#i am well aware of how much this all fragments into various different other sub categories protestant lutheran whatever yadda yadda ya

[panicbones]

i think one of the biggest most egregiously contradicting shit religion wise ive seen is big ass (christrian esque) churches actively putting up wards against homeless people. bro i thought your whole thing was helping the needy what the hell is this

[entamesubs]

Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS Blu-Ray: Episode 4

Google Drive ONLY (for now)

Support us on ko-fi

Blu-Ray episodes will come out one at a time every Friday, until I’m done with the full first season (1-13).

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Please use either MPV or MPC-HC to view the Blu-Ray episodes. I do NOT recommend using VLC.

Please check the post for episodes 1&2 to see why.

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!! This is NOT a final release !!

If there are any corrections you wish to make, please put them through the ask box. This includes any typos, grammar weirdness, or if you have a better way to word a sentence. Once it goes up on Nyaa, the subs will be LOCKED and can no longer be edited. I will consider it the final and best version I can put out.

If you see any mistake at all, please do not hesitate to send me an ask about it.

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Extended Translation Notes

Gakuto’s characterization

RoadRush:

“I am supposed to be stopping their chaos [...] How could I do such a thing?!”

Original Japanese: 「遊我くんたちの暴走を止めるべき立場にありながら [...] 私としたことが…」

The original RR subs make it seem like Gakuto is appalled at the fact that he’s been going along with the crew, but in reality the original Japanese points to Gakuto being appalled at his lack of responsibility (as in Gakuto himself is frustrated that he, himself, has not done anything despite the fact that he should).

The bolded Japanese from above is what I’m highlighting as the key to understanding him here.

立場にあり = someone in (my) position 私としたこと = someone like me

The translation I decided to use instead, and which I felt conveyed his inner turmoil better, was “I’m someone who should be stopping them, and yet... [...] I, of all people...!”

Gakuto is very concerned with his position and duties, which is the main focus for this episode. He is a character who is hyper-aware of his place and what kind of person he should be (that is, someone who strictly follows the rules and enforces them). The conflict he feels here is because of that hyper-awareness, not (primarily) because of the fact that he’s been “having fun” or “swept away” by Yuuga’s antics, it’s that someone like him shouldn’t be “swept away” in the first place.

I hope this makes sense and that this translation gets across his characterization a lot better.

Further Gakuto characterization

RoadRush:

“I have to draw the line somewhere!”

Original Japanese: 「きちんとけじめをつけなければ｡」

This is actually a translation I liked a lot, with “draw the line” being something very clear and also easily got across his newfound determination. It’s the reason I decided to keep the “draw the line” phrase in my final translation.

However, there is one important part of his sentence: けじめ, which I bolded above. It means “distinction”.

My final translation was “I must be decisive and draw the line somewhere!”

Gakuto uses the word “decide” and “decisive” a lot. You’ll see it the most in his summoning chants, where he keeps “deciding” not to stop, or “deciding” to follow a road, or “deciding” to find something new, or that he alone must “decide” his resolve, etc. At this point, being “decisive” is a huge part of his character and who he is as a person. The main theme of Sougetsu Gakuto is being able to lead, to decide, and, as we see in episodes 24, 33, 50, and 57, to be someone worthy of the Sougetsu name and inheritance by making these “decisions” and having the power to do so.

For this reason, I decided (haha) to put in his keyword here and tie this line further to his characterization in future episodes.

“Yametekudastop”

“Does Gakuto actually say this?” No, but he makes a pun just as bad as this one. This is a great pun to convey just how weird his “Yameruler” pun in Japanese is as well.

Thanks English!

トイレには神様がいますからね “Since a kami is always in the restroom, you should...”

This is a fragment of the full sentence, though its implied that Gakuto is trying to say “[I cleaned the restroom with care,] because a kami is in there”. To make this sound more natural in English, my final translation was the sentence you see above in bold, which adds a “you should” for context.

This sentence may seem strange to a lot of people, even more so if you don’t know what exactly a “kami” is. I wanted to elaborate on that in this translation note, and also the reason why I left “kami” untouched.

