Bronze Age Aegean civilization flourishing on the island of Crete and other Aegean islands from c. 2600 to 1100 BC
POPULARITY
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author/journalist Annalee Newitz about their new novella Automatic Noodle, robots as allegory, near-future San Francisco, writing cozy science fiction, food as a form of community, journalism and founding io9.com, the blogger diaspora, podcasts and punk media, information and storytelling in relation to propaganda, AI, LLMs, ancient Minoan cat ladies and much more.NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Annalee. Stayed tuned next week for their writing masterclass on Interfaces in Science Fiction.OUR SPONSOR:Transference by Ian Patterson is a sci-fi dystopia that dissects what it means to be human in a city where diseases can be transferred.Purchase it here in eBook and paperback.SHOUTOUT TO THE 'SFF ADDICT' PATRONS:Thank you Ian Patterson, Nicholas W. Fuller, David Hopkins, Luke F. Shepherd, Christopher R. DuBois, Luke A. Winch and GavinGuile for supporting us on Patreon at $10+.SUPPORT THE SHOW:- Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings and more)- Rate and review SFF Addicts on your platform of choice, and share us with your friendsEMAIL US WITH YOUR QUESTIONS & COMMENTS:sffaddictspod@gmail.comABOUT OUR GUEST:Annalee Newitz is an author, journalist and editor, best known for their novels Autonomous, The Future of Another Timeline and The Terraformers, as well as non-fiction books like Stories Are Weapons. They also co-host the podcast Our Opinions Are Correct. Their latest release is Automatic Noodle, which you can purchase here.Find Annalee on Instagram, Bluesky, Amazon and their personal website.ABOUT OUR HOSTS:Adrian M. Gibson is the author of Mushroom Blues.Find Adrian on Instagram and his personal website.M.J. Kuhn is the author of Among Thieves and Thick as Thieves.Find M.J. on Instagram and her personal website.Greta Kelly is the author of The Queen of Days, The Frozen Crown and The Seventh Queen.Find Greta on Instagram and her personal website.FOLLOW SFF ADDICTS:LinktreeMUSIC:Intro: "Into The Grid" by MellauSFXOutro: “Galactic Synthwave” by DivionAD ATTRIBUTION:- Music: "Corporate Advertising Music" by SigmaMusicArt / "Synthetic Deception" by GioeleFazzeri- Video: Svavar Halldorsson / Gorodenkoff /artlab /Jacob Wackerhausen / FHP Animation Studio / SweetBunFactory / shivkantsharma07 / iLexx / circotasu / Astragal / Alasabyss
Have feedback or a topic you want to hear about, let us know by sending us a direct message!Welcome back to another heartfelt and hilarious episode of The KarWell Chronicles! This week, we're joined by our beloved friend Dayle—whose story of survival, resilience, humor, and entrepreneurship will leave you both inspired and entertained. From “taking a 3-minute breather” (yes, actual cardiac arrest!) to starting a thriving small business as a mom of two, Dayle shares her journey of overcoming adversity, building community, and redefining success—with a few near-crying moments and endless laughs along the way.We talk friendship dynamics, mental health, motherhood, personal growth, and the ups and downs of choosing your own path—whether that means running 100 events a year or learning to slow down and savor family time. Expect raw honesty, relatable chaos, and genuine advice for anyone craving a fulfilling career, meaningful connections, or just reassurance that you don't have to do it all—or do it alone.If you're a mom, entrepreneur, friend, or someone looking for encouragement, this episode is for you. Don't forget to comment if you want a part two with ALL the dramatic stories!
Can you scale a rental portfolio without buying a single property? Yes—and today's guests are living proof. Join us on The Landlord Diaries as we sit down with power couple Nate & Katie Lyon to unpack their rental arbitrage strategy for monthly midterm rentals. Katie Lyon, Marketing Director at Furnished Finder, brings over a decade of real estate and marketing experience to the conversation, while Nate adds an extensive background in marketing, operations and design. Together, they've built a 14-door portfolio mainly through out-of-state arbitrage in Iowa—leveraging Furnished Finder as the foundation for growth.You'll learn why arbitrage works especially well for 30+ day furnished rentals, how to approach arbitrage partners, run the numbers, structure leases, and find quality tenants like travel nurses, relocating families, and corporate professionals. Whether you're new to investing or looking to expand, this episode is your step-by-step guide to midterm rental arbitrage.
From ancient Minoan boob-lifters to bullet bras, biohazard lingerie and a very famous handkerchief hack — this episode dives chest-first into the curious, controversial, and occasionally absurd history of the bra.Host Monika O'Hanlon peels back the lace on everything from corset tyranny to Wonderbra marketing stunts, wartime steel rationing, feminist myths, and bras that double as gas masks.It's a tale of control, cleavage, and cultural obsession — with just the right amount of jiggle.Thank you to Mel for requesting this week's episode. If you've got an idea please get in touch via my contact details below.This episode was brought to you by Tüt, toilet lid stickers to zhuzh up your toot. Because every throne needs a crown.https://www.etsy.com/shop/tutdeco/Got an Idea for the Podcast?I'd love to hear from you! If there's a topic you'd like me to explore or someone you think would make a great guest, flick me a message.EMAIL: thestickybeakpodcast@outlook.comINSTAGRAM: @thestickybeakpodcastTIKTOK: @thestickybeakpodcastFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.mon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
fWotD Episode 2988: Spyridon Marinatos Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Thursday, 10 July 2025, is Spyridon Marinatos.Spyridon Marinatos (Greek: Σπυρίδων Μαρινάτος; 17 November [O. S. 4 November] 1901 – 1 October 1974) was a Greek archaeologist who specialised in the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations of the Aegean Bronze Age. He is best known for the excavation of the Minoan site of Akrotiri on Thera, which he conducted between 1967 and 1974. He received several honours in Greece and abroad, and was considered one of the most important Greek archaeologists of his day.A native of Kephallonia, Marinatos was educated at the University of Athens, the Friedrich Wilhelms University of Berlin, and the University of Halle. His early teachers included noted archaeologists such as Panagiotis Kavvadias, Christos Tsountas and Georg Karo. He joined the Greek Archaeological Service in 1919, and spent much of his early career on the island of Crete, where he excavated several Minoan sites, served as director of the Heraklion Museum, and formulated his theory that the collapse of Neopalatial Minoan society had been the result of the eruption of the volcanic island of Thera around 1600 BCE.In the 1940s and 1950s, Marinatos surveyed and excavated widely in the region of Messenia in south-west Greece, collaborating with Carl Blegen, who was engaged in the simultaneous excavation of the Palace of Nestor at Pylos. He also discovered the battlefield of Thermopylae and excavated the Mycenaean cemeteries at Tsepi and Vranas near Marathon in Attica.Marinatos served three times as head of the Greek Archaeological Service, first between 1937 and 1939, secondly between 1955 and 1958, and finally under the military junta which ruled Greece between 1967 and 1974. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the junta; in the late 1930s, he had been close to the quasi-fascist dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas, under whom he initiated legislation to restrict the roles of women in Greek archaeology. His leadership of the Archaeological Service has been criticised for its cronyism and for promoting the pursuit of grand discoveries at the expense of good scholarship. Marinatos died while excavating at Akrotiri in 1974, and is buried at the site.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:30 UTC on Thursday, 10 July 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Spyridon Marinatos on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Olivia.
In this episode, host Ashley is joined by Oracle Hekataios to dive into the background and information about the Minoan Brotherhood, a modern initiatory tradition focused on the spiritual needs of queer men. Together, they explore the origins of the Brotherhood, its values, and how it fits within Paganism and witchcraft. Whether you're curious about queer magical traditions or looking to deepen your understanding of inclusive paths in modern spirituality, this conversation offers powerful insight and perspective. For more information on this tradition, visit Minoan-brotherhood.org You can connect with Oracle on his website at https://oraclehekataios.com/ or on Instagram (@oracle_hekataios) Find a coven near you at MandragoraMagicka.com You can find Ashley on Twitter (@SeekWitchcraft), Instagram (@seekingwitchcraft), Facebook ("Seeking Witchcraft Podcast" or "Ashley Seekraft"), or the community Facebook group ("Witches Seeking Witchcraft"). Want to support the show and gain bonus community perks and features? You can do so at https://patreon.com/seekingwitchcraft
RESOURCES- Apply to Lotus Rising Premium Coaching imparted by me at danettecoaching.com. You can also get my Healing Generational Trauma Program as a bonus- Get The Rise book: therisebook.com- Want to be text friends and receive weekly inspiration? You can send JOY at +1 833 217 2760- Feel lighter and more energized this summer with PURALITY HEALTH's Glutathione—your detox and metabolism ally. Grab the Buy One, Get One Free offer now at masterantioxidant.com/danettemay!CONNECT WITH DANETTEInstagram: @thedanettemayFacebook: Danette MayTikTok: @thedanettemayNEW TV Show on Youtube: @TheDanetteMayListen to The Danette May ShowRead my book: danettemay.com/embraceabundancebookGet The Rise book: therisebook.comWork with Danette: danettemay.comOn Day 3 of my sacred travels through Greece, something unexpected happened—a 20-year-old relationship and legal matter resurfaced just as I was feeling deep joy and peace. In this episode, I share how this emotional wave brought up old patterns, unresolved trauma, and the inner work I had to revisit even amidst the beauty of ancient lands. I explore how life, healing, and expansion are truly cyclical, and how our greatest tests can come when we're feeling most open and joyful. From walking sacred Minoan sites to receiving a powerful message from a white butterfly, I reflect on how we're often called to face our past while stepping into our power.I also speak about the importance of embracing joy without guilt, the power of forgiveness, and the deeper healing available when we allow ourselves to feel fully. I dive into themes of motherhood, positive thinking, and what it takes to shift timelines and break free from old fears. This episode is a reminder that healing doesn't happen in a straight line—it spirals back so we can rise higher each time. If you're navigating growth, expansion, and unexpected emotional triggers, this story from my Greece journey will speak to your soul.IN THIS EPISODE:(0:27) Facing the past: a 20-year-old relationship resurfaces(2:00) The Lotus Rising program: empowering women(2:39) Exploring ancient Greece and the Minoan culture(5:08) A day of bliss and unease(6:37) The power of joy and overcoming guilt(7:53) Motherhood and the power of positive thinking(13:03) Breaking free from fear and trauma(16:28) The test of expansion: old timelines resurface(33:58) A profound moment: the white butterfly(37:00) Conclusion: embracing growth and power
Have feedback or a topic you want to hear about, let us know by sending us a direct message!Welcome back to another episode of The KarWell Chronicles!
