Category Archives: New Utopia

In Song of Myself published in 1855, American poet Walt Whitman remarked, I am large, I contain multitudes. He may not have work in mind, but his statement does have implications for the all-pervasive generalist versus specialist debate of the 21st century. There are myriad versions of ourselves that seldom manifest at jobs and the way we carry on with our lives. Quietly conscious of unfulfilled destinies, many of us wonder if there could be more to life than the mandates of punishing work schedules.

The strongest critique against tinkering and dabbling with our various selves comes from Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith. In The Wealth of Nations (1776),he spoke about how the division of labour premised on deep specialisation was essential for augmenting productivity in the capitalist system. He explained with great panache the efficiency that can be brought about if everyone focused on one narrow task and stopped indulging in what Walt Whitman called multitudes.

Smith was prescient in many ways. Doing one narrow job made perfect sense in the industrial age. It unleashed great economic productivity, but it came at the cost of experimentation and curiosity.One of Smiths most serious readers was Karl Marx who agreed with the analysis as applied to the economic system. Where he differed with Smith was the overall efficacy of such a system focused on hyper-specialisation. Marx said we dull our lives and cauterise our talents by specialising without knowing why.

As you can tell, both Smith and Marx made sense. There was, at least in the industrial era, a clash between the demands of the employment market and the free, wide-ranging potential of our work lives.In 1930, John Maynard Keynes predicted that by the end of the century, technology would have advanced so comprehensively that we would all be working 15-hour work weeks. Technology has advanced much more than Keynes wildest imagination, but hardly anyone works 15-hour a week today.One theory proffered by LSE anthropologist David Graeber is the emergence of bullsh*t jobs. He asks why did the Keynesian utopia never materialise. The standard response to Graeber is the exponential increase in consumerism. Given the choice between less hours and more toys and pleasures, we have collectively chosen the latter.

Graeber says it is as if some powerful force out there is making up pointless jobs just for the sake of keeping us madly busy. In socialist states like the Soviet Union, where employment was considered both a right and a sacred duty, being busy was equated to doing actual work. It was too common to find three clerks earning a pittance employed to sell a piece of meat. Tired of the woeful inefficiency, market competition was supposed to fix it, but even according to the latest surveys carried out in countries, ranging from the UK to Sweden to the US and India, somewhere between 35-60 percent of employees believe their work makes no difference. There is a crisis of meaning even though these jobs pay the bill for the time being. The answer, Graeber believes, isnt economic; it is moral and political. The ruling class figured out that a happy and productive population with free time on their hands is a danger.

I believe that the time for meaningless jobs is coming to an end. Coronavirus-induced pressures on economies will lead to a massive disruption in our work lives. Passion economy is not only a window to a new kind of employment, but an emergence of an operating system where people will have to stop being busy for the heck of it, pause to figure out what problem needs their attention and then plan to create more meaningful jobs that both pay the bill and propel us to explore our multitudes.In this pursuit, the ability to reinvent ourselves will be the most important skill. Reinvention is not easy as a solitary pursuit. We will need our collective networks, combined resilience and a mind that questions established systems that make no sense today.

It is hard to say whether Whitman, Smith, Marx or Keynes will prevail, but perhaps a new system will be cocreated by all of us. Technology and artificial intelligence will no doubt be an important factor, but it will only make sense if contextualised atthe human level, not onlyfor the big enterprises and governments, but also formicro networks, micro communities, micro institutions and micro cultures.

Utkarsh Amitabh

CEO, Network Capital; Chevening Fellow, University of Oxford

Twitter: @utkarsh_amitabh

Excerpt from:

As time for meaningless jobs comes to an end, reinvent to stay relevant - The New Indian Express

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Layered subsurface in Utopia Basin of Mars revealed by Zhurong rover radar - Nature.com

norman lebrecht

September 25, 2022

The Greek-Russian conductor Teodor Currentzis tried to draw a line under his Putin financing by announcing a new orchestra, called Utopia. Its opening performances will be heard next month in Viennas Konzertahaus and Berlins Philharmonie.

Just two problems.

Berlins Tagespiegel has remembered that the city already has an orchestra called Utopia. Founded by Mariano Domingo, it has been playing since 2008, bringing together musicians people with and without disabilities. Tricky, to be using the name of a disability charity.

Next, Currentzis has claimed he has broken with his Russian sponsors, the Putin bank VTB and the energy supplier Gazprom, which is promising to freeze the nuts off western Europe this winter. Even though he was pictured with them only this month.

Meanwhile, Currentzis refuses to name the shadowy backers of his new Utopia. For all we know, the finance may still be coming from front organisations for Russias war backers.

So if you go to hear Utopia, best to leave your conscience at home.

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Conductor is in trouble with his name, and his no-names - Slippedisc - Slipped Disc

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Deepak Chopra and SEVA.LOVE, a first-of-its-kind platform that is empowering a culture of wellbeing in the metaverse, today announced "ChopraVerse," the metaverse for wellbeing collaboration with Utopia (www.chopraverse.io).

Maria Bravo and Deepak Chopra

Utopia is a Web3 ecosystem brought together by Alejandro Saez, Maria Bravo, Eva Longoria, and Javier Garcia. Deepak Chopra and Mara Bravo have been collaborating to create positive change in the development, well-being, health and social inclusion of the most vulnerable for over 20 years through the humanitarian Non-Profit organization Global Gift Foundation.

The ChopraVerse initiative is part of Seva.Love's ongoing mission to create a more conscious Web3 community for a peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world. The House of Enlightenment, designed by Vera Iconica Architecture, is Deepak Chopra's personal home in the metaverse that was initially designed for the physical world incorporating eastern wisdom design principles and the latest in wellness architecture.

