Podcasts about Liang

In Session 311, I sit down with Christina Nylander and Leah Hussain from Apollo Behavior to talk about culturally sensitive approaches to Autism intervention. We dive into three case studies that show how flexible, individualized care can make a huge difference in building the rapport that's so important in our clinical work. Along the way, we share strategies for gaining parent buy-in, supporting bilingual language development, and using AAC devices to help children communicate more effectively with their families. Here's what we cover: The parent training shift when cultural sensitivity and rapport-building are prioritized. Christina and Leah's bilingual language development success stories, including Spanish- and Russian-speaking families. The role of AAC devices in improving communication, and one of these case studies progressed to no longer needing this technology. My random thoughts on video documentation and other creative methods to communicate client progress to stakeholders. Throughout the discussion, we reflect on the importance of balancing clinical recommendations with cultural and educational values. It's not just about treatment plans—it's about building trust, respecting families' perspectives, and helping kids thrive in ways that feel authentic to them. Sidenote: If you want to learn about what it's like to work at Apollo, or check out their open positions, click here. Key Takeaways Cultural sensitivity builds stronger collaboration with families. Bilingual and AAC strategies can unlock communication progress. Showing progress through videos and creative methods strengthens parent engagement. Individualized parent training, including in multiple languages, increases accessibility. If you're a BCBA, ABA therapist, or behavioral health professional, I think you'll find this conversation full of practical ideas for making your work more effective—and more meaningful. Bilingual & Dual‑Language Interventions Neely et al. (2020) – Impact of language on behavior treatment outcomes. Banerjee et al. (2021) – Extending Functional Communication Training to Multiple Language Contexts in Bilingual Learners with Challenging Behavior. Cengher (2024). On Bilingualism: Why and How to Teach Two Languages to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cultural Responsiveness, Humility & Systemic Equity in ABA Deochand, Neil & Costello, Mack S. (2022). Building a Social Justice Framework for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in  ABA. Jimenez-Gomez, Corina & Beaulieu, L. (2022). Cultural responsiveness in applied behavior analysis: Research and practice. ABA Effectiveness & Need for Cultural Inclusion Yu, Qian; Li, Enyao; Li, Liguo; Liang, Weiyi (2020). Efficacy of Interventions Based on Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta‑Analysis. Spreckley, Michele & Boyd, Roslyn (2009). Efficacy of Applied Behavioural Intervention in Preschool Children with Autism for Improving Cognitive, Language, and Adaptive Behavior: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Bonus resources Clinical Interviewing, by Sommers-Flanagan and Sommers-Flanagan (note 1: I know it's expensive, but older versions may be cheaper; note 2: this is an Amazon Associates link). Tobii Dynavox (the AAC tech that was discussed in the show). Looking for a pod-based CEU on this topic? Check out: Session 194, Inside JABA 12: Cultural Responsiveness in Applied Behavior Analysis. Sponsor Shoutouts! Frontera. Consider taking a demo of Frontera's Assessment Builder and see how the ethical application of AI technologies can help you serve clients and save you time! Your first assessment report is free. And if you use code BOP25 you'll get an additional five assessments for just $100. So head to fronterahealth.com to check it out! Our newest sponsor: MindBodyBehavior's Certified Health Coach Program. If you're a BCBA looking to use your ABA skills to help people live healthier lifestyles, learn how to do it the right way, with expert instruction, mentoring, and guidance from Sarah Burby. Click here to learn more! HRIC Recruting. Cut out the middleman and speak directly with Barbara Voss, who's been placing BCBAs in great jobs all across the US for 15 years. Behavior University. Their mission is to provide university quality professional development for the busy Behavior Analyst. Learn about their CEU offerings, including their 8-hour Supervision Course, as well as their RBT offerings over at behavioruniversity.com/observations. Don't forget to use the coupon code, PODCAST to save at checkout!  

Have you ever stayed in something longer than you knew was right—because it wasn't terrible, and it seemed like the “responsible” thing to do?  This week, we invite you into a mindful conversation about the powerful concept of graduating and outgrowing roles rather than quitting. What if moving on didn't mean giving up—but meant you've outgrown, evolved, and are ready for what's next? Listen to learn how to recognize that moment, navigate it with grace, and honor the growth that brought you to this turning point. Whether you're feeling restless in a professional role, a volunteer commitment, or a title that no longer fits, this episode is a gentle reminder that permission to move forward comes from within. Pearls of Wisdom: Graduating is a celebration of growth—quitting is not the only story available. Feeling uninspired, bored, or disconnected might be your inner wisdom inviting you forward. You don't have to wait until you're depleted or miserable to make a change. Mindfully leaving can create space for the transformation of yours and others'. Leadership sometimes means stepping aside, making room for new voices and fresh energy. Reflection Questions: What in your life feels like a graduation that's waiting to happen? If you trusted your body's wisdom, what might you step away from? What new chapter might be waiting if only you created the space to let it arrive? In this episode, I share a powerful tool I learned from Martha Beck- The Body Compass. This tool, when done well,l can help you release fear-based decision-making. If you're navigating a transition—or even just wondering whether it's time to move on from something that no longer aligns—this episode offers loving guidance and encouragement. If you're ready to find what's next, I invite you to explore a mindful coaching partnership with me at www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching.  Joining me for a retreat is also a great option. All fall 2025 retreats are sold out, but I would love to meet you in 2026. Now is the time to plan if you want to carve out a transformative space for reflection, healing, and new beginnings: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats. To bring this conversation to your team, institution, or conference, learn more about speaking opportunities with me at www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking, or connect with Dr. Liang at www.awakenbreath.org. Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.  

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rekindling Old Friendships Under Shanghai's Moonlit Garden Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-09-13-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 晚上，玉兰灯笼在上海的豫园里闪烁着，映照着池塘里的锦鲤。En: In the evening, the yulan lanterns shimmered in Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden, illuminating the pond with koi fish.Zh: 这个夜晚，月亮格外明亮。En: The moon was particularly bright that night.Zh: 梅走在小路上，手心微微出汗，她即将见到久违的童年好友，健和亮。En: Mei walked along the path, her palms slightly sweaty, as she was about to meet her long-lost childhood friends, Jian and Liang.Zh: 梅思绪万千。En: Mei's mind was filled with thoughts.Zh: 许多年前，他们总是一起在这个园子里玩耍，笑声萦绕在每一个角落。En: Many years ago, they would always play together in this garden, their laughter echoing in every corner.Zh: 然而，时间流逝，他们都忙于自己的生活，不再像从前那样密切联系。En: However, as time passed, they all got busy with their own lives and no longer kept in touch as closely as before.Zh: 很快，她看到了健和亮，他们也朝她挥手微笑。En: Soon, she saw Jian and Liang, who waved and smiled at her.Zh: “梅，好久不见！”健说道。En: "Mei, long time no see!" Jian said.Zh: 他仍然如儿时一般，眼里闪烁着光芒。En: He still had that sparkle in his eyes, just like in childhood.Zh: 亮温和地笑着，“我们又见面了。”En: Liang smiled warmly, "We've met again."Zh: 梅微笑着，心底却有些忐忑。En: Mei smiled back, but her heart was a bit anxious.Zh: 夜晚的空气中弥漫着月饼的甜香，En: The sweet aroma of mooncakes filled the night air.Zh: 梅决定借此机会分享内心想法。En: Mei decided to take this opportunity to share her inner thoughts.Zh: 在古老的亭子里，他们坐下，周围是温暖的灯光，氛围宁静而美好。En: In the ancient pavilion, they sat down surrounded by warm lantern light, creating a peaceful and lovely atmosphere.Zh: 梅深呼吸，然后开口：“我很怀念我们小时候的友谊。我希望我们能重新找到那种亲密无间。”En: Mei took a deep breath, then spoke, "I really miss our childhood friendship. I hope we can rekindle that closeness."Zh: 健和亮都安静了一会儿。En: Jian and Liang were quiet for a moment.Zh: 健首先开口：“我也常常想起过去那些快乐的时光。”En: Jian spoke first, "I often think about those happy times of the past too."Zh: 亮点点头，说道：“我们各自忙碌，但这并不意味着我们不能再次亲近。”En: Liang nodded and said, "We've been busy, but that doesn't mean we can't become close again."Zh: 经过一番开诚布公的交流，他们发现彼此心中都有这样的渴望。En: After an open and honest exchange, they found that each of them had this desire in their hearts.Zh: 在皎洁的月光下，仿佛所有残留的隔阂都消失了。En: In the bright moonlight, it seemed as if all the lingering barriers disappeared.Zh: 梅感到一种温馨的慰藉。En: Mei felt a warm sense of comfort.Zh: “我们应该经常聚聚，”亮提议，“可以每月抽出时间，互相拜访或者探索新的地方。”En: "We should meet more often," Liang suggested, "We can set aside time each month to visit each other or explore new places."Zh: 梅和健都赞同这个主意，彼此心里都觉得轻松和愉快。En: Mei and Jian both agreed with this idea, feeling relieved and happy in their hearts.Zh: “我们又找回了亲情，”梅心想。En: "We have regained our bond," Mei thought.Zh: 这个中秋之夜，豫园中有友谊的重温，有月光的见证，En: On this Mid-Autumn night, Yuyuan Garden witnessed the renewal of friendship under the moonlight.Zh: 梅明白了，虽然时间和距离可以改变某些东西，但坦诚的对话和共同的经历永远能够拉近彼此的心。En: Mei understood that although time and distance could change some things, honest conversation and shared experiences could always bring hearts closer.Zh: 在这满月之下，他们再一次许下心愿，愿这份友谊如月光般长久而明亮。En: Under this full moon, they once again made a wish that this friendship would last as long and bright as the moonlight. Vocabulary Words:shimmered: 闪烁着illuminating: 映照着pond: 池塘sweaty: 出汗long-lost: 久违echoing: 萦绕closeness: 亲密无间rekindle: 重新找到anxious: 忐忑pavilion: 亭子peaceful: 宁静lovely: 美好barriers: 隔阂childhood: 童年aroma: 香atmosphere: 氛围glow: 光芒sparkle: 闪烁moonlight: 月光explore: 探索honest: 坦诚exchange: 交流relieved: 轻松comfort: 慰藉witnessed: 见证bond: 亲情renewal: 重温desire: 渴望mid-autumn: 中秋laughter: 笑声

We're talking many, many things Taiwanese food with Nancy Jeng and Felicia Liang, the author and illustrator of A Very Asian Guide to Taiwanese Food. We talk about Nancy and Felicia's childhood embarrassment of Taiwanese food, requesting more “American” foods, and finding their way back to Taiwanese food as young adults. We talk about how their author/illustrator collaboration came to be, Nancy's long-con to get her husband to cook Taiwanese classics, the untapped potential of Taiwan's beaches, and the popularity of Trader Joe's scallion pancakes. Find this wonderful beautiful book on Gloo Books or wherever you get your books, and hang out with Nancy and Felicia at their book launch event at On Waverly on Sunday, September 14. Plus themed bites by past guest Jessic Fu and (possible future guest) Henry Hsu. And if you're looking for some recipes, find three great ones in the back of this book, including one for Nancy's Nai Nai's scallion pancakes. We'll be trying these out in our house along with tea eggs.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Inspiration: Mei's Journey in the Heart of Beijing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-09-06-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京的秋天，奥林匹克森林公园是一幅美丽的图画。En: In the autumn of Beijing, the Olympic Forest Park is like a beautiful painting.Zh: 树叶已变金黄，空气中流淌着桂花的香气。En: The leaves have turned golden, and the scent of osmanthus floats in the air.Zh: 这里是个适合沉思和放松的地方，尤其是在中秋节期间。En: This is a perfect place for contemplation and relaxation, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 这天早晨，阳光透过树叶，洒在一群正在练太极的人身上。En: On this morning, sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting its glow on a group practicing tai chi.Zh: 梅站在一旁，慢慢被这种宁静的气氛吸引。En: Mei stood aside, gradually drawn in by the peaceful atmosphere.Zh: 她是一位艺术家，最近正为创作苦恼。En: She is an artist, recently troubled by the creative process.Zh: 她无法找到新的灵感，内心充满了自我怀疑。En: She couldn't find new inspiration, and her heart was filled with self-doubt.Zh: 她的好朋友志建议她来这里散心，解开心结。En: Her good friend Zhi suggested she come here to clear her mind and untangle her thoughts.Zh: 志说，“你可以试试太极，它能帮助你找到内心的平静。En: Zhi said, "You can try tai chi; it can help you find inner peace."Zh: ”于是，梅鼓起勇气来到了这里。En: With encouragement, Mei gathered her courage and came here.Zh: 初次参加太极课，梅显得有些拘谨。En: Participating in a tai chi class for the first time, Mei seemed somewhat reserved.Zh: 但教练梁的热情和活力很快感染了她。En: But Coach Liang's enthusiasm and energy quickly infected her.Zh: 梁是一位健身教练，他鼓励学生们全身心投入这项运动。En: Liang is a fitness instructor who encourages his students to fully immerse themselves in the activity.Zh: 梅认真地跟随梁的指导，渐渐放松下来。En: Mei followed Liang's guidance attentively, gradually relaxing.Zh: 课后，梁走向梅，开始跟她聊天。En: After the class, Liang approached Mei and started a conversation.Zh: “你看起来进步很快，”他微笑着说。En: "You seem to be improving quickly," he said with a smile.Zh: 梅略显腼腆地回答：“谢谢，我其实是第一次来。En: Mei, slightly shy, replied, "Thank you, it's actually my first time here."Zh: ”梁的友善让梅觉得很温暖。En: Liang's friendliness made Mei feel very warm.Zh: 两人坐在公园的长椅上，望着不远处的银杏树，继续交谈。En: They sat on a park bench, looking at the ginkgo trees not far away, continuing their conversation.Zh: 梅谈起了自己的艺术项目，以及她的困惑。En: Mei talked about her art projects and her confusion.Zh: 梁则分享了他对运动的热爱和生活的哲学。En: Liang shared his love for exercise and his philosophy on life.Zh: 随着谈话的深入，梅发现梁的话竟然给了她启发。En: As the conversation deepened, Mei found that Liang's words actually inspired her.Zh: 梅意识到，艺术和太极其实有相似之处，都需要心无旁骛的专注和对自然的感悟。En: Mei realized that art and tai chi have similarities; both require undistracted focus and an understanding of nature.Zh: 她忽然感到一种久违的灵感在心中涌动。En: She suddenly felt a long-lost inspiration stirring within her.Zh: “希望下次还能和你一起练，”梅认真地对梁说。En: "I hope to practice with you again next time," Mei said earnestly to Liang.Zh: 梁点点头，“当然，我也非常期待。En: Liang nodded, "Of course, I look forward to it as well."Zh: ”他们相约在下次课后，一起探索太极和艺术的更多可能性。En: They agreed to explore more possibilities of tai chi and art together after the next class.Zh: 梅的内心重燃起希望和热情。En: Mei's heart reignited with hope and passion.Zh: 她明白，自己需要更开放地去接受生活中的每一个瞬间和体验。En: She understood that she needed to be more open to every moment and experience in life.Zh: 当天晚上，梅凝望着窗外明亮的圆月，心中满是感激。En: That night, Mei gazed at the bright full moon outside the window, her heart filled with gratitude.Zh: 她开始为新的艺术项目构思，并决定用画笔记录下这个美好的季节以及新的友情。En: She began to conceive a new art project and decided to capture this beautiful season and new friendship with her brush.Zh: 在这一刻，梅终于重新找到了那令人振奋的创作的冲动。En: At this moment, Mei finally rediscovered that exhilarating drive to create. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天scent: 香气contemplation: 沉思filter: 透过casting: 洒在peaceful: 宁静troubled: 苦恼inspiration: 灵感untangle: 解开encouragement: 鼓励courage: 勇气reserved: 拘谨enthusiasm: 热情infected: 感染improving: 进步shy: 腼腆friendliness: 友善ginkgo: 银杏confusion: 困惑philosophy: 哲学similarities: 相似之处undistracted: 心无旁骛focus: 专注earnestly: 认真地possibilities: 可能性exhilarating: 令人振奋的gratitude: 感激capture: 记录rediscovered: 重新找到drive: 冲动

