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Michael Sorg and Katie Dudas are joined by Sam Eitzen, CEO of Snapbar, for a deep dive into how artificial intelligence is changing experiential marketing, trade shows, conferences, brand activations, and the humble photo booth. Sam explains how Snapbar evolved from physically hauling hundreds of photo booths to events into building a web-based platform that lets brands create interactive experiences accessible from an iPad, touchscreen, QR code, or an attendee's own phone. What started as a necessary pandemic pivot has developed into AI photo experiences, highly personalized AI Stories, and new ways for brands to combine entertainment with lead generation. The conversation also gets beyond the AI hype. Sam discusses the unpredictability of image models, why prompt engineering still requires humans, how Snapbar tests and switches between different AI models, and why brands need to understand that generative AI is not simply automated Photoshop. Snapbar's system remains cloud-based, meaning connectivity and third-party model reliability are still real considerations for live events. Topics and products discussed: What experiential marketing actually means: Sam distinguishes traditional broadcast and digital advertising from interactive marketing designed to bring the audience into the experience through participation. Snapbar's origin story: The company began as a side-gig photo booth business before moving from weddings into conferences, trade shows, sporting events, product launches, festivals, and other B2B activations. The pandemic pivot: When physical events disappeared in 2020, a client asked whether Snapbar could bring its photo experiences online. That request became the foundation of the company's current web-based platform. World Cup fan activations: Sam describes branded soccer experiences that let attendees transform themselves into stylized or animated fans and players without improperly copying team intellectual property. QR codes instead of long lines: Experiences can run on event iPads while also letting thousands of attendees participate from their own phones by scanning a QR code. Understanding the audience: A soccer activation that works at the World Cup may flop at a legal conference. Sam says cybersecurity audiences, for example, often respond particularly well to gaming, fantasy, and trading-card concepts. Digital experiences as event swag: The group discusses whether personalized digital content can become an alternative to another pile of branded pens, bottles, and promotional giveaways. Snapbar's planned digital spinner wheel: Sam explains a digital version of the familiar trade-show prize wheel with customizable branding, prize probabilities, inventory management, QR control, redemption codes, and lead capture. The rise of the AI photo booth: Early image generation was unreliable, producing extra arms, heads, and other artifacts. As models improved, AI photo experiences became one of Snapbar's biggest products. AI Stories: Snapbar adds Mad Libs-like personalization to AI-generated experiences, allowing attendees to influence the resulting scene while brands maintain controls over the experience. Taking event tech into unusual environments: Sam recalls activations at music festivals, on boats, and experiences that attendees could even access while traveling because everything is web-based. Working across AI providers: Rather than building its own image models, Snapbar evaluates available third-party systems and can shift between models depending on prompt adherence, realism, animation style, and client needs. Why testing matters: AI models can regress or behave differently after updates. Snapbar's team tests experiences ahead of events, attempts to break them, adjusts prompts, and can intervene while an activation is live. Treat AI like a new team member: Sam suggests thinking of AI less like an infallible machine and more like a new employee that needs context, supervision, defined permissions, and an understanding of what it does well. AI is not automated Photoshop: Clients sometimes expect pixel-perfect control, but generative systems still involve prompting, probabilities, and outputs that cannot always be completely dictated. Why AI may not magically fix event networking: Sam pushes back on the idea that feeding hobbies and job titles into an AI matchmaking system automatically creates meaningful human connections. Event attendees ultimately want genuine personal and professional connection. The danger of easy AI startups: AI makes prototypes and products dramatically easier to build, but that also means competitors can build similar products just as quickly. Distribution becomes the advantage: Sam argues that customer relationships, audience access, SEO/AEO, reputation, and reaching the right buyers become even more important when everyone has access to powerful AI tools. Learn more about Snapbar at https://snapbar.com, which Sam specifically shares at the end of the interview.

Today on Just Pro Wrestling News: • Mercedes Moné is not medically cleared for AEW All Out. • Willow Nightingale versus Thekla will determine Moné's WrestleDream challenger. • Kazuchika Okada versus Tommaso Ciampa is official for the AEW International Championship. • Steven Borden and Darby Allin get a number one contender match at All Out. • Hangman Page and Brodido earn an AEW World Trios Championship opportunity. • Jon Moxley gets the final Dynamite victory over Will Ospreay's team before All Out. • Tessa Blanchard wins CMLL's Copa Independencia. More daily wrestling news: www.JustProWrestlingNews.com

Katie Dudas visits Pittsburgh Robotics & AI Discovery Day 2026 and catches up with Trevor Sibley, Marketing Manager at Pittsburgh-based HEBI Robotics, to meet a robot with a very Pittsburgh story. When the NFL Draft came to Pittsburgh, HEBI had the opportunity to appear on the main stage alongside Carnegie Mellon University. Naturally, they decided their robot needed a local upgrade: “PLAY RENEGADE” displayed right on the robot. HEBI CEO Bob Raida helped get the crowd going as “Renegade” played during the demonstration. Trevor also explains the technology behind the robot, including HEBI's modular platform and R-Series smart actuators. Their mobile robots are designed to carry tools and equipment into muddy, dirty and hard-to-reach environments while remaining easy to control. Katie also gets a look at HEBI's industrial robotics work and how the company uses robots to make dangerous jobs safer while keeping skilled human operators in control. It's Pittsburgh robotics, Pittsburgh football culture and a robot that knows exactly when it's time to Play Renegade.

Today on Just Pro Wrestling News: • Mason Rook defeats Tony D'Angelo and Saquon Shugars to become Grayson Waller's next NXT Championship challenger. • The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic returns after a two year absence with teams from across WWE, Evolve and Triple A. • Triple A Reina de Reinas Champion La Catalina makes her NXT debut. • AEW announces a new streaming home in Japan through Hulu Japan. • AEW All Out sells through its current NOW Arena seating configuration. • Dynamite prepares for its final stretch toward All Out. More daily wrestling news: www.JustProWrestlingNews.com