A “kami” does not uniformly mean a “god” or “deity”. In some contexts, yes, someone can be referring to such a being. In others, a kami can also be seen as a “spirit”, not necessarily of divine origins, who exists in a myriad of spaces for a myriad of reasons.

The “kami” Gakuto says exists in the restroom is not a god in the way English speakers would see it, but a spirit that has found a home there. However, I felt that the word “spirit” did not really encompass the importance of the word kami and why Gakuto was so careful with it, while the words “god” or “deity” placed too much importance on it.

For further context, I’d honestly just recommend the kami wikipedia article, which goes a lot more into detail than I can here. For heavier reading, and if you’re interested in this sort of stuff, I recommend the books Shinto - A Book of Prayers and The Essence of Shinto: Japan's Spiritual Heart.

黒子 (くろこ) Kuroko / “stagehands”

Wow, Kuroko Tetsuya himself from the acclaimed basketball manga and anime, Kuroko no Basuke! Okay I’m joking.

A “kuroko” in Japanese means a “stagehand”, though they have very a specific job in Japanese theatre that is different compared to what you might know of stagehands in Western theatre.

The job of a “kuroko” is to be invisible, which of course is not a literal thing. This simply means they help move things along on the stage, appearing center at times, while still not being perceived by the audience. This is where the “kuro” part of “kuroko” comes from—traditionally, they wear black clothes and cover their faces with a black sheet on stage, so that when they appear, the audience will not focus on them and instead blend them in with the background.

A kuroko does such things like moving scenery and props as a normal stagehand, however they may also play non-human parts in plays sometimes, being something like an animal or spirit when needed (usually with the help of a minor prop, not with a costume). They are the “invisible stagehands”.

Gakuto’s entire aesthetic themeing with Ranze and Rinnosuke is basically kabuki, a form of Japanese theatre that places more emphasis on aesthetics than on story.

A popular genre of kabuki is known as jidaimono, or historical plays, which dramatize a major historic event (like a war), which is how Gakuto’s various “Rulers” tie into this theme. Of note, Yameruler’s defense position animation is very much like how one in kabuki would try to “disappear” off stage (by holding a fan in front of his face), Kimeruler has elements of kabuki makeup in his design (though heavily watered down), and Semeruler’s summoning animation is a very common kabuki pose for combat.

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For people interested in the raw BDMV vs encoded final video comparisons, click here. (Click the image in the center to swap between “raw BD” and “encoded”).

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Credits

Translation, timing: entame Proofreading: angelthinktank (Yona) Encoding: PelvisBass

[antojai]

What’s your subconscious like?

On the metaphysical subconscious

Ever wonder what your subconscious is like? Well here we go! Your subconscious is like a computer that stores every experience you have ever had. It’s through here that these experiences become referenced regularly to make new decisions, and connections. The thing is… people barely ever defragment, delete, or upgrade internal components to their hardware. This can lead to subconscious patterns that you just can’t get rid of, thoughts that perpetually haunt us, and ways of living that limit our authentic selves. Your subconscious is always aware of everything that goes on within the subconscious, and conscious states. The conscious portion of yourself does have reverse access to the subconscious, but it is not easy.  Your subconscious has a vested interest in preserving anything "SUB-You" believes to be crucial for your everyday survival. The problem is that your subconscious isn’t always right when it comes to preserving essential healthy components. It’s main interest is to keep the general machine in motion, NOT UPGRADING! The times your subconscious does get upgraded, is when a glitch is a complete hinderance. You can begin to imagine why this can become a problem if corrections are not delivered by a subconscious break!

The most fascinating thing is that a Antojai, Avid Reiki, or Ascended Master can begin to persuade the subconscious for the better.

Ascended Masters, and ANTOJAI Masters can directly access, interact, reason, and even induce a shift to the subconscious mind. ANTOJAI creates a cyclical detox of the energetic, and quantum portions of your true self. Ascended Masters can do much more with detail, taking you across various dimensions for personal enlightenment. Reiki masters can offer a level of healing that helps highlight the most immediate blockages within the subconscious, and help release some of the most damaging energy immediately affecting you.

