Hasta La Gadget!

One might say that Daenerys Targaryen is the most beloved character in Game of Thrones, or at worst right up there in the top 3 with Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister.

But if we pay attention to what she’s actually doing and saying in season 6, and if we look to history and to the direction her character is taking – it’s possible that she’s fast becoming the villain in the story.
Author George R R Martin has made a living from forcing us to empathize with characters we once despised, like Cersei and Jaime. It seems that he is now playing another trick on us, a reverse-trick if you will, making us lose our empathy for a character we got used to cheer for.

In season one Daenerys was the ultimate underdog, sold by her brother in exchange for an army, and then raped by a Dothraki warlord/husband. Just when she got comfortable among the Dothraki, Robert Baratheon, the King of the Seven Kingdoms, tried to have her assassinated because of the crimes of her family. Then her now loving warlord/husband died and she was left wandering in the desert. Even when she got an army and went on a noble quest to release people from slavery, there were always powerful and evil men that tried to prevent her from achieving what she knew was right. That’s some journey.

For more on the similarities between Daenerys Targaryen and Genghis Khan, watch GoT Academy’s video

Add to that that she’s gorgeous and she has three magical dragons, who at first were little and defenseless.

But now these dragons are huge and dangerous – as is their mother Daenerys.

So it’s a good time to ask ourselves if she is really worth rooting for.

When she made that speech on top of her dragon, she basically promised her horde of Dothraki murderers and pillagers that if they follow her, they’ll get to murder and pillage Westeros. Unlike her former-slave army, The Unsullied, who will only act on orders without “extracurricular activity”, these cruel horse warriors rape and take slaves as spoils of war. They will attack cities and castles, raid villages and leave nothing but carnage in their wake.

Basically, Daenerys will fight against the very people she pretends she wants to rule, and in order to sit on the throne she will have to kill most, if not all, of the characters we love.

And all that because she feels she owns a land she’s never been to, with the sole justification for her political ambitions being that her daddy was king.

As Daario Naharis correctly pointed out to her, Daenerys is not made to sit on a chair, she’s a conqueror, not a ruler. And her character seems to be inspired mainly by one specific super-conqueror in history – Genghis Khan.

As Daenerys, Genghis Khan united all the tribes of nomad horse warriors, who live on plains and have been pillaging neighboring cities since the dawn of time.

Before Genghis Khan, the tribes were never united, but once they were – it was what allowed them to change their ways and launch fierce attacks on places that were once at a safe distance. They were unstoppable as they ravaged through Asia and spread death and misery. Nobody think that Genghis Khan was a good guy, so why should we consider Daenerys Khal as one?

And dragons are not good either. They are scary weapons of mass destruction with a mind of their own. On episode 9 three dragons incinerated an entire army. The people of Westeros will not cheer Daenerys as she flies over them on top of a monster, killing their families and burning their lands. They don’t need another highborn lord with fantasies of conquest. That is what Daenerys is promising them. Not freedom, liberty and dignity, but rather blood, sweat and tears. And fire, enough to burn them all.

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Spirituality is likely not something that is chatted about in the boardrooms around the world. In my opinion, the corporate world has fallen into a myopic trap that has left out all the extraordinary assistance that spirituality can bring to the vitality, prosperity and longevity of businesses. I believe spirituality has been unfairly dismissed because it is incorrectly associated as a synonym for religion. Spirituality is a universal concept, that is the domain of no one, as it has no divisions, claims or separations. Spirituality is a natural part of who we are and therefore belongs not only in business, but in our communities and countries. I’d like to share how I think the essence of spirituality can be translated into business impact and what transformation can occur as a result.

I should first define what spirituality means to me, as it obviously is a word that is used in many contexts.

To me, spirituality is the knowingness that we are all connected to each other and to something much larger than ourselves — and that we are in awe and wonder of its vastness of being, its potentiality, its simplicity, its peacefulness, its synchronicity, its stillness, its aliveness, its presence, its beauty and its grace.