Apple finally gave the tech world its foldable iPhone, and the biggest question on AwesomeCast 796 isn't whether it looks impressive. It's whether anyone needs a $1,999 phone. Sorg, Katie Dudas and Dave Podnar spend this week's episode looking at where Apple is going next, while also catching up on Nintendo, MapQuest, Pittsburgh technology and some unusually revealing internet analytics. Siri Gets Smarter — Eventually Dave upgraded to iOS 27 and came away impressed with its speed and stability, but the headline Siri AI features come with a catch: there's a waitlist. Apple's rollout includes a more capable Siri experience, improved Visual Intelligence and upgrades to Image Playground. Sorg, who had access earlier through the beta process, says Siri already appears better at understanding spoken requests and answering questions without immediately handing everything off elsewhere. More on the Siri AI rollout: https://www.macrumors.com/2026/09/15/ios-27-siri-ai-has-waitlist-how-to-join/ Apple's $1,999 Foldable Experiment Then there's the iPhone Duo. The foldable became one of the episode's biggest discussions after an unlikely piece of analytics showed just how much attention Apple's announcement received: Pornhub reported a significant traffic drop when Apple revealed the device. https://mashable.com/life/pornhub-apple-event-viewers-dropped-iphone-duo Beyond the jokes, there are intriguing ideas here. Apple is using matching aspect ratios between the outside and inside displays, potentially making life easier for developers. The larger format opens up interesting multitasking possibilities, and the crew sees potential for business users, presenters and some creators. The problem is impossible to ignore: $1,999 is a lot of money for a phone. Katie compares the experience to having a dual-monitor setup in your pocket but struggles to get past the cost. Sorg sees the Duo more as Apple's latest first-generation experiment — something that may eventually trickle down into less expensive devices after early adopters figure out what the form factor is actually good for. Apple Watch Solves the “What Did They Just Say?” Problem A smaller Apple announcement may prove more immediately useful. The crew discusses an Apple Watch listening feature that can help recover something you recently heard. The example involved replaying information like restaurant specials, but Sorg immediately saw a production use for it: remembering instructions received in a noisy event environment. Sometimes the best technology feature isn't spectacular. It simply fixes a small problem that happens constantly. Nintendo Looks Back — and Forward Chachi's Video Game Minute brings an update on the White House Tetris-style game, which has now been removed. https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2026/09/08/white-house-removes-controversial-tetris-style-game-from-arcade-website/ Nintendo also showed gameplay for the Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, scheduled for November 5. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/nintendo-shares-the-first-gameplay-and-release-date-for-the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake/ Sorg continues the Nintendo discussion with Mario Kart World's newly accessible recreations of classic Super Nintendo tracks and a new Metroid announcement. Mario Kart update: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1711610297636885&set=gm.2640543926409864&idorvanity=234524630345151 Nintendo Direct roundup: https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-direct-september-2026-live-report-all-the-announcements-as-they-happen?utm_source=campaigner&utm_campaign=NL_FIX_Sep_09_2026&cmp=1&utm_medium=email&Ictg=46311792229 The larger question is whether Nintendo is leaning too heavily on remakes — even as genuinely new games continue arriving beside them. MapQuest Wins With Whimsy MapQuest's unexpected comeback continues, powered partly by something its bigger competitors often lack: personality. Katie introduces two more Questies — Corgi and Black Cat — along with Rufus, the dog who inspired the Corgi design, and the upcoming Jimothy character. Future MapQuest updates are also expected to include CarPlay, Android Auto and transit improvements. Corgi and Black Cat: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdNtRdGFMqk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&stkn=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Rufus: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdP_UXVG4bp/?img_index=2 Jimothy: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdUwv6mp_yC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&stkn=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== It's a reminder that a challenger brand doesn't always have to beat Google on pure scale. Sometimes giving people a reason to care about the product is enough to get another look. From CAPTCHA to Duolingo For Hispanic Heritage Month, Dave's Awesome History segment highlights Luis von Ahn. Von Ahn came from Guatemala to Carnegie Mellon, became one of the researchers behind CAPTCHA and later co-founded Duolingo. The discussion expands into the importance of university research and how work that begins without an obvious commercial product can eventually become foundational technology. https://www.invent.org/inductees/luis-von-ahn Wrestling in a Military Hangar Sorg's Awesome Thing of the Week comes from a very different kind of technology production. The Sidekick Media crew helped capture Prospect Pro Wrestling's “Banger in the Hangar” at the 911th Air Wing. Wrestlers entered through a huge cargo aircraft, Stormtroopers showed up, the Pirate Parrot got involved, and the production took place inside an enormous working hangar. Watch the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kqJY33amJ0 It is another episode that jumps from smartphones and video games to Pittsburgh production stories — exactly the kind of wonderfully strange technology mix AwesomeCast was built for. Support AwesomeCast at Patreon.com/AwesomeCast and find more shows at www.SorgatronMedia.com.

Wrestling Mayhem Show 1020 dives headfirst into a massive weekend of lucha libre, WWE in Mexico, surprising championship changes, and unforgettable independent wrestling. Sorg and Mad Mike welcome special guest co-host TruePrinceOfPro for a spirited review of TripleMania, from Omos launching Rey Mysterio through a table to El Grande Americano's championship celebration. The crew examines whether WWE's production style has polished away some of Triple A's distinct personality while also giving its wrestlers a larger international platform. They discuss the Copa Bardahl, the return of familiar Triple A personalities, Nathan Frazer and Axiom finding a natural home in lucha libre, Rey Fenix's four-way title defense, La Catalina's championship journey, and the Wagner Brothers capturing tag team gold. The conversation then turns to WWE's Mexico run, including Sami Zayn becoming WWE Champion, Damian Priest turning on R-Truth, Chad Gable's outstanding battle with Dragon Lee, and Penta receiving a WrestleMania-level presentation against Roman Reigns. Did Penta need to win, or did his performance establish him as a true main-event player? Sorg also shares stories from Prospect Pro Wrestling's Banger at the Hangar, a unique event staged inside an aircraft hangar at the 911th Airlift Wing near Pittsburgh International Airport. The show featured wrestlers emerging from a military aircraft, an encounter between Paul Atlas and the Pirate Parrot, a huge crowd, and a memorable sendoff for longtime Pittsburgh wrestling fixture Dennis Gregory. Topics include: Omos chokeslamming Rey Mysterio through a table during TripleMania Rey Mysterio's tribute to his classic Halloween Havoc gear Whether TripleMania's Las Vegas event captured the authentic Triple A atmosphere The Copa Bardahl, Omos, Los Vipers, Niño Hamburguesa, and returning Triple A personalities Pimpinela Escarlata's adventures outside wrestling on reality television Rey Fenix defending the Cruiserweight Championship in a four-way match Why Nathan Frazer and Axiom belong in Triple A La Catalina completing her journey back to championship gold The Wagner Brothers defeating the War Raiders Corey Graves calling multiple shows despite struggling with his voice JBL's entertaining role on Triple A commentary El Grande Americano defeating Dominik Mysterio in an overbooked lucha spectacle The live band and crowd celebration that followed El Grande Americano's victory The possibility of Rey Mysterio facing Dominik in a mask-versus-hair match Triple A's potential to grow into an international touring brand Sami Zayn becoming WWE Champion Stephanie Vaquer's championship victory and a potential match with Chelsea Green The strange possibilities of a Money in the Bank cash-in during the Royal Rumble Damian Priest turning against R-Truth Chad Gable and Dragon Lee delivering one of the weekend's standout matches Roman Reigns versus Penta and the debate over whether WWE should have changed the championship Why Penta may have won the night even without winning the match Prospect Pro Wrestling's Banger at the Hangar The Pirate Parrot confronting Paul Atlas Dennis Gregory's Pittsburgh wrestling legacy Updates from 880 Wrestling, VCW, RWA, and the Pittsburgh wrestling community The return of Just Pro Wrestling News as a weekday short-form news show Why supporting local independent wrestling remains more important than ever Hosted by Sorg and Mad Mike with special guest co-host TruePrinceOfPro. Find more from the Wrestling Mayhem Show at: www.wrestlingmayhemshow.com

Today on Just Pro Wrestling News: • Roman Reigns defeats Penta to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in Mexico City. • LA Knight challenges Reigns for Money in the Bank and Roman accepts. • Lola Vice and Je'Von Evans qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder matches. • Chad Gable retains the Intercontinental Championship against Dragon Lee. • Becky Lynch wants the first championship opportunity against Stephanie Vaquer. • WWE Raw, SmackDown and NXT are headed to Netflix in Japan. • Walker Stewart signs a contract extension with NJPW. More daily wrestling news: www.JustProWrestlingNews.com