Reiki, and other energy medicines don’t  directly confront imbalances within the subconscious with such ease as Antojai does.

The subconscious has the ability to change its form while you interact with it. Most commonly when threatened, the metaphysical subconscious takes on a labyrinth style representation. When not threatened it usually takes on the form of the ideal you! 

This is why it’s imparitive to know how to properly interact with the metaphysical subconscious. Trust me, I’ve spent hours...even months dealing with a labyrinth form ... for just one topic. Something that now, with ANTOJAI energy, takes me minutes. 

Where is your subconscious?

To make it simple... in multiple dimensions. This physical reality being one of them.

Some of you may be familiar with past life, and soul retrieval. People tend to think that this process is just tied to past lives. The soul is made up of all your previous subconscious states from past lives. The truth, is that your subconscious is part within you, within your current past, past lives, the future, and other dimensions. The ultimate you is manifested when you assemble these knowledges.

Humanity is still trying to define what consciousness is. So, it's no surprise that we have only a fragmented understanding of what our subconscious really is. Due to this, millions of people feel various forms of metaphysical disorientation. Some feel like they don't want to be on this planet (not to be confused with suicidal), others feel like they are trapped in past times, and some can't connect with humanity anymore. All because portions of our metaphysical subconscious are trapped elsewhere in a form of perpetual purgatory. Ultimately, robbing us of our authentic-selves.

If you, or a Master properly conducts a high energy healing such as Antojai... they can completely bypass the initial interaction the subconscious tries to mirror as a Firewall. Landing in a dimensional hub, where your subconscious likes to reside called the "Inner Sanctuary". It is here were a Master can communicate with a completely vulnerable subconscious-you.

Self-Healing:

The easiest way to begin to self-heal is through the Heart Chakra since it is tied to the past. It's always best to try some self-healing before seeing a healer, as this can produce better results.

If you know Reiki, then you can meditate on the Heart Chakra, while applying a laser reiki beam to this area. Ask the Heart chakra to help you identify, and resolve anything it can ... so that you regain lost portions of yourself. I do this by analyzing problem I am dealing with currently. Whether within myself, or externally. When I identify the most pressing issue, I communicate with my Heart Chakra. I ask it to send me to the time of the issue, or to help me understand it.

The key is to give into the chakra, and let it guide you. Many people get stuck because they feel like they are supposed to experience something in particular. A voice telling you (2+2=4), or maybe that the issue just disappears. Everyone has a different experience, and sometimes it may take some time to begin the journey.

Sometimes the chakra will help by making you relive the root of the blockage, or maybe it will take you to the metaphysical land known as the "Inner Sanctuary". Here is where you would directly confront yourself, and your entirety.

With the help of an Ascended, or Antojai Master you can further your healing by having them work on your Stellar Gateway Chakra. They will usually work with other chakra centers tied to subconscious fragments as well. They won't limit themselves just to the chakras, as they will also transcend multiple dimensions to bring back portions of yourself to this reality.

Phew! 

This is only scratching the surface of the metaphysical subconscious. It would be impossible to write it all in one article, but I do plan on releasing more content as we expand.

 Master Antojai

Carrasquillo, A. (2018). Antojai Shamanic Wellness

Copyright © 2018 Antojai Shamanic Wellness, All rights reserved.

Photo by Martin Sattler

[glenmenlow]

How Manufacturer And Private-Label Brands Differ

I am often asked, what are the pros and cons of having your own brand, versus supplying the product for someone else’s brand. As in anything, there are two sides of the coin, but deciding which way to go should never be a coin toss. More often than not, it is not an either/or proposition … it is both.

The world of branding can be divided in roughly two ways: brands that are owned and marketed by the companies who actually produce the products or services, and brands that are owned and marketed by companies who sell these products or services. Because brands are fundamental to how products or services are marketed and sold, understanding the distinctions, implications, advantages and disadvantages for these two branding approaches becomes critical to business strategy—whether you are a manufacturer, a distributor, or a retailer.

