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This was especially true for the incredible blind black pianists that flourished from the mid-1800s onward. Though unable to see, their sheer talent and determination allowed them to make groundbreaking contributions across musical genres like jazz, blues, R&B, gospel and more. In this article, we tell the story of 6 the most influential blind African-American pianists who shattered limitations to leave an indelible mark on music. Discover how they developed their prodigious abilities and pioneered new styles despite the twin barriers of blindness and racism.

On March 11, 2011, Japan experienced the strongest earthquake in its recorded history, and the 4th most powerful earthquake ever recorded on planet earth. A magnitude 9.0 quake, it lasted for 6 minutes and had an epicenter 72 kilometers east of the Oshika Peninsula of Tohoku. It immediately triggered a tsunami, and residents of Sendai had eight minutes of warning to evacuate the area. The ensuing waves claimed the lives of 15,000 people, and hundreds of evacuation sites were washed away in the chaos.

Fun Fact: Ever wondered what the biggest-selling vinyl record of this century is? Here's a hint: It's not a Taylor Swift album. While T. Swift dominates the charts today, it's Fleetwood Mac's Rumours that reigns supreme. Released in 1977, this legendary album has sold over 40 million copies, with a notable resurgence in vinyl sales exceeding 280,000 units since 2000. Following closely behind are Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Nirvana's Nevermind.

Art is a reflection of the culture, history, and expressions of the societies that create them. With African visual art becoming mainstream in recent years, there has been a remarkable surge in the monetary value of these pieces. Today, collectors and enthusiasts alike recognise the continent’s rich and diverse artistic heritage and desire to have more contemporary African pieces in their collections. In today’s digest, we will be exploring 6 of the most expensive African artworks ever sold in the last decade.

I first met Lauren Iungerich because I had a meeting at MTV in 2012, and they told me that they wanted to make more shows like their breakout hit, Awkward. (They were lying). So, I started watching Awkward., and I was won over by how funny and how charming it was, and how fearless it was in going surprisingly deep on the emotions of the teen characters. I’m pretty sure I stalked her on Facebook and then created a panel around her called “Why Aren’t More People Talking About These Awesome Shows?

Are you sick of me telling you that the guests we have for these Q&As are the nicest and more talented writers I know? Well too bad, because they all are. I’ve been lucky enough to meet and befriend so many ridiculously talented but also unbelievably kind people in my years in this business. Patrick Schumacker and his writing partner Justin Halpern (whose 6 Answers you’ll read next week) are no exception.

Last week, Fauci testified before a special House subcommittee. While the subcommittee’s main focus was Covid-19 origins, other topics snuck in, including the 6-foot social distancing policy during the pandemic. This was a key measure taken to slow down spread, including at schools, businesses, and places of worship. A level-headed evaluation of decisions and policies made during the pandemic is helpful and needed, but that’s not at all what happened here.

This gentleman has shaped the way I think about consulting, client-services, and my craft. If you look on the bookshelves of senior partners at law firms, accounting firms, consultancies, they have multiple books by David Maister.  Recently, I took down this “oldie-goldie” from my bookshelf and found 60 quotes that encapsulate so much about this craft.  All the content in blue color are direct quotes from True Professionalism, Maister 1997 (affiliate link).

LONGI Green Energy Technology is a Chinese company that produces and develops solar energy products and solutions. It is one of the world’s leading suppliers of solar modules and wafers, and also operates solar power projects. It has a mission of “To make the best of solar energy to build a green world” and a vision of providing “Green Power + Green Hydrogen” solutions for global zero-carbon development. It has a strong focus on innovation and sustainability and has broken the photovoltaic cell conversion efficiency record 14 times in a row since 2021.