The Metaverse today is mostly about gaming. The ChopraVerse is about creating a world which enhances our wellbeing. A world that will be photorealistic and inhabited by human avatars and AI beings. A world where no one will feel alone one that offers infinite experiences and possibilities. As part of the initial launch, The ChopraVerse will make the "Deepak Chopra - House of Enlightenment" available for everyone to experience in the metaverse and also enable downloadable blueprints for build in the physical world via NFTs.

"ChopraVerse is creating homes for multidimensional living, nourishing the body, mind, spirit and environment as a unified experience in awareness. It will give everyone an opportunity to generate their own abode for the return to wholeness and healing", says Deepak Chopra, world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine, NY Times best selling author and co-founder of Seva.Love.

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"The Utopia and ChopraVerse collaboration will enable an ecosystem in the digital world for impactful collaborations within the metaverse, where we aim to bring global action to educate the world, connecting philanthropists, embracing brands and businesses using the power of the blockchain to raise awareness on building a more ethical and transparent world, a community of philantropreneur's, spreading kindness fast to where it's needed", says Maria Bravo, co-Founder Utopia and Global Gift Foundation.

Utopia will be the Presenting sponsor of the next Global Gift Gala that will take place in Paris on November 19th. Bringing together the worlds of business, celebrity, and philanthropy the Gala is one of the most important charitable initiatives in the world organized by the philanthropic non-profit organization Global Gift Foundation.

Taking place every year in Paris, Cannes, London, Marbella, Madrid, DubaiandAbu Dhabi,the event will be hosted for the first time also in Tokyo on December 5th.

Utopia, which recently acquired Virtual Voyagers, has carried out more than 230 projects related to the metaverse for major brands such as META and Vodafone, winning more than 20 awards for innovation and creativity. "The opportunity Web3 technology currently presents to creators, developers and businesses is exciting on many levels. Utopia is born from the dream, duty, and vision of achieving a connection between the tangible and virtual world - in which we will live in an ethical, inclusive, and responsible way," says Nino Saez, co-founder and CEO of Utopia.

"The ChopraVerse will transform how we interact and experience wellbeing in the digital and physical world. Our collaboration with Utopia will enable us to experience interoperable metaverse experiences in real-time, 3D virtual worlds that can be experienced synchronously, maintain presence and have a collaborative experience," says Poonacha Machaiah, co-founder and CEO of SEVA.LOVE. "While the NFT world is incredible, it is still evolving, and we saw a gap in the market to build a wellbeing community and make real social impact via the metaverse."

The ChopraVerse roadmap has planned NFT drops which will serve as access tokens to the ChopraVerse in Utopia. Additionally, there will also be a limited number of NFTs that will integrate blueprints and wellbeing design principles, by licensure through the Architect, Vera Iconica Architecture, that can be leveraged to build homes in the physical world. "The House of Enlightenment was designed both to be built in the physical world and to be experienced by many in the digital world as a home that optimizes health and wellbeing in harmony with nature. It is an education and awareness tool that anyone can go into to learn meditation or how your surroundings are impacting your health and behavior and what you can do to elevate your state of being," says Veronica Schreibeis Smith, CEO & Founding Principal, Vera Iconica Architecture.

The ChopraVerse platform has built on its partnership with Deepak Chopra and is collaborating with other global wellbeing experts, products and services within its own metaverse while also integrating with brands and experiences in the Utopia metaverse.

Photos & Video are available to download at the below links:

For more information please visit: http://www.chopraverse.io

About Seva.LoveSeva.Love is the metaverse for wellbeing initiative that has been founded by serial technology entrepreneur Pooancha Machaiah and world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine, personal transformation and NY Times bestselling author Deepak Chopra, MD.

Seva.Love is championing wellbeing and social impact in Web3 by curating leading artists, influencers, wellbeing experts and creating conscious communities. For more information please visit https://www.seva.love/ and follow us at twitter: @sevaislove instagram: @sevaislove discord: https://discord.seva.love/

About UtopiaUtopia Group is a Web3 ecosystem brought together by four founders, Alejandro Saez, Maria Bravo, Eva Longoria, and Javier Garcia - with the mission of disrupting how businesses operate and innovate using the power of blockchain technology.

The Utopia Group's vision is to focus on bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Through Utopia's acquisition of Virtual Voyageurs, the group will offer strategic consulting services, particularly developing metaverse applications an experiences, as well as educational programs and initiatives in the world of Web3.

Utopia will be expanding the use case of Web 3 and blockchain technology to disrupt the company's philanthropic initiatives and increase the impact of the founders' efforts. Our family Global Gift Foundation has projects all over the world they have managed to empower for over 10 years now, projects such as, Casa Angeles, Harmony House Quang Chau Orphanage and building new projects together, a sub kitchen, refugee Camp and a senior living home.

About Vera Iconica ArchitectureFounded in 2010 in Jackson by Wyoming native and Wellness Architecture pioneer, Veronica Schreibeis Smith, Vera Iconica specializes in Architecture, Interior Design, and Real Estate Development and is known globally for its Wellness Kitchen. For more information please visit https://veraiconica.com/and follow at instagram: @veraiconicaarchitecture

Eva Longoria, Javier Garcia, Alejandro Saez, and Maria Bravo.

Living Room - Deepak Chopra House of Enlightenment Vera Iconica Architecture, Inc.

SOURCE Seva.Love; Utopia

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Deepak Chopra & Seva.Love Announce "ChopraVerse: House of Enlightenment," the Metaverse for Wellbeing in Collaboration with Utopia -...

Here's a collection curated by The Associated Press' entertainment journalists of what's arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

MOVIES

Andrew Dominik's long-delayed, NC-17 rated epic about Norma Jean Baker, or Marilyn Monroe, is finally here. "Blonde," which will be available on Netflix on Wednesday, looks at the life and mythology of the Hollywood icon, played by Ana de Armas, through an experimental and fictionalized lens, with stunning recreations of classic film moments from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "The Seven Year Itch," brought to life by Chayse Irvin's cinematography, Jennifer Johnson's costumes, and de Armas's committed performance. But this is no celebration of Hollywood's "Golden Age" or one of its brightest stars; it's an often brutal critique of that industry and the surrounding culture and how it failed her time and time again.

