting; yet. Penetration wasn’t even on the (her) agenda.This didn’t meant I was accepting her marching orders. I was far craftier than that. My plan was one of 'setting an example’. I stood up; we were sitting on the bench press seat, shot Odette a sexy look then went to the kitchenette. We got something; whatever it was wasn’t important. The crucial activity was my surrounding Odette in my arms from behind.I kissed her neck, Odette wiggled her butt against my crotch and murmured happily. More kissing along the neck, ear and jawline ensued. Odette exhaled a happy breath, and twisted around in my grasp until we were face to face. An exhaustive French kiss finishing up with a few light pecks and led to us rubbing noses like Inuit.“Thanks buddy,” I smiled warmly at Odette.“She blue-balling ya?” Odette snickered.“Big time,” I muttered. Odette squiggled down my body then bit both my nipples through my shirt making me gasp.“That should do nicely,” Odette’s eyes were alight and she was super-pleased with herself. She smacked my butt then returned to the living room. I returned to Oneida. After a few seconds,“Does it disturb you to be treated like that?” Oneida murmured.“Like what?” I sounded so innocent. Trust me; this is a crucial relationship tool.“Like; like we would treat one of our males,” she looked for my reaction. I laughed.“The critical difference is that I can say 'no’,” I smiled. “Oneida, do you think the original Ash Men spent every moment not in battle, contemplating their place in the Universe?” Clearly, she had. “Believe me, men hunted, worked their crafts and chased female Amazons when they weren’t eating, or sleeping.”“Warfare is an emotional undertaking,” I had read that somewhere. “You can believe that with the battle safely won, your ancestors and my ancestors fooled around. They sang songs, wrote poetry, and created artwork for the ladies they courted. They wanted the attention of the strongest, bravest and most courageous mates, just like your ancestors did.”“I think I do know something about the Ash Men you don’t,” I prodded her.“What? I have studied them for many years,” Oneida was now more engaged.“What can you tell me about Vranus?” I asked. That stumped her.“I…nothing is written of his exploits,” Oneida admitted. “We know he was a young warrior for Ishara.”“Think about this, Oneida; Vranus was only twenty yet a member of the Host,” I started. She nodded. “He is shown with twin axes; no shield and no bow. That means he had to be very brave, rushing through the initial exchange of arrow fire and thrown spears to attack his enemy. His House probably directed him to large clumps of opponents, breaking their formations for the Host to exploit.”“That means he fought alone for several seconds until his accompanying Amazons could pick apart his foe,” I explained.“That must have been horrible,” Oneida frowned.“Not at all,” I protested. “He was trusted with a crucial task; to hold the enemy’s focus so the faster moving Amazons could attack their foe from multiple directions at once.”“The Amazons of House Ishara must have been very proud of him,” I fluffed out the fantasy. “From what you saw from my two exhibition with twin axes, it is very tiring. Vranus had to have absolute confidence his sisters were coming for him. They trusted one another, thus fighting as one organic unit. It was a synergy that included the best of both genders.”That last bit confused her.“Back then, most of the Host would have been of the same genetic stock from the time of the First Betrayal. Short and fast. The males of the region they took over were taller; the local men being even taller than the local women. That means you give men heavier and longer weapons. Your people would have favored bows, light shields and short spears; ranged, or quick in and out tools.”Was any of that true? Not a history major, so I have no clue.“Many of the Host at the time rode horses yet there are also pictures of them forming battle lines,” Oneida enlightened me then her own eyes expanded. “Males are always shown with solid round shields while the Host; women had the oval wicker shields.”“Lacking stirrups, the Amazons may have used the men to grapple with the enemy then rode their horses around the flanks, dismounted and engaged their opponents from the rear; Amazon style,” I grinned. It was. Amazons were all about out-maneuvering and confounding their foes. The Amazons hadn’t been callous with their males’ lives.At one time, chosen females had held the center line. Over time, as males joined, it was practical to adapt the solid wooden shields of their opponents for their own males and put them in the place where their upper body strength and size were of best effect. The unknown older male with Vranus had probably held his place in the battle line dozens of times.I doubt he complained, or even thought to complain. Who would have taken his place? A smaller sister, aunt, or daughter? Had other males objected? Sure, the battle line in Amazon tactics was not the place of glory. The striking arm were the horse-riders. Countless times adversaries had spent the last minutes of their lives with the echoes of horses, hooves and female Amazon war cries seemingly all around them.Some wise old dead fucker once said 'defeat starts in the mind’. I wholeheartedly believed in that; except my version was 'having sex with me starts with my insidious nature’.“Defeat starts in the mind,” I stared intently into Oneida’s eyes. Love poetry is a matter of emotional context, not actual words.I pulled Oneida to me, letting her straddle my lap because I desperately wanted her to understand my tortured soul. Grinding her vulva against my hard-on was totally accidental, as was our renewed French kiss and me grabbing two handfuls of her ass. There was no rushing of things. Oneida was a skittish mare and I had to keep her feeling safe despite her sexual peril.Any woman who bothers to get to know me knows I am not a complicated guy. Case in point: by the time Oneida was feeding me her left nipple, Odette already had the security types sweep my bedroom (again) then the three retreated to Timothy’s room and shut the door. Were Oneida’s guardians worried about Oneida’s carnal violation?No, why would they? Amazons had dick on demand. Virginity didn’t hold any religious significance for them; killing things did. With the speed and efficiency those other two Amazons made themselves scarce, I imagined they were happy that Oneida had stopped mooning over me and getting a good grip on reality. A righteous dicking was in the offing.Oneida’s open eyed, opened-mouth countenance when she found herself naked on my bed with a naked me hovering over her was precious. That look always was. It did necessitate a question.“Are you sure you want to do this?” I whispered. My aroused cock brushed along her thigh. The question was a courtesy.The answer was always the same because girls want to have sex. They also want to believe they have a say in the process from beginning to end. I say 'believe’ because sex done right is passion and passion is the rejection of reason. At some point in the seduction, intercourse becomes an avalanche. Logic can scream all it wants; the hormones are not listening.I slipped into Oneida’s velvety liquid embrace. She gave up a sigh of relief. She’d made the jump into intimacy. Any other explanation for what was going to happen would have implicated me as a 'Player’; which everyone else thought I was. Oneida had this romantic ideal of me that no amount of evidence appeared to shatter.Personally, I was starting to dread ever going to her bedroom. I wasn’t sure of her 'My Little Pony’ comforter would be a turn-off for me. I had done in it on Pocahontas and The Little Mermaid, so odds were I’d pull through in the clinch.“I am not hurting you, am I?” I moaned.Said for emotional impact alone. If I was causing a girl pain, I would have stopped first.“No,” happy murmuring, “I’m wonderful.” The most powerful organ human’s possess is the brain. Oneida was a 'talker’. She wanted to express her feelings during intercourse; not give to directions, but as an effort to increase her participation in the sex act itself.Slow, steady strokes followed, withdrawing my glans half way along her labia, moved up and down slightly then gradually pushed back in. Every entry held something new for her. I added to the process by tilting her thigh and leg forward so that my next penetration tantalized a whole new series of trigger points in her vagina.On the next pass, Oneida began her own experimentations, twisting and adjusting the angle of her hips as I worked my rod in and out. Oneida began crying. I wasn’t upset and that didn’t make me a callous bastard. She was shedding tears of joy and regret; joy because her first climax was in the offing; regret because she wish she had done this with me sooner.She had been a Havenstone employee so we hadn’t done the deed. We still had to keep our liaison secret. Why? I’d think of something. The real reason was pure politics. I never knew what wacky dame hated another wacky dame for reasons I couldn’t even get into, but I knew it would curtail my dating opportunities.I’d pay the price of deception later. What I couldn’t take was being denied sex without having done anything wrong first.“Am I making you happy?” Oneida gasped. No flippancy here; romance was the key.“You demand things from me few other women do,” I replied breathlessly.I wasn’t going to lie to her. Prettying up the truth was good enough and it made her happy. I also got something new; to her, not to me. She orgasmed. Whatever she’d been satisfied with before, I obliterated in a few quick, decisive strokes. OH GOD did she go off! It has happened to me before; the door being kicked in; just not in mid-orgasm. Guns being pointed at yours truly while the girl was in mid-scream was new.And Oneida was still carrying on and on.“I was trying to tell you!” Odette was screaming. “He does that to us all the time…please don’t shoot him.” The whole 'girl screaming at me in Old Kingdom Hittite’ was also new. My mentor preferred Minoan.“I have come back from Death,” Oneida rasped. Her skin was flushed deep red from her exertion, she had bathed us both in sweat and she was coming up with any form of vocalization from Goddess-knows where she had screamed for so long. She looked at me with love in her eyes; damn it. She looked and looked and looked and…finally noticed the two women at the foot of the bed.