Virtual Culture

the new Kyoto When I spent 40 minutes aboard the bullet train bound for Kyoto from Tokyo, an alarming notion popped into my head. “Did I miss Mt. Fuji?” It’s around this time that Mt. Fuji comes into view closely in the bullet train window. Somehow Mt. Fuji is a special mountain for Japanese people. It’s said that seeing the first sunrise of the year from the top of Mt. Fuji brings a happy new year. Many of them want to climb it once during their lifetime. They regard it as something holy and good luck. I myself try to see it every time I take a bullet train to Kyoto, and pray to it...

"Kiss My Fish" is a series of adventures that highlights the hope that is found in chasing God around the world. This collection of stories follows J. Bethany Anderson, missionary nomad, around the globe as she encounters God in new and fresh ways. These stories will make you laugh and pull at your tear ducts all at the same time. True faith is about learning to surrender to the God of adventure!

May Day in Crestview: A Legacy of Resilience, Celebration, and Community In this powerful blend of personal memoir and cultural history, May Day in Crestview invites readers into the heart of a Florida tradition that has shaped generations. Born and raised in Crestview, author [Your Name] weaves together stories of community, celebration, and struggle—anchored by the legacy of the Carver-Hill School and the enduring spirit of May Day in Florida’s Black communities. With reverence and warmth, the author reflects on a childhood shaped by the strength of his mother, Inez Rupert Brown, who ...

They fell in love. Then everything went spectacularly wrong. Juliet Capulet is a razor-witted Insta-poet with a verified checkmark and a million reasons not to fall in love. Romeo Montague is a black-clad podcaster with a tragic backstory, a poetry addiction, and a flair for overreaction. Their families are sworn enemies in a war fought with lawsuits, skincare lines, and social media subtweets. When they meet at a masked influencer party neither was supposed to attend, sparks fly, masks fall, and a secret wedding follows—because what’s Gen Z romance without at least one felony? But in a...

Christian growth in Japan has been slow. This book fills a cultural gap, bridging the messages of Jesus and Paul to our gospel mission in Japan. It is a collection of insights from Japanese literature, the arts, and religion. No other work to date has attempted to include this much information in one book, focusing on Japanese opinions, research and theology. Not only those working in Japan, struggling with language, culture and frustrating questions will benefit from the insights presented here, but also missiologists, theologians and students of cross-cultural evangelism. They will find ...

Are you tired of feeling like you're living in a cultural time loop? Welcome to "Stuck Culture: The Great Stagnation," a riveting exploration of why our society seems frozen in time. Dive into a world where algorithms dictate our tastes, Hollywood churns out endless remakes, and fashion trends from two decades ago dominate our closets. This eye-opening book unravels the complex web of forces keeping us trapped in a nostalgic bubble: • Discover how tech giants and media conglomerates are stifling creativity for profit • Uncover the psychological comfort we find in familiar content—and ...

*** "This is going to be a great series. Wish her antique store really existed." *** This fun series prequel introduces journalist Bonnie Bell and leads into Book 1 of Bonnie Writes The Beatles: Hamburg! What do you get? This book contains three lighthearted, clean, cozy-themed, short stories and other fun activities: Bonnie's Beatles Souvenir Stash Bonnie Bell is the owner of Bellwether's Antiques and Tea Shop in Sunny Drips, Florida. Hidden in her antique store is a secret and personal Beatles museum where she reminisces on her treasures and funny, friendly, full-hearted memories from the...

A timely, thought-provoking, and heart-opening book that reframes the conversation around diversity and inclusion by offering a new vision for creating harmony in the workplace. Featuring inspiring stories from: John Alaimo, Karen Borofski, Claudia Cauterucci, Kristen Crockett, Dianne Eldridge, Quentin Finney, Marcella Gravalese, J.Reggie Hall, Rishi Kumar, Kayleigh O’Keefe, M. Reali-Elliott ~ ~ ~ The word diversity has become a loaded term in American corporate culture. Worse still, much of our current culture seeks to blame, shame, and silence individuals who genuinely want to engage ...

Suzanna Steam is a sexy and entirely enigmatic figure... After seeing her on campus, Trent will stop at nothing to find her, even if it means leaving the planet! Sometimes a person sees that perfect, special something and it's love or at least lust at first sight. For Trent, that special person is Suzanna Steam. If you think stalking someone online is committment, think again. Trent finally tracks the elusive steampunk beauty down on another planet; Terbia, where the Lentency tables are hot and the local girls are even hotter! It wasn't his fault he accidentally fell in love with a member ...

★★★MOST ANTICIPATED SEQUEL TO ELEVEN RULES***♥♥♥ Sunny works three jobs in Samoa, just to pay the bills. The release of the diet pill explodes, and the world can’t get enough of the ‘eat without consequence’ product. One man, Laurence Williams, sees the writing on the wall, but his predictions are regarded as doomsday conspiracies. He wants the world to know the danger to come, but more than that, he wants Sunny to give up pining for a man she can never have and let him love her. Sunny can’t get closure until she has all the answers. Mataio isn’t talking. Why? Laurence...

Why do some companies always get great people? What strategies will work to attract the next generation of top talent? Why do some employees get lazy on day 91, while others continually raise the bar? How do I know if my new hire will work well with our culture? Every business has a financial plan; most companies have an operational plan; few have a people plan. The most significant expense on most income statements is people, and it often gets the least attention. If you are struggling to get everyone rowing in the same direction, to help you turn your business strategy into business ...

There are as many twists and turns in this novel as the roads in Smicksburg, PA! Gracie Hershberger's dear mom passed on to Glory, giving her time to court her beau, Silas Miller. However, her brother from Smicksburg needs her due to a family emergency. When Gracie meets Leander Yoder, she compares him to Silas a bit too much, and her beau doesn't measure up. Actually, Gracie’s never met an Amish man who she’d been taken with so quickly. Leander has a port wine stain birthmark on his face. Gracie's beauty astounds him, but he can hardly believe she'd consider him marriage material. Deep...

Discover the timeless wisdom of ancient China with "Pathways to Chinese Wisdom: Confucius and Zhuangzi." This captivating volume combines "Confucianism for Beginners" and "Zhuangzi for Beginners," offering an engaging and enlightening journey into the philosophies that have shaped Chinese culture and thought for centuries. Intrigue and Captivate: Step into the world of Confucius, where ethics, harmony, and social order take center stage. Contrast this with the fascinating realm of Zhuangzi, where freedom, spontaneity, and the mysterious Dao challenge conventional wisdom. Educate and ...

Ghosts, demons, and more monsters. In a world where so many dark things go bump in the night, terror awaits around every corner as these authors take horror stories to the next level. Discover ghosts, demons, and your worst nightmares. Read at your own risk. Featuring 22 stories by the following 20 authors: Natalya Monyok, Trisha Slay, Michael Raff, John S. Aissis, Katie Jordan, Toni Mobley, Justin Rulton, Barend Nieuwstraten III, J.E. Cearlock, Gregory Scott Matics, Elizabeth Stanley, Melody Alice, E.B. Hunter, Warren Benedetto, Karin Becht, Kelly Piner, Charles Kyffhausen, John W. Salvage...

A Culinary Journey Through History The Celebrity Cookbook explores the truly important question: What on earth did famous people eat? Part cookbook, part comedy, part historical expedition gone slightly off course, this book is your guide to the favourite meals and drinks of emperors, rock stars, poets, pirates, and philosophers—some of whom really should have seen a nutritionist. The Celebrity Cookbook is a no-nonsense, laugh-out-loud collection of the actual (and occasionally ridiculous) favourite meals and drinks of the world’s most famous people—alive, dead, or somewhere in ...

Unlock the secrets to seamless travel experiences with "Tips for Tipping," the definitive guide to mastering gratuity etiquette at all-inclusive resorts worldwide. Navigate the complex world of tipping with ease, whether you’re exploring the sun-kissed beaches of the Caribbean, the cultural heartbeats of Mexico, the historic landscapes of Europe, or the vibrant havens of Southeast Asia. Begin your journey with an insightful overview of the all-inclusive concept, where you'll discover the unique amenities and services that demand your attention—and generosity. Dive deep into the cultural...

She's looking for solace. He's asked her out before, but never followed through. Can Cami and Clay find time for their second chance romance now? Cami Quinn has had enough of being the shiny new date for the cowboys in Quinn Valley. She's on her fifth or sixth broken heart, and she needs the soothing, healing messages she's found at the fall fireside series in the past. When she arrives at the first one, there aren't any seats—except by the handsome Clay Martin, a cowboy who's asked her out before and never followed through. She wasn't going to say yes to the next man who asked her out. ...

Kassidy Nkosa pulled herself up from her bushman roots with the determination her Gerrman mother gave her. No stopping her in anything she tries. As a successful paleoanthropologist, she is fascinated by bones. Old ones. But to find the holy grail, she will have to descend into some of the darkest, most dangerous places in the South African volcanic shield fields. Luckily, she finds just the right partner, a chance to learn about love and life, and have an expert along for the thrills and chills. Follow Kassidy along as she learns to live, and more important for a logical scientist, she ...

These are the strangest of days. We live in a time in which ending our species in our lifetime, even eliminating all life on this planet, are very real possibilities. The awareness of this acceleration toward an “end of days”—while so horrifying we hardly speak it—hangs over us and affects us in ways singular and fantastic. Apocalypse NO, Apocalypse or Earth Rebirth and the Emerging Perinatal Unconscious awakens us to the unconscious influences erupting into our world which are changing the Earth and us in radical ways. Herein is revealed the underbelly of our modern life and the ...

Retired New York attorney Mick Holland rents a house in Las Vegas next door to a devout Muslim family. Acrimony soon results as their cultural differences clash. Later, while volunteering at a legal clinic, Mick discovers that Muslims are being forced out of their rentals in alarming numbers using "no cause evictions". When he proposes a practical solution to the Muslim community, he is vilified as a bigot and called Satan's spawn. Is it possible for American society and traditional Muslim culture to coexist peacefully? ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Donald W. Desaulniers is a retired Canadian lawyer ...