For something infinitely lighter and seasonally appropriate, head over to Disney+ on Friday for "Hocus Pocus 2," which brings the witchy Sanderson Sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) back to Salem. The first film, which was released in 1993, was neither a box office success nor a critical favorite by any stretch, but kept a hold on those who saw and loved it as children. And almost every years since, "Hocus Pocus" has had a spike in sales around Halloween time. This sequel adds some TV comedy favorites to the mix like "Veep's" Tony Hale and Sam Richardson and "Ted Lasso's" Hannah Waddingham.

In a new documentary "Nothing Compares," Irish filmmaker Kathryn Ferguson looks at the life and career of Sinad O'Connor, from her rise to her de facto exile from the pop establishment and beyond. The film, which begins streaming on demand for Showtime subscribers on Friday before premiering on air on the channel on Oct. 2, uses archival footage, some previously unseen, and a new interview with O'Connor to tell her story.

AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr

MUSIC

The first video from Bjrk's new album shows her in a psychedelic mushroom forest with a phalanx of bass clarinet players, which seems pretty on-brand. The Icelandic star releases "Fossora" on Friday and says the title is a word she made up the feminine version of the Latin word for "digger." Bjrk has described the collection as a "mushroom album." Two of the album's tracks, "Sorrowful Soil" and "Ancestress," were inspired by the death of her mother. Her last album was "Utopia," which was light and airy. "This time around/the feeling was landing/on the earth and digging my feet into the ground," she wrote on social media.

Rita Wilson is flexing her big-name connections with her new album, "Rita Wilson Now & Forever: Duets," out Tuesday. It sees Mrs. Tom Hanks collaborating with numerous artists, including Elvis Costello, Keith Urban, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Leslie Odom Jr., Josh Groban and Jackson Browne. Each tune explores songs from the '60s and '70s, from the Bee Gees' "Massachusetts" to Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird." She sings "Let It Be Me" with Browne, "Slip Slidin' Away" with Nelson and "Where Is The Love?" with Robinson.

Can't make it to Broadway for one of the fall's loveliest shows? Then just stream the cast album of James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods," with an all-star cast including Sara Bareilles, Brian d'Arcy James, Patina Miller, Phillipa Soo, Gavin Creel and Joshua Henry. In the musical, several classic Grimm fairy tales are thrown into a blender and then emerge intertwined, unmoored and unfinished. Bareilles' version of "Moments in the Woods" is utterly sublime. The stream starts Friday.

AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy

TELEVISION

Kerry Washington ("Scandal") is behind the camera as an executive producer for Hulu's "Reasonable Doubt," debuting Tuesday. Emayatzy Corinealdi stars as a L.A. defense attorney who chooses results over protocol and has a complicated personal life. Jay-Z's debut album and discography are cited as inspiration for the show and episode titles, with hip-hop, R&B and neo-soul featured on the soundtrack. Michael Ealy and Sean Patrick Thomas co-star in the first scripted drama from Disney's Onyx Collective, which focuses on programming from creators of color and underrepresented voices.

Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin play a mother-son odd couple in CBS' new dramady "So Help Me Todd," debuting Thursday. The Oscar-winning Harden's attorney Margaret Wright is organized to a fault; Astin's Todd is the black sheep in a successful family, an effective private eye who lost his license because he balked at following the rules. She decides the best cure for her wayward but talented offspring is to put him to work for her law firm as in-house investigator, and he accepts. Humor, mysteries and family dysfunction are promised to ensue.

"How I Got Here" combines a roots-discovery trip, family bonding and travelogue, which pretty much means something for everyone. In each episode, a parent returns to their native country young adult child in tow to explore the sacrifice and circumstances that led to their decision to seek a new home. Each 10-day trip allows time to sample the local food, scenery and cultural highlights in countries including Chile, Israel, Italy and Zambia. The BYUtv series debuts at 2:30 p.m. EDT Sunday followed that night by episode two in its regular 6 p.m. slot.

AP Television Writer Lynn Elber

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Catch up on AP's entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/apf-entertainment.

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New this week: 'Reasonable Doubt,' 'Blonde' and Bjrk - Star Tribune

ABC 4s own movie critic Patrick Beatty made his biweekly appearance to the GTU set to share his picks of the week for Friday Flicks. This weekend has many new films in theaters and also some new releases on streaming you can watch from the comfort of your home. Kick off the fall season with a cozy night in or a crisp night out at the cinema.

Beatty started the segment informing viewers that the 2009 blockbuster hit Avatar film directed by James Cameron is being re-released with new 3D features. The sequel is scheduled to be released in December 2022. You can catch the original this weekend at theaters all over the state. The film is rated PG-13.

The ever talked about Dont Worry Darling was released today which is directed by Olivia Wilde. Wilde stars in the film alongside her beau Harry Styles as well as Chris Pine, Florence Pugh, Nick Kroll, Gemma Chan, and KiKi Lane. While the spit seen round the world will not be in the film,we do see a suburban Los Angeles 1950s utopia. This is the second film Wilde has directed. This film has beloved casts from both the US and UK. Beatty believes Pugh and Pine have Oscar worthy performances while Styles is good but pales in comparison to the others. Beatty suggests viewers see this film. It is rated R and in theaters.

The Andor series premieres today on Disney+ and is part of the Star Wars series. Beatty has positive comments overall but confesses it does not feel like a traditional Star Wars franchise production. Beatty says this is also very character driven. Beatty believes Diego Luna, lead of the series, does a great job and suggests viewers to see it. Andor is rated TV-14 and is available for streaming for Disney+ subscribers.