“Is; some; thing; wrong?” Oneida panted while gazing at her two guardians with worry. There was someone pounding on my apartment door.“Neighbor; door; I’m on it,” Odette called out. Seconds later the deadbolts clicked and the door opened. “Hello, Mr. Finnes.”“You God-damn Whore!” he screamed. “Where is that homo and his butt-buddy? The cops are on their way and this time you are all in the street.” He had a good head of steam on tonight. Slayer of Testicles #1 looked at Slayer of Testicles #2, nodded and left. “Who is this bitch,” Finnes got out. It was so wrong that I recognized the next sound.It was the barrel of a gun being inserted into a person’s mouth.“Listen and listen carefully,” SoT#1 spoke softly. “You are going back to your hovel. If I get word, or even a bad premonition, that you are causing this apartment a hint of worry, I am going to come back and end you in a fashion the New York City’s Coroner’s Office will find memorable.”“I do not care if you have to puncture both eardrums to drown out the noise. I am not a compassionate person. In fact, I am considered sadistic by those who know me well. Now go back home, tell the police who show up this was all a mistake and give a prayer of thanks to whatever deity you grovel before that I didn’t simply ram my firearm up your anus and decorate the ceiling in what passes for brains in your pathetic bone-sack of a body,” she menaced.There was a choking/gagging noise then the sound of heaving.“Mr. Finnes…are you okay?” Odette worried. As a wonderful counter-point.“Have you given me your seed?” Oneida asked hopefully. I was still hard. It had only been ten minutes of sex after all. I gently rocked my penis deeper in. “Oh,” she happily babbled.“Again?” SoT#2 questioned. I made a few more penetration cycles instead of speaking. “Do they train you in some sort of Sex Academy for this? Are there more males out there like you?”“Is having a viewing gallery a real damper on the mood?” I asked her while looking into Oneida’s eyes. I was actually proud of Oneida for not sending the other woman away.It showed me she respected the woman’s job. I also heard the apartment door shut.“Wow, your threat was nice and spooky,” Odette snickered.“Threat? Child, what do you think I do for a living?” SoT#1 asked.“You are one of those wacko, psycho-chicks Cáel Nyilas works with,” Odette was undoubtedly smiling.“Correct, I am one of those wacko, psycho-chicks…” SoT#1 left that hanging out there.“You weren’t playing with Mr. Finnes, were you?” Odette grew quiet. Pause. “There is really a job which allows you to do that kind of stuff?” Pause. “Can I apply?”“This is not something you apply…” SoT#1 began, but then, “I guess if Cáel wants to…”“Cool,” Odette was truly irrepressible.“If he does that, there will definitely be consequences and repercussions,” SoT#1 cautioned.“Oh, I think I had better stick with being his fuck-buddy,” Odette conceded.“Wise choice,” SoT#1 agreed. My bedroom door shut. SoT#2 had slipped out.Do you often have sex with an audience?“ I teased Oneida."Yes,” she answered matter-of-factly, “I do. Don’t you?”“Now that you mention it…” and I got back to the pleasure that encompasses so much of my life.(Note: some events in Chapter 18 happen before the events of Sunday Night. For the sake of the tale this sequence worked better in my eyes)(Sunday Night)“Cáel,” a voice purred over my phone.“Hey Nicole,” I greeted my lawyer not-quite a hook-up anymore. Also, unless you are SURE you know the female caller, don’t take a gamble with the name.“So, do you have something going on tonight?” she queried.“Nope. My normal engagement had to cancel so I’m sitting back with some friends who do not appreciate the depth of my depravity,” I sighed.“Canceled?” She laughed. “On you? Have your recovered from the shock?”“Actually, they had a death in the family and had to go to South Carolina,” I explained.“Oh…sorry,” Nicole apologized. “Well, if you are feeling lonely and neglected, you could come by work and do me a favor.”“I am feeling neither lonely, nor neglected, but I am certainly missing you right now. Give me a half hour and I’ll be there,” I promised. She thanked me and hung up.“Who is it this time?” Odette snickered. Man, I was becoming so used to her hanging around.“Nicole the lawyer,” I replied. I trekked back to my bedroom to prep. I opted for the 'Bad Boy’ look; worn jeans, high-top tennis shoes (equally worn), my Plant Smashers t-shirt (Quebecois ska band; yes, I will road-trip to another country for sex) and my Bolingbrook bomber jacket.Yes, I was going to an Ivy League Law firm dressed like a carjacker. Every other male was going to be dressed in finely-tailored silk and I had to stand out. Since I couldn’t outspend them, I was going to make them look like effete pussies by dressing like I just didn’t care what anyone thought. I was coming over to fuck Nicole and there would be no doubt about it.“Isn’t that chick rich?” Timothy teased me.“Yeah. I’m packing the glow in the dark Trojans tonight; cause she’s special,” I grinned.“Oh! I love those,” Odette squealed. She really needed to trust me less. I walked over, cupped her ears with my hand then kissed her on the forehead.I did the same to Timothy. His look suggested that I had best make a hasty exit before he kicked my ass. I caught a taxi a block away. It turned out he was from Qatar and he asked if I was sure about the address I gave him. I grinned then told him I could outrun 95% of the NYPD so was feeling good about my chances.He snorted, countering with 'If you were an Arab, they’d shoot you.’ Not to be outdone, 'I’d claim to be a Syrian anti-government protester; you know, because we all look alike to these Caucasians’. We laughed for a bit then he said he had a younger sister back in the homeland. I insisted I was immoral; a wicked man.'Was I religious?’ 'Only when it suited my purposes.’ 'Would I consider converting to Sunni Islam?’ 'Only if the girl was cute enough.’ He showed me her picture; dammit, she had a really beautiful face. I got her name, his name and the name of his mosque. I considered it. Yahweh, Christ, Bacchus (wine, an orgy and 'bull’ testicles; long story) and Jehovah all had reasons to barbeque my butt already.Why not add Allah to the mix, besides it being an incredibly stupid thing to do for a man in constant mortal peril like me? In theory, three of the four definitely had the possibility to be the same Omniscient and Omnipotent Galactic Being so the odds were I wouldn’t get too much more screwed.I finished up my journey imagining Buffy in a burqa. That evolved into a vision of me being force-fed a burqa; in private; where no one could hear my muffled cries for help. Buffy; murdering me; made me horny. I am a sick puppy.“Buffy,” I called her as I paid the cabbie.“What; huh; are you okay, Cáel?” Buffy muttered.“Yes, I’m fine. I was dreaming of you and decided to give you a call,” I related in a sleepy voice.“Oh…” she sounded affectionate.“Yeah. In the dream you were murdering me. It was so romantic; so you,” I related.“Shit-for-brains, do you have any idea what time it is?” Buffy turned all savage in an instant.“Hmmm…11:45?” I offered up.“Call me this late again when it is not an emergency and your dream will become a reality,” she growled.“You know you sound so…” and she hung up on me. I called Nicole and warned her I was at her building, pursued by two FDIC investigators and could she please come and rescue me. She snickered, came down and retrieved me, but not before the NYPD stopped by for a casual conversation and I hadn’t even been standing there two minutes.In my neighborhood you were lucky if you saw a patrol car every thirty minutes and short of offering them some crack cocaine, cheap nookie, or shooting a gun off, they never stopped. Was I my normally fuck-wad self? No. I told the man/woman team the truth. Some upper crust weenies I worked with dragged me off to Yuppie Hell. I hooked up with a lawyer who I screwed repeatedly in the Women’s bathroom and she was calling me for round 2.Second question (the first one was name/ID/reason for being in this part of town dressed like I was)? Was she paying me? 'No’. Was I practicing safe sex (female cop; married even)? 'Yes’. Was she the red-head at the door behind me? 'Yes she was and goodnight.’“What are you dressed like that for?” Nicole smiled.In her mind she already knew the answer; I had come here to fuck her; raw and primal.“Ballroom dancing was not on the itinerary you gave me,” I smiled. We went inside.“My co-workers are still here,” she hinted seductively.“Whoa now!” I protested humorously. “I am not here to pull a train; girls only.”Nicole nearly fell over laughing. She was so embarrassed by me and my attire, she dragged me straight to the conference room 'her’ team was working out of. Everyone else was eating. Two of the lawyers were clearly the top dogs; a man and a woman. The woman had a vague resemblance to one of the portraits I’d seen coming in; a legacy.The man screamed 'serial killer’. It probably made him one hell of a lawyer, but spooky to live with, or work for. The other nine people in the room were in two groups. Two were obviously paralegals. They dressed in what must have started out as clean, starched clothing from off the rack as opposed to tailored.The other seven were lawyers in their own dual set-up. My amateur guess was two different branches of law. This group was dressed in fine clothes now wrinkled from a long day’s work, plus it was a Sunday. They were not at their best yet they were still better than most of what I had. The most endearing part was how they looked at me.Even the female contingent thought that I was trash. I had certainly given them the opportunity. Seriously, they should have paid more attention to Nicole, her intelligence, competence and tastes. Come on now; there was no way she’d bring some grease-monkey from Flatbush to her workplace. They needed to engage their brains and not their social bias.A murmur slithered through the crowd. Amusement and condescension were the clear messages shot my way. I imagine the poor soul who delivered the food got less crap because he/she was providing a tangible service.“Nicole, who is this?” the woman asked. Sex.Outside of her being a soulless cancer on the hopes and dreams of mankind, she was an alluring forty-something.“This is my friend Cáel…” Nicole began, both her arms wrapped around my right arm.