En este episodio exploramos a fondo el mutismo acinético, una de las manifestaciones más desconcertantes tras un daño cerebral grave. Hablamos de su base neurofisiológica, su relación con el sistema dopaminérgico y los circuitos prefronto-subcorticales, y cómo se diferencia clínicamente de otros estados de conciencia alterada. Recorremos también las opciones terapéuticas más prometedoras, desde la estimulación multisensorial y la verticalización robótica hasta técnicas de neuromodulación como la estimulación cerebral profunda, la estimulación medular o la tDCS. Un episodio técnico, narrativo y lleno de preguntas clínicas clave, pensado para quienes trabajan día a día con pacientes que aún no responden... pero que podrían hacerlo. Referencias del episodio: 1. Arnts, H., van Erp, W. S., Lavrijsen, J. C. M., van Gaal, S., Groenewegen, H. J., & van den Munckhof, P. (2020). On the pathophysiology and treatment of akinetic mutism. 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Robotic Verticalization plus Music Therapy in Chronic Disorders of Consciousness: Promising Results from a Pilot Study. Brain sciences, 12(8), 1045. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12081045 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36009107/). 13. Dong, X., Tang, Y., Zhou, Y., & Feng, Z. (2023). Stimulation of vagus nerve for patients with disorders of consciousness: a systematic review. Frontiers in neuroscience, 17, 1257378. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1257378 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37781261/). 14. Fan, W., Fan, Y., Liao, Z., & Yin, Y. (2023). Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Patients With Disorders of Consciousness: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation, 102(12), 1102–1110. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHM.0000000000002290 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37205736/). 15. 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Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Moonlit Mystery: Unveiling Hangzhou's Legendary Teapot Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-09-03-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的一个清晨，阳光透过薄雾洒在杭州乡村茶园的茶树上。En: One crisp autumn morning, the sunlight filtered through the thin fog and spilled over the tea trees in the countryside tea garden of Hangzhou.Zh: 每年的这个时候，空气中弥漫着一丝凉意，紧张而又愉快的准备工作正在展开。En: At this time of year, a slight chill lingered in the air, and anxious yet joyful preparations were underway.Zh: 梁，一个年轻的采茶工人，正忙着摘下色泽饱满的茶叶。En: Liang, a young tea picker, was busy plucking the full-colored tea leaves.Zh: 他总是在思考，脑子里装满了关于当地传说和神秘事件的想法。En: His mind was always occupied with thoughts of local legends and mysterious events.Zh: 传说中，这片茶园里有一个古老的茶壶，能给园子带来繁荣。En: According to legend, there was an ancient teapot in this tea garden that could bring prosperity to the garden.Zh: 然而，几天前，这个茶壶突然消失了。En: However, a few days ago, the teapot suddenly disappeared.Zh: 梁对此非常好奇，并觉得有必要查明真相。En: Liang was very curious about this and felt it was necessary to uncover the truth.Zh: 他相信，这不仅仅是一个简单的失物，这背后一定藏着什么秘密。En: He believed that this was not just a simple lost item, but that there was certainly some secret behind it.Zh: 然而，茶园主人程对此毫不在意。En: However, the tea garden's owner, Cheng, was indifferent to this.Zh: 他认为，一个古老的茶壶消失了并不是什么大事。En: He thought that the disappearance of an old teapot was no big deal.Zh: 但每次谈到这个话题，梁总感觉他的同事梅有些欲言又止，仿佛知道些什么。En: But every time this topic was mentioned, Liang felt that his colleague, Mei, seemed hesitant to speak, as if she knew something.Zh: 有天晚上，明亮的月光洒在茶园上，梁决定跟随梅看看她的举动。En: One night, with bright moonlight blanketing the tea garden, Liang decided to follow Mei and observe her actions.Zh: 他想，或许梅知道茶壶的下落。En: He thought perhaps she knew the whereabouts of the teapot.Zh: 梁轻手轻脚地尾随梅，看着她沿着小路走向山那头。En: Liang quietly followed Mei, watching as she walked along the path towards the other side of the mountain.Zh: 终于，在月光下，梅停在了一棵老树下，拿出那个失踪已久的茶壶。En: Finally, under the moonlight, Mei stopped under an old tree and took out the long-lost teapot.Zh: 梁屏住呼吸，梅轻声祈祷，En: Liang held his breath as Mei softly prayed.Zh: 原来，她是为了履行她祖母的一个承诺——将茶壶归还到指定的地点，为茶园祈福。En: It turned out she was fulfilling a promise to her grandmother—to return the teapot to a designated place to bless the tea garden.Zh: 梁终于明白整个事件的真相。En: Liang finally understood the truth of the whole event.Zh: 他上前帮助梅，把茶壶放回树下的石座上。En: He stepped forward to help Mei place the teapot back on the stone pedestal under the tree.Zh: 此时此刻，茶园恢复了安宁，仿佛一切都回到了正轨。En: At that moment, the tea garden returned to peace, as if everything was back on track.Zh: 在接下来的中秋佳节，茶园一片祥和，工人在满地桂花的香气中欢声笑语。En: During the coming Mid-Autumn Festival, the tea garden was serene, and the workers laughed and chatted amidst the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms scattered all over the ground.Zh: 梁通过这次经历，理解了祖辈留下的文化传统和社区的重要性。En: Through this experience, Liang came to understand the cultural traditions passed down by the ancestors and the importance of community.Zh: 他发现自己更加热爱这片土地，以及隐藏在背后的所有故事。En: He found himself loving this land and all the hidden stories behind it even more.Zh: 故事从此未被遗忘，梁不仅成为了茶园的守护者，也成为了社区的一部分。En: The story was never forgotten, and Liang not only became the guardian of the tea garden but also a part of the community. Vocabulary Words:crisp: 清晨filtered: 透过linger: 弥漫anxious: 紧张joyful: 愉快plucking: 摘下prosperity: 繁荣disappeared: 消失uncover: 查明indifferent: 毫不在意hesitant: 欲言又止designated: 指定fulfilling: 履行blanketing: 洒在observe: 看看whereabouts: 下落pathway: 小路breath: 屏住呼吸prayed: 祈祷promise: 承诺stone pedestal: 石座serene: 祥和fragrance: 香气scattered: 满地cultural traditions: 文化传统ancestors: 祖辈guardian: 守护者mythical: 神秘community: 社区mysterious: 神秘事件