Brands that are owned and marketed by producers are commonly referred to as “national brands” or “manufacturer brands.” Owners of these brands cultivate their targeted customer base primarily by means of advertising directly to them. When these brands are marketed correctly, customers will seek them out, thereby forcing their consideration and stocking by the appropriate distribution channels. Manufacturer brands serve the interest of the manufacturer first, and benefit the retailer who carries them, second.

Brands that are owned and marketed by sellers are referred to by various names, such as “private-label,” “store brands,” “proprietary brands,” “owned-brand” and others. Provided the sales volume is sufficient, a private-label strategy can provide the retailer with several advantages unavailable to them by carrying national or manufacturer brands only. In fact, the vast majority of chain retailers, regardless of the category, carry some mix of national brands versus private-label brands (some carry private-label brands exclusively). As you’d expect, private-label brands serve the interest of retailers first, and benefits the manufacturer who produces them, second.

In both cases of manufacturer brands and private-label brands, paid-media (advertising) has been considered the traditional means of generating awareness and demand, but that model is changing rapidly. Traditional advertising media (TV, Print, Radio) now shares that role with so-called non-traditional ad media (digital), as well as influencer and relationship building “owned” social media platforms. So regardless of the brand, be it manufacturer or private-label, it is not enough to be unique and add value versus the competitor. It must also be marketed effectively to succeed.

Any examination of these two variations of brand strategy would be remiss without acknowledging the evolving positive attitude and growing acceptance of private-label brands. Gone are the days when consumers strictly associated private-label brands as something akin to cheap, generic and low quality. For example, in England and Germany (according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association) private-label brands account for almost half of all products sold. Here in the U.S., more ceiling fans are sold under Home Depot’s Hampton Bay label than under the category legend Hunter. Private-label brands can even eclipse the strength of the retailer, as in the case of Kenmore, Craftsman (now sold at Lowe’s) and Die Hard brands brought to us by SEARS.

The changing consumer demographic appears to fuel the benefits of private-label branding, as well. Looking at the shift from Baby Boomers and Gen-X’s to Millennials, Harvard Business Review observed with regard to the “Millennial mindset” that 77% don’t want to buy the brands their parents did and 88% think private-label products are just as good. Let me add an important note here: This is true as long as the private-label brand (and its retail owner) aligns with the Millennial customer’s value system, especially when it comes to issues like sustainability, manufacturing transparency, and social responsibility. The next generation of consumer is just as brand-oriented as the previous, but how it is communicated and identified is the key.

Manufacturer Brand Advantages

Since the manufacturer is building its own brand and customer base, it does so in hopes of leveraging its customer demand into shelf space (or nowadays Amazon orders). As the saying goes, when it comes to market share, nothing succeeds like success. So the cultivated customer loyalty for its brand, stimulated by marketing and cemented by trial and repeat purchase, translates into power and control of  the producers own destiny.

Depending on the product category, the level of advertising support, and the relative popularity of the manufacturer’s brand, the retailer/e-retailer can reap greater credibility, prestige, variety, customer traffic and loyalty as advantages (“I shop there because they carry my favorite brands.”) by stocking and promoting the manufacturer brand themselves.

Private-Label Advantages

The manufacturer gains volume that it might otherwise lack. To operate at peak efficiency, manufacturers need to fill capacity. While margins may be slimmer, supplying product to a dedicated seller eliminates a lot of the headaches and expense that come with self-branding. Such private-labeling relationships may paradoxically spur the development and growth of the manufacturer’s own brand by providing much-needed critical mass of manufacturing capacity and capital.

The retailer, on the other hand, gains exclusivity. This over-arching advantage covers a multitude of competitive concerns. Private-labels are difficult if not impossible to comparison shop, they can be carefully prescribed to meet the retailer’s customer’s unique needs, they can be strategically placed in a brand category architecture to maximize the retailer’s profitability (whether as an entry price-point, or now and more common a super premium, or somewhere in between), and they promote the retailer as a shopping destination by creating their own customer brand loyalty. Other advantages include: differentiation for the retailer in the marketplace, more freedom and flexibility in pricing, greater control over product attributes and quality, the ability to fill gaps not filled by national brands, as well as keeping national brands competitively priced.