“Cáel Belafonte,” I interrupted. You could tell who the trial lawyers in the room were. Their expressions told me they knew I was lying.“Fascinating Mr. Belafonte,” Mr. Serial-Killer droned on. “What do you do?”“I am an Ichthyologist,” I met his gaze. “I’m involved in a twenty year study to determine the cause for the reduction in the size of Tuna fish scales.” That had them stumped.“That sounds like yet another great waste of government funds,” a young male lawyer with more bravado than combat-sex experience fired off.“Oh,” I shrugged. “Smaller scales, smaller full-sized Tuna, a spike in tuna prices and an eventual world-wide restriction on Tuna fishing, similar to the one currently covering virtually all whale species. Now, I doubt you know which people will decide who the recipient of those lucrative Tuna contracts will be, but I do. By all means; mock what you don’t understand.”“Government research project results will be in the public domain,” a woman joined the struggle.“Yes; and?” I asked in a bland tone.“Your research will be available to all kinds of commercial concerns,” male asshat grinned.“Your ability to show that you are as smart as any pre-law student must make someone, somewhere very proud,” I grinned back.Confused looks. Nicole was struggling to keep it together.“He never said he was in any manner part of the government, or a government program, Mr. Cherrie,” the female lead barracuda gave me her own hungry look. The guy looked pissed.“Oh, Mr. Belafonte, are you a private researcher, or a government one?” she female junior lawyer asked. “Heather Pulaski,” she gave her name.“Call me Cáel, Heather, and I am in no way associated with any government, I barely know what an Ichthyologist is and I’m certainly not one. Rude, arrogant people annoy me when they treat my friends like they are stupid; especially when they should know better. I can rarely stop myself from ridiculing them,” I grinned.“And now you think you are better than everyone else in the room for tricking us with this juvenile prank,” the Serial Killer sounded bored.“No. The lives of strangers are not my concern,” I bantered back. “I did what I did to make Nicole smile. If my antics remind the rest of you what a hotshot lawyer she is so much the better.”“Mr. and Mrs. DeYoung, Cáel, Cáel Nyilas, is a joker. He’s is also brilliant and just joined Havenstone Commercial Investments in their Executive Services Division,” Nicole bragged. She got points for the 'Executive Services’ part. More smirks; some people never learn.“Havenstone doesn’t employ too many men, does it?” Mrs. DeYoung said.Maybe she was looking for a Discrimination lawsuit.“Five men to be precise and two of us are out of the country,” I enlightened her.“So you are brilliant,” Mr. DeYoung seemed barely engaged; and was Mrs. DeYoung’s Mr. DeYoung. “What are your insights on DNA ownership, Cáel?”“DNA ownership is a fallacy,” I stated. “People are not pigs, soybeans, or corn. You cannot create a financial liability for your offspring because that amounts to slavery and is forbidden by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. DNA is a person; their blueprint. Only the person owns it and they can’t even sell it outright.”“That is hopelessly naive,” he snorted.“Not really. If you apply an accepted price tag to every human being on Earth, the anarchy will begin. Crimes like murder, torture and mutilation are based on the concept that human life has an unspecified value. Give something a value and you can trade in it.”“Murder somebody? How much was their DNA worth?” I postulated. “I pay the cost, or somebody pays it for me. You are calling me naïve? I’m not murdering somebody. I’m repossessing their DNA. Mr. DeYoung, I’m not a lawyer, so I am not approaching this from a limited field of vision like you are. I live in the World.”“Oddly enough, I’ve had some recent encounters with real slavery and that has convinced me that I’ll go down standing up, thank you very much,” I grinned. “In case that was misconstrued; my DNA is mine, no legal precedent will change that and I’m more than willing to put bodies in the ground to keep it so.”“You sound like an anarchist,” Mr. Cherrie chimed in.“Nope. I’m independent-minded. There is a difference,” I indicated. “Just like you, anarchists don’t want to let me be me either.”“Laws exist for a reason,” Nicole chastised me.What she was really saying was 'you are here for a reason and it isn’t entertaining my co-workers’.“This is the point where the smart man goes 'yes ma'am, they do’,” I nodded to her.“Your young man is not stupid,” Mrs. DeYoung chuckled.“This young man knows what happens if he behaves,” Nicole bowed to her superior; her boss, not me.“Oh goodie,” I rubbed my hands together. “Are we about to do some file-sharing?”“Something like that,” Nicole laughed and off we went.All I could imagine was that Nicole had to be God’s Own lawyer at this firm to get away with the crap we’d just pulled. Honestly, I had other things on my mind. We coasted into her office, with her name etched on the glass door…with the glass walls and floor to ceiling glass windows. Just because, I picked up a water-smoothed stone on her desk; glass houses and all.“That is from the Canadian Shield; some of the oldest rocks on Earth,” she told me.“You are also going to have one of the most painful hard substance on Earth in your office if we don’t do something soon,” I teased.“Where do you want to start?” she leaned against her desk.Her office was small, but it was her own. Considering her age, it was another 'she rocks’ indicator.“Your lips,” I murmured. Nicole liked that. She pushed off the desk enough so our lips could lock. It was very nice.“The other lips,” I teased her. She liked that idea even more. Her black, mid-thigh skirt came up, I knelt and decided her scarlet thong was more than skimpy enough for me to work around. I let my hands run along her calves. Nicole hummed out her acclaim and was even happier when I began lifting both legs up.Before long, she was laying on her back, her legs were raised high and spread wide. Nice and easy was replaced by rapidly energetic and fiendishly cunning. Nicole was fighting back the tidal surge of her ecstasy.“What are you holding back for?” I slurped around my tongue-lashing.We weren’t in a bathroom stall this time. Nicole tilted her head up, gave me a simmer glance then embraced her orgasm.“Damn!” she screamed followed by a dozen slightly less vocal 'damns’. I gave her just enough time for me to shed my pants, roll down a prophylactic then I mounted her.Had there been any doubt of our forceful ardor, my heroic efforts and Nicole’s dynamism shattered them. Half of the lawyers I’d briefly met stopped by and peeked through the glass. I didn’t care and Nicole reveled in 'bending the minds’ of the onlookers. After a while, her office was not enough. That sofa in the executive reception area?I bent her over the art deco beast and pummeled her, and it, half way across the room. The bathroom? To be gender-equal, we screwed around in the Men’s room this time. Nicole and I revisited her erotic fantasy of being bent over in the toilet, ass fucked then completing the act with dispensing of the condom and a glorious blowjob.Our last encounter involved a men’s standing urinal, Nicole’s legs wrapped around my waist as I gyrated against her.“Oh my God!” she yelped. “I’ve got it. Put me down.” I put her down because the reason I was here was to crack the mental block she had found herself in.Me? I’d come for the sex and Nicole delivered in spades. She had upheld her side of our bargain. Now that I’d reciprocated, it was time for 'hook-up’ Nicole to become 'lawyer’ Nicole. She made herself somewhat presentable and quick-stepped in back to the conference room. I secured my cock and pants before following.Nicole was babbling in an eldritch dark-tongue similar to Lady Sauron relaying doom to her pack of Nazgûl. They responded with various other arcane invocations until their agreement confirmed that millions of voices had cried out in terror then been suddenly silenced. In my universe, female devotees of Evil were all black leather-clad gorgeous sex kittens who used their dark arts to increase galactic lecherousness.“Time to show you out,” Nicole gave me a sultry smirk. “Come on.” Arm in arm, we traveled closely to the elevators.“Hold the door,” a female voice commanded right as the doors began to shut on the two of us. Nicole put a hand out to keep us from a few more second of alone time.A Caucasian women with short brown hair and a fierce scowl entered first. An imperious damsel came in next. My heart stopped in shock while I barely registered on her radar. A dusky man, nearly my height came in last of all. The doors shut and down we went. I was spending too much time watching the woman and her two bodyguards as we all headed to the door and not enough with Nicole.“Don’t even think about it, Cáel,” Nicole teased. “That’s Ms. Brianna O'Shea, she leads our client’s team and she’s totally off limits.”O'Shea pulled a 'Katrina’ the moment after Nicole used my name. She spun in place so that she was now facing Nicole and me.“What was your name?” she asked with sugary smoothness I associated with Bolivian tourism officials; the nice ones. You know, the ones that thought using a truck battery attached to the jumper cables and your testicles was too much because a car battery would do.“Percival Fenris, ma'am,” I introduced myself. “I’m a product engineer for Cyberdyne Systems. My team is creating a process that uses constantly recycling colored sugar dust as a medium that will replace current LCD technology. We are calling it Pixie TV.” Nicole was giggling. I was feeling less giggly, mainly because I was staring at my Mother.Not my Mother-mother; the woman who gave birth to me and who had been eaten alive by cancer. No, this was my Mother the way she looked when she was twenty-five and in excellent health.“Ms. O'Shea, this is Cáel Nyilas. He is a good friend of mine,” Nicole cut through my obfuscation.O'Shea took several steps toward us, away from the exit. Her guardians kept up and were ratcheting up their vigilance.“Interesting eyes,” she noted. “What is your heritage?” Rude and scary. Even Nicole knew something was incredibly wrong.“Cáel, you two have the same eyes,” Nicole mumbled.“I was thinking the same thing, Ms. Lawless,” Brianna said. Huh?“You are a lawyer named Lawless?” I gawked at Nicole. “How did that happen?” Why had that not registered when I went to Nicole’s office? Oh yeah, her leading me in, eyes pleading for sex.