Beatty continued the segment talking about Pearl, which is the sequel to horror film X released earlier this year. [This] is the film that Martin Scorsese said that he could not go to sleep after watching. said Beatty. This horror film come at the perfect time, just before spooky season. Beatty recommends this film for those who can stomach slasher films. The film is rated R and is now playing in theaters.

The segment concluded with a commentary on the newest Jeffrey Dahmer series released on Netflix, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Beatty begs the question is we really need another documentary about Jeffrey Dahmer? It can seem a little distasteful to the victims of Dahmer. Molly Ringwald does an amazing performance which is why Beatty says to see it. The series is TV-MA and available for streaming to Netflix subscribers.

For more of Patricks reviews, visit his website and follow him on Instagram or Facebook.

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New movie releases this weekend - ABC4.com

Newly renovated, the oasis of Arizona's Castle Hot Springs has transformed into a luxurious wellness hot spot.

"This is where it all begins," said our driver as we began the 15-mile drive up a windy and rocky dirt road that was more suggestive of an off-roading trail than the entrance to a wellness resort. We were enveloped by jagged mountains and a sea of funny-looking cacti that peered out from the Sonoran Desert in Morristown, Arizona, about an hour north of the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport. There was no sign of civilization. Every few miles, a grim 4x4 would drive past us causing a cloud of dust that flung small rocks against the side of the SUV, so it seemed unlikely that a luxury resort would be tucked away anywhere close.

It seemed like the middle of nowhere. We drove past a private mine, and I caught a few glimpses of the 10,000-acre Lake Pleasant Regional Park an outdoor playground for watersports enthusiasts but I couldn't help wondering where these legendary hot springs were going to appear from.

About 20 minutes and several bumps later, we turned a corner and Shangri La finally emerged. A row of towering palm trees stood tall against the rugged 1,100 acres of lush, verdant grounds, a tranquil pond, and 30 stand-alone bungalows. The gates swung open, and we drove down the palm-tree-lined citrus drive. I rolled down my window and stuck my head out to get a whiff of the perfumed air of fresh lemons and orange blossoms. I could hear the relaxing sound of birds chirping as I gazed at butterflies fluttering and ally my senses were starting to slowly awaken.

This was the moment I learned that Castle Hot Springs was more than just a wellness resort. It was utopia. The closer we got to the resort, the farther my daily worries felt. The only thing I was thinking about was what time they'd serve dinner.

I was welcomed with a refreshing fuchsia-colored tea, made with fresh hibiscus grown on the farm. The organic farm spreads across three acres in front of the Lodge, the resort's main building, which houses the check-in desk, Bar 1896, and Harvest, the resort's only restaurant. Before I checked in to my room, I was whisked away for a farm tour with resident Agronomist Ian Beger. A fifth-generation Arizonan, Beger studied agriculture at the University of Arizona and is now the mastermind behind the resort's farm. He also has a personal connection to Castle Hot Springs: His great-great-grandfather, Richard E. Sloan, was the last territorial governor of Arizona and the resort figured into the social milieu way back during his tenure.

"Castle Hot Springs was a big deal in the territory days," Beger said. "It was the wintertime territorial capital of Arizona for a bit. It was pretty big during that time, so my great-great-grandfather frequented here, and they used to spend Christmas here. My great-grandma, we have her on video talking about playing in the spring. My family definitely has a longstanding history her."

The farm is a new addition to the resort. Irrigated from the property's well and event the hot springs water, the lush farm might be unexpected in this remote desert spot, but the dedicated "Flavor Farmers" cultivate and harvest seasonally more than 1,000 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and florals, including their own tomato varieties. From juicy Cara Cara navel oranges to Badger Flame beets, this fresh bounty would make its way into my freshly squeezed carrot and ginger juice in the morning, the comforting tom ka gai soup at lunch, and every farm-to-fork five-course tasting menu I would have during my stay.

During the tour, Beger plucked a small green leaf from the garden and handed it to me. He took a bite, implying that it was my turn to try, and asked me to guess what it was. To my surprise, the sweet-tasting leaf is what we know as stevia or what I like to call Mother Nature's candy. Beger had an acute awareness of the garden as he paced up and down the beds, pointing out edible succulents and eagerly sharing random gardening tidbits like the fact that coriander seeds originated from cilantro flowers.

It made perfect sense for any quest to begin their wellness journey at the farm, the heart and soul of the resort. "It's grounding to see how things are done on the farm, see where the food you're eating comes from, and taste things in the field," Beger said. "We provide the best quality fruits, vegetables, and herbs to the kitchen, the bar, and ultimately our guests. But on a larger scale, we're a central point in the resort and set the standard for sustainability. We really are trying to drive it to a more grounded place. It's the root of the resort in some ways. Obviously, the springs are why we're all here, but we're trying to elevate everything."

The springs have been the main attraction since the resort originally opened in 1896. Castle Hot Springs was a hideaway for presidents and tycoons, including the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, who frequented the resort for its hot springs, which range from 106 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit and are said to have medicinal properties. But in 1976, a fire broke out and destroyed the main Administration building (now called the Lodge) and caused the iconic resort to fall dormant for about 40 years. In 2014, a husband and wife acquired the resort and spent nearly five years rebuilding and preserving the original infrastructure as much as possible. Like a phoenix, Castle Hot Springs rose from the ashes in 2019 as the remote retreat that's making all the impressive travel hot lists.

Credit not just the setting and the redo but also the all-inclusive, adults-only experience with its slew of wellness classes and outdoor adventures. You can hide yourself away in this exclusive and intimate enclave, or you can be going and going throughout the day. Yoga, meditation, sound baths, hiking, bike riding, mixology, archery, e-bikes, and a custom-built via ferrata with a 200-foot aerial walkway (not for the faint of heart) are just a few of the many adventure-driven and mindfulness activities on offer, many of which are led by Wellness Curator and guru Colleen Inman.