RESOURCES- Join me in Lotus Rising Premium Coaching at danettecoaching.com - For a limited time, you can get NativePath Antarctic Krill Oil for as low as $19 a bottle. That's up to 66% OFF from the price listed on their website!! Visit https://getnativepath.com/danette now to claim your special offer and enjoy free shipping, just for being a supporter of my show.- Experience thicker, healthier hair with Purality Health's new Hair Renewal formula, powered by clinically proven AnaGain™ Nu and liposomal technology. Visit renewyourhair.com/danettemay to claim your special discount!CONNECT WITH DANETTEInstagram: @thedanettemayFacebook: Danette MayTikTok: @thedanettemayNEW TV Show on Youtube: @TheDanetteMayListen to The Danette May ShowRead my book: danettemay.com/embraceabundancebookGet The Rise book: therisebook.comWork with Danette: danettemay.comIn this episode of The Danette May Show, I open my heart and share what's calling me to Greece—specifically, the ancient lands of Crete. This upcoming pilgrimage is deeply personal. I've always been drawn to ancient civilizations like the Mayans and Aztecs, but something about the Minoan civilization—their art, their reverence for the feminine, their sacred sites—feels especially alive for me right now.I dive into my lifelong fascination with ancient wisdom, sacred caves like Elithia's, and powerful sites like the ancient palaces of Crete. I also reflect on the role women played in these early societies and how their strength and spiritual leadership mirror my own journey toward self-empowerment and embodied feminine energy. If you're someone who feels the call to walk in the footsteps of your ancestors and awaken your deeper knowing, this episode will resonate Plus, I share how my Lotus Rising coaching program and favorite wellness products are supporting me on this journey—mind, body, and spirit.IN THIS EPISODE:(0:34) Personal connection to Greece(2:04) Fascination with ancient civilizations(3:41) Exploring the Minoan civilization(7:01) Significance of women in ancient Greece(11:12) The sacred Eileithyia cave(13:31) Final thoughts and personal reflections
Have feedback or a topic you want to hear about, let us know by sending us a direct message!Welcome to another exciting episode of The KarWell Chronicles!
As our fourth season draws to a close, we've got an apocalyptic, 2-part ending lined up. That's right, we're talking Armageddon, and we don't mean the 1998 Bruce Willis blockbuster. And of course, if we're going to delve into the end of everything, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu are going to need the help of our ever popular archaeology expert and author, Hannah Liu, MEd. As always, though, we start off with the day's joyfully cool cosmic thing, the failed Soviet-era Kosmos 482 lander that was designed to withstand entry into the Venus atmosphere but never actually let Earth orbit and finally just came crashing back home on May 10, just a few days after we recorded this episode! Chuck, Allen and Hannah ponder the possibilities of cataclysmic destruction that the more than half-ton object could produce. Then, without missing a beat, Hannah takes us all the way back to Greek mythology and the Titanomachy, the legendary fights between the Gods and the Titans that were possibly inspired by catastrophic volcanic eruptions that laid waste to the ancient Mediterranean. Chuck jumps continents to discuss the Norse apocalypse known as Ragnarök – casually dropping that is inspired the massively popular Baldur's Gate 3 as he does. Not to be outdone, Hannah brings us all back to the original Armageddon itself: the final battle between good and evil that is foretold in the Book of Revelations to take place at Har Megiddo, the “Hill of Megiddo” in Hebrew. You'll also hear about where the word apocalypse comes from, and why it's become associated with the end of the world, as Hannah gives us all a quick lesson in eschatology, or the study of the end of the world. Our first question comes from Ahmed, who asks, “What are the odds that a killer asteroid will kill us all?” Allen gets a little excited about asteroid 2024 YR4, an asteroid the size of a 15-story building, that is predicted to pass safely by Earth in 2032 but at one point had as high a chance of hitting us as 4-5% – and still has about a 3% chance of hitting the Moon. Chuck explains that the odds of a true “dinosaur-killer” extinction event asteroid impact from an object at least a mile across is about 50 million to 1 in any given year. Hannah points out that it's far more likely that Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that inundated Pompeii, will erupt again. The last one was in 79AD, and since it tends to blow its top every 2,000 years or so, we're due. Moving back further, Hannah tells us about the Minoan Eruption that devastated the isle of Santorini in the Mediterranean, wiping out the city of Akrotiri, around 1600 BCE and was reported as far away as China. And that's just a few of the disastrous historic collapses Hannah shares with us, including the Hekla 3 eruption in Iceland that had may have had something to do with the Bronze Age Collapse. It turns out that the apocalypse is too big for a single episode! Join us in two weeks for Part 2 of our journey into all things apocalyptic. We hope you enjoy this episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon. Credits for Images Used in this Episode: The Kosmos 482 lander probe reentered Earth's atmosphere on May 10 at 06:24 UT over the Indian Ocean. Because the Russian probe was designed to withstand entry into the Venus atmosphere, it is possible it survived reentry, but has landed in the ocean west of Jakarta, Indonesia.– Credit: NASA On March 26, 2025, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured images of asteroid 2024 YR4 that indicate the asteroid is about the size of a 15-story building. – Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Andy Rivkin (APL) Santorini island, Greece. Satellite image of Thera. The bay in the center of the island is the caldera created by the Minoan eruption.– Credit: NASA EOS Excavation of Akrotiri in 2018– Credit: Creative Commons: By Rt44 - Own work The Bull-Leaping Fresco from the Great Palace at Knossos, Crete – Credit: Creative Commons / Gleb Simonov Detail of Abraham Ortelius' 1585 map of Iceland showing Hekla in eruption. The Latin text translates as "The Hekla, perpetually condemned to storms and snow, vomits stones under terrible noise". – Credit: Creative Commons / Abraham Ortelius #liuniverse #charlesliu #allenliu #hannahliu #sciencepodcast #astronomypodcast #hannahliu #apocalypse #armageddon #doomsday #kosmos482lander #asteroid2024yr4 #titanomachy #ragnarak #baldursgate3 #bookofrevelations #harmegiddo #eschatology #mountvesuvius #pompeii #minoaneruption #hekla3 #bronzeagecollapse
Want to attract high-quality tenants and boost your midterm monthly rental cash flow—without overspending on furnishings? This episode of The Landlord Diaries is your ultimate guide. We're joined by Jennifer Zureikat, Marketing Director at Minoan, to reveal how landlords can furnish monthly rentals beautifully, affordably, and strategically. Learn how to skip the overwhelm, cut costs drastically, and even monetize your furnishings through Minoan's unique tools—like digital showrooms and affiliate commissions from your guests. Jennifer shares her real estate journey to monthly rentals and Furnished Finder. You'll hear practical tips from three active midterm rental operators who know exactly what it takes to turn a unit into a guest magnet.BONUS: FREE Midterm Rental Furnishing Checklist—created by Minoan & Furnished Finder— start furnishing smarter, not harder. https://assets.ctfassets.net/8rvbu1uw8lem/4pKVOxeFmg0umMHL2vclew/0cfaabe735029d6f5181bb20cdf26aa6/Monthly_Rental_Essentials_Checklist_-Minoan-Furnished_Finder-.pdfGet Started with Minoan: https://minoan.com/partnership-ff-2025 List Your Property Now on Furnished Finder:https://www.furnishedfinder.com/list-your-property
Assassin's Creed Odyssey immerses players in the mythology of Ancient Greece. In particular, they can walk in the footsteps of Theseus through the Labyrinth and come face to face with the mythical Minotaur.Commonly associated with the maze-like Knossos palace on Crete, how much of the myth is rooted in reality? Prof Nicoletta Momigliano guides Tristan Hughes through the pathways between myth and reality of the Minoan Labyrinth.Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Hosted by: Tristan HughesEdited by: Alex JonesProduced by: Robin McConnell, Anne-Marie LuffSenior Producer: Anne-Marie LuffProduction Coordinator: Beth DonaldsonExecutive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen BennettMusic:Phoibe the Orphan by The Flight, Michael GeorgiadesThe Minotaur by The FlightBarnabas by The Flight, Michael GeorgiadesIf you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jennifer dives deep into balancing leadership at a fast-growing startup with the demands of new motherhood, emphasizing empathy, autonomy, and hands-on marketing leadership. She opens up about scaling a lean marketing team, navigating retail marketing in a tech environment, and the critical importance of saying no to prioritize high-impact projects.
This episode unpacks the real playbook behind scaling short-term rental businesses with AI, leadership, and culture.Straight from the STR Boardroom event in Salem, hosts Chris and E break down their biggest takeaways from Dr. Rachel Gainsbrugh's AI workshop to the emotional breakthroughs in hot seats, to Mark from Minoan's CEO mindset at 50+ employees.What you'll learn: • The AI stacking method Rachel used to double her sales team's close rate • The 5 levels of VA hiring, from cheap help to AI-powered specialists • Why great team members outgrow companies, and how to lead through it • The exact moment a founder must pivot from operator to people leader • How to use the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team framework to build culture that scales • Why emotional safety is the hidden growth lever most CEOs ignore • And how to actually implement event takeaways before you lose momentumThis isn't another tech tips episode.It's a tactical and vulnerable deep dive into what it takes to scale, lead, and stay grounded in 2025.00:00 – Building Confidence: Lessons from Struggle, Sales, and Self-Belief04:00 – Rewiring Identity: From Overwhelm to Intention08:00 – Leveraging Chaos: Why Adversity Becomes Your Superpower12:00 – The Four Levels of Competence: From Unconscious to Mastery16:00 – Winning in Business: Simplifying Systems, Offers, and Time20:00 – $20K Days in 5 Hours: Prioritizing High-Leverage Work24:00 – Clarity Is Power: Why Lack of Decision-Making Kills Momentum28:00 – Excuse Audit: The Hidden Stories That Keep You Small32:00 – Emotional Regulation: How to Respond Instead of React36:00 – Final Challenge: Step Into Power and Choose a New StoryGet FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:https://group.strsecrets.com
This episode unpacks the real playbook behind scaling short-term rental businesses with AI, leadership, and culture.Straight from the STR Boardroom event in Salem, hosts Chris and E break down their biggest takeaways from Dr. Rachel Gainsbrugh's AI workshop to the emotional breakthroughs in hot seats, to Mark from Minoan's CEO mindset at 50+ employees.What you'll learn: • The AI stacking method Rachel used to double her sales team's close rate • The 5 levels of VA hiring, from cheap help to AI-powered specialists • Why great team members outgrow companies, and how to lead through it • The exact moment a founder must pivot from operator to people leader • How to use the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team framework to build culture that scales • Why emotional safety is the hidden growth lever most CEOs ignore • And how to actually implement event takeaways before you lose momentumThis isn't another tech tips episode.It's a tactical and vulnerable deep dive into what it takes to scale, lead, and stay grounded in 2025.00:00 – Building Confidence: Lessons from Struggle, Sales, and Self-Belief04:00 – Rewiring Identity: From Overwhelm to Intention08:00 – Leveraging Chaos: Why Adversity Becomes Your Superpower12:00 – The Four Levels of Competence: From Unconscious to Mastery16:00 – Winning in Business: Simplifying Systems, Offers, and Time20:00 – $20K Days in 5 Hours: Prioritizing High-Leverage Work24:00 – Clarity Is Power: Why Lack of Decision-Making Kills Momentum28:00 – Excuse Audit: The Hidden Stories That Keep You Small32:00 – Emotional Regulation: How to Respond Instead of React36:00 – Final Challenge: Step Into Power and Choose a New StoryGet FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:https://group.strsecrets.com
Have feedback or a topic you want to hear about, let us know by sending us a direct message!Welcome back to another exciting episode of KarWell Chronicles!