“That is not relevant, Mr. Nyilas,” O'Shea kept coming.“What do you mean 'not relevant’? Are you saying you’d hire a male escort named Quick-fire Small-Penis?” I wondered. “If so, you are a more trusting soul than I.”“Why are you avoiding my question?” Brianna queried.“Why are you asking questions I clearly don’t want to answer?” I retorted.“Cáel, please don’t antagonize my client’s representative,” Nicole was playful yet concerned.“No problem Nicole Lawless, Attorney at Law,” I grinned to her. I gave her a secretive butt squeeze then made to leave. Miraculously, Brianna let me slip by. The deceptiveness of that kindness was revealed when I stepped outside and found the limo…with another bodyguard standing beside the front passenger door.O'Shea/Mom’s double was hot on my heels. As I turned and headed up the street, she grabbed my right arm.“Why don’t we go out for a late bite to eat,” she stated. I wasn’t being invited. I was being told.“No can do,” I shrugged off her hand. “I promised my Father to leave a recognizable corpse.”“What makes you think I have sinister intentions?” she questioned. There was a lot of that going around; not answering stuff, that is.“Why do you assume you aren’t giving off the same bad vibe as a half-dozen 18th Street gangbangers on a Meth binge?” I teased. Brianna made a hand signal and the three bruisers put their hands on their guns. The closest to me moved around me to block off that escape route.To be correct, the guy at the car door was African-American, around my height with maybe 10 kg on me. The two guarding O'Shea were a guy of Moorish decent and a woman of the English Midlands. I knew this because I was afraid and making shit up.“Was I supposed to be impressed with the quiet appeal of desperation you exhibited by playing patty-cake with yourself,” I kept smiling.“Or are these three supposed to scare me?” I chuckled. “Here…in downtown Manhattan; one of the few places on the planet Earth trying to rival London in video surveillance.”“Video evidence can be altered,” Brianna gave me a wicked gleam.“Was that supposed to be your Evil Henchwoman voice?” I kept snickering.“If so, get a refund from that mail-order firm you took lessons from,” I grinned.“You appear to be rather fearless, and obstinate,” O'Shea nodded. “Foolishly so.”“Lady, I’m staring into the face of my dead Mother who is trying to get me into a limo with three goombahs who think they are intimidating. They are not,” I pointed out.“This whole weekend has been a disaster, so me beating the crap out of those three, you and the driver isn’t going to change a damn thing,” I enlightened them. The Moorish guy extended a collapsible cane.“You seem very confident,” she informed me.“Of course I am,” I stated. “You haven’t spotted my bodyguard yet, meaning all of you are truly screwed.”“Why would you have a bodyguard?” she inquired.“Why would you want to know?” I countered.“Do you practice being irritating, or is an innate talent?” Brianna regarded me.“We can do this 'answering a question with a question’ thing all night long, except I have to be at work at six a.m. so how about you tell me what you really want to know and tell me why you look like; screw that; are my MOTHER’s clone,” I sighed.“Tell me about your genetic heritage,” O'Shea demanded. She was that kind of authoritative prick; actual penis not required.“I apologize. I don’t seem to have a handle your native vocabulary and your English-as-a-Second Language skills suck,” I sneered. “I should go home now.”Moorish guy blocked my egress. English chick was on my right flank, back to the limo and the street. The most pressing issue was a matter of privilege; O'Shea’s people thought they’d get away with breaking the law. The moment the Moor popped out is baton, it was 'on’. A baton is a weapon plus O'Shea and her bodyguard were blocking my

Gareth and Ted chat about Honor Magic Vs, Honor 80, Oukitel WP21, Anbernic RG505, Palm OS emulator, Lelo Pleasure Console, Galaxy A23 5G and Clarks shoes With Gareth Myles and Ted Salmon Join us on Mewe RSS Link: https://techaddicts.libsyn.com/rss iTunes | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Tunein | Spotify  Amazon | Pocket Casts | Castbox | PodHubUK Feedback and Contributions Anker 521 Powerhouse Hardline on the hardware Lelo's the pleasure console offers exceptional variety and even hooks up to an app! £149

As I was recording this podcast, the following email went out to community stakeholders from the Superintendent of the Estes Park School District regarding the district policy concerning the charter school application and upcoming process here is what it read: Estes Park School District Staff, Parents/Guardians, and Community,Loveland Classical Schools has submitted an application to start a K-8 charter school in the Estes Park School District. The application was submitted and has met the requirements set in the policy. District policy also dictates that the district must host public meetings so that stakeholders have the opportunity to relay questions and express concerns or support regarding the charter school application. A timeline has been developed to guide the process, and we strongly encourage citizens to attend the meetings if at all possible. HERE is the most recent LCS Charter School Application. Below you will find an upcoming timeline for community meetings hosted by the Estes Park School District in relation to the application and process: * November 29, 2022* Time: 5:30-7:30 pm* Initial Public meeting for stakeholders to provide comments around the Loveland Classical Schools application. A review of the process will occur at this meeting. * Location: Estes Park Town Hall | 170 MacGregor Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517* December 12th, 2022* Time: 6:15 pm* Regular Board of Education meeting* Location: Estes Park Town Hall | 170 MacGregor Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517* January 5, 2023* Time: 5:30-7:30 pm* Public meeting in which the Loveland Classical Schools Charter School representatives will be interviewed by Superintendent Bode and the Board of Education in the presence of the public. There will not be an opportunity for public comment at this meeting. * Location: Estes Park Town Hall | 170 MacGregor Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517* January 6, 2023* Time: 5:30-7:30 pm* Public meeting for stakeholders to provide comments around the Loveland Classical Schools application. * Location: Estes Park Town Hall | 170 MacGregor Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517* January 10, 2023* Time: 8:30-11:00 am * Regular Board of Education Work Session * Location: Admin Conference Room | 1605 Brodie Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517* Regularly scheduled DAAC (District Accountability Advisory Committee) Meeting * Time: 4:15-5:45 pm * Location: Admin Conference Room | 1605 Brodie Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517* January 23rd, 2023 * Time: 6:15-TBD pm* Regular School Board meeting to receive DAAC and Superintendent recommendation regarding the Loveland Classical Schools charter into the district.* Location: Estes Park Town Hall | 170 MacGregor Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517* February 14, 2023* Regular Board of Education Work Session* Time: 8:30-11:00 am* Location: Admin Conference Room | 1605 Brodie Avenue * Regularly scheduled DAAC (District Accountability Advisory Committee) Meeting * Time: 4:15-5:45 pm * Location: Admin Conference Room | 1605 Brodie Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517 * February 27th, 2023* Time: 6:15 pm* Description: Regular EPSD Board meeting vote and adopt an official resolution regarding Loveland Classical Schools. @ Town Hall* Location: Estes Park Town Hall | 170 MacGregor Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517Additionally, a comment form has been created to allow for online feedback utilizing the Google Form found HERE.  Information collected by this form will be shared with the Board of Education, Superintendent Bode and Administration. This form will be accepting responses until January 10th, 2023. For more information and up to date details, please follow along on our website HERE. Kind Regards, Ruby Bode, Superintendent Here are the two emails I read on the episode: To members of the Estes Park School District Board,I reluctantly offer these comments regarding the proposed charter school application. Reluctantly, because based on my prior experiences with such issues in Estes Park, I suspect this may already be a done deal. Reluctantly also because I am aware that my comments may offend certain people including some who are good friends. Nevertheless, I believe the issues and concerns below should be part of the public record regarding the charter school application.Here is the first:LOVELAND CLASSICAL SCHOOL CHARTER PROPOSAL AND A BRIEF SUMMARY                                    OF SIGNIFICANT LCS POLICIES AND PROCEDURESOME HELPFUL DEFINITIONS:            A NON-PUBLIC (PRIVATE) SCHOOL IS A SCHOOL SUCH AS AN INDEPENDENT, PAROCHIAL OR HOME SCHOOL THAT DOES NOT RECEIVE ANY PUBLIC (TAXPAYER PROVIDED) FUNDING. THE OPERATIVE TERM HERE IS “INDEPENDENT” MEANING THAT BY NOT ACCEPTING PUBLIC FUNDING THE SCHOOL IS ALSO RELIEVED FROM FOLLOWING MOST STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT OFTEN ACCOMPANY THE RECEIPT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING.            A CHARTER SCHOOL IS A PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT DOES RECEIVE TAXPAYER FUNDING; CONSEQUENTLY, A CHARTER SCHOOL MUST FOLLOW APPROPRIATE CORRESPONDING STATE REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS THAT ACCOMPANY THE ACCEPTANCE OF TAXPAYER FUNDING.LCS POLICIES AND PROCEDURESA.    SCHOOL GOVERNANCE WILL BE DONE BY AN APPOINTED (NOT AN ELECTED) BOARD IN LOVELAND. THERE WILL BE NO DIRECT ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE TAXPAYERS OF THE ESTES VALLEY OF THE BOARD'S DECISIONS.B.     FUNDING PROVIDED TO THE LOVELAND CLASSICAL SCHOOL WILL ACCORDINGLY REDUCE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO  CURRENT ESTES VALLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENT PROGRAMS.  IN OTHER WORDS, THE PROPOSED LCS CHARTER SCHOOL WILL BE IN DIRECT FINANCIAL COMPETITION WITH THE ESTES PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT (EPSD), AND THUS EXACERBATE THE CURRENT FUNDING AND STUDENT NUMBERS CHALLENGES OF THE ESTES PARK SCHOOL DISTRICTC.     ADDITIONAL TAXPAYER PROVIDED STARTUP FUNDING FOR THE CHARTER SCHOOL WILL BE USED TO RENOVATE AND EXPAND CHURCH FACILITIES WHERE THE CLASSES WILL BE HELD (ESTES PARK BAPTIST CHURCH—CORNERSTONE) IN ESTES PARK. THE CHURCH WILL ALSO RECEIVE A YEARLY USE FEE.  THE MINISTER OF THE CHURCH TO RECEIVE THE RENOVATION MONEY IS ALSO ON THE BOARD OF THE LOVELAND CLASSICAL SCHOOL (A CLEAR CONFLICT OF INTEREST). ALL ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED LCS BRANCH ARE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN THE ESTES VALLEY.D.    ALTHOUGH COLORADO CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRED TO ADMIT STUDENTS OF ALL INCOMES AND ACADEMIC ABILITIES, THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION OR FOOD THAT CAN OFTEN BE  CRITICAL TO CERTAIN LOW INCOME FAMILIES. THE PROPOSED LOVELAND CLASSICAL CHARTER SCHOOL WILL NOT PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION AND MEAL PROGRAMS AS THE ESTES PARK PUBLIC SCHOOLS DO. STUDENTS MAY ALSO BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASED SCHOOL-SANCTIONED CLOTHING.E.     ALTHOUGH COLORADO TEACHER CERTIFICATION FOR LCS IS RECOMMENDED, IT IS NOT REQUIRED (THIS IS TRUE FOR ALL APPROVED COLORADO CHARTER SCHOOLS). THE LCS BOARD IN LOVELAND WILL THUS HAVE FINAL SAY ON TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS.F.     LCS POLICIES REGARDING CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:1.     “The theory of evolution in regard to human origins will not be taught at this time” “but such teaching is not intended to exclude other theories of human origin and development such as creation” (a potential Constitutional violation)2.     The LCS curriculum does not include human sexuality instruction (a potential violation of certain Colorado statutes unless an official waiver has been granted)3.     “Controversial issues” are defined as those of a political or social nature where there are differences of opinion and passions run high. These issues  may not be addressed in certain cases as determined by the LCS Board in Loveland. Thus, controversial issues may only be explored when arising from some part of the curriculum in grades 6-12. When these subjects come up, teachers will present an “impartial view” without proselytizing. Contemporary controversial issues will not be discussed in the elementary school, even if part of the Core Knowledge sequence, without Site Principal approval.*The above information is taken from a variety of sources. Since thorough and reliable information is limited, I welcome any additions and/or corrections to the above statementsMY PERSONAL ANALYSIS OF THE LCS CHARTER PROPOSALUnder the Colorado Charter School Act an approved charter school is allowed to have an independent governing board, to hire unlicensed teachers, to impose conservative dress codes and to provide creative and sometimes experimental approaches to teaching the general high school curriculum approved by the State Board of Education.At the same time, however, a charter school is still a public school that must be open to students of all income levels and academic abilities. It may not exercise the kind of selective admissions policies that are allowed to independent and parochial schools because a public school is intended to serve the general public, not a select group of like-minded people. A charter school may not promote religion (especially a particular religion) in any way, nor may it discriminate against any ethnic, racial or gender group in any way.In my personal opinion, The LCS application proposal fails the Charter School test. The refusal to teach the origins of human evolution clearly reveals the narrow fundamentalist religious education mission of the school. The LCS approach to human evolution has nothing to do with a “classical education” and it  is contrary to both state-approved scientific education and the general public's belief in appropriate scientific education. LCS's motivation is further affirmed by the accompanying proposed religious locations, taxpayer supported church startup funding  (and consequent Board membership conflicts of interest). Lack of local control of the LCS Board is also an issue of  concern.In addition to failing the appropriate religious test for a charter school, LCS also fails the general test of how to approach controversial issues. The seemingly benign language and processes regarding the teaching and discussion of controversial issues leaves far too much power in the hands of the Site Principal and the independent LCS Board. Parsed carefully, the language is very similar to the language of requirements imposed in Texas and Florida to promote particular political views by carefully and intentionally limiting and censoring discussion of certain controversial issues. Restricting faculty responses and faculty led discussions to this degree may be fine for the promotion of certain political, social or religious agendas, but it is not good public education.In summary, the LCD proposal is a proposal for a private school designed to meet the needs, not of the general public, but instead mostly to satisfy the needs and desires of conservatives,  religious fundamentalists and evangelical Christians. There is nothing wrong with a private school to satisfy those needs and desires, but there is everything wrong for such a school to expect to be supported by public taxpayer funding. Should the current School Board support such a proposal,  future bond issues and appeals for public funding may consequently fall on deaf ears from a significant portion of the taxpaying public who will not forgive the Board for helping to financially undermine the Estes Park School District in order to serve the narrow and minority agenda of a powerful religious and political lobbying group. Does the EPSD need to significantly improve its academic program in some areas? Yes it does, and this should be the Board's focus rather than encouraging a competitive charter school with particular political and religious agendas that risk doing more harm than good to the public school system.*My reactions to this charter school proposal are based on 36 years of teaching in independent schools (including nine years as a Headmaster), service on the Board of the Association of Colorado Independent Schools, and participation in a number of ACIS Accreditation Evaluations.As my background implies, I am not opposed to independent schools, religious schools or charter schools. The school choice program in Colorado has certainly benefited my children and grandchildren. Would I be opposed to any type of charter school in Estes Park? No, I would not be, as long as the charter school is a true “public school” in the sense that it serves the entire community (i.e. that it is without inappropriate political, social or religious baggage).  Am I opposed to a  “classical school” without the aforementioned baggage?  Not necessarily, although having taught both Western Civilization and Global Studies(along with Comparative Religions) I would offer the caveat that too much focus on the Western Canon may not well serve our increasingly diverse student population. Consequently, any proposed charter school should take that into consideration and avoid offering “canned curriculums” often provided by groups with particular agendas that may not be appropriate as part of the Estes Park “public” school system.In this vein, I urge individual Estes Park Board members, as you consider this charter proposal, to act as stewards of the overall Estes Valley educational community and not as perceived representatives of any particular political, social or religious action group.Here is the second: We are writing to strongly oppose the LCS-EV application.   The money that it siphons from the school district will have a serious negative impact on the quality of education the district will be able to provide for students who do not attend the new school.  The data show that Estes Valley schools are performing well, but this change could mean fewer teachers and possibly lower salaries which are already among the lowest in the nation.  Also, it is a clear violation of the separation between church and state for the district to spend $50,000 renovating a church to accommodate the special needs of the new school.The financial requirements for the students in the new school will eliminate any students of limited means, because they will not be able to afford the uniforms, lunches, and transportation.  There are many parents in Estes Park who work in the service industries who are barely able to afford living in Estes.  This is discrimination against those parents and students.It seems to us that spending a half million dollars for the benefit of 40-70 students is fiscally unsound. Diluting the money from tax dollars to run two schools does not provide the highest quality of education for the students in either one.If the school is approved, the Estes Park elected school board cedes any oversight to the appointed board of the Loveland Charter School, who are not local residents.  The board even includes the pastor of the host church……talk about a conflict of interest!  And to imagine that the Loveland board--not even required to appoint certified teachers--will appoint anyone but religious pedagogues is naive. We want to emphasize that we are NOT opposed to religious schools....one of us attended them, after all.  But this is a thinly disguised attempt to use public money to fund a religious school, and that is what is not acceptable.  If there are parents who want their children in a religious school, they should be willing to pay for it.-- Mary and Barry HanniganEstes Park, COwww.blackcanyonrecords.com/maryHere is the link to the Great Schools reviews I read from: https://www.greatschools.org/colorado/loveland/4273-Loveland-Classical-School/reviews/And just for fun, here is Willam Burroughs reading his Thanksgiving Poem: Today's episode is sponsored by: Get full access to The Colorado Switchblade at www.coloradoswitchblade.com/subscribe

