Category Archives: Hedonism

Remarkably few of us experience life like Mark Hamill does. By this, we mean an existence informed by a recurring role in a handful of films that, for millions of people around the world, has frozen him in time and space deep, deep space.

His life is informed but not shaped by having played Luke Skywalker informed, but not formed around. Thats the difference between Hamill and other actors seen by the public as a fictional persona they played decades ago or worse, those performers who resent that double-edged sword.

On one side of that blade, theyll live on forever via action figures and any kind of paraphernalia one can imagine.

Cutting in the opposite direction is the tendency for that immortality to rob an actor of being seen as anything else.

Where others might have taken out those frustrations on reporters or children especially the ones who grew up, but never outgrew that hero worship Hamill exercised the wisdom of a Jedi and took his career in the opposite direction. Seeing him in Mike Flanagans The Fall of the House of Usher, a gothic-style horror series based on the works of Edgar Allen Poe, fits the audiences expectation that Hamill spent decades carving out.

As the Usher familys amoral fixer Arthur Pym, a ruthless lawyer who kills the familys enemies without question and with extreme efficiency, Hamill follows a pattern established over many roles in which he makes himself known but doesnt headline.

Hamills family attorney, dubbed the Pym Reaper by their adversaries and the many children of family patriarch Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), is ever-present but typically silent, speaking only when necessary. Pym can circumvent cops and influence judges. He tells the petulant Usher children what to say and how to say it, and to keep them in line he lets each know how easily he can destroy whatever padlocks they have on their fortress gates.

Hamill makes him sound like a man whose fingernails and teeth should be stained with blood and graveyard dirt, with a timbre crackling with broken headstone fragments. It is the voice of a man who has seen and done so many terrible things that he cannot be moved to anger, only impatience for humankinds naivete.

Mark Hamill in "The Fall of the House of Usher" (Netflix)Flanagan, who writes or co-writes seven of the shows eight episodes, saves the details of Pym's crimes for a finale on which he collaborates with Kiele Sanchez, directed by Michael Fimognari. Pym's sin ledger is recounted to him by Carla Guginos mysterious immortal Verna, and upon hearing it, he doesnt try to explain himself or even flinch as she reads his lifes filth back to him. Pym sits there and takes it, slightly slumped into his too-large overcoat, peering at her from under his fedora's brim.

"Were a virus, I think, he tells her. People, I mean.

The first three Star Wars films yielded one megastar in Harrison Ford, and his celebrity is probably more attributable to his solo turn as Indiana Jones. Han Solo is a space pirate while Indy is many archetypes in one an action hero, a professor and a romantic lead. Luke Skywalker, in contrast, is a holy knight. There was never a failed moral test demanding he redeem himself, and never a girl for him to chase. (You know that that kiss with Carrie Fishers Leia doesnt count.) He was, and is, eternally linked to some neutral and neutered concept of what is best about us.

Looking at Hamills old role that way, it makes sense that people, children and casting producers especially, could only picture him as Luke. Instead of resigning himself to this publicly, anyway Hamill removed his face from the equation and doubled down on the malleability of his voice.

While Hamill worked steadily throughout the 1980s and 90s on Broadway and appeared in TV guest roles and smaller movies, one was more likely to encounter Hamills thoroughly disguised voice in the likes of Batman: The Animated Series, Spider-Man or Avatar: The Last Airbender, where he established the voices of The Joker, Hobgoblin or Fire Lord Ozai respectively. We wouldn't bother mentioning these if Hamill's renditions weren't brilliant or tough, if not impossible, to top. A stand-out voiceover makes a person check the credits, and when his name matches a recognizable character the viewer can only say themselves, "Of course it's him."

Hamills voicework resume is extensive and varied, but when it comes to the marquee titles you may notice a pattern: instead of campaigning to play a famous hero, he embraces the Dark Side. In the Transformers franchise he voices Megatronus, the first Decepticon. In the 2021s Masters of the Universe: Revelation, he shows up as Skeletor. Heck, in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, he lends his versatile expression not a Jedi, but a Sith called Darth Bane. That entirely removed any possible shock at seeing his name in the credits for the 2019 remake of Chucky as the voice of the films titular homicidal toy.

This intentional project curation piques our interest by surprising us, as he did by showing up in an indelible episode of What We Do in the Shadows as Jim the Vampire, a monster so fearsome that he forces Laszlo to assume a new identity: Jackie Daytona.

Much earlier in his career probably around the time that he lost out playing the lead in the film version of Amadeus to Tom Hulce despite having portrayed the role on Broadway to much critical acclaim Hamill has demonstrated a preference for roles that bring him joy if not outright tickle him. (That much was obvious in 2001, when he showed up in the fanboy full-service pump that was Kevin Smiths Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back as a character called Cocknocker.)

In his next film, he co-stars with Tom Hiddleston in a Flanagan adaptation of Stephen Kings The Life Of Chuck.

Bert (Bert Kreischer) and Albert Kreischer (Mark Hamill) in "The Machine" (Sony Pictures)Whether he intended to or not, all these choices planted seeds for a harvest thats been steadily ripening in recent years. His turn in The Fall of the House of Usher comes after his work in The Machine, Bert Kreischers action-loopy and unapologetically dumb comedy where Hamill plays Berts father demanding and emotionally withholding father Albert who ends up accompanying his boy on an adventure with Russian mobsters.

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Albert excels at nagging his son and appearing to do the wrong thing at every turn, including ingesting enough designer party drugs to make a featuring criminal heavy think twice about the old man. Those scenes showcase Hamills facility for tapping into hedonism, a part of him were accustomed to hearing within his portrayals of cartoon villains but not seeing in the flesh. In Albert, though, he joins the light and the dark giving us a man who is part joker he emotionally tortures his son enough to impress the gun-toting baddies while never letting the audience forget that hes on the side of, if not good, then doing better than he did before.

Hamills digital likeness has appeared in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, and in sundry profiles by the likes of CBS News and Esquire, hes made it abundantly plain that while he has no interest in playing Luke Skywalker again, hes also agnostic about the whole affair. In the same way that Fisher viewed herself as Leias custodian, Hamill probably recognizes he may never be fully finished with the Lucasfilm universe.