①Beijing's Palace Museum stages Minoan civilization exhibition②Beijing introduces measures to boost pharmaceutical innovation③Robot goes to work, providing caregiving companionship to seniors④Chinese hydrogen drone sets 30-hour non-stop flight record⑤China adds anti-obesity drive to Healthy China initiative⑥Two Chinese parks added to list of UNESCO Global Geoparks
"Not even a drop of noble and undiluted Hellenic blood flows in the veins of the Christian population of present day Greece." : Jakob Philipp Fallmerayer While we mostly look to the future in this podcast, today we delve into the past to understand the enduring identity of the Greek people. Join host Panagiota Pimenidou as she welcomes back historian Dr. Marios Koutsoukos (University of Liverpool, Hellenic Open University, National and Capodistrian University of Athens) to confront the misconception that modern Greeks are disconnected from their ancient ancestors.We'll unravel the complex relationships between ancient Greek tribes – the Dorians, Ionians, Aeolians, and Achaeans – explore their links to the Minoan and Mycenean civilizations, and investigate the distinct impact of the Argead Macedonians. We'll also delve into the legacy of Byzantium and examine the evidence that fueled the Greek War of Independence, tracing the unbroken thread of Hellenism to the modern day.Connect with Panagiota:Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Facebook: Global Greek Influence PodcastYouTube: Giota PimenidouX: @global_greekTikTok: @The Innovation Catalyst
This episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast is a throwback. We're re-releasing some of our past masterclass webinars that were available in video format only for you to listen to on the go. The tips and tricks in this episode are still relevant today, but remember that any references to specific dates might be outdated. This webinar ran on February 16, 2024.On this episode, we have experts from Mount, Minoan, and HostGPO to share their views, tips, and ideas on amenities. This panel discussion has been put together to help Hospitable Hosts discover ways to grow their short-term rental bookings and garner more 5-star reviews.We discuss everything from the must-have amenities considered standard by guests to the luxury additions that can offer an unexpected surprise to a guest's stay. We'll also go beyond amenities in the property and discuss how experiences can also boost business without being labor-intensive for the host.Sleep easy, host confidently with Hospitable. Automate your guest messages, sync your calendar across booking channels, and protect yourself from bad direct booking guests.Sign up today at hospitable.com/podcast and get 25% off your bill for 3 months.
Have feedback or a topic you want to hear about, let us know by sending us a direct message!Welcome back to another episode of The Karwell Chronicles! In this episode, we dive into the chaotic world of property management, unexpected repairs, and the challenges of running a business in a small town. Join us as we share our personal experiences, from dealing with a major HVAC overhaul to navigating the complexities of local regulations. We also discuss the importance of community connections and how they can make or break your entrepreneurial journey. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, there's something here for everyone!A huge shoutout to our sponsor, Minoan! If you're running a short-term rental, Minoan makes it easy to furnish and restock your space with stylish pieces at up to 60% off. Check them out for a game-changing experience in your rental business! Click the link below!https://minoan.com/karwells-podcast-2025Timestamps:000:01:02 - Life Update: The Chaos of Property Management 00:02:29 - Bittersweet Decisions: Listing the Lilypad for Sale 00:03:58 - A Full Circle Moment: The Grandson's Connection 00:05:41 - Guest Mishaps: The Crazy Things That Happen 00:08:07 - Wild Airbnb Stories: Cooking Meth in a Rental 00:10:46 - The Struggles of Cleaners: Balancing Expectations 00:12:23 - The Stress of Guest Communication 00:36:43 - Minoan Ad: Transform Your Space with Minoan 00:49:22 - Navigating Property Drama: The Never-Ending Challenges Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more insights and stories from our entrepreneurial journey!Hosted by Emily Karnaz & Sarah Glidewell // The KarWells You can view the video & audio version on our Youtube Channel Thanks for listening!
The first Ishara open House Challenge .Book 3 in 18 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.Odd Happenings{8:58 am, Wednesday, Sept. 3rd ~ 5 Days to go; the Final Salvo ~ at this time}I had deposited my Mother in the place I felt was safest for her with OT (Oyuun T m rbaatar) at the Kazakhstan's UN mission. Her being my family was what mattered to them most. I picked her up on my way to work, which made my entrance into the lobby all that much more cataclysmic.I was traveling light with only Wiesława Živa providing me with security. Chaz, Pamela and Juanita were catching up with their sleep, with a promise of taking me out for a late lunch. That was really them telling me to not leave JIKIT until they came for me around 2:00 pm.So anyway, me, Mom and Wiesława walked into the ground floor of the Mil Ma Towers to find eleven people waiting on us. We were in downtown Manhattan in a part of town the NYPD paid particular attention to. What could go wrong, right? Two of the people were Amazons from Havenstone. With them were two fine young men from the US 'don't make me kill you' Department. By this time in my life I was sure they had one which no one talked about.Five of my expectant visitors were of the same mold as those who protected Hana for me. Not the Ghost Tigers that would have put me at ease. Sure, they were a gang of assassin and in this circumstance; I would have preferred them. As it was, ten sets of highly-trained Illuminati operative eyes kept me, my party and the four guardians of JIKIT in their overlapping fields of vision.The last two, were doing an impromptu family reunion. They were Aunts 'X' and 'Y', and neither of them smelled like fish, or crab."Aunt Deidre," I tossed out there. "What brings you here today?"It looked like clobbering time! No. Wait. Neither Mom, nor my aunts, were saying anything and they were normally so verbose."Sibeal.""Imogen.""Sibeal, you are looking surprisingly well for a dead woman," the other one said."Deidre, you are looking surprisingly alive for someone who deserves to be dead," Mom bantered back."How long have you known about this?" Imogen's eyes flickered my way."Not long, a while, more than a day, ah, take your pick," I mumbled. I decided to turn that frown aka 'my gut wrenching terror that my Mother was about to die' upside down aka ramped up my sexy, 'glad to see you in a totally incestuous way'."So, what brings you here today and why aren't you waiting upstairs with the rest of my band of cutthroats, malcontents and ne'er do-wells? Oh, and I'm happy to see both of you." Karma was about to bitch-slap the shit out of me and it was so well deserved."I'm pregnant," Imogen studied my reaction. Yeah, I had banged her after Deidre, but before Baibre because I am a fucking reprehensible human being and sometimes, I feel I am utterly irredeemable."Great news," I exhaled. I so wanted to ask 'so, who is the father?' except that was too cruel, even for an O'Shea.No one stopped me from stepping up and hugging her. Everyone in the lobby had heard her loud and clear. Anyone who knew me, or even about me, knew she wasn't passing on the information because Imogen liked sharing good news. I kept my hands on her hips while I leaned my torso back until we could make eye contact."Does Granddad know?" It occurred to me in that second that Pamela was going to kick herself for missing this and the opportunity to kick me as well."I told him over the phone. His reaction was neutral," she responded."Whoa, girl? Boy? How are you doing? When are we going to sit down and figure out a name? Is there anything I can do for you?""Come home with me," she suggested."No," Mom snapped. "Next time he steps into your custody, we all know you won't let him get away." She meant the plane trip to Ireland."No, Mom," I countered. "I'm a grown man now and I make my own decisions. That being said no, I'm not going home with you.""Not only am I still in love with the concept of my personal freedom, I have important work to do. People are counting on me.""We are counting on you too," Deidre stated. "In fact, that is the other reason we came here. We need you.""Why do I feel that has to do with something besides sex?""Can we talk to you in private?" Imogen requested. There were a thousand and one reasons to say 'no'. Things like 'common sense', bad behavior they had murdered my homicidal uncle and the fact they were as morally twisted as their creator. Oh and they were hot and I hadn't been laid in forever."Sure. Let's go upstairs. You can have your people sweep the room to ensure our privacy then the four of us can sit down and have a family chat," I offered."We don't want her in the room," Deidre indicated Mom."We are a package deal," I denied her. "Like her, or not, she is as much family to me as you both are."They consented far too fast. Either I was falling into their masterful trap, or something horrible had happened. Neither options was palatable to me. The bodyguards departed, Wiesława last of all."What's gone wrong?" Mom preempted me. Her sisters glared."Father's body is not his own," Imogen told us. I was trying to figure out the relevance of that when Mom gasped."Oh fuck," she said in a small voice. "No serum?" Oh yeah, the refinement of those addictive pheromones Grandpa Cáel had gifted me with. Whatever flesh-form he currently inhabited wasn't one containing his genetic make-up meaning,"Oh shit," I mumbled. "What can I do?""Yes," Deidre replied to Mom."Let them die," Mom insisted (to me). Less I forget, she was raised by Grandpa Cáel too. Her being a loving mother to me didn't translate over to her being a humanitarian of any kind."The Hell you say," I jumped up and stared down at Mom. "You hate them. I don't. Letting them die makes me worse than him." Grandpa."So you will help us?" Deidre moved to the edge of her seat."Okay. This is the point where I threaten you into making some concessions, we argue then you eventually cave in because no matter how terrible your futures look, you aren't willing to give up on living. None of that is going to happen. What do you need from me?""Come back with us to Ireland so we can finish our experiments," Imogen joined me in standing. Unwilling to give her sister any physical advantage, Mom stood as well."No. That isn't even a believable lie," I scolded her. "You don't need to blackmail me into helping you. I'll do it gladly. That doesn't mean I'll let you trick me into doing something stupid. I do 'stupid' all the time. I'm accustomed to it and I know it when its ugly head rises up before me. Try again.""We could pick a neutral location," Deidre suggested."How about Havenstone?" They didn't look like that plan was even worthy of their consideration. "Imogen, inside you is growing a possible heir to House Ishara. An attack on you would be an attack on Ishara. Barring you betraying the Amazons, you would be perfectly safe.""Wonderful," Mom's sarcasm dripped off every word. "I'm going to be a grandmother to my nephew while my son is bringing a child into the world that can double as his cousin.""That sound pretty horrible, Mom. It is the truth, but it still sounds pretty terrible."While those words tumbled out of my mouth, I did a little soul back-searching. How in the fuck was outside of the actual fucking was Imogen pregnant? My existence was a freaking fluke of nature. A few words were bandied about the room while I was lost in deductive reasoning and turning hunches into assumptions and turning those into reasonable mystic hypotheses.I created the Mojo-Little Engine that thought it could. Specifically, the legacy of Vranus. Legions of little Vranusian sperm had been jumping hurdle after hurdle to keep the faith alive that Vranus would meet his Ancestors with his mission accomplished. I was already half way there.Still, the legacy of Vranus and the hopes of Dot Ishara hadn't stopped in their struggle just because I had been born. They were still trying to restore the mortal descendants of a Dead House. They were also still spiritually pushing me on to fulfill his last command to save the Arinniti sons.I was halfway there by returning the offspring of Bolu, Vranus' fellow guardian, back to the fold. It remained for me to round up the purpose of the whole mission in the first place. My semen weren't taking a chance that I could get gakked before that was accomplished. Having knocked up an augur despite the toxic soup she called blood should have been a dire warning to me, I'm an idiot.When the curse of Sarrat Irkalli clashed with the actions of Dot Ishara, Ishara had won. Sarrat Irkalli sought to deny Alal any children of his own. Dot was insisting the male line of Vranus Ishara continue on. The end result was Alal received his long-denied grandson, who just happened to also want him dead because of a feud that stretched back over two millennia.As an added insult, his grandson then knocked up one of Alal's genetically manipulated daughters, again giving him something he couldn't accomplish on his own heirs grand-sons and daughters, most who would also want to kill him, being Amazons and members of the 9 Clans after all. Why? Cause Goddesses are bitches, that's why.That got me to wondering when would be the next time I was going to meet Ishara. I hadn't suffered severe head trauma in while and she was overdue for some snuggle time, witty banter and a fortune cookie. I'd try to be careful. It wouldn't do any good, but I had to try."Why are you crying?" Mom touched my arm."No reason," I lied."Why don't we make plans for tonight?" Deidre insinuated herself next to me. "We'd like to meet Hana. From what I understand, Father likes her.""No can-do," I sniffled. "I've got an orgy with 159 women at 8 o'clock, except there won't be any sex, or fun of any kind. Basically, I have to convince a roomful of women to not beat me up and take my stuff.""You don't have to go," Imogen had finished boxing me in I had a chair behind me and Momma-clones all around."For the same reason I'm going to take care of our child, Imogen, I have to go to this meeting. People are counting on me to do the right thing without telling me what the right thing to do is.""That's unfair," Deidre empathized by stroking my chest."Not so. This is just another day in the life of a new hire at Havenstone Commercial Investments. Every day is like this and in five more days, the real fun beings." That wasn't entirely accurate. I had one good, stress-free week. It was when Carrig put me in a coma. That week I had done pretty well for myself.