With the end of the Jinshin War, Oama, posthumously known as Temmu Tenno, came to the throne.  And though they would need a new Great Council of State, they continued to build up and bolster the Ritsuryo state.  They were imagining a new Yamato based on continental models of what a state should look like, but also influenced by tradition.  This episode we take a look at that reimagining in broad strokes, asking a few questions--what was Oama's relationship with his brother, and touching on the relationship of Nakatomi no Kamatari and his brother, Nakatomi no Kane.  We also take a look at some of the literary propaganda that also helped to codify this new imaginary--the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki.  We also touch on other sourcesof information, like the Fudoki and Man'yoshu. For more information, check out our blog:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-133   Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is episode 133: Reimagining Yamato As the bells of Houkouji tolled, Ohoama and his wife, Uno, surveyed the construction on going in the Asuka valley.  Hordes of workers had been called up, and now they were working furiously towards the deadline of the new year.  Where once stood the later Wokamoto palace of Takara Hime, aka Ohoama's mother, Saimei Tennou, now the land was being prepared for a palace on a much grander scale.  And just as the palace was being remade, Ohoama's thoughts went beyond the valley, to the entire archipelago.  His brother, Naka no Oe, had started something profound.  Now here he was, helming the Ship of State, and Ohoama had plans of his own, built upon his brother's ideas.  He would build a new state, ensuring that the reforms that started back in 645 would continue for generations. Greetings everyone and welcome back.  As we dive back in, let's recap where we are. The year is now 673, and the fighting from the previous year—the Jinshin war—is over.  Prince Ohoama and his Yoshino forces were victorious and he is now poised to ascend the throne in the recently built Palace of Kiyomihara, in Asuka.  He will be known to future generations by his posthumous name:  Temmu Tennou. Ohoama would go ahead and continue to centralize the government under the continental model.  That said, he also would pay a not insignificant amount of attention to local tradition as well.  His reign would lead to the establishment of the first permanent capital city: Fujiwara-kyo.  He is also credited with initiating the projects collecting various historical records, which culminated in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, the very chronicles on which this podcast is based – and both of which seem to have been designed specifically to promote the authority of the throne, specifically Ohoama and his descendants. Those descendants—the Temmu dynasty—would rule for almost a century, including four of the eight official female sovereigns (those eight become ten if you count the unofficial Himiko and Okinaga Tarashi-hime, aka Jingu Tennou).  This dynasty would reign from the end of the Asuka period up through to the Nara period, and it would see the evolution of the Yamato state into the kingdom of Nihon—which is to say the kingdom of Japan. The politics of this period were also quite something.  It is during this coming period that we see the rise of the famous Fujiwara family, who would come to dominate the political landscape.  We also see the continued contact with the mainland, with numerous trade goods coming over, many of which would be included in the famous Shousouin storehouse of Toudaiji temple, in Nara. Buddhism would also thrive, with Kokubunji, or provincial temples, being set up in a network around the archipelago.  There was also the building of the famous Daibutsu, or Giant Buddha statue, of Toudaiji. Art would also flourish.  The Man'yoshu would be published at this time—a collection of around 4,500 Japanese poems, or waka.  Meanwhile, the court would also focus on continental styles as well.  From this point on, not only do we have more evidence of what was happening through the written record, but the writing itself changed.  Different Sinitic characters were borrowed solely for their sound to help spell out Japanese words.  These would eventually be simplified, and known as “kana”.  The earliest use of these characters is known as “Man'yo-gana” because so many are traced back to the Man'yoshu itself.  They would eventually be standardized and simplified, becoming the hiragana and katakana we know and use today. But in 673, all of this is still on the horizon. So this is a great time to pause for a bit in our journey through the chronicles and set the stage for this next, incredibly transformative period in the archipelago by going over these larger patterns in some depth, so that, as we start to go through this period we get a better idea of just what was happening, and perhaps why.  That's what we'll do this episode. To start with, let's go back to the relationship between Naka no Oe and Ohoama.  As far as we can tell, these brothers were fairly close to one another.  Not only was Ohoama married to one of Naka no Oe's daughters, Princess Uno, he had actually taken as consort at least four of Naka no Oe's other daughters—all of which were Ohoama's nieces.  In turn, one of Ohoama's own daughters, Princess Touchi, had been married off to Ohotomo, aka the ill-fated Koubun Tennou.  On top of that, Naka no Oe and Ohoama both had taken as consorts daughters of Soga no Akaye, and both Ohotomo and Ohoama had consorts from Nakatomi—or Fujiwara—no Kamatari.  This demonstrates just how interrelated everyone was at court, presumably as a means of strengthening the ties between them.  Of course, as we've seen time and again, those ties were more symbolic than anything else, and certainly did not prevent the occasional use of violence, nor did it protect the fathers of those women from political repercussions when they found themselves on the wrong side. On the other hand, beyond the initial mention of their births, we don't see the two brothers together until Naka no Oe came to the throne.  Why?  Well, to be fair, we don't see much of anyone but the sovereign in the Chronicles unless there is a specific thing they are called out for—like an embassy, presenting something to the throne, etc.  Even Naka no Oe often isn't mentioned directly, even when he was the Crown Prince and supposedly helping run the government.  So that could be it. There are two apparent counter arguments to the idea that Naka no Oe and his brother, Ohoama, were tight.  First is a mention in the Toushi Kaden, the Family History of the Fujiwara Family, about Ohoama thrusting a spear into a board, which rattled Naka no Oe enough that he was apparently wondering if he needed to have his own brother taken out.  Then there is Ohoama's resignation at the time of Naka no Oe's death, presumably because he was warned that a plot was afoot, and that if he accepted Naka no Oe's offer to take the reins of the state in his own two hands then something—we aren't told what—would unfold. I can't rule out the idea that neither of those accounts is quite accurate either, however.  It is possible that the Toushi Kaden account is embellished to heighten Fujiwara no Kamatari's own role as peacemaker between the brothers.  I also have to wonder if the warning to Ohoama around Naka no Oe's death wasn't so much about Naka no Oe, but about his ministers.  After all, they seem to have had no problem supporting the much younger—and likely more malleable—Prince Ohotomo.  So it seems to me entirely possible that there were other threats that Ohoama was concerned with. That brings me to one of those ministers:  Nakatomi no Kane.  We talked about him before and during the war.  He first showed up participating in ritual and speaking on kami matters.  He would later rise to be one of the Great Ministers of State, and was one of the six ministers who had pledged themselves to Prince Ohotomo.  At the end of the Jinshin War, he was put to death and his family was banished.  That said, in period leading up to all of that,  we spent a good amount of time with another Nakatomi: Nakatomi no Kamatari. He was the head of the Nakatomi clan and the Naidaijin, the Interior Minister, a special position placing him on par, or even above, the Ministers of the Left and Right, but which did not have a well defined portfolio noted in the literature.  Interestingly, this position also doesn't seem to have survived Kamatari, at least in the short run.  From the time of Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou, to the time of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, it seems that the office of Naidaijin fell out of favor, possibly due, in part, to Prince Ohotomo being raised to a different post, that of Dajou Daijin, placing him in charge of the Great Council of State. The Naidaijin role wouldn't be revived until 717 for Kamatari's grandson, Fujiwara no Fusasaki (interestingly,  only three years before the completion of the Nihon Shoki). Nakatomi no Kane was, as far as we can tell, the brother to Kamatari.  When Kamatari passed away, Kane seems to have taken on the role as head of the Nakatomi family and he was also made Minister of the Right.  This mirrors, in its way, the relationship between Naka no Oe and Ohoama, and the common system of inheritance that would often go brother to brother.  And yet, while Kamatari was a hero of the Taika era, Nakatomi no Kane was executed for his role in the Jinshin War.  So in the context of the rise of the Fujiwaras to greater prominence later on in Ohoama's reign, it is significant that Kamatari's line would be set apart from the rest of the Nakatomi to the extent of giving it the new Fujiwara name.  Although the Chronicles claim that the “Fujiwara” name was actually granted by Naka no Oe, there is a thought that this was granted posthumously, and may have even been retconned by later members of the family, possibly to distance themselves from Nakatomi no Kane and his role on the losing side of the Jinshin War, and tie themselves clearly to Kamatari and his founding role in Naka no Oe's and Ohoama's new vision, instead.  This all brings me to my next point: the creation of the national histories.  The projects that culminated in what we know today as the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki are said to have been started under Ohoama's reign, though they wouldn't be finished until much later, well into the 8th century.  A lot of what went into them was work under Ohoama's wife Uno, who succeeded him as Jitou Tennou, as well as her successors.  Prince Toneri, one of Ohoama's sons, is said to have overseen the Nihon Shoki's compilation. Prince Toneri was son of Ohoama and princess Niitabe, one of Naka no Oe's daughters, and while he never sat the throne, himself, one of his sons would eventually do so.  As such, we can see a strong royal hand on the project, even though the actual composition was probably by several teams of Chroniclers—we touched on this briefly back in Episode 131. The Kojiki, on the other hand, is said to have been written by Oho no Yasumaro based on the oral history that had been maintained by Hieda no Are.  We don't know much about Hieda no Are—there are some that believe they may have been a woman, since a passage in a later work, the Seikyuuki, suggests that they were a member of the Sarume no Kimi family, descended from Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, who is said to have danced and helped lure Amaterasu out of the rock cave.  And so they were particularly known for their role as shrine maidens—a particularly female role.  That said, Are received the title of “toneri”, which is often assumed to be male, and there is nothing else that explicitly says they were not. Either way, Hieda no Are is said to have been commanded by the sovereign, Ohoama, to memorize the history of the nation, presumably to then perform it as needed, for the court.  Only later was Oho no Yasumaro asked to write it down in what became known as the Kojiki. Both of these chronicles were attempts to organize the history of the nation and to put together all the stories in a way that would establish a foundation for the new state that was evolving out of ancient Yamato.  A large part of that effort was going to be to justify those who were in power at the time—including both the royal family and the various noble houses at the time, including the powerful Fujiwara. Now, when we talk about how these histories were created to bolster the state, I want to be careful.  It may not have necessarily been the case that the chroniclers were actively and consciously promoting a fictional account.  From what we can tell, the chroniclers drew from a collection of stories, some written down in diaries and court records, works like the Baekje annals and continental histories, and some that were likely just memorized tales that were part of the general culture.   There were a couple of existing histories—we are told, for example, that there was a Teiki and a Kyuji floating around, both attributed to the legendary Shotoku Taishi, and both supposedly including the royal lineage at least to Toyomike-kashikiya-hime, aka Suikou Tennou.  However, the copies that were being passed around were apparently suspect, and we are told that there were inconsistencies.  Which probably means that the way they told the story did not conform to the way that Ohoama and the royal family wanted it told, though it could also refer to the fact that different accounts had slight variations on the stories, many of which had probably started as oral traditions that were only later written down.  It is also likely that there was only so much detail in those ancient texts, but we can't know for sure.  The Sendai Kuji Hongi purports to be the text of the original Kyuuji, or Kyuujiki, but that claim is dubious, at best, though it may have used an older, no longer extant history to crib its own notes from. So there were probably some writings, already, but there was also so much more.  There were stories from various familial records, stories told by various shrines about their kami and their histories, and stories passed down as local history that had never been captured, previously.  All of this was good material for the project of creating an official national history that aimed to tell the whole story. To get an idea of what the Chroniclers of that time might have been going through, imagine that you have some 2,000 random facts about the United States, or any country of your choice, in no particular order—stories of heroes, presidents, wars, etc.  On top of that, only a few of them ever give you any kind reference dates, and when they do, those dates are only in relationship to the presidents in office – the third year of the presidency of Roosevelt, for example - or maybe they reference another event.  In addition, some of the facts have been lost, or they come from history books with a slightly different format.  Or they come from diaries with different perspectives and takes on the same event.  And then, without the aid of the Internet or any other reference material, you are asked to put all of that together into a coherent narrative. In all likelihood you would be able to generally construct many of the broad strokes.  You would leverage what you know to be true and do your best to put things in place, but there is no guarantee that everything would be in the right order.  And in places where there wasn't any clear through line, you may have needed to come up with your best, most plausible explanation and write that down. Also, imagine you had, in the interests of completeness, thrown in some of the more, shall we say, apocryphal stories.  George Washington cutting down a cherry tree, for instance, or the story of Johnny Appleseed, or even the more fantastical stories of Davy Crockett.  Without other reference points, would you know where they went, or how true they actually were? Add to all of that the lack of a referential calendar.  The sexagesimal system helps for units of 60 years, but there was nothing comparable to a western calendar in use at the time.  Instead, everything was based on the number of years in a given reign.  So instead of thinking about it as “did this happen in 584 or 524?” it was more like “Did this happen in the years of the sovereign reigning from X palace or Y palace?” Now that said, there do appear to have been individuals whose job was to memorize the stories and the histories and recite them.  We have, for example, the Kataribe, the guild of storytellers.  It may have been out of this tradition that we get the eventual commission of the previously mentioned Hieda no Are, who was to memorize all of the historical events and recite them back, which I can only imagine would have been a kind of performance for the court, helping to reinforce the narrative.  But still, as Are was putting everything together, what were the assumptions and guidelines they were working under? After all, there were no doubt certain truths, whether factual or not, that were pushed by the court.  Things like the idea of an unbroken line of sovereigns going all the way back to the mythical founding, just like in continental stories.  Or, the idea that worship centered from the beginning around the sun goddess, Amaterasu. There is plenty of evidence that while the early Wa people practiced various forms of sun worship, with traces found in their language as well as stories, cultural traditions, etc., it was not necessarily Amaterasu who was the primary deity of worship.  Back in the Age of the Gods we talked about the creator deities, Izanagi and Izanami, and about the High god of Heaven, Takami Musubi, who seems to at one point been the most prominent central deity, but who had since been eclipsed, if you will, by the likes of Amaterasu. We also see evidence that there were other sun deities.  The language around Sarutahiko no Ohokami suggests that he may have once been worshipped as a sun deity as well.  And there is the early primacy of Mt. Miwa as a place of worship, and the spirit of Ohomononushi.  This is to say nothing of Ohokuninushi, and all of his stories, up in Izumo. Furthermore, it seems telling that Amaterasu is not even central to the rituals conducted in the palace itself, which likely went back to an even earlier period.  If Amaterasu were central, and the ancestral kami of the royal family since its inception, one would expect that Amaterasu would also be central to the rites carried out by her descendants in the royal palace.  And yet most of her worship appears to have continued to be set apart from the palace ritual, and conducted out of Ise shrine (albeit after a certain point ceremonially led by a designated female member of the royal line). Even Ise shrine itself isn't the primary shrine in the Ise area—the Ichi-no-miya, or most important shrine, of Ise is actually said to be Tsubaki shrine, worshipping Saruta Hiko no Ohokami and Ame no Uzume. So how did Amaterasu come to be so central in Ohoama's vision? There are stories that say that worship at Ise Shrine—and worship of Amaterasu—was specifically conducted by Ohoama's wife during the Jinshin campaign.  This is to say Ohoama's wife, primary consort, eventual queen and then queen regnant, Uno, later known as Jitou Tennou.  Remember, Uno had fled with Ohoama and had been on the trail with him at first, but had stayed behind in Ise.  Worship towards Ise seems to have later been counted as foundational to Ohoama and Uno's victory, and many suspect that they themselves may subsequently have encouraged greater worship of Amaterasu and placed her in the central position of sacral authority amongst the various kami. If so, that could explain why their histories focus so much on Amaterasu and her Heavenly descendant, from which the royal line claimed direct lineage.  It might also be around this time that the story of Iwarebiko, aka Jimmu Tennou, and the conquest of Yamato from Himuka may have been introduced: telling how Iwarebiko justifiably took away the land from the descendants of Nigi Hayahi, and then connecting Iwarebiko, in an extremely loose fashion, to Mimaki Iiribiko no Mikoto, aka Sujin Tennou. Another influence on all of this was likely the continental concept that time is a circle, and history repeats itself.  Chroniclers seeking to place events in a narrative context would have likely seen reflections of more recent events and used that to help order their compilation.  And of course, if there were events that seemed to run counter to the truth as known by the court, well, those could be smoothed over.  In this way, co-rulers were probably serialized, inconvenient interim rulers may have been excised altogether, and different dynasties, which may have only had tenuous connections, at best, were written down as direct lineal descendants.  It also seems telling that the Chroniclers may have reduced the role of what appears to be matrilineal succession to a more patriarchal and patrilineal determination of legitimacy.  Similarly, connections could be made for families to ancient ancestors through whom they were able to claim a certain proximity to the royal family.  Likewise, rules for legitimacy could be imposed—or perhaps just assumed—for previous reigns, doing their best to bring them into harmony with the social norms and the cultural imaginaries of the late 7th and early 8th centuries. So that's the general context the Chroniclers were working under. But at this point it's illuminating to take a look at the two histories and how they differ, to see what we can understand about where those differences came from. The work of Hieda no Are, eventually recorded and written down as the Kojiki, seems to have dealt with history that was far enough back that it was likely hard to argue with—it isn't like there was anyone alive who could counter with their own facts.  And the Kojiki reads as a fairly straightforward narrative, relatively speaking. The Nihon Shoki, on the other hand, is a different beast.  While the Kojiki may have captured the official narrative, the Nihon Shoki seems to have been designed to include more—including some of the competing accounts.  Thus you'll get a lot of things like “another source says…” with a different take on the same event.  This is much more prevalent in the Age of the Gods, but still pops up occasionally throughout the rest of the text.  Nonetheless, it is still very much focused on the royal line from Amaterasu down to Naka no Oe and Ohoama.  Even their posthumous names, Tenji and Temmu, specifically reference Ten, also pronounced Ama, at the start of their names, in what appears to be a bid to further connect them to the sun goddess of Heavenly Brightness--Amaterasu. Both of these works have their own character, and while the dates they were presented to the throne—713 for the Kojiki and 720 for the Nihon Shoki—suggest that they were published in succession, there are those that argue that the Kojiki is largely a reaction against the Nihon Shoki. In all likelihood the contents of the Nihon Shoki were known to many people before it was presented.  There were groups of Chroniclers involved, after all -- which meant teams of scribes pouring through sources, seeking out myths and legends, and generally trying to bring everything they could to the table.  And there is no indication that this was done in secret.  So it is quite possible that the writers of the Kojiki had seen some of the early drafts and cribbed from those notes. Some of the ways that the the history differ are in their portrayal of certain accounts.  For example, the Kojiki presents Iwarebiko and the pacification of Yamato and archipelago more generally in terms of that mythical sovereign conversing with the spirits.  And so he converses with, for instance, Ohomononushi, the deity of Mt. Miwa, a spirit whose name might be translated as the Great Lord of the Spirits, or “Mono”.  This idea places the sovereign as an intercessor between the mortal and the spirit world.  It hearkens back to earlier systems of sacral kingship, where power and authority came, at least in part, from supposed power of one's sacred sites and protective spirits. The Kojiki is also written in a much more vernacular style, using kanji and what we know of as man'yogana, the kanji used for their sound, rather than meaning, to provide a syllabary with which to write out Japanese words.  This may have been done for similar reasons to why it was also used in the Man'yoshu itself—because the Kojiki was meant to be recited aloud, not just read for meaning. The Nihon Shoki, in contrast, is clearly attempting to emulate the continental style.  It relies much more heavily on not just the characters but the grammar of Chinese, though not without its own idiosyncrasies.  The Nihon Shoki incorporated classical references that mirrored the references found in the histories of the Tang and earlier dynasties.  I suspect, for instance, that this is one of the main reasons that Naka no Oe and Ohoama are given the posthumous names of “Tenji” and “Temmu”.  Tenji means something like the Wisdom of Heaven while Temmu is more like the Martial Virtue of Heaven.  This immediately brings to mind, for me, the continental concepts of Wen and Wu—Culture and Warefare, or Bunbu in Japanese.  This even mirrors the founding Zhou kings, King Wen and King Wu.  Later, in the Han dynasty, you have Emperor Wu of Han, the grandson of Emperor Wen of Han, and Wu was considered to be one of the greatest emperors of the Han dynasty.  And so I can't help but think that there was a similar attempt at mythmaking going on here, connecting these two reigns with the reigns of famous emperors of the continent.  Of course, “Wu” was a popular name amongst the imperial dynasties from that period onward, with emperors of Jin, Chen, Liang, and others all being given the same name. This all accords with the way that the sovereign in the Nihon Shoki is less of a sacral king, interceding and speaking with the kami, and more along the continental model of an absolute ruler who ruled by divine right and heavenly mandate.  The lands outside of Yamato are subdued and, except for the occasional uprising, stay subdued—or at least that is what the narrative would seemingly have us believe. Now, I would argue that these distinctions are not absolute.  The Kojiki contains plenty of concepts of imperial trappings, and the Nihon Shoki contains plenty of examples of the sovereign playing a more traditional role.  But it is something to consider in the broad strokes of what they are saying, and I would argue that it also speaks to the duality of what was going on in this period.  Clearly the Ritsuryo State was built on the continental model, with an absolute ruler who ruled through a Heavenly mandate.  And yet at the same time, we see Ohoama patronizing the traditional spiritual sites and kami worship, like the emphasis on Amaterasu and Ise shrine.  Besides the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, we have one more set of official records that were compiled just as the major histories were beginning to be finished.  These were the Fudoki.  Fudoki were texts about the various provinces, and they include information on the various places, population, soil quality, as well as various local myths and legends attached to such things.  Rather than supporting the royal lineage, the Fudoki were more geared towards supporting the process begun under Karu and Naka no Oe with the Ritsuryo system whereby knowledge of the archipelago was being centralized such that the State could know about its territories.  Still, there are many times that the various Fudoki refer to different sovereigns, often to help situate a given event roughly within the historical narrative. The Fudoki were commissioned in 713.  At least 48 chronicles were said to have been compiled, but only a handful of them remain extant today.  Most are only partial texts, though even those can still contain significant information.  We also have purported text from certain fudoki that were reprinted in later histories.  The Shaku Nihongi seems to have been one such work, expressly commissioned to try and compile various older records that were likely aging and in danger of being lost altogether.  However, there is a concern regarding just how faithful those later transcriptions might have been, meaning that we cannot rely on them, entirely.  Still, they are an invaluable addition to our study of the history of this period. I mention all of this because much of this period seems dedicated to remaking the nation of Yamato into what we know as Japan.  This evolution didn't happen overnight, and it seems clear that it started gradually, but had now come to a head.  There is some consideration, though, that many of the things attributed to earlier reigns—the work done by Shotoku Taishi, for example, or even that of Naka no Oe—may have been embellished in this period.  After all, consider the difference between Ohoama trying to institute something entirely new versus pointing back to a previous sovereign and claiming that he wasn't innovating, he was just following tradition. But there are still unmistakable signs of innovation in the following reigns.  The creation of the first permanent capital city, for one.  There was also the blending of Buddhist and local kami-based traditions.  While Buddhism had been ascendant for a while, now, we see Ohoama seemingly paying equal homage to Amaterasu and the local kami.  Even while instituting new fangled continental ideas, he is also hearkening back to traditions that I can only imagine helped assuage some of the fears of any traditionalists who saw the rapid speed at which the archipelago was adopting at least the trappings of continental imperial culture. Speaking of culture, there was one other work that we should probably mention, and that is the famous Man'yoshu—the collection of 10,000 Leaves.  I mentioned this briefly earlier in the episode, but I do want to discuss it a bit, because as much as we may glean from the official histories, as well as the various fudoki texts, the Man'yoshu provides an invaluable view into the minds of the people of the time, and contains some incredibly useful tidbits of information that, when put together, help give us a better idea of what was happening during this period. The Man'yoshu is a collection of more than 4500 poems attributed to various historical figures, from sovereigns, such as Ohoama and Naka no Oe, to common soldiers.  It is remarkable in that the poems are largely in native Japanese and are not using the Sinitic poetry styles that were popular with scholars of the time. These poems are waka, Japanese verse, which typically follows a pattern of repeating verses of 5-7-5 syllables or morae, ending with two lines of 7-7.  The most simple of these are tanka—one top verse of 5-7-5, and one bottom verse of 7-7.  However, the poems in the collection can vary quite a bit. They are also remarkable in that they are written in what we know as Man'yogana.  That is to say they use Sinitic characters—kanji—but for their sound rather than their meaning in many cases.  This practice allowed for much more nuanced writing, such that the author could be more certain that the correct meaning could be taken away, since Japanese grammar differs greatly from various Chinese languages, and leverages particles and suffixes that are non-existent in Sinitic script.  Often times, when reading something like the Nihon Shoki, one has to infer the Japanese word order, particles, and suffixes from the text as a whole.  This is common with any kanbun—a very Japanese style of Chinese writing that often requires its own study to fully understand. Meanwhile, the Man'yogana allowed someone to more easily sound out the letters in the Man'yoshu.  This must have been important when morae or syllable count was important to the art form.  Furthermore, it gives us tremendous insight into how spoken Japanese may have sounded  back in the 8th century. And of course it is great that we have all of these poems, but almost more important is the other information contained in the collection.  Most poems not only are attributed to a particular author, but they often give a brief introduction to lay out the circumstance in which the poem was composed.  These poems are, in many ways, more straightforward than many later poetic styles, which relied much more heavily on so-called “pillow words”, poetic allusions, or callbacks to previous poems—not that they were completely devoid of such references, especially to other, often continental, works. Some poems are actually paired—a type of call and response.  A man would often be expected to send a poem to a lady with whom he had recently had assignations, and she would often respond.  Through such correspondence, preserved in the poetic record, we can see connections that might not be as clear in the various historical texts. Now, 4500 is a lot of poems and I'll be honest, I'm probably not going to be researching all of them for historical tidbits, but it is nonetheless important to understand.  One should also be careful—while the poems are often attributed to various artists and famous persons, this may sometimes be misleading.  The attribution may have been garbled or forgotten, and recreated. Most of the poems in the Man'yoshu are presented with at least some amount of framing around them.  They are grouped loosely by various themes.  We are then told, for each poem, the composer and the occasion for which it was created.  Sometimes this may be as simple as “when they were out hunting”, but that still gives us some context on which to go by as for why the author was writing the poem in the first place. The poems themselves vary in size.  There are short poems, or tanka, but also longer form chōka poems, with multiple verses.  Some may allude to previous poems, but many of the poems are just about the author's feelings.  Unlike haiku, they were not quite so proscribed in terms of “pillow words” or requisite seasonal descriptions. And yet these poems, just as much as the histories, were important in capturing some part of the cultural zeitgeist from that time.  We can see what was considered popular or important, and it was there for future generations down until today. Ultimately the Kojiki would largely be overshadowed by the more comprehensive and prestigious seeming history in the Nihon Shoki.  The Nihon Shoki would become the official history, inspiring future historical records, such as the Shoku Nihongi, the continuation of the records.  The Man'yoshu, likewise, would be emulated, with future compilations like the Kokinshu. These, in turn, would impact the cultural imaginary of the time.  They would shape people's ideas about the past, about art, and even about the nature of the kami themselves.  During this period it is hard to understate just how much they were setting in place a new system.  It is even difficult to tell how much of that system had actually been instituted by previous sovereigns, even though it's hard to tell how much that actually happened as opposed to simple claims by Ohoama and, later, Uno, to justify what they were doing.  Up to this point, the Ritsuryou State and the various reforms had been an experiment, but under Ohoama we truly see that the new government upgrades would be fully installed.  At the same time, we also see a shake up in the court.  Those who had been loyal to Ohoama during the Jinshin conflict of 672 received various rewards—increased rank and stipend, for one thing.  As famous individuals passed away, they were also granted posthumous rank, which might not seem like much, but it increased the family's prestige and that of the individual's descendants without actually handing out a higher level stipend that would be a drain on the coffers.  All of this also continued to build up the elites' reliance on not just the court, but on the throne itself for their status, wealth, and position.  Thus they had a vested interest in seeing that the project succeeded. And that is the world that we are about to dive into.  Thank you, I know we didn't get into too much of the immediate history, and some of this is spoilers—after all, this took time and in the moment it could have turned out quite differently.  What if Ohoama had gotten sick and died?  What if there had been a rebellion?  What if Silla or Tang had attacked?  While we know what happened from the safety of our vantage point, far in the future, it is important to remember that at the time the people in the court didn't know what would happen next, so please keep that in mind. Next episode, we'll start to get into the actual events of the reign, starting with Ohoama's ascension to the throne at the newly built Kiyomihara palace in Asuka. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