I had spent nearly 24 hours on the property but hadn't yet discovered the historic geothermal waters that I had heard so much about. I decided to wake up early the next day and spend the morning desert soaking. A five-minute walk toward the back of the resort led me to the first and largest of the three springs. A stunning emerald green pool of water with reflections of the soaring palm trees appeared almost like a fortuitous tropical jungle hidden amid an arid desert. Further up, I came across a set of lockers, bathrooms, and other guest amenities. Walking up a few stairs, I passed the second cascading spring. Finally, the third, the most extraordinary, natural spring appeared. It was enclosed with rocks covered in vivid green moss, beautiful striations of black and green hues caused by the minerals over time and the calming sounds of water running.

I was lucky enough to have the hot springs to myself (even though I was told the resort was nearly sold out). I spent the next hour soaking in the warm water surrounded by nothing but nature's beauty. As I took turns dipping in the adjacent springs, it was hard to ignore the history and legends that have passed through and soaked in this same very hot spring. If only these rocks could tell stories...

The healing properties of the mineral-rich springs and the contagious stillness of the mountains were enough to make me overlook the fact that the wellness resort didn't actually have spa facilities. Mother Nature was the restorative space I didn't know I needed. On my last day, I had a Castle Hot Springs signature massage booked in one of the outdoor private cabanas set up alongside the creek where the sounds of nature and flowing water were the soundtrack that instantly made me fall in and out of a deep meditative sleep.

During my stay at Castle Hot Springs, it seemed like time had frozen. For a few lovely days, I was transported into a desert oasis where my mind was as clear as the blue skies and my heart was open to receiving whatever this magical place would teach me. "We aim to find tranquility," Colleen had said during our meditation. And tranquil is exactly how I left Castle Hot Springs.

For more on Castle Hot Springs resort, visit castlehotsprings.com.

From our October 2022 issue.

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Utopia In The Desert - Cowboys and Indians Magazine - Cowboys & Indians Magazine

In 2018, I traveled 4,000 miles to interview a man named Victor Befera about our shared hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota. Vic was 92 then. Hes still kicking at 96. Though he spent most of his life as a successful newspaper and marketing man in northern California, Vic grew up on the Mesabi Iron Range in the 1930s. His father, Delmo Befera, fled the poverty of his native Italy at the dawn of the 20th century, eventually arriving in Hibbing.

Delmo told Vic once that facing starvation in the 1890s he had eaten a cat. Though his dad was sheepish about the matter, Vic was in awe of his fathers mysterious journey to America and blabbed the cat story to all his friends.

In school, Vic disturbed his art teacher with his choice of subject. As other children molded busts of Franklin D. Roosevelt or Joe DiMaggio, young Vic sculpted a likeness of Benito Mussolini. His father loved Mussolini. Indeed, in those days, the large Italian-American population of the Iron Range mostly shared Delmos reverence for the Italian founder of the Fascist movement.

In 1926, the year Vic was born, Herman Antonelli, a prominent Italian leader on the Iron Range, spent seven months back in Italy after 34 years in America. He returned with a Fascist party button on his lapel and glowing reviews of the order and industry he saw in the new Italy.

The people are permanently converted to the spirit of Fascism, Antonelli told the Hibbing Daily News in a 1926 story. Probably 70 percent of the Italian population [follows] that belief. People are almost fanatical over it. Mussolini has built the machinery of Fascism and it will remain as powerful when he is gone.

Notably, Antonellis description of early Fascism centered on how the movement made Italians feel, not how it solved problems.

One of the things that appealed to [Antonelli], paraphrased the Daily News in a May 17, 1926 editorial, is that Mussolini keeps everybody at work and he has a line of talk that tends to make them satisfied with their condition. The wages are not to be compared to those of the United States, of course, but your Italian is a homemaker, prudent, careful and always wants to be busy with something of a constructive nature, and that is what the Italian dictator is doing for them.

American wages were nothing special in the 1920s, providing only a fraction of the buying power of modern wages. Italians of the time, like many in Europe, were barely surviving. Thats why hungry people hungry enough to eat a cat turned to Mussolinis Fascism, an incendiary force that pitted powerless groups against one another, inspired the Nazis in Germany and even threatened to take hold in the United States.

For early 20th century Italians, the appeal of Fascism far outweighed its violent warning signs. When rumors of assassination attempts against Mussolini abounded in the mid-1920s, his Fascist supporters rioted in the streets. To preserve order, Mussolini stationed guards around opposition party headquarters and pro-democracy newspapers. This was to protect them. When someone did attempt to kill Mussolini, all hell broke loose. The Fascists became stronger and more brazen each time efforts to oust them failed.

Italian-American labor organizer Carlo Tresca, who had once organized unions in Minnesota, wrote a satirical play about one of the attempts on Mussolinis life. He alleged that the would-be assassin was actually working for Mussolini, a widespread theory at the time. In 1943, a New York mafioso killed Tresca, on Fifth Avenue no less, as a favor to Mussolini.

In authoritarian societies, citizens face the obvious constraints of police and military patrols, but also the mob justice of political fanatics who never face legal consequences for criminal behavior. And then, of course, there are the whispers of spies who might number among your acquaintances. Better, then, to keep your head down. Lo and behold, such caution keeps any community quiet at night. Such was the original brand of Fascism in the 1920s, and so it would be replicated elsewhere ever since.

Victor Beferas dad died in 1941, months before Pearl Harbor. Vic told me he wondered how his father would have squared his admiration for Mussolini with the events of World War II and revelations about the atrocities of the Nazis and their allies. As it was, Vic and his older brother enlisted to fight for the United States against the forces of international fascism.

But defeating fascist armies isnt the same as eradicating fascist ideology. The notion of strong men providing order and protection against the outside world lingers within the deep tissue of society, like chicken pox or syphilis. Whenever there is tumult, it comes back stronger than before.

And we have seen quite some tumult.