Now, at long last, the larger TV and movie audience can appreciate how much more hes capable of aside from the part that keeps his name on our minds more than four decades after he stepped into it for the first time. Hamill was always willing to let Luke go to move forward, which he does each time he takes on a new voice. In The Fall of the House Usher" he assigns his face a soulless crook who cant help slicing his way from the edges of the action into the spotlight. And that makes us like him all the more.

"The Fall of the House of Usher" is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Use your voice, Luke: How Mark Hamill's anti-Jedi mind tricks gave ... - Salon

You want a taste of Chaos in a video game? Chances are youre going to be meeting Papa Nurgle sometime soon. Nurgle is very easy to imagine their minions are throngs of plagued minions, your classic video game zombie, so everything from Darktide to Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters throws bloated corpses at their players until you cant take it any more.

Dont get me wrong, I love these games (Daemonhunters especially), but there are so many oozing pustules a man can face. Darktide is teasing some non-Chaotic opponents in the near future, but its assumed that the Poxwalkers and Plague Ogryns will remain alongside your new foes. There are three other Chaos Gods, but you wouldnt know it if you were only immersed in the worlds of Warhammer through its video game adaptations. Maybe youd know Khorne, with all his blood and skull and war and more skulls, but have you ever heard of Tzeentch or Slaanesh?

Related: What Happens When Space Marines Retire?

Slaanesh is avoided for a reason, albeit not a good one. Traditionally, Slaanesh was the God of excess. In the 90s, this was depicted entirely as lust, with unbridled boobs shoved in your face with every kit of Daemonettes. Warhammer video games want to keep that age rating down as much as possible, so they eliminate any Slaaneshi ideas immediately. However, Slaanesh is about much more than sex.

The Prince of Pleasure delights in all things decadent. Although hedonism is a core tenet of their realm, their vices dont prejudice. Pride, indulgence, gluttony, and of course those carnal desires are all welcome under Slaaneshs umbrella. Just be careful, because that umbrella is probably made of a flayed guardsman.

Games Workshop has been branching out with its recent Slaaneshi models. Take the Infernal Enrapturess for example, who plays enchanting melodies on a harp made of the stretched tendons of an unfortunate soul, likely still breathing. Age of Sigmar has introduced Lords of Hubris, Pain, and Gluttony, each embodying their respective sins. Theres a whole world of non-sexual Slaaneshi options, if you want your flesh-rending daemons to be more kid-friendly.

Tzeentch has no such sexual deviancy. The God of trickery, destiny, and sorcery is fickle and deceitful in equal measure. In many ways, theyre the perfect video game antagonist. Imagine a roguelike where a Tzeentchian sorcerer or Lord of Change is shifting the fabric of reality as you play through each run? Thatd be a belter Silver Tower adaptation Gee Dubs give me a call.

The problem with Tzeentch isnt so much a worry about ratings, but a question of difficulty. All the twists and turns may be difficult for players to follow, and the trickery and deception may be tricky to code. If every pathway could be a trap, mirror, or other falsehood, the number of available options could get overwhelming for developer and player alike.

However, Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin is tackling that problem head on, and were going to see the forces of Tzeentch unleashed on the battlefield later this year. I couldnt be happier that developer Frontier Developments is pushing the boat out and showing love to some other Chaos deities. Im not sure I could have taken another Nurgle game.

Realms of Ruin will likely take it easy on the trickery, at least for the multiplayer portion of the game. It will lean heavily into the spellcasting, but maybe its narrative counterpart can offer something more. The Weaver of Destinies may be pulling the strings throughout the entire campaign, tricking our plucky band of Stormcast Eternals into dead-end fights against opponents of far greater strength.

I noticed the surprisingly high production quality of Realms of Ruins single-player mode in my very first demo, with fully voice-acted characters and stunning cutscenes complementing the frantic battles that I expected. The newly revealed promise of Tzeentchian treachery makes me even more excited to dive in. The game did the impossible of making Stormcast interesting, so I cant wait to see how it weaves the strands of fate into a rich tapestry of duplicitous drama.

Next: You're All Wrong About Warhammer 40,000's New Mechanicus Model

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Realms Of Ruin Finally Fixes A Major Problem With Warhammer ... - TheGamer

Eric Nam, photographed by Kigon Kwak.

Eric Nam and SG Lewis are embarking on health kicks. The two musicians, both with ten years of touring under their belts, are asking the big questions: How do I maintain my health? How do I keep anxiety at bay? NamThe Atlanta-born, Seoul-based singerentered the K-Pop world in 2013 as a contestant of Star Audition (think X Factor, but in Seoul) and quickly entered a splashy new world of screaming crowds and tour bus naps. After his struggles with anxiety culminated in a massive panic attack on a flight, he opted to be more transparent about mental wellness, starting with his new album, House on a Hill. Just before the record dropped, he and Lewis got together on Zoom to talk about songwriting, the temptations of hedonism, and running a marathon.

SG LEWIS: Eric, my friend. How are you doing?

ERIC NAM: Im good. How are you? Long time no see.

LEWIS: Long time no see, man. Im good. Im on the verge of illness.

NAM: Oh, no.

LEWIS: I feel like this is such a bah humbug thing to say, but Im ready for festival season to be over. Im clinging on for dear life at this point.

NAM: Honestly, I dont know how you do such big festivals. It seems like youre in a new city literally every day.

LEWIS: Yeah, its a lot of flying and those are environments where its pretty easy to get ill, just in and out of air-conditioned airplanes. Im back in London at the moment, so Im chilling. Where are you in the world right now?

NAM: Im in L.A. Ive been bouncing around the past three months, so Im like you, trying not to get sick. Actually, Im late because I had to go to the doctors. I love what we do, but this is not perhaps the healthiest way to live.

LEWIS: Well, lets segue very seamlessly into a conversation about your new album, House on the Hill. Ive been spending some time with the project and I would say its my favorite work from you. Of your albums, for me, its the one thats resonated the most. How are you feeling about releasing the album, which is inherently more vulnerable, personal and perhaps honest than projects youve put out before.