{9:28 am, Wednesday, Sept. 3rd ~ 5 Days to go}I trundled my latest 'Assistant-in-Charge of keeping the hopes of future Isharans alive' (I didn't want to call Aunt Imogen, or any other woman, my 'Baby-Mamma'), along with Mom and Deidre, for a meet-and-greet with Buffy. I had spelled out in no uncertain terms that Buffy was the power behind the Ishara Throne and thus making 'her' believe they were playing on the up-and-up was their best hope for easing relations between the O'Shea and the Amazon Host.After they left me (with the assurance we'd be getting back together for lunch, with Hana), I made three calls. I needed to make a formal request to Katrina (any Illuminati member(s) entering any Amazon facility was her purview) and another to Elsa (as a sign of respect) that Aunt Imogen and two unarmed bodyguards, max, needed to see our medicos about a delicate issue.The third call was to Buffy to enlighten her as to both the arrival of another one of my aunts (so we needed to get along peacefully with her) and that Aunt Imogen was carrying yet another potential heir to House Ishara. I suggested it would be a symbolic gesture if a member of House Ishara could hang around for the visit, as it might impress upon Imogen our House had a vested interest in keeping her alive."Another one?" Buffy sizzled. "And this one is your aunt?""It is a date then," I stumped her."You are going to take your pregnant aunt out on a date?" Buffy's sizzle meter was rapidly climbing to Krakatoa proportions."Nope. I'm setting up a date for us. You, me and a quiet location at 12:01 am Tuesday morning, my First. Later in the morning, I'll be heading out to wherever they have stored Felix so we can work on some cooperative strategy.""And if I say 'no'?" She was terribly grumpy."Ugh, I guess I'll go bar-crawling with Odette and Timothy, Gay and Lesbian bars only. That way I know I'll behave.""And if they say 'no'?" she was slightly less hostile."I'll know you threatened their lives, and then you and I will finally find out who is better on the mats. Trust me, it will not be an experience you will enjoy.""I don't know. I think I'd like that.""No. You start threatening the other people I love and you will not be happy; I guarantee that, Buffy."She realized I was both serious and angry. She had stepped out of bounds, the 'bounds' I had set up two hours earlier during our elevator ride."Is the meeting still on for the night?" she evaded my disappointment."Yes. Will you be there?""Of course," she grumped."Buffy, don't bother showing up if you can't separate 'us' as friends, 'us' as Wakko Ishara and my First, and you as my apprentice."Making me miserable in the first relationship doesn't help the latter two one bit. I try not to be an irresponsible asshole as House Head. More than anyone else, you know what I will sacrifice to be Ishara and one with my Isharans. I'll also step out and be plain ole 'Cáel Nyilas' when events permit.""But I am sick and tired of people not taking my desire to be foolish and care-free seriously. Being a dogmatic ass-hat isn't in me, but if you can't work with that, from here on out we are Wakko Ishara and Buffy Ishara and nothing more. I will still trust you as an Isharan, but not as a friend. Your choice.""Don't be such an asshole!" she snapped."Screw you!" I fired back. "I made a fucking effort to plan out some personal time with you, disguised as a joke; you knew it and you still decided to be a ball-buster. Like I need another fucking ball-buster right now, with all the other shit on my plate. You know better!" I was screaming. The people in JIKIT were working overtime at not staring at me."I'm under a ton of stress here too," she snarled. "I have to deal with the Council, keep our House growing and fulfill my obligations with Executive Services.""Do you want to quit? No longer by my 'apprentice'? Go back to working for Katrina full time?""Really?" she whispered."Of course the fuck not!" I shouted. "I didn't pick you for the job because of your sterling personality, or your bedroom excellence. I picked you because I had, and still have, utter faith in your ability to do whatever is necessary to overcome the landfill-sized colossal ill-fortune the Ancestors have dumped in our lap.""I'm just asking you to stop being a whiny, over-sensitive cunt and remember: it was the psychotic bitch who I chose for the top spot," I rumbled."I'm going to kick your ass," she seethed."Nice to know. We on for Monday night?"Pause."Yes," and she hung up. Two seconds later my phone rang again. "Buffy?" I answered. "And don't be late!" she menaced, then hung up again."So," Addison turned my way, "are you praying for World Peace to break out, or Nuclear War?""Hardy-har-har," I griped."Now that your personal drama is temporarily derailed, we have something for you to look at," Mehmet motioned for my attention. "Ever heard of Kōfuku no Kagaku?" I shook my head. "It translates over as 'Happy Science' and it is a cult-like organization in Japan.""Cool beans. Why do I have a sinking impression it is not a front for the Ninja?""That is what we want you to find out," Addison took over. "Of critical importance is the news conference their leader, Ryuho Okawa, gave earlier this afternoon/morning (~ 3:17 pm Tokyo time = 2:17 am East Coast time ~), especially a very relevant part of his interesting public announcement."He claims to be the Earthly manifestation of the Supreme Being. That is old news. Today he claimed that Temujin of the Khanate was the reincarnation of the original Genghis Khan and, with him, Ryuho, as the unifier of theological forces and therefore serving as spiritual advisor to Temujin, they would usher in a new period of Peace throughout Asia.""I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop," I exhaled."He also claims that Japan is in the midst of an epic struggle, both spiritually and in the physical sense. The 'ancient guardians' of Japanese purity, the 6 Ninja Families, are at war with the depth of all Evil, the Chinese Seven Pillars of Heaven by name, who are determined to drag all of Asia away from the Light and into the Darkness of pain, degradation and slavery."In fact I quote: 'Alone among the nations of the Earth, only the Japanese cultural identity can stand firm against this global menace. Only the Japanese can keep the torch of true Enlightenment aloft. Only the Japanese can guide the development of the Khanate into the Supreme Empire it is meant to be'.""I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this guy is pseudo-religious, a Japanese ultra-nationalist as well as anti 'all things Sino'," came out of my mouth."Correct.""None of the Secret Societies would do something so public. Temujin's background is a mystery, but no one in the Khanate is calling him a reincarnated spirit, and they know the truth," I continued."This guy is pretty nutty," Mehmet confirmed. "He also claims to channel Buddha, Mohammed, Christ and Confucius. His followers worship him as the Earthly manifestation of the 'Supreme Being' named El Cantare, which is yet another name for any number of ancient supreme deities. And he claims to consult with the 'spirit guardians' of national leaders and aids in their mystic defense, with the aid of the Five Sacred Sisters' Spirits."Clearly this man was insane. Unfortunately, insane didn't make someone wrong,"Ah Hell," I muttered.Mehmet and Addison perked up; after all, figuring out the bizarre was my position on the team."He probably is insane, and I can't blame him," I sighed. "He isn't El Cantare; he is in touch with the Weave.""I have a feeling this is 'not good'," Addison murmured. "How bad is it?""The Five Sacred Spirit Sisters are most likely the five augurs who died in order to save Temujin, which, in turn, allies the 9 Clans with the E&S and Amazons to 'save' Japan, though it is not 'saved' yet.""Technically, the Weave IS the Supreme Being. It's largely indifferent, yet capable of doing both good and ill in response to outside (aka mortal) stimuli. If you can observe the Weave, you might be able to see the most likely path destiny is taking as well as the key players screwing with that destiny."That would include the Gong Tau sorcerers and the ninjas use of their own brand of magic; and God only knows what other mystic tricks the others have been attempting.""How do we get them to stop?" Captain Delilah Faircloth muttered."Not that easy Delilah. Everyone in this room has intersected because of a magic experiment that happened before any of us were born (Mom).""The fight at Summer Camp was flipped on its head because I saw the ghost the 7 Pillars sent to scout the area. My freeing of one of those trapped and tortured souls led to the calamity at the Barbeque Pit. I didn't use magic. I countered it. Still, my actions were interfering with the Weave."All four people the augurs, those Five Sisters, told me about had been dead at some point in time, some for thousands of years. Ajax didn't kill anyone using magic. Neither has Saku, yet both of them are products of disruptions in the Weave. 'Me' being alive and breathing is yet another disruption, since I shouldn't exist because of another mystic curse from five thousand years ago."Being alive and killing people means I've killed people who shouldn't be dead. Do we need to go into all the millions that have died in the Khanate war? Which was a combination of a resurrected Temujin and the 7 Pillars hunger for World Domination, if we do nothing, the rippled of those other disruption will still carry on."Except for me, no one on this taskforce has used an iota of magic, yet we are all dedicated to combatting mystical forces," I related to the group. I wondered where Rikki (Martin) and Beatrice (Ya Konan) had gotten off to. Lady Yum-Yum being absent only made my 'Scooby' senses tingle more."You use magic?" Agent-86 tilted his head in curiosity."I talk to a Goddess on a semi-regular business. I see ghosts. I've been the conveyer of messages from dead people and I've killed an un-killable man. Do we need to go back over my kidnapping by the 7 Pillars? The memories of my undead Grandfather floating around in my head?""I'm not calling thunderbolts out of the sky and shooting fireballs out my ass, but what I am doing is magical, nonetheless.""So, what do we recommend to our allies and benefactors (i.e., our sovereign governments)?" Mehmet inquired."Hmm, we tell our governments this crackpot is a Prophet of Doom who could be turned into an asset," I rubbed my brow with all four fingers and a thumb. Rikki, Beatrice and Lady Worthington-Burke quietly entered the room. They were all highly pleased in a 'I just won the lottery' kind of way. I was curious, but had to carry on with my train of thought."Quietly start seeking out other mystic societies, preferably low-key, quiet types who avoid the limelight, and start looking into other forms of magical insight and, quite frankly, protection. If the Weave has let this happen, we can expect worse. Lastly, I'll ask my 'Brother' to meet with this guy and get a feel for his personality.""That will only increase the believability of his ramblings," Addison protested."The boat called 'Denial' has already sailed. The World is in crisis. People are going to look for non-conventional answers. It is better to get ahead of this and bring Ryuho Okawa on board as a 'consultant'. Don't give him the whole picture by any means. The guy is definitely a loose cannon. Even worse, he is also a loose cannon the Weave has touched.""Besides, the Seven Pillars are going to figure this out pretty quick, their Weave sensitivity, ya know, and either kidnap him to be their own spiritual seismic sensor, or kill him for being both a loose cannon and yet another person screwing with their 'best laid plans'. Keeping him alive has the added benefit of making