The Challenges For Each

Many B2b categories were once unsophisticated when it came to branding, especially when compared to packaged goods or categories like electronics. Not anymore. As these marketplaces became more fragmented and the lines between b2b and b2c continue to blur, the response by manufacturers has been an accelerated course in brand architecture.

As a result, today’s manufacturer must deliver brand strategies for multiple channels to compete and survive in the marketplace. This not only increases the opportunities for sales that keep plants competitive, it also ensures against a devastating loss of business in any one area. For example, a manufacturer may have its own brand sold through specialty retail and produce an OEM product line sold under another label (which may or may not be a direct competitor). It may also produce private label product lines for distributors, buying groups and large retailers, and produce commercial or multifamily brands sold through brokers, contractors or direct to national accounts, and developers, etc. Within each of these channels may also come multiple sub-brands and product variations, each targeted for a specific purpose that the manufacturer must orchestrate daily. In every case, to be successful each brand must have product specifications and design portfolios that are unique, well-defined, compelling and fill a gap in the marketplace.

The lesson is that it doesn’t matter to the consumer what the brand strategy happens to be … as long as it’s a good one.

Manufacturer Brand Checklist:

For The Manufacturer

Independence Control own destiny Building own brand Higher margins

For The Retailer

Credibility, prestige Customer loyalty Variety

Private-Label Checklist:

For The Manufacturer

Volume Less support and expense

For The Retailer

Exclusivity Customized to local needs More control, profitability Can’t be comparison-shopped Keeps manufacturer brands competitive

The Blake Project Can Help: Please email us for more about our private label strategy workshops.

Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education

FREE Publications And Resources For Marketers

from WordPress https://glenmenlow.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/how-manufacturer-and-private-label-brands-differ/ via IFTTT

[markjsousa]

How Manufacturer And Private-Label Brands Differ

I am often asked, what are the pros and cons of having your own brand, versus supplying the product for someone else’s brand. As in anything, there are two sides of the coin, but deciding which way to go should never be a coin toss. More often than not, it is not an either/or proposition … it is both.

The world of branding can be divided in roughly two ways: brands that are owned and marketed by the companies who actually produce the products or services, and brands that are owned and marketed by companies who sell these products or services. Because brands are fundamental to how products or services are marketed and sold, understanding the distinctions, implications, advantages and disadvantages for these two branding approaches becomes critical to business strategy—whether you are a manufacturer, a distributor, or a retailer.

Brands that are owned and marketed by producers are commonly referred to as “national brands” or “manufacturer brands.” Owners of these brands cultivate their targeted customer base primarily by means of advertising directly to them. When these brands are marketed correctly, customers will seek them out, thereby forcing their consideration and stocking by the appropriate distribution channels. Manufacturer brands serve the interest of the manufacturer first, and benefit the retailer who carries them, second.

Brands that are owned and marketed by sellers are referred to by various names, such as “private-label,” “store brands,” “proprietary brands,” “owned-brand” and others. Provided the sales volume is sufficient, a private-label strategy can provide the retailer with several advantages unavailable to them by carrying national or manufacturer brands only. In fact, the vast majority of chain retailers, regardless of the category, carry some mix of national brands versus private-label brands (some carry private-label brands exclusively). As you’d expect, private-label brands serve the interest of retailers first, and benefits the manufacturer who produces them, second.

In both cases of manufacturer brands and private-label brands, paid-media (advertising) has been considered the traditional means of generating awareness and demand, but that model is changing rapidly. Traditional advertising media (TV, Print, Radio) now shares that role with so-called non-traditional ad media (digital), as well as influencer and relationship building “owned” social media platforms. So regardless of the brand, be it manufacturer or private-label, it is not enough to be unique and add value versus the competitor. It must also be marketed effectively to succeed.

Any examination of these two variations of brand strategy would be remiss without acknowledging the evolving positive attitude and growing acceptance of private-label brands. Gone are the days when consumers strictly associated private-label brands as something akin to cheap, generic and low quality. For example, in England and Germany (according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association) private-label brands account for almost half of all products sold. Here in the U.S., more ceiling fans are sold under Home Depot’s Hampton Bay label than under the category legend Hunter. Private-label brands can even eclipse the strength of the retailer, as in the case of Kenmore, Craftsman (now sold at Lowe’s) and Die Hard brands brought to us by SEARS.