NAM: Its nerve wracking, but Im also just ready to be done with it. I just want it to be released. Maybe because Ive sat on it for so long, Ive come to terms with the lyrical content that were putting out there, so I dont think Im necessarily anxious or nervous about that. I think Im excited to be able to talk about things that are relatable to anybody when it comes to finding purpose or happiness, or an existential crisis, in musical form. But you still want it to hit the right chord.

LEWIS: It didnt feel contrived or on the nose. Like you say, it felt like you were speaking from experience of 10 years of making and releasing music and touring. Starting with the title track House on the Hill. For me, the song reflects on this idea of perceived success. What are the things that you require for your own happiness, sanity, and success?

NAM: Well, I wrote that song because I literally was looking to buy a house and it happened to be on this crazy hill in L.A. I was like, This is the most perfect house and I must have it. I did a lot of soul-searching and thought, Am I really about to put it all on this house? I didnt get it for multiple reasons, but I walked away from that thinking, even if I were to get this house, theres always going to be a better, bigger, brighter, sexier house that Im going to want. Thats just the way that were wired. But Im realizing its not so much about having a certain thing, its about enjoying and appreciating the progress and the process of getting to that point. Thats what Im trying to focus my energy on.

LEWIS: I know, for myself anyway, the part of it thats the most fulfilling is that creation moment, where you make something and youre like, Oh my god, this is great. And that excitement around it is the part that makes the rest of the work worth it.

NAM: Absolutely. I think that speaks to why youre so prolific. I look at your discography and Im like, How does he do so much? Not only so much, its so diverse. Im always astounded. Im like, This guy, hes a genius.

LEWIS: Oh, man. Thank you, my guy. I think its just the ADHD kicking in. I wanted to talk about your collaborations on this album. In particular, youve had some British influence on this album in the form of our good friends, Honne and Oh Wonder. This is a real personal favorite on the album. How did you find that writing process with Andy [Clutterbuck] and James [Hatcher], and what kind of roles did three of you assume in that process?

NAM: Yeah, it was fun. Weve been trying to do something together for years and the schedules never aligned. I was like, You know what? Im just going to book a flight. Im coming to you guys. And the first day, Andy said I have this thing. It was a very somber piano song. The next day, this melody just popped into my head. I was on the train out to their studio and it was the hook of Only for a Moment. That day, we just went for it. I dont even remember if there was a certain process, they just worked their magic, starting on a piano and building it up. We shot this music video essentially in a Korean subway. And theres just 12 different characters doing the most insane things. Its about how, in any second, serendipity can step in.

LEWIS: Thats definitely how I felt listening to it. You touch on these large existentialist themes about love, purpose and happiness. At what point in the process did you realize that this was going to be a more, for lack of a better term, serious album, or that the themes were going to be quite heavy?

NAM: It happened after we wrote House on a Hill. Id started writing while I was in the middle of my last tour, and I feel like in order to write, as creatives, we need to go out and make mistakes and find love and fall apart and do all these things. But when Im on tour, Im pretty much only on tour. Im working constantly. So it was the pandemic, then I was on tour for nine months straight and I was like, I have nothing to really write about, I havent had many other experiences. And for so many artists, the pinnacle of your career is to be able to say, Im doing a headline show, this is massive. But then you take a step and you say, Am I happy? Do I have everything I want? And if I dont, what else do I need? And it was those types of things that I kept coming back to.

LEWIS: Yeah, you just made a good point, which is that [when] youre on tour youre in this survival mode. But its great that you managed to draw something out of that, because touring is such a select and privileged experience. We are lucky to get to tour, and if you were to write a song thats like, the tour bus is hard to sleep on, most people would be like, Whats he talking about? Id give a left nut to be on the tour bus. but it was really great that you managed to draw these more universal, life-affirming themes and stuff. How do you deal with anxiety? Is it something that comes about more when you are touring? Do you have any practices that help you to steady yourself?

NAM: It manifests in different times. Four or five years ago, I had this crazy schedule where I was bouncing back and forth between the States and Korea at least twice a month and I had this massive panic attack on the flight. I thought I was dying. It was terrifying, and I never experienced anything like that before. Since then, I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to mental health. When youre on stage and youre having the best time ever, you have this adrenaline rush, and then you get off and its silent and theres just this sudden drop of, How do I deal with this? Youre in the green room by yourself and its really quiet. Its just this never-ending cycle of anxiety, self-consciousness. We just dont talk about it or normalize it enough. So now I just take time to myself to refocus and rebalance. How do you deal with it?

LEWIS: Ive personally found that the larger the show, the more lonely and anxious I felt. Everyone treats you in a slightly different way, where they give you a wide berth, and theyre like, Oh, I dont want to bother Eric or something. I found it became more and more isolating, where you dont necessarily know everyone as well, like whos working the venue. Thered be times when the crew and the band went off to dinner and I was sitting by myself, like a lonely kid in the cafeteria. I was like, This sucks.

NAM: Dude, I dont mean to laugh, but thats exactly how I feel. I was like, Wait, the dancers are going out? The bands going out? Everybodys going out! I guess Ill just sleep on the bus. I was like, Do they hate me?

LEWIS: I now lean heavily on exercise. I have to be running. Then its just trying to look after yourself in any way that you can. Especially in the DJ world, I came up through a path where partying and late nights go hand in hand. Playing in clubs, and in electronic music, you are serving hedonism. People are in Ibiza for one week of the year where they want to go until 8:00 AM. Im 29 now, and those late nights definitely leave more of a mark than they used to. So its more green juice and yoga now. After the summer, Im going to take a bit of a break and do about three or four months just completely sober. I love to drink. Im British, we all love to drink. We got drunk in Seoul that time.

NAM: That was a fun night. We had a lot of soju.

LEWIS: That was a messy night.

NAM: That was a fun night. But Im at that point as well where I think I need to just roll off the alcohol and really focus on maintaining my health. I look at DJs, and on one hand, Im so jealous because I feel like its a different type of show. But I cant even imagine the toll is on your body or your mental health.

LEWIS: I said to a friend, I feel like Ive seen most things and done most parties, but the thing that I havent done is be sober for a bit. I just signed up for a marathon, actually, in April.

NAM: What?