the Seven Pillars expend resources trying to get at him. Japan needs every bit diversion they can get."Let's not forget to tell our Secret Society allies of our plans, lest they kill him too. His babblings aren't going to make the 9 Clans or the E&S happy with him. They both have an established habit of making perceived enemies dead. Let's keep him alive and utilize this opportunity.""I like this plan," Addison nodded. Mehmet was clearly on board as well. Agent-86 clearly was playing the best on-line mystic MMORPG ever! (And with the added bonus that his team's action had real-world consequences.) The three 'ladies' new to the room received an abbreviated version of our discussion and my 'suggestions'. They weren't really suggestions. Barring a few insanely criminal endeavors, JIKIT treated me like a true asset."Something else big?" Addison looked to her British counterpart (Yum-Yum)."The Japanese Diet has voted for a public referendum on a Constitutional Amendment to repeal/revise Article 96 of the Japanese Constitution.""Oh fuck," was echoed, either verbally or subliminally, by everyone in the room except for me, Delilah and Agent-86.'Cáel' knew Jack and Shit about the Japanese Constitution. Hell, I barely knew about the US one and I was a native. However, Alal did know it, and knew both what Article 96 was and what its amendment really meant. Good-old 96 was the rolling dark cloud across the political Great Plains that heralded a swarm of tornados. Clouds were clouds and their arrival could mean anything.Article 96 dictated how the Japanese Constitution could be amended. The current process was a 2/3rd vote in both the House of Councilors (the 'Upper House', roughly equivalent to our Senate) and the House of Representatives (the 'Lower' House) followed by a public referendum. The proposed amendment to Article 96 would transform the process to a mere majority vote in both Houses.Imagine the shit-storm which would be unleashed if the US Congress tried to pull that shit. The biggest political issue was that the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) held 294 of the 475 seats in the lower house (a clear majority) and 115 of the 242 in the Upper House (7 seats short of a majority). If the amendment passed next month (October 14th to be precise), the LDP could pretty much do as they pleased.And what was the first thing they were going to do? They were going to put to rest another part of the Constitution, namely the far more globally important Article 9. And what was that?Real World Stuff: WarningsArticle 9:(1)Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.(2)To accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.If Article 9 was repealed, the Japanese nation could exercise diplomacy by military means, aka declaring an offensive war against a foreign power. Currently Japan had a modest budget military budget of $48 Billion a year (Earth's 10th largest). It was modest when you considered it was a mere 1% of the Japanese GDP. Great Britain, France and South Korea's smaller economies all functioned nicely with double that percentage for their military budget.Regionally, every other nation was increasing their military expenditures, except Japan's protector, the US and (perhaps) North Korea, who's spending on anything was a closely guarded state secret. Right now, China and the Khanate's military expenditures were running roughly even at $180 billion each, but this was an arm's race the PRC would eventually win, they had too great an advantage in the size of their workforce and a far larger industrial base.The truth was, if the PRC couldn't win this race fast, she was facing a long, grinding war reminiscent of the Communists' Long Rise to Power that wrecked their country a century ago. The monetary dynamic was shifting badly against them because the Khanate wasn't alone.India, Taiwan and Vietnam were also ramping up their war spending to a combined tune of $34 billion and now allied with the Khanate, equating to an additional $90 billion the PRC had to overcome. South Korea was already adding $8 billion to their military and Russia was taxing the fuck out of Manchuria to both pay for their 'Peaceful Intervention' and to increase the 'Readiness' of their other forces.All of this military spending was bad for both the regional and global economies (unless you were Israel who was turning out hardware 24/7/365 for the Khanate and Indian war machines). So at this point, Japan doing 'nothing' was possibly more disastrous than doing 'something' else.They were already spending $50 fucking billion on glorified policemen while the future of East Asia was being decided without them. Doubling the military budget would place a huge burden on the largely pacifistic population. It would also put Japan in the position of deciding the Fate of Nations.With the repeal of Article 9, Japan could utilize 'proactive means' to keep the naval supply routes to China open, not even the Indian's had the naval presence to confront the Japanese. Such a policy was a nice, friendly gesture to the Asian Colossus, who wasn't likely to show a shred of appreciation for their efforts.No, China had spent the last 60 years stoking the hatred of the Land of the Rising Sun among their people. (Many Japanese forgot current Chinese hatred was based on the Japanese butchering their way across China for nearly a decade between 1937 to 1945).(The Cornerstone) There was a truism which had guided American, Chinese, Japanese and Russian political thought for 150 years: 'There could only be one supreme power in East Asia and the Eastern Pacific'. Japan had followed the logical expression of that paradigm by invading Taiwan (1895), Korea (1910), beating up on Imperial Russia (1904), taking Manchuria (1931) and going to war with China (1937) while that country was trapped in a bloody civil war.To stop the Empire of Japan's rise, the US had attempted to cripple the Japanese economy before the Empire could harvest their just-acquired Asian natural resources. In response, Japan had thrown its soldiers and sailors into a futile effort against the British Empire, the United States and China and lost.With Imperial Japan crushed and the Soviet Union preoccupied in Europe, China had risen. The irresistible force of China's rapidly increasing population, natural resources exploitation and extensive land mass took hold. Japan couldn't compete in a 'fair' fight. Since 1945, the Japanese government had lived with the fear of aggression from Russia and/or China aimed their way.The US felt the same way, or they had. The fear produced by the broad acceptance of 'Only-One-Shall-Rule-Asia' had led to the Korean War, the half-century cease-fire along the Demilitarized Zone in Korea and the Vietnamese Civil War. The Communists in China and Russia had feuded until the Soviet Union collapsed under its own economic inadequacies.A reborn Russia, even with the ultra-nationalist Putin at the helm, couldn't stop China's growing domination. Asia was China's for the taking, until the Khanate rose up like some desert mirage in the Western Steppe, one that turned into the Mother of All Storms. So now, miraculously, the dominion of Asia was up for grabs once more.Japan could not overcome China; that was a given. The Dragon had more people, more resources and an almost three-fold larger economy. Given a decade, the PRC would grind the Khanate down. Once more it was the tyranny of numbers. Even India, Taiwan and Vietnam could only slow down the inevitable.India's subpar economic output marginalized the power of their citizenry. Taiwan had the proportional economy, but not nearly enough people. Vietnam had neither and had always had a rough time defending themselves, much less been successful confronting powers beyond her homeland. Putin's Mother Russia had a host of other problems, internal and external, so she had already contributed as much as Putin dared.Until Thursday morning, Tokyo Time, the undeniable Destiny of Asia remained in the hands of those men in Beijing. The dominoes were falling in a way those rulers had not foreseen and now fumed over. But on Wednesday night, there was no industrial power (with the population to back it up) which could threaten the People's Republic of China.Europe and the US wouldn't intervene. Much like the leadership in Japan, the Communist Chinese Politburo believed Putin had wagered as much as dared. No other nation on Earth mattered. Japan? That was laughable. Their Constitution bound the hands off their military behind their backs with a pledge of eternal pacifism.The Chinese weren't blind to the 250,000 men and women of the Japanese Self Defense Force. Without the political will, those troops might have well have been in Brazil. A hostile Brazil was actually a greater worry because Brazil was the powerhouse of South America, a G-8 economy and hungered for a Permanent Seat on the UN Security Council. The PRC was dedicated to denying their desire as it would have diluted the PRC's burgeoning diplomatic power.Japan? Ha.Thursday morning, in what was essentially an undetected (by anyone except the Ninja and JIKIT) coup d' tat, pacifism was sacrificed on the Altar of Nationalism. Article 96's demise was pre-ordained. A poll taken on July 1st, 42% of Japanese felt positively about the repeal of Article 96 while 46% opposed it.The same agency took a new poll on August 28th. The economic-political situation of Japan was going through a titanic tidal shift. If Buddhism moved you toward devout pacifist, the Khanate had liberated Tibet and was clearly withdrawing as the UN troops' boots hit the ground.If you were a Nationalist of any kind, you were seeing a whole lot more people at your rallies, accessing your websites and signing up to join your formerly fringe parties. If you were a Socialist, you were scared. Why? The PRC was in the process of nationalizing all of Japan's (and South Korea's and Taiwan's) business interests in China, for the 'Duration of the Emergency', or so they said.That meant plenty of Japanese workers were losing their jobs and looking to blame someone. You couldn't blame the centrist LDP. The LDP had been working alongside the Japanese Communist Party for months. They had done nothing wrong and had worked tirelessly for a peaceful diplomatic solution. It was their 'comrades' in China, their Marxist confederates, who were costing the hard-working Japanese workers their jobs.If you were in the Establishment, all of the above worried the crap out of you. Japan's economy had been limping along at barely-positive growth for a decade. Your aging population needed more and more from their public services and, worst of all, you had nothing in your political and economic tool box to escape the obvious oncoming national catastrophe.The possibility of a Global Recession loomed on the horizon, if they were lucky. Highly respected economists in Japan and elsewhere were examining all the key indicators over the past three months and were suggesting hording as a viable policy for middle class households to consider. If you were in the Developing World, worse was heading your way.The word being bandied about on those esteemed academic internet websites wasn't 'recession', it was depression. Global prosperity thrived on nations investing in both their own economy and the economies of other nations. The governments representing a third of the World's population were not investing in their economies.Unless you were a war profiteer, you could expect fewer consumer goods on the shelves; and what was there would cost more. Your income wasn't going up; your expenses were. If you were an Atheistic homeowner in the Western World with a secured 3.25% fixed rate home loan, you took up religion. The prime interest rate would be racing for the 20% mark and that was only if your economy was stable.If you lived in a country in the Developing World, your trade goods didn't compete with those created in the G-20. Your competition was with other Developing World businesses and the prize was the pocketbooks of those consumers in the G-20, which was a shrinking purse.It wasn't like you were being paid all that much to begin with; and now those once poor-paying, but at least plentiful, jobs were drying up. You needed your government to help you out. It wasn't like those governments could raise money by taxing the unemployed and under-employed. They didn't have money. And the rich in most of those same nations had a long and successful legacy of avoiding paying.Those growing economies had a few tried and tested 'solutions' for getting their countries through these rough stretches.The IMF? 'We are out to make 'positive' capital investments and your economic outlook doesn't look promising. We suggest 'austerity'.'The BRICS? Since India and China were basically in an undeclared state of war: 'we won't be loaning anyone anything for a while.'The BIS? 'As soon as the People' Bank of China, the Reserve Bank of India, the Central Bank of Ireland, the Bank of Israel and the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey get back to us about their sudden, serious lack of transparency, we'll call you back.'World Bank? Holy Shit! 