Sometimes the hardest accomplishment to recognize is your own. In Part 2 of Jim Ellermeyer's conversation with sportscaster Austin Cairns, Austin opens up about learning to slow down and appreciate the people, experiences, and accomplishments already in his life. Austin talks about the trusted circle of family and longtime friends who have been there for him and how, especially during college, constantly trying to “go, go, go” could quickly lead to burnout. More recently, he has learned to put down the phone, step away from the computer, spend time with his family, and remember that time may be more valuable than money. The conversation also follows Austin's educational and professional journey from CCAC to Point Park University and into the world of sports broadcasting. He recalls helping create a live charity event at Point Park that combined sports, entertainment, media, and professional wrestling and ultimately raised more than $365,000. But even after accomplishing something that significant, Austin admits that being proud of himself didn't come naturally. Jim and Austin discuss the difference between arrogance and confidence and why recognizing your own progress doesn't mean putting yourself above anyone else. For Austin, that lesson also meant realizing that the kid who grew up watching professional wrestling was now calling matches, working in sports, creating content, and meeting people he once watched on television. Austin also shares how an internship with an independent wrestling promotion gave him a foot in the door, what he learned from experienced broadcasters, and why storytelling is such an important part of professional wrestling commentary. It's a conversation about gratitude, purpose, family, ambition, burnout, confidence, and giving yourself permission to acknowledge how far you've already come. Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen without the ads and support the show through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait Continue your mindfulness practice with “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book”: https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Today on Just Pro Wrestling News: • El Grande Americano defeats Dominik Mysterio to become Triple A Mega Champion. • La Catalina ends Flammer's historic 1,128 day Reina de Reinas Championship reign. • Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Galeno shock the War Raiders to capture the Triple A World Tag Team Championship. • Omos wins the Copa Bardahl for the second consecutive year. • Rey Fenix retains the Cruiserweight Championship. • Vipress wins GCW's Ultraviolent Championship. • Yuki Kamifuku discusses her upcoming retirement. More daily wrestling news: www.JustProWrestlingNews.com

This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk a start of a new year and new season on Real Housewives of New York City; and the youth of New York giving us the reality tv we need right now on Next Gen NYC. 7:16 - Real Housewives of New York: Season 16: Episode 01 46:44 - Next Gen NYC: Season 02: pt1 1:31:17 - Next Gen NYC: Season 02: pt2 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

Today on Just Pro Wrestling News: • Nic Nemeth retains the TNA World Championship against Matt Hardy in a wild No Disqualification match. • Moose agrees to put his TNA career on the line against Frankie Kazarian. • Xia Brookside retains the Knockouts World Championship. • Fabian Aichner qualifies for the X Division Championship match at Bound For Glory. • Jeff Jarrett versus Blue Panther is added to CMLL's 93rd Anniversary event. • SmackDown heads to Mexico City and Triplemania 34 begins tonight in Las Vegas. More wrestling news: www.JustProWrestlingNews.com

Today on Just Pro Wrestling News: • AEW's Rebel Heart Dynamite honors Tanea Brooks and her fight with ALS. • Britt Baker earns her first victory in nearly two years. • Steven Borden wins his first televised AEW match while Josh Alexander returns from injury. • Will Ospreay defeats David Finlay ahead of his All Out clash with Jon Moxley. • WWE launches WWE Ahora, its first Spanish language podcast with dedicated Triple A coverage. • TNA IMPACT prepares for Nic Nemeth versus Matt Hardy in a No Disqualification World Championship match. More wrestling news: www.JustProWrestlingNews.com

A huge AEW All Out match is official on today's Just Pro Wrestling News as World Champion Will Ospreay prepares to defend against Jon Moxley. Also today: • Adam Copeland and Christian Cage challenge FTR and the Young Bucks to a three way championship battle involving tables, ladders and chairs. • New Level and Swerve Strickland successfully defend the AEW World Trios Championships against the Rascalz. • Thekla targets Mercedes Moné and the AEW Women's World Championship. • WWE EVOLVE crowns new number one contenders. • TNA IMPACT sets an International Championship contender match and X Division qualifier for tonight. Get more at www.JustProWrestlingNews.com.

Xbox cloud gaming limits are changing Sorg's living-room setup, MapQuest is turning navigation into a pixel-art adventure, and a rooster alarm app wants you to work for your snooze button. On AwesomeCast 795, Michael Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar explore gaming news, gadgets, apps, and geek culture from Pittsburgh. • Xbox Cloud Gaming limits: Sorg explains why he moved his Xbox Series S back downstairs. The hosts discuss the impact of monthly streaming allowances on long games and cloud-focused devices, plus a follow-up on Xbox's disc-to-digital licensing preview. https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-announces-big-changes-to-xbox-cloud-gaming-switches-to-monthly-hour-limits • Next-generation Xbox affordability: An interview about Project Helix sparks a conversation about efficiency, console prices, PC game compatibility, and unanswered disc-drive questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txuYKwrbq1M • Retro cartridges on modern computers: Sorg discovers Epilogue's GB Operator and SN Operator. The discussion covers playing existing Game Boy and Super Nintendo collections, preserving cartridge saves, and a Game Boy Camera connection. https://apple.news/A9oaGgCU0QpqcvQLP7ttlKQ • MapQuest's 8-bit personality: Katie shares her experience with pixel-style maps, Questies character avatars, playful navigation voices, CarPlay, and live radio. • Star Trek at 60: Dave reflects on the franchise's cultural impact, diverse vision of the future, and connections to real-world technology, from communicators to tablet-like PADDs. • John Snow and disease mapping: Dave's Awesome History explores the Broad Street cholera outbreak and connects historical mapping with modern wastewater surveillance and community preparedness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1854_Broad_Street_cholera_outbreak • Panic's tariff refunds: ChachiSays covers the Playdate company's decision to return tariff charges to customers. https://www.al.com/news/2026/08/tariff-refunds-sent-to-video-game-customers-not-our-money.html • The Tetris Company responds: Chachi discusses the company's statement about a Tetris-like game on the White House website. https://variety.com/2026/digital/news/tetris-company-trump-white-house-build-the-wall-game-copyright-1236851993/ • Zelda anniversary reactions: Sorg discusses the presentation's movie reveal, music-tour news, and Ocarina of Time remake footage. The hosts weigh remake pricing, revisit Nintendo memories, and talk Twilight Princess, Star Fox, and Super Mario Sunshine. https://www.theverge.com/games/991265/the-legend-of-zelda-40th-anniversary-direct • Street Fighter 6 meets the movies: Movie-actor challenger screens, including Roman Reigns as Akuma, spark excitement and memories of Street Fighter's earlier film and game crossover. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1755856245623451 • Snoopy at Starbucks: Katie highlights Great Pumpkin-inspired Peanuts merchandise, including mugs, travel cups, bags, and pins. https://about.starbucks.com/stories/2026/starbucks-and-peanuts-celebrate-fall-with-a-global-merch-collection-inspired-by-the-great-pumpkin/ • Dungeon Crawler Carl LEGO Ideas: Two fan proposals bring Carl, Princess Donut, and friends into brick form. The hosts explore a dungeon scene and larger character builds seeking community support. https://ideas.lego.com/product-ideas/eb3c3057-8646-45b4-86ba-dfc08ba7e7e8 https://ideas.lego.com/product-ideas/6e47b028-7cba-48bc-81d9-a1461bdd4d08 • Clucky's demanding wake-up call: Sorg sets up a rooster alarm app with snooze challenges, samples its loud sounds, and chooses a tilt-game mission. Katie explains how the app turns getting out of bed into an interactive routine. https://tryclucky.com Plus, Dave shares his Steelers 5K experience, and the hosts bring their usual mix of hands-on discoveries, gaming opinions, and Pittsburgh personality.

In Part 1 of our conversation with Austin Cairns, Jim Ellermeyer explores how a shy kid who wasn't sure what he wanted to do began creating a path toward broadcasting. Austin grew up in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, attending a small high school where opportunities could be limited. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived during his high school years. Remote learning, isolation, uncertainty, fear for his frontline-worker parents, and spending most of his time at home left Austin feeling increasingly complacent and unsure about what came next. A seemingly ordinary moment with his father changed his perspective. While watching ESPN together, Austin's father told him he could imagine his son working in television. Austin didn't immediately believe him. At the time, he considered himself shy and struggled to imagine speaking comfortably into a microphone, much less appearing on camera. But Austin tried. He started looking for opportunities wherever he could find them. His first announcing experience came introducing his high school's marching band during football halftime. That small opportunity connected him with his first mentor in broadcasting and eventually led to announcing more school sports. Austin also began creating his own practice. He muted television broadcasts and attempted play-by-play himself. He practiced wrestling commentary. He cut mock promos. He recorded his voice and listened back, even when hearing himself made him cringe. That discomfort became part of the education. Jim and Austin discuss the importance of repetition, getting outside the comfort zone, learning through failure, and being willing to ask, “How can I improve this?” Austin also reflects on the people who helped him move forward, including his family and Pittsburgh broadcasting mentor Alby Oxenreiter. A relationship that began with Austin listening closely to an experienced broadcaster eventually developed into a moment where Austin was asked to take the lead himself. Underlying the entire conversation is something central to Fishing Without Bait: we don't have to wait until we feel completely ready before taking action. Sometimes the first step is simply trying. Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait on your favorite podcast player and follow the conversation as Austin Cairns continues sharing how he got here from there. Support the podcast and receive ad-free episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait Continue your own mindfulness practice with “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book”: https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Today on Just Pro Wrestling News: • The 946 escalates its Bloodline war by setting The Usos' car on fire. • Bayley makes a surprise Raw return and costs Lyra Valkyria a Money in the Bank qualifier. • Liv Morgan retains the Women's World Championship against Stephanie Vaquer. • Bron Breakker and Sol Ruca qualify for Money in the Bank. • Baron Corbin confirms he signed a multi year WWE contract. • Enjoy Wrestling provides additional confirmed details surrounding Andy Williams' medical emergency. Get your daily wrestling news at www.JustProWrestlingNews.com.

This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk about the lack of talking between Porsha and Shamea on Real Housewives of Atlanta; the White and Alter Ego parties on Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip; and how many pies are too many pies on the Love Island USA reunion. 5:34 - Real Housewives of Atlanta: Season 17: Episode 20 32:34 - Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Season 05: Episodes 03-04 1:13:44 - Love Island USA: Season 08: Reunion We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

Umino told Tokyo Sports that he was diagnosed with a concussion and amnesia after the opening night of the G1 Climax. He says he is now healthy and is scheduled to return Saturday. Source: Fightful, citing Tokyo Sports Shota Umino injury report MATT HARDY CHALLENGES NIC NEMETH On TNA IMPACT, Santino Marella made a No Disqualification match between Nic Nemeth and Matt Hardy for the TNA World Championship on September 10. Source: TNA Wrestling TNA IMPACT results ROXANNE PEREZ JOINS TRIPLEMANIA 34 Roxanne Perez faces Nattie, Faby Apache and La Hiedra on September 11 in Las Vegas. The winner receives a Reina de Reinas Championship opportunity at Worlds Collide. Source: Fightful and Triple A Triplemania 34 match announcement KC NAVARRO QUALIFIES FOR BOUND FOR GLORY Navarro defeated Joe Alonzo to claim the first spot in the six way match that will crown a new X Division Champion. Source: Fightful KC Navarro Bound For Glory update CMLL 93RD ANNIVERSARY CARD EXPANDS Hechicero vs. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Claudio Castagnoli and Persephone vs. Tessa Blanchard vs. Mina Shirakawa vs. Starlight Kid are set for September 18 at Arena México. Source: Fightful, citing CMLL Informa CMLL championship match announcement

A huge AEW All Out match is official on today's Just Pro Wrestling News as World Champion Will Ospreay prepares to defend against Jon Moxley. Also today: • Adam Copeland and Christian Cage challenge FTR and the Young Bucks to a three way championship battle involving tables, ladders and chairs. • New Level and Swerve Strickland successfully defend the AEW World Trios Championships against the Rascalz. • Thekla targets Mercedes Moné and the AEW Women's World Championship. • WWE EVOLVE crowns new number one contenders. • TNA IMPACT sets an International Championship contender match and X Division qualifier for tonight. Get more at www.JustProWrestlingNews.com.

Today on Just Pro Wrestling News: • Tessa Blanchard officially signs with MLW and will debut at FIGHTLAND on September 12. • WWE officially retires both the Men's and Women's Speed Championships. • The Creed Brothers make a surprise return to NXT. • Kendal Grey is sidelined for the foreseeable future with vertigo. • New verified attendance data emerges for AEW All In London. • Carmella confirms her retirement from professional wrestling. Get more daily wrestling news at www.JustProWrestlingNews.com.

The Wrestling Mayhem Show is back with Sorg, Mad Mike, Rizz, and special guest co-host Tina Keys for a packed conversation covering AEW's latest trip to Wembley Stadium, the aftermath of Wrestling Mayhem Show Presents: Sorgstock, WWE's upcoming Atlanta event, and a wrestling landscape where familiar chapters are closing while entirely new ones are beginning. The crew starts with AEW All In at Wembley, including a live perspective from inside the stadium and a breakdown of the enormous main event between Will Ospreay and Kenny Omega. From Ospreay's emotional entrance and callbacks to his career to the match itself and the celebration afterward, the group discusses why the victory felt like the beginning of a genuine new era for Ospreay. There's also plenty to unpack elsewhere on the card. Mercedes Moné and Willow Nightingale deliver another chapter in their rivalry, although the finish leaves the crew questioning exactly what happened. The surprise arrival of New Level — Kofi Kingston and Austin Creed — alongside Swerve Strickland instantly opens up a ridiculous number of possibilities for AEW's tag team and trios scene. The conversation expands into how wrestlers can completely reinvent themselves simply by finding the right company, presentation, or creative opportunity. Then it's time to explain what exactly happened at Sorgstock. The third wrestling event produced under the Wrestling Mayhem Show banner combined serious wrestling with intentionally ridiculous ideas: video-game-inspired wrestling, school supplies turned into weapons, a recorder with apparently supernatural powers over Rizz, aliens, surprise appearances, live music, live artwork, championship matches, and even an emergency Instacart run for concessions. Sorg reflects on why Sorgstock worked: the wrestling could still be excellent while performers were given permission to experiment, have fun, and create moments that normally wouldn't fit on a traditional wrestling card. Tina also gets to see how several of the matches she helped sponsor turned out. The WWE conversation turns toward Sunday Night's Main Event in Atlanta, including Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton, Oba Femi vs. Bron Breakker, the women's six-person match, Atlanta music and culture being incorporated into the event, and the discovery of some WWE merchandise that probably requires turning Safe Search off before doing additional research. The crew also looks ahead toward WWE and Triple A's upcoming shows in Mexico, the continuing expansion of crossover wrestling, and why a hometown crowd could make matches involving stars like Penta especially interesting. Finally, the show gets more reflective during What We Learned, as the impending end of Enjoy Wrestling leads to a discussion about what the Pittsburgh promotion meant to wrestlers, fans, production crews, and the LGBTQ+ community. Rather than only mourning what's ending, the conversation turns toward what might grow from the space Enjoy leaves behind. It's wrestling, questionable Google searches, Disney stories, Faygo, recorders, independent wrestling chaos, and a surprising amount of emotional reflection on another Wrestling Mayhem Show.

How do you preserve physical video games in a world increasingly designed around downloads? How much would you pay for a really good keyboard? And what exactly happens when you sort the Nintendo Switch store from cheapest to most expensive? Those questions—and several much stranger ones—come up on AwesomeCast 794 with Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar. Xbox Finds a New Use for the Game Disc One of the episode's biggest discussions centers on Microsoft's Xbox Discs to Digital initiative. The concept offers an interesting middle ground between physical and digital ownership. A supported Xbox disc can be authenticated and connected to a player's digital library, potentially giving players digital access while the disc itself continues to function as the transferable proof of ownership. That last part is important. If the disc is sold and authenticated by somebody else, the digital access moves with it. For Sorg, who has stacks of Xbox One games and a console with a failed optical drive, this could solve a very practical problem. It also opens possibilities for finding inexpensive used Xbox games at stores such as GameStop and turning them into accessible digital titles. There are still questions surrounding Xbox 360 compatibility, licensing, sports games, delisted games and publisher participation, but it is a fascinating attempt to bridge two very different eras of game ownership. https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/08/26/your-discs-now-also-digital/?ocid=Platform_soc_omc_xbo_fb_Photo_lrn_8.26.2 Gamers Say They Want Physical Games. Are They Buying Them? That question carries directly into this week's ChachiSays Video Game Minute. Chachi points to figures showing U.S. spending on physical video games falling to levels not seen since physical-game statistics began being tracked in 1995. Nintendo represented a sizable portion of the remaining physical market. The contradiction is hard to ignore: gamers regularly criticize publishers for abandoning physical media, but those products need enough buyers to justify continuing to manufacture and distribute them. https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/console-gaming/us-console-sales-fall-39-percent-in-july-as-memory-costs-push-average-price-to-542 Generative AI Comes to Gamescom Chachi also discusses reports of generative AI being used during development of multiple titles connected to Gamescom 2026. The larger concern is not simply whether AI tools exist inside game development. The segment focuses on how companies disclose that use, what work the systems replace, and whether developers are being transparent with their audiences. Project Zeta, Aion 2, Train Sim World 7, Crimson Desert and Crazy Taxi: World Tour are among the games brought up during the discussion. https://kotaku.com/opening-night-live-2026-genai-slop-games-geoff-keighley-2000728477 Roku City Quietly Remembers Three Entertainment Icons Katie highlights a much more thoughtful use of technology: the little visual Easter eggs hidden inside Roku City. The screensaver incorporated imagery referencing Dolly Parton and Tim Curry along with an Optimus Prime-inspired tribute to Peter Cullen. That leads the crew into memories of Cullen's massive voice-acting career and the strange experience of realizing, years later, just how many familiar childhood characters were voiced by the same small group of performers. https://www.instagram.com/p/DcrPR8alYG3/?img_index=1 From Hubble to the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Dave's Awesome History segment turns toward NASA and astronomer Nancy Grace Roman. Roman played an important role in pushing space-based astronomy forward, helping lay the groundwork for what ultimately became the Hubble Space Telescope. The telescope carrying her name represents another enormous leap in what astronomers can observe. The hosts discuss its much wider field of view, the search for exoplanets, dark matter and dark energy, as well as the unusual orbital environments used by major observatories. https://www.planetary.org/articles/the-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-launch It's Already LEGO Advent Calendar Season Katie has an annual public-service announcement: if you want a particular Advent Calendar, buy it when you see it. LEGO's 2026 calendars are already appearing, including traditional Christmas offerings alongside Star Wars, Marvel and Disney sets. Waiting until December is how you end up frantically checking every store in town for the one calendar somebody decided they absolutely had to have. https://www.lego.com/en-us/search?q=advent%20calendar%202026&suggestion=true The $100,000 Keyboard Dave then discovers a corner of technology that makes even premium mechanical keyboards look inexpensive. A social video begins with keyboards priced in the hundreds of dollars, moves into models costing thousands, and eventually reaches one sitting around the $100,000 mark. At that point, calling something a “computer accessory” may no longer adequately explain what is happening. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1593262308558803 Brütal Legend Honors Tim Curry for 666 Minutes Double Fine found an extremely appropriate way to honor Tim Curry by making Brütal Legend free for 666 minutes. The Xbox 360-era heavy-metal adventure stars Jack Black and features Curry among its memorable cast. Sorg recently returned to the game and found that, despite showing its age in places, it remains surprisingly enjoyable. https://www.ign.com/articles/double-fine-productions-makes-brutal-legend-free-for-666-minutes-to-honor-tim-curry?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=6a905803b9a113000189638d&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook Donkey Kong Country: CGI From Another Time Speaking of things that have aged differently, Sorg rediscovers the computer-animated Donkey Kong Country television series from the late 1990s. The show provides an incredible time capsule of early television CGI: stiff animation, questionable lip synchronization and character models that can occasionally drift into nightmare territory. And yet there is something fascinating about seeing what creators were able to accomplish with 1990s rendering technology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWpI4vahfIY Sort the Nintendo eShop From Cheap to Expensive. You Have Been Warned. There is another kind of digital archaeology available right now. Go to the Nintendo Switch store. Sort everything from lowest price to highest. Start scrolling. The result is a journey through inexpensive retro games, indie releases, zombie games, cat games, simulators, dating games, suspiciously AI-looking artwork and enough shovelware to keep the AwesomeCast crew entertained far longer than expected. There are legitimate bargains hiding in the pile—but finding them is part of the adventure. https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/sales-and-deals/#show=0&p=1&sort=pa&f=priceRangeFilter&priceRangeFilter=%240+-+%244.99 Commodore 64 Meets Cyberpunk The episode's final major retro-tech rabbit hole comes courtesy of a Cyberpunk-themed Commodore 64. The unusual crossover sends Katie and Dave back into memories of the original beige Commodore machines, while Dave recalls using GEOS for word processing and schoolwork long before the modern Windows experience became standard. https://commodore.net/store/commodore64/ Plus: Giant Medals, Slow USB-C Cables and Video Game Wrestling Dave also shows off the giant magnetic medals earned through the Pro Football Hall of Fame virtual race series. https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Canton/HOFRaceSeries Katie introduces what may become a recurring feature, “What Is Katie Labeling Now?”, after discovering one of her USB-C cables was charging her laptop dramatically slower than the others. And before any of that, the crew revisits Sorgstock and its real-life video game wrestling match, where the performers recreated all of the awkward movement, button mashing, missed attacks and controller confusion of playing a wrestling game when nobody remembers the controls. From the future of game ownership to 1980s computers and $100,000 keyboards, AwesomeCast 794 once again proves there is always something wonderfully strange happening in technology.

Why are we revisiting this episode now? As students head back to school, conversations around social media, young people, screen time, online identity, and mental health are once again dominating the news. Recent legal action involving major social media platforms has also renewed questions about how these spaces are designed and how they affect the people using them. That makes this conversation from Fishing Without Bait Episode 452, originally released January 14, 2025, feel particularly timely. Jim Ellermeyer is joined by Chris Maverick, professor of digital narrative interactive design at the University of Pittsburgh and a former professional wrestler, for a fascinating discussion about storytelling, performance, identity, escapism, and mindfulness. Chris draws a connection between professional wrestling and social media: both involve creating a version of yourself for an audience. The difference is that we usually understand that a professional wrestler is playing a character. On social media, those lines aren't always as clear. We see someone's vacations, accomplishments, relationships, perfect photos, opinions, and carefully selected moments—but rarely see the arguments, frustrations, insecurities, bills, bad days, or ordinary moments happening outside the frame. When we compare our complete lives to someone else's edited presentation, we create expectations that reality can never satisfy. Jim and Chris explore: • Why social media should be understood partly as a performance medium • The difference between a person's online identity and everyday reality • How comparison can distort our expectations of our own lives • Why professional wrestling offers an interesting lesson about personas and storytelling • The role of escapism and entertainment • How mindfulness helps us separate what is real from what is being presented to us • Why even successful relationships contain arguments, frustrations, and ordinary problems • The importance of paying attention to the life directly in front of us The technology continues to change, but the central Fishing Without Bait question remains the same: What do you know for sure, and what is actually right in front of you? Originally released January 14, 2025. Learn more about Chris Maverick and the VoxPopcast: www.voxpopcast.com Find more Fishing Without Bait: www.FishingWithoutBait.com Support Fishing Without Bait: www.patreon.com/fishingwithoutbait

Today on Just Pro Wrestling News: • Penta defeats Rey Fenix and earns a World Heavyweight Championship match against Roman Reigns in Mexico City. • Royce Keys and OTM brutally attack The Usos as Jacob Fatu declares war. • Dragon Lee becomes the next challenger for Chad Gable's Intercontinental Championship. • Joe Hendry returns to Raw to help Je'Von Evans. • Raquel Rodriguez retains against Sol Ruca after Lyra Valkyria interferes. • NXT begins the fallout from Heatwave tonight. Get more daily wrestling news at www.JustProWrestlingNews.com.

A massive AEW All In London dominates today's Just Pro Wrestling News as Will Ospreay defeats Kenny Omega to become AEW World Champion. Kofi and Austin Creed make their surprise AEW debut as New Level and immediately capture the World Trios Championships alongside Swerve Strickland. Mercedes Moné also defeats Willow Nightingale for the AEW Women's World Championship and later confirms that she suffered a broken nose during the match. Plus, Grayson Waller leaves NXT Heatwave as NXT Champion, La Parka captures the Triple A Latin American Championship, and AEW announces its next United Kingdom events for 2027. Get your daily wre

It's the Friday edition of Just Pro Wrestling News. M by Elegance becomes the first TNA Knockouts Television Champion on TNA IMPACT, Zoey Serrano officially signs with TNA, and Mustafa Ali is sidelined with a punctured lung. Plus, Willow Nightingale plans to compete at AEW All In despite a broken hand, Eddie Kingston is cleared for his CMLL World Heavyweight Championship match against Hechicero, and NWA EMPOWERRR returns tonight. Get your quick daily wrestling update at www.JustProWrestlingNews.com.

It's a packed Thursday edition of Just Pro Wrestling News. Jon Moxley and Nigel McGuinness are headed to the Continental Challenge Cup final at AEW All In after advancing on Dynamite in Glasgow. The proposed $147.5 million WWE merger lawsuit settlement has also moved another step forward, while TNA IMPACT will crown the first Knockouts Television Champion when Jada Stone faces M by Elegance. Plus, AEW adds more names to the Casino Gauntlet ahead of All In. Get the biggest wrestling stories in one quick update, without the vague backstage hearsay. Subscribe and visit www.JustProWrestlingNews.com for more.

Today's Wrestling News 1. Kali Armstrong changed the NXT Heatwave title picture. On NXT Tuesday night, Armstrong defeated Women's North American Champion Zaria, earning entry into Sunday's title unification match with Zaria and Wren Sinclair. The bout is now a three way match. Rey Fenix also retained the Triple A Cruiserweight Championship against EK Prosper, and Saquon Shugars defeated Dion Lennox in the Weaponized Steel Cage Match. 2. AEW begins All In week tonight in Glasgow. Dynamite features Jon Moxley against Claudio Castagnoli and Nigel McGuinness against Kyle O'Reilly in the Continental Challenge Cup semifinals. Swerve Strickland faces Jack Perry, while MJF and Andrade El Idolo are also scheduled to appear four days before All In at Wembley Stadium. 3. WWE programming is leaving ABEMA in Japan. ABEMA confirmed that Raw, SmackDown and WWE premium live events will stop streaming on the service after September 30. The September 29 Raw will be its final WWE broadcast. The relationship began in 2023. 4. Eddie Kingston is still scheduled to challenge Hechicero in CMLL. Despite being removed from AEW's Continental Challenge Cup because of a medical issue, Kingston remains advertised for Friday at Arena México, challenging for the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship. CMLL's official card also confirms the bout. 5. TNA will crown its first Knockouts Television Champion tomorrow. Thursday's iMPACT in Brampton features Jada Stone against M by Elegance in the tournament final. TNA is also advertising Elijah against Bear Bronson as the company moves from Lockdown toward Bound for Glory.

It's Sorgstock Week on Wrestling Mayhem Show 1018, and Sorg, TruePrinceofPro (T-Pop!) and Rizz have a lot more than one wrestling show to keep straight. The crew previews the madness surrounding Sorgstock, including championship matches, unusual stipulations, returning wrestlers, live music, art and the continued question of whether anybody actually knows what is going to happen once the bell rings. The announced lineup includes The Runway against Wild Wild South for the Pit Fight Tag Team Championship, Sammy Suntheimer facing Billy the Alien, an RWA No Limits Championship “Bite-Off,” Mikey Montgomery against the returning Just An Idol in a mysterious Video Game Match, a Back to School Match involving the Department of Jocks, and Brianna Bands taking on Reese Hayes. Facade will also be creating live graffiti art while DJ Sikes provides a wrestling-themed set. Then T-Pop takes the wheel for a deep dive into AAA, where Omos creates chaos, Rey Mysterio is seemingly everywhere as an authority figure, Penta's problems with Los Perros del Mal escalate, and WWE-connected talent continues to reshape the promotion. They preview Ola de Calor, the AAA/NXT Sunday doubleheader and the rapidly approaching TripleMania. The show also examines WWE's current direction, including Solo Sikoa finding a new comedic gear opposite LA Knight, Royce Keys returning alongside OTM, the developing Kevin Owens, CM Punk and Sami Zayn situation, and whether Paul Heyman is actually adding anything to the Oba Femi/Bron Breakker story. There's plenty happening outside WWE too. The guys break down ROH Death Before Dishonor, including the wild Fight Without Honor between Lio Rush and Action Andretti, Athena's continued dominance, Bandido versus Nick Wayne and Lee Moriarty being pushed to his limits by Katsuyori Shibata. Then it's over to TNA Lockdown, where Jason Hotch and Mustafa Ali delivered one of the weekend's most spectacular cage-match moments, Kiera Hogan returned, and new talent continued to arrive. Finally, AEW All In at Wembley enters the conversation with Kenny Omega versus Will Ospreay, Willow Nightingale versus Mercedes Moné and a loaded card that has the crew wondering which match could steal the entire show. And in “What We Learned,” T-Pop discovers that CMLL stars are heading to Netflix, Rizz learns that putting wrestling shows together is every bit as difficult as advertised, and Sorg reflects on the satisfaction of watching wrestlers from the Pittsburgh scene expand their reach and find success elsewhere.

Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar are back for another round of geeky tech, gadgets, games, collectibles, and Pittsburgh happenings. The episode opens on a somber note with a tribute to Dolly Parton and the impact of her philanthropy, including her work supporting childhood literacy. Then the crew gets into everything from simulated RC racing and Apple's latest Macs to a life-size Grogu, Linux history, Pokémon fossils, GTA VI leaks, and gaming at Pittsburgh International Airport. Topics discussed include: Remembering Dolly Parton – The crew reflects on Parton's passing, her charitable legacy, her support of literacy programs, and the positive impact she made far beyond entertainment. RC racing meets full-size driving simulators – Sorg discovers first-person RC car racing setups that combine tiny vehicles, onboard cameras, and full simulator rigs. The conversation explores CloudRC, RC aircraft, and whether experiences like this could become the next arcade, mall, or Dave & Buster's attraction. Apple updates the Mac mini and Mac Studio – Dave breaks down Apple's new Mac hardware, including the M6 chip, pricing, local AI performance, and the ability to combine machines over Thunderbolt 5. The crew discusses why local AI processing could become increasingly important for businesses dealing with cloud costs, privacy, and sensitive data. Pokémon Fossils invade Chicago – Chachi reports from the Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit at Chicago's Field Museum, where fossils inspired by the games are compared with real paleontology. The exhibit even includes Pokémon GO bonuses and limited merchandise. Dungeon Crawler Carl and 3D printing – Katie opens her mysterious box of 3D-printed creations from Chachi's Plastic Fun Time shop, including Dungeon Crawler Carl characters, ornaments, magnets, Pokémon-inspired pieces, the infamous Rock Lobster, and more. Linux turns 35 – Dave traces the unlikely chain of events connecting AT&T antitrust action, UNIX, GNU, Linus Torvalds, and the operating system that became one of the foundations of modern computing. There's even a bonus discussion about Linux running on a Sega 32X. Kingdom Hearts expands – Chachi's Video Game Minute covers a 2027 release window for Kingdom Hearts 4 and a planned animated Kingdom Hearts series for Disney+. Mattel builds its own game studio – Mattel is expanding its internal video game operation with hundreds of developers and new games based on properties including UNO and Hot Wheels. GTA VI leaks and the digital ownership fight – The show looks at reported leaks of Grand Theft Auto VI material tied to protests over digital-only game distribution and the broader debate over whether players actually own their digital purchases. Transformers comes to Minecraft – Sorg and Katie explore the Transformers content available through the Minecraft Marketplace, including G1-inspired characters, story-based gameplay, combat modes, and plenty of temptation for Transformers fans. A nearly life-size Ultimate Grogu – Hasbro Pulse has a roughly 14.6-inch animatronic Grogu featuring movement, sounds, multiple interaction modes, cosplay-friendly settings, and a $599.99 price tag. Nature Calls restroom finder launches – The crowdsourced restroom-finding app discussed on an earlier AwesomeCast is now available, helping users locate bathrooms, water fountains, porta-potties, and other facilities. Gaming at Pittsburgh International Airport – Sorg checks out Gameway, a gaming lounge at Pittsburgh International Airport offering video games, snacks, drinks, and another option for travelers with time before a flight. Disney characters meet NFL teams – Disney and the NFL have teamed up for team-specific character merchandise. The Pittsburgh Steelers get Pete, while other combinations include Captain America with the Patriots, Thor with the Vikings, Darth Vader with the Raiders, and more. The crew also checks in on their recent Pittsburgh Shootout adventures and previews more of what's happening around the Sorgatron Media universe. RC Racing / CloudRC https://www.instagram.com/reels/Db2l4aVjpRO/ https://store.cloudrc.com/ Plastic Fun Time 3D Prints https://plasticfuntime.etsy.com/ Apple Mac mini / Mac Studio Updates https://www.wired.com/story/apple-announces-m6-and-m5-ultra-mac-mini-mac-studio/ 35 Years of Linux https://www.tomshardware.com/software/linux/linux-was-announced-by-linus-torvalds-35-years-ago-today-humble-os-started-with-10-000-lines-of-code-but-has-now-grown-to-40-million-dominates-global-infrastructure Kingdom Hearts Announcements https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/games-d23-digital-entertainment/ Mattel Game Studios https://kotaku.com/the-toy-maker-behind-barbie-and-hot-wheels-wants-to-make-its-own-video-games-2000724968 GTA VI Leak Story https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/hacker-leaks-gta-vi-gameplay-and-map-to-protest-digital-only-release-claims-pre-orders-are-a-legacy-of-physical-game-releases Transformers Minecraft https://www.facebook.com/reel/1056475313409694 Nature Calls Restroom Finder – iOS https://apps.apple.com/us/app/find-toilets-nature-calls-run/id6790583853 Ultimate Grogu https://www.hasbropulse.com/product/star-wars-ultimate-grogu/G44835S00 Pittsburgh Airport Gameway https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcbcVbCBU34/?igsi=MTJweXZ1N2N4cTZ1dg== https://www.facebook.com/reel/1089385550715987 Disney x Pittsburgh Steelers https://www.nflshop.com/pittsburgh-steelers/disney/t-36604861+c-1202616796+z-8-2894738209?ab=%7Bwt-static_graphic%7D%7Bpt-TLP%7D%7Bal-HMB%7D%7Bct-Pittsburgh_Steelers_disney%7D

What does it actually mean to fish without bait? In Episode 529 of Fishing Without Bait, behavioral health therapist Jim Ellermeyer sits down with Producer Mike for a return to the fundamental ideas that have shaped the podcast through more than 500 episodes. At the center of the conversation is a simple relationship between expectations and serenity: “The greater your expectations, the lower your serenity. The lower your expectations, the greater your serenity.” Jim and Mike explore the difference between setting rigid expectations and setting intentions. An expectation can turn life into a pass/fail exercise where anything short of a particular outcome feels like failure. An intention gives us direction while allowing us to remain present, curious, and responsive to what actually happens. That leads to another question Mike asks himself: “What am I working so hard to get to?” Jim's answer is equally simple: “There is no there.” The conversation expands into emotional honesty and the ways people avoid uncomfortable truths. Jim challenges the automatic response of telling everyone we're “good” when we aren't—including situations where honesty with doctors, loved ones, recovery peers, or ourselves could make a meaningful difference. They also discuss the 12-step idea that “it's our secrets that keep us sick,” the discomfort involved in confronting fears and resentments, and the tendency to keep “kicking the emotional can down the road” instead of dealing with what is immediately in front of us. Mindfulness, as Jim and Mike describe it, isn't escaping daily life or spending hours in meditation. It is practical: Paying attention on purpose. It's pausing before reacting. Questioning assumptions. Making choices based on facts instead of beliefs. Recognizing how our words and actions affect others. And allowing our words to pass through three important gates: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? The episode closes by returning to impermanence and non-attachment. Everything and everyone in our lives is shared with us temporarily. Rather than making life meaningless, that understanding can make the present more valuable. We don't live by years, months, weeks, days, or hours. We live by moments. Make this one count. Continue the Journey Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait on your favorite podcast player. Support the show and receive ad-free episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait Pick up “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book”: https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