What can gardening teach us about life, medicine, and mindful living?  In this conversation, we explore the parallels between tending plants and tending ourselves. From planting seeds to harvesting fruit, every stage in the garden offers lessons about patience, presence, letting go of control, and trusting the natural rhythm of growth. Whether you're an experienced gardener, a houseplant enthusiast, or simply plant-curious, you'll hear insights, humor, and inspiration to deepen your connection to nature—and yourself. Pearls of Wisdom: Begin where you are—growth starts with action, not perfection. The best lessons in patience come from nature's timeline, not our own. Letting go of control allows room for unexpected beauty and resilience. Pruning and “deadheading” aren't just for plants—they're a metaphor for focusing energy on what matters most. Gardens thrive in community, just as we do. Reflection Questions: Where in your life might you create more space and light for growth? What would you prune away to direct energy toward what matters most? How can you honor the seasons and cycles in your own life and work? Take a moment to stay mindful at the end of the episode and practice grounding yourself, just as plants root into the earth. If you'd like to experience mindful presence and community in person, join me for a retreat at www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats, explore coaching at https://www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching, or learn more about my speaking engagements at www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking. Dr. Liang also offers workshops and speaking for healthcare and wellness communities at www.awakenbreath.org. We invite you to share this episode with a friend who loves gardening—or who could use a reminder to slow down and savor the process. Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.  

A long overdue episode where I share my deep love for pole dancing with the incredible Dr. Cat Liang. She is a clinical psychologist and pole dance instructor who has conducted research on the therapeutic benefits of pole dance, particularly with women survivors of abuse.We talk about the internalized shame that women carry about their bodies and their sexuality. We talk about the importance of witnessing other women reclaiming their bodies through sensual movement, as well as the power of healing in a community of supportive women.We also discuss how creativity and pole dance help trauma survivors gain a sense of agency over their bodies and their emotions, and learn to feel safe with discomfort.Dr. Cat Liang is going to be running her first 12-week Sensual Movement workshop series in Los Angeles, California, where she puts her clinical research into practice. If you are interested in learning more and being on the waitlist, send her an email at info@drcatliang.comYou can learn more about her therapy work at her website: https://www.drcatliang.comFollow her therapeutic pole journey on Instagram: @liberated.danceInterested in connecting with other embodied therapists and practitioners? Join our free Facebook community here: The Embodied Practitioner ParadigmLearn more about our year-long, internationally accredited Somatic Coaching certification program here: The Healing Embodied Practitioner Training ProgramBook a free Career Vision Call to learn how this program can help bring your one-of-a-kind career dreams to life: https://healingembodied.hbportal.co/public/careervisionAdditional Resources:Want to be a client of Healing Embodied? Book a free 15 minute Clarity Call with a member of our team, and learn how we can support you in creating more trust, love, and joy in your life: https://healingembodied.kartra.com/page/applyGet our free training for therapists, coaches, and practitioners, How to Not Burn out as a Therapist: https://healingembodied.kartra.com/page/burnoutGet our $7 ebook for therapists, coaches, and practitioners on how to create a career that lights you up and serves from overflow rather than burnout and self-sacrifice, From Overgiving to Overflow: https://healingembodied.kartra.com/page/overgiving-to-overflowWant to feel safe to let in the fullness of love in your relationship? Check out our new free guide, "The 5 Keys to Feeling Rock Solid in Your Relationship" here: https://healingembodied.kartra.com/page/the-5-keysGet on our email list for updates, podcast episode announcements, discounts, and more: https://healingembodied.kartra.com/page/sign-upCheck out all the ways we can support you here: www.healingembodied.com/healwithus

Dr. Joleen Liang is Co-founder of Squirrel AI, which pioneered adaptive learning at scale, first in China and now in the US. By 2021 its technology had served over 60,000 public schools in 1,200 cities across Asia. Squirrel AI has implemented large knowledge graphs mapping out the main concepts in the K-12 math, science, and language curriculum. The Squirrel learning tablet actively observes student behavior (including eye-tracking during video lessons) and adapts its presentation and testing to individual learning patterns.Chapter markers:(00:00) - Joleen Liang: Co-Founder of Squirrel AI (02:14) - Squirrel AI: Beginnings and scale (14:44) - AI vs Human Teachers (33:51) - Learning environment: tablet, headphones, human supervisors/analysts (51:11) - Challenges and Opportunities in the US Market Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.–Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to manifold1podcast@gmail.com or Steve on X @hsu_steve.

En en no solo de hoy os hablo de esta serie de època china llena de acción, romance e intrigas. Batallas y una mujer General que luchara por recuperar su honor, su nombre y todo lo que le fue arrebatado. No te pierdas esta adictiva historia.

What if smaller wasn't a limitation, but a superpower?  We explore the countercultural truth that success doesn't always mean scaling up—it can mean rooting down. Inspired by Bo Burlingham's book Small Giants, we reflect on companies and people who intentionally choose depth, intimacy, and meaning over sheer size.  We discuss how “great instead of big” has led us to more fulfillment, deeper connection, and increased joy.  You'll hear our personal stories and be invited to rethink how you measure success—whether that's in medicine, business, or simply being human. Pearls of Wisdom: Fulfillment can be your ultimate measure of success—quality, mastery, and purpose often matter more than numbers or scale. Being “small” can deepen roots, strengthen community, and preserve your values. Intimacy—whether with patients, clients, or community—creates an impact that scale can't always replicate. You can intentionally design your “company culture,” whether that's your workplace, your family, or your ecosystem. Choosing less can often give you so much more. Reflection Questions: What would it look like for you to be a “small giant” in your own life? How might you choose quality, intimacy, and depth instead of scale, speed, or more? Where could you deepen your roots instead of stretching yourself thinner? If you'd like to bring this kind of mindful, intentional leadership into your life and work, I invite you to join me for coaching or a retreat at www.jessiemahoneymd.com or learn more about my speaking offerings at www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking.  Dr. Liang also offers workshops and speaking engagements at www.awakenbreath.org. We are, proudly, a small giant—-rooted in connection, intimacy, and the belief that depth changes lives. Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.  

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Whispers of the Past: A Stormy Quest for Lost Memories Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-23-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 天空阴沉，预示着一场暴风雨即将来临。En: The sky was overcast, hinting at an impending storm.Zh: 梁站在曾经的学校门前，思绪如这不稳定的天气一般混乱。En: Liang stood in front of his former school, his thoughts as tumultuous as the unstable weather.Zh: 多年前，这里充满了欢声笑语，如今却只剩下破碎的玻璃和倒塌的墙壁。En: Years ago, this place was filled with laughter and joy, but now only shattered glass and collapsed walls remain.Zh: 仲夏的季节，空气中弥漫着潮湿和腐朽的味道，四周安静得令人不安，只有远处的雷声隐隐作响。En: In the midsummer season, the air was thick with the smell of dampness and decay, and the surroundings were eerily quiet, save for the faint rumblings of distant thunder.Zh: “我们真的要进去吗？”云紧紧拉着梁的胳膊，担心地问。En: "Are we really going in?" Yun tightly clutched Liang's arm and asked worriedly.Zh: 他知道，尽管这里早已没人居住，但仍有未知的危险潜伏着。En: He knew that although no one lived here anymore, unknown dangers might still be lurking.Zh: “我必须找到那一页。”梁坚定地回答。En: "I have to find that page," Liang replied resolutely.Zh: 他的手中拿着一本旧笔记本，那是他与过去连接的纽带。En: In his hand was an old notebook, his tether to the past.Zh: 智的身影悄然而至。En: Zhi's figure appeared silently.Zh: 他是个神秘的人，总是说自己能和灵魂交流。En: He was a mysterious person who always claimed he could communicate with spirits.Zh: 今天恰逢中元节，智说，灵魂会在这一天重回人间寻找答案。En: Today, coinciding with the Zhongyuan Jie, Zhi said that souls would return on this day to seek answers.Zh: “灵魂们需要你去解答。”智的声音平静而深邃，他的眼睛盯着学校的深处。En: "The spirits need you to uncover answers," Zhi's voice was calm and profound, his eyes fixed on the depths of the school.Zh: 梁深吸一口气，点了点头。En: Liang took a deep breath and nodded.Zh: 他知道，时间不多了。En: He knew there was little time left.Zh: 三人走进破败的走廊，沙沙声在脚下回荡。En: The three of them walked into the dilapidated corridor, the rustling sounds echoing beneath their feet.Zh: 阳光勉强从破碎的窗户中洒进来，空气中浮动的灰尘犹如无形的幽灵。En: Sunlight barely streamed through the broken windows, and the dust floating in the air resembled invisible ghosts.Zh: 随着他们走入记忆深处的教室，墙上的黑板早已空白，如同被时间洗净了一般。En: As they stepped into a classroom deep within their memories, the blackboard on the wall was blank, as if cleansed by time.Zh: “就是这里。”梁的手指抚过一个老旧的课桌，这里曾经是他的角落。En: "This is it." Liang's fingers brushed across an old desk that used to be his corner.Zh: 然而，未等他开始翻找，暴风雨突然而至。En: However, before he could start searching, the storm abruptly arrived.Zh: 狂风卷起地上的杂物，房子摇摇欲坠。En: The fierce wind lifted debris from the ground, and the building trembled.Zh: 梁在慌乱中寻找那遗失的记忆。En: In the chaos, Liang searched for the lost memories.Zh: 就在此时，智闭上眼睛，轻声喃喃：“她说找到了，是一段未完成的告别。”En: At this moment, Zhi closed his eyes and murmured softly, "She says it's found, it's an unfinished farewell."Zh: 云盯着那些飘浮在空中的纸张，突然发现有一张纸慢慢掉落在梁的脚边。En: Yun gazed at the papers floating through the air and suddenly noticed one slowly descending at Liang's feet.Zh: 梁急忙捡起，那是某个夏日午后，一个关于爱与梦想的瞬间。En: Liang hurriedly picked it up; it was a moment from a summer afternoon, a fragment about love and dreams.Zh: 随着这个心底的片段重现，暴风雨也随之平息。En: As this fragment from the depths of his heart resurfaced, the storm subsided.Zh: 梁感受到一股前所未有的平静。En: Liang felt an unprecedented calm.Zh: “或许，过去并不需要解答。”他的语气平和，“重要的是心中的那份温暖。”En: "Perhaps, the past doesn't need answers," he said with serenity in his voice, "What's important is the warmth in our hearts."Zh: 云微微点头，他开始意识到，有些事物比生存更有意义。En: Yun nodded slightly, beginning to realize that some things are more meaningful than mere survival.Zh: 而智，在找到灵魂的答案后，重重地点了个头，似乎对两个新朋友感到满足。En: And Zhi, having found the answer for the spirits, nodded heavily, seemingly satisfied with his two new friends.Zh: 天边的乌云逐渐散去，阳光将废墟染成温暖的金色。En: The clouds in the sky gradually parted, and the sunshine painted the ruins a warm golden hue.Zh: 三人并肩站立，终于拥抱各自的内心，在这个被遗忘的地方，重拾珍贵的回忆与情谊。En: The three stood side by side, finally embracing their innermost selves, reclaiming precious memories and connections in this forgotten place. Vocabulary Words:overcast: 阴沉impending: 即将来临tumultuous: 混乱midsummer: 仲夏decay: 腐朽eerily: 令人不安lurking: 潜伏resolutely: 坚定地tether: 纽带coinciding: 恰逢profound: 深邃dilapidated: 破败resemble: 犹如fragment: 片段subside: 平息unprecedented: 前所未有serenity: 平和embrace: 拥抱connections: 情谊uncanny: 奇异debris: 碎片profound: 深刻answers: 解答reclaimed: 重拾innermost: 内心深处ominously: 不祥地perception: 感知unearth: 发掘revelation: 启示spectral: 幽灵般