The 16:9 PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY SCREENFEED – DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT I'm not sure why seeing all the product references lately to holograms makes me a little crazy, apart from the simple fact that none of them really meet the definition. It's not like that's the one term marketers abuse. We've seen bezel-less displays that had bezels. MicroLED displays that aren't actually microLED. And on and on. I don't entirely know what really does meet the definition, so I thought I'd ask an expert. Daniel Smalley is an associate professor of electrical engineering at Brigham Young University in Utah, and a genuine expert in the field. He's working, his CV says, to make the 3D displays of science fiction a reality, using "waveguide-based modulators and optical tractor beam technologies." The short summary is that we're not there yet, and in this conversation, we get into why that is - with the biggest reason being bandwidth and the immense computing power needed to genuinely make the holograms of Star Wars and Star Trek actually happen, and work. We also get into a discussion of the various products already on the market that have co-opted the hologram term, and also talk about the real world, practical applications for holograms. Daniel went to MIT and has his masters and a Ph.D, so he's approximately a billion times smarter than me. This talk gets technical in spots, but I tried valiantly to keep up! Subscribe to this podcast: iTunes * Google Play * RSS TRANSCRIPT Daniel, thank you for joining me. Can you explain your role at BYU and your interest in holograms?  Daniel Smalley: Certainly, I'm an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering here at Brigham University. My research primarily has to do with advanced 3D displays, including holographic displays and volumetric displays.  Okay, and when you say you're doing research, what does that mean? Daniel Smalley: So it is our group's manifest destiny, as we see it, to recreate the displays of science fiction, specifically the Princess Leia projector from Star Wars and the Holodeck from Star Trek, and so research in my mind is the steps we take to get from where we are to those places  And where are we in those steps?  Daniel Smalley: On the holography end, as we'll talk about, I'm sure, the primary challenge now is that we can make little teeny tiny holographic video displays, but the bandwidth issues, the sheer computational power required to make big displays remain an obstacle. Some estimates have suggested that we will colonize Mars before we have the capacity to easily feed a big holographic display with all the pixels it's hungry for and on the other side, on the Princess Leia projector side, we're in a similar space, but with more hope. That is to say that we can make little teeny tiny Princess Leia projections, but I think we're not far away from getting moderate and maybe even large-size volumetric images in the near future. So let's do a level set here. How do you define holograms and holographic visuals?  Daniel Smalley: Yeah, that's an excellent question. So there have been meetings of the minds where we've discussed and debated what these things mean, and I think the best way to think about the different display families is that there are three of them. So a trifecta of holographic display.  The first is a “ray” family of displays, the second is a “wave” family of displays, and the third is a “point” family of displays. Now the ray displays are the displays we're already familiar with. These are lenticular displays, stuff that you might see at Best Buy or in a magazine. These crisscross rays of light and space form an image point that we perceive, what we would call a real image point. A holographic display is a step up from that. Instead of taking rays and intersecting them in the air, what it will do is it'll take its whole surface, so you'll be gazing at a screen and this whole surface is focusing light, it's curving away in front of a light, in order to focus at a point, and your eye perceives that focal. As a display point. Now the magic of holography is you can take that surface that's shaping light and you can superimpose many such surfaces, one on top of the other, and focus on multiple points and in this way, build up an image in the air, and these images can be optically indistinguishable from real objects.  So if you've seen a really good hologram in a museum, you may be tempted to pick it up and look behind the glass to see if there is a real object behind it. Even a seasoned holographer will occasionally mistake a hologram for a real object. Now it comes with the price of the fact that there is a glass, that you have to be looking through a screen of some type. But the reason for this is that wave shaping is being performed by a pattern of lines, a diffraction pattern, where there are three ways of bending: light, reflection, refraction, and diffraction. And in a hologram, diffraction is the active ingredient in creating this wave shape. So you have to be staring into those lines. You gotta be staring into that pattern if you hope to see something, Now that said, imagery can be very deep. Looking into that hologram, that window, you can see imagery that comes out and tickles your nose or goes way back to infinity, back to the horizon. But you've always gotta be watching it like you watch a television set, even if what you'd prefer to do is watch it like a water fountain, right? Where the aperture is flat and then there's content shooting up out. Then you can walk all around it and see it from every direction. Now, that type of display exists, but it's not a hologram. It's called a point display or a volumetric display, and unlike ray displays and wave displays that require screens, a point display can be screenless.  In fact, maybe the best way to think about it is you take its screen and you grind it up into little pieces and you scatter them into the air, and then each time you're looking at one of those little pieces, you're looking at an image point as well. And that's the technical definition of a point display is that every time you're looking at an image point, you're also looking at a group of atoms, a physical scatterer, which is to say, unlike the ray case, where you're looking at an intersection of photons or the hologram case where you're looking at the focusing of the wavefront, here we're looking at physical atoms scattering light. So in some ways, a volumetric display is a lot like a 3D printer that just destroys the object it's creating every 30th of a second and this endows it with some remarkable properties. So you can make images that you can see from every angle. It can be relatively low bandwidth images if they're sparse and they have what's called perfect accommodation, which means you can focus on them. Your eye believes even if you close one eye, you can focus really tightly on them and have really strong 3D cues. Now, the downside is that with these types of displays, it's hard to achieve the same level of realism that you get with a holographic display, and the reason for this, is you can imagine if you had a jar of fireflies and you're trying to make images out of these fireflies, no matter what, you'd always have this problem where you can the fireflies in the back of your image at the same time, you can see the fireflies at the front of your image and in the result is that everything looks like a ghost or a hole, right? So this problem of self-occlusion is a big one, and it's one it's part of the research we do is try to come overcome these issues so that it can be a complete display of the solution.  In terms of array display, you were describing lenticular. So in the context of this stuff that people listening to this might relate to. Going back a number of years, there were what were called glasses-free 3D displays that were basically LCD displays with a lenticular layer over top of it and if you looked at it from different angles, you would see something was popping up from the screen. Is that basically what a ray display would be?  Daniel Smalley: Absolutely, that's exactly right. The wave display when you were describing that, I was immediately thinking of that little company in Brooklyn called Looking Glass and the little loose-eyed blocks that they have.  Daniel Smalley: So Looking Glass and I don't want to misrepresent them or anything but Looking Glass, I think I will admit they are a ray display technology. If you look at a Looking Glass display and you move left and right, you will see the image change perspective. But if you move up and down, you won't. And that's an indication to the viewer that you're looking through a cylindrical lens as opposed to an array of circular or spherical lenses. Now the difference between them is that if it's a lens-lit array as opposed to a lenticular array, then you can move up and down and you'll also see 3D in that direction. But you can dramatically reduce the information you need by just making it horizontal, parallax only. They're just providing information for the horizontal and your eyes for the most part don't care. They're horizontally separated. You don't do a lot of bobbing up and down, so you get the most bang for your buck with just horizontal parallax.  Yeah I've seen the Looking Glass stuff, I think I might have seen it at a trade show but I was underwhelmed. It's like, I'll shift to my right and I'll shift to my left, and it does seem like the image is subtly different, but it's one of these things where I'm going that's nice, but so what? Daniel Smalley: Yeah, that's true. There is also some fatalism about three 3D displays that when you get really good, you've just now duplicating reality, which is something we're very used to, and it just becomes suddenly banal. It just suddenly looks like everything.  So what would be an example of a wave? Are there real-world examples of a wave family display? Daniel Smalley: A wave display that you could go out and buy today, I don't know, but there are certainly many good static displays. There are certainly commercial companies making an effort to create wave displays. Two approaches that are gaining traction commercially, I think, are holographic displays, which are a pattern of lines that refract light to form a wavefront or a nanophotonic phased array. There is a caveat, there's a merging between the ray and the wave family at the moment when the rays come from emitters that are very small, smaller than a wavelength of light. If those emitters are super small, number one and number two, if all the emitters can see each other, that is to say, they have some fixed phase relationship with each other. The technical term for this is coherence. They act as a team. If all those things are true, then you can start shaping wavefronts with what would've been rays. So essentially if you have a big emitter, the ray comes out like a laser. But as your emitter gets smaller and smaller, the ray doesn't come out like a laser. It comes out more like a, I don't even know how to describe it, a spray, right? It defracts out more and more until now you've got a spherical emitter and all those spherical emitters see each other and they interfere with each other in ways that allow them to create arbitrary wavefronts. Any wavefront you want, you can create from a collection of spherical emitters, assuming they're small enough and assuming they're coherent with each other.  