'The world's going down the toilet, we will do what we can.'F Y I, I (as in Cáel) had been wrong. The 6 Elders of the Ninja families didn't talk to Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Awbee. They talked with another, far more immediately important man. So sue me (Cáel) for not knowing the inner workings of various world governments, and creatively interpreting events surrounding all those people I (Cáel) didn't. I'm a freaking Liberal Arts major with a fertile imagination, not a superspy, or even a competent Intelligence Analyst!}The Japanese government had appealed to the U.S., U.N., P.R.C., A.S.E.A.N., India; and (through back channels aka JIKIT) the Khanate for an end to this madness; all with typical results:The U.S.A: We are working on it (without letting them know what precisely they were working on)Japan: Well, do something fast. Our Government Bonds are about to be more useful as wallpaper.The U.N.: We are working on it (with their long-established tradition of not doing anything until the crisis had passed)Japan: You are preparing to pass a Resolution to move this matter from the First Committee to the Fourth Committee, gee, thanks guys. Will they be meeting sometime before Christmas?The PRC: We are too busy right now, so shut up, keep the trade lanes open, and was that your submarine we detected sneaking into our territorial waters?Japan: What? What do you mean you are 'too busy?' You are one of our biggest trading partners, your economy is going down the toilet, and, No! That was not our submarine in your territorial waters. That accusation is absurd.(Note from Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Awbee, to Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, head of the JMSDF {the de facto Japanese Navy}), The PRC has made this outrageous claim that one of our submarines has been sneaking around their territorial waters. There is no truth to that rumor, right?Kawano: Which time?Prime Minister: Oh My God! What have you people been doing and why is this the first time I'm hearing about it?Kawano: Sir, if you are just now getting around to asking us, you don't want to know.Prime Minister: What do you mean 'I don't want to know?' I'm the head of the damn government and, you are right. Fine. There is no way I'm going back to the Chinese Ambassador and apologizing for any this. Is there any way this can come back to screw us over?Kawano: With all these US and British submarines helping us out, not very likely, Prime Minister.Prime Minister: Oh, very good. You are correct, I don't want to know what you 'haven't' been doing. I am ordering you to destroy all transcripts and recordings of this conversation.Kawano: It has been my distinct honor not having this conversation with you, Prime Minister. Sayōnara.ASEAN, What do you expect us to do about this? Have you seen the unimpressive combined sizes of our members' air forces and navies? Did you see the smack-down the Khanate has inflicted on the PLAN's South China Sea Fleet?Besides, the PRC is claiming that the Khanate launched covert attacks against the Parcels and Spratly islands which originated from Indonesian and Filipino waters. We are investigating the issue. If you are asking us for help, you are truly screwed. Don't call us. We will call you.Japan, {muttering} Investigating the attacks that came from your territory, bullshit! You are covering your own asses, damn it!(Note from Prime Minister, Shinzō Awbee, to Shotaro Yachi, Japanese National Security Advisor), I've heard an ugly rumor that the Khanate has forces secreted in the Philippines and Indonesia. Do you happen to know anything about it?Yachi: Yes Sir. We had advance notice of the organization, composition and destination of those forces.Awbee (while muttering 'no one tells me anything anymore'): What the! Would you please tell me what is going on.Yachi: We have made critical steps toward future alliances which will guarantee Japanese security for decades to come.Awbee What does that mean, and since when have you been creating and implementing foreign policy? We have a Minister for that, in case you somehow over-looked him at the last cabinet meeting. Wait! Does he know about this too?Yachi: No Sir, Foreign Minister Kishida is currently unaware of the Kinkyū tokushu sakusen tasukufōsu (Emergency Special Operations Task Force). Admiral Katsutoshi knows the basics of our operational policy, since we need to borrow some of his assets from time to time. Director-General Kitada (of the Public Security Intelligence Agency) and key personnel from the Foreign Ministry's Intelligence & Analysis Service and Security Bureau make up the majority of the task force's operatives.Awbee: What have you been doing?Yachi: You don't want to know, Mr. Prime Minister. It would make things, awkward.Awbee: 'You don't want to know', of course, I don't. I'm only the elected head of this government. Why would I possibly want to know what acts of espionage and war my deputies are executing?Yachi: I am glad we are on the same page, Sir. Will there be anything else?Awbee: No, wait. Do you have any intelligence on what the Khanate is up to?Yachi: Yes Sir. Is there anything in particular you want to know?Analysis Services: Can you contact someone in their leadership willing to discuss regional affairs?Yachi: I can put you in touch with the Great Khan himself if necessary.AS: What!Yachi: Sir, I would hardly be acting in our nation's best interests if I couldn't divine the intentions of the key players on the stage. Shall I initiate the necessary communications to facilitate that level of clandestine diplomatic contact?AS: No. Yes. No, I need to think about this. Hmm, have you been conducting any domestic espionage missions?Yachi: You don't want me to answer that, Sir.Awbee: of course I don't, I'm only the damn Prime Minister. Shotaro, I'm still Prime Minister, aren't I?Yachi: Yes Sir. We have been working overtime to ensure that. We've foiled two enemy assassination attempts and one attempted kidnapping so far. We remain vigilant.AS: How come this is the first I'm hearing about it? Is the head of my security in on this conspiracy of yours too?Yachi: No Sir. These particular guardians wish to avoid notoriety at all costs.Awbee: Okay. Good to know. Ah, keep up the good work and destroy any trace of this conversation.Yachi: Way ahead of you, Sir. Have a good night.India, Yes, we are more than willing to work with you toward regional stability. Care to acknowledge the Khanate's legitimacy first? We'd really appreciate it. Sure, get back to us when you've done that. Until then, the South China Sea Awaits! Yes, we plan to keep what we've earned. Later now. We think there is going to be further instability in Southeast Asia.Japan, Ya think? It is your damn warships sailing around the freaking South China Sea enforcing your utterly un-secret alliance with the Khanate. Why are you doing this to us? What have we ever done to you?The Khanate, We are not out to damage your national interests. We apologize, but there is now way we will call off this war with the Communist Chinese. It is them, or us, to the death. We have already received and agreed to your request to allow all Japanese flagged ships safe transit through the South China Sea. We really wish to be your friends this time, to make up for those two invasion attempts seven hundred years ago.(Note from Prime Minister to Self) Great. The only reasonable people who aren't out to kick me in the nuts are also the ones I can't acknowledge talking to. I've got to do something a
The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: Which of these countries borders Bhutan? Question 2: Which of these colors would you find on the flag of Singapore? Question 3: What is the largest island of Greece, home to the ancient ruined Minoan palace of Knossos? Question 4: Which US state is known by the nicknames "The Sagebrush State" and "The Silver State"? Question 5: Which country's flag can be described as 'Black and green triangles divided by a yellow cross.'? Question 6: What is the capital city of Botswana? Question 7: Which region of the world uses '.ng' at the end of its web addresses? Question 8: Milan is a city in which country? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Historical myths often hold surprising truths that have been passed down through generations. The tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table was believed to be pure legend, but some evidence suggests that a figure resembling Arthur may have indeed existed in early medieval Britain. The legend of Atlantis, Plato's lost island, was thought to be a complete fabrication, but some believe it may be inspired by the ancient Minoan civilization on Crete, which was destroyed by a catastrophic volcanic eruption. So, next time you hear a captivating historical myth, there might be more to it than meets the eye!
Have feedback or a topic you want to hear about, let us know by sending us a direct message!Welcome back to another episode of KarWell Chronicles!
Join us this Sunday at 8:00 PM UK time on The Amish Inquisition, where we unravel the secrets of the legendary Atlantis with renowned researcher David ‘Stig' Hansen!
Dr. Grace Erny, a professor of Classics at the University of California - Berkeley, joins Lexie to discuss getting into Classics via extensive fieldwork and summer programs, her work on settlement pattern, economic & social transformations and Minoan artifacts in ancient Crete, and the importance of communal dining practices and the militaristic aspects of Cretan society. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week's exciting odyssey! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram or visit our website www.theozymandiasproject.com! Learn more about Dr. Erny: https://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/faculty/grace-ernyCheck out her publications on Academia: https://berkeley.academia.edu/GraceErnySupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheOzymandiasProject Custom music by Brent Arehart of Arehart Sounds and edited by Dan Maday. Get exclusive bonus content (ad free episodes, early releases, and experimental content) on Patreon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Author, Gardnerian High Priest, Minoan, Discordian, and harbinger of chaos, Thumper Forge, joins Storybook Witchcraft to sew discord and general hilarity. We find remnants of goetic sorcery and folk love spells within the tale of The Tinder Box, and AB and Aaron fight over the pipe. A fun discussion for all! You can find Thumper Forge online at https://thumperforge.com/Follow AB's Witch Journal! https://www.youtube.com/ @abwitchjournal Intro contains music provided by "Vivek Abhishek"https://www.youtube.com/user/VivEKhsi... Music used : "1 HOUR OF HORROR MUSIC" originally composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek" https://youtu.be/JrNjyEixUEk Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VivekEKhsihbA/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivek.abhis...!
34 Circe Salon -- Make Matriarchy Great Again -- Disrupting History
Was Crete one of the latest Matriarchies to resist infiltration and overthrow by the waves of Indo-European invasion? What evidence is hidden in plain sight to support the presence of Matriarchy on the island? Joan Cichon talks about her book “Matriarchy in Bronze Age Crete” which she has generously made available to all online. Joining the discussion are Vicki Noble, Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn Sam Alden.
ANGELA'S SYMPOSIUM 📖 Academic Study on Witchcraft, Paganism, esotericism, magick and the Occult
In this episode, we examine the Minoan Brotherhood, a contemporary Pagan tradition that reinterprets Minoan religious symbolism through the lens of LGBTQ+ spirituality. Founded in the late 1970s by Eddie Buczynski, the Brotherhood emerged as a response to the heteronormativity of mainstream Wicca, creating a sacred framework that centres homoerotic relationships within a reconstructed mythological and ritual structure. Drawing on the Labrys (double-headed axe) as a key symbol, the Brotherhood blends Arthur Evans' reconstructions of Minoan religion with adapted Gardnerian Wiccan ceremonial practices, emphasizing the sacralization of erotic energy, graded initiatory rites, and the role of the Minos as a spiritual leader. We critically engage with both the historical inspirations and academic critiques surrounding the Brotherhood's theology, particularly the challenges of romanticized Minoan reconstructions in contemporary Pagan practice. The episode also situates the Brotherhood within LGBTQ+ religious history, considering its significance during the AIDS crisis, its intersections with feminist spirituality, and its broader role in modern queer identity formation within esoteric traditions. As a case study in myth-making, ritual adaptation, and cultural reclamation, the Minoan Brotherhood offers valuable insights into how marginalized communities engage with ancient religious frameworks to construct meaningful spiritual identities in the present. CONNECT & SUPPORT
By Mario Seiglie - In this PowerPoint series, we conclude by looking at the pagan cultures of the ancient Minoan and Philistine civilizations with their migration into Israel. The life of Samson is explained including the destruction of the Minoan Temple. The onset of the Iron Age begins with the Philistines to
By Mario Seiglie - In this PowerPoint series, we look at the pagan cultures of the ancient Minoan and Philistine civilizations and their migration toward the region of Israel.