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Liang's Market Adventure: Fresh Ingredients, Fresh Dreams Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-16-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 梁今天特别兴奋。En: Liang was particularly excited today.Zh: 他走进熙熙攘攘的市场，心里满是期待。En: As he walked into the bustling market, his heart was full of anticipation.Zh: 夏天的阳光洒在市场上，大家都在忙着采购新鲜的食材。En: The summer sun shone down on the market, and everyone was busy purchasing fresh ingredients.Zh: 旁边有一条长长的队伍，那是人们在排队进行投票。En: There was a long queue beside him, where people were lining up to vote.Zh: 这样的热闹场面，让梁觉得生活很有活力。En: Such a lively scene made Liang feel that life was very vibrant.Zh: 梁一边想象着晚上的家庭聚会，一边仔细挑选着每一个食材。En: While imagining the family gathering in the evening, Liang carefully selected each ingredient.Zh: 他想为家人准备一道传统的美味菜肴，并趁机宣布一个惊喜。En: He wanted to prepare a traditional delicious dish for his family and take the opportunity to announce a surprise.Zh: 然而，他发现市场上的供应却并不如往常。En: However, he found that the market's supply was not as ample as usual.Zh: 几个熟悉的摊位都因为供货延迟，蔬菜水果的选择变少了。En: Several familiar stalls had fewer choices of fruits and vegetables due to delivery delays.Zh: 梁稍微有些失望，他必须迅速做出决策。En: Liang felt slightly disappointed; he had to make a quick decision.Zh: "今天怎么了，这么多人都在抢购？" 美站在他旁边，也是为晚上的聚会准备食材。En: "What's going on today, why is everyone rushing to buy?" Mei stood next to him, also preparing to buy ingredients for the evening gathering.Zh: 陈也过来了，帮着挑选。En: Chen came over to help choose as well.Zh: "听说是因为最近供应紧张，大家赶着买好东西呢。" 陈一边说，一边拿起一个新鲜的茄子。En: "I heard it's because of recent supply tensions, everyone is rushing to get good stuff," Chen said while picking up a fresh eggplant.Zh: 梁皱起眉头。En: Liang frowned.Zh: 他想要最鲜嫩的食材，但现在看来，可选择的空间有限。En: He wanted the freshest ingredients, but it seemed that the options were limited.Zh: 这时，一个灵感闪过他的脑海——他记得有个本地农民的田地就在附近，也许能直接去那里买到最新鲜的菜。En: Then, a spark of inspiration flashed in his mind—he remembered there was a local farmer's field nearby; perhaps he could go there directly to buy the freshest produce.Zh: 他迅速决定不浪费时间。En: He quickly decided not to waste time.Zh: "我要去趟农场，你们在这里等我一会儿，" 梁对美和陈说，然后快步向市场外走去。En: "I'm going to the farm, wait for me here for a while," Liang said to Mei and Chen, then briskly walked out of the market.Zh: 烈日下，梁赶到了农民的田地。En: Under the blazing sun, Liang arrived at the farmer's field.Zh: 田地里果然有他需要的新鲜蔬菜。En: Indeed, there were fresh vegetables he needed in the field.Zh: 他与农民聊了几句，顺利买到了最好的食材。En: He chatted with the farmer for a few moments and managed to buy the best ingredients.Zh: 虽然时间紧张，但他心中充满了欣喜，这不仅仅是为了那个菜，也是因为他即将告诉家人他的新计划。En: Although time was tight, his heart was full of joy, not just for the dish but because he was about to share his new plan with his family.Zh: 回到家中，梁马上开始准备。En: Back home, Liang immediately began his preparations.Zh: 他把新的食材处理得恰到好处，做出了一道让家人啧啧称赞的传统美味。En: He handled the new ingredients perfectly, creating a traditional delicious dish that his family praised highly.Zh: 当家人们吃着他精心烹制的菜时，梁感到无比自豪。En: As his family ate the meticulously prepared dish, Liang felt immensely proud.Zh: “我有个好消息，”梁微笑着说，“我决定开一个小餐馆，让更多人尝到我们的传统味道。”En: "I have good news," Liang said with a smile, "I've decided to open a small restaurant so more people can taste our traditional flavors."Zh: 家人们都很惊讶，热烈地鼓掌支持他。En: His family was surprised and clapped enthusiastically in support.Zh: 梁知道，无论遇到什么困难，他都可以依靠他的家人和社区。En: Liang knew that no matter what difficulties he encountered, he could always rely on his family and community.Zh: 通过今天的经历，梁更加感受到了社区的重要。En: Through today's experience, Liang felt even more the importance of community.Zh: 新鲜的食材不仅滋养了他的家人，也滋养了他的梦想。En: Fresh ingredients not only nourished his family but also his dreams. Vocabulary Words:particularly: 特别anticipated: 期待bustling: 熙熙攘攘queue: 队伍lively: 热闹vibrant: 有活力gathering: 聚会purchase: 采购ample: 充足delays: 延迟disappointed: 失望tensions: 紧张frowned: 皱起眉头limited: 有限spark: 灵感inspiration: 灵感blazing: 烈chatted: 聊announced: 宣布meticulously: 精心enthusiastically: 热烈地support: 支持encountered: 遇到community: 社区nourished: 滋养dreams: 梦想preparations: 准备praised: 称赞opportunity: 机rely: 依靠

GSD Presents: Top Global Startups with Sam Liang How Voice AI Is Changing the Way We Meet and Work July 15th, Tuesday

We're still making new discoveries about pregnancy. Donghai Liang, associate professor of environmental health at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, examines how exposure to certain chemicals may affect mothers and babies. As an exposure scientist and molecular epidemiologist, Dr. Donghai Liang is particularly interested in characterizing the human exposome and elucidating the molecular […]

An unexpected journey from Hong Kong to Texas formed the backbone of Adam Coleman's story as he recounts how discovering airbrush stencils abroad eventually led him to become the North American distributor for Liang Models. What began with worn-out stencils and an email inquiry transformed into a passionate business venture connecting Chinese manufacturing innovation with the American modeling community.Coleman walks us through the fascinating evolution of Liang, founded in 2019 by architect and senior modeling judge Yusheng Liang. Their product line has expanded to approximately 90 items across three core categories: vinyl airbrush stencils, specialized modeling tools, and diorama accessories. The Zimmerit tools rank as their bestsellers, but newer innovations like the centered hole driller and handle bender showcase the thoughtful engineering behind each product.What distinguishes Liang from competitors is their commitment to education. Each product features a QR code linking to instructional videos, making complex techniques accessible to modelers of all skill levels. Coleman's distribution philosophy prioritizes geographic exclusivity for brick-and-mortar retailers while supporting online vendors in different regions, creating a collaborative rather than competitive marketplace.The episode then pivots to an exciting preview of the 48th annual Huntsville Plastic Model Society show scheduled for August 23rd. Tom Clark details how this well-established event has evolved to embrace emerging trends like Gundam modeling with expanded categories. With 62 vendor tables already sold out, food trucks (including milkshakes!), and proximity to the famous Space and Rocket Center, the show delivers a complete modeling experience for attendees.Whether you're interested in discovering innovative new modeling tools or planning to attend what promises to be an outstanding show in Alabama, this episode provides valuable insights into the ever-evolving world of scale modeling. Ready to expand your modeling toolkit or submit an entry to test your skills against fellow enthusiasts? The opportunities await!Model Paint SolutionsYour source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes and David Union Power ToolsSQUADRON Adding to the stash since 1968Model PodcastsPlease check out the other pods in the modelsphere!PMM Merchandise StoreSupport the show with PMM Merchandise!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Give us your Feedback!Rate the Show!Support the Show!PatreonBuy Me a BeerPaypalBump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed BarothAd Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" BairMike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

Hello Grab a pillow and lay down. Drift off. Allow yourself to dream. Such overt direction wouldn't normally feature in a Thoroughly Good Podcast introduction, but its fitting for this one with pianist Hanni Liang who, ever the experimenter with concert formats, tests out an element of her forthcoming Edinburgh Festival appearance on me in a bit of a podcast first. Liang combines a performance of Debussy Reverie with audience-led improvisation at The Hub as part of Edinburgh International Festival this year, inviting people to share their dreams so that she can improvise on the ideas that emerge from it. She does the same here with me. It's only really since recording this that I've come to understand what my recurring dream really is about - in its simplest terms its to do with the panic of time running out. And now, having understood that, it is phenomenally disappointing to realise I've been having this same dream for as long as I can remember. Even so, I've not had it since recording this episode. There is then a therapeutic impact to Hanni's work. More than that, Hanni's candid reflections on the experience of improvisation isn't that far from a theme stitched through recent episodes - leadership qualities, and specifically in this case, the need for and the experience of vulnerability.

In this episode, Sebastian Hassinger sits down with Dr. Liang Jiang from the University of Chicago to explore the exciting intersection of quantum error correction theory and practical implementation. Dr. Jiang discusses his group's work on hardware-efficient quantum error correction, the recent breakthroughs in demonstrating error correction thresholds, and the future of fault-tolerant quantum computing.Key Topics CoveredCurrent State of Quantum Error CorrectionRecent milestone achievements including Google's surface code experiment and AWS's bosonic code demonstrationsThe transition from purely theoretical work to practical implementations on real hardwareHardware platforms showing high fidelity: superconducting qubits, trapped ions, and cold atomsHardware-Efficient ApproachesBosonic Error Correction: Using single harmonic oscillators to correct loss errors, demonstrated at Yale and AWSSurface Codes: Google's achievement of going beyond breakeven point for quantum memoryQLDPC Codes: Collaboration with IBM and neutral atom array experiments, particularly Michel Lukin's group at HarvardFault-Tolerant Gate ImplementationChallenges of implementing universal computation with error-corrected logical qubitsMagic State Injection: Preparing resource quantum states and teleporting them into circuitsCode Switching: Switching between different error correcting codes to achieve universal gate setsThe Eastin-Knill no-go theorem and methods to overcome itProgramming Abstraction LayersEvolution toward higher-level programming abstractions similar to classical computingEfficient compilation of quantum circuits using discrete fault-tolerant gate setsMemory Operations: Teleporting gates into quantum memory rather than extracting qubitsQuantum Communication and NetworkingChannel Capacity and GKP CodesApplication of Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) codes for achieving channel capacity in lossy channelsRecent experimental demonstrations in trapped ions and superconducting qubits showing breakeven performanceMicrowave-to-Optical TransductionCritical challenge for connecting quantum devices across different frequency domainsRecent progress in demonstrating quantum channels between microwave and optical modesApplications for both quantum networking and modular quantum computing architecturesAdvanced ApplicationsQuantum Sensing with Error CorrectionResearch by Dr. Jiang's former student Sisi Zhou addressing John Preskill's 20-year-old questionNecessary and sufficient conditions for error correction to help quantum sensingApplications to gravitational wave detection and dark matter searchesAlgorithmic Quantum MetrologyCollaboration with MIT researchers on combining global search algorithms with quantum sensorsPotential for quantum advantage in processing quantum signals from quantum sensorsFuture DirectionsDistributed Quantum ComputingModular architecture with specialized components: memory, processors, and interfacesScaling challenges requiring interconnects between different quantum devicesSystem-level thinking about quantum computer architectureApplication-Specific Error CorrectionTailoring error correction schemes for specific algorithms and applicationsCo-design approach considering hardware capabilities and application requirementsKey InsightsTheory-Experiment Collaboration: The importance of close collaboration between theorists and experimentalists to understand real-world error modelsHardware Efficiency: Moving beyond generic error correction to platform-specific and application-specific approachesTemporal Considerations: The need for not just hardware efficiency but also time efficiency in quantum operationsAbstraction Evolution: The inevitable move toward higher-level programming abstractions as fault-tolerant quantum computing maturesNotable Quotes"We want to do hardware efficient quantum error correction... given qubits are still very precious resource.""Quantum computers are really good at processing quantum signals. Where does the quantum signal come from? Quantum sensor is definitely a very promising source."About the Guest:Dr. Liang Jiang leads a research group at the University of Chicago focused on the practical implementation of quantum error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computing. His work spans multiple quantum platforms and emphasizes the co-design of hardware and error correction schemes.About The New Quantum Era:The New Quantum Era is hosted by Sebastian Hassinger and features in-depth conversations with leading researchers and practitioners in quantum computing, exploring the latest developments and future prospects in the field.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Peter Liang discuss the rise in colorectal cancer among younger people, those below the age of 50. While colorectal cancer is a slow-growing cancer, it is still the third most common cancer for both men and women, and the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Due to the trend of decreasing age in colorectal cancer patients, screening guidelines have been lowered to 45, but can be done earlier as needed, based on risk factors. Dr. Liang emphasizes the importance of screening, diet, exercise, and awareness of family history in preventing and detecting colorectal cancer early.     Key Takeaways: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer in both men and women. It is the second leading cause of cancer death behind lung cancer. Early-onset colorectal cancer is traditionally defined as occurring in people under age 50. However, there is a rise in people in their 40s, though some (though they are a minority) are in their 20s or 30s. Colorectal cancer is unique due to the number of different tests available for screening for prevention. Colorectal cancer is a slow-growing cancer. A single polyp can sometimes take 10-20 years to develop into cancer. There is no evidence correlating constipation with colorectal cancer. If people want to do juices or fasts or colonics, that is fine, but there is no medical need to do it. If you have symptoms that are concerning, tell your doctor. Sometimes you do need to advocate for yourself to get additional testing.   "Any test that is not a colonoscopy and is abnormal does need to be followed by a colonoscopy. How we prevent Colorectal cancer is by going in with the colonoscopy, removing polyps (which can turn into cancer), or by finding the cancer early, so that your prognosis is much better." —  Dr. Peter Liang   Connect with Dr. Peter Liang: Professional Bio: https://med.nyu.edu/faculty/peter-s-liang  Website: https://med.nyu.edu/research/liang-lab/    Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Love Blossoms at the Mountain Village Market Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-13-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 山村集市在山间的晨光中焕发出勃勃生机。En: The mountain village market burst with vibrant life in the morning light of the mountains.Zh: 彩色的帐篷如花朵般盛开，空气中弥漫着香草和新鲜蔬菜的芬芳。En: Colorful tents bloomed like flowers, and the air was filled with the fragrance of herbs and fresh vegetables.Zh: 人们穿梭其间，为即将到来的七夕节添置各种食材。En: People shuttled back and forth, adding various ingredients for the upcoming Qixi Festival.Zh: 梅是一位年轻的姑娘，对烹饪充满热情。En: Mei was a young woman with a passion for cooking.Zh: 她计划为心仪的人准备一顿特别的晚餐，以此表达自己的心意。En: She planned to prepare a special dinner for someone she admired, as a way to express her feelings.Zh: 然而，节日将至，集市比平常更热闹，想要购买的食材在迅速售罄。En: However, with the festival approaching, the market was busier than usual, and the ingredients she wanted were quickly selling out.Zh: “我要找到最好的材料，”梅对自己说道。En: "I need to find the best materials," Mei said to herself.Zh: “只有用最好的食材，才能做出我想要的那道菜！En: "Only with the best ingredients can I make the dish I want!"Zh: ”她走过一个个摊位，与摊主们讨价还价，努力收集所需的蔬菜和香草。En: She walked past one stall after another, haggling with vendors, diligently collecting the needed vegetables and herbs.Zh: 梁是一位友好的摊贩，对梅一直心怀倾慕。En: Liang was a friendly vendor who had always admired Mei.Zh: 他见梅走近自己的摊位，微微一笑。En: Seeing her approach his stall, he gave a slight smile.Zh: “梅，今天需要些什么？En: "Mei, what do you need today?"Zh: ”梁问道，他的摊位上摆满了新鲜的香草。En: Liang asked, his stall filled with fresh herbs.Zh: “你好，梁，”梅热情地回应。En: "Hello, Liang," Mei responded warmly.Zh: “我在找一些香菜、薄荷，还有一些辣椒。En: "I'm looking for cilantro, mint, and some chili peppers.Zh: 可是好像人太多了，我还缺最后几样。En: But it seems too crowded today, and I'm still missing a few items."Zh: ”梁明白梅的困难，也知晓她为谁准备这顿晚餐。En: Liang understood Mei's difficulty and also knew for whom she was preparing this dinner.Zh: 他在心中犹豫，要不要趁机表达自己的心意。En: He hesitated in his heart, wondering whether to take the opportunity to express his feelings.Zh: 然而，他决定先帮助梅。En: However, he decided to help Mei first.Zh: “这些都是我为你留的，”梁说，悄悄从摊位后拿出一小篮新鲜香草。En: "I've kept these just for you," Liang said, quietly taking out a small basket of fresh herbs from behind the stall.Zh: 梅惊讶且感激地看着梁。En: Mei looked at Liang in surprise and gratitude.Zh: “谢谢你，梁！En: "Thank you, Liang!Zh: 这些就是我需要的！En: This is exactly what I needed!"Zh: ”她说，心中一阵温暖。En: she said, feeling a wave of warmth in her heart.Zh: 日落时分，梅邀请梁来她家共进晚餐。En: At sunset, Mei invited Liang to her home for dinner.Zh: 灯火柔和，空气中飘着诱人的香气。En: The lights were soft, and the air was filled with a tempting aroma.Zh: 梅端上她的佳肴，微笑着对梁说：“谢谢你的帮助。En: Mei served her dishes and smiled at Liang, saying, "Thank you for your help.Zh: 因为有了你，我才能做出这顿晚餐。En: Because of you, I was able to make this dinner."Zh: ”吃着梅亲手做的饭菜，梁终于鼓起勇气，说出了心里话。En: While eating the meal Mei had personally prepared, Liang finally mustered the courage to speak his heart.Zh: “梅，我其实一直很欣赏你，也很喜欢这些因为你而变得特别的日子。En: "Mei, I've always appreciated you and really cherish these days made special by you."Zh: ”梅脸上露出幸福的微笑。En: Mei's face lit up with a happy smile.Zh: “我也是呢，一直想告诉你，那些日子里我也很开心。En: "I do too, I've always wanted to tell you, those days were very joyful for me as well."Zh: ”那天晚上，他们在共同分享的餐桌旁，敞开心扉，终于明白彼此心意。En: That night, around a shared table, they opened their hearts and finally understood each other's feelings.Zh: 不知不觉中，他们的世界因为一个下午的集市而改变。En: Unknowingly, their world was changed by an afternoon at the market.Zh: 山村集市的繁忙已经远去，夜空中挂满星星，与温柔的月光一道，见证了一个新的开始。En: The hustle and bustle of the mountain village market had faded away, and the starry night sky, along with the gentle moonlight, witnessed a new beginning. Vocabulary Words:vibrant: 勃勃生机bloomed: 盛开fragrance: 芬芳shuttled: 穿梭forth: 其间upcoming: 即将到来的admired: 心仪haggling: 讨价还价vendors: 摊贩diligently: 努力chili peppers: 辣椒crowded: 热闹hesitated: 犹豫gratitude: 感激temper: 柔和aroma: 香气mustered: 鼓起cherish: 珍惜appreciate: 欣赏shared: 共同bustle: 繁忙faded: 远去starry: 星星gentle: 温柔witnessed: 见证express: 表达feelings: 心意materials: 材料personally: 亲手surprise: 惊讶

