The kitchen is on fire. Welcome to the final part of the Vapiano story where the tables are turning. In the first two episodes we followed Mark Korzilius' journey from setbacks to founding Vapiano, a groundbreaking restaurant concept, highlighting its fresh ingredients, dynamic atmosphere, and data-driven operations that drove rapid success. While achieving initial profitability and garnering attention from industry giants like McDonald's, Vapiano's global expansion has led to stellar revenue growth. However, it has also resulted in the emergence of numerous side projects (or distractions), operational challenges, increased costs, significant investments, and a notable accumulation of debt. This underscores the prioritization of top-line growth over profitable growth. We will continue on this thread and see how the story ends, but I would encourage you to read part one and two for better context. Vapiano P1: Italian Food Made in Germany (substack.com). Let's dig in.
Before Going Public
We are now in 2015 and the year is a disaster for Vapiano's PR department. Employee time stamps are being manipulated, endless overtime for employees and high turnover in managerial roles are reported; mice in the kitchen and even rotten food allegedly found.
The company is confronted with allegations of exceeding working hours among trainees in an article published by Welt am Sonntag, while the same outlet accuses Vapiano of manipulating punch times. The auditing firm PwC is commissioned to investigate the allegations and finds that there is no systematic approach but rather misconduct by individual employees, a mistake that’s being corrected. Internal however, investigations into stamp times are carried out regularly now and beyond its obvious reputational impact, this sucks up valuable management time and attention.
In the summer of 2015 CEO, co-founder and investor Gregor Gerlach, who has been running the group since 2011 is stepping down and Jochen Halfmann is taking over. A new Vapiano People Program with an App is being developed with the aim to better interact with customers that will incorporate innovate features such as mobile pay. The German website sees a launch of new magazine to further promote the brand and there is now a full inhouse blogger and Instagram team being installed. In October the company buys seven restaurants from original co-founder, former co-investor and ex-president previously responsible for internation expansion Kent Hahne (2x Bonn, 3x Cologne, 1x Koblenz and one in Cologne that’s under construction). This package of Vapiano restaurants is very successful and generates net sales of more than 20 million euros in 2014. Hahne opened his first Vapiano restaurant in Cologne in August 2006 and in 2015 with his company apeiron AG, Hahne operates six L'Osteria franchise restaurants, a direct Vapiano competitor, and two self-owned restaurants GinYuu.
Then in November of 2015, the next public relations bomb goes off with allegations regarding the company's quality standards. The company immediately investigates the issue through internal and external specialists but finds no evidence of any quality issues. Nevertheless, knowing that the group is now being closely watched, the company’s already in place hygiene standards are being reinforced. Additional audits and inspections are performed nationally. Further, all Vapianos worldwide are being audited twice by the partners SGS Institut Fresenius and SAI Global. Auditing software is purchased to simplify the implementation of the audits and the resulting measures. Apart from the external examinations, there is a food sampling plan in place being performed continuously. Again, all of this sucks up costs, management time and attention. With all these tumultuous developments the company’s growth engine is undeterred. Revenue grows by a whopping 50 million euros to 202 million euros, an increase of 33%. Impressive. While average spent per customer increases in all countries, the number of customers per day in Germany decreases by 3.3% partially due to the negative press towards the end of the year. Five own, four JV and 19 new franchise restaurants are added that year to the group, the total number of own managed restaurants grows to 51, there are 31 JVs and 84 franchises which bringing the total to 166 Vapiano restaurants. Global restaurant sales are now above 400 million euros.
But while revenue grows by an astronomical 50 million euros, operating profits, alarmingly, shrink again. Gross margins are staying perfectly healthy above 75% but operating costs keep growing disproportionately fast. The Company’s outstanding debt jumps by almost 30 million, close to 85 million euros by the end of the year. With operating profits at 9.5 million euros, alarm bells should be going off right now.
In Q4 of 2015, new CEO Jochen Halfmann introduces Strategy 2020. The new strategy includes five essential points. One, profitable growth in the newly defined core markets of Germany and Austria as well as in the UK, Netherlands, France and USA. Two, operational excellence through strict “best practice” management. Three, further development and digitalization of the concept considering guest feedback. Four, greater focus on long-term employee retention and five, building a modern and sustainable IT landscape. Sound’s good on paper but let’s see how things pan out.
Vapiano's investments (capital expenditures) that year are primarily directed towards new restaurant openings, renovations of existing establishments, and share acquisitions in other Vapiano restaurants from franchisees or JV partners. A significant portion of funds is allocated to the digitalization of the guest experience, including the development of a new app scheduled for market release in 2016 and the implementation of a time recording system across all group restaurants. The world's first standalone Vapiano restaurant with a delivery service that year is built in Fürth, Germany. The company keeps expanding its presence in both inner-city locations and international markets, such as Shanghai, China.
To finance all of this, the group has its own operating cash flow which comes in at 18 million while capital expenditures are 26 million euros plus 14 million for acquisitions. The funding gab is filled with 26 million euros of new debt and a seven-million-euro equity raise. At that end of the year and after the equity raise Gregor Gerlach (through his AP Leipzig GmbH & Co. KG entity) holds 30.1%, Hans-Joachim and Gisa Sander through their Exchange Bio GmbH hold 25.5% and the Tchibo heirs, Herz through their Mayfair Beteiligungsfonds II GmbH & Co. KG hold 44,4%.
But for the first time the restaurant’s concept that was so successful to date is being questioned. Some customers are starting to mislike the operational flow of the concept itself. If you want pasta, you must queue for pasta. If you want pizza you stand in a different queue. A small side salad, yet another queue. "You spend more time carrying trays than an actress in Berlin-Mitte. The audience in the pasta limbo can only consist of people who have worked for an insurance company for a long time and, like Stockholm syndrome, they can no longer get away from the industrial canteen feeling," writes TV host Beisenherz provocatively. While overly harsh in his assessment he's not entirely wrong judging by customers venting their frustrations in forums and social media channels. It isn’t uncommon for those who ordered pizza to have already finished eating while there is little movement in the pasta queue. Long term that doesn't go down well, QSRs competitors like L’Osteria are handling this process differently, with much success.
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Tipping Point

Where are now in the year 2016 and things start to deteriorate visibility. Perhaps not for the leman’s eye but any business minded observer can see that there are problems under the hood. Yes, revenue grows yet another whopping 50 million to almost 250 million euros but half of that growth, comes from acquisitions of restaurants that the group didn’t already own 100%, which is now being fully consolidated within the group’s accounts. Here is a concrete example. In the past, Vapiano SE, the group’s top holding company held an indirect 50% stake in a French subgroup via the subsidiary VAP Restaurants SA, based in Luxembourg, and included this as an associated company in the Vapiano SE consolidated financial statements using the equity method. Due to the acquisition of additional shares in September of 2016, Vapiano SE's indirect share in the French subgroup increased to 75%. This means that Vapiano SE takes control of the French subgroup, which is therefore included in the group’s financial statements as part of the full consolidation. The revenue from the acquired subsidiary now recorded in the consolidated income statement amounts to 12.8 million euros. While that’s great for the top line, the loss of the fully consolidated entity equates to 0.2 million euros. Yes, you are buying revenue, but there are losses attached to them, not profits. A similar case is the Swedish entity that runs eight restaurants with revenue of 11.5 million euros but has losses of 235 thousand euros. So much for Strategy 2020 and “profitable” growth.
That year the group’s operating profits are absolutely tanking, halving to 3.5 million euros. Operating profits are now a mere 1,4% of revenue. Remember original founder Mark Korzilius who talked about operating margins of 25% to 28% at the restaurant level? Yes, there are overhead costs for the organization that sits above the chain of restaurants, but operating margins that low indicates a course correction is needed. What’s telling is that in the annual report, in the management discussion section, the company starts talking about EBITDA as a proxy measure of profitability, rather than operating profit or net income. This wasn’t the case in the years before. Is this window dressing for an upcoming IPO? EBITDA is short for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization. How can you measure profitability of a restaurant chain that absolutely and unequivocally needs capital investment to maintain its restaurant operations, the very source of cash generation, by simply excluding this maintenance charge (depreciation in the income statement)? Vapiano’s own annual report talks about the fact that existing restaurants must be rejuvenated from time to time and that new interior designs have to be implemented every few years. These things wear and tear, they go out of style, kitchen equipment breaks and needs replacement. This business absolutely needs maintenance capital expenditure, why anyone talks of profits before these maintenance costs is beyond me. Fun fact: in the previous annual report EBITDA is mentioned seven times, mostly around restaurant acquisitions and financing, not however as a profit indication for the group. In the new annual report, EBITDA is mentioned 28 times. Maybe it’s just me but belated Charlie Munger liked to call EBITDA: bullsh*t earnings. When in doubt I stick with Charlie. Interestingly, EBITDA for Vapiano keeps growing while operating and net profits keep falling.
Operating cashflow for the group that year is about 21 million euros, but capital expenditure is 30 million and acquisitions for subsidiaries another 20 million. To finance these expenditures another 28 million euros of debt and 16 million of equity is raised. Net debt rises above 130 million euro. The operating cashflow of the group before any capital expenditures is 21 million euros. I am not sure free cash flow would be significantly positive after maintenance capex is paid out; it’s not broken out so we can’t be sure. Granted, I am not on the ground during this time, and I am not in the board room, I am simply reading what’s in front of me, but to me this is starting to look like a distressed situation. Regardless, the following year the company goes public.