So that's another approach that some people are taking. But the problem is, in each one of these cases you've got just an intractable information problem. For example, any display could be made into a holographic display if its resolution was sufficiently high if it could achieve holographic resolution, which is roughly a thousand pixels per millimeter linear. So imagine taking all the pixels in your computer screen right now and squishing them into a 1:1 millimeter area and then refilling your computer screen at that density. So that's a million times more pixels than what you're currently using to create a display the same size as what you're currently using, and so you're talking about if you wanted a meter-size holographic display updated, at a reasonable refresh rate you're looking at in the neighborhood of hundreds of billions of pixels per second, maybe trillions of pixels per second to create that display. So you've got challenges with computing power, with graphic processing, with bandwidth, and everything else?  Daniel Smalley: Yeah, but primarily bandwidth. The feeling I think, broadly, is that optical electronics is a solvable problem. We might even be able to get pixel densities where we want them, maybe. But that compute power, that remains a big deal.  Now there are shortcuts and workarounds. One particularly good workaround was by SeaReal back in the day, what they would do is they would look at the viewer's eyeballs and they would only shoot light into the eyes, light that was diffracting in other directions they would ignore entirely. It wouldn't compute any of that, so they could dramatically reduce the amount of the information they had to process and they could increase the pixel size because they only needed just a little bit of diffraction, just enough to cover your pupil, and then they were done. It's unfortunate that we haven't seen more from them. They started out with a kind of mechanical version of the display that worked really well, and I think there was a struggle to make something that was solid state. But it was a pretty clever trick to reduce this bandwidth while still preserving the benefits of a wavefront-shaping holographic display and the realism that comes with it. So where do light field displays fall into all this? Are those waves or points?  Daniel Smalley: So this is the most controversial of all of this syntactic infighting that we have right now, because there are displays out there right now trying to commercialize light field displays, and they don't want anyone thinking that they're any less, that consumers are getting anything less than what they might consider being a holographic display. And how they use the term and how we use the term are often very different. So those of us who've gotten together and agreed on this, say a light field display is a ray display. That is to say, it's a pixelated display that's shooting rays in different directions, and it's those intersections that create image points that our brain perceives. Though I know there are displays out there, or at least they're attempting to create coherent Wavefronts, that is to say, these nanophotonic phased arrays. They're trying to create phased array wavefronts potentially, and I can't be sure this is the case, but they do have wavefront shaping capabilities and that's when you've crossed the bridge from ray display to a wave display.  Are hologram and holographic Interchangeable terms or are they different things? Daniel Smalley: So hologram as we see it, the way we decided to specify this term, we define a hologram as the surface with the lines on it that's actually diffracting the light. So if you go to a museum and you see a hologram, the glass plate that you look into, the screen itself, that is the hologram, and the image that's the holographic image. And then the process of creating that is holography. So we use holography to create holograms, and when we illuminate those holograms, they create holographic images.  Is a spinning LED light stick that are these individual sorts of fan blade things and arrays of them that are being called holograms? Are they holograms? Daniel Smalley: No. There's nothing diffracting. So if there's no diffraction, then it can't be a hologram. Now it could be a volumetric image. What's happening with most of these is there is a fan that spins in a single plane, however, if you just move that fan in and out, you just oscillate it in and out, or if you add a bunch of fan blades stacked on top of each other and spin them, now you've created a volumetric display. Now, every time I look at one of those image points, I'm looking at a physical object in a volume and I'm getting a volumetric image and it will have all of the benefits and all the deficiencies of that family of displays, of that point family, but not a hologram.  So when you say it's volumetric, it means if you went off to the side a little bit, it's not just this single flat image, there's a dimension to it or depth to it?  Daniel Smalley: So when I say volumetric, I mean that If you look at an image point, you're looking at a physical object, in this case, an LED. Of course, it's just a flat screen, it's just spinning in a plane.  If it wants to be qualified as a 3D display, then it needs to have pixels or voxels that exist off a plane. So you just need to stack these or move one of them in and out, and then you could achieve this effect of having a volumetric image.  It's yet more moving parts in these things, which would worry me even more.  Daniel Smalley: That's right. If they weren't dangerous enough.  Is a transparent LCD a hologram?  Daniel Smalley: That is a good question. So that depends entirely on what are you displaying. So first of all, it could be a hologram if you're displaying a pattern of lines on your transparent hologram meant to diffract light so that far away it's converging to a point for somebody to observe. That kind of display would not be very useful unless the pixels of this transparent LCD were very tiny. Now, in the case of some microdisplays, for example, there are transparent LCD microdisplays for projectors, that could be a legitimate holographic display that would actually create an image that we would appreciate as a holographic image.  Now, those microdisplays are micro, they're small maybe an inch, maybe one or two inches on a side. So they're not particularly well suited to humans. But they would make great pets or insect displays. The challenge now is to keep that same pixel, those teeny tiny pixels, those teeny tiny transparent LCD pixels, and then scale that size up while keeping the pixel small to something that a human would appreciate, something in the 20-inch diagonal range. So these shower stall dimension displays that are transparent LCDs that are just nicely lit, white screen captured visuals of people who were standing in one place and it's reflected on the transparent LCD inside the shower stall thing, that's being described as a hologram, and when I've written about it I describe it as hologram-ish. But it wouldn't qualify as a hologram, would it?  Daniel Smalley: It would not. But I will say this, I think that the tradeoffs made there are actually pretty compelling. So when it comes to representing full-size humans, we have to recognize that humans are flat, especially if you're looking at somebody standing on a stage, the six inches of depth from the front of their nose to the back of their head is not much in the grand scheme of things, especially if you're looking at them from 50 feet away or a 100 feet away, which is why the two 2Pac “hologram” was so compelling, because the further away you get from an object, the fewer 3D cues your eye is able to use to determine.  So when you go to a play, they can paint the background, the mountains, and the sun, because those things are so far away. The only 3D cues we get are occlusion. The fact that one is in front of the other, but it could be totally flat and those pictorial cues are all we need. As objects get closer, we start adding things like motion parallax. When you're driving down the road, now you see these telephone poles moving with respect to each other, and then as things get a little closer, now you get left eye, right eye disparity, and it's only when they get really close within a few meters does your eye start being able to focus on the near and far parts of that image and you get these accommodation effects, and then when they get within arms reach, you can touch them, and now you have keen aesthetic cues. So it's really when things are up close, within arms reach that you get this rich set of 3D cues, but if you push imagery back far enough, you can really get away with a lot. Things get much cheaper, and much easier, and if the intention for these shower displays as you call them, which I think is a pretty accurate description, if it's just to give the sense of the presence of another human being in a room, and if they're a few feet away, that might be a reasonable trade-off, especially if they're pushing all those resources into creating really high dynamic range, which they do, good color saturation, and high responsibility.  Those things are gonna be much more compelling to a human viewer than those six inches of depth. We're boring as far as 3D is concerned as humans.  Yeah, I've seen light field displays at the SID trade show and I have seen the shower stall devices at different trade shows, and if I think of the two, the light field display is arguably closer to what people are thinking about as a science fiction hologram, but they're also six inches tall, and I suspect that most people having to choose between the two would say, I like the life-size thing a lot more, even if it maybe isn't quite as sophisticated in certain respects. Daniel Smalley: Absolutely!  