“I'm an extreme version, but the water is my life. It's where I live. It's what I do to work out. It's where I go to think. So it solves pretty much all aspects of my life of what keeps me motivated, keeps me fit, keeps me well minded. And I think naturally, most people would say the water has some special power of connecting and making someone feel good.” We're in great company with Brian Meyer, the Co-Founder and CEO of FLOHOM, a collection of immersive waterfront experiences for vacationers and staycationers alike to enjoy the comforts of elevated hospitality while docked in the lively harbors of Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington, DC. Whether you are seeking to submerge in relaxing and refreshing accommodations, or in search of a jumping off point for exploration and adventure, FLOHOM welcomes you aboard their floating homes and into their community of water-loving wanderers. In this episode, Brian shares how a life spent on the water embracing the change in tides, has led him to not only pursue his own dream of waterfront living, but to make this dream a reality for all those looking for our home away from shore. Top Takeaways [2:00] Brian was a fish out of water as a child growing up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland - always looking for a reason to waterski, wakeboard or surf - which led him to go to school in Hawaii where he was introduced to outrigger canoes - before returning home to start a community around paddleboarding, Capital SUP. [7:30] Recognizing the impact these social watersports had on the local community, Brian then started the Live Water Foundation to give Veterans, people with disabilities, and underserved youth a chance to enjoy this lifestyle, ensuring the local waterways were protected with clean water initiatives. [10:15] When Brian went to look for a waterfront home himself, he quickly learned his budget was well below the price for these types of properties, until he began to conceptualize FLOHOM with the mission to make waterfront living accessible, sustainable, and affordable. [20:00] A stay in a FLOHOM floating suite goes beyond the spacious views and luxurious amenities, with Voyager Guides and bespoke services for guests to experience all that these harbor towns have to offer right off the dock. [32:30] The future for FLOHOM is a lifestyle brand on the water, from privately owned floating suites to entire marina resorts to an international waterfront footprint. Notable Mentions Capital SUP Live Water Foundation Jungalow by Justina Blakeney HostGPO and Minoan marketplaces Outer outdoor furniture Old Bay seasoning Hydrofoil surfboards Visit For Yourself FLOHOM Website | @flohom_ofc @_brianmeyer Stay In Good Company Website
At what point did the concept of civilization and civilizations emerge? In what ways do we know that societies were mingling and exchanging ideas and objects with each other? How were the Crusades responsible for our culture's current sugar obsession?Josephine Quinn is a Professor of Ancient History at the University of Oxford, and the author of several books, including her latest work How the World Made the West: A 4,000 Year History and also In Search of the Phoenicians.Greg and Josephine discuss the challenges and insights from piecing together 4,000 years of global history, and digging into the concept of 'civilizational thinking' and its origins. Josephine explains how civilizations intertwine through war, trade, and cultural exchange, and also highlights how modern perspectives shape our understanding of past human interactions. They also discuss the subject of another of Josephine's books and unpack the significant yet often misunderstood impact of Phoenicians and other early civilizations on today's world.*unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.*Show Links:Recommended Resources:PhoeniciaAge of DiscoveryCrusadesLevantHerodotusOttoman EmpireMinoan civilizationArthur EvansKnossosHeinrich SchliemannBarlaam and JosaphatAbbasid CaliphateThe Invention of TraditionZoroastrianismFernand BraudelGuest Profile:Faculty Profile at the University of OxfordWikipedia ProfileSocial Profile on InstagramHer Work:Amazon Author PageHow the World Made the West: A 4,000 Year HistoryIn Search of the PhoeniciansThe Punic Mediterranean: Identities and Identification from Phoenician Settlement to Roman RuleThe Hellenistic West: Rethinking the Ancient MediterraneanThe Rise and Fall of the Classical World: 2500 BC - 600 ADEpisode Quotes:Tracing the roots of civilizational thinking 10:52: One of the things I really want people to take away from my book is that war is one of the most effective modes of communication that people have. But all the same, depended on fundamental notion of similarity between peoples. [11:36] But around 1500, what's happening with this European expansion is to me, a very radical change in that, at the same time as Europeans are engaging in mass conversions to Christianity overseas, they're expelling the significant Jewish and Muslim populations from Europe itself. And so, it's creating a, sort of, us and them situation. Basically for the first time, a significant scale, I mean, things like that happen on a smaller scale and throughout history in all societies but I think this is really, in terms of a global history, something really quite new. And so, to me, it is the roots of that civilizational thinking that gets fully articulated a few hundred years later, starting in the 18th century. The idea of continents is fictional and is used by other geographers to create divisions in their works. 17:01: The idea of continents is a fascinating one to me. It goes back, in fact, to ancient Greek-speaking scientists who are working on the coast of what's now Turkey, very much in touch with what was going on in the big intellectual centers of antiquity, like Babylon, with Egyptian scientists, and so on. But we don't have any evidence that anybody else thought about the world in terms of continents. But they invented it with some geographers, and it was a kind of label. It wasn't a sort of major concept. One of my favorite commentaries is by another Greek historian, Herodotus. I say Greek-speaking. He also was from Anatolia, grew up in Persian lands, but he says, Well, people say that there are these three continents, and they're all named after women: Europa, Asia, Libya, [the] Greek term for what we now say—Africa, but I think this is nonsense. I mean, people don't even know where they begin and end. And, of course, that's right. I mean, some continents exist. The America exists. Australia exists. But Europe, Asia, and Africa?Why do people care about the heterogeneity of origins of things in the modern world?43:05 This is the big question, isn't it? Do people have an investment in the idea of a pure West that is facing pollution or even replacement from the outside right now? I think it's the same kind of question. And I think part of it is just that that's an easier way to think. It offers certainty. I think certainty is a terribly attractive thing but the problem is that human history isn't certain. It's fuzzy and complicated and if there's one thing that I would love people who read this book to think harder about, it's the idea of heritage. I think heritage is often seen as a very positive thing in the world today. But actually, I feel like there's a danger that people invest in a collective past at the expense of a collective present. And that, I think, is quite dangerous. But it is much easier to read things than it is to have conversations.The idea of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations as two separate cultures is a historical typo.The whole idea of Minoan and Mycenaean are basically just two rival labels of two basically warring groups of archaeologists about exactly the same thing. It's like a historical typo that people now think of them as different.
Greg Jenner is joined in Bronze Age Crete by Dr Stephen Kershaw and comedian Josie Long to learn all about the ancient Minoan civilisation.Many of us know the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur: King Minos of Crete feeds young men and women to the half-human beast in the labyrinth under his palace until the brave Theseus kills the monster. At the end of the 19th century, a Cretan archaeologist discovered a palace that many believed had belonged to Minos himself. Not only that, but experts soon found traces of an entire Bronze Age civilisation on the island. But what was this Minoan society really like?From the palaces of the mighty, through the daily lives of ordinary people and their religious beliefs, this episode explores the Minoans and the archaeological work that has uncovered the truth behind the myths.This is a radio edit of the original podcast episode. For the full-length version, please look further back in the feed.Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Anna McCully Stewart Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Ben Hollands Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: James Cook
On Saturday I arrived on the small island of Malta, which is to the west of Greece under Sicily. There are nine ancient temples in Malta that pre-date the Egyptian pyramids. They were built in 3,600 B.C. and beyond (over 6,000 years ago!). Some remains have been found from 7,000 B.C.They are called “megaliths” because they were built with large stones. In the Tarxien Temple, you enter through a stone arch before seeing a colossal stone statue of a woman in a skirt (which I believe represented the goddess). Surrounding her are large stones with spiral carvings.In this week's episode of the Soul Sovereignty & Sexuality Podcast, I dig into:* When ancient stone temples were built around the world (Maltese, Egyptian, Sumerian, Stonehenge, Minoan, Mycenean) to give greater perspective* How this connects to the development of a new belief system we know today as Judaism or Christianity* Why this shows us that everything is a belief - adopted by someone else at another point in time - that we therefore have the power to question and align it to our own soul's truth.I'll be recording an energetic activation from Malta while I'm here, which you're welcome to access for only $ 22. Learn more and register here: https://thepathtosovereignty.com/soul-healing-activations-from-sacred-sites/About your Host Jessica Falcon:A former lawyer turned mystic, Jessica is an International Soul Healer & Embodiment Guide. She guides you to embody the god-goddess within so you reclaim your sovereignty and experience ecstatic freedom. After leaving the legal profession in 2013 to embark on a spiritual pilgrimage, Jessica experienced an 8-year initiation into divine feminine power. During this time, she spent years researching religious history, ancient civilizations, and mythology. She has identified the core beliefs – deeply embedded in the individual and collective psyche – that keep us from owning our power, speaking our truth, and liberating our sexuality. Subscribe to your favorite platform so you are notified every time a new Soul Sovereignty & Sexuality Podcast episode is published! Your reviews and comments matter and are much appreciated!Sign up to receive weekly podcast emails delivered straight to your inbox, as well as a free Heart Activation to open to receive more love and attune to the frequency of your soul here: https://soulsovereigntyandsexuality.substack.com/aboutLearn more here: https://www.thepathtosovereignty.com IG @thepathtosovereignty Get full access to Soul Sovereignty & Sexuality Podcast at soulsovereigntyandsexuality.substack.com/subscribe
We're thrilled to welcome Marc Hostovsky, the founder of Minoan — a brand that makes your property shoppable and helps you save up to 60% on furnishings. Minoan is a podcast sponsor and a longtime supporter of Thanks For Visiting. We use Minoan all the time to furnish and replenish our short-term rentals. They help us create beautiful, memorable experiences for our guests. In this episode, Marc tells us about something special the brand is launching — a new showroom that helps you showcase the amazing products you've curated for your property, so guests can purchase them for their own home. Minoan makes it easy to become a four-walled influencer. We chat with Marc about how you can grow your revenue and enhance customer loyalty as a four-walled influencer. We also discuss why you should invest in high-quality furnishings, how hosts can succeed in today's attention economy, and the product recommendations that hosts rave about. (00:01:01) #STRShareSunday: @sandhollowsunrise_zionvacation(00:05:27) Introducing Marc & Minoan (00:08:47) Where You Should Invest Most In Your Furnishings (00:18:16) Brands & Products Hosts Rave About (00:30:40) Become A Four-Walled Influencer With Minoan (00:40:39) Growing Revenue & Customer Loyalty As A Four-Walled Influencer (00:46:25) Minoan's Replenishable Amenities Resources:• Click here for full show notes • Minoan Showroom: minoan.com/tfvshowroom• Instagram: @minoanexperience • #STRShareSunday: @sandhollowsunrise_zionvacation• Submit your property for our next #STRShareSunday at strshare.com• Video: Invest In Quality Airbnb Furniture • Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.comThanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Superhog | Visit superhog.com/thanks-for-visiting and book your FREE demo today!Hostfully | Go to https://www.hostfully.com/influencers/thanks-for-visiting/ and use TFV100 to get $100 off your subscription.Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!