IPO

Where are now in the year 2017 and its Vapiano’s first year as public company. The company’s annual report reads the following “Sales revenue, like-for-like growth (LfL) and the earnings figures EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are used as the most important financial performance indicators for controlling operational business activities.” The very same report however also says: “The majority of the group's investments regularly go towards opening new restaurant locations and modernizing existing restaurants. The latter are differentiated into regular replacement investments that occur during ongoing operations (Maintenance CAPEX) and fundamental investments in the renovation of a restaurant (Remodeling CAPEX). On average, a restaurant remodeling takes place nine years after opening.” It says it right there in their own report; every nine years a remodeling is taking place. Remodeling and updating is not cost free, so why exclude depreciation charges which reflect capital expenditures? I understand that perhaps you would want to strip out one-off opening costs, that’s fine and fair, but don’t go overboard.
The number of restaurants increases by 26 (previous year: 13) to a total of 205. The increase consists of 27 new openings and one closure. Group revenue grows to an astonishing 325 million euros but here comes the shocker, operating profits turn negative to 25 million. Fine, strip out foreign exchange losses of 3 million, IPO costs of 5.8 million and new opening costs of 6.1 million and you still have 10 million euros of operational losses. All the while the debt load of almost 130 million hasn’t materially changed, so those operating losses are before a six-million-euro interest payment. 184 million euros are raised through the IPO of which 85 million go to the company. This money is earmarked for further expansion as the group has ambitions to almost double the footprint to 330 restaurants by the end of 2020. The company is currently not profitable on an operating basis, and still wants to expand aggressively? I don’t get it. The remaining 100 million euros of the IPO money raised is distributed to co-founder Gregor Gerlach and Wella heirs Hans-Joachim and Gisa Sander. The family office of the former Tchibo owners Günter and Daniela Herz with a 44% stake, don’t sell a single share. After the IPO, 32% of all the company’s shares are now in free float.
One year later, in 2018, things get even worse. Revenue grows to 371 million, but operating losses mount to 85 million euros, that’s before interest expenses of 9 million. Even the beloved EBITDA figure turns negative, meaning the operating business before any expansionary or even maintenance capital expenditures is loss making. All regions are experiencing significant deterioration in their earnings profiles. Like for like sales are down 1% across the board. That’s revenue, not profitability. The question naturally arises: is the Group approaching its natural saturation point here or this operational by nature? The operating cash flow is now 9 million while financing cost are close to 7 million. That leaves 2 million for maintenance capital for 74 own restaurants and 76 joint ventures ones. Describing this as financially tight, would be an understatement.
Things are not looking good at this point. Yet the company still grows restaurants by 26 new sites. 64 million euros are spent on acquisitions, new openings, and maintenance costs, financed through a 20 million-euro equity raise and 72 million of new debt. The Company now has net debt outstanding of over 160 million euros. After the equity raise and by the end of the year 2018, Mayfair owns 47.4%, VAP Leipzig, Gregor Gerlach’s entity owns 18.9% and the Sander couple own 15.5% of the company. Yes, the Sanders and Gerlach may have taken 100 million euros off the table, but they still have substantial skin in the game. Plus, Mayfair hasn’t sold a single share and instead injects more money into the company through the equity round. The stock has now fallen from its IPO price of 23 euros per share to under 6 euros by the end of 2018. Something must be done here. And indeed, there is pivot in strategy and a hard push for change. At last, the management team abandons its aggressive growth plan and curtails new openings significantly. Additionally, the team wants to run a thorough analysis of weak locations to then either discontinue or sell sites. In Europe, the operating focus will be put on corporate restaurants and joint ventures in major cities to ensure the ideal size and location to match the respective demographic target group. Outside of Europe, the franchising business is being expanded and at the same time a consolidation of the existing corporate and joint venture markets is being sought. All future investments will be reviewed to achieve higher rates of returns on new openings. Investments are also being made in the renovation of older restaurants. The goal in the future is to also open smaller formats, like Mini-Vapianos (less than 400 square meters) or Freestander at prominent transportation hubs outside city centers (currently in Fürth and Toulouse) to cater to individual location requirements, and to enter new partnerships. I am not sure why management hasn’t stopped all expansion altogether, bringing the ship in order first, getting profitable, clean up, all hands-on deck before considering any further expansions whatsoever. But again, it’s easy to comment from the sidelines; maybe they saw white spaces that would be covered by competing concepts if they weren’t moving fast and aggressively enough. Although pushing internationally means competing with local players such as Jamie's Italian, Prezzo, Pizza Express, Wagamama, Nando's and many more which brings in its own dynamic.
Management also aims to enhance guest satisfaction. This involves refining operational processes, reorganizing the support center, and refocusing on the core offering: providing fresh and high-quality Italian food at affordable prices for a broad audience. The group also aims to reduce waiting times, especially during lunch, while also improving the evening atmosphere. There is even what I would call an evolution, away from Vapiano’s original concept, reorientating the customer journey. The ordering flow is being changed, offering guests synchronized preparations of all dishes while eliminating wait times at the cooking stations. The open show kitchen remains, staying true to original mantra of freshness and transparency but now guests can choose their preferred method of ordering through a mobile app, using a digital order point (kiosk), or by personally placing an order with a waiter. Guests can still freely choose their table and are then informed about the complete preparation of their order through a pager or their smartphone. This is a substantial deviation from the original concept, but a needed one. The group is also exploring and implementing the expansion of take-away and home delivery services but only at suitable locations, not universally across new openings. I am not sure why home delivery is even a priority here; it adds operational complexity. It’s better to clean up shop first and get back to the basics before adding new complexities. To be fair management does try to simplify. There are 49 different permanent dishes on the menu and additional 10 seasonal ones. Customers can choose from eleven different types of pasta. There is simply too much choice, and it makes orders complicated. The company announced to slim the menu down to its most popular and typical Vapiano dishes. There’s no need for an Asian salad at an Italian restaurant. "We have to go back to the roots, i.e. classic, honest Italian cuisine" says COO Everke. Regardless, in November of 2018, the supervisory board pulls the plug on CEO Jochen Halfmann and replaces him with Cornelius Everke. Everke himself has just become COO five months ago. Since 2017 he was responsible for international expansion. From 2011 to 2017 that role was filled by Mario Bauer – put a pin in that name, he’ll play a key role in the groups fate later. Then nine months later, in the middle of 2019, Cornelius Everke quits. He essentially concludes that his skillset and experience in the areas of internation expansion is no longer needed in the foreseeable future. To put it differently: Vapiano has moved from a growth story and has become a restructuring case, and other skills are required for that job. In June of 2019 Everke says the following “(we’ve) made a bit of a mistake when it came to foreign expansion”. No sh#t. Vapiano postpones the presentation of the 2018 annual financial statements three times in the spring of 2019, citing negotiations over an urgently needed loan of 30 million euros. It’s not until the end of May that a binding loan commitment comes through from the financing banks and major shareholders.
We are now in August of 2019 and the corona pandemic is just around the corner. Supervisory board chief Vanessa Hall takes over as interim-CEO and things are unravelling. Visitor numbers are declining; originally, it was planned to sell the US business but halfway through the year the buyer cannot come up with the money. But not all restaurants are performing poorly. The group's poor figures contrast starkly as an example with the experiences of the Swiss-German franchisee, who runs six restaurants. The Sodano family in Switzerland pays Vapiano a royalty of 6% of sales for the use of the brand. Enrico Sodano explains in an interview that they operate largely autonomously from the licensor. If an “accident” were to occur, he could immediately replace the Vapiano sign with Sodano, he says. The family concluded the rents and contracts with employees and suppliers independently. The Sodano family have six locations in Bern, Basel and Zurich, around one million guests every year and 350 employees. Things are going well on the ground. The delivery service they’ve built is offering them a second income stream. Expansion into Winterthur, St. Gallen and Lucerne are being planned; small locations with 150 to 250 square meters and an attached delivery service. Originally, Vapiano restaurants used to be huge but for such a large restaurant to be profitable, 800 to 1,000 guests per day are needed. That’s possible in medium-sized cities, but not in smaller towns which is why the Vapiano group now also supports smaller formats. Back to our corporate drama. The 2019 annual report would be the last report the group files. By the end 2019 the outstanding debt of the company is at an astronomical 450 million euros. Revenue has grown by another 7%, produced by four net new openings through two JVs and two franchise restaurants but operating losses come in at 317 million euros. That sound like an absolute shocker at first but depreciation and amortization charges are 345 million, so that operating cash flow is actually positive but unfortunately capital expenditures and interest payments are so large that they are eating up all of the company’s operating cash flow. Then in the beginning of 2020 Corona hits with full force and the world shuts down. As a result of the measures to prevent further spreading of the virus, the group is forced to cease all global business operations (except in Sweden). While all these shutdowns are happening, the group is the middle of negotiating with its lending banks and main shareholders. There are additional financing needs for restructuring measures, even without a pandemic happening in the background. The situation is so dire that the company starts pleading to the German government to roll out the package of financial help more quickly. Unfortunately, it’s to no end. The rapid closure of restaurants and the resulting lack of operating cash inflows in conjunction with the additional financing requirements, lead to the company’s final knockout punch. In April of 2020, the Vapiano group officially files for insolvency proceedings. The end of an era.

New Beginnings

Because of the pandemic, the majority of the group's subsidiaries in Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, the United States, Sweden, and China also file for insolvency or seek liquidation. The US business never gets sold in the end and is wound down. In the summer of 2020, significant group divestments occur, including the sale of 75% shares in the group's French subsidiaries, shares in franchisor companies, Australian subsidiaries, German subsidiaries, associated companies, self-managed restaurants in Germany, and insolvency-related sales in the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Sweden. The buyer of the Vapiano brand and one of these bundles of Vapiano restaurants is company named Love & Food Restaurant Holding, a consortium led by Mario C. Bauer – a name I told you to remember. Bauer was a former Vapiano board member and led the national and international expansion, opening 200 sites in 33 countries from 2011 to 2017 until he was succeeded by Cornelius Everke. Bauer didn’t feel comfortable with the IPO at the time but clearly has a lot of managerial and entrepreneurial talent.
The buyer consortium is an absolute A-Team comprised of European QSR top league hitters, including the founder of the Pret A Manger chain Sinclair Beecham; Henry McGovern, the founder and Ex-CEO of the giant international restaurant and foodservice operator AmRest; the Van der Valk Family that runs hotels and Vapiano restaurants in the Netherlands, and co-founder and ex-CEO Gregor Gerlach. The acquisition value is 15 million euros and entails 30 Vapiano restaurants in Germany, albeit that’s just the purchase price which comes on top of any capital investment needed to refresh and return the sites to its former glory. Nevertheless, just as a thought experiment, if you can get each site to 2 million euros of revenue and 400,000 euros in operating profit on average, which wouldn’t be an overly aggressively assumption given the company’s history, you’ve got yourself a package that can deliver restaurant-level operating profits of 12 million euros or more. It’s not disclosed how much capex was needed to refresh the operations, just that fact that the overall investment plus purchase price was a middle double-digit million-euro figure. Stil, it probably was a decent purchase. The same consortium buys Vapiano’s French business for 25 million euros just two weeks prior. After the transaction concludes, the master franchise is given to Delf Neumann and his Gastro & Soul GmbH. Neumann is an experienced operator, and he is ambitious to revitalise the brand with new services and products. For example, instead of pizza, the restaurants will be serving pinsa - a flatbread made from sourdough, wheat and rice flour, topped similarly to a pizza. It targets a more health-oriented customer base looking for a less calory heavy option. The menu overall is expanded by including a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes.
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Today Neumann’s Gastro & Soul GmbH operates 18 Vapianos on its own account and has 29 franchise sites, amongst other brands. By the year 2021, Vapiano operates 191 restaurants in 34 countries. This is around 50 fewer sites than before the bankruptcy. The number of branches is particularly thinned out in Germany – from 80 to 55. Nevertheless, Vapiano's home country remains by far the largest market, followed by France with 35 restaurants and Austria with 15 locations. “We have shrunk ourselves to health,” says Bauer in the aftermath and there is no further shrinking planned. Quite the opposite, the smell of expansion is in the air again – pun intended. Not as aggressively as before and with a new menu and ordering process.
Overall, the team around Bauer is filled with industry experts with knowledge and networks gained over decades who have a great track record, a long-term view, and the staying power to let Vapiano breath and finds its way back to success. The pressure of being a public company with all the associated quarterly, half-year and yearly disincentives have been removed. The menu is changed and extended with new types of pasta and sauces with significantly more vegetarian and vegan dishes available. Guests can order with restaurant staff, at terminals or on their phones and there are barcodes attached to the tables identify the respective seat. The food is brought to your table, all at the same time if you are in a group, no more annoyances with waiting in line. There is a plan for smaller, 350 square meter locations, with half the number of guests and significantly fewer staff and less set-up costs required to make the economics work. Locations that capitalize on remote work and increased demand for local lunch options, higher population density with shorter delivery routes and therefore cost-effective in house delivery services are targeted. And Bauer is testing the concept of ghost kitchens, which operate without a dining room or service staff, focusing solely on preparing food for delivery services, which for obvious reasons have a very different operational set up and footprint. Original founder Mark Korzilius however is not entirely convinced. He is not a fan of the pinsa for instance and he considers Vapiano's pizza as its cash cow, flagship product and believes that the core Vapiano proposition of Pizza, Pasta, Bar that has given the company its original success is being diluted. He instead admires the competitor L'Osteria, saying they’ve done a better job by focusing on Italian classics, especially the impressively large pizzas that sticks out beyond the plate is leaving every customer in awe. The guys who run L’Osteria are the same guys who have built Vapiano with him in the first place. Bauer on the other hand, like a true business leader, remains undeterred, stating that he is frequently asked whether Vapiano's restart was bold or foolish. He believes in entrepreneurship, franchising, in his experienced fellow partners and importantly the Vapiano concept. By the year 2024 you can find over 140 Vapiano branded restaurant in 27 countries across the globe, including locations far away from its birthplace like Australia, USA, Columbia, Chile, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. And why not? Italian food is, and will remain to be, incredibly popular. Vapiano offers fresh and tasty food at affordable prices in a good atmosphere. This combination of attributes should attract a lot of customers. It certainly has in the past.
For more stories: WIP Thomas Weitzendoerfer Substack

Cement Market
According to the report by Expert Market Research (EMR), the global cement market size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% between 2024 and 2032. Aided by the increasing demand for infrastructure development and urbanization across the globe, as well as the material's diversified applications in various construction projects, the market is expected to grow significantly by 2032.
Cement is a crucial construction material, widely used for its properties such as strength, durability, and versatility. It is essential for the construction of buildings, bridges, roads, and other infrastructure projects. The growing need for residential, commercial, and industrial infrastructure due to rapid urbanization and population growth is a primary driver of the cement market. Additionally, the expansion of the real estate sector and the increasing number of smart city projects are further propelling market growth.
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The infrastructure boom in emerging economies is a significant contributor to the cement market expansion. Governments in countries like China, India, and Brazil are heavily investing in infrastructure development, including highways, airports, and urban transit systems, which in turn boosts the demand for cement. Furthermore, the global trend towards sustainable construction and the development of eco-friendly cement variants are creating new opportunities in the market.
Technological advancements in cement production processes and the adoption of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturing practices are also driving market growth. Innovations such as low-carbon and green cement are gaining traction, aligning with global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and environmental impact.
Read Full Report with Table of Contents: https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/cement-market

Market Segmentation

The market can be divided based on product type, application, and region.
Market Breakup by Product Type

• Portland Cement: The most common type, used in general construction.
• Blended Cement: Includes fly ash, slag, and other additives to enhance properties.
• Specialty Cement: Includes oil well cement, white cement, and others, catering to specific applications.