When I talked to the guy at Portal, David Nussbaum, who founded that company, it used to be called Portal, and that's the shower stall displays. He says, I know it's not a true hologram, but we have to call it something and it's something that consumers have their heads wrapped around so that's why we use that. Is that a fair approach? Daniel Smalley: Yeah, I think so. As I say, we're all very defeated at this point on this. So I think that if you're trying to communicate with humans and it's already entered the vernacular in that way, unless we give them an alternative, then what else is a guy supposed to do?  I'm curious longer term as this technology matures, what are the real-world applications for this? Because, if you're replicating Princess Leia and Star Wars that's a theme park attraction or a museum attraction or something like that. But are there practical business uses for holographic visuals?  I did see a demo from a company up in Newfoundland, called Avalon Holographics and that was for energy exploration and shipping and so on, to show the depth of the ocean and all that, and I thought, that's pretty interesting. So is that kind of the more, the real-world use of this going forward? Daniel Smalley: That's a very good question. I think we have yet to find the killer app for holography,  to be honest. So in any of the scenarios I've been approached with, it seems relatively straightforward to come up with something that's almost as good for much, much cheaper. In the case of oil exploration, they're trying to understand these complicated 3D shapes in the form of oil fields and where to dig and this kind of spatial stuff. But unless time is an important factor and it's not in this case, you can use a really big, nice 2D screen, move your mouse around and rotate around enough to get a real good sense of the 3D shape. People are really good at abstracting from 2D to 3D, and I'm thinking of radiologists in particular who just make this second nature. However, if you were a surgeon and you were trying to thread a catheter through the vasculature of the body, which can get very complicated in 3D, especially as you approach the heart and the brain it might be useful to have a really high fidelity 3D image that you can see as you're pushing this catheter to avoid getting abrasions on the artery surface causing embolism, that sort of thing, and the reason for that is because time is important. You're moving that catheter in time, you're being able to capture the spatial information at the same time you're moving is sensitive. Time is a sensitive part of this process and so maybe in that case. Maybe if you're doing aerospace surveillance, we've got all these extra satellites, thanks to Elon Musk and SpaceX to keep track of and the possibility of conjunction, which is the smashing together of satellites, I think it's greater and greater all the time, and that's more complicated than airplanes smashing into each other because you got these curved orbits and I'm sure there are all sorts of AI and computer analysis, but there's still a human loop, I think in most cases, and they have to make a judgment call about whether these two complicated orbital paths are gonna result in the smashing together of two objects, and if you have that rendered in 3D, you've got this moving spatial situation. I think you could understand what's happening much more viscerally than trying and abstract that from a 2D screen so I see those as two, clear and present applications for a really good holographic system.  Is there a lot of business investment in this or is much of the work involving holography happening in environments such as yours, more on the academic side? Daniel Smalley: Definitely more on the academic side. If you're talking about the display, the real money in holography has never been in the display. It's always been in things like security or photolithography or some of these other fields.  So holography for currency counterfeiting? Daniel Smalley: Yeah, that's exactly right. So I don't imagine that's going to change. My feeling is the display field is just fraught. It's just a terrible market to be in, it is. If you think about the last century, we really only had two dominant display technologies. For the majority of this century, you had CRT displays, and then for the rest you had LCDs, and during this time, big companies were cannibalizing their own technologies. New things were coming on like miniature cathode ray tubes and all sorts of interesting OLEDs, just think how long it took OLEDs to take off even though they were superior in so many ways. It was just, you've got these multi-billion dollar foundries, and fabs, and you're gonna squeeze every last drop out of those displays, and then the margins are so small and yeah, it's just a rough business to be in.  So thelast century in the early part of this one has just been littered with good technologies, good 3D technologies that just couldn't get a foothold. In the 90s we had two excellent 3D displays. We had the Actuality display, which is the spinning paddle which was a very nice display, and then, it had a hundred million pixels, I think, per second, and then we had Sullivan's Crystal display where he had these stacked liquid crystals that he would project on to form a volumetric image, are also excellent and solid state for goodness sake, and that both of those, about the 90s, both of those couldn't quite find a foothold in the market.  Is it the sort of thing that could be revived?  Daniel Smalley: Oh, it has been revived. So there is a version of this type of display, which I called an enclosed volumetric display where you have a diffuser moving up and down inside, what I presume is an evacuated volume, and then you're projecting on that and it looks beautiful, it looks great and they're making a good try. They're making a good effort to get out there and solve some problems.  My feeling with most people who are doing 3D displays is that the targets they're looking at are in entertainment, people who are trying to do VR or something like this, but need some collaborative platform to develop on that, where everybody can gather around and that becomes this volumetric display or in this case, Looking Glass is also good at this, and then I think Sony has another beautiful 3D display auto stereo for the same sort of thing, targeting that same sort of market.  Yeah, I've seen that. Where do you think things will be in 10 years from now? Will there be commercial products out there, or is this still gonna be in the labs?  Daniel Smalley: I guess we have to dig down a little bit on that question. What are we gonna have? Well, we're gonna continue to have better and better displays for sure, and I think we're gonna start making inroads on niche markets. I think we are seeing companies take this tack of hitting premium markets first. So oil exploration will be in there, entertainment will be in there, and hopefully, we'll have a Tesla-like experience where they'll get a nice premium product with lots of really inspiring features. They'll identify a killer app and then the trickle-down will provide the rest of us plebians with a 3D display in the next little bit.  Things are accelerating, lots of technologies are converging. I think it's much more likely that you'll see an everyday volumetric display before you see an everyday holographic display just because the information problem, and the bandwidth problem's not going away. And I say volumetric displays. I should also say that displays like Looking Glass, these light field displays or more correctly, maybe these ray displays are also gonna get better and better, and we'll have to make some decisions about whether we are willing to pay the premium to go from that excellent ray display to a much more expensive holographic display.  This was very helpful, very technical, I even understood some of it. I appreciate you taking the time with me. Daniel Smalley: Yeah, my pleasure. It's my favorite thing to talk about.

Crystal Kadakia, CEO of the Learning Cluster Design Group and co-creator of the LCD model, discusses learning assets, why it's important to get specific about your DEI training goals, and how talent development professionals can use the idea of learner personas to design more nuanced DEI learning experiences. Crystal Kadakia LCD Model Designing For Modern Learning Beyond ADDIE and SAM The Millennial Myth Social Equations

TV selection has never been better but how do you know you're getting the best deal? Robert Heron is here with his picks for best Holiday shopping deals on TVs. Plus move over foldable LCD screens and make way for LG's stretchable displays! And Wired's Omar L. Gallaga wrote a story called “It's Time to Make 3D TVs a Thing Again”. Is there a big enough demand for 3D TVs or is it an answer to a question no one asked? Starring Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Robert Heron, Roger Chang, Joe, Amos MP3 Download Using a Screen Reader? Click here Multiple versions (ogg, video etc.) from Archive.org Follow us on Twitter Instgram YouTube and Twitch Please SUBSCRIBE HERE. Subscribe through Apple Podcasts. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. If you are willing to support the show or to give as little as 10 cents a day on Patreon, Thank you! Become a Patron! Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme! Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo! Thanks to our mods Jack_Shid and KAPT_Kipper on the subreddit Send to email to feedback@dailytechnewsshow.com Show Notes To read the show notes in a separate page click here!

TV selection has never been better but how do you know you're getting the best deal? Robert Heron is here with his picks for best Holiday shopping deals on TVs. Plus move over foldable LCD screens and make way for LG's stretchable displays! And Wired's Omar L. Gallaga wrote a story called “It's Time to Make 3D TVs a Thing Again”. Is there a big enough demand for 3D TVs or is it an answer to a question no one asked?Starring Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Robert Heron, Roger Chang, Joe.Link to the Show Notes. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/dtns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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