This show has been flagged as Explicit by the host. The program starts with a brief trailer, presenting the story, before starting the full audiodrama... I hope you have a good show, thanks in advance for listening. References (some): LIANG, Jiashuo. A History of Japan's Unit 731 and Implications for Modern Biological Warfare. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, v. 673. Atlantis Press, 2022. PBS. The Living Weapon: Shiro Ishii. Link: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/weapon-biography-shiro-ishii. Accessed: January 2025. RIDER, Dwight R. Japan's Biological and Chemical Weapons Programs; War Crimes and Atrocities – Who's Who, What's What, Where's Where. 1928 – 1945. 3rd ed., 2018 [“In Process” version]. Credits of audio used — in order of appearance (or “listenance”): Kulakovka / Pixabay – Lost in Dreams (abstract chill downtempo cinematic future beats). BBC Sound Effects – Aircraft: Beaufighters - Take off. (Bristol Beaufighter, World War II); Army: Parade Ground Manoeuvres - Platoon strolls single-file on parade ground; Weather: Snow - Blizzard - heard inside house, with banging shutters; Footsteps In Snow - Footsteps in snow, 3 men departing; Water - Filling metal bucket from pond and pouring water on to concrete. florianreichelt / Freesound ¬– quick woosh. Thalamus_Lab / Freesound – Vertical Noise_Chinese Folk Duo Decay. neolein / Freesound – Mystic chinese guzheng. BBC Sound Effects again – World War 2 - Enemy artillery (World War II actuality) - 1975 (500S); Aircraft: Beaufighters - Exterior, steep climb. (Bristol Beaufighter, World War II). JamesFarrell_97 / Freesound – Game Theme. Luke100000 / Freesound – turning old pages. BBC Sound Effects – Sirens & Gunfire - World War II Air Raid Siren, German, all clear sounded. Gvidon / Pixabay – Spinning Head. * If you'd like the script to read (along with a few other things, like the Audacity project), you can obtain the text at the production's page on Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/the-prisioner-of-unit-731-audiodrama-final * As a post-show extra: you can listen to the producer's motivation for producing this story on ep. 4313. hpr4313 :: Why I made a 1-episode podcast about a war story: https://hackerpublicradio.org/eps/hpr4313/index.html Provide feedback on this episode.

Lassoing Leadership: Leading with Purpose and TrustThis week on Lassoing Leadership, Garth Nichols and Dr. Jason Rogers welcome special guests Belle Liang and Tim Klein to unpack the transformative themes of empowerment, trust, and purpose in leadership.Dive into a compelling discussion about cultivating a purpose mindset – understanding the deep 'why' behind your actions. The conversation journeys from a passion-driven approach to a truly purpose-driven life, exploring how both adversity and even privilege can shape one's personal purpose. Discover the vital role of mentorship and consistent self-reflection in nurturing a meaningful life and career, echoing the spirit of personal growth championed in the Ted Lasso series.Learn how embracing your purpose can lead to greater success, fulfillment, and a more impactful leadership journey.Key Takeaways:Empowerment and trust are the bedrock of effective leadership.A purpose mindset focuses on internal meaning, not just external outcomes.Adversity can be a powerful catalyst for deeper self-reflection and purpose.Mentorship is crucial for navigating your personal and professional purpose journey.Self-reflection is essential for understanding and living your authentic purpose.Guests: Belle Liang and Tim Klein.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Chaos to Laughter: A Ventilation Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-27-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏日里，龙舟节的前一天，地下掩体里一片忙乱。En: On the day before the Dragon Boat Festival, the underground shelter was in a state of chaos.Zh: 昏暗的小灯泡将这个狭窄的空间照亮得勉勉强强。En: A dim light bulb barely illuminated the narrow space.Zh: 那里堆满了各种工具、小玩意儿，还有即将用到的节日用品。En: It was filled with various tools, gadgets, and festival supplies that were about to be used.Zh: 梁和美正在这个地下掩体里忙着修理通风系统。En: Liang and Mei were busy repairing the ventilation system in the underground shelter.Zh: 梁是个喜欢开玩笑的人，他总是用谜题来挑战自己，En: Liang was a jokester who loved to challenge himself with riddles.Zh: 今天他想用这些技巧来修理通风系统，同时也想给美留下深刻印象。En: Today, he wanted to use these skills to fix the ventilation system, and at the same time, leave a lasting impression on Mei.Zh: 美则一向谨慎，她喜欢一切都有条有理，En: Mei, on the other hand, was always cautious and liked everything to be orderly.Zh: 她的目标是确保他们在节日之前把通风系统修好，以免影响节日气氛。En: Her goal was to ensure the ventilation system was fixed before the festival so it wouldn't affect the festive atmosphere.Zh: “这系统好像比我想象的复杂。”梁撇撇嘴，手里摆弄着工具。En: "This system seems more complicated than I thought," Liang said with a wry smile, fiddling with his tools.Zh: 他决定不按照逻辑步骤，而是用他自己发挥的办法来解决问题。En: He decided not to follow the logical steps and instead approached the problem with his own method.Zh: 他跳上了梯子，决定从通风口开始着手。En: He climbed a ladder and decided to start from the vent.Zh: “我肯定能搞定，”他对美说。En: "I can definitely handle this," he said to Mei.Zh: 美坐在地上，手里捧着厚厚的操作手册，她摇摇头，叹气说：“梁，你这样不行，得按步骤来。”En: Mei sat on the ground, holding a thick operations manual, and shook her head, sighing, "Liang, you can't do it like that; you need to follow the steps."Zh: 可梁充耳不闻。En: But Liang turned a deaf ear.Zh: 他觉得那些复杂的步骤是多余的，他才不要被困在文字中呢。En: He thought those complex steps were unnecessary and didn't want to be trapped in text.Zh: 结果，随着他的猛然一拉，一股劲风突然从通风口喷出，几件堆在旁边的杂物像是被施了魔法般飞上了天。En: As a result, with a sudden pull, a gust of wind burst from the vent, and several items stacked nearby flew into the air as if by magic.Zh: 一顶帽子噗地罩在了梁的头上，逗得美掩嘴直笑。En: A hat popped onto Liang's head, making Mei laugh so hard she had to cover her mouth.Zh: “哎，看你，我说了小心点！”美笑得眼泪都出来了。En: "See, I told you to be careful!" Mei laughed until she cried.Zh: 梁被噗得一声盖在头上的帽子弄得啼笑皆非，但他不气馁，继续试着用他的方法来解决。En: Liang was both amused and exasperated by the hat covering his head but remained undeterred, continuing to try to solve it his way.Zh: 他不断试错，却似乎都离成功有些差距。En: He kept experimenting, yet success seemed to elude him.Zh: 终于，美放下手中的手册，意识到仅靠她一个人也不行。En: Finally, Mei put down the manual, realizing she couldn't do it alone.Zh: 于是，她决定和梁合力，一起发挥两人的长处。En: So, she decided to join forces with Liang, combining their strengths.Zh: 美负责阅读手册提供的关键信息，而梁则发挥他的想象，进行灵活处理。En: Mei took charge of extracting key information from the manual, while Liang used his imagination for flexible problem-solving.Zh: “我们试试这个？”美递给梁一个工具。En: "Shall we try this?" Mei handed a tool to Liang.Zh: “好，就试试。”梁接过工具，和美一起动起手来。En: "Sure, let's try it." Liang took the tool, and together with Mei, they got to work.Zh: 突然，通风系统发出了轻微的轰鸣声，接着奇迹出现了——气流重新正常，所有系统恢复运转。En: Suddenly, the ventilation system emitted a faint humming sound, and then a miracle happened—the airflow returned to normal, and all systems resumed operation.Zh: “我们成功了！”美兴奋地站起来，拍了拍梁肩膀。En: "We did it!" Mei exclaimed, standing up excitedly and patting Liang on the shoulder.Zh: 梁也松了口气，笑着说：“看，我们的团队合作真不错。”En: Liang also breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as he said, "See, our teamwork is pretty good."Zh: 离开地下掩体，阳光洒在两人的脸上，龙舟节的氛围已在空气中飘荡。En: Leaving the underground shelter, sunlight fell on their faces, and the atmosphere of the Dragon Boat Festival was already in the air.Zh: 经过这一番修修补补，他们更懂得彼此的优点。En: Through this repair endeavor, they gained a deeper understanding of each other's strengths.Zh: 梁知道计划的价值，而美也更能理解灵活创造的乐趣。En: Liang learned the value of planning, while Mei better appreciated the joy of flexible creativity.Zh: 两人一起看向远处热闹的龙舟比赛，满心欢喜。En: Together, they looked towards the bustling dragon boat race in the distance, filled with joy.Zh: 这个夏天，这次意外，成了他们难忘的回忆。En: This summer, this unexpected event became an unforgettable memory for them. Vocabulary Words:chaos: 忙乱illuminated: 照亮gadgets: 小玩意儿ventilation: 通风jokester: 喜欢开玩笑的人riddles: 谜题cautious: 谨慎orderly: 有条有理logical: 逻辑approach: 着手wry: 撇撇嘴fiddling: 摆弄manual: 手册sighing: 叹气trapped: 被困gust: 劲风amused: 啼笑皆非exasperated: 恼火elude: 离成功有些差距undeterred: 不气馁endeavor: 番修修补补humming: 轰鸣miracle: 奇迹bustling: 热闹unforeseen: 意外appreciated: 能理解creativity: 创造imagination: 想象extracting: 阅读提供的信息flexible: 灵活

In this episode of Geek Freaks Headlines, Frank and the team break down the casting of Callina Liang as Chun-Li in the upcoming live-action Street Fighter movie from Legendary. With a cast featuring Jason Momoa, Noah Centineo, Roman Reigns, and Orville Peck, this reboot is shaping up to be the franchise's boldest move yet. We explore what Liang brings to the role, Legendary's approach to revitalizing the series, and how past Street Fighter adaptations have fallen short.Timestamps and Topics:00:00 Callina Liang cast as Chun-Li in live-action Street Fighter reboot00:11 Breakdown of the new cast lineup: Jason Momoa, Noah Centineo, Roman Reigns, Orville Peck00:23 Legendary's strategy to breathe new life into the franchise00:27 Final thoughts and listener calloutKey Takeaways:Callina Liang will play Chun-Li, one of the most iconic characters from Street Fighter.Liang is known for her roles in Bad Genius and Apple TV+'s Foundation.Legendary is putting together a unique and diverse cast, possibly signaling a new direction for video game movies.Past Street Fighter live-action films have flopped—this reboot seems like a fresh, more thoughtful take.Memorable Quotes:"We've got our Chun-Li for the new Street Fighter live action movie. They're tapping Callina Liang, known for Bad Genius and Apple TV's Foundation.""Legendary is trying to take extra care with this one... past live action attempts have flopped."Call to Action:Like what you heard? Don't forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share the episode with your friends using #GeekFreaksPodcast.Links and Resources:

Join Josh on the Solopreneur Grind Podcast as he chats with Jacky, the founder of AnswerHQ, an AI customer service assistant that significantly reduces customer support questions for small businesses and startups.  Jacky shares his journey of creating AnswerHQ as a side hustle while working full-time, his approach to time management, and the tools and strategies he uses to operate efficiently. This episode delves into key aspects of startup life, including market validation, customer acquisition, building in public, and the importance of focusing on solving pain points. Whether you're a technical or non-technical founder, there are invaluable insights to help you start and grow your own business. More specifically: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:15 Jacky's Background and Answer HQ Overview 00:33 The Journey from Side Hustle to Full-Time 01:23 Challenges and Initial Idea Validation 03:47 Building the MVP and Early Customer Acquisition 08:14 Leveraging AI Tools for Productivity 12:03 Time Management and Personal Strategies 15:13 Biggest Challenges as a Solopreneur 15:34 Shifting Focus: From Product Development to Marketing 15:56 The Challenges of Marketing and Sales for Startups 18:41 The Importance of Understanding Your Business Goals 19:55 Funding Your Startup: Options and Considerations 20:57 Building for Pain Points, Not Ideas 21:54 The Role of MVPs and No-Code Tools 26:12 The Concept and Benefits of Building in Public 30:12 Final Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs --- Want to get even more solopreneur podcasts, content and the first 3 chapters of my e-book: “Just Get Started: Key business lessons from 2 businesses, 5 years and 100+ podcast episodes”?  Make sure you're subscribed on my Substack here: https://joshschachnow.substack.com/ --- Where to find Jacky: https://answerhq.co/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjackyliang/ https://jjacky.substack.com/ #sgpodcast  #solopreneur  #businesspodcast

The latest up from Spoken Label (Author / Artist Podcast) features Part 2 of a longer Podcast, making her debut the amazing actress, Jessie Liang, perhaps best known for her appearance in season 1 of 'The Night Agent'. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Jessie Liang is a Taiwanese-Brazilian graduate of Studio 58's prestigious Acting conservatory-style program based in Vancouver, Canada. Best known for her recurring roles in The Night Agent and Maid (Netflix), guest starring in Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and her appearances in popular series like Virgin River (Netflix) and Supergirl (CW), Jessie also played Janet in the Arts Club touring production of Kim's Convenience. She is an emerging theatre director, playwright, instructor, and acting coach, and can be seen in the upcoming season of Animal Control (Fox). Jessie speaks Portuguese fluently and is a full member of UBCP-ACTRA.Some links include:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9089635/bio/https://www.instagram.com/jessieliang21/?hl=en