Market Breakup by Application

• Residential Construction: Includes housing projects, apartments, and other residential buildings.
• Commercial Construction: Includes office buildings, shopping malls, and other commercial infrastructure.
• Industrial Construction: Includes factories, warehouses, and other industrial facilities.
• Infrastructure: Includes roads, bridges, airports, and other public infrastructure projects.

Market Breakup by Region

• North America: Focus on renovation and rebuilding aging infrastructure.
• Europe: Emphasis on sustainable construction and green building initiatives.
• Asia Pacific: Rapid urbanization and infrastructure development in emerging economies.
• Latin America: Growing construction sector supported by government investments.
• Middle East and Africa: Significant infrastructure projects driven by economic diversification efforts.

Competitive Landscape

The EMR report looks into the market shares, capacities, investments, and mergers and acquisitions, among other major developments, of the leading companies operating in the global cement market. Some of the major players explored in the report by Expert Market Research are as follows:

• Holcim Limited
• China National Building Material Group Co., Ltd.
• Ultratech Cement Limited
• Grasim Industries Limited
• HeidelbergCement AG
• The Siam Cement Group
• Shree Cement Limited
• CRH plc
• CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V.
• Adani Group
• Buzzi Unicem SpA
• Titan Cement International SA
• Others

Drivers and Challenges

Key Drivers

• Infrastructure Development: The global push for infrastructure projects, particularly in emerging economies, is a major driver of the cement market. Large-scale projects such as highways, bridges, and urban transit systems require significant quantities of cement.
• Urbanization: Rapid urbanization, especially in Asia and Africa, is boosting the demand for residential and commercial construction, thereby driving the need for cement.
• Sustainability Initiatives: The development and adoption of eco-friendly cement variants, such as low-carbon and green cement, are aligning with global sustainability goals, creating new market opportunities.
• Technological Advancements: Innovations in cement production technologies, including the use of alternative raw materials and energy-efficient manufacturing processes, are enhancing product quality and reducing environmental impact.

Key Challenges

• Environmental Concerns: The cement industry is one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions. Addressing environmental concerns and adhering to stringent regulations is a significant challenge for manufacturers.
• Raw Material Availability: The availability and cost of raw materials, such as limestone and clay, can impact production and pricing dynamics.
• Economic Volatility: Fluctuations in economic conditions, including interest rates and government spending on infrastructure, can influence market demand.
• Technological Barriers: While advancements in technology are beneficial, the high cost of adopting new technologies and the need for skilled labor can be barriers for some manufacturers.

Emerging Trends

Sustainable and Green Cement
The growing emphasis on sustainability is driving the demand for green and eco-friendly cement. Manufacturers are focusing on developing low-carbon cement variants and incorporating recycled materials to reduce the environmental impact of cement production. This trend is expected to gain momentum, supported by stringent environmental regulations and increasing consumer awareness.
Digitalization and Smart Manufacturing
The adoption of digital technologies and smart manufacturing practices is transforming the cement industry. Technologies such as IoT, AI, and big data are being used to optimize production processes, enhance product quality, and improve operational efficiency. These advancements are expected to drive innovation and competitiveness in the market.
Modular and Prefabricated Construction
The rise of modular and prefabricated construction methods is creating new opportunities for the cement market. These construction techniques require high-quality, consistent cement products that can be manufactured off-site and transported to the construction site. The demand for such construction methods is increasing due to their efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reduced environmental impact.
Infrastructure Investment in Emerging Markets
Emerging markets, particularly in Asia and Africa, are witnessing substantial infrastructure investments. Governments in these regions are prioritizing infrastructure development to support economic growth, urbanization, and industrialization. This trend is expected to drive significant demand for cement in the coming years.

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I want to share a overview/introduction to my fictional universe that I've been slowly building overtime. I've unfortunately fallen into eternal world building hell where I build far more than I write but at least I thoroughly enjoy it. What I mostly want from this post is to see if the wild amalgamation that is my universe is at least on a surface level "Coherent". I'll answer any questions best I can.
Disclaimer: the pictures shown in the character summaries are not mine and are shown for concept art purposes. These character summaries are taken from across the JoeVerse universe.
Notes: Some information is purposely left vague due to the requirement of story details and I tried to simply the explanations. It may see very unorganized but I created a continuity timeline to help keep track of the verse.
I also created detailed guides for the many Stories, Races/Species, Factions, Locations and Dear God hundreds of Character profiles. Speaking of characters, I really enjoy casual power scaling of fictional characters etc, so when scaling my own universe I exclusively reference the Vs Battle Wiki Tiering system. It is undeniably superb I recommend everyone at least check it out https://vsbattles.fandom.com/wiki/Tiering_System?so=search
Here is what a somewhat completed character profile would look like. https://docs.google.com/document/d/12KilbOVt5RFYg3IckKOYiLPt_UDjrBo5/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=111896033102767588703&rtpof=true&sd=true
Lastly, I agree the name of my verse is terrible, it is a placeholder, I will also be sharing a Fun Facts towards the bottom for shits & gigs.
Introduction:
Welcome to the JoeVerse(Name Pending), a long time literary project that acts as both homage to what I love as well as a deep-dive into my creative mind. The JoeVerse is a fictional "Shared Universe" where a large number of characters, locations and stories created primarily by myself and in collaboration with others take place. The JoeVerse is depicted as existing within a large "Multiverse" consisting of a number of separate & distinct universes, all of which help make up the JoeVerse Multiverse.
The most crucial aspect of the JoeVerse Multiverse is that it also incorporates a large number of genres from all major science fiction and fantasy concepts, such as how aliens, gods, magic, mythology, cosmic beings, parallel universes, interstellar travel and extremely advanced human-developed technology all exist prominently throughout the Multiverse.
The JoeVerse primarily was created to express my love for "Action" and the many forms it comes in. For example the many pieces of media entertainment I consumed as a child. e.g Cartoons, Comics, Anime, Books, Video Games, Martial arts, Music, Movies, etc) all strongly and directly influenced the creation of the JoeVerse. The JoeVerse's many stories primarily focus on the aspects I like about these pieces of entertainment such as Action, Characters, Power-Scaling, Continuity, Worldbuilding and Paying Homage to these oh so cherished pieces of media.
)))JoeVerse Prime: At the heart of this multiverse lies the mainstream continuity, which is known canonically as "JoeVerse Prime". JoeVerse Prime is based on a fictitious take on the real-world. For example, Earth found within the JoeVerse Prime has mostly all the features of the real one: same countries, same public personalities (politicians, movie stars, etc.), same historical events (such as World War II, the Cold War), and so on; however, it also contains many other fictional elements, such as new geographical locations, political organizations and a number of new & different historical events.
Corners & Sub-Corners:(Re-read if needed) The JoeVerse Prime is divided into four separate major settings of distinct & “Broad '' genres known as "Corners". The four respective Corners are Earth, Intergalactic, the Naatherlands and the Interdimensional. All Corners house minor settings of typically more “Focused” genres & stories known as "Sub-corners". The Corners and their respective Sub-corners are liable to "Crossover" and even connect with one another.
Four Corners explained:
)Earth: Starting with "Earth", home to an abundance of "Action & Adventure" series featuring primarily humanity through various times in history (I.e stories can take place anywhere from Ancient times all the way to the Modern era and beyond).The majority of stories told on Earth feature subjects & characters such as war, criminals, detectives, espionage, politics, assassins, soldiers, super soldiers, spies, mutants, zombies, magic, warriors, martial artists and then some.
There are also Earth's five sub-corners, starting with the "Underworld", home to the stories of "Urban Fantasy" about the supernatural & often cruel world of Vampires, Gargoyles, Lycans and much more all vying for survival and power while living just under the periphery of human civilization. The Underworld explores the supernatural civilization that has co-existed alongside humanity since ancient times.
Then the second Sub-corner, the "Holy War", a myriad of stories using lore based on the many “Mythologies & Folklore” of various human cultures, these stories follow the secret, ancient, bloody war of the Celestial Church. The Celestial Church is a 2000 year old clandestine organization of holy; warriors, soldiers, mages, knights, nuns, monks and more gathered from the many religions & cultures from around the globe to be the stalwart shield & sharpened blade against the supernatural, the unending swathes of powerful demons attempting to invade Earth and the unspeakable evil entities from alternate dimensions all of which has threatened humanity since it's conception.
Then the "West Coast Tales", a dramatic & grounded anthology series based in and around the West Coast of America. In every story we follow new characters in vastly different situations in life as they deal with family, drama, violence, romance, finances, sickness, coming of age, natural disasters, etc.
Then, the "Virtual World", a video game-like dimension that is home to various "LitRPG" focused stories. The Virtual World is directly connected to Earth via the highly popular, full-body capsule operated VRMMO known as the T.B.G system(Name pending). The Virtual world naturally houses the concept of "Gaming" thus it converts anything that enters it into data that follows its unique laws of reality and thus it has NPCs, Boss fights, Exp, Quest, Stats, H.U.Ds, Builds, Classes, etc.
Finally, the "Kaijin conflict" is the "Kaiju genre" focused storyline about the international conflict between the South Korean based Iskandar Industries with a human mutant sub-species known as the Kaijin. The Kaijin have superhuman abilities and are liable to become animalistic and go on a rampage; they also have the ability to transform into giant destructive monsters known as Kaijus.
)Naatherlands: The next Corner, the "Naatherlands", a large somber dimension that is home to the land of the "Supernatural & the Macabre". With it having stories of Vampires, Lycans, Gremlins, Gargoyles, Witches & Warlocks, horrific wildlife & flora and warring factions led by barbaric warlords. There is also varying levels of industrialized magic-based technology all in the backdrop of a Victorian era-esque(Gaslamp) setting.
And it's singular sub-corner the "Court of Blood", a "Political" focused series that shows the inner workings of the cunning, devious and often blood thirsty motives and actions of the royal members and leading factions of the upper echelon of the Naatherlands as they go about the cruel game of politics.
)Intergalactic: Third Corner, the "Intergalactic" is the setting encompassing the vast Cosmos of which Earth is a part of. The Intergalactic is home to various "Sci-fi" stories full of aliens, robots, artificial intelligence, spacecrafts, advanced and futuristic weapons & technology, interstellar bounty hunters, psychic power wielding warriors as well as galaxy spanning empires and Interstellar warfare.
Its first Sub-corner, "The War of Order & Chaos" is a "Mecha" inspired set of stories about the eternal struggle across the known universe between the immensely powerful chosen warriors of Order & Chaos known as the "Exuu'd". The Exuu’d are random individuals chosen from around the cosmos, if Chaos they are made to spread destruction, misery & death, if Order they are made to spread salvation, love & positivity. For the side of Chaos an Exuu’d can be criminals, scumbags or even prolific serial killers, for Order the Exuu’ds can be lawmen, samaritans or even average civilians. Regardless of origin the Exuu'd all fight each other for the very balance of the Cosmos. They are also gifted the powerful, sentient mechanized beings known as the Exxoms(Mechas) to assist in their endeavors. Exxoms all have unique designs, personalities and weapons & abilities.
Its second Sub-corner "Aon", a "Sword and Planet" inspired storyline, planet and accompanying solar system. The Aon system is locked outside of time & reality and for unknown reasons travelers from the Intergalactic, Interdimensional and even across time get pulled into the mysterious system by an unknown force. Since being secluded by conventional time both the inhabitants & technology have progressed in a way that there are varying levels of technology. There are crude medieval swords & armor as well as lasers, bolters, throwers and other advanced energy weapons. All inhabitants of Aon regardless of age and race are magically kept in their prime age & appearance. There is also a special & powerful magic known as "Laasa", that only women can harness and use. This has led to the majority of the system being ruled or fought over by factions of women led armies and warriors.
)Interdimensional: Lastly, the "Interdimensional", a catch-all term referring to the nigh-infinite Dimensions that make up the JoeVerse Prime. The Interdimensional is home to many genre blending stories of action, fantasy, science fiction and adventure all in the backdrop of numerous and radically different settings. This corner is populated by a myriad of exotic and powerful races such as the Angels of Heaven, the Demons of Hell, the reality warping Mymths, the cosmic beings known as the Balancers, the biologically altered insectoid empire known as the Urrglom, the humanoid Avian warriors known as the Harrpen, the technologically advanced bloodthirsty androids the Praeoids and much more.
It's first Sub-corner the "Collegium Historia", an “informational” adventure series about an interdimensional group of like minded Scholars, Zoologist, Historians, Explorers and Warriors that work towards the detailed exploration & documentation of the untold number of dimensions and the species & culture they may hold. With the group being led by the renowned, cantankerous explorer and swordsman Scuto Magnus.
Then it's second Sub-corner "The Fantastical Land of ORBIS"(Name pending), a standalone "High-fantasy" world full of adventure, danger, magic and awe. With ORBIS being an immense landmass the size of Earth. ORBIS is also full of creatures & beings such as Orcs, Elves, Dwarves, Dragons and so much more. There are also a slew of fantasy iterations of medieval humans cultures e.g Daiyomondo Empire(Feudal Japan), Gyellhaer(Viking Age Scandanavia), Kingdom of Stanum(Chivalric Knight era Europe) and the Shou Chongtu Empire(Warring States period China).
JoeVerse Fun Facts:
Shared Universe definition: A Shared universe is a fictional universe in which multiple independently created works are set. One or more authors may contribute works to a shared universe. The works within the universe may share characters and other story elements, with or without continuity.(For more detail please check the official Shared Universe Wikipedia. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_universe)
The concept of the “Corners & Sub-corners" are inspired by and based on the genre, character & location organization of Marvel and DC Comics.
Non-Canonically, the characters Cole Xaiver, Aiden Steel and Joseph were the first JoeVerse characters ever created in that order. With each of these characters being made to embody an aspect of the aforementioned media entertainment, Cole (Western media & concepts), Aiden (Eastern (Anime) media & concepts), Joseph(a mixture of both).
The JoeVerse Multiverse is strongly inspired by and to some extent based on fictional works such as, the Marvel universe from Marvel Comics, the DC universe from DC Comics, the Image Universe from Image Comics, Star Wars from George Lucas, the Halo series from Bungie, the Dragon Age series from Bioware, the Borderlands series from Gearbox Software, the Godzilla series by Toho, the Resident Evil series by Capcom, the Gears of War series by (Cliff Bleszinski) Epic Games, the Skyrim & Fallout series by Bethesda, the Call of Duty series by Activision, the Metal Gear(Big Boss) series by Hideo Kojima, One Piece by Eiichiro Oda, the Spawn series by Seth McFarlane, Dragon Ball Z by Akira Toriyama, Overgeared by Park Saenal, Solo leveling by Chugong, Sword Art Online by Reki Kawahara, Psycho Pass by Gen Ubrobochi, the Elex series by Piranha Bytes, A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin, Starship Troopers series by Paul Verhoeven, Avatar by Nickelodeon, Samurai Jack by Genndy Tartakovsky, Ben 10 by Man of action, Bakugan by TMS, Kingdom by Yasuhisa Hara, One Punch Man by One, the Nasuverse/Type-Moon universe by Type-Moon, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, RWBY by Rooster Teeth, the Tank girl series by Deadline, the Warhammer 40k universe by Games workshop, Street Fighter from Capcom, Mortal Kombat from Midway Games, the Transformers series by Hasbro, the Gundam series by Yoshiyuki Tomino, the Matrix by the Wachowskis, James Cameron's Avatar by James Cameron, Mad Max by George Miller, Fist of the North Star by Buronson, literally all Zombie Media in general and much much more.

For those that do not have Twitter or for those crazy enough to read this front to back. It's a long post, sorry. This is every tweet from newest to oldest. Goodluck K-Anons
Last Tweet: May 13,2024 12:00 EST
I wonder what it will be...
My eyes are not trained to determine age. They are trained to decipher adult from adolescent. Young Theodore made changes to how we monitored youngins... 7/27/2023
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You were warned at so many turns...
And just when I thought the saga was over, and you mockingly switched over to The Aman, what do you do? You come out and ridicule someone I truly admired. Backseet Freestyle..... Nigga! "Martin had a dream. Martin had a dream"...
Anywhere I've worked can attest to the fact that I do my job to the letter of the law (once there...). That's what makes me amongst the most in demand in the city. How many times should I have allowed you to inderectly affect my livelihood???
What this means is that I am obligated under NYS Law to report any questionable activity regarding the humans this law covers...
Now to this...
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I started this asking you and your little friend to humble yourselves. You realize that no one has stopped me right? That's because everyone is in agreeance!
They like the money, not you! And that goes for everyone and everything around you!
But it is America after all, and Cash will always be King. In spite of what asshole it comes from.
Now while you have that lens on your eye, Do you see the foolery??? The regulars there could buy you 100 times over, yet your staff will try and move them out they way. Do you see the insanity???
At first I was annoyed that when the new 3rd party company took my department I was provided with no company information, not even an employee handbook. Than I realized, well whatever. I have signed no agreements to anything, so lets see how this plays out.
You leave a wake of annoyance and stress in your path that makes most people's' skin crawl... On top of costing people to be fired, costing people to resign, and nearly costing me to be arrested (all in the lawsuit against young Theodore from earlier)...
Doing shit like "be there in 10" than show up in "2" Than wanna complain about preparation.
Than enter you... With a goon squad that pushes the service providers who are trying to assist out of the way. Once banging one in the head thinking he was a pap. Being nasty to all the staff...
If not, I challenge you to look through another lens. Imagine having to service actual Monarchs - Kings, Queens, Princes, and Princesses. Presidents, and Heads of State from all over the world with assets in the trillions on a daily basis...
To that point, Are you a Billionaire yet? I wouldn't know.
Simply trashing everything was not feasible as some of the items were extremely expensive. It is after all "The Billionaires Playground"...
It was placed with the other High Value Lost and Found in a safe under a camera, FOR THREE MONTHS...
But you are you, so it was not trashed. Not YOUR stuff. Nobody wanted to hear no bullshit...
Sooooo much emphasis on that little bag, and whether or not it shipped, that the "big bag" was picked through and tossed to the side with these instructions: "We only needed that, the rest is trash"...
We all occasionally slip though. I have throughout this story while fending off hacking attempts, threats (against me and my House members), and more. However, you or your team slipped flat faced after you departed that time...
By now, you should have come to the conclusion that I am quite meticulous in my methods...
I was in disbelief at this claim of theft, considering how the items came to remain in that building. I kept thinking back to: 7/27/2023
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But I digress. After the meeting in the office, I later contacted Ms. Edward. All files regarding any items in my possession were transferred over to her, so that if I am ever detained for possession of stolen property, my attorney has the proof of chain of custody...
We are all collectively gatekeeping our shit now. ALL OF IT!!! You know, like how you all do yours...
You see, in the 1920's the movement was called "The New Negro Movement". Here in the 2020's, this is "The New Nigga Movement". hard "e.r."s will get you sent to the "e.r.", Quickly...
Let me ask a question. You all call us niggers, and niggas right? Do you know what we call you???
They are Not Like Us...
Now where ws I???
This is why it goes "Not Like Us". I thought you all were smart???
That's how things work in your home country, Not this one. Not the Land My Ancestor Built the Improvements Upon...
This shall make it abundantly easy to acquire a carry permit now...
You men were asked for nothing both the truth, Refused to do so, and now you think you will harrass and harm me??? Thanks for letting the world know, Idiot...
So Mr. Allen likes to make threats publicly huh???
I was informed that the statements made by DJ Akademiks had also been relayed to her (cause you know the pocket watchers are always hating). I was informed that I should speak with an attorney, because being associated with items declared stolen may have negative consequences...
I was elated to say the least! That elation was broken quote swiftly by one of the managers. She called me into the office and began an inquisition into how the items were obtained.
You see, as a Prince and because of my chosen profession, I speak the unspoken language of royalty. In Black America, there is a common saying, that: "What's understood, ....."
That means, it was no secret to my closest colleagues that all of these items were long in my posession. So last Monday, when I finally was shown "Meet The Grahams" in the employee cafeteria, I instantly understood the assignment...
Lost and Found is a well known and looked foward to perk of Hospitality. It is the incentive to thoroughly perform your duties in the hopes that one mans trash, negligence, or kind gesture may turn into a treasure for you.
You see, the minute you said stolen... You introduced a dilemma in my world. More specifically, my professional world...
And lots of them...
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Dear Aubrey, Did you really think this was all about a shirt and some scripts??? This was about DIAMONDS! Time for some hard truths... (VIDEO) https://x.com/EbonyPrince2k24/status/1789951005037125869
7/27/2023
I will never forget this...
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Don't forget this though... 11/9/2024
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To all the bloggers who still assume to know something. You all are apart of the problem, which hopefully this exposes as well. This conversation is between associates that none of you know. Shut the fuck up and watch the show...
While we may not be wealthy, What we lack in finances, We make up for in spades with resources...
Let us all ponder for a moment. Imagine how perfectly the stars had to align for all of these events and people to intersect. This is Divine...
Here on the biggest platform available, we salute you. Our LIVING FOUNDING Father Mr. Larry Praylow Ebony!!! You have weathered all storms, epidemics, and pandemics while standing firm. Today you get to smell the worlds bouquets and vindication!!!
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Now as the day turns, and the clock counts down, how can I not honor this man. Your strength and fortitude gave rise to a network that spans the globe. Your leadership and ingenuity have carried the House and the Scene through. It's time for some bigger flowers...
On this Mother's Day We, the House of Ebony, bid a Heavenly Holiday to our Founding Mother Richard Sears Ebony!!! In HER immortal words: Ebony Power, Ebony Power, Ebony Power!!!
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Were it not for the rapport I had with these guys, I wouldn't have even got that. Luckily for me, that was a breeze. There was no need to call Ms. Edward again...
When Officer Viola, and his partner Officer Wilt***** entered my booth, they informed me that since there was a complainant present who alleged assault, they would have to take me in unless they saw footage of otherwise. I than had to locate said footage while encircle by them...
Someone asked, how to make it stop? 5 Words: "King Kendrick got the number" and his team too. As well as a quite riveting e-mail that would send shivers down your spine...
Now back to the story...
I'll just leave these here in case we must get to that story tomorrow. That second picture is the one nobody there even knew...
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Sorry for the hiatus. Emergency House Meeting with the Elders. The consensus??? KEEP GOING...
I've stood next to you in the rain to keep the paps and fanatics away. I became "essential" during your stays, having to cancel vacations and all to ensure things like this didn't happen... (VIDEO) https://x.com/EbonyPrince2k24/status/1789683018480709696
And now for the NYPD verifiable portion of the story... I was almost arrested while at work for reasons regarding your accomodations. NYPD Officer Viola recieved a CCRB complaint and hearing regarding keeping you from said protestors. Did you ever see Larry there???
Now where were we? July 2023 right??? Hey C.C. do you love me? You should do better investigatimg yourself. How could this be Larry? He left NYC in the 90's and lives in TEXAS... Yet he simultaneoulsy worked on 77th Street for two years...
Tune in later...
Does the Rabbit Hole need to go deeper? I've only unzipped the small part of my napsack...
To be honest. I thought you were gonna at least say you were mistaking by now, but okay. I only wanted to go with the story most know about, because.... Well, you know...
Now back to the story. Your guys' interruptions are throwing me off track.
You made history that night brother. And hey Ms. Lisa Raye Ebony. You see there are a great many Ebony's in your industry. Most industries actually...
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"It will be served at Sub-Zero temperatures". https://t.co/Kl7gWGjRlt
Rest in Peace to Our Godfather Mr. Damien Michael a.k.a. Jihad Ebony. May both your family's smile on this Mother's Day.
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48 Laws of Power. This is why we must always treat others nicely. You never know with whom your dealing...
Rest in Peace to Mr. Michael K. Williams, a.k.a. Mike Ebony. May both your families smile on this mother's Day. You see Omar wasn't a character. He was the embodiment of everything that is E.B.O.N.Y...
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Your teams are applying pressure, I can't lie. Big ups to Mr. Allen and the Jamaican connection (he told me a few more crawled through that hole in Jacumba). But in The House of Ebony, we use pressure to make diamonds in the form of Legends, Icons, and Pioneers...
Better humans have left far more valueble things, and the process remains the same. You get a call, e-mail, or text about lost items. Either pickup, shipment, or disposal is arranged
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The other was from the Bronx, and well on his way to becoming a "Blue H.E.N.R.Y." https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=gz8f7iMaTM7CwVg8&v=Ldx29DRx-XY&feature=youtu.be
One was from Texas. He loved cowboy boots, guns, and horses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSIQi2wMbbI
1 Year 3 Months 22 Days Those were good men. Ever heard of an "Ebony Scandal"? Well welcome to the game...
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"My lawyer's so good" Thank you for keeping me free and always staying on top of things. Who is Ms. Adrienne Edwards you ask... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ILCMQ0bYgc
Rest In Peace to the modern Godfather of Black America. Tonight would've been another good one I'm sure. He only meant well, and was well received by many...
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Subpar service is not in line with the Forbes standards. Thats what you pay for. So why would you think there would be no proof...
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This is why I tell companies I don't conduct company business on my personal cell phone. But since you're so finicky, they insisted I install WhatsApp...
I'm not an extortionist, or career killer. I am a Black American Capitalist. You have inserted yourself in between me and my money. Move! Humble yourself and tell the truth...
"God's Plan" Funny how that works, isn't it...
Don't y'all forget now. November 9th, 2024 Auction of Items before the Ball starts...
(Blood Vol 46 "THE GAME" Poster)
Yet, 6 months later the circus returned... https://nypost.com/2023/08/04/theodore-weintraub-accused-of-smear-campaign-against-the-mark-hotel-says-hes-sobe
How do we know you're "Not Like Us"??? We never come back after we curse out the service providers...
What Nino Said??? Children of Harlem Stand Up! P.S.: "We Don't Wanna Hear You Say Nigga No More" Nor any of the rest of you foreign culture appropriating savages... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BAwg7_3Mxk
Two Black American Men became unemployed at this exact moment. And you made an enemy...
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Had you not lied, I would've just waited until you died to sell my goods...
Push Ups. Really? Should've kept that to yourself...
You're blocking my money with your lies, so you have forced me to get it another way...
You've had many things discarded on your behalf over the years. I wonder if you can remember them all...
To Mr. Aubrey Graham (@Drake), may this photo help jog your memory as to where you discarded those items. The issue in the photo should also jog your memory. Jimmy Brooks would not have been proud of you that night...
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1. King Kendrick Lamar

is not a liar, and I am not a thief!

2. Mr. Aubrey Graham (@Drake) & Mr. Livingston Allen (@Akademiks) have until noon Monday 5/13/24 to retract your claims of theft, or my attorney Ms. Adrienne Edward and I will exhaust every legal option available. (VIDEO) https://x.com/EbonyPrince2k24/status/1789092657794371766

First Tweet May 10, 2024
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In the ever-evolving world of kitchen & bathroom design, the bathroom sink stands as an iconic centerpiece, embodying both form and function. From the rustic charm of copper sinks to the sleek elegance of solid surface, stainless steel and vitreous china, choices in the market cater to every taste and decor style. Vessel sinks, with their countertop placement, have risen in popularity, especially in upscale powder rooms and modern bathroom designs. Pedestal sinks exude a classic aura, while the durability of granite composite and cast iron remains unmatched. As we dive deeper into this sector, we’ll spotlight some of the industry’s top manufacturers, shaping trends and elevating spaces across the globe.

Kingkonree

Headquarters: Shenzhen, China
Years of Experience: 23
Main Market: Worldwide
Main Products:

• Solid surface washbasins
• Hand wash sinks
• Above-counter basins
• Wall-hung basins
• Cabinet basins
• Freestanding basins
• Undermount sinks

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About Kingkonree:
Kingkonree, often referred to as KKR, is more than just a brand—it represents a benchmark of excellence and innovation in the commercial sink industry. With over two decades of history, KKR offers a diverse product portfolio, from solid surface sinks to meticulously crafted bathroom vanities, addressing a wide spectrum of needs.
KKR offers a wide variety of products that not only showcase diversity but also meet exceptional quality standards. Each product reflects KKR’s unwavering commitment to superior craftsmanship, evident in the immaculate finishes achieved through meticulous sanding processes and the uniform textures they maintain. Their utilization of high-grade resins guarantees the sustained beauty and effectiveness of their products.
Central to KKR’s ethos is the principle of collaboration. Their in-house design experts, consistently updated with the latest design paradigms, work synergistically with external specialists to craft tailored solutions for each requirement. Their expertise in providing both OEM and ODM services underscores their adaptability and dedication to client fulfillment. Whether engaging with furniture enterprises or coordinating with distributors from inception to finalization, KKR maintains an unwavering emphasis on quality and timeliness.
Being ISO 9001 certified, KKR continuously surpasses international benchmarks, making them a top choice in sectors such as hospitality and retail design. Their esteemed reputation is further elevated by recognition from the hospitality sector, particularly for adhering to hygiene standards. Ultimately, Kingkonree is more than just a brand—it signifies a promise of quality, forward-thinking innovation, and enduring collaborations.

Kohler Co.

Headquarters: Wisconsin, USA
Years of Experience: Over 150 years
Main Market: Global
Main Products:

• Pedestal sinks
• Undermount sinks
• Top-mount sinks
• Vessel sinks
• Wall-mount sinks

About Kohler:
Kohler Co. epitomizes the fusion of tradition, innovation, and luxury in bathroom fixtures. Established over a century ago in Kohler, Wisconsin, the brand has persistently set industry benchmarks in bathroom and kitchen aesthetics, gaining global recognition.
Kohler’s sinks manifest their unwavering dedication to quality. From the classic allure of their pedestal sinks evoking timeless elegance to the contemporary finesse of their undermount sinks that merge flawlessly with countertops, they cater to diverse preferences. However, Kohler’s distinction lies beyond mere design; it’s in the craftsmanship. Every sink isn’t just an aesthetic achievement but also a pinnacle of functionality, designed for enduring daily demands, guaranteeing homeowners a harmonious blend of style and resilience.
At its core, innovation drives Kohler’s vision. Beyond just manufacturing sinks, they are committed to elevating the user experience. Innovations such as noise-reducing basins and scratch-resistant surfaces exemplify their progressive mindset. They intuitively address the requirements of today’s homeowners, providing solutions that streamline and enhance daily tasks.
What genuinely distinguishes Kohler Co., though, is its storied legacy. While they have navigated through changing design currents over decades, their foundational principles of quality, luxury, and innovation have been unwavering. This amalgamation of deep-rooted experience and agility ensures that they not only meet but frequently surpass the dynamic needs of the market.
In summary, Kohler Co. transcends mere fixtures; they curate experiences. Each sink they fashion embodies a commitment – an assurance of unparalleled quality, enduring design, and trailblazing innovation.

VIGO

Headquarters: New York, USA
Years of Experience: 14
Main Market: USA and worldwide
Main Products:

• Matte stone vessel sinks
• Tempered glass sinks
• Concrete stone sinks
• Bathroom vessel sinks

About VIGO:
Located in the dynamic heart of New York City, VIGO stands as a distinguished icon of contemporary design within the kitchen and bath fixture industry. For over ten years, the brand has pursued a singular vision: enhancing daily life. Their method? Designing products that seamlessly meld functionality with visual appeal.
The collections from VIGO underscore their unwavering dedication to design excellence. Each item, whether it’s their top-tier faucets, robust sinks, or refreshing showers, embodies a modern aesthetic that balances style with practicality. But VIGO goes beyond mere aesthetics; they curate experiences. Envision immersing yourself in a shower framed by VIGO’s sophisticated screens, or using a faucet that operates as seamlessly as it looks. This encapsulates the VIGO journey.
Yet, VIGO’s focus isn’t limited to the present; they’re poised for the future. Their commitment to innovation shines through the meticulous testing of each product, assuring that customers receive items that are not just in vogue but also of the highest quality. Boasting certifications from renowned bodies like ANSI, IAPMO, and UPC, VIGO products not only adhere to industry benchmarks but frequently define them.
What truly differentiates VIGO is their design philosophy. They are steadfast in the belief that every kitchen and bath, irrespective of dimensions or decor, merits excellence. With VIGO, this excellence is guaranteed – a harmonious fusion of New York City’s pulsating energy, avant-garde design, and unparalleled quality.

Kraus USA

Headquarters: Washington, USA
Years of Experience: 16
Main Market: USA and worldwide
Main Products:

• Ceramic sinks
• Solid surface sinks
• Glass sinks
• Undermount sinks
• Vessel sinks

About Kraus USA:
Located in the central district of Port Washington, New York, Kraus has stood as a hallmark of innovative design since 2007. With an ambition to redefine the kitchen and bath sector, Kraus consistently offers products that are not only in line with contemporary aesthetics but also emphasize functionality and longevity.
Exploring their product lineup reveals a diverse selection of sinks tailored to various design tastes. Whether you appreciate the timeless appeal of ceramic sinks, the modern sophistication of solid surface basins, or the distinct beauty of glass sinks, Kraus presents a fitting option. Beyond aesthetics, Kraus’s sinks prioritize user experience. From the streamlined undermount sinks that meld seamlessly with countertops to the striking vessel sinks that enhance bathroom visuals, each product harmoniously merges style with utility.
Central to Kraus’s ethos are three fundamental principles: Quality, Creativity, and Design. They champion the idea that thoughtful design can elevate daily spaces, transforming them into zones of relaxation and revival. Their continuous drive for innovation, coupled with a focus on affordability, ensures that every product embodies their slogan: “Live Beautifully™.”

Blanco

Headquarters: Oberderdingen, Germany
Years of Experience: Over 98
Main Market: Worldwide
Main Products:

• Stainless steel sinks
• Silgranit sinks
• Ceramic sinks

About Blanco:
Within the domain of kitchen and bath fixtures, Blanco is distinguished not only by its product assortment but also by its unwavering dedication to quality and innovation. Among their diverse sink offerings, spanning ceramic to stainless steel, are their SILGRANIT sinks that are truly distinctive. So, what sets SILGRANIT apart?
SILGRANIT is a premium granite composite designed with contemporary homeowners in mind. Beyond its visually appealing matte finish and refined appearance, it champions both functionality and durability. These sinks are built to last, ensuring a lasting return on your investment. Their non-porous nature renders them hygienic and effortless to maintain. From spills and stains to scratches, SILGRANIT stands resilient, making it a preferred choice for those seeking a harmonious blend of aesthetics and endurance.
However, Blanco’s dedication extends beyond pioneering materials. Recognizing that a sink is more than a mere functional unit, they view it as a pivotal component of your home’s design ethos. Whether your preference leans towards a sleek modern aesthetic or a classic touch, Blanco offers a sink that flawlessly aligns with your design vision.

Villeroy & Boch

Headquarters: Mettlach, Germany
Years of Experience: 275
Main Market: Worldwide
Main Sink Products:

• Drop-in sinks
• Undermount sinks
• Vanity sinks
• Vessel sinks
• Wall-mounted sinks
• Double sinks
• Small bathroom sinks

About Villeroy & Boch:
Established in 1748, Villeroy & Boch epitomizes enduring dedication to quality craftsmanship and forward-thinking design. Centrally located in Europe, this brand has consistently led the realm of ceramic excellence, setting new standards in design and utility.
Within their extensive collection, you will discover a diverse array of sink designs tailored to cater to distinct tastes and requirements. From the flawless integration of their drop-in sinks, the refined elegance of their vessel sinks, to the utility of their vanity sinks, Villeroy & Boch strikes a perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality. Their TitanCeram sinks, defined by meticulous craftsmanship and slender walls, underscore the brand’s devotion to pioneering ceramic artistry.
Furthermore, Villeroy & Boch’s spirit of innovation extends beyond mere aesthetics. They have incorporated cutting-edge technologies such as CeramicPlus, facilitating effortless cleaning as liquids effortlessly roll off the sink. Moreover, with a focus on health, their AntiBac technology delivers antimicrobial protection, promoting a hygienic bathroom ambiance.
In essence, Villeroy & Boch isn’t merely a brand but a storied legacy. It symbolizes a tradition of quality, design, and an unwavering commitment to elevating home interiors. Their sinks serve not merely as fixtures but as testamentary pieces, reflecting a storied past while embracing the future of design.

Elkay Manufacturing Company

Headquarters: Downers Grove, Illinois
Years of Experience: 103
Main Market: Worldwide
Main Sink Products:

• Stainless steel sinks
• Quartz sinks
• Fireclay sinks
• Workstation sinks
• Undermount sinks
• Drop-in sinks
• Farmhouse sinks
• ADA-compliant sinks

About Elkay Manufacturing Company:
Established in 1920 by Leopold Katz and Louis Katz in Chicago, Elkay Manufacturing Company set forth with a clear objective: to deliver superior-quality sinks and provide exceptional service. Today, they are recognized as America’s premier kitchen sink manufacturer, having diversified their product line to include an extensive range of kitchen and bathroom plumbing systems, commercial sinks, and water delivery systems.
Elkay’s diverse product lineup underscores their dedication to innovation and excellence. Their workstation sinks, crafted from materials such as stainless steel, fireclay, and quartz, are structured to elevate kitchen efficiency, promoting a streamlined and organized workspace. Elkay ensures there’s a sink suitable for every taste, be it the resilient nature and adaptable aesthetic of stainless steel, the lively hues of quartz, or the wear-resistant finish of fireclay.
Elkay’s prowess extends beyond residential offerings. They have established a distinguished presence in the domain of commercial-grade stainless steel sinks, serving industries like healthcare, education, and foodservice. Their ADA-compliant offerings further reflect their commitment to inclusivity, making certain that facilities cater to all individuals.
Central to Elkay’s impressive journey is their steadfast dedication to customer contentment. Their sink selection tool, curated to aid customers in identifying the ideal sink, exemplifies their client-focused approach. From their modest inception in Chicago to their present stature as sector front-runners, Elkay consistently upholds its legacy, extending quality and novelty with each contented customer.

Hansgrohe

Headquarters: Schiltach, Germany
Years of Experience: 122
Main Market: Worldwide
Main Products:

• Stainless steel sinks
• SilicaTec granite sinks
• Single sinks
• Double sinks

About Hansgrohe:
Hansgrohe sinks transcend mere functionality. They epitomize the brand’s commitment to marrying aesthetic elegance with practicality. Their minimalist rectangular silhouette, accentuated by a distinctive L-shaped rim, integrates gracefully into contemporary kitchens or bathrooms, serving as a central design feature.
For any setting, from individualized compact spaces to expansive family kitchen islands, Hansgrohe presents a curated selection of sink sizes and styles to address every requirement. The portfolio ranges from sleek single sinks designed for constrained spaces to dual sinks that facilitate efficient multitasking.
Material selection further underscores Hansgrohe’s unwavering dedication to excellence. Their stainless steel sinks radiate enduring sophistication, while their SilicaTec granite variants introduce an essence of organic grace, available in hues to harmonize with all interior palettes.
Beyond aesthetics, durability is paramount. Their stainless steel models, crafted from premium hand-welded steel, guarantee prolonged use and effortless maintenance. In contrast, their granite sinks, fortified with sturdy quartz particles, ensure a resilient surface.
Conclusively, Hansgrohe assures the impeccable pairing of taps with their sinks, achieving design cohesion without any sacrifice in quality.

Linkasink

Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona
Years of Experience: 22
Main Market: Worldwide
Main Products: Copper, Cast Bronze, Smooth & Hammered Metals, Concrete, Glass, Mother of Pearl Inlay, Jeweled, and Mosaic Tile Sinks.
About Linkasink:
Linkasink stands as a beacon of artistic excellence, craftsmanship, and innovative design. Catering to both modern and classic aesthetics, it has established a distinct presence in the realm of kitchen and bath design. Whether you appreciate the historical essence or the modern sophistication of stainless steel tile mosaics, Linkasink promises elegance in every creation.
Its dedication to handcrafted precision distinguishes the brand. Each sink is a testament to the skills of artisans, who employ time-honored methods to breathe life into every design. This rigorous precision ensures that every Linkasink product transcends functionality, becoming a piece of art.
Linkasink’s genesis traces back to the vision of esteemed interior designer, Kirk Guthrie. His pursuit of bespoke copper sinks, unmet by the market, led him to partner with copper craftsmen in Mexico. This collaboration birthed unparalleled, custom-made sinks that swiftly garnered industry attention. Transitioning from a modest showcase at the Kitchen & Bath Show to an industry stalwart, Linkasink’s trajectory underscores its commitment to innovation, zeal, and the art of handcrafted design.

Stone Forest

Headquarters: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Years of Experience: 32
Main Market: Worldwide
Main Products:

• Vessel sinks
• Pedestal sinks
• Copper sinks
• Bronze sinks
• Stainless sinks

About Stone Forest:
Stone Forest stands as more than a brand—it represents a harmonious fusion of nature’s pristine beauty and human innovation. Grounded in a deep appreciation for natural elements and an astute sense of design, Stone Forest has consistently led in creating sinks and fixtures that balance artistry with functionality.
Each creation by Stone Forest narrates the tale of its origin, detailing the journey of a raw stone meticulously refined into an opulent fixture. The brand’s unwavering dedication to preserving the authentic allure of these materials guarantees that every product boasts its distinct texture, character, and charisma.
Beyond mere visual appeal, Stone Forest underscores its dedication to sink excellence and longevity. By leveraging the inherent robustness of natural elements, the brand ensures its sinks are not only aesthetically pleasing but also enduring, presenting unmatched value to its clientele.
Stone Forest’s legacy is rooted in its relentless pursuit of innovation and superior quality. From sourcing the most exquisite stones to engaging skilled artisans who mold these elements with unmatched precision, Stone Forest has continually set new standards in luxury kitchen and bath design.

What Defines a Good Bathroom Sink Manufacturer?

A premier bathroom sink manufacturer is characterized by meticulous standards that underscore quality, utility, and client fulfillment. Essential factors to evaluate include:

• Material Excellence: Esteemed manufacturers employ superior-grade materials, ranging from porcelain, stainless steel, to stone, ensuring the sink’s longevity and resilience against daily wear. The caliber of these materials directly influences the sink’s durability and its ability to resist evident signs of deterioration.
• Design Diversity: Leading manufacturers present an extensive array of designs, addressing diverse aesthetic preferences and bathroom motifs. The assortment spans from modern to classic, facilitating customers in selecting a design that resonates with their individual taste and bathroom decor.
• Advanced Features: Features such as effortless cleaning surfaces, integrated drainage systems, and water-conservation technologies augment the user experience and reflect the manufacturer’s dedication to addressing current-day requisites.
• Sustainable Practices: In the current era, with heightened environmental awareness, consumers gravitate towards sustainably-produced items. A distinguished bathroom sink manufacturer often embeds eco-friendly measures throughout their operations, from raw material procurement to manufacturing processes, and may also champion water-saving products.
• Client Support: The significance of post-purchase service, comprehensive warranties, and agile customer assistance cannot be overstated. Manufacturers that uphold their offerings and efficiently resolve client inquiries are inherently deemed more credible and dependable.
• Industry Credibility: A manufacturer’s enduring presence in the industry, accentuated by positive consumer feedback and accolades, differentiates them from others. Such recognition indicates their consistent fulfillment of commitments and industry-wide acknowledgment for their superior standards.

To encapsulate, a top-tier bathroom sink manufacturer isn’t solely defined by product quality. They accentuate client satisfaction, evince dedication to innovation and eco-friendly practices, and maintain an esteemed market reputation. Such manufacturers don’t merely vend sinks but proffer holistic solutions that amplify the overall bathroom ambiance for end-users. They remain attuned to market shifts, stay abreast of prevailing design inclinations, and prioritize delivering sinks that amalgamate functionality with aesthetic allure.

Conclusion

Here is a summarized comparison table:

Manufacturer	Headquarters	Years of Experience	Main Products	Advantages
Kingkonree (KKR)	Shenzhen, China	23	Solid surface washbasins, hand wash sinks, above-counter basins, etc.	Extensive product range, superior craftsmanship, flexibility in design
Kohler Co.	Wisconsin, USA	Over 150 years	Pedestal sinks, undermount sinks, top-mount sinks, etc.	Blend of tradition and innovation, durability, forward-thinking approach
VIGO	New York, USA	14	Matte stone vessel sinks, Tempered glass sinks, Concrete stone sinks, etc.	Modern design, top-tier quality, rigorous testing
Kraus USA	Washington, USA	16	Ceramic sinks, solid surface sinks, glass sinks, etc.	Innovation, design excellence, commitment to quality
Blanco	Oberderdingen, Germany	Over 98	Stainless steel sinks, Silgranit sinks, Ceramic sinks	Innovative materials, design flexibility, commitment to quality
Villeroy & Boch	Mettlach, Germany	275	Drop-in sinks, undermount sinks, vanity sinks, etc.	Timeless allure, innovative design, commitment to enhancing user experience
Elkay Manufacturing Company	Downers Grove, Illinois	103	Stainless steel sinks, Quartz sinks, Fireclay sinks, etc.	Top kitchen sink manufacturer in America, commitment to customer satisfaction
Hansgrohe	Schiltach, Germany	122	Stainless steel sinks, SilicaTec granite sinks, Single sinks, etc.	Minimalist design, commitment to innovation, quality craftsmanship
Linkasink	Phoenix, Arizona	22	Copper, Cast Bronze, Smooth & Hammered Metals, etc	Handcrafted quality, unique designs, commitment to innovation
Stone Forest	Sta Fe, New Mexico	32	Vessel sinks, Pedestal sinks, Copper sinks, etc.	Harnessing nature’s beauty, commitment to quality and durability, innovative designs

In the vast world of bathroom sink manufacturing, choosing the right partner can be challenging. From our extensive research, we’ve identified the top 10 manufacturers globally, each bringing unique strengths to the table. It’s essential for B2B buyers to consider factors like years of experience, product range, and innovation when making a decision. By partnering with a trusted manufacturer, businesses can ensure they offer their customers the best in design, functionality, and durability. A worthy choice for economical benefits and quality assurance is KKR. Feel free to contact us for more information.

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The Virtual Experience Model Challenges Scientific Materialism
J. Burkes MD 2020, edited 2023

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Phoenix MUFON Sponsored CE-5 Training: November 2008

Within the human initiated contact (CE-5) network during the mid 2000s, multiple observers during field investigations started reporting the appearance of a particular type of Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon. These were small circular strobe like flashes of very bright light that were labelled “flashbulbs.” They were often seen in or near the constellation Orion. In November of 2008, fellow volunteer contact worker Charles (Chaz) Balogh and I gave a Human Initiated Contact Event (HICE) aka CE-5 workshop. It was sponsored by the Phoenix Arizona MUFON Chapter. Following our lectures, Chaz and I conducted a demonstration of CE-5 contact protocols in the desert outside of town. About fifteen to twenty UFO fans attended the event.

The Virtual Experience Hypothesis

At that time, I was already posting articles on Internet promoting the Virtual Experience Model (VEM). This theory postulates that UAP intelligences use “illusory “mechanisms of contact. The model suggests that instead of physical “beings” and craft being witnessed, something else is going on. All Close Encounters and are not necessarily physical contact events. They may often involve non-human psi technologies and things akin to our holograms.
This alternative explanation offers the promise of making sense out of the multitude of different appearing “alien beings” and alleged craft that contact experiencers report. Instead of the hundreds of different alien race phenotypes (classifications based on appearance) representing many planets “visiting Earth”, the VEM suggests that this diversity reflects the products of advanced non-human psi technology that targets human consciousness and resultant perception.

The same principle applies to the staggering number of different kinds of UFOs reported. Rather than there being dozens of different “ET” factories turning out the various sized and shaped “craft” perceived as saucers, globes, triangles, cubes, rectangles etc., this diversity is explicable as “visual displays.” Thus, what witnesses are describing across the planet might not always be physical objects. Many, perhaps most, but certainly not all sightings and encounters can be viewed as either projected “thought forms” or holographic like projections.

Outline of VEM

In a Virtual Experience of the First Kind (VE-1 Type A), a holographic like projection is perceived in which all witnesses can see the display.

In a (VE-1 Type B), illusions are created by energetically stimulating witnesses’ sensory apparatuses and only those targeted will see the anomalous displays. The other two categories in the model are:

A Virtual Experience of the Second Kind (VE-2) a full sensory “Matrix” like illusion or an out of body encounter. These types of encounters can be so powerfully vivid that the human subject believes a physical encounter has occurred when it has not.
A Virtual Experience of the Third Kind (VE-3): a memory implanted by UFO associated non-human intelligence that is recalled as if it recorded a physical rather than a psi-mediated event.

Different Perceptions Might be Artifactual and not by Design
During Virtual Experiences of the First Kind, Type B, different witnesses co-located in the same place can report observing markedly different aerial phenomena. This might not be result of UFO intelligences deliberately choosing to target witnesses in ways so that they perceive different “visual displays” during sightings. Instead such discrepancies might occur because sightings and other contact events are mental co-creations of both the human witnesses and UFO associated non-human intelligences.

Since every individual is unique it would not be surprising that psi-mediated events will exhibit differing characteristics. The advanced technologies required to do this might involve electromagnetic energy directed at specific neural pathways, or perhaps sophisticated forms of technologically augmented telepathy. In both mechanisms, the methods involved are clearly more advanced than what terrestrial science has at the current time.

I Was Blocked from Seeing Anomalous Visual Displays, in Phoenix and Joshua Tree

With this explanation, I now return to Chaz and my Phoenix fieldwork outing in which we employed the usual CE-5 protocols format. After a brief guided meditation, we used powerful lights to signal our desire for contact. Soon multiple witnesses shouted out with delight as they repeatedly observed “flashbulbs” around the stars forming Orion’s belt.
A bizarre feature of these sightings was that although these visual displays were reportedly very bright and clearly visible for many observers, I couldn’t see even one anomalous flash while staring at the same section of sky.

My thoughts immediately went back to a special individual that I did fieldwork with during the 1990s. He is a Russian contactee and in my reports I call him “Misha”, a pseudonym. He was the target of UFO related phenomena and served as a kind of “human UFO magnet.” Misha possessed the astounding ability to request sightings when others were present, and UFOs would subsequently appear. “Prime Contactee” is the term I gave Misha and to others with this astounding capability.

In November of 1994, I did fieldwork with my Russian contactee friend in Joshua Tree National Monument. One night Misha reportedly witnessed three stereotypical “meteors” in the Queen Valley. Each shooting star display, one after the other, reportedly looked exactly the same to him. The three were in the same place in the sky and the trail of each formed the same angle in relation to the horizon. Their brightness, color and length of trail reportedly were the same. However, I saw not even one of these stereotypical visual displays while gazing at the same part of the sky.

When Misha requested for me to see the “shooting stars”, I saw the same visual display that he had just described. This happened a total of three times in a row. Each request was followed by an exact replica of the preceding sighting that both of us were then able to observe. That night I realized that if the non-human intelligences (NHIs) associated with UFOs could produce visual displays of meteors, perhaps many, but certainly not all UFO sightings might be what I would later call a Virtual Experience of the First Kind (VE-1, Type B)

During our Phoenix demonstration of CE-5 techniques, as Chaz and others present excitedly described seeing circular strobes of white light, my frustration grew. Multiple “flashbulbs” were reportedly going off simultaneously. I witnessed none of this. I didn’t like “being left out of the party.” After about ten minutes of being denied a sighting of the “flashbulbs”, something like the following went through my mind:

“Ok, I know what you guys are doing. I developed a hypothesis about the ‘illusory’ nature of some sightings, and you are ‘giving me some of my own medicine.’ You are deliberately preventing me from having a sighting, but I really want to see a ‘flashbulb.’ So please show me what everybody else is seeing.”

With intense anticipation, I watched Orion’s belt. A minute or two went by. I listened to the others repeatedly shout, “There’s another one!”, and still I couldn’t' see the “flashbulbs” that they were so enthusiastically reporting. Finally, I witnessed a single flashbulb go off near the star Sirius, located below Orion’s belt.

The astounding thing about this episode was that it appeared as if the non-human intelligence staging this event responded to my mental request in a way that validated the Virtual Experience Model. I acknowledge that I cannot prove this truly occurred, nevertheless, it did. This bizarre incident was not the final piece of evidence that I personally experienced in support of what might be called “illusionary” mechanisms of contact.
As mentioned above, if unseen non-human intelligences can create anomalous illusory visual displays of “shooting stars” or in this second case of “flashbulbs”, then why not of flying saucers, flying triangles and globes. This doesn’t preclude the presence of actual physical craft producing “wonders in the sky.” I imagine that sightings of both physical craft with actual colorful lights as well as “illusory visual displays” are getting our attention. In the process, as researcher Grant Cameron reminds us, we say, “Wow!”

Discussion
Slowly and surely, via what author Rey Hernandez calls “the Contact Modalities”, we are being taught that we are not alone in the universe. Our “teachers’” goal might not be to physically “visit Earth”, but instead they might be involved in a long-term project to expand human consciousness. Author Whitely Strieber has suggested that the so-called “Visitors” are the face of evolution when applied to a conscious mind. Their apparent ability to manipulate both human consciousness and spacetime are direct challenges to scientific materialism, the predominant academic philosophical paradigm. Scientific materialism is also called physicalism. This philosophy asserts that mass and energy are the building block of reality. From this perspective, consciousness and all mental phenomena are viewed as merely the outcomes of neural activities. Consciousness is labelled an “emergent” property of matter.

Albert Einstein once stated, "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." The concept that physical reality is an illusion is an ancient one. Eastern religions, both Hinduism and Buddhism have as a cornerstone the concept of maya. The internet “wordnik” site’s definition of maya is “the transitory, manifold appearance of the sensible world, which obscures the undifferentiated spiritual reality from which it originates.” It is conceivable that some UFO associated intelligences dwell in such non-material realms and take on physical form when they enter our material reality.

If Consciousness is primary, then in a sense the psi-based experiences of contact outlined above as “mind stuff” could be “more real” than physical encounters occurring in our much beloved spacetime “reality”. Therefore, Virtual Experience encounters can be considered as “illusory” not in any absolute sense, but rather only when viewed within a narrow physicalist paradigm in which matteenergy and not Consciousness is primary.
When I first started to formulate the Virtual Experience Hypothesis over 20 years ago, as a practicing ER physician, my world view was a scientific materialist one. As the result of being exposed to the works of cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman and the philosopher Bernardo Kastrup, I begrudgingly now accept that Consciousness appears to be primary; as the physicist Arkani-Hamed has written, the concept of spacetime is “doomed.”

Key to my change in worldview has been my volunteer work in several contact groups. There I was regularly exposed to High Strangeness aspects of UFO phenomena. I have experienced the following: missing time on at least two occasions, telepathy, and have had many sightings of what at first glance appeared to be physical objects. The intelligence behind the phenomenon however staged a series of bizarre encounters that inevitably led me to formulate the Virtual Experience Model. I am left with the impression that UFO intelligences created a kind of Hansel and Gretel breadcrumb trail for me to follow. That journey is described in my chapter in Rey Hernandez’ compendium, “A Greater Reality” linked below.

Conclusion

Three decades after joining the loose network of contact activists that I call “The Contact Underground”, I strongly suspect that I’m not the only one who is abandoning physicalism. Scientists and philosophers are increasingly debating whether the four-dimensional construct called “spacetime” is as “real” as physicalists have insisted in the past. If Consciousness is primary and spacetime is a kind of projection from a non-physical i.e. mental realm, then the predominant philosophical paradigm of Western Civilization, scientific materialism, will need to be radically revised. In this manner, UFO intelligences are pushing us towards an understanding of “the greater reality” described by Rey Hernandez and others in the multivolume work of the same name.
The Consciousness and Contact Research Institute (CCRI) is a new scientific research group founded by Reinerio Hernandez. He has published a multivolume compendium called “A Greater Reality.” Volumes 1 and 2 of this anthology are available on line free of charge at. the CCRI website: https://agreaterreality.com

My article appears in Volume 2 and is titled, “REPORT FROM THE CONTACT UNDERGROUND: HUMAN INITIATED CONTACT, THE CONSCIOUSNESS CONNECTION AND THE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE MODEL.” It can be viewed and downloaded as a free pdf file at:
https://agreaterreality.com/downloads/articles/Burkes%20-%20Report%20from%20the%20Contact%20Underground.pdf

Additional Blogs on the Virtual Experience Model:
Joseph Burkes MD 2019. INTRODUCTION As the result of carefully studying numerous interactions with the intelligence responsible for Unidentified Aerial Phenomena UAP, I have developed a new paradigm for understanding the important role of illusion as a mechanism of contact. In proposing this model, I must emphasize that both physical and illusory contact experiences likely … Continue reading The Virtual Experience Model, an Overview




J. Burkes MD 2021 Important Proviso: The Virtual Experience Model doesn’t propose that all encounters are holographic or psychic. In my judgment, interactions are occurring via both virtual and physical means. The Virtual Experience Model describes what I believe are the illusory mechanisms of contact employed by flying saucer intelligences. The model is as follows: … Continue reading The Reasons why Flying Saucer Intelligences might stage “Virtual” Instead of Physical Encounters

Staging Psi-mediated Close Encounters might have practical advantages for UFO intelligences. Staging exclusively physical interactions could pose enormous risks including the transmission of deadly pathogens. https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2022/02/11/the-reasons-why-flying-saucer-intelligences-might-stage-virtual-instead-of-physical-encounters/


A blog analyzing an event at Skinwalker Ranch that supports the Virtual Experience Model. Dr. Kelleher was present when 6 observers using night vision equipment described seeing “completely different things.”
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2023/04/30/the-consciousness-connection-incident-at-skinwalker-ranch-as-described-by-colm-kelleher-supports-the-virtual-experience-model/


Two Cases Supporting the VE-2 Category “Matrix Reality”
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2023/05/06/2031/

The work that Andrija Puharich did with Uri Geller revealed a dramatic case of “Virtual Memory”, aka a Virtual Experience of the Third Kind.
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2022/02/22/virtual-memory-a-virtual-experience-of-the-third-kind-ve-3/


In the blog linked below I discuss advances in memory science and their implications for both the Virtual Experience Model and the use of hypnosis on contact experiencers.
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2022/02/19/memory-wars-iremembering-falsely-hypnosis-and-the-virtual-experience-model/

I discuss the phenomenon of tulpas within the context of the Virtual Experience Model.
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2022/05/20/the-interdimensional-vs-et-hypothesis-virtual-experiences-and-ufo-sightings-as-thought-forms/

The Virtual Experience Model Challenges Scientific Materialism
J. Burkes MD 2020, edited 2023

https://preview.redd.it/lqz64oqia00d1.jpg?width=275&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd14bf0df0f67efbd986028128adb87941d5a014
Phoenix MUFON Sponsored CE-5 Training: November 2008

Within the human initiated contact (CE-5) network during the mid 2000s, multiple observers during field investigations started reporting the appearance of a particular type of Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon. These were small circular strobe like flashes of very bright light that were labelled “flashbulbs.” They were often seen in or near the constellation Orion. In November of 2008, fellow volunteer contact worker Charles (Chaz) Balogh and I gave a Human Initiated Contact Event (HICE) aka CE-5 workshop. It was sponsored by the Phoenix Arizona MUFON Chapter. Following our lectures, Chaz and I conducted a demonstration of CE-5 contact protocols in the desert outside of town. About fifteen to twenty UFO fans attended the event.

The Virtual Experience Hypothesis

At that time, I was already posting articles on Internet promoting the Virtual Experience Model (VEM). This theory postulates that UAP intelligences use “illusory “mechanisms of contact. The model suggests that instead of physical “beings” and craft being witnessed, something else is going on. All Close Encounters and are not necessarily physical contact events. They may often involve non-human psi technologies and things akin to our holograms.
This alternative explanation offers the promise of making sense out of the multitude of different appearing “alien beings” and alleged craft that contact experiencers report. Instead of the hundreds of different alien race phenotypes (classifications based on appearance) representing many planets “visiting Earth”, the VEM suggests that this diversity reflects the products of advanced non-human psi technology that targets human consciousness and resultant perception.

The same principle applies to the staggering number of different kinds of UFOs reported. Rather than there being dozens of different “ET” factories turning out the various sized and shaped “craft” perceived as saucers, globes, triangles, cubes, rectangles etc., this diversity is explicable as “visual displays.” Thus, what witnesses are describing across the planet might not always be physical objects. Many, perhaps most, but certainly not all sightings and encounters can be viewed as either projected “thought forms” or holographic like projections.

Outline of VEM

In a Virtual Experience of the First Kind (VE-1 Type A), a holographic like projection is perceived in which all witnesses can see the display.

In a (VE-1 Type B), illusions are created by energetically stimulating witnesses’ sensory apparatuses and only those targeted will see the anomalous displays. The other two categories in the model are:

A Virtual Experience of the Second Kind (VE-2) a full sensory “Matrix” like illusion or an out of body encounter. These types of encounters can be so powerfully vivid that the human subject believes a physical encounter has occurred when it has not.
A Virtual Experience of the Third Kind (VE-3): a memory implanted by UFO associated non-human intelligence that is recalled as if it recorded a physical rather than a psi-mediated event.

Different Perceptions Might be Artifactual and not by Design
During Virtual Experiences of the First Kind, Type B, different witnesses co-located in the same place can report observing markedly different aerial phenomena. This might not be result of UFO intelligences deliberately choosing to target witnesses in ways so that they perceive different “visual displays” during sightings. Instead such discrepancies might occur because sightings and other contact events are mental co-creations of both the human witnesses and UFO associated non-human intelligences.

Since every individual is unique it would not be surprising that psi-mediated events will exhibit differing characteristics. The advanced technologies required to do this might involve electromagnetic energy directed at specific neural pathways, or perhaps sophisticated forms of technologically augmented telepathy. In both mechanisms, the methods involved are clearly more advanced than what terrestrial science has at the current time.

I Was Blocked from Seeing Anomalous Visual Displays, in Phoenix and Joshua Tree

With this explanation, I now return to Chaz and my Phoenix fieldwork outing in which we employed the usual CE-5 protocols format. After a brief guided meditation, we used powerful lights to signal our desire for contact. Soon multiple witnesses shouted out with delight as they repeatedly observed “flashbulbs” around the stars forming Orion’s belt.
A bizarre feature of these sightings was that although these visual displays were reportedly very bright and clearly visible for many observers, I couldn’t see even one anomalous flash while staring at the same section of sky.

My thoughts immediately went back to a special individual that I did fieldwork with during the 1990s. He is a Russian contactee and in my reports I call him “Misha”, a pseudonym. He was the target of UFO related phenomena and served as a kind of “human UFO magnet.” Misha possessed the astounding ability to request sightings when others were present, and UFOs would subsequently appear. “Prime Contactee” is the term I gave Misha and to others with this astounding capability.

In November of 1994, I did fieldwork with my Russian contactee friend in Joshua Tree National Monument. One night Misha reportedly witnessed three stereotypical “meteors” in the Queen Valley. Each shooting star display, one after the other, reportedly looked exactly the same to him. The three were in the same place in the sky and the trail of each formed the same angle in relation to the horizon. Their brightness, color and length of trail reportedly were the same. However, I saw not even one of these stereotypical visual displays while gazing at the same part of the sky.

When Misha requested for me to see the “shooting stars”, I saw the same visual display that he had just described. This happened a total of three times in a row. Each request was followed by an exact replica of the preceding sighting that both of us were then able to observe. That night I realized that if the non-human intelligences (NHIs) associated with UFOs could produce visual displays of meteors, perhaps many, but certainly not all UFO sightings might be what I would later call a Virtual Experience of the First Kind (VE-1, Type B)

During our Phoenix demonstration of CE-5 techniques, as Chaz and others present excitedly described seeing circular strobes of white light, my frustration grew. Multiple “flashbulbs” were reportedly going off simultaneously. I witnessed none of this. I didn’t like “being left out of the party.” After about ten minutes of being denied a sighting of the “flashbulbs”, something like the following went through my mind:

“Ok, I know what you guys are doing. I developed a hypothesis about the ‘illusory’ nature of some sightings, and you are ‘giving me some of my own medicine.’ You are deliberately preventing me from having a sighting, but I really want to see a ‘flashbulb.’ So please show me what everybody else is seeing.”

With intense anticipation, I watched Orion’s belt. A minute or two went by. I listened to the others repeatedly shout, “There’s another one!”, and still I couldn’t' see the “flashbulbs” that they were so enthusiastically reporting. Finally, I witnessed a single flashbulb go off near the star Sirius, located below Orion’s belt.

The astounding thing about this episode was that it appeared as if the non-human intelligence staging this event responded to my mental request in a way that validated the Virtual Experience Model. I acknowledge that I cannot prove this truly occurred, nevertheless, it did. This bizarre incident was not the final piece of evidence that I personally experienced in support of what might be called “illusionary” mechanisms of contact.
As mentioned above, if unseen non-human intelligences can create anomalous illusory visual displays of “shooting stars” or in this second case of “flashbulbs”, then why not of flying saucers, flying triangles and globes. This doesn’t preclude the presence of actual physical craft producing “wonders in the sky.” I imagine that sightings of both physical craft with actual colorful lights as well as “illusory visual displays” are getting our attention. In the process, as researcher Grant Cameron reminds us, we say, “Wow!”

Discussion
Slowly and surely, via what author Rey Hernandez calls “the Contact Modalities”, we are being taught that we are not alone in the universe. Our “teachers’” goal might not be to physically “visit Earth”, but instead they might be involved in a long-term project to expand human consciousness. Author Whitely Strieber has suggested that the so-called “Visitors” are the face of evolution when applied to a conscious mind. Their apparent ability to manipulate both human consciousness and spacetime are direct challenges to scientific materialism, the predominant academic philosophical paradigm. Scientific materialism is also called physicalism. This philosophy asserts that mass and energy are the building block of reality. From this perspective, consciousness and all mental phenomena are viewed as merely the outcomes of neural activities. Consciousness is labelled an “emergent” property of matter.

Albert Einstein once stated, "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." The concept that physical reality is an illusion is an ancient one. Eastern religions, both Hinduism and Buddhism have as a cornerstone the concept of maya. The internet “wordnik” site’s definition of maya is “the transitory, manifold appearance of the sensible world, which obscures the undifferentiated spiritual reality from which it originates.” It is conceivable that some UFO associated intelligences dwell in such non-material realms and take on physical form when they enter our material reality.

If Consciousness is primary, then in a sense the psi-based experiences of contact outlined above as “mind stuff” could be “more real” than physical encounters occurring in our much beloved spacetime “reality”. Therefore, Virtual Experience encounters can be considered as “illusory” not in any absolute sense, but rather only when viewed within a narrow physicalist paradigm in which matteenergy and not Consciousness is primary.
When I first started to formulate the Virtual Experience Hypothesis over 20 years ago, as a practicing ER physician, my world view was a scientific materialist one. As the result of being exposed to the works of cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman and the philosopher Bernardo Kastrup, I begrudgingly now accept that Consciousness appears to be primary; as the physicist Arkani-Hamed has written, the concept of spacetime is “doomed.”

Key to my change in worldview has been my volunteer work in several contact groups. There I was regularly exposed to High Strangeness aspects of UFO phenomena. I have experienced the following: missing time on at least two occasions, telepathy, and have had many sightings of what at first glance appeared to be physical objects. The intelligence behind the phenomenon however staged a series of bizarre encounters that inevitably led me to formulate the Virtual Experience Model. I am left with the impression that UFO intelligences created a kind of Hansel and Gretel breadcrumb trail for me to follow. That journey is described in my chapter in Rey Hernandez’ compendium, “A Greater Reality” linked below.

Conclusion

Three decades after joining the loose network of contact activists that I call “The Contact Underground”, I strongly suspect that I’m not the only one who is abandoning physicalism. Scientists and philosophers are increasingly debating whether the four-dimensional construct called “spacetime” is as “real” as physicalists have insisted in the past. If Consciousness is primary and spacetime is a kind of projection from a non-physical i.e. mental realm, then the predominant philosophical paradigm of Western Civilization, scientific materialism, will need to be radically revised. In this manner, UFO intelligences are pushing us towards an understanding of “the greater reality” described by Rey Hernandez and others in the multivolume work of the same name.
The Consciousness and Contact Research Institute (CCRI) is a new scientific research group founded by Reinerio Hernandez. He has published a multivolume compendium called “A Greater Reality.” Volumes 1 and 2 of this anthology are available on line free of charge at. the CCRI website: https://agreaterreality.com

My article appears in Volume 2 and is titled, “REPORT FROM THE CONTACT UNDERGROUND: HUMAN INITIATED CONTACT, THE CONSCIOUSNESS CONNECTION AND THE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE MODEL.” It can be viewed and downloaded as a free pdf file at:
https://agreaterreality.com/downloads/articles/Burkes%20-%20Report%20from%20the%20Contact%20Underground.pdf

Additional Blogs on the Virtual Experience Model:
Joseph Burkes MD 2019. INTRODUCTION As the result of carefully studying numerous interactions with the intelligence responsible for Unidentified Aerial Phenomena UAP, I have developed a new paradigm for understanding the important role of illusion as a mechanism of contact. In proposing this model, I must emphasize that both physical and illusory contact experiences likely … Continue reading The Virtual Experience Model, an Overview


J. Burkes MD 2021 Important Proviso: The Virtual Experience Model doesn’t propose that all encounters are holographic or psychic. In my judgment, interactions are occurring via both virtual and physical means. The Virtual Experience Model describes what I believe are the illusory mechanisms of contact employed by flying saucer intelligences. The model is as follows: … Continue reading The Reasons why Flying Saucer Intelligences might stage “Virtual” Instead of Physical Encounters

Staging Psi-mediated Close Encounters might have practical advantages for UFO intelligences. Staging exclusively physical interactions could pose enormous risks including the transmission of deadly pathogens. https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2022/02/11/the-reasons-why-flying-saucer-intelligences-might-stage-virtual-instead-of-physical-encounters/


A blog analyzing an event at Skinwalker Ranch that supports the Virtual Experience Model. Dr. Kelleher was present when 6 observers using night vision equipment described seeing “completely different things.”
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2023/04/30/the-consciousness-connection-incident-at-skinwalker-ranch-as-described-by-colm-kelleher-supports-the-virtual-experience-model/


Two Cases Supporting the VE-2 Category “Matrix Reality”
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2023/05/06/2031/

The work that Andrija Puharich did with Uri Geller revealed a dramatic case of “Virtual Memory”, aka a Virtual Experience of the Third Kind.
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2022/02/22/virtual-memory-a-virtual-experience-of-the-third-kind-ve-3/


In the blog linked below I discuss advances in memory science and their implications for both the Virtual Experience Model and the use of hypnosis on contact experiencers.
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2022/02/19/memory-wars-iremembering-falsely-hypnosis-and-the-virtual-experience-model/

I discuss the phenomenon of tulpas within the context of the Virtual Experience Model.
https://contactunderground.wordpress.com/2022/05/20/the-interdimensional-vs-et-hypothesis-virtual-experiences-and-ufo-sightings-as-thought-forms/