In much of the corporate world, we have been conditioned too long to operate mainly under a competitive flag that has been driven by intense focus on short term profits. If businesses felt the same connectedness to each other, and were all inspired by a vision much greater than just their earnings — wow, what multiplier could we develop that would deepen long term sustainable prosperity. What an amazing company that could be described by its potentiality for impact, its simplicity in its effective execution, its sense of well being among its employees, its aliveness of energy in engaging customers, its presence in the community, its beauty from its creativeness, and its grace and dignity by which it conducts itself.

Spirituality is the awareness that we are everything and nothing at the same time. It is recognizing that we are all the same and that we are also unique and special.

Businesses that can adopt paradoxical ideas, can be that much more agile and responsive to change. If a company can see itself as special and unique and also as just another business having the same challenges and opportunities as others — then it has a major advantage in harnessing its strengths, while never losing an appreciation for them, nor losing appreciation that others are out there doing amazing things as well.

Spirituality is the understanding that we are meant to be great creators. Creators of life, of art, of music, of ideas, of experience, of relationships, and most importantly creators of ourselves.

Meditation is the best business skill I ever learned. When we are in spirit, we are inspired. We become better creators in our businesses. We can be better creators of expression, of innovation, and of collaboration — all which can enhance our results. The organizations that truly believe their people are their greatest asset, will know that their people’s imagination is of extraordinary value. Our level of spirituality can significantly expand our capacity for tapping into the universal mind and its treasure trove of creation.

Spirituality expands our edges beyond the duality of what life presents us and into the joy of accepting that all things are possible. It is acknowledging that the unseen is just as much a force in our lives, as those tangible outcomes which our minds and eyes are accustomed.

I have seen limitations that the business world imposes by its linear rules and definitions. It must be seen, it must be measured, it must be reportable and it must be controlled. The world is not linear – it is quantum. We live in an amazing world that is a ecosystem of connection and possibility. Spirituality enhances our intuition, which is our communication with the unseen. Our intuition is one of the most extraordinary gifts we have as human beings. It gifts us the ability to discern complexities beyond the restrictions of our reasoning mind. If ever there was a place for intuition, business and value creation is it.

Spirituality is the soul food of knowing that we have purpose. It is the joy of accepting that we are not alone, but that we are loved and supported beyond measure. It is the trust that life is meant to experience the abundance of spirit we were meant to be.

The industrial revolution did a bit of a disservice to business by turning human beings into “workers.” Happiness in the corporate world is often conditional only on positive financial outcomes. It is somewhat barren of the emotional field of joy, happiness, meaning that fills us up inside, regardless of outcome. The world is changing is so many ways. Businesses that recognize the power of spirit in their companies, will not only survive, but thrive. It is the human spirit which has conquered mountains, overcome overwhelming odds, and dreamed up the impossible. Why wouldn’t we want organizations where people feel loved, accepted, and supported at a soul and heart level, not just their minds and pocketbooks? Why wouldn’t we want people to reach their highest potential and discover the best version of themselves? Why wouldn’t we want the effectiveness that comes from knowing your self-worth, and inspiring self-mastery of mindfulness that reducing stress levels and improves productivity. Why wouldn’t we want organizations where people were grounded in capacity that gives them more authentic expression, more kindness to each other, and more compassion for diversity. Businesses that can align on a common vision, but seek diversity in thinking/approaches will be those who broaden their solution set.

Let’s shine the light on the things that are important to making the world a brighter place for people and for inspiring businesses to be remarkable. For me spirituality not only belongs in business… it makes it spectacularly better!

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By definition, abandoned spaces are devoid of people. They are forgotten, left to the trying hands of mother nature, proving that even steel and concrete are susceptible to the forces of decay and decomposition. However, these deserted places offer hints of what used to be. They are emblems of lost culture and forgotten history waiting to be discovered. The Proper People is a small collective of young adventurers who make such discoveries. They explore and document abandoned sites around the United States in order to learn what derelict monuments look like long after the rest of humanity has vacated their premises.