In his new book, Slouching Toward Utopia, economist Brad DeLong argues that the 140 years from 1870 to 2010 of the long twentieth century were, I strongly believe, the most consequential years of all humanitys centuries. Dylan Matthews reviewed the book in a Sept. 7, 2022 Vox piece.

We can be skeptical of the claim, given how few detailed accounts from 22,345 B.C. survived to the present. But DeLong makes the point that the technological advances of this period were unparalleled in human history. On the bright side, these advances made it much easier to afford food and survive disease. Such rapid change also puts enormous pressure on old systems, however stress that troubles our slow-to-adapt human bodies and minds.

The gap between rich and poor became more pronounced during this century, creating and then reinforcing class structure among both the poor and the privileged.

Along the way, the corporation has only grown bigger, stronger and less beneficial to humanity. Todays largest companies, like Google, Meta and Amazon, dont even produce tangible products. They spy on us, and then sell troves of the data they collect to advertisers, who then use that data to sell us things we usually dont need.

We see the effects on the environment. Globally, ecosystems are changing faster than can be explained by nature. Here in my northern Minnesota we celebrate the reclaimed iron ore mine dumps, lined with lush, green trees and bike trails. Its an accomplishment, to be sure, but we seldom mention that they cover the beds of rivers that no longer flow and the bones of animals who live elsewhere now, if at all.

We may not be eating cats or breathing coal-choked air, but economic and environmental fears grip us, and we lay our heads on pillows of anxiety each night.

Perhaps this is why a poor Italian born in the 19th century might become a fascist in 1922, and why that worldview holds just as much sway today. The perception of scarce resources, whether true or not, suggests that some chosen category of winners must defeat and destroy losers in order to survive. When people see power as the means and the ends, then the logical outcome is fascism. Its sad conclusion is that there isnt enough for everyone; that some must die and that their fate is deserved.

Last month, I said goodbye to my sister as she flew back to Italy where she and her partner live. Our unwieldy U.S. immigration system prevents them from both finding work here. We discussed the fact that shes flying into a country poised to elect a far-right government led by the Brothers of Italy. On Sunday, Giorgia Melonis coalition won big, electing the most far-right government in Italy since Mussolini.

Indeed, Melonis Fratalia dItalia party occupies the same part of the political spectrum as Mussolinis black-shirted Facisisti. European journalists use the term post-fascist to describe this movement, which leaves me post-confused about the post-meaning of post-words.

The burning torch at the center of the partys logo is the same one from the party formed by Mussolinis surviving allies after his death. Meloni herself praised Mussolini and other strongmen like Russias Vladimir Putin before walking those comments back during the campaign. Her policy priorities might sound familiar: Scaling back rights for the LGBT community; stopping immigration; and banning reproductive choice for women.

Its more than symbolic that what began in Italy has now returned. In a fast-changing world, far-right politics become a bastion for the change-weary. We see this around the globe right now in Brazil, India, Hungary and among the increasingly fanatical views of former President Trumps most zealous supporters. Sometimes the politics swing back to the center or left, but other times those who see the opportunity to create autocracy cannot resist.

Bear in mind, this isnt about lionizing President Biden or the left. The Democratic Party cant solve all our problems. But neither party can advance democratic solutions if one party refuses to participate in democracy. What began as political gamesmanship has evolved into something far more dangerous, replete with warning signs of grassroots authoritarianism.

Much has already been written about the militarization of local police and sheriffs departments. As officers increasingly prepare for war we should not be surprised to see warlike casualties and collateral damage. Thats not to dismiss rising concerns over crime. Drugs and stolen goods represent an enormous, highly consequential part of our economy, and these issues require action.

So lets be clear. Being tough on crime is not fascist, even if it involves more police officers patrolling the streets.

But a militarized police department that operates independently of its citizenry in service of an ideology? That could become fascist quickly, if it isnt already. Many American police and sheriffs departments, including some here in Minnesota, seem perilously close to crossing this line.

Investigations into the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have revealed a network of affiliations between organizations like the Oath Keepers and both leaders and officers in law enforcement agencies. Thats not criminal; but its deeply concerning.

As local sheriff elections take place this fall, note the rise of the term constitutional sheriff. The Southern Poverty Law Center identifies this concept as part of a larger antigovernment, county supremacy movement that recently picked up steam in response to gun control and COVID-19 restrictions. (To be clear: Theres no historical or constitutional scholarship to support the notion that sheriffs can dispense with laws they dont like.)

I live in Itasca County in north central Minnesota, a place that includes the western Mesabi Iron Range. Our outgoing sheriff Vic Williams publicly identified himself as a constitutional sheriff in 2013, refusing to enforce laws or orders that he perceives as in violation of the Second Amendment. He was re-elected twice.

Now hes retiring, and the two candidates who seek to replace him, though supportive of Second Amendment rights, very carefully acknowledged the statutory limits of the office they seek in a Sept. 1 story in the (Nashwauk, Minn.) Scenic Range News Forum.

But that wasnt true of one sheriff candidate in neighboring St. Louis County, which includes most of the Iron Range and Duluth. Though former Duluth police chief Gordon Ramsay and undersheriff Jason Lukovsky won the primary, third-place finisher Chad Walsh is now mounting a write-in campaign. Walsh, a police officer and gun range owner, campaigned openly as a constitutional candidate.

This philosophy that a local sheriff has more power than the state or federal government is extremely radical, and can be used to justify almost anything. The fact that its bubbling so close to the surface is evidence of a perilous political situation.

Look at the imagery of right-wing iconography you see on t-shirts and bumper stickers and hats: tattered flags, skulls, winking nods to violence. Its the imagery of dystopia, fear and, to a lesser extent, pirates. This is what you see at small town ballgames and gas stations.

No, such images are not displayed by all. But such movements need only nibble around the edges of a majority until they have the ability to take everything. Neither the Fascismo in Italy nor the Nazis in Germany won a majority of the votes when they took power. That came later, after they used state authority to weaken their opposition and the infrastructure of democracy and civil society.