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Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Solitude to Salad: How a Garden Party Forged New Bonds Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-05-28-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个春光明媚的早晨，阳光洒在一个小区里。En: On a bright spring morning, sunshine poured over a neighborhood.Zh: 这个小区的大门整齐，有一条条小路，两旁种满了五颜六色的花。En: The entrance of this neighborhood was neat, with pathways lined with colorful flowers on both sides.Zh: 小区居民们正在草坪上举行一年一度的小区花园聚餐。En: The residents were holding their annual garden party on the lawn.Zh: 今天，大家带来自己拿手的菜肴，共同分享。En: Today, everyone brought their specialty dishes to share with one another.Zh: 梁是这个小区有名的种植高手，尤其擅长种植番茄。En: Liang was known in the neighborhood as a planting expert, particularly skilled in growing tomatoes.Zh: 他希望自己的番茄沙拉能赢得"最佳菜肴"的非官方大奖。En: He hoped his tomato salad could win the unofficial "Best Dish" award.Zh: 美是新搬来的住户，她希望在这个聚会中结识新朋友，但是由于不熟悉，不知道如何开始交谈。En: Mei was a new resident hoping to make new friends at the gathering, but being unfamiliar, she didn't know how to start a conversation.Zh: 娇，是社区的负责人，以敏锐的洞察力和公正著称，En: Jiao, the community leader, was known for her keen insight and fairness.Zh: 她希望这次活动能让每位邻居都觉得满意。En: She hoped that the event would leave every neighbor satisfied.Zh: 当大家开心地分享美食时，梁注意到美一个人站在角落。En: As everyone happily shared the food, Liang noticed Mei standing alone in a corner.Zh: 她看起来有点紧张。En: She seemed a bit nervous.Zh: 于是，梁走过去，与她交谈，邀请她一起分享自己的番茄沙拉。En: So, Liang approached her for a conversation and invited her to share his tomato salad.Zh: 与此同时，娇也正在解决几位邻居间的小冲突，他们争论着座位问题。En: Meanwhile, Jiao was resolving a minor conflict among some neighbors who were arguing over seating arrangements.Zh: 美感激梁的主动友好，并向娇寻求在社区活动中如何更好融入的建议。En: Mei appreciated Liang's friendly gesture and sought Jiao's advice on how to better integrate into the community activities.Zh: 娇于是决定组织一个“园艺分享”环节，En: Jiao then decided to organize a "Gardening Share" session.Zh: 她提议梁和美一起分享种植技巧，帮助新老住户更好地交流，En: She suggested that Liang and Mei share their planting tips to help new and old residents communicate better.Zh: 此时，戏剧性的一幕出现了：停电了，厨房陷入一片混乱。En: At this moment, something dramatic happened: the power went out, and the kitchen descended into chaos.Zh: 美灵机一动，提出了一个办法：用未烹饪的食材做成冷盘。En: Mei had a bright idea and proposed a solution: use the uncooked ingredients to create cold dishes.Zh: 大家纷纷动手，窗外的阳光让色彩鲜艳的菜肴更加诱人。En: Everyone pitched in, and the sunlight streaming in made the colorful dishes even more enticing.Zh: 梁的番茄沙拉被用来作为一道创新菜的配料，瞬间成为焦点。En: Liang's tomato salad was used as an ingredient for an innovative dish, instantly becoming the focus.Zh: 人们赞美美的主意和梁的番茄，聚餐重新恢复活力。En: People praised Mei's idea and Liang's tomatoes, and the gathering regained its energy.Zh: 最后，聚会圆满结束。En: In the end, the party concluded successfully.Zh: 邻里们感受到合作的力量，他们感谢美在关键时刻的创造力，并邀请她加入梁创立的每月社区园艺分享小组。En: The neighbors felt the power of collaboration and thanked Mei for her creativity at the crucial moment, inviting her to join the monthly community gardening group founded by Liang.Zh: 娇看着大家友好的互动，脸上露出满意的微笑，她意识到包容新观点的重要性。En: Watching everyone interact so amicably, Jiao wore a satisfied smile, realizing the importance of embracing new ideas.Zh: 至此，小区的居民们在共同的经验中找到了联系和团结。En: In this way, the residents of the neighborhood found connection and unity through their shared experiences. Vocabulary Words:neat: 整齐pathways: 小路annual: 一年一度specialty: 拿手unofficial: 非官方insight: 洞察力satisfied: 满意gesture: 友好integrate: 融入conflict: 冲突arguing: 争论resolved: 解决dramatic: 戏剧性chaos: 混乱proposed: 提出ingredients: 食材enticing: 诱人innovative: 创新focus: 焦点energy: 活力collaboration: 合作creativity: 创造力crucial: 关键invite: 邀请amicably: 友好地connection: 联系unity: 团结experiences: 经验embracing: 包容community: 社区

In this episode, we tackle the challenging but vital question: How can we support nervous system regulation when someone isn't in a safe environment? Drawing from Deb Dana's Polyvagal Theory expertise and current research, we explore practical strategies for both practitioners and individuals navigating unsafe circumstances.In this episode you'll learn:How to identify small touch points that can activate brief ventral vagal statesSpecific techniques practitioners & individuals can use to support clients/themselves in unsafe environmentsMicro-practices for self-regulation during ongoing stress or threatThree Takeaways:Even in unsafe environments, small "safety or regulating anchors" (objects, memories, connections) can provide crucial moments of regulation. The goal isn't permanent regulation in unsafe circumstances, but creating brief reminders that another state exists.Oftentimes the first step in healing is acknowledging the reality of one's situation, not minimizing or denying it. Whether you're a practitioner or the individual going through it, remember that your struggle makes sense, your survival responses make sense.Recognizing and savoring these micro-moments of "safe enough" builds neural pathways that support resilience over time.Resources/Citations:National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233"Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection" by Deb Dana"Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory" by Deb DanaLevine, P. A. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. North Atlantic Books.Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.Kearney, D. J., McDermott, K., Malte, C., Martinez, M., & Simpson, T. L. (2012). Association of participation in a mindfulness program with measures of PTSD, depression and quality of life in a veteran sample. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(1), 101-116.Price, M., Spinazzola, J., Musicaro, R., Turner, J., Suvak, M., Emerson, D., & van der Kolk, B. (2017). Effectiveness of an 8-week yoga program for women with chronic PTSD. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(2), 173-180.West, J., Liang, B., & Spinazzola, J. (2017). Trauma sensitive yoga as a complementary treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: A qualitative descriptive analysis. International Journal of Stress Management, 24(2), 173–195.Brom, D., Stokar, Y., Lawi, C., Nuriel-Porat, V., Ziv, Y., Lerner, K., & Ross, G. (2017). Somatic Experiencing for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Outcome Study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(3), 304-312.Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226.Perry, B. D. (2006). The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics: Applying principles of neuroscience to clinical work with traumatized and maltreated children. In N. B. Webb (Ed.), Working with traumatized youth in child welfare (pp. 27–52). The Guilford Press.Website: https://www.riseaswe.com/podcastEmail: amanda@riseaswe.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaontherise/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

This episode honors the many facets of mothering—through every season, from being a mom of young children to mothering teens, adult children, and even grandchildren.  Whether you're a new mom or an empty nester, this episode is for you. Previous Healing Medicine Mother's Day Episodes include: 196. Stop Apologizing when you haven't done anything wrong  197. Do you feel Underappreciated? 134. Mindful Wisdom from a New Grandmother  74. Your Relationship with your Mother 72. Mother's Day Gift 71. How to be an even better mom 121. Exploring the “Richness” of the Mother-in-Law Relationship  In this episode, we discuss how to embrace change as our children grow and how to practice mindful presence and trust as a parent.  We talk about the importance of showing up—sometimes just being there without fixing or controlling—and allowing our children to navigate their own paths.   Pearls of Wisdom: No exam—or any milestone—is worth your health. Prioritize well-being over perfection. Your kids don't need fixing; they need you to hold space, listen, and trust them. Getting help helps—building a supportive village makes the journey lighter and richer. Let go of the need to control outcomes; instead, trust your children's process of growing up. Mothering adult children means embracing their independence while still being present with love and acceptance. If this episode speaks to you, join one of my upcoming retreats: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats. If you are navigating the transition to motherhood, empty nesting, or finding your way as a mom in medicine, I offer coaching to support your journey: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching. If you would like to hire Dr. Mahoney or Dr. Liang to speak or lead a workshop for your team, institution, or conference, please visit: Dr. Mahoney: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking Dr. Liang: www.awakenbreath.org *Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Inspiration: Ming's Journey to Unknown Horizons Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-05-10-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 明站在圣托里尼的码头，微风轻轻吹过他的脸颊，带来橄榄和柑橘的香气。En: Ming stood on the dock in Santorini, a gentle breeze grazing his cheeks and carrying the scent of olives and citrus.Zh: 眼前一片蔚蓝，白色的小屋在阳光下闪闪发光。En: Before him lay a vast expanse of blue, with white cottages shimmering under the sunlight.Zh: 明微微一笑，他感到一种久违的放松。En: Ming smiled faintly, feeling a relaxation he had not experienced in a long time.Zh: 不久前，明还是北京的一名平面设计师。En: Not long ago, Ming was a graphic designer in Beijing.Zh: 他辞去了工作，决定来一场说走就走的旅行，寻找灵感。En: He had quit his job and decided to embark on a spontaneous journey to seek inspiration.Zh: 他怀里的笔记本里满是带来新希望的草图和想法。En: His notebook was filled with sketches and ideas, bringing new hope.Zh: 他的心中，同时感到兴奋和焦虑。En: He felt both excitement and anxiety in his heart.Zh: 今天，明决定不跟随游客的脚步。En: Today, Ming decided not to follow the usual tourist paths.Zh: 他要去探索一个不为人知的小岛，那里有他期待的冒险。En: He wanted to explore an unknown island, hoping for adventure.Zh: 他乘上一艘小渡船，被带到附近一个安静的渔村。En: He boarded a small ferry, which took him to a nearby quiet fishing village.Zh: 在村子里，明遇到了两位旅行者：梁和美。En: In the village, Ming met two travelers: Liang and Mei.Zh: 他们都是冒险爱好者，对当地历史非常感兴趣。En: They were both adventure enthusiasts, very interested in the local history.Zh: 梁提议去探索一个隐藏的洞穴，在那里可以欣赏到绝美的日落。En: Liang suggested exploring a hidden cave where they could enjoy a magnificent sunset.Zh: 明犹豫了一下，但内心的直觉告诉他，这是一个改变他人生的机会。En: Ming hesitated for a moment, but his intuition told him this was a life-changing opportunity.Zh: 他们沿着狭窄的小路前进，绕过游客，然后进入一个秘密的洞穴。En: They proceeded along a narrow path, bypassing tourists, and entered a secret cave.Zh: 洞口的岩石上，岁月的痕迹清晰可见。En: The rocks at the cave's entrance bore the clear marks of time.Zh: 太阳逐渐西沉，洞穴中透出幽暗的光。En: As the sun gradually set in the west, a dim light shone through the cave.Zh: 三个人安静地坐着，等待着奇迹的发生。En: The three sat quietly, awaiting the miracle to happen.Zh: 当夕阳缓缓降落在海平面，明的思绪豁然开朗。En: As the sunset gently descended over the horizon, Ming felt an epiphany.Zh: 这一刻，他感受到了一种深沉的安宁。En: In that moment, he experienced a profound tranquility.Zh: 他意识到，人生的方向就在眼前。En: He realized the direction of his life was right in front of him.Zh: 明决定继续旅行，去发现更多未知的风景和可能。En: Ming decided to continue traveling, aiming to discover more unknown landscapes and possibilities.Zh: 离开洞穴，明心中充满了对未来的期待。En: Leaving the cave, Ming's heart was filled with anticipation for the future.Zh: 他知道，回到北京后，他会用这段经历激发他的创作，开始一个全新的篇章。En: He knew that upon returning to Beijing, he would use this experience to inspire his creations and begin an entirely new chapter.Zh: 他不再害怕未知，而是拥抱它，了解它是生活成长的一部分。En: He no longer feared the unknown; instead, he embraced it, understanding it as a part of life's growth.Zh: 春天的圣托里尼，阳光温柔，令人心驰神往。En: In springtime Santorini, the gentle sunlight was enchanting.Zh: 明终于找到了方向，他的微笑充满了对未来的期待。En: Ming had finally found his direction, and his smile was full of hope for the future. Vocabulary Words:dock: 码头grazing: 轻轻吹过breeze: 微风expanse: 一片shimmering: 闪闪发光relaxation: 放松spontaneous: 说走就走的embark: 开始intuition: 直觉opportunity: 机会bypassing: 绕过magnificent: 绝美的cave: 洞穴epiphany: 豁然开朗profound: 深沉的tranquility: 安宁anticipation: 期待enchanted: 心驰神往embraced: 拥抱inspiration: 灵感venture: 旅行realize: 意识到discard: 辞去landscapes: 风景faintly: 微微地traveler: 旅行者enthusiasts: 爱好者sunset: 夕阳horizon: 海平面chapter: 篇章

Between 304 and 589 CE, China was divided into rivaling regimes occupying North and South China. While the north was controlled by a series of non-Han Chinese peoples, ultimately culminating in the Xianbei Northern Wei, the south was ruled by ruling houses of Han Chinese descent. In this companion episode to the interview ith Scott Pearce on the Northern Wei, Professor Andrew Chittick joins us to discuss the Southern Dynasties, from their development, to their society and culture, to their relationship with their northern neighbor, and finally to their legacy. Contributors: Andrew Chittick: Andrew Chittick is the E. Leslie Peter Professor of East Asian Humanities and History at Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL. His research focuses on the culture of early south China and maritime trade relations with Southeast Asia.  He is the author of numerous articles and two full-length books: Patronage and Community in Medieval China: The Xiangyang Garrison, 400-600 CE (SUNY Press, 2010) and The Jiankang Empire in Chinese and World History (Oxford University Press, 2020). The latter book introduces a ground-breaking new perspective on the history and political identity of what is now south China in the early medieval period (3rd-6th centuries CE), including its evolving ethnic identity, innovative military and economic systems, and engagement with broader Sino-Southeast Asian and Buddhist cultures.  Yiming Ha: Yiming Ha is the Rand Postdoctoral Fellow in Asian Studies at Pomona College. His current research is on military mobilization and state-building in China between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries, focusing on how military institutions changed over time, how the state responded to these changes, the disconnect between the center and localities, and the broader implications that the military had on the state. His project highlights in particular the role of the Mongol Yuan in introducing an alternative form of military mobilization that radically transformed the Chinese state. He is also interested in military history, nomadic history, comparative Eurasian state-building, and the history of maritime interactions in early modern East Asia. He received his BA from UCLA, his MPhil from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and his PhD from UCLA. He is also the book review editor for Ming Studies. Credits: Episode no. 22 Release date: May 9, 2025 Recording date: February 10, 2025 Recording location: St. Petersburg, FL/Los Angeles, CA Images: Stone pixiu 貔貅 (winged lion), from the tomb of Xiao Hui, a prince of Southern Liang (502-557), in Nanjing. (Image Source) Greatest extent of the Liang Dynasty, one of the southern dynasties. (Image Source) Liang Emperor Wu, who reigned the longest out of all the Southern Dynasty emperors, from 502 to 549. His reign saw the growing importance of Buddhism. (Image Source) A scroll of tributary emperors paying homage to the Liang emperor. The Southern Dynasties oversaw a prosperous commercial economy, with trading networks spanning East and Southeast Asia. Song copy of the original Liang painting. (Image Source) A Tang dynasty copy of Wang Xizhi's (303–361), Lantingji xu, one of the most famous pieces of calligraphy in Chinese history. The Southern Dynasties are known for their cultural production. (Image Source) Selected References: Chittick, Andrew. The Jiankang Empire in Chinese and World History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. Dien, Albert E. Six Dynasties Civilization. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009. Dien, Albert E. and Keith N. Knapp, eds. The Cambridge History of China: Volume 2, The Six Dynasties, 220–589. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020. Graff, David A. Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300–900. London and New York: Routledge, 2002. Lewis, Mark Edward. China between Empires: The Northern and Southern Dynasties. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009.