LEWIS: Yeah, I mean

NAM: Sam, that goes beyond just being sober. A marathon, to me, is ridiculous. That is a type of pain that I will never be able to do, I promise you.

LEWIS: I mean, it sounds slightly sadistic. For me, its just putting a flag in the ground. Like, Okay, heres a goal in April for me to focus and get my health in order. But Im sure Ill regret it. Ive never run anything even close to a marathon. So yeah, its slightly nerve-wracking.

NAM: Thatll be great.

LEWIS: Whats next? Are you touring?

NAM: Yeah, Im on tour starting mid-September. We have close to 80 shows for the next tour, so were hitting everything and everywhere. I dont know where youll be, but Im playing the Shrine in L.A.

LEWIS: Lets go! Thats incredible, man.

NAM: If youre around, come through.

LEWIS: Yeah, absolutely.

NAM: What about you? Youre taking the next few months off to recover?

LEWIS: I finish in mid-November. Im pretty much flat out till then. And then Im going to lock myself in the studio and just make a lot of music. If you find yourself with some time, lets make it happen.

NAM: Lets do it. Well do some matcha, some breathing, some hiking.

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Eric Nam and SG Lewis on Feeling Lonely and Getting Healthy - Interview

Ever dreamed of a do-over? Wished you could climb into a special mystery machine like Dr. Who and end up sometime in the late 20th century, before smartphones and social media, before alternative facts and the return of autocracy, when climate change was still a question mark, air conditioning could blast with impunity and hedonism was a subversively appealing marketing concept?

That kind of magical thinking is exactly how it felt on Thursday, walking through a wall-to-wall-carpet-lined tunnel into the Tom Ford show: the first major new designer debut of the Milan fashion season. It was the first live show since Mr. Ford sold his namesake brand to Este Lauder, who in turn handed over the reins of the ready-to-wear to the Zegna Group; the first since Mr. Ford stepped down, and his longtime No. 2, Peter Hawkings, was appointed creative director in his place.

One minute you were outside in the Milanese rain, a crowd of looky-loos shrieking happily at Elizabeth Banks and Rebecca Dayan. The next minute, you were swirling down the decade drain into 1995 or 96 or 97, the era when Mr. Ford was busy reinventing Gucci and bringing excitement back to Milan with show sites covered in plush carpet to recreate a haute nightclub circa 1979.

It has been almost 20 years, cultural schisms and a whole other company since Mr. Ford left Gucci, and yet Mr. Hawkings, who could have taken his mentors brand almost anywhere (literally and aesthetically), chose to bring everyone right back to the beginning.

And not just with the carpet and the dcor, but with the clothes: an effective tour through Mr. Fords greatest Gucci hits (with a touch of his Yves Saint Laurent) in 50-plus moments of dj vu.

Remember the slinky jersey dresses cinched at the hip with a curvy, Elsa Peretti-inspired buckle from Gucci fall 96? They were here, in black with a bronze-buckle belt, the backs cut to the lowest curve of the spine. Remember the rock-star velvet pantsuits from the same collection? Ditto, in teal and raspberry (one with shorts, instead of pants). Remember the slick pencil skirts that Mr. Fords Gucci stylist, Carine Roitfeld (sitting front row at Mr. Hawkingss show), once made her signature, along with slinky silk charmeuse silk shirts unbuttoned to the navel? Those too, though this time the skirts, like the slick suits for both men and women, were in faux patent leather croc rather than the real thing.

Every look came with a pair of shades and a stiletto sandal (or, for the men, a sharp leather boot). Most also included some gold chains and a clutch. The only thing lacking, really, was the follow spot. Oh, and the frisson of discovering the gleeful sex-power-strut thing.

After all, its not quite the same any more. The world isnt; gender isnt; the relationship of sex and power isnt. So why double down on the past?

Maybe this was a transition collection; an attempt by a protg to pay homage to the man who trained him by proving that he understood the legacy, and to show his new owners that he was a steady pair of hands. Maybe, in a season in which a new designer is about to debut at Gucci itself and rumors have been floating around about a return to that brands classics, it was an effort to reclaim those looks; to out-Tom Ford the house that Mr. Ford helped build. Maybe, after 25 years of working with Mr. Ford, this is simply what Mr. Hawkings knows.

Or maybe Mr. Hawkings believes (correctly) that we live in a time of nostalgia for the past, especially that turn-of-the-millennium past, where generations that didnt experience it the first time around try to recreate it as closely possible the only way they really know how: pants!

After decades in mens wear, Mr. Hawkings is a dab hand at those (and he did succeed in uniting the Tom Ford mens wear and womens wear. But in doing that, he forgot one thing: When Mr. Ford first blew fashion open, he wasnt going through the motions of existing norms. He was unzipping them, with a dash of irony and a self-aware wink.

If Mr. Hawkings learned one thing from his mentor, it should have been that: Real seduction comes garbed in the confidence of an original point of view. After all, you cant repeat the past. You can just play dress-up in it.

Its not that a designer needs to reject history (theirs, ours, a brands) entirely if you dont learn from it, you are doomed to repeat it and yadda, yadda, yadda. But it needs to be remixed rather than reproduced, so that suddenly the familiar looks entirely different. Thats how progress happens.

Thats what Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons do so brilliantly at Prada, and what they did again this season.

Starting with slime, which oozed down from the ceiling in long, transparent sheets, bisecting the runway and pooling in sea-foam clumps on the floor, like some sort of delicate alien plasma (or sneaky metaphor).

We had the 20s, 30s, sort of sliding together, and then the 90s, and some 80s, Mr. Simons said backstage after the show, as he and Mrs. Prada were swarmed by the usual flock of well-wishers and journalists pecking at their crumbs of wisdom.

He was talking about the echoes of decades past in iridescent organza shift dresses bathed in dawn shades, wisps of material floating behind them like mist. Talking about the strong-shoulder suit jackets that narrowed to a point at the waist over tiny tailored shorts. With, perhaps, a shard of a chiffon scarf thrown over the shoulders for good measure and a gold or silver carwash skirt, or at least notional skirt, belted atop, like a can-can dancer on her way to a board meeting.

He was talking about the Milky Way swirls of rhinestones and comet trails of silver grommets that decorated leather and velvet frocks, under distressed oversize barn coats (they are turning into something of a trend this season, as seen in 80s-style dyed denim at Max Mara and at Etro). Not to mention the freaky little baldheaded icon that doubled as a handbag clasp and turned out to be a recreation of a bag clasp from around 1913, when Mrs. Pradas grandfather founded the brand.

It was, Mrs. Prada said, a mythological head, but set against the ominous strains of the Vertigo soundtrack, it bore an unsettling resemblance to Alfred Hitchcock, peering out from an alternate accessories dimension.

The effect was to de- and re- contextualize the clichs of femininity and masculinity; to challenge any entrenched sense of surety about what is fancy, what is professional, what is kitschy, what is tough, what is fragile. And in doing so, open up the sense of what is possible.

Its about shifting things, Mr. Simons said backstage. Expectations, preconceptions, the ground under everyones feet.

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Tom Ford Waxes Nostalgic and Prada Plays the Slime Card - The New York Times

The September 29 Full Harvest moon will be in the sign of Aries. Photo courtesy of Sky at Night Magazine.

Aries: Youre caught in a push-pull between your partnerships and your need for self-preservation. Your head feels scrambled and, above all, youre tired. You need to retreat in order to fully enjoy whats around you. You need a long break, and if you arent given one, you have to fight for one. Feeling what you feel and resting with yourself is the only way you can reset and recuperate. Dont be afraid to be alone. Dont be too proud to ask for space.

Taurus: You cant quite make sense of your circumstances right now. Your self-image is shifting rapidly, your relationships feel both filling and unfulfilling and you feel like youre thriving and spiraling at the same time. Things dont have to be black and white. The stubborn part of you wants to have everything figured out and everything simple, but unfortunately, that cant be life. Experience everything thats shifting and accept it. Struggle through hardships while embracing all of the goodness wholeheartedly.

Gemini: Your natural charm is in full bloom. Creative and career opportunities are popping up endlessly. Dont miss out on all the good coming towards you. That means dont lean too far into hedonism too sometimes minor sacrifices have to be made in order to reach your highest goals. Enjoy your time and your relationships as you enjoy the more difficult, more rewarding ventures coming your way. Embrace luck.

Cancer: Who are you when youre separated from home? Who are you when home is the opposite of what it should be? Ask yourself these questions as you deal with the emotional or physical separation of home right now. Its not your natural inclination to expand beyond the familiarity of home and family; you cling too tightly to what may not even exist. Theres more to life than how you grew up. As much as you dont want to, sooner or later, you have to step out of your comfort zone.

Leo: While exciting things are happening in terms of relationships and passions, you find yourself getting more and more insecure. Youre doubting yourself and your abilities, worried about pursuing your dreams for fear of failure. You need to redefine what failure is to you. The opportunity alone is a success. Whats coming your way is coming because of your talents. Theres no way to fail because of that. Shift your expectations and be kinder to yourself.

Virgo: From the outside looking in, things seem perfect. Youre successful, venturing into the unknown and you feel like you should be happy. Not everything needs to feel as good as it may seem. Theres a massive rockiness in your life right now, like you can never be sure what to expect next. Everything must be broken before it can be rebuilt. This rockiness will be short-lived. Remember that there is something to learn from every regret. Believe it or not, its okay to fail.

Libra: All eyes are on you. It feels like youre attracting so much goodness and opportunity, but you cant help but feel emotionally disconnected from it. It doesnt feel like anything in life is happening at all. All of the attention youre receiving only makes you feel worse. Deep down, youre exhausted. Youre sick of how things are and how things feel bound to be. Whats most important right now is rest. Dont worry about change yet. Take care of yourself. You havent done that in so long.

Scorpio: Youre shrouding a part of yourself and your life right now. Sometimes, thats necessary. You find restfulness in brooding, but you still tend to let that block out the light. Things arent easy right now, but youre still allowed to let love and kindness in. You have so many gifts and so many people who would do anything for you. They gravitate towards you for a reason. No matter what, theres more to life than solitude and sadness.

Sagittarius: You feel tightly bound by your surroundings and daily routine. Something feels wrong. It feels as though you could be doing so much more, living with so much more intensity, but something is sub-

duing you. You feel as though you can barely hear your own voice. Identify what is restricting you and reject it. Not feeling like yourself is okay, if it leads to becoming who you want to be. You can do better than your normal day-to-day. You deserve the thrill of the unknown.

Capricorn: Use your words and writing to advance your life right now. You have a wealth of intelligent ideas waiting to be shared. Youre focused on your work and career right now, taking risks and throwing all your time and energy into your job and classes. This can be a fantastic thing. In fact, its encouraged, especially in terms of networking. Youre in luck. Make connections and apply for promotions. Just dont neglect your emotions as a result.

Aquarius: Your life is expanding. Seize it at every opportunity. While youre prone to being a homebody, now is the time to break that impulse and take the risk. Do more when you want to do less. Go out when you want to stay home. Youre surrounded by positive social, emotional and spiritual opportunities and you are worthy of it all. The ideas coming into your mind right now are there for a reason. Harness creativity and motivation and make yourself proud.

Pisces: You have to pay attention to your identity crises. You cant ignore then try to run on empty. Youre naturally skilled in self-exploration and this shakiness of identity is the perfect chance to hone in on that. You want something so much deeper from life right now, so go deep into yourself. Reconnect with your values, goals, insecurities and what you consider to be fundamental about yourself. You might find that you have to let go of some pieces of identity in order to focus on who youre meant to be. Thats okay.

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According to Deloitte, entire industries could rise and fall in the wake of Generation Z-ers, and few sectors are ready for them.

Its a bold claim. Are you prepared as an employer in the auto industry?

The World Economic Forum says that, globally, the inability to attract talent is the automotive sectors most significant barrier to transformation and workforce strategies.

Who Are Generation Z?

Those born between 1995 and 2012. They come with a range of labels, including the iGeneration, Post-Millennials, TrueGen and digital natives. By 2025, theyll comprise 27% of the global workforce. Theyre the most diverse generation in U.S. history, says Deloitte.