Here we have to look at the behaviors of historic fascism: Widespread dissemination of propaganda; destroying faith in elections, weakening the rule of law; vilifying minority groups as threats to the majority; tolerating violence and threats by civilians who support the regime; and, purging the public service of citizens who do not support the movements ideology.

Listen, I get that both sides can reach for examples of these things, but todays Republican Party still under the control of former President Trump demonstrates this pattern with far more regularity and strategic intent. Of course not all conservatives are fascists. But the Republican Party hasnt prioritized conservative policy solutions for more than a decade. Instead it has like Italians 100 years ago embraced the appeal of cultural authoritarianism in the face of widespread social change.

Republicans freed from the constraints of keeping power see this. Outgoing Arizona Speaker of the House Rusty Bowers warned recently that some Republican election proposals would devastate American political norms. One bill that would have allowed state legislatures to appoint presidential electors regardless of the election outcome particularly troubled Bowers. He didnt mince words when he told CNN, Welcome to fascism, if the bill had become law.

Unfortunately, only Republicans comfortable with losing primaries or planning to retire seem able to say this.

Former GOP operative Tim Miller talks about this phenomenon in his book Why We Did It: A travelogue from the Republican road to Hell. He spoke to Michelle Griffith for a Sept. 16 interview in the Reformer.

He watched friends stick with Trump and the Republican Party even when they privately admitted that things were getting out of hand. Why? It became the only way to keep enough power to keep their jobs and achieve other goals.

For his part, Miller suggests trying to welcome people back into the fold of basic democracy.

If were ever going to stop this continuing complicity with evil things, we need to figure out how to get people to walk away from the darkness, said Miller. You cant get people to walk away until you figure out why theyre there in the first place.

Like the renewed fascist symbolism of Italys new government, politicians in America rekindle fascist images like the iron fist. President Trump hailed Chinese dictator Xi Jinping for ruling with an iron fist, and celebrated a Massachusetts candidate for governor who promised to do the same. Historian Michael Beschloss draws a straight line between these comments and the original fascist philosophy of Mussolini.

This spirit of the iron fist remains a powerful force across the globe, including here in the U.S. and even in our fair state of Minnesota. We may call it by its name not semi-fascism, but the real thing.

And like a century ago, the most insidious thing about fascism is the ease with which it drapes over the shoulders of people all around us friends, family, and neighbors a manic zeal that promises to fill a collective hole in our civic heart.

Thus it is to us, not just our leaders, to resist appeals to violence and the dangerous cult of personality that saturates our politics. The restoration of independent regional news would go a long way, as would rebuilding trust between communities and police. Our nation is too big, too diverse, and too powerful for anything but wise, inclusive stewardship of our shared interests and resources.

A theocratic, fascist America would become one of the most dangerous and short-lived empires on the planet, rivaled perhaps only by the ugly forces that would follow its destruction.

When I sat across Vic Beferas kitchen table in 2018, I listened to him recall life on the Iron Range at the dawn of World War II. Men and women worked around the clock in the iron mines to defeat fanatics, liberate occupied nations, and free innocent people from the horrors of concentration camps.

With each frantic turn of the pick and shovel, and each son who enlisted to fight, this place provided meaningful heft to American rhetoric on liberty and freedom. An entire generation returned from Europe transformed. Facism didnt disappear on its own; the sons and daughters of fascists had to embrace democracy and then fight for it.

You may call the MAGA brand what you like. Populism, semi-fascism, post-fascism or the Big F itself: fascism. Fascism is on the ballot this November and every election that follows. Each time, no matter our political beliefs, we must consciously choose to relegate fascism to the history books so that it may not frighten and kill as it has before and would again.

See the original post here:

Fascism from Italy to Hibbing and back again - Minnesota Reformer

Political leaders responsible for crimes against humanity should be brought to justice no matter how many years have passed.

By setting an example of justice being meted out to such leaders, the international court set up in Cambodia to judge the brutalities of the Khmer Rouge regime has done a great service to the international community.

A United Nations-backed special tribunal charged with prosecuting the crimes of the Khmer Rouge regime, which was led by Pol Pot and ruled Cambodia in the late 1970s, recently held its final hearing after 16 years of work.

Driven by an extreme communist credo, the Pol Pot regime forced urban residents to migrate to rural areas and engage in farming. In the process, the Khmer Rouge allegedly caused the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians, about a quarter of the countrys population at that time, from disease and executions.

In its brutal pursuit of a self-righteous vision of an agrarian utopia, the regime killed numerous intellectuals including teachers and technocrats. Clearly, the killings of many members of the intelligentsia eroded the foundation of society and hampered the efforts to rebuild the nation. This is a dark, tragic chapter of world history.

Even after the Khmer Rouge was ousted from power in 1979, the Southeast Asian nation was long plagued by civil war. The special tribunal was established more than a quarter-century after the end of the Pol Pot era.

As a result, only five former Khmer Rouge leaders, all advanced in age, were prosecuted. Four of them have died during their lengthy trials.

There is no denying that there were limits to the efforts to uncover the truth. Even so, some of the people responsible for the genocide were tried and sentenced to life in prison or given other harsh penalties.

The tribunal has provided a good example of the rule of law for the international community at a time when we are witnessing situations that can be characterized as crimes of state, such as the civil war in Syria and Russias invasion of Ukraine.

There have been many cases where an international tribunal was created in a third country to try people charged with war crimes. In the case of crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge regime, however, a United Nations-assisted tribunal was set up at home.

The hundreds of witnesses who testified for the trials included victims and their families, former soldiers of the Pol Pot government and former guards at detention camps. Hundreds of thousands of people observed the hearings, which were televised live.

In Cambodian society, discussing what occurred during the Pol Pot era was long a taboo. But the legal proceedings offered opportunities for the people to confront this dark chapter of their countrys history. The process must have played a certain role for national reconciliation after the end of the conflict.