In this episode of The STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane sits down with Marc Hostovsky, CEO and founder of Minoan, to talk about how their platform is simplifying the short-term rental game for hosts. Jamie shares his personal experience using Minoan to furnish his own listing, emphasizing how straightforward the process was and the competitive pricing he found. Marc explains that Minoan is a purchasing and supplier management platform designed specifically for hosts, providing access to well-known brands at discounted prices. One of the key features is the centralized ordering system, which streamlines the purchasing process for hosts, making it easier to manage. Another feature is the digital showroom, which allows hosts to showcase products in their rental properties and even earn commissions when guests purchase those items. Throughout the conversation, they explore the role of design in short-term rentals, highlighting how thoughtful design can elevate the guest experience and lead to better property performance. Marc points out that as the STR market becomes more competitive, hosts need to combine both real estate knowledge and hospitality skills to succeed. He introduces the idea of a universal cart, which integrates purchases from various partner brands into a single, seamless shopping experience. Marc draws a parallel between the current STR landscape and the early days of Amazon, where strategic design and a focus on the guest experience are becoming more important than ever. He also shares practical tips on how hosts can leverage Minoan to enhance their properties while improving their profitability. The discussion touches on some of the challenges the industry faces, such as the fragmented nature of STR hosts and the difficulties of getting more hosts to adopt new platforms. Marc explains that Minoan is addressing these issues by focusing on referrals, professionalization of the STR industry, and integrating more closely with local economies. As they wrap up the episode, Marc hints at Minoan's goals in improving hosts' economics through smarter investments and potential future collaborations with platforms like AirDNA to integrate data insights for hosts. You don't want to miss this episode! ~~~~ Signup for AirDNA for FREE
How do you transform a short-term rental from a basic property into a hospitality experience that keeps guests coming back? In this episode of Cashflow Positive, Kenneth Bedwell sits down with Marc Hostovsky, the founder and CEO of Minoan, to dive into the essential shift from real estate thinking to hospitality-focused management. Learn how Marc's innovative approach helps hosts maximize the potential of their properties through thoughtful design, furnishings, and guest experiences.Marc shares his journey from working at a fast-growing startup to founding Minoan, a platform that allows hosts to access exclusive discounts and marketing opportunities from top brands. More importantly, Marc explains why creating spaces that guests love to experience—not just visit—is key to unlocking higher revenue and building a successful rental business.Curious about how you can boost your nightly rates with just a few design changes? Wondering if investing in high-quality furnishings is really worth it? Marc breaks down the balance between making smart investments and providing a memorable guest experience, and why focusing on hospitality can lead to long-term profitability.In This Episode You'll Learn:Why short-term rentals are more than just real estate investmentsHow to strategically invest in furnishings and amenities to maximize guest experience and revenueThe importance of identifying your target audience when designing your propertyHow to avoid overspending while still creating a high-end guest experienceWhy short-term rental hosts should view themselves as “four-walled influencers” and capitalize on marketing partnershipsThe value of hospitality-focused design in reaching the full potential of your property's revenueAnd much more…Resources:Connect with Marc on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-hostovsky/Follow Marc on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/minoanexperience/?hl=enMinoan.com - https://minoan.com/Connect with Kenny on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-bedwell-9680a8113/Follow Kenny on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kenny_bedwell/
Two strangers meet in a trapped elevator. One is an archaeologist, the other isn't. A simple question, ‘What do you do?', becomes the springboard for a dialogue that weaves a fascinating tale. In How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator (William Collins, 2024) archaeologist Dr. Theodore Papakostas takes us on a spectacularly iconoclastic and hugely engrossing journey through ancient Greece, from its beginnings in prehistory to its end. Marvelling at the exalted moments in history as well as the more mundane, Dr. Papakostas introduces the reader to countless fascinating stories about the cradle of western civilisation – many of which upend received wisdom about the empire as well as about archaeology itself. Along the way, he settles questions such as: What did a Minoan princess pack for a trip to Egypt? How did a raunchy dance lead to the birth of Democracy? Why did Heraclitus suggest that Homer should be slapped? A whistle-stop tour through three hundred years of Greek history, How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator is an unforgettable love letter to the treasures we've inherited from the ancient world, as well as to those who have helped us unearth them. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Two strangers meet in a trapped elevator. One is an archaeologist, the other isn't. A simple question, ‘What do you do?', becomes the springboard for a dialogue that weaves a fascinating tale. In How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator (William Collins, 2024) archaeologist Dr. Theodore Papakostas takes us on a spectacularly iconoclastic and hugely engrossing journey through ancient Greece, from its beginnings in prehistory to its end. Marvelling at the exalted moments in history as well as the more mundane, Dr. Papakostas introduces the reader to countless fascinating stories about the cradle of western civilisation – many of which upend received wisdom about the empire as well as about archaeology itself. Along the way, he settles questions such as: What did a Minoan princess pack for a trip to Egypt? How did a raunchy dance lead to the birth of Democracy? Why did Heraclitus suggest that Homer should be slapped? A whistle-stop tour through three hundred years of Greek history, How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator is an unforgettable love letter to the treasures we've inherited from the ancient world, as well as to those who have helped us unearth them. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
Two strangers meet in a trapped elevator. One is an archaeologist, the other isn't. A simple question, ‘What do you do?', becomes the springboard for a dialogue that weaves a fascinating tale. In How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator (William Collins, 2024) archaeologist Dr. Theodore Papakostas takes us on a spectacularly iconoclastic and hugely engrossing journey through ancient Greece, from its beginnings in prehistory to its end. Marvelling at the exalted moments in history as well as the more mundane, Dr. Papakostas introduces the reader to countless fascinating stories about the cradle of western civilisation – many of which upend received wisdom about the empire as well as about archaeology itself. Along the way, he settles questions such as: What did a Minoan princess pack for a trip to Egypt? How did a raunchy dance lead to the birth of Democracy? Why did Heraclitus suggest that Homer should be slapped? A whistle-stop tour through three hundred years of Greek history, How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator is an unforgettable love letter to the treasures we've inherited from the ancient world, as well as to those who have helped us unearth them. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/archaeology
Two strangers meet in a trapped elevator. One is an archaeologist, the other isn't. A simple question, ‘What do you do?', becomes the springboard for a dialogue that weaves a fascinating tale. In How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator (William Collins, 2024) archaeologist Dr. Theodore Papakostas takes us on a spectacularly iconoclastic and hugely engrossing journey through ancient Greece, from its beginnings in prehistory to its end. Marvelling at the exalted moments in history as well as the more mundane, Dr. Papakostas introduces the reader to countless fascinating stories about the cradle of western civilisation – many of which upend received wisdom about the empire as well as about archaeology itself. Along the way, he settles questions such as: What did a Minoan princess pack for a trip to Egypt? How did a raunchy dance lead to the birth of Democracy? Why did Heraclitus suggest that Homer should be slapped? A whistle-stop tour through three hundred years of Greek history, How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator is an unforgettable love letter to the treasures we've inherited from the ancient world, as well as to those who have helped us unearth them. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history
Two strangers meet in a trapped elevator. One is an archaeologist, the other isn't. A simple question, ‘What do you do?', becomes the springboard for a dialogue that weaves a fascinating tale. In How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator (William Collins, 2024) archaeologist Dr. Theodore Papakostas takes us on a spectacularly iconoclastic and hugely engrossing journey through ancient Greece, from its beginnings in prehistory to its end. Marvelling at the exalted moments in history as well as the more mundane, Dr. Papakostas introduces the reader to countless fascinating stories about the cradle of western civilisation – many of which upend received wisdom about the empire as well as about archaeology itself. Along the way, he settles questions such as: What did a Minoan princess pack for a trip to Egypt? How did a raunchy dance lead to the birth of Democracy? Why did Heraclitus suggest that Homer should be slapped? A whistle-stop tour through three hundred years of Greek history, How to Fit All of Ancient Greece in an Elevator is an unforgettable love letter to the treasures we've inherited from the ancient world, as well as to those who have helped us unearth them. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
RUINS WITHIN RUINS, 9min., Greece Directed by Lefteris Parasyris A group of dancers positions themselves between the ancient and modern ruins of the island of Crete, Greece. Drawing inspiration from its rich heritage, they craft a series of kinetic forms and patterns influenced by folk dances and Minoan frescoes. These installations, whether harmonising with or contrasting against the island's culture, offer reflections on historical memory and the Cretan identity. https://www.instagram.com/lefteris.parasyris/ Get to know the filmmaker: This film was a tribute to the island of Crete and its complex identity. It started as a photographic project but I quickly realised that these beautiful but peculiar locations would be the perfect “character” in a dance film. Subscribe to the podcast: https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/ https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod
Watch the Novel Transcript Reading: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/thessalonika noun 1. The title of my novel about a girl willing to sacrifice her name and her identity 2. The middle name of Cleo Hart, a scholarship student at a prestigious New England university in the 1950's 3. A feminized form of “Thessaloniki,” a city in Greece possibly named after Alexander the Great's half-sister Get to know the writer:: A college student masquerades as her male classmate to join an archaeological dig in 1954 Crete. While excavating Minoan ruins, she unwittingly enters a labyrinth of post-war sociopolitical conflict. Subscribe to the podcast: https://twitter.com/wildsoundpod https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/ https://www.facebook.com/wildsoundpod
In this episode, Greg Jenner is joined in Bronze Age Crete by Dr Stephen Kershaw and comedian Josie Long to learn all about the ancient Minoan civilisation. Many of us know the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur: King Minos of Crete feeds young men and women to the half-human beast in the labyrinth under his palace until the brave Theseus kills the monster. At the end of the nineteenth century, a Cretan archaeologist discovered a palace that many believed had belonged to Minos himself. Not only that, but experts soon found traces of an entire Bronze Age civilisation on the island. But what was this Minoan society really like? From the palaces of the mighty, through the daily lives of ordinary people and their religious beliefs, this episode explores the Minoans and the archaeological work that has uncovered the truth behind the myths. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Anna McCully Stewart Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Ben Hollands Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: James Cook
Capital of Crete and Minoan civilization. Thank you for listening and God bless!
Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! Greek & Roman Mythology Retold
A (very brief) history of the Minoan people of Bronze Age Crete. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Sources: The Landmark Thucydides edited by Robert B. Strassler, translated by Richard Crawley; The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean edited by Eric H. Cline; Rodney Castleden's “Minoans: Life in Bronze Age Crete”; Nicoletta Momigliano's “In Search of the Labyrinth: The Cultural Legacy of Minoan Crete”. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.