While their travels often bring them to empty factories and creepy asylums, the team recently documented their trip to Louisiana where they explored Six Flags New Orleans. The park has been abandoned since Katrina hit back in 2005, and now proudly wears the “Permanently Closed” badge on Google maps. It is a holy relic of abandoned spaces.

The amusement park finds itself just 14 miles from downtown New Orleans. Since Katrina’s assault, there have been numerous plans from venture capitalists and entertainment companies to redevelop the park, none of which have come to fruition. The park remains in a state of decay, still flooded, and empty, a sign of the plight of the New Orleans People. “When we are exploring some of the buildings you can feel the atmosphere of what happened there still lingering. In the case of Six Flags New Orleans, it brings back memories of all the suffering the citizens in the area had gone through. Many lost their homes and possessions while some even lost their life. The park sits as a constant reminder of the storm,” said Bryan, one of the group’s founders.

Katrina may seem like a thing of the past, but Michael, the other founding member, explains “the devastation from the hurricane was a lot worse than many people realize or remember. In the downtown area, everything appeared to be rebuilt, but in the outskirts of the city abandoned buildings were everywhere we looked. Ten years later and it’s quite apparent that the city still hasn’t completely recovered from the storm.”

As their short documentary shows, the massive roller coasters have overgrown with flora and fauna to become gigantic monsters that not only serve as a reminder of a devastating event, but also of Mother Nature’s indifference toward man. “I think this sadness comes from the fact that it was a theme park, a place where people are usually having fun, and a lot of people have fond memories of,” Michael said of their experience at the park, “It’s really easy to draw a contrast between how fun of a place it used to be and how sad and devoid of life it is today.”

It’s clear that for The Proper People, part of the thrill in urban exploration, or urbex, comes from the adrenaline, part comes from the historic context, but Michael explains that it’s also more poetic than that, “When you’re inside some of these places, some of the scenes you find yourself in look so unreal that you get a feeling of being detached from reality.”

Despite the artistic intentions, the idea of urbex is often scrutinized as it naturally involves breaking the law through trespassing and loitering. While areas like Six Flags New Orleans are rightly protected due to the hazards present, The Proper People explain, “The popular motto in urbex is take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, and break nothing but the silence.”

For more urbex videos make sure to subscribe to The Proper People on YouTube, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

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As an artist who has been embraced as a queer icon for the millennial set, Troye Sivan said the recent tragedy targeting the LGBT community in Orlando, Florida has been “the hardest thing in the world to process.” 

The 21-year-old singer-songwriter, who came out in a 2013 YouTube video that has been viewed over 6 million times, said he was “insanely upset” when he first heard the news of the June 12 mass shooting at Pulse nightclub, which left 49 people dead and 53 more injured. In the two weeks since the incident, however, Sivan has come to view the massacre as a sobering reminder “to live louder than ever and prouder than ever.”

“This kind of thing happens out of ignorance and out of the fear of the unknown,” Sivan told The Huffington Post. “I’m [usually] in cities like L.A. and New York and places like Australia, and I work in the entertainment industry where pretty much everyone’s gay. You can forget that there is still such hatred – such senseless hatred – out there.”

In keeping with that unapologetic mindset, the Aussie-based singer-songwriter has lent his talents to SweeTART’s “Follow Your TART” campaign this summer. Representatives for the popular candy brand, which is owned by Nestlé, say the effort “celebrates those who follow their passions to make the world around them more flavorful.”

The campaign kicked off June 22 with a colorful television ad that includes scenes of Sivan performing his smash single, “Youth,” and coincides with the launch of the all-new SweeTARTS Mini-Gummy Bites and Soft Bites. (Check out the video above)

Noting that he’s “really picky” about product endorsements, Sivan said the SweeTARTS effort was “right up his lane and completely one” with his message as an artist.

“I like to think I’m a very passionate person,” he said. “I’m constantly trying to encourage my audience and use my platform to inspire people to just be themselves and do whatever it is that they want to do.”

Pointing to his own early struggles with sexuality, Sivan said he feels “honored and privileged” when his work encourages LGBT fans to have a discussion about sexuality with their friends and family members. In March, he helped a 14-year-old fan come out as bisexual during his performance in Washington, D.C.

I love making music more than anything else in the world, except for being able to help other people through their journey.

“I love making music more than anything else in the world, except for being able to help other people through their journey,” he said. “I also know how helpful [watching coming out videos on YouTube] was for me, so being that for someone else is very, very cool for me.”

Musically, the star is going to be busier than ever for the latter half of 2016. On June 23, he released a special remix of his 2015 song, “Wild,” featuring guest vocals and a brand-new verse by pop singer Alessia Cara, which can be found above. In October, he’ll kick off his Suburbia Tour in San Francisco, followed by stops in Los Angeles, Boston and New York, as well as other cities across the U.S. and Canada. 

As far as a follow-up to his 2015 debut album, “The Blue Neighbourhood,” is concerned, Sivan said he “has a lot of ideas” and is really excited to get back into the studio, but plans on taking his time to make his next release both worthwhile and personal.

“I don’t want to take my inspiration from the road, because it’s not real life,” he said. “The things that inspire me the most are actually the most normal parts of my life – relationships, family, friendships, loneliness, stuff like that. Those are the things that are closely tied to my emotions.”

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Adriana claims her mom and her stepdad are making her choose between raising her child and being with her boyfriend of two years, Matt.

“I have chosen Matt over my daughter because my mom is always in the way,” says Adriana in the clip above, who is currently living with Matt at his parents’ house, while her 4-year-old daughter is being raised by her mom and stepdad. Adriana claims that her parents “threw her out” and that she has no options.

Adriana says that she and her mother don’t see eye-to-eye when it comes to parenting her daughter, and their disagreements have turned physical.

“She calls me a horrible mother and I’ve called her a [expletive] idiot,” Adriana shares. “It’s gotten to the point where I actually have punched my mother.”

Adriana’s mother, Susie, says her daughter was a good mother for the first two years of her child’s life, but then she met Matt, whom she calls “riffraff.” “I believe Matt is a bad influence and a non-motivator,” she says, claiming, in part, that Matt was around the first few times Adriana tried heroin. “I don’t care for Matt one bit.” She says she’s ready for daughter to step up and be a mother to her child.

Woman Claims Daughter Is Choosing ‘Riffraff’ Boyfriend Over Her 4-Year-Old Daughter

Adriana says that she spends all day with her daughter and insists she is trying to be a good mother. “I’m picking her up from school, I’m trying to have her all day long,” she says. “I feel like I’m trying and my mom doesn’t see it.”

When they turn to Dr. Phil for help, he asks Adriana, “You just don’t think that you should be pressured into choosing your daughter over your boyfriend?”

“I feel that it’s not fair that I have to make that decision to choose my family over the one I want to spend the rest of my life with,” she says.

“She says you are vulgar, and rude, and actually become violent and attack her,” Dr. Phil says.

“No, when she’s attacking me with her harsh words,” Adriana says, “I’m not going to sit there, and I’m not going to take that. Of course I’m going to say something back to her.”

“But she is raising your daughter,” Dr. Phil points out. “Are you grateful for that?”

“I am very grateful for that,” Adriana says.

Dr. Phil To 20-Year-Old Whose Mom Is Raising Her Daughter: ‘You Have An Entitled Attitude’

Dr. Phil impresses upon Adriana that it’s not her mom and stepdad’s responsibility to raise her daughter, and she should not expect them to do it. “You expect them to do it, and then give them absolutely unshirted hell for the way they’re doing it,” Dr. Phil says.

“I don’t expect anything,” Adriana replies.

“You have an entitled attitude that says, ‘You’re going to do what I want you to do, and if you don’t, I’m going to make your life so hell, you are going to cave in and do it. And I’m holding my daughter hostage, because you know as well as I do that if you don’t, she winds up on the street or in foster care, and that’s on you, bitch.’ That’s exactly what your attitude is,’” Dr. Phil tells her.

This episode of Dr. Phil airs Tuesday. Watch more here.

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