The changing consumer demographic appears to fuel the benefits of private-label branding, as well. Looking at the shift from Baby Boomers and Gen-X’s to Millennials, Harvard Business Review observed with regard to the “Millennial mindset” that 77% don’t want to buy the brands their parents did and 88% think private-label products are just as good. Let me add an important note here: This is true as long as the private-label brand (and its retail owner) aligns with the Millennial customer’s value system, especially when it comes to issues like sustainability, manufacturing transparency, and social responsibility. The next generation of consumer is just as brand-oriented as the previous, but how it is communicated and identified is the key.

Manufacturer Brand Advantages

Since the manufacturer is building its own brand and customer base, it does so in hopes of leveraging its customer demand into shelf space (or nowadays Amazon orders). As the saying goes, when it comes to market share, nothing succeeds like success. So the cultivated customer loyalty for its brand, stimulated by marketing and cemented by trial and repeat purchase, translates into power and control of  the producers own destiny.

Depending on the product category, the level of advertising support, and the relative popularity of the manufacturer’s brand, the retailer/e-retailer can reap greater credibility, prestige, variety, customer traffic and loyalty as advantages (“I shop there because they carry my favorite brands.”) by stocking and promoting the manufacturer brand themselves.

Private-Label Advantages

The manufacturer gains volume that it might otherwise lack. To operate at peak efficiency, manufacturers need to fill capacity. While margins may be slimmer, supplying product to a dedicated seller eliminates a lot of the headaches and expense that come with self-branding. Such private-labeling relationships may paradoxically spur the development and growth of the manufacturer’s own brand by providing much-needed critical mass of manufacturing capacity and capital.

The retailer, on the other hand, gains exclusivity. This over-arching advantage covers a multitude of competitive concerns. Private-labels are difficult if not impossible to comparison shop, they can be carefully prescribed to meet the retailer’s customer’s unique needs, they can be strategically placed in a brand category architecture to maximize the retailer’s profitability (whether as an entry price-point, or now and more common a super premium, or somewhere in between), and they promote the retailer as a shopping destination by creating their own customer brand loyalty. Other advantages include: differentiation for the retailer in the marketplace, more freedom and flexibility in pricing, greater control over product attributes and quality, the ability to fill gaps not filled by national brands, as well as keeping national brands competitively priced.

The Challenges For Each

Many B2b categories were once unsophisticated when it came to branding, especially when compared to packaged goods or categories like electronics. Not anymore. As these marketplaces became more fragmented and the lines between b2b and b2c continue to blur, the response by manufacturers has been an accelerated course in brand architecture.

As a result, today’s manufacturer must deliver brand strategies for multiple channels to compete and survive in the marketplace. This not only increases the opportunities for sales that keep plants competitive, it also ensures against a devastating loss of business in any one area. For example, a manufacturer may have its own brand sold through specialty retail and produce an OEM product line sold under another label (which may or may not be a direct competitor). It may also produce private label product lines for distributors, buying groups and large retailers, and produce commercial or multifamily brands sold through brokers, contractors or direct to national accounts, and developers, etc. Within each of these channels may also come multiple sub-brands and product variations, each targeted for a specific purpose that the manufacturer must orchestrate daily. In every case, to be successful each brand must have product specifications and design portfolios that are unique, well-defined, compelling and fill a gap in the marketplace.

The lesson is that it doesn’t matter to the consumer what the brand strategy happens to be … as long as it’s a good one.

Manufacturer Brand Checklist:

For The Manufacturer

Independence Control own destiny Building own brand Higher margins

For The Retailer

Credibility, prestige Customer loyalty Variety

Private-Label Checklist:

For The Manufacturer

Volume Less support and expense

For The Retailer

Exclusivity Customized to local needs More control, profitability Can’t be comparison-shopped Keeps manufacturer brands competitive

The Blake Project Can Help: Please email us for more about our private label strategy workshops.

Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education

FREE Publications And Resources For Marketers