Send us a textLen Liang is a distinguished Thai massage practitioner based in Canada. With a background in hospitality and music, Len transitioned into the world of massage therapy around three years ago, studying with the ITM (International Training Massage) school and quickly establishing himself as a prominent figure in the field. His journey includes competing in various international massage competitions, where he has been recognized for his innovative approach and dedication to the craft. Len brings a unique blend of creativity and tradition to his practice, emphasizing the importance of vibrations and energy in therapeutic settings.Follow Len here: https://www.instagram.com/waikru.massage/Key Takeaways:Diverse Influence: Len Liang's transition from hospitality and music into massage therapy illustrates a multidisciplinary approach, enriching his current practice.International Competition Role: Engaging in global massage competitions fosters community and innovation within the therapeutic field, allowing practitioners to learn and grow beyond borders.Cultural Interpretations: Thai massage adapts uniquely across different cultures, integrating local customs and practices, as highlighted by Len's experiences in Japan and Thailand.Energy and Creativity in Massage: Len emphasizes the vital role of energy, vibrations, and creativity in massage therapy, encouraging adaptability and personalization in practice.Thanks for listening to this episode. Check out:

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Huangshan Legacy: Honoring a Father's Last Wish Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-05-08-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 黄山的早晨，云雾缭绕，翠绿的山峰在阳光下闪烁着光芒。En: In the morning at Huangshan, mist enveloped the area, and the verdant peaks shimmered in the sunlight.Zh: 劳动节假期，黄山游客如织，但对梁、梅和昌来说，这次旅行不仅仅是为了观光。En: During the Labor Day holiday, Huangshan was crowded with tourists, but for Liang, Mei, and Chang, this trip was more than just sightseeing.Zh: 他们的父亲过去经常谈论黄山，他的最后愿望是要把自己的骨灰洒在这里。En: Their father used to speak often about Huangshan, and his last wish was to have his ashes scattered here.Zh: 梁是最年长的，他一手拿着一纸信笺，上面写着父亲的最后愿望。En: Liang was the eldest, holding a sheet of paper in one hand, upon which their father's final wishes were written.Zh: 梅则背着相机，不时停下来拍照。En: Mei carried a camera, occasionally stopping to take photos.Zh: 昌走在最后，时而沉默，时而回忆父亲的模样。En: Chang walked at the back, sometimes silent, sometimes recalling what their father looked like.Zh: 爬到半山腰，他们停下来休息。En: Halfway up the mountain, they stopped to rest.Zh: “我们一定要按照父亲的信来做，”梁坚定地说。他的语气很强硬，眼中流露出隐隐的愧疚感。En: "We must follow father's letter," Liang said firmly, his tone strong, yet with a faint sense of guilt in his eyes.Zh: “但我觉得，这里太安静了，以前我们和爸爸在一起的时候，总是充满欢声笑语。”梅略带犹豫。En: "But I think it's too quiet here. When we were with Dad, there was always laughter and joy," Mei hesitated slightly.Zh: “如果能找到一个既遵循父亲愿望又适合我们的方式，那不是更好吗？”昌轻声说道。En: "Wouldn't it be better if we could find a way that both respects father's wish and suits us?" Chang said softly.Zh: 他的话语如同春风抚过兄妹的心头。En: His words were like a spring breeze, soothing the hearts of his siblings.Zh: 他们继续向上走，四周百花盛开，鸟鸣不绝于耳。En: They continued upward, surrounded by blooming flowers and the constant chirping of birds.Zh: 黄山这片土地，既是父亲的向往，也是兄妹情感的纽带。En: This land of Huangshan was not only their father's longing but also a bond of sibling affection.Zh: 终于，他们抵达山顶。En: Finally, they reached the summit.Zh: 这个地方壮丽不凡，群山环绕，云雾翻涌。En: The place was magnificent, surrounded by mountains and rolling mists.Zh: 就在这里，他们开始争论。En: It was here that they began to argue.Zh: 梁坚持要严格按照信上的路线和时间：“这是对父亲的承诺！”En: Liang insisted on strictly following the route and schedule in the letter: "It's a promise to father!"Zh: 但梅则认为需要注入家庭的回忆：“我们应该加些特别的元素，让它更有意义。”En: But Mei thought they should infuse some family memories: "We should add some special elements to make it more meaningful."Zh: 昌来回徘徊，尝试调和兄妹的分歧。En: Chang paced back and forth, trying to mediate the siblings' differences.Zh: 正当他们僵持不下时，夕阳的光芒投洒在大地上。En: Just as they were at an impasse, the sunlight cast a golden glow upon the earth.Zh: 温暖的金色让他们想起了父亲阳光般的笑容。En: The warm gold reminded them of their father's sunny smile.Zh: 即使已然不在，每每回想，他犹如还在他们身边。En: Even in his absence, he felt as though he was still with them every time they thought of him.Zh: “也许，爸爸不介意吧。他会理解我们的心意。”En: "Perhaps, Dad wouldn't mind. He would understand our intentions."Zh: 懵懂的风轻轻吹过，迷雾散开，山巅看的更远。En: The gentle breeze blew, dispersing the mist, allowing a clearer view from the mountaintop.Zh: 最终，他们达成一致。En: In the end, they reached an agreement.Zh: 根据父亲的愿望洒下骨灰，再悬挂梅摘下的野花作纪念。En: They scattered the ashes according to their father's wishes and hung the wildflowers Mei picked as a tribute.Zh: 他们各自留下一句对父亲的告别话语。En: Each of them left a farewell message to their father.Zh: 离开时，他们心里有了答案。En: As they departed, they found answers in their hearts.Zh: 梁释怀了心中的懊悔，梅明白自己的路，由彼事业其中而又不失亲情的慰藉；En: Liang let go of his regrets, Mei understood her path, finding solace in her career without losing familial bonds;Zh: 昌则终于接纳了追忆与现实的差距。En: Chang finally accepted the gap between memory and reality.Zh: 夕阳西下，黄山隐在晚霞中。En: As the sun set, Huangshan faded into the evening glow.Zh: 他们的心，似乎也跟着黄山的颜色一样，归于宁静。En: Their hearts, like the colors of Huangshan, returned to tranquility. Vocabulary Words:enveloped: 缭绕verdant: 翠绿shimmered: 闪烁crowded: 如织wishes: 愿望recalling: 回忆hesitated: 犹豫breeze: 春风chirping: 鸟鸣bond: 纽带magnificent: 壮丽surrounded: 环绕impasse: 僵持不下meditate: 调和dispersing: 散开farewell: 告别regrets: 懊悔solace: 慰藉triumph: 成就ash: 骨灰summit: 山顶longing: 向往tribute: 纪念soothing: 抚过mediate: 调和schedule: 时间表parchment: 信笺commitment: 承诺absence: 不在tranquility: 宁静

In this episode, hosts Charlie Fink, Rony Abovitz, and Ted Schilowitz discuss viral AI-generated media and concerns over synthetic content verification. They touch on identity theft issues arising from unauthorized use of voices in AI avatars. The conversation shifts to Infinite Reality's controversial $3 billion funding claim, which Forbes investigated but found inconclusive. They introduce guest Sam Liang, CEO of Otter.ai, who recounts founding Otter to capture and make human voice data searchable. Liang describes Otter's early partnership with Zoom, the company's evolution into a major AI transcription platform, and its competitive advantages in voice data. He highlights Otter's new AI meeting assistant capable of proactive participation and outlines future plans for multilingual support and independent voice agents.Thank you to our sponsor, Zappar!Don't forget to like, share, and follow for more! Follow us on all socials @ThisWeekInXR!https://linktr.ee/thisweekinxr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In honor of Earth Day, we invite you into a nurturing and grounding conversation about the wisdom of the Earth—and how it offers profound guidance for sustainable living, healing, growth, and leadership.  In this episode, we explore the essential, often overlooked parallels between medicine, healing, and the rhythms of the natural world.  Through stories, we share how nature reminds us what it truly means to flourish—imperfectly, interdependently, and in cycles. This Earth Day episode is a celebration of “the Earth's Playbook”—rich with insights for physicians, parents, leaders, and anyone longing for sustainability in their work and life. Pearls of Wisdom: Growth and healing are inherently messy. Whether it's bird poop, wildflower chaos, or compost, embracing the imperfections of nature offers us a gentler path forward in medicine and life. Sustainability is rooted in rest, pruning, and interconnection. Just like soil needs to rest and flowers need space to bloom, we also need nourishment, boundaries, and community to thrive. Trust the unseen. Planting seeds—of dreams, ideas, or changes—requires belief, not immediate evidence. Nature teaches us to trust the slow, quiet unfolding of transformation. The right environment matters. Thriving often requires being in the conditions that suit us best. Just like sunflowers need sun, humans flourish when we're planted in alignment with who we are. Honor the seasons. Life, careers, and relationships ebb and flow. When we soften into the cycles, we waste less energy resisting and discover the beauty of each phase. Reflection Questions: Where might you need to prune something “good” to make space for something great? Are you trusting the seeds you're planting, even without guarantees? How might you allow for more rest in your life, like soil lying fallow? What supports—bean poles, trellises, or companions—do you need to hold up your growth? Where in your life is composting happening—a messy breakdown that might be the beginning of rich, new growth? Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a mindful moment that invites you to pause, breathe, and reconnect with the awe and wisdom of the Earth. If this episode speaks to you…  Come practice mindfulness with me through my outdoor yoga classes, now powered by solar energy and recorded among the trees. Many recent classes are aligned with Earth-inspired themes and are available for free on YouTube.  If you're ready for a deeper connection, join me in person at an upcoming retreat www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats. To explore how coaching can help you realign your life and work with the rhythms of nature and your own inner knowing, visit https://www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching. If you'd like to bring these conversations to your team, institution, or conference, I offer keynote talks and workshops inspired by nature, mindfulness, and sustainable leadership. Learn more at www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking. To invite Dr. Liang to speak or teach on mindfulness and integrative medicine, visit www.awakenbreath.org. Please share this episode with a friend, leave a written review, or send us a note about how this episode impacted you. Your stories deeply nourish our work and allow us to continue planting seeds of healing. Nothing shared in the Mindful Healers Podcast is medical advice.  

In this episode, we sit down with Jamie Liang, CEO of TerraVolta Resources, live from the Urban Office Studios in Houston, Texas.Hosts Josh Lowrey and Dan Pickering dive into Jamie's remarkable journey from financial services to leading innovation in lithium extraction. They discuss the current state of the lithium market, emerging direct lithium extraction technologies, and the future of domestic production in the U.S.Jamie also shares valuable insights on the financial and regulatory hurdles in lithium mining, the role of federal grants, and the industry's potential to drive significant job creation.Tune in now!00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:16 Meet the Hosts: Josh and Dan00:50 Event Highlights: EWTC Annual Meeting02:47 Special Guest: Jamie Liang, CEO of Terra Volta Resources03:37 Jamie's Background and Career Journey11:55 The Birth of Terra Volta and Lithium Exploration16:41 Challenges and Innovations in Lithium Extraction19:28 Market Dynamics and Future Prospects26:01 Historical Context and Exploration Efforts30:31 Building the Terra Volta Team32:53 Starting Leases and Institutional Capital33:39 ExxonMobil's Entry into Lithium34:47 Validating the Resource36:17 Testing and Piloting Success43:37 Building the Value Chain46:15 Domestic Lithium Demand and Production49:28 Financing and Government Support53:37 Future Prospects and Industry Impact01:00:13 Entrepreneurial Advice and Lightning Round

24 year old Jamie Liang was young, vibrant and had just found a new girlfriend in 26 year old Jenny Li. Jenny's ex girlfriend, NY police officer Yvonne Wu was none too happy about Jenny and Jamie's relationship and ambushed the two women in Jenny's apartment. True Crime Quickie is from the Boystown area of Chicago, the murder of Brad Winters.Promo for Mythical True CrimeIntro: Shire Girl by David FesilyanOutro: Beating Heart by David RendaResources:To be added soonBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beyond-the-rainbow-podcast--4398945/support.

US tariffs won't change the cyclical journey in tech, with artificial intelligence set to be the dominant force for years to come the same way the Internet was, according to Rodrigo Liang, CEO of SambaNova, which builds AI hardware and software platforms. Liang joins Bloomberg Intelligence's analyst Mandeep Singh on the Tech Disruptors podcast to discuss SambaNova's cloud's differentiation for inferencing workloads. They also talk about the demand for AI infrastructure, adoption of open-source large-language models and focus on power efficiency as AI compute remains scarce.

This milestone episode is a powerful and heartfelt exploration of one of the most tender and transformative topics: self-worth.  So many physicians struggle with valuing themselves, charging fairly for their services, and letting go of guilt rooted in self-sacrifice. This episode is inspired by real conversations with courageous clients and a vulnerable moment of my own It is is a call to unlearn the deeply embedded scarcity mindset that pervades our training—and to embrace sustainability, worthiness, and alignment instead. If you've ever questioned what you're allowed to charge, how to talk about your value, or whether you're worthy of being paid well for the impact you offer, this episode is for you. Pearls of Wisdom: Scarcity is medicine's default mindset—and it's unsustainable. Unlearning guilt and martyrdom opens the door to peace, passion, and possibility. When we value ourselves and our expertise, others do too. Charging fairly isn't greedy—it's grounded and essential for sustainability. Pricing isn't about market rate or insurance reimbursements. It's about alignment, reciprocity, and choosing what allows you to serve from peace. Undercharging has hidden costs: resentment, burnout, and a devaluation of your work and wisdom. You don't have to choose between helping others and honoring your worth—you can do both, intentionally and mindfully. Reflection Questions: Where do guilt and fear show up in your decisions about money, time, or value? What would change if you trusted in your impact and led from self-worth? What would peace charge? The mindful moment  will help you notice what arises when you hear conversations about money, scarcity, and value. It's an invitation to pause, breathe, and bring compassion to your experience. If this conversation resonates, know that this is the kind of deep, transformational work I do in my coaching practice and at retreats.  If you're struggling to charge what you're worth, to feel valued, or to hold boundaries from a place of alignment, I invite you to explore working with me one-on-one or in a small group. Learn more about coaching You can also join me at one of my upcoming mindful physician retreats—they are the perfect space to reconnect with your worth, realign your life and work, and build sustainable change in community. To bring this powerful message to your institution, leadership team, or conference, I would love to speak and share my keynote, The School of Unlearning—it's changing conversations and cultures in medicine everywhere. Learn more about Jessie Mahoney's speaking offerings If you'd like to bring Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang into your space, she also offers incredible transformational talks rooted in mindfulness and healing. Explore Dr. Liang's offerings Nothing shared in the Mindful Healers Podcast is medical advice.

In this episode, Steve leads a discussion on the invasive Grass Carp. The guys go over the evolutionary history of grass carp and its relatives, its biology, its introduction to The Great Lakes region, why people are concerned, and anything interesting Steve found out about it.There are a lot more interesting fish topics that we can explore in the future, at least while Steve is researching fish. Enojy the episode!This episode was recorded on February 24, 2025 at JP Nicely Memorial Park in West Falls, NY.Episode Notes and LinksSeagulls are fish.Common Carp are invasive and cause environmental damage. The guys didn't get this right. For shame!Sponsors and Ways to Support UsGumleaf Boots, USA (free shipping for patrons)Thank you to Always Wandering Art (Website and Etsy Shop) for providing the artwork for many of our episodes.Support us on Patreon.Check out the Field Guides merch at our Teespring store. It's really a great deal: you get to pay us to turn your body into a billboard for the podcast!Works CitedChapman, D.C., Davis, J.J., Jenkins, J.A., Kocovsky, P.M., Miner, J.G., Farver, J. and Jackson, P.R., 2013. First evidence of grass carp recruitment in the Great Lakes Basin. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 39(4), pp.547-554.Mitchell, A.J. and Kelly, A.M., 2006. The public sector role in the establishment of grass carp in the United States. Fisheries, 31(3), pp.113-121.Wang, Y., Lu, Y., Zhang, Y., Ning, Z., Li, Y., Zhao, Q., Lu, H., Huang, R., Xia, X., Feng, Q.I. and Liang, X., 2015. The draft genome of the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) provides insights into its evolution and vegetarian adaptation. Nature genetics, 47(6), pp.625-631.Wu, C.S., Ma, Z.Y., Zheng, G.D., Zou, S.M., Zhang, X.J. and Zhang, Y.A., 2022. Chromosome-level genome assembly of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) provides insights into its genome evolution. BMC genomics, 23(1), p.271.Photo CreditPeter Halasz (User:Pengo), Melbourne, CC BY-SA 3.0 Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) at Tropicarium Budapest. No changes made to photo

Super Micro Computers has become a go to supplier for the hyperscaling tech companies, who are all rushing to build the next generation of infrastructure: AI data centers. On this Claman Countdown Encore, we revisit Liz's conversation with Super Micro Computer CEO and founder Charles Liang. Charles talks to Liz about how Super Micro's past troubles are behind them and his confidence that the AI boom will only continue from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices