Baker Street with Thom Pollard

Near the summit of Mount Everest in the death zone on the ridge of the north face there is a shallow cave, known infamously to all who climb there as the location where in 1996 an Indian man named Tsewang Paljor lay down to rest and never got up again. That man is referred to as green boots. Almost exactly ten years later, on the morning of May 14, 2006 a small team of mountaineers climbing toward the summit were surprised to find another climber seated there, barely alive sitting next to green boots. It was one of the coldest nights of the season. The man in the cave was David Sharp, an English mountaineer who was on his third expedition to Everest. During the time David Sharp* was sitting in the cave many people passed by, thinking there was nothing they could do to help. News of this reached the outside world and soon an international furor erupted over the death of David Sharp. Even Sir Edmund Hillary weighed in, outraged at the incident. This is the story of David Sharp.Support the show

"Do you think great expense and risk should be undertaken to remove bodies from Mount Everest?" The Indian government mounted an expensive and risky expedition to retrieve the remains of mountaineers who had perished on Mount Everest the year before. NY Times journalist John Branch tells us about his fascinating story that delves into the significant cultural and social significance of the Hindu families who grieved the loss of their loved ones. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qFQw1Y-2m4cDeliverance From 27,000 Feet by John Branch:https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/18/sports/everest-deaths.htmlOur sponsor, Musa Masala:https://musamasala.comEverest Mystery poll question:https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxiXLttvZznaGXehZ1IE_iJMCZZJkiTkZOSupport the show

Interview with mountaineer Willi Steindl, who witnessed over 70 people stepping over Muhammed Hassan as he lay dying in the Death Zone on K2. The death of Mohammad Hassan on K2 has sent shockwaves through the mountaineering community. At 2:15Am on July 27 the Pakistani porter fell near the bottleneck at 8200 meters, found hanging upside down more than 5 meters below the path. Hassan was a porter with no climbing experience, having risked his life to earn the higher wages paid to high altitude porters, in order to support a sick mother and a family… He was woefully outfitted, lacking a down suit, or proper climbing equipment.  Support the show

My guest today was the FIRST to reach the DEEPEST point of the ocean, known as Challenger Deep. In 1960 US Navy lieutenant Don Walsh and  Swiss oceanographer and explorer Jacques Piccard piloted the bathyscaphe Trieste 35,797 ft BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SEA, when itbecame the first crewed vessel to reach the bottom  the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in Earth's seabed.My conversation with Don Walsh could not have predicted that such a disaster as the Titan submersible would have taken place. Eerily, Don and I discussed the logistics of preparing a vessel to dive to such depths, the safeguards, the rigorous testing.Please stick around the the poll question near the end.Please join our Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientSupport the show

Angela Benavides is a High-Altitude Mountaineering and Climbing journalist for Explorers Web - https://explorersweb.com/PLEASE SUPPORT the families of Sherpa and mountain workers who have died while working in the mountains, check out this video: https://youtu.be/Htd_l89ejJYThe two Polish climbers mentioned in the video who flew in from Kathmandu to rescue Carlos Soria on Dhaulagiri are Bartek Ziemski and Oswald Pereira.As of May 18 there are over 200 summits of Mount Everest with hundreds of others still moving forward to make their attempt to climb to the summit of Mount Everest.There are eight deaths as of May 18th, including for Sherpa, an Indian woman attempting to become the first to climb Everest with a pace maker, a Moldovan climber named Victor Brinza fell ill at South Col and passed away.The weather is holding. Families around the world anxiously await news from their loved ones to hear a report from the mountain And if any of you watch my shorts, you've heard about new records Kami Rita Sherpa has summited Everst for the 27th time, he is 53 and the holder of the record for most summits of EverestAnd Kenton Cool has summited Mount Everest for his 17th time, becoming the person with the most summits for a non Nepali.And a 16 year old climber from China….The Chinese girl Sui Cho Yuan successfully reached atop Everest via the south slope at 5:42am on May 15Thank you for visiting. Please consider becoming a Channel Member for access to perks and to become part of a growing community:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEk3e_XGyNnqwK2ZlxH7fEA/joinSupport the show

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A SHERPA OR MOUNTAIN WORKER DIES ON A MOUNTAIN CLIMBING EXPEDITION? TODAY I HAVE DAVID MORTON HERE TO talk about The Juniper Fund, its beginnings,  and the important work they're doing in Nepal to help the families of Sherpa who have lost their lives guiding and working in the mountains.For Sherpa throughout the Khumbu Region of Nepal, the dangers of guiding climbers to the world's highest peaks like Mount Everest, with the ever-present possibility of accidents, avalanches and the extremes of weather and altitude became no more evident than last month when a serac fall took the lives of three Sherpa in the Khumbu Icefall of Everest. Ab0ut one-third of the more than 300 deaths on Everest over the past hundred years  have been of Sherpa guides, according to the Himalayan Database, a mountaineering record-keeping body. In 2014 after the tragic avalanche there that claimed the lives of 16 sherpa and high altitude porters, massive strikes in Base Camp and beyond forced the hand of the government to increase the life insurance on a death there to $15000….however, the strength of the Nepal rupee has significantly diminished and that amount is now worth far less since it is paid in rupees. Many times these mostly men who die in the mountains are the sole or primary breadwinners for their families and those survivors have precious few resources to fall back on. In 2014 I visited several families while filming a documentary on Everest  that took a drastic turn after the avalanche. It was a deeply moving experience for me and my friends who were taking part in the expedition. A year before that two longtime friends and Himalayan guides, David Morton and Melissa Arnot Reid, started a non profit organization called The Juniper Fund, set up to help a couple families they knew who had their primary breadwinner lose his life during expeditions they were on.For more information about The Juniper Fund visit their website:https://www.thejuniperfund.orgSupport the show

HERE'S MY FULL CONVERSATION with Alan Arnette on YouTube:https://youtu.be/WIk67aEg0sIThere's Been Loss of Life and Intense Drama on Annapurna and in the Mount Everest and 8000 meter peaks region of the Nepal Himalaya. A veteran climber is dead, another miraculously rescued, and multiple others are lucky to be alive after a tragic few days in the Himalayas.As the deadliest of the 8000 meter peaks Annapurna has of late become an object of desire for a wider and larger group of the new era of mountaineers, ticking off peaks on their checklist.In recent years, guides have supplied high levels of support and supplemental oxygen to make the peak more accessible to less experienced climbers. Of the 395 total summits, 129 (33 percent) have occurred in the past three years.HERE'S AN INTERVIEW with one of the world's most respected chroniclers of Mount Everest, Alan Arnette WHO is reporting on this spring's Everest and Himalayan climbing season for OUTSIDE ONLINE We'll talk about the miraculous rescue effort on Annapurna where Indian climber Anurag Maloo was found alive after spending three days inside a crevasse on Annapurna. Angela Benavides of Explorers Web has reported that Maloo was 50 meters in the crevasse, found barely alive by a rescue team led by Adam Bielecki - mind boggling….defying all odds…hope to bring more on that soon.As well as the loss that sent shockwaves through the himalayan climbing community, the ever popular and 10-time Everest summiter, Noel Hanna of Ireland, 56, died in his tent at Camp 4 after summiting without supplemental oxygen. We also discuss the summit of Manaslu by Felix Berg, as well as the sherpas expanding role in the world of 8000 meter peak guiding. And Alan has written a book.YOU CAN FIND ALAN'S BLOG at alanarnette.com Support the show

Doug Peacock's award winning book is: WAS IT WORTH IT? A WILDERNESS WARRIOR'S LONG TRAIL HOMEDoug Peacock is an American naturalist, author, and filmmaker who is best known for his work in conservation and activism on behalf of grizzly bears in the American West.Here is my VIDEO version of the interview with Doug:https://youtu.be/eYltXSGI0LMMORE about Doug Peacock here:https://dougpeacock.net/You need a copy of this book! Find it here:https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwib0r3V1_T9AhW55uMHHbI6BeoYABAAGgJ5bQ&ae=2&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESbeD2gisjHru--HzCA31EZbLWoOjL2LZNCxv7-JvbcbdvpqS-3BR21xD02Vv6iOCbNlPelaHdP_9dBSpiconV54SaT4JUr-pB1ppmpYRmIOPVsGSOgOOFWTp8rHa03NWVwSegv5bHzOr_XObSlck&sig=AOD64_3wNJ38YXKpxymm7aJok3Bgvg9OVA&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwi897TV1_T9AhUkjIkEHTejBXsQ0Qx6BAgGEAE&nis=8&dct=1For the audio only version of this episode please use this link:https://www.buzzsprout.com/268133/12507653Doug is the founder and chairman of the board of Save the Yellowstone Grizzly. During his service as a Green Beret medic in the Vietnam War. After the war, Doug suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and found solace in the wilderness, much like he did when he was a boy growing up in northern Michigan, exploring swamps and forests and remote places - After the war he devoted himself to observing and documenting grizzly bears in their natural habitat.Doug was a long time friend of the late Edward Abbey, who wrote THE MONKEY WRENCH GANG, where Peacock's essence and spirit and passion was immortalized in the character known as George Washington Hayduke. Sir Doug, is the author of several books, including "Grizzly Years: In Search of the American Wilderness”..... He has also worked as a consultant on several documentaries, including "Grizzly Country" and "In the Path of the Grizzly."  Doug says bringing a gun into grizzly country will get you more into trouble than out of it…just look at the cover of his book, need I say more on that. Suffice it to say, grizzly bears saved his life…he has devoted his life to protecting theirs. Doug is a dog lover, a cat lover, father of two children - his amazing wife and life partner Andrea founded Elk River Books with cousin and friend Marc Beaudin….in Livingston, Montana - where, bye the way, my brother had previously lived, making complete the connection of how Jeff and Doug were pals. …you know, if Jeff had never left Livingston I'd be willing to bet a nickel he'd still be alive….Doug continues to work desperately towards protecting grizzly bears and their habitat through his writing, speaking engagements, and activism….and…talking to guys like me who read his book….and just had to tell everyone about itHere's my inspiring conversation with Doug Peacock about his book WAS IT WORTH IT: A WILDERNESS WARRIOR'S LONG TRAIL HOME  published by Patagonia.yes that PatagoniaThank you for visiting. Please consider becoming a Channel Member for access to perks and to become part of a growing community:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEk3e_XGyNnqwK2ZlxH7fEA/joinSupport the show

Stephen Venables became the first British mountaineer to climb Mount Everest without the use of supplementary oxygen in 1988, establishing a new route on the Kangshung Face with Ed Webster, Robert Anderson and Paul Teare. THIS EPISODE IS ON YOUTUBE IN VIDEO FORM AT:https://youtu.be/9bocQEfDriIEverest and Beyond - TEDxOxford: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiz3en5JLcYPlease visit our sponsor Musa Masala - Expert Advice On Safe, Healthy & Culturally Aware Mountain Travel at: https://musamasala.com/Support the show

Rebecca Wood was the chef, trusted keeper, and diviner at Zac Brown's renowned Southern Ground Nashville studio for nearly a decade. While she was intimately familiar with the ghosts and secrets of the converted church that housed the studio, her passion was cooking for the musicians recording there, curating choice down-home meals and menus from family recipes. The heart of The Studio Mama Cookbook is a collection of these menus, each created for an artist who worked at the studio. It's a combo plate of music, food, people, and stories. More about Rebecca and how to get her awesome Studio Mama cookbook:https://www.heartsinthemix.com/Support the show

Just what is Manaslu and why are so many people flocking to it? Thom dives in with thoughts on the death of professional skier Hilaree Nelson on her attempted ski descent, as well as the commercialization of the mountain and just how the game has been changed since drone footage captured 'the real' summit in 2021.LINK TO YOUTUBE VERSION:https://youtu.be/EIPCyKi5zEoSupport the show

Jay Blakesberg, one of THE US's most accomplished live music and pop culture photographer's has released another self published book called RETRO BLAKESBERG: Volume One: The Film Archives (SEE THE LINK IN THE SHOW NOTES)....the book features highlights spanning the years from the 70's into the early 2000's when film was king, before the digital age, when a photographer WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER - from the first photograph he ever sold for $15 thru tours with Phish, Led Zeppelin, Rolling StonesTons of Grateful Dead - enough so that he's made a couple booksGreen Day,  The Flaming Lips,  Snoop Dog, PrimusIf you want to purchase a copy of Jay's amazing book or to have a look at his other published books and photo gallery, find him on Instagram at @JayBlakesberg and @RetroBlakesberg, or on his website at https://www.rockoutbooks.com/Support the show

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Thom Pollard sat down with Everest Chronicler Alan Arnette to talk about all things Everest. In this first of a several part episode with Alan, we talk about all the current state of affairs on Everest, and what the future looks like for Everest. Is climate change changing the game on 8,000 meter peaks?Visit Thom's YouTube channel for this conversation with Alan Arnette as well as a bunch of other Everest-related material:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEk3e_XGyNnqwK2ZlxH7fEAAlan Arnette's website: https://www.alanarnette.com/Alan's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AlanArnetteClimbs origins explainedSupport the show

Taken from Wade Davis' 20 March 2004 talk at the 100th Annual Banquet of The Explorers Club at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York CIty. Wade Davis' website:https://daviswade.com/Support the show

You might be here looking for something about Mount Everest. You might hate this episode. But, you might like it.  For the YouTube version of this episode:https://youtu.be/dIfmhdKNcTQJoin this channel to get access to perks and to become part of the community:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEk3e_XGyNnqwK2ZlxH7fEA/joinSupport the show

Matt Irving is a professional director of photography. In May 2022 he filmed the historic tenth ascent of Everest by a woman, Lhakpa Sherpa. His views and insight of seeing Everest from an observant eye is refreshing. Matt Irving's Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/irving_matt...Support the show

News from Ukraine - Watch. Know. Decide. Breaking news from Ukraine. News observation. Important information.Twitter: @u24_newsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@u24_newsWeb: https://u24.ua/For more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, look for him at eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for A Course In Happiness, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comThe Jordan Harbinger ShowApple Best of 2018-Learn the stories, secrets & skills of the world's most fascinating pplListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Sanctity Of Space - A film about the alchemy of landscape and people amidst the mountains of Alaska A conversation with co-directors Renan Ozturk and Freddie Wilkinson about the decade long journey of creating the film, from concept to completionUS Theaters starting May 6th - Showtimes and Updates:https://greenwichentertainment.com/film/the-sanctity-of-space/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sanctityofspace/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sanctityofspaceFor podcast episode of this conversation on The Happiness Quotient:For exclusive content visit Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientSubscribe to The Happiness Quotient on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/thehappinessquotient Support the show

Jochen Hemmleb follows up on recent video with Mark Synnott about reports that the body of Sandy Irvine had been discovered, possibly removed (video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glMT08zmAP0 ). Jochen has written extensively on this topic and is as knowledgeable as any person in the world about the Mystery of Mallory & Irvine. He has personally interviewed many key players from the Chinese expeditions that report having seen the bodies. Jochen Hemmleb's website: https://www.jochenhemmleb.com/english/mundi/index.phpMark Synnott's Salon article about the camera and Sandy Irvine:https://www.salon.com/2022/04/08/the-third-pole-mount-everest-mark-synnott-mystery-china/The Happiness Quotient podcast: https://thehappinessquotient.buzzsprout.com/Thom's Patreon for exclusive content:https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientFor exclusive content visit Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientSubscribe to The Happiness Quotient on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/thehappinessquotient Support the show

The ultimate Earth Day observation:  following is a conversation with a modern day Charles Darwin, biologist, herpetologist, Adjunct Professor of Biological Science at Florida State University Dr. Bruce Means. We discuss a March 2021 expedition in which Means and writer/climber Mark Synnott traveled to a virtual Shangri-la in the deep, mysterious and ever dangerous jungles of Guyana to study an unclimbed tapui, where new species were discovered. American climber Alex Honnold is featured in the National Geographic film and article, both released in April 2022.This is the Happiness Quotient. Please subscribe wherever you are listening or watching Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Following is a conversation with professional climber, author and historian Mark Synnott, whose book THE THIRD POLE: MYSTERY OBSESSION AND DEATH ON MOUNT EVEREST has just been released in paperback edition. The greatest mystery in all of mountaineering and possibly the most debated and discussed in current times just got thicker. The Mount Everest mystery deepens: Was there an international cover-up of a dead climber's ascent?https://www.salon.com/2022/04/08/the-third-pole-mount-everest-mark-synnott-mystery-china/Mark Synnott's website and portal to purchase The Third Pole: Mystery, Obsession, and Death on Mount Everest:https://www.marksynnott.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Lessons come in all sorts of packages. And, a beautiful, poignant poem from a recently found journal of my late brother's. For the YouTube version of this episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AABp82bfR7gFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, look for him at eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for A Course In Happiness, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, LIKE AND COMMENT AND SHARERecorded on 26 March 2022Iryna Kabluchko is a journalist from Ukraine.Full Episode on YouTube The Happiness Quotient at:https://youtu.be/2-dVs0wGVg4 To help the effort please visit Come Back Alive and donate:https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/backandaliveTwitter:https://twitter.com/BackAndAliveSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

PLEASE SHARE SO THAT OTHERS MAY HEAR Subscribe, leave a review and a rating.Igor Nalyvaiko is a journalist from Ukraine, and currently in hiding he is helping to battle disinformation with contacts around the globe.To help the effort please visit Come Back Alive and donate:https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/backandaliveTwitter:https://twitter.com/BackAndAliveSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

A muse on the 91st anniversary of my father's birth, 18 March. And reflections on how the Mystery of Mallory and Irvine's fate has taken a personal tone. Thanks to Oliver and Chris Wood, Jano Ricks and The Wood Brothers management, as well as their publicist Kevin Calabro for granting us the rights to use HAPPINESS JONES for our theme music. We are deeply honored. Find The Wood Brothers at: https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, look for him at eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for A Course In Happiness, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Can you imagine achieving at the age of 16 what other dream their entire lives of doing and even then never take the first step toward embarking on the journey of their dreams?Our remarkable guest today knew from a very early age that she wanted to sail around the world, alone...in her own boat. It appeared as if everyone in her sphere were conspiring against her, to dash her dreams….well, I should say that her parents were very supportive, and encouraged her to put her thoughts into action. In fact, she was born in New Zealand, during a seven month sailing trip by her parents, spent the first five years of her life on at sea...was given her first boat at age six, a small dingy made for children…  She named her boat Guppy, all her boats have been named GuppyHer name is Laura Dekker. She'll be 26 on September 20th….she has a Dutch, German and New Zealand citizenship...truly a citizen of the world. At age 14, with a solo trip to England …..and back - departing from her home in the Netherlandsunder her belt and months, even years of experience alone aboard a ship….she announced her intentions to circumnavigate the globe, solo.Now, you know when you were a kid and you had this amazing idea and someone told you how dumb it was and somehow you agreed and gave up that dream, and suddenly the years go by and you wonder why the hell you ever listened to the doubeters in the first place?Well, Laura had many doubters, in fact the government f the Netherlands got involved, the Child Welfare Office objected, a family court judgment was obtained that placed Dekker in shared parental custody with the Council for Child Care who intended to stop her departure.Dutch naval law said a person under 16 wasn't allowed to captain a boat over seven meters long…. the Dutch court ended supervision of Dekker, and decided it was "up to the girl's parents to decide whether she can make the trip."[34] Dekker reported that she would depart "within two weeks".[35]Laura later commented about the authorities in an interview, saying "They thought it was dangerous. Well, everywhere is dangerous. They don't sail and they don't know what boats are, and they are scared of them."   14 years old!Well, she made, at the age of 16 became the youngest person ever to solo circumnavigate the globe….it took her two years, threw her into the international spotlight, she was awarded prestigious sailing awards, and everyone it would seem wanted a piece of her. When I caught up with her this summer and Laura Dekker agreed to this interview I wanted to ask her about her true calling….her now...and not trap her into telling the story of sailing around the world alone yet another time….there are dozens and dozens of videos and interviews on YouTube and beyond….and she has a book...Fast forward 10 years from her remarkable accomplishment and now Laura has devoted her life to inspiring children and youth with her LAURA DEKKER WORLD SAILING FOUNDATION. Aboard her new ship, also called the GuppYa 21 meter, 53 ton Scorpio 72 (stay tuned in this interview for the fate of the Guppy that she sailed around the world), The foundation provides programs for young people to develop life skills like team work, self confidence, responsibility, creativity, and leadership. The challenge of expeditions in foreign lands and long distance sailing aboard the foundation's training vessel provide a uniquely powerful and extremely effective enviroSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Do you think you have what it takes to climb Mount Everest? Did you ever think about what it might be like,  and if you did it, would you kill a bunch of brain cells and come home…..different? Or, maybe not at all….?  Fact is, today's guest feels that a person of moderate physical capacity could take on The Big E given the right conditions, with the use of bottled oxygen.... He also says to climb Everest it really helps to have been born with what he calls The Stupid Gene...the quality of being able to suffer for long periods of time, even willingly, in order to achieve a goal.Today's guest on The Happiness Quotient is Dr. Peter Hackett….he LITERALLY wrote the book on altitude sickness….it's called Mountain Sickness: Prevention, Recognition and Treatment (American Alpine Club Climber's Guide).Peter is no ordinary doctor...he's a mountaineer. He climbed Everest in 1981 as a member and doctor on the American Medical Expedition...when he summited he was the 111th person ever to summit….it was well before the first guided expedition changed the game on the Mother Goddess of Mountains. It was also before more than one team was allowed on the same route….I first met Peter in 2000, we were working on a documentary for PBS Nova called Deadly Ascent, a film endeavoring  to solve the mystery of high-altitude deaths on one of the most dangerous mountains on Earth: Denali.   I was the high altitude cinematographer and Peter was the doctor, the main character. We were there to chronicle the season, ready to capture on film daring mountain rescues and emergency medical evacuations….In 2007 Peter found the Institute for Altitude Medicine in conjunction with the Telluride Medical Center and the University of Colorado to provide clinical care and consultation, conduct research and develop educational programs to optimize health as well treat medical issues affecting people who either live at, or travel to, high altitudes. Fast forward to 2019….I was on Mount Everest, filming Lost on Everest for National Geographic and Disney….while at 21,000 feet, the evening before leaving for our tam's final summit bid….I began to show some signs of an altitude induced TIA….a trans ischemic attack, or a minor stroke. The symptoms were minor, numbing of the face.... More than 7,000 miles away Dr. Peter Hackett was summoned via Mark Synnott's text messages. Peter was at a medical conference at the time...and he consulted with other physicians about my condition...many texts went back and forth. Basically he said this: 50-percent chance it's really nothing, a migraine thing that will disappear and have no impact on me at altitude. The flip side is that if it IS a TIA and it re-appears on my summit bid….I die. He and the doctors suggested I remove myself from the summit team. That afternoon I was in Base Camp. Maybe I don't have as much of that Stupid Gene as I used to….So, do you have what it takes to climb Everest? What happens up there when someone climbs into the DEath Zone?  A few facts:Let's take the 2019 season, the season I was there on the Chinese side, as an example There were 11 deaths….eight of those deaths are basically unexplained, the cause of death listed as either altitude sickness (3 of the climbers) or exhaustion during descent,...listed for six of them….and of those 11 deaths, six of those were climbers in their 50's or 60's, where the possibility of dying at altitude increases. What is going on at altitude and how is the body responding to the extremes of the death zone?Here's my conversation with Peter Hackett, Doctor of the Death Zone… We spoke in May of 2021, at Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

It never ceases to amaze me in the way people are brought into your life - today's guest I discovered when I began researching the garbage and human waste problem on Mount Everest and the KHUMBU region of Nepal - In Episode #90 and in a recent streaming event about the garbage and human waste problem on Everest I discussed how Everest has been referred to as the HIGHEST GARBAGE DUMP ON THE PLANET.   Among the many guests on the program I spoke with entrepreneur and businesswoman Diana Yousef of CHANGE WATER Labs, a new company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts working to help the human waste problems affecting much of the world's population. Consider this: HALF OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION has no running water or flush toilets. Change Water Labs has developed an incredible toilet called the I-Throne, which removes the water content from human waste…change:WATER Labs a low-cost, compact, waterless toilet for non-sewered households and communities.CHANGE WATER Labs' Mission To Develop & Deploy Safer, Smarter, More Dignified Sanitation. Globally, 3 billion people lack safe toilet access, and 1Bn defecate openly. Chronic under-investment into sanitation infrastructure means people in many poor and vulnerable communities live with their sewage. With no toilets or pipes, there is no way to flush.I spoke with founder and  CEO  Diana Yousef about their work, and posited if it might be a viable option on Mount Everest….If you'd like to learn more about Diana Yousef and the I-Throne, visit https://www.change-water.com/Please share this episode with anyone THAT MIGHT FIND THESE WORDS INSPIRING or helpful or educational.I RELY ON THE KINDNESS OF MY LISTENERS ----YOU ------TO SHARE and to Subscribe to The Happiness Quotient on Apple Podcasts Please CLICK SOME STARS AND LEAVE A REVIEW.=====================I'd like to thank Oliver and Chris Wood, Jano Ricks and The Wood Brothers management, as well as their publicist Kevin Calabro for granting us the rights to use HAPPINESS JONES for our theme music. We are deeply honored. Find The Wood Brothers at: https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, look for him at eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for A Course In Happiness, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

I recently hosted a live streaming event for the Musa Masala organization, who in their multiple capacities of forwarding safe and ethical mountain travel are raising money for the Wongchu Memorial Hospital….a good cause indeed. Our event talked about the garbage and human waste problem on Everest and the KHUMBU region - if you look for episode #87 of this podcast you'll remember my interview with Peter Hillary about the current situation on Everest….he gives us a good picture of the Khumbu region but not so much of a good picture on the mountain, Everest, itself. Many of you have I'm sure heard has been referred to as the HIGHEST GARBAGE DUMP ON THE PLANET.   It's shocking image for someone who has not visited there to conjure up the idea of Everest, the unknown frontier, the far reaches of our planet, being tarnished by overuse and carelessness at the hands of those who come there seeking adventure and, let's face, ego gratification. In this episode I'm going to share some short segments of interviews taken from the show itself…...which will link in the show notes if you would like to watch it on YouTubeIMPORTANT LINKSDonate to Musa Masala:https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/musam... Shop with Us to support our ongoing work: https://musamasala.com/the-musa-store/Visit the GoFundMe Page in honor of our friend, Gary McLean. All funds raised will go to the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital and the Musa Masala Nursing Scholorship Program, projects Gary was actively involved in. Contribute here:https://gofund.me/3017e2cdGUESTS:Peter Hillary:     http://peterhillary.comDavid Liaño Gonzalez - 7-time submitter of Mount Everest     http://www.davidliano.comYangdi Doma Sherpa - of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee     https://www.spcc.org.npDamian Benegas - Benga's Brothers Expedtions     https://benegasbrothers.comDan Mazur - Summit Climb owner and board of the Everest Biogas Project     https://www.mteverestbiogasproject.orgDiana Yousef - founder and CEO of change:Water Labs     http://www.change-water.com==========I'd like to thank Oliver and Chris Wood, Jano Ricks and The Wood Brothers management, as well as their publicist Kevin Calabro for granting us the rights to use HAPPINESS JONES for our theme music. We are deeply honored. Find The Wood Brothers at: https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Today we welcome back our inspiring and intrepid Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hiker and filmmaker, CHRIS CARTER, who I caught up with on a LIVE Instagram session on July 9, 2021….where he was camping in Jackson, Montana….(population of about 111)….The first time I spoke with Chris was in Episode 67 to talk about his beautiful and moving documentary about his Pacific Crest Trail through hike called TO MEASURE A MILE…At that time Chris was in the nascent stages of planning a double thru hike of the Continental Divide Trail and the Appalachian Trail, a journey of six months, give or take….and that is what he is doing now.He is on the second half of the Continental Divide trail and today when I spoke with him he was getting ready to pack up and head back out for another 30+ mile day give or take….INSANE!TODAYS EPISODE IS a slightly edited version of an INSTAGRAM LIVE CONVERSATION CHRIS AND I HAD, You can find on my Instagram page here:https://www.instagram.com/thom.dharma.pollard/===Chris' magnificent film To Measure A Mile can be found here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX4gjMlGSHE&t=52sChris Carter on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/chriscarter146/I'd like to thank Oliver and Chris Wood, Jano Ricks and The Wood Brothers management, as well as their publicist Kevin Calabro for granting us the rights to use HAPPINESS JONES for our theme music. We are deeply honored. Find The Wood Brothers at: https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, look for him at eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for A Course In Happiness, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comREADING LIST:Wild, From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayedhttps://www.cherylstrayed.com/wild_108676.htmWanderlust: A History of Walkingby Rebecca Solnithttps://www.amazon.com/Wanderlust-History-Walking-Rebecca-Solnit/dp/0140286012Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Episode #88 on The Happiness Quotient: America's only full-time professor of art crime.  Erin Thompson studies a variety of relations between art and crime, including the looting of antiquities, museum theft, art made by detainees at Guantanamo Bay, and the legalities and ethics of digital reproductions of cultural heritage. Erin Thompson has discussed these topics for the New York Times, CNN, NPR, and the Freakonomics podcast, among many others...and coming up next on The Happiness QuotientSHE IS AN author, speaker, art crime professor at the john jay college at the City University of New York….If you enjoy this episode or any episode of The Happiness Quotient, please subscribe  wherever you may be listening, leave a rating and a review, which are so important to a podcast's success. And, if you know someone who is interested in art, or art crime, be sure to personally share this episode with them….ERIN THOMPSON can be found at https://www.artcrimeprof.com/Her twitter handle is @artcrimeprof Erin's art show from the prisoners of Guantanamo can be found at https://www.artfromguantanamo.com/Her upcoming book is Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America's Public Monuments  that will be by WW Norton =========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Today, a special guest, Peter Hillary, son of the first man to ever climb Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary,…..Peter himself has climbed Everest twice. In addition to being an accomplished mountaineer Peter is a speaker, and he raises funds for Himalayan Foundations around the world....  Together with his sister Sarah Hillary, they manage the intellectual property of the Ed Hillary estate. I can almost guarantee you know someone named after his dad...During a recent conversation, Peter and  I talked about the environment of Everest, the current state of Nepal and the Khumbu region, the garbage and growing human waste problem….how COVID has devastated Nepal, and what is being done about it. For more info on Peter, how to give to the Himalayan foundations, or to inquire about a speaking engagement by Peter, visithttps://www.peterhillary.com/And, on June 30th there will be a Facebook live event hosted by Musa Masala, to benefit the Wongchu Memorial Hospital….Links to the event are in the show notes or you can visithttps://musamasala.com/=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Greetings to you all - this is a special edition of the HQ. In April I had the honor of doing an Instagram Live event with my old friend Renan Ozturk to talk about Everest, creativity, filmmaking and, yup, nutrition in the mountains. I mean, we're talking to a guy who used to sustain on candy bars and Ramen and coffee at altitude.The event was hosted by one of our 2019 Sandy Irvine Search Expedition sponsors, Good To-Go foods, the ultimate in dehydrated backpacking food.THANK YOU TO THE WOOD BROTHERS FOR THE USE OF THEIR SONG HAPPINESS JONES FOR OUR THEME SONG HERE ON THE HQIf you like this episode or any of th e HQ please click subscribe on Apple Podcasts and give me a rating and a review….For more on Renan check out, his artwork is out of this world, as is his photography and filmmaking, modern day Renaissance manhttps://www.renanozturk.com/ More on Good To-Go https://goodto-go.com Real Food. Real Adventure. The most delicious meals, using clean ingredients, to be enjoyed wherever your adventures take you. Just Add Water - Vegan Options - Gluten Free - Handmade Made in Maine=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

TODAY I HAVE A GUEST OF UNIMAGINABLE INSIGHT AND TALENT WITH US, THE PULITZER PRIZE WINNING JOURNALIST REPORTER, JOHN BRANCH OF THE NEW YORK TIMES TO TALK ABOUT HIS NEW BOOKSidecountry: Tales of Death and Life from the Back Roads of SportsIn 2017 I received a request  from today's guest, whom I'd never met before, but as you'll find out in the interview, I was well familiar with his work, John Branch, a NY Times sports reporter  -  not your traditional sports, but rock climbing, skiing, mountaineering….or alligator hunting and wingsuit flying...that kind of sports.As it turns out, sometimes his stories begin, for him, when someone is killed in pursuit of some lofty goal, whether climbing Everest, or skiing deep into the backcountry, or sidecountry, as it's referred to….When John first contacted me he was heading to India to spend time with the families of four Indian climbers who were part of an Everest expedition in 2016 -- three men died and a woman survived. Of the three who died, one body was recovered in 2016. The other two bodies were still on Everest, and John was doing a feature on the effort to try to find and recover those bodies, an effort that involved the Indian municipalities, a large sum of money had been raised. John had learned that I'd directly encountered these climbers on my summit day….and he wanted to ask about what I saw, or remembered, from those encounters…..John's story was called DELIVERANCE FROM 27,000 FEET...an incredible feature which you can find online.JOHN'S NEW BOOK INCLUDES THIS INCREDIBLE AND POIGNANT, OFTEN PAINFUL BUT SYMPATHETIC STORY…SIDECOUNTRY: Tales of Death and Life from the Back Roads of SportsSidecountry gathers the best of Branch's work, featuring 20 of his favorites from the more than 2,000 pieces he has published in the paper.Sidecountry features such classic Branch pieces, including “Snow Fall,” about downhill skiers caught in an avalanche in Washington state, and “Dawn Wall,” about rock climbers trying to scale Yosemite's famed El Capitan. In other articles, Branch introduces people whose dedication and decency transcend their sporting lives, including a revered football coach rebuilding his tornado-devastated town in Iowa and a girls' basketball team in Tennessee that plays on despite never winning a game. The book culminates with his moving personal pieces, including “Children of the Cube,” about the surprising drama of Rubik's Cube competitions as seen through the eyes of Branch's own sports-hating son, and “The Girl in the No. 8 Jersey,” about a mother killed in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting whose daughter happens to play on Branch's daughter's soccer team.John Branch has been hailed for writing “American portraiture at its best” (Susan Orlean) and for covering sports “the way Lyle Lovett writes country music―a fresh turn on a time-honored pleasure” (Nicholas Dawidoff). Sidecountry is the work of a master reporter at the top of his game.Here is my JUNE 9TH, 2021 INTERVIEW WITH PULITZER PRIZE WINNING JOURNALIST, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER BUFFALO FOR LIFE, TALKING ABOUT HIS THIRD BOOKTo buy Sidecountry:https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324006695For John's work in the New York Times:https://www.nytimes.com/by/john-branch=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more informSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

TRANSCRIPT COMING SOONCOVID wasn't all bad. A ton of musicians and recording artists invested themselves in projects that they wouldn't normally have been able to do if they were on tour...where the Wood Bros find themselves for much of the year, pre covid.I first talked with Oliver last September where he was at his home in Nashville, The Wood Brothers tour had been effectively shut down and, I learned later, that in addition to trying out some new songs and jamming with friends, i making standard breakfast and "dad spaggetti"  for the wife and kids, The things you remember to ask someone after the call is done.In this episode I'll play selections from the album and intersperse them and weave them through our chat…Here's my June 8, 2021 conversation with Oliver Wood from Charleston S C where he is on a tour stsop with the Wood Bros….to talk about his newly released album ALWAYS SMILIN'Songs from Always Smilin' in this episode:Climbing High Mountains (Trying To Get Home)Face of ReasonGet The BluesKindnessMolassesFine LineFor more information on The Wood Brothers visit:https://www.thewoodbros.com/For tour dates and album info, plus a kick ass bio on Oliver, visit:https://www.oliverwoodmusic.com/=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5ASupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Episode #83 is an amazing story of Mount Everest with six time summiter and the climber leader of our 2019 expedition to search for the body of Sandy Irvine, New Zealand's Jamie McGuinness. The original intent of my interview with Jamie was to talk about the expedition of ours in 2019, which has since become a National Geographic film called Lost on Everest and is the subject of a book by NY times bestselling author Mark Synnott called THE THIRD POLE, MYSTERY OBSESSION AND DEATH ON MOUNT EVEREST….which we did talk about.However, in starting our interview I asked Jamie about what it was like working as a sherpa on expeditions back in the day. The Sherpa are incredibly strong, almost super human, adapted over centuries of living at high altitude to be stronger and faster at altitude...and Jamie joined their ranks….THAT IS SAYING SOMETHING. In explaining this, Jamie began telling me about the story of David Sharp, the English mountaineer who died near the summit of Mount Everest in 2006. His death caused controversy and debate because he was passed by a number of other climbers heading to and returning from the summit as he was dying, although a number of others tried to help him. Jamie knew David very well, and tells a full breakdown of one of the most tragic stories in recent history on Everest. In that story he also shares about the story of Lincoln Hall, an Australian climber, who during that same year that David Sharp lost his life, he was reported to have died….then, miraculously, survived. Jamie was on the front line of that story. He shares about it all here, on The Happiness Quotient.Here’s my May 2nd, 2021 conversation with one of the strongest climbers from New Zealand since Sir Edmund Hillary….=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5ASupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

The didgeridoo, the long wooden musical instrument dating back 10,000 years or more, are commonly and rightfully associated with the aboriginal culture.Today I’m going to introduce you to an ambassador of the Aboriginal culture, a fascinating man with a deep and learned understanding of his culture and also of the didgeridoo and the art and dance that goes with it.  I first met didgeridoo musician George Dow at Sydney Bay, Australia, at the Circular Quay. My Friend Rod McCurdy and I were about to board a ferry to see some features of the Sydney area, when from about 100 yards away I spotted my George seated with his back against a fence, the Sydney Opera House across a span of water behind him, in his traditional aboriginal garb, sparsely dressed with clay powder turning his skin almost white. In front of him sat a 4 foot long didgeridoo.To donate to George and his music and art his PayPal account is  bee.sailor84@gmail.com The link to the popular video of George can be found here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTdD84wFwZ4&t=8s=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5ASupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Thirty years after he successfully summited Mount Everest from the north side, Port Townsend, WA resident Andy Politz is leaving Base Camp AT THE TIME OF THIS POSTING for his second ascent. Age 61, Politz' first expedition to Everest was on the West Ridge in 1985. During that season was the very first guided expedition in the history of Everest. Today, Andy reports seeing 1,000 or more tents. And, whereas perhaps one fixed wing aircraft flew by for a sightseeing tour, today alone Andy witnessed 30 helicopters in and out of Base Camp before mid-afternoon.This is a news-worthy and fascinating interview with my old friend, who discusses COVID, the icefall, changes on the mountain and his own new perspectives on climbing the mountain. =========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5ASupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

"The only disability of a bad mindset," says former NFL linebacker David Vobora, who went  from the TOP OF HIS GAME, to the agony of defeat and addiction, and in so doing, discovered his true calling. David was picked LAST in the NFL draft of 2008...which earns the dubious moniker of MR IRRELEVANT.This is anything but a football story, and how wrong the Mr. Irrelevant tag was...for a person who has gone on to help countless broken veterans who’ve returned from the war, emotionally broken, with one, two, three, even four less limbs. As you’ll see, David’s ‘Why’ is closing the gap between who a person think they are and who they are called to be….and that takes place through hard, work, challenge and sweat at the Adaptive Training Foundation n Carrolton Texas. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ATF: https://www.adaptivetrainingfoundation.org/NFL 360 feature story on David Vobora:David Vobora: Career Ending Injury Shaped my Passion for Helping Othershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJL3wo4MGfU=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5ATracks in the middle of the episode were found on the Free Music Archive and performed by:Metyu,VKTRD & Ondro M. off the album VR(Y)T Improvisations Vol.IIFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, find him at: www.eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for The Happiness Quotient, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

ELISABETH SHARP MCKETTA is a storyteller and the author of eight books: INCLUDING Fear of the Deep (2016) and Fear of the Beast (2019), both collaborations with artist Troy Passey; the biography Energy: The Life of John J. McKetta, Jr. (2017), a true story of a coal miner–and my grandfather!–who set out to change how America uses energy; and a children’s book titled We Live in Boise (2019).  SHE DID A TEDX TALK CALLED “Edit your life like a poem.” projects in the works include the anthology What Doesn’t Kill Her: Women’s Resilience Stories; a manifesto/handbook called Edit Your Life;SHE HAS Literature degrees from Harvard, Georgetown, and the University of Texas at Austin. I wrote a Ph.D. dissertation on the intersections between memoir and myth, a concept that now informs my teaching and writing (and my entire way of looking at the world.) Maybe with all this and life with her husband and two children living in Yorkshire Englad during COVID she will ghost write the memoir I have been lying to the world about,,,,,.well, not really.Elisabeth’s most recent work, the just released She Never Told Me About the Ocean is described by author Karen Russell as “a tidal and intimate book, brimming over with wonders and terrors and the watery echoes that bind generations of women. What a pleasure this book is from start to finish. McKetta maps the dark portals through which her women continuously reinvent themselves, newborn at every age."Here is my conversation with the brilliant, and ebullient, super intuitive and creative ELISABETH SHARP MCKETTA from her temporary home where she works virtually, on the coast of England.MORE ON ELISABETH SHARP McKETTA: https://elisabethsharpmcketta.com/=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, find him at: www.eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for The Happiness Quotient, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

The man with more boots-on-the-ground experience searching in the Death Zone for clues to the Mystery of Mallory & Irvine, Jake Norton, is our guest today. Jake was 25 when we first met on Mount Everest in 1999. He first climbed Mount Rainier with his dad at age 12. By age 18 he was guiding for Rainier Mountaineering and soon was leading international climbs around the world. Although we were living in two different worlds in 1999, I with a son and a house, he as a guide with a camera. We were natural friends, seeing eye to eye on topics of the day, spirituality, politics, having been brought together by a reverence for all things Everest. To date, Jake has been on Eight Everest expeditions, summiting three times….with the rare distinction of having made the top from the north and south.This interview is a rare look into the greatest mystery in all of adventure, Did Mallory & Irvine make it to the summit of Everest in 1924?   Jake himself has been on five search expeditions (four of them officially) for Mallory and Irvine, and personally has experience than any human being alive or otherwise in the search for clues to the mystery of their disappearance. In 1999 Jake found the first clue during our historic expedition, in which I was the high altitude cameraman: an oxygen bottle from the 1975 Chinese expedition, during which Wang Hung-bao found Mallory's remains. ON THAT SAME DAY, After an hour and 45 minutes, Conrad Anker hopped on the radio, calling a mandatory team meeting. In a 2012 interview with Outside Online, Jake said about the discovery, Conrad  “was about 50 meters away from me, frantically waving his ice ax above his head. I walked over and happened by proximity to get there first, and there was Conrad, standing silently above the remains of a fallen hero: exactly as he appears in my photo from the cover of Outside. It was the most humbling experience of my climbing career, and one that will stay with me forever.” For more on Jake Norton, visit his website at:https://jakenorton.com/=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, find him at: www.eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for The Happiness Quotient, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

This is an episode about grit, about life and death, about the extremes of human endeavor, how far a human being can possibly go when they put 100% of themselves into something….it’s about heart, friendship….This episode is set within the backdrop of the greatest mountain on the planet….Mount Everest, Chomolungma, goddess mother of the world…..Today’s episode welcomes back my ever talented friend and expedition partner Mark Synnott in anticipation of the release of his highly regarded book about our 2019 Everest expedition to find the body of long lost mountaineer Sandy Irvine. Some of you may recall my first interview with Mark for Episode #42 about The Day Everest Broke and the genesis of our expedition, which has since been chronicled in a 1-hour film by National Geographic and Disney called LOST ON EVEREST, produced by our expedition partner and uber talented filmmaker and climber Renan Ozturk.MARK’S BOOK IS CALLED THE THIRD POLE: MYSTERY OBSESSION AND DEATH ON MOUNT EVEREST. For more information about Mark and how to find his book visit:https://www.marksynnott.com/Kirkus Reviews on Mark's new book:https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/mark-synnott/the-third-pole/=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, find him at: www.eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for The Happiness Quotient, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

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This recap episode recounts the inspiration for this podcast coming into existence. While training for Mount Everest in April of 2019, my daily routine would include a strong hike up into Tuckerman or Huntington Ravine on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, USA. Many times I felt the presence of something, someone. Looking back, I believe that the essence of Sandy Irvine, who disappeared on Mount Everest on June 8 in 1924, was asking for assistance. As our expedition set out to locate Sandy, last seen at over 28,000 feet 'headed for the top', I have always believed that his soul had not yet been freed from the mountain. I introduce my mentor, Bradford Washburn, who inspired me so deeply in all of my endeavors, and share an interview that I conducted with him in 2001, he at the sprightly age of 91. This is my introduction to The Happiness Quotient (identical to Episode #3), re-vamped here as an introduction or as a refresher course to the ultimate inspiration for following one's dreams & passions.=========For more information about Thom Dharma Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, find him at: www.eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for The Happiness Quotient, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Music Soothes the Soul. MUSIC FOR THE SOUL - this is a good one. DAMN good. Highlighting the very best clips from my music interviews on The Happiness Quotient, consider this a Get Stoked for the Weekend or Week or Day or Life starter kit. Each short clip is accompanied by a cut from each of the musician's respective studio albums.Featuring these fine musicians and their tune following:Daniel Donato - Fire On The MountainOliver Wood - The Battle Is Over: But War Goes OnMickey Raphael - Hand To MouthThe Reverend Freakchild - Keep On Praying Seth Walker - We Got ThisDANIEL DONATO, the Cosmic Cowboy - his new album is called A Young Man's Country, and you can find it here on Daniel's website at http://danieldonato.com/ Daniel's podcast is Daniel Donato's Lost Highway: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daniel-donatos-lost-highway/id1452703574OLIVER WOOD of The Wood BrothersFor more about the coolest cat and greatest living American songwriter, Oliver Wood:https://www.oliverwoodmusic.com/MICKEY RAPHAELMickey's website is www.mickeyraphael.comThe tune Hand to Mouth, the music is courtesy of Mickey RaphaelTHE REVEREND FREAKCHILDKeep on Praying! His New Album Supramundane Blues Now available here:https://www.www-reverendfreakchild.org/SETH WALKER:This man is full of wisdom, and creates very beautiful music.For more on Seth and to find his book and music, visit:https://sethwalker.com/=========For more information about Thom Pollard:http://eyesopenproductions.com/For a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, find him at: www.eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for The Happiness Quotient, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Seth Walker literally dropped out of college to eek every ounce out of his guitar. He grew up in a small commune. Learned to play the cello, guided by his musician parents. When he first heard the sounds of T Bone Walker (no relation), he was hooked on the Blues. Seth has been a touring musician for decades. That is, until Covid shut things down. He said it was as if he was on a spinning, flaming hamster wheel. Covid helped him. Because of it, he found time to write his memoir. If you could call it that. It’s a memoir, with poems and artwork.“The Soul of Seth Walker” features my February 2021 interview with the one and only Seth Walker to talk about his book Your Van Is On Fire. Enjoy, this man is full of wisdom, and very beautiful music. For more on Seth and to find his book and music, visit:www.sethwalker.comSeth Walker music featured in this episode:Home AgainDreamerGotta Get BackThe Sound of Your VoiceAll I Need To KnowInsideFire In The BellyCall My NameFor more information about Thom Pollard:www.eyesopenproductions.comFor a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, find him at: www.eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for The Happiness Quotient, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

The Happiness Quotient #71The Legend of CLARENCE GATEMOUTH BROWNThis episode of the The Happiness Quotient can be found in audio only format at:https://www.buzzsprout.com/268133/8029682And on YouTube at this address: https://youtu.be/BDXmcezMIwQClarence Gatemouth Brown did not want to be known as a bluesman. He called his brand of music "American and World Music, Texas Drive and Swing"In a previous lifetime I was a television reporter for an NBC affiliate in western Massachusetts, WWLP, Channel 22. I was hired as a features reporter, wherein I’d produce, shoot, edit and report in a series that I called IN TOUCH WITH WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS. Today, I’m bringing you an inspiring, honest never-before-heard interview conducted by myself in 1988 with the amazing, Grammy winning, Blues Hall of Fame legend of the blues (for lack of a better word) CLARENCE GATEMOUTH BROWN. I first met Gatemouth to interview him at his hotel, the Red Roof Inn in South Deerfield, Massachusetts, the morning before a show at the now defunct Sheehan’s Cafe in Northampton, Massachusetts. I’m going to play for you everything from that interview and impressive performance that evening, which took place during a time that many would say was the peak of his storied career. Gatemouth, who lived on Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana, was diagnosed in 2004 with lung cancer. When the notorious Hurricane Katrina moved into the region in August 2005, he hurried away to stay with his brother in neighboring Texas. His home was ruined during the hurricane, and his guitars and instruments washed away. Gatemouth passed shortly after.Please enjoy this 1988 interview with the incredible Gatemouth Brown, including music from his performance that night. In the interview, Gate schooled me on what The Blues really is, and how he is most assuredly NOT a bluesman. He plays a special kind of music, and it’s not the blues.For more information about Clarence Gatemouth Brown on Alligator Records:https://www.alligator.com/artists/Clarence-Gatemouth-Brown/Gate’s iconic 1966 Gibson Firebird guitar:http://legacy.gibson.com/news-lifestyle/features/en-us/legendary-guitars-clarence-708.aspxGate’s NY Times obituary:https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/12/arts/music/guitarist-clarence-gatemouth-brown-dies-at-81.htmlGrateful Dan Tie Dye's Etsy page for Jerry Garcia glow-in-the-dark T:https://www.etsy.com/shop/GratefulDanTieDyeTom Reney, producer/host of Jazz a la Mode on New England Public Media:https://www.nepm.org/people/tom-reney#stream/0For more information about Thom Pollard:www.eyesopenproductions.comFor a free downloadable copy of A Course In Happiness:www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotientOur theme song, Happiness Jones, appears courtesy of The Wood Brothers.For more information about The Wood Brothers:https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, find him at: www.eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for The Happiness Quotient, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

What was the fate of famed British mountaineers George Mallory and Sandy Irvine? And were they the first to climb Mount Everest? Today's guest is noted historian and author Tom Holzel to talk about his fifty plus year fascination with solving the mystery of Mallory & Irvine. Mallory and Irvine’s disappearance on Everest on June 8th 1924 has captivated and intrigued generations of mountaineers and would-be sleuths. Did they make it? What happened to them?Tom Holzel has studied this more than anyone alive. This interview will inspire you, intrigue and, it just might turn you into a modern day detective…. What happened on that fateful day, high upon the slopes of the world’s highest peak.For a free, downloadable copy of The Happiness Quotient's A Course In Happiness, please visit www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient, or find it at eyesopenproductions.com/happinessThree important interviews/videos with Tom Holzel:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLliwwVA2bFR4yw9K9XQV-eu42AUCIzsUKI'd like to thank Oliver and Chris Wood, Jano Ricks and The Wood Brothers management, as well as their publicist Kevin Calabro for granting us the rights to use HAPPINESS JONES for our theme music. We are deeply honored. Find The Wood Brothers at: https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, look for him at eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for A Course In Happiness, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

Inspired by two back-to-back dreams in which I walked and learned from masters of ancient wisdom, I reflect about the teachings of Friedrich Nietzsche. Given the impeachment proceedings taking place in the United States, these dreams and Nietzsche's principles for becoming an exceptional individual are timely and prescient for our future. It's all about individual accountability and becoming greater than oneself. Revolution starts from within. BELOW, PLEASE SEE NIETZSCHE'S PRINCIPLES.I'd like to thank Oliver and Chris Wood, Jano Ricks and The Wood Brothers management, as well as their publicist Kevin Calabro for granting us the rights to use HAPPINESS JONES for our theme music. We are deeply honored. Find The Wood Brothers at: https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, look for him at eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for A Course In Happiness, email THOM at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.com==============================================PRINCIPLES of Friedrich Nietzsche 1 BE AN ESSENTIALIST, be brief, concentrate on what is important, to not compromise self to other’s ideals, focus on what is important in our lives, 2 BE AUTHENTIC - take away all idols in life, do not follow herd mentality by denying your true self, people are unwilling to be authentic because it takes great effort….3 LOOK FOR WISDOM NOT KNOWLEDGE - By observing and experiencing things for oneself, one can grow in wisdom, create your own concepts and do not follow4 PUT YOUR WILL INTO THINGS, do not accept piece of mind, untrue stories of paradise, following blindly the words or sermons of a priest or politician5 LOVE YOUR DESTINY AMOR FATI, accept one’s destiny with open arms6 NEVER FEAR FAILURE, how can you arise anew if you do not first become ashes?7 ALWAYS SPEAK YOUR TRUTH truths that are silenced become poisonous8 STAY CONNECTED TO NATURE, nature nourishes9 BE PRAGMATIC, you can only learn through experience, you cannot truly learn something by, say, reading a book unless you have experience of these things10 BE DYNAMITE “I am not a man, I am dynamite” Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)

This powerful episode revisits an inspiring interview of hope with Holocaust survivor Irene Butter. For the thousands living today who survived that period in history, when the Nazi’s reigned terror around the world and attempted to rid the world of those who they deemed were a threat to their so-called superior race, the memory is a daily experience. Irene, like many, has chosen to honor those who lost their lives by telling us her story. Today we share a condensed interview with Irene first conducted in October of 2019. That interview, given the events of January 6, 2021 in the United States Capitol Building, are ever so poignant.Today, marking the Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27, 2021 for CNN, Irene wrote:"Now, 75 years later, I see something I never imagined: echoes of the Nazis and their regime. What happened in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021, was an attempted coup of our government and an unraveling of the democracy that protects all of our rights. I saw a T-shirt with the words "Camp Auschwitz," as well as other anti-Semitic symbols and slogans used by the rioters.Decades earlier, I heard an interview on the radio with Auschwitz survivor and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel, who said, "If you were in the camps, if you smelled the air and heard the silence of the dead, then it's your duty to be a witness and tell the stories." It took me 40 years to start talking, and I am not finished yet."Here's the full article by Irene:https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/26/opinions/holocaust-fascism-un-capitol-riots-butter/index.htmlIn this gripping and moving interview we discuss Irene's experiences of surviving the Holocaust and also talk about her book, written by Irene herself with the help of two old friends, John Bidwell and Kris Holloway, who helped bring Irene’s story of hope and inspiration to life. For more information about Irene please visit www.IreneButter.com and also please visit her publisher's website www.canofworms.netThe music inside the episode was found on the free music archive, and is by Tagirijus. You can find his music at tagirijus.de I discovered the music at the free music archive. I'd like to thank Oliver and Chris Wood, Jano Ricks and The Wood Brothers management, as well as their publicist Kevin Calabro for granting us the rights to use HAPPINESS JONES for our theme music. We are deeply honored. Find The Wood Brothers at: https://www.thewoodbros.com/The Wood Brothers on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvWKQovDZlLceuct1EEMMQHappiness Jones video can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIoiVWwF5AFor more about Thom Dharma Pollard, about personal coaching or his inspirational presentations, virtual or in person, look for him at eyesopenproductions.comTo join his mailing list for A Course In Happiness, email him at thom.dharma.pollard@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thehappinessquotient)