Most Gen Z-ers are technologically savvy and adapt well to change, even seeking out disruption, says HR platform Employment Hero. Meanwhile, a recent global study, the BCW Age of Values 2023 report, says Gen Z seeks power, achievement, stimulation and hedonism more than other generations.

When it comes to all things auto, Gen Z tends to have a different relationship with cars. Theyre changing car culture, with fewer being licensed, owning or having access to personal vehicles. Part of that is the cost, but their values also are involved, drawing on an awareness of cars environmental and health impacts.

Thats why working for businesses involved in hybrid or electrified vehicles might resonate with them more than traditional vehicle types. But research shows that for some Gen Z consumers, the novelty and status of owning an EV appeals to them more than being kind to the climate.

How might the yardsticks and needs of Gen Z detailed above translate to what theyre expecting if they work for you?

Meeting Expectations

The Deloitte study says this generation prioritizes financial security over personal fulfillment.

Many Generation Z-ers have multiple jobs to make ends meet. Growing up during a pandemic may have been a factor, too. Therefore, they may be ready to forge a two-way commitment. Or they may balk at the cost of traditional post-school education and taking on student-loan debt.

Employers need to make sure their expectations match those of Gen Z. Employee well-being and mental health support is key for stable employment.

Young job seekers will research your business to make sure it is compatible with their values. Does your recognition and reward program need revamping? How well do your staff work in teams and across your business? Does your workplace have a strong collaborative and inclusive work culture?

Consider how you can package a role and its benefits to cater to Generation Zs desire for work-life balance. Investigate options for remote work and flexible scheduling where possible. Check out these other top practices to attract talent and boost retention that automotive businesses use globally:

Highlighting Purpose and Values

There has been a backlash in our country against positive-discrimination hiring programs that embrace DEI. But such programs make good business sense and can transform businesses, including in the automotive industry.

Here are the DEI workforce strategies most common among automotive organizations globally, says the WEF:

A More Sustainable Approach

The global automotive ecosystem is feeling the impact of digital as well as green transformations, according to an OECD report. The sector is transitioning to green hybrids and EVs. The latter will still need collision repairs and additional skills and specialized equipment to repair their higher electronic content. Other green jobs include electric-vehicle engineers and battery engineers as well as sustainable supply chain managers. All are in top demand. Check out these 26 green auto jobs, according to ESH Jobs.

To be part of that transition, your auto business can emphasize to would-be workers your investment in ongoing professional development and learning. Spell out potential career pathways (even segues) in training, mentoring programs and expected timelines. Registered apprenticeship programs can outline these benefits and be tailored to exactly the skills development your business needs.

There is a lot to promoting and packaging a role that appeals to Generation Z. Ensure you highlight sustainability, a green job and one with an enduring future. This might prove a useful lure to appeal to candidates and improve retention.

Nicholas Wyman (pictured, above left) writes about a range of topics related to workforce development, apprenticeships and the future of work.

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Attracting Gen Z Workers and Future Leaders to Automotive - Ward's Auto

That year of the pandemic, and my first book coming out during the pandemic, was one of deep disconnection from a lot of the things that used to be important to me, C Pam Zhang says over a call late one summer afternoon, including writing, including eating, and being part of community and just being in my body. Writing this book was a way to get back to a lot of that.

Land of Milk and Honey (Riverhead), following her Booker Prizelonglisted debut, How Much of These Hills Is Gold, which hit shelves April 2020, is a sensuous if complicated ode to hedonism. In it, a killing smog has blanketed the earth; strawberries are gone, then nuts and seeds and powdered basil. Life spans are shorter than they have been in three generations, borders are closed, and much of the world subsists on a miraculous mung-protein-soy-algal flourentirely life-sustaining and utterly joyless.

As she watches her world crumble, a 29-year-old cook with substantial debt and a wobbly UK visa impulsively quits her restaurant job to take a position as private chef to a research community on a privately owned mountain on the French-Italian border, the full scale of which she will only gradually come to understand. Her role is to concoct meals delicious enough to woo a handful of potential investors. A complicated task, the chef realizes, when she finds she can no longer stomach the rich ingredients shes been longing for.

While her billionaire employer is, at least initially, a shadowy presencea sharky black eye peering out of a reversing carhis passionate and mercurial daughter, 20-year-old Aida, blazes into the chefs consciousness full force, shaggy furs above, stick legs below, with the slight stagger of a bird blown off course and stranded thousands of miles from its destination. Her posh accent cloaks crude zingers. He would eat a pigs asshole if you called it calamari, she says of her father. Its through Aida that the chef rediscovers her palate for pleasure, but their relationship isnt without barbs and mysteries: The chefs mother was Chinese, her father Korean American, and, hungry for connection, she asks half-Asian Aida, Your mother, what was she? only to be rebuffed, Who the fuck are you to pry?

The book arrived to Zhang chronologically, beginning with a prologue in which the chef appears as an older woman revisiting a pivotal year. The first line of the prologue: One day, after my life is already over, a girl comes up to me at the back of the auditorium and says, Are you the famous chef from Miele? Throughout 2020, Zhang found herself largely unable to read fiction, turning instead to biographies of women artists like Georgia OKeefe and Angela Carter. Creatively, I became really interested in writing something that was able to look back, she says. I think I needed to write to remind myself that it was possible to live through what felt like an apocalypse and make meaning of it. There was one exception to the novel rule: The Lover by Marguerite Duras, which also starts with that framed narrative of an older woman looking back at a moment in her life, that despite the many decades that have passed, remains incredibly vital and visceral.

Because eating out was still deeply constrained, Zhang says of her time writing the novel, it was kind of an elegy, a way to experience food and the senses through the page when I couldn't access them in my body. I think that whenever we access something that we loved, or love through a memory, theres this extra layer of emotional intensity embedded in it because we know that it is lost.

Im reminded of Evelyn Waughs 1959 introduction to his 1945 novel Brideshead Revisited (which Zhang notes in her Acknowledgements alongside such entries as eggplant cookies eaten in Bangkok and the authors R.O. Kwon and Raven Leilani) in which he describes writing his novel during the bleak period of present privation and threatening disasterthe period of soya beans and Basic Englishand in consequence the book is infused with a kind of gluttony, for food and wine, for the splendors of the recent past

Here, in conversation with Vanity Fair, Zhang discusses favorite recent meals, the parallels between cooking and writing, and the dire importance of pleasure.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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C Pam Zhang on Relishing Pleasure, Observing Billionaires, and ... - Vanity Fair

Have a Paramount+ account but dont know what to watch? Let our highlights package for the month help you out.

This series follows a 12-year-old boy as he goes on new adventures in the town of Royal Woods with his best friend, while also navigating the chaos of living in a family with ten sisters.

Monster High follows Clawdeen Wolf, Draculaura, Frankie Stein and Deuce Gorgon, as they discover who they are, embrace their differences, and learn to be fierce and fearless at the one place they all belong.

Bargain. Image: Paramount+.

A South Korean dystopian thriller series in which men are lured to a remote hotel under the guise of sexual encounters only to be caught in a trafficking ring where their organs are auctioned off to the highest bidder.

This music documentary examines Louis Tomlinsons musical journey from One Direction onwards and promises an intimate and unvarnished view of his life and career.

This film follows Clawdeen, Draculaura and Frankie as they enter sophomore year at Monster High. The power of three is put to the test as they face even bigger challenges this year new students, new powers, evolving friendships, and a threat that could change the world forever.

The annual Halloween Spooktacular returns in this TV movie. Lincoln and his best friend Clyde skip the Loud familys Halloween Spooktacular to attend a party hosted by the new cool kid at school, Xander, leaving his sisters to plan the annual event and grandiose neighbourhood performance.

In 1969, a young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown in Maine behind, but soon discovers sinister secrets buried within and is forced to confront a dark family history that will forever keep him connected to it.

A new documentary examining contemporary celebrity in the internet age AKA the virtual Wild West.

Its back! Filmed in front of a live studio audience, Frasier Crane is back to face new challenges, new relationships and, surely, to give us a few good laughs along the way.

A thriller about Sarah, a teenager imprisoned by her dad in the family basement for more than 20 years, while others in the family think shes run off to be with her boyfriend.

The Burning Girls. Image: Paramount+.

A new series set in Chapel Croft, a village haunted by a dark and turbulent history, starring Samantha Morton and Ruby Stokes, who discover the truth can be deadly in a community with a bloody past.

A new music documentary about Robert Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Fab Morvan who became international R&B superstars, before it all went very, very wrong.

Four survivors of the Ghostface murders leave the past behind for a fresh start in New York City but soon find themselves fighting for their lives when a new killer starts a bloody rampage.

Read: ScreamVI review: cue shrieks of delight

Season 39 pits 24 returning contenders against each other, one of whom will take home their first victory.

Fellow Travelers. Image: Paramount+.

This new series, based on the novel by Thomas Mallon, is an epic love story and political thriller, chronicling the clandestine romance of two very different men who meet in McCarthy-era Washington and their lives across the Vietnam War protests of the 1960s, the disco hedonism of the 1970s and the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.

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Paramount+: new shows and films streaming in October 2023 - ScreenHub

This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took incoming fire from all sides as he stood at center stage Wednesday night at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif. So, too, did tech investor Vivek Ramaswamy, who again doubled-down on his belief that transgender kids were mentally ill; former Vice President Mike Pence followed-up with a proposed federal ban on gender-affirming care for students and almost insta-executions for guilty mass shooters. Andhooboydid no one see Sen. Tim Scott launching a rocket alleging Ramaswamy was in business with the Chinese Communist Party and the same people that funded Hunter Biden.

Messy? Of course. And yet, despite the drama and shade, borderline slander and sinister sneering, Wednesdays second GOP debate among White House hopefuls may still have mattered less than the man who didnt show: former President Donald Trump, the frontrunner in polls, money, and self-confidence who couldnt be bothered. Instead of joining his fellow Republicans under Ronald Reagans Air Force One at The Gippers presidential temple, Trump instead jetted to Michigan in the midst of an autoworker strike to offer his version of worker-based populism. Whereas Ronnie fired 11,000 striking air traffic controllers during his first year on the job and set back the labor movement in a huge way, there was Trumpsome 2,300 miles awayrambling at a nonunion factory, yet still seemingly contradicting a half-century Republican orthodoxy once again.

All of which explains why, with Trump leading his nearest competitor, DeSantis, by a 42-point spread using a platform of grievance, gotcha, and goblins, it might be worth asking if anyone is looking for Reagans Morning in America any longer. At the first GOP debate, staged in Milwaukee, Ramaswamy seemed to mock that nostalgia: It is not Morning in America. We live in a dark moment. Such sacrilege was unthinkable in a pre-Trump era.

After the first Republican debate, Trumps lead widened, his hold on the party hardened, and his challengers largely seemed to fade into the background. As much as former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley made gains with her defense of the neocon standards and traditional Republican values, it still didnt move the needle enough to give Trump reason to worry. Which begs this question: Is Ronald Reagans place as a sacralized figure in the Republican Party a thing of yesterday? Or has its crown been replaced by one shaped like a baseball cap and stitched with Make America Great Again? Has Reagan reached peak irrelevance in a party seemingly hellbent on hewing to Trump's whims?

Since Reagan first burst onto the national scene with an ideology-resetting speech at CPAC in 1974, he was considered the gold standard for the modern conservative movement, a new true north for what it meant to cut taxes, provide international security through an unbeatable American military, and demonstrate an absolute indifference to most social-safety nets in pursuit of bigger gains. Politicians still jockey to emulate The Great Communicator, activists still wear replicas of his campaign T-shirts, and donors still respond to the Pavlovian ring of those 80s-era slogans that sometimes feel like gospel. For years, the thinking was that if a candidate could replicate Reagans magic, they could crack the code to the modern Republican Party.

Then, along came Trump. Where Reagan saw a City on a Hill, Trump saw American Carnage. Where Reagan promised Morning in America, Trump promised to Lock Her Up. As Reagan negotiated amnesty for 3 million immigrants in the country illegally, Trump sought to build a border wall, lock up migrants, and gleefully discussed separating families. And Trump came within striking distance of winning a second term in the White House, winning more votes than any other incumbent President in history.

Now on his second contested run for the nomination, Trump may be looking as much to get back into power as to tapdance on Reagans grave, which is on the same hillside campus that hosted the debate Wednesday evening. Everything that Reagan stood forworthy of honor or abhorrenceseems deserving of Trumps contempt. Reagan sought to win the Cold War with allies and internationalism, while Trump preached isolationism and deference to Moscow. So much so that Trump declined to return to the scene of his second ever political debate in 2015, the one where he said hed get along with Putin, wanted to put Ivanka Trump on the $10 bill, and refused to apologize to Jeb Bushs Mexican-born wife.

So as the candidates Wednesday night sparred about how to secure the Southern border and combat Chinese influence, there was an almost aggressive ahistorical appreciation for Reagans record. Scott said The City on the Hill needs a brand new leader. DeSantis invoked Reagans 1989 farewell message and Ramaswamy sought to hide behind Reagans 11th Commandment to never speak ill of another GOP figure. And, as Ramaswamy broke a half-century of conservative foreign policy normsmany made seemingly unbendable by Reagan himselfPence roared the Reagan mantra that peace comes through strength.

But it may have all been in service of a legend that no one longer moves the modern Republican Party, and the candidates at times seemed all too aware of it. That much was clear when the evening coasted toward a close with a pointed debate about how much responsibility Haley bore for costly curtains installed at her government-provided home where she lived while serving as the U.N. Ambassador in New York. (The decision actually dates to the Obama administration.)

For decades, Reagan was a must-kiss ring. Even after his passing in 2004, candidates still made the pilgrimage to meet with his widow. And after she passed in 2016, mainstream candidates and hopefuls still made the trek to Simi Valley to offer their view of conservatism and its future.

For Trump? All of that seems beneath him. And his rivals hoped voters would catch the snub.

You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing an action, DeSantis said. He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record. Christie offered his own twist, testing a new nickname in the style of his nemesis: If you keep doing that, no one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. They will call you Donald Duck.

Trump knows his ideology: whatever makes him feel popular and powerful in the moment. He seemed to know who Margaret Thatcher was, but he couldnt contain his giddinessor hyperbolewhen he met the Queen of England. While MAGA is his official slogan, Hedonism Over History might be more accurate. And if that means tossing aside the long-held deification of Reagan, thats just part of the deal. His supporters get it, his party excuses it, and the country may just reward it.

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At 2nd Debate, Rivals Laud Reagan, Trump Dances on His Grave - TIME

The Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace commissioned a document called The Vocation of the Business Leader A Reflection. My first question when I discovered the document was, What does business have to do with justice and peace?

As it turns out, business is the key to justice and peace in the world.

Firstly, how does the Church define the words justice and peace? The super short version of justice is giving others their due. The next question you may have is, What in the world does give others their due mean? Its at this point that the average Catholic business leader may just give up and decide they can manage without the wisdom dispensed from Rome.

The Church defines justice as treating others with honesty and integrity, providing them with the environment to thrive based on their abilities and upholding their dignity, and working towards the common good.

The Church defines peace as the tranquility of order that is created by the restoration of right relationships with both God and neighbor. Peace is something that can be attained within yourself, in your personal relationships, within families, communities and societies.

OK, thats a lot to take in, but you get the general idea. In short, justice and peace can only happen when we have a healthy, loving relationship with God and with our neighbors. Pope St. John Paul II wrote for the celebration of the World Day of Peace that True peace therefore is the fruit of justice, that moral virtue and legal guarantee which ensures full respect for rights and responsibilities, and the just distribution of benefits and burdens.

Getting back to the document then. The executive summary of the Vocation of the Business Leader states in part that Business leaders, who are guided by ethical social principles exemplified through lives of virtue and illuminated for Christians by the Gospel, can succeed and contribute to the common good.

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Like all great documents that come from Rome, theres always a however or what I like to call the other shoe drop, which is this. (However shoe drop) Obstacles to serving the common good come in many forms corruption, absence of rule of law, tendencies towards greed, and poor stewardship of resources but the most significant for a business leader on a personal level is leading a divided life. This split between faith and daily business practice can lead to imbalances and misplaced devotion to worldly success. Likewise, almost 50 years before, Pope Paul VI reflected the same sentiment in Gaudium et spes: This split between the faith which many profess and their daily lives deserves to be counted among the more serious errors of our age (43).

How does misplaced devotion to worldly success of business leaders affect justice and peace? The assumption with this statement is a Catholic business leaders devotion moves from God and neighbor to the self or maybe was never on God and neighbor in the first place. Either way, worldly success forces many an executive to stray from imitating Christ to imitating the glitterati. The glitterati of Hollywood, of business and even of the multi-generational power families in the government sure make it look like a good life, at least from the outside looking in.

However, theres a dark side to the good life and that is: its never enough. Sometimes common-sense rules of ethics are ignored, bent or broken to keep the good times rolling. The Vocation of the Business Leader created a short list of obstacles to serving the common good. The main obstacle, though, is living a divided life which is based on the desire to serve the self rather than keep others in mind.

A divided life means living a life of faith on Sunday, and more likely just at Mass, while living a life of secular-hedonism the rest of the week that starts when pulling out of the parish parking lot after Mass. Loving thoughts of the creator and imitating his son in the work week are fleeting and often conditional.

Outward examples of obstacles to the common good played out in the world include the electric vehicle industry, which ignores how cobalt, needed to make batteries for EV cars, is dug out of the ground mainly in the Congo in unsafe working conditions by child labor while also creating local environmental problems.

Another example: The Wells Fargo scandal included opening multiple fake bank accounts and credit cards in their customers names by employees who were under pressure to meet unrealistic sales targets, manipulation of customer funds, and much more.

The last example is closer to home. A restaurant in Northern California, I kid you not, brought in a fake priest to elicit wrongdoing confessions from employees, most of whom were Catholic immigrants. A federal investigation revealed that the business also withheld overtime pay and tips and discovered cases of retaliation when workers complained.

You cant make this stuff up and it happens daily.

If we want to spread justice (giving others their due) and peace (tranquility of order by loving God and neighbor), business leaders will have to start being more intentional about incorporating justice and peace into their company values and then transform those values into action through its culture.

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Business is Key to Attaining Justice and Peace in the World - denvercatholic.org