Despite the end of the trials, we hope Cambodian people will keep their collective memories of the era alive and use them for building a new future for their country.

From this point of view, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sens increasingly autocratic behavior is worrisome. A former soldier for the Khmer Rouge, Hun Sen once opposed the establishment of the tribunal, saying uncovering the past would cause confusion.

Having been in power for more than 35 years, Hun Sen has recently taken such authoritarian steps as dismantling the largest opposition party and suppressing media and nongovernmental organizations.

Hun Sen and all other national leaders should learn from the Khmer Rouge trials how a rule that brutally crushed opposition led to gruesome horrors so that they will not repeat such tragedies.

Japan, which was involved in the peace-building process in Cambodia, also cooperated with the work of the special tribunal. It has provided some 30 percent of the international aid to support the process as well as a judge for the trials.

For a developing country such as Cambodia that has suffered years of armed conflict, the establishment of the legal and judicial systems is vital for its modernization. Japans contribution to helping the tribunals efforts has added a value that goes beyond the economic benefit.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 27

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EDITORIAL: Cambodia's Khmer Rouge tribunal a proper model of justice | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis -

Nexi and Global Blue sign a strategic partnership to provide frictionless

omnichannel payment experience for the hospitality, restaurants,

and retail on Oracle platforms

Milan, September 26, 2022 Nexi, the leading PayTech in Europe, and Global Blue, the leading technology company in taxfree shopping and addedvalue payments, enter into a strategic partnership aimed at integrating Nexi's payment solutions directly into existing Property Management Systems (PMS) and Point Of Sale (POS) software platforms. This agreement further strengthens a longterm relationship on DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion service), now enabling merchants in 25 countries where Nexi operates, to accept payments across Oracle suite of products, thanks to Global Blue's certified gold level payment integration partner status with Oracle.

This integration brings significant benefits for hotels, restaurants, and retailers, using Oracle OPERA Cloud Property Management, Simphony Point of Sale, and Oracle Retail XStore PointofService by streamlining operating procedures, and reducing time and effort for Front Desk and Back Office staff. For Merchants, it is unleashing an authentic omnichannel and seamless experience, while taking advantage of Nexi unique combination of European scale and deep local expertise.

The customer experience becomes simpler, faster, and more secure: it complies with the highest security standards of PCI DSS and endtoend Tokenisation for card data secure storage.

"The strategic partnership with Global Blue further reinforces our capabilities to offer merchants and corporates the best combination of European scale and customer proximity" says Roberto Catanzaro, Group Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer at Nexi. "We will extend our omnichannel acceptance solutions and continue to provide propositions that enable new user experiences for consumers and new business opportunities for merchants, with specific focus on the hotellerie, hospitality and retail verticals."

"Through this cooperation, Global Blue confirms itself as a leading partner in the technology and payments sector, enabling its customer base operating in the hospitality and retail sectors to have an integrated, omnichannel management tool for a frictionless experience", said Damian Cecchi, SVP Added Value Payment Solutions. "As a provider of this innovative solution, we can and will continue to be the point of reference for all our acquirers and partners, who recognize our expertise as necessary to increase their market performance".

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Nexi

Nexi is Europe's PayTech company operating in highgrowth, attractive European markets and technologically advanced countries. Listed on Euronext Milan, Nexi has the scale, geographic reach and abilities to drive the transition to a cashless Europe. With its portfolio of innovative products, ecommerce expertise and industryspecific solutions, Nexi provides flexible support for the digital economy and the entire payment ecosystem globally, across a broad range of different payment channels and methods. Nexi's technological platform and the bestinclass professional skills in the sector enable the company to operate at its best in three market segments: Merchant Services & Solutions, Cards & Digital Payments and Digital Banking & Corporate Solutions. Nexi constantly invests in technology and innovation, focusing on two fundamental principles: meeting, together with its partner banks, customer needs and creating new business opportunities for them. Nexi is committed to supporting people and businesses of all sizes, transforming the way people pay and businesses accept payments. It offers companies the most innovative and reliable solutions to better serve their customers and expand. By simplifying payments and enabling people and businesses to build closer relationships and grow together, Nexi promotes progress to benefit everyone. http://www.nexi.it http://www.nexigroup.com

Global Blue

Global Blue pioneered the concept of Tax Free Shopping 40 years ago. Through continuous innovation, we have become the leading strategic technology and payments partner, empowering retailers to improve their performance and shoppers to enhance their experience.

Global Blue offers innovative solutions in three different fields:

both instore and online

In addition, our data and advisory services offer a strategic advisory to help retailers identify opportunities for growth, while our shopper experience and engagement solutions provide datadriven solutions to increase footfall, convert footfall to revenue and enhance performance.

For more information, visit http://www.globalblue.com/corporate/

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Nexi External Communication & Media Relations

Daniele de Sanctis

Sren Winge

daniele.desanctis@nexigroup.com

soeren.winge@nexigroup.com

Mobile: +39 346/015.1000

Mobile: +45 29 48 26 35

Matteo Abbondanza

Valentina Piana

matteo.abbondanza@nexigroup.com

valentina.piana@nexigroup.com

Mobile: +39.348/406.8858

Mobile: +39.342/046.7761

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Nexi Investor Relations

Stefania Mantegazza stefania.mantegazza@nexigroup.com Mobile: +39.335/580.5703

Direct: +39 02/3488.8216

Global Blue

Virginie Alem, SVP Marketing, Communications and Customer Value Creation valem@globalblue.com

UTOPIA Comunicazione e media relations Global Blue Italia Piero Tatafiore Andrea Maccagno

Mob. +39 392 8326800 globalblue@utopialab.it

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Disclaimer

Nexi S.p.A. published this content on 26 September 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 27 September 2022 05:20:02 UTC.

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Nexi S p A : September 26th 2022 Nexi and Global Blue sign a strategic partnership to provide frictionless omnichannel payment experience for the...