oyce Keys returns to WWE with OTM, Penta and Rey Fenix are headed for a brother versus brother tournament final, and Eddie Kingston has a CMLL World Heavyweight Championship opportunity. ROYCE KEYS RETURNS WITH OTM Royce Keys returned on Raw alongside Bronco Nima and Lucien Price. The group attacked The Usos, LA Knight and Solo Sikoa to close Monday's show. Source: WWE Official Raw results PENTA VS. REY FENIX Rey Fenix defeated Dragon Lee and Penta defeated La Parka to reach the final of WWE's World Heavyweight Championship contender tournament. The brothers collide next Monday. Source: WWE Official Raw results EDDIE KINGSTON CHALLENGES FOR CMLL GOLD Eddie Kingston will make his CMLL debut Friday at Arena México against CMLL World Heavyweight Champion Hechicero. Source: POST Wrestling / CMLL Read the report BIANCA BELAIR PROVIDES HEALTH UPDATE Belair says she is dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands while continuing to recover from her surgically repaired finger. Source: Fightful / Bianca Belair Read the report Also covered: Big Cass returns to a WWE ring, Stephanie Vaquer earns another Women's World Championship opportunity, and AEW prepares for its final Dynamite before All In London.

Leon Slater has made his move toward the TNA World Championship, Matt Cardona has announced a significant injury, and TNA has added two wrestlers to its roster coming out of Lockdown.

This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk the ladies going full Showgirls on Real Housewives of Orange County; Pinky not being strapped for cash, but still being strapped on Real Housewives of Atlanta; and after all these years the mouse finally being let go on Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. 5:01 - Real Housewives of Orange County: Season 20: Episodes 06 & 07 1:02:54 - Real Housewives of Atlanta: Season 17: Episode 19 1:42:37 - Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Season 05: Episode 02 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay's AEW World Championship rivalry explodes, Adam Copeland reveals where he wants to finish his wrestling career, official WrestleMania 42 attendance figures are released, and TNA adds a new media partner. Kenny Omega sends Will Ospreay through a table on AEW Dynamite. Omega closed the show by hitting the One Winged Angel through a table as their All In World Championship match approaches. Jon Moxley and Nigel McGuinness also advanced in the Continental Challenge Cup, Konosuke Takeshita returned and Maya World retained the TBS Championship. Source: AEW Read the official AEW results Adam Copeland says he wants to retire in AEW. Copeland told Ariel Helwani that although he has not determined exactly when his final match will happen, he wants AEW to be the promotion where his wrestling career ends. Source: Fightful / The Ariel Helwani Show Read the Fightful report Official WrestleMania 42 attendance figures have been released. The Las Vegas Stadium Authority reported a combined 97,126 attendees for the two nights, an 18 percent decrease from its WrestleMania 41 figures. Source: POST Wrestling / Las Vegas Stadium Authority Read POST Wrestling's report TNA Wrestling and REVOLT announce a content partnership. REVOLT will carry exclusive Xplosion matches and material from TNA's extensive archive. Source: TNA Wrestling Read TNA's announcement

Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar explore an AI pocket pet that grows up with its owner, clues pointing toward camera-equipped Apple AirPods, TikTok's concerning voice-call feature, robots building electric vehicles, changes to YouTube view counts, retro Mario experiments, and more technology news from Pittsburgh. This week's stories and gadgets: Pittsburgh Shootout preview: Sorg and Katie prepare to photograph the independent Formula SAE-style event at Summit Point Motorsports Park after the former Pittsburgh Raceway property was sold for a data center. Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals: Katie arrives with McDonald's crossover toys and begins the hunt for the complete collection, including Hello Kitty Godzilla, Chococat with SpaceGodzilla, and Kuromi with Mechagodzilla. TikTok voice-call warning: Dave demonstrates how TikTok users can make direct voice calls and explains why parents should review the feature. Users can go to Profile, Settings and Privacy, Notifications, and Voice Calls to limit notifications to no one, people they follow, or everyone. The calling capability itself may still remain available. See the settings reference used during the show. Drive through Google Street View: Hop Earth turns real-world map data into a browser-based driving game. Sorg attempts to create a Pittsburgh route while discovering that the experimental experience can be demanding on a computer with too many open tabs. Awesome Person of the Week: Dave celebrates Pittsburgh-area chemist Stephanie L. Kwolek, whose persistence and polymer research at DuPont led to the development of Kevlar. ChachiSays Video Game Minute: Ohio is suing Roblox over allegations involving investor disclosures and protections for children. A real Freddy Fazbear's Pizza experience inspired by Five Nights at Freddy's is planned for a New Jersey mall in 2027. The FAA recruited more than 2,000 gamers as prospective air traffic controllers following a change in recruitment strategy. An AI Tamagotchi that grows up: Sweekar is an interactive AI pocket pet that progresses from baby to child, teenager, and adult. Its personality develops according to how its owner interacts with it, and it can recognize people, remember interests, offer reminders, tell stories, use an accompanying app, and wear collectible outfits. Apple's possible camera-equipped AirPods: A video discovered inside a macOS update appears to demonstrate visual intelligence through AirPods. The hosts discuss the possibility of tiny cameras helping users identify objects and places, along with the major privacy questions Apple would need to address. The product remains speculative. AllTrails Hidden Tracks: Katie highlights Hidden Tracks from AllTrails, a collection of crowdsourced alternatives to heavily visited national parks and trails. Fandom becomes a business: A creator turned a niche idea involving Dungeon Crawler Carl-themed commentary and cosplay into a successful subscription project. The hosts examine the creator's reported early results and the growing economy around fan-made merchandise and content. Super Mario Bros. Wonder on the SNES: The hosts play with a fan-made Super Nintendo-style demake featuring Wonder Flowers, Drill Mario, Bubble Mario, and a Bowser Jr. battle. Robots inside Hyundai's EV factory: Dave takes the show inside Hyundai's Georgia Metaplant, where autonomous sleds move vehicles between workstations and Boston Dynamics robot dogs assist with quality inspections. YouTube is changing how views appear: YouTube plans to align its public view counting more closely with TikTok and Instagram by counting a view when playback begins. Creator earnings will continue to depend on engaged Shorts views and watch hours, making engagement more important than the public total. Dave celebrates the iPhoneography Podcast passing 100,000 plays and shares highlights from a recent conversation with photographer Jefferson Graham. Support AwesomeCast and receive bonus aftertalk content at https://www.patreon.com/awesomecast.

The “Neon Ninja” Facade joins Sorg and Mad Mike for a wide-ranging Wrestling Mayhem Show covering championship drama, lucha libre, JCW's evolution, Power Slap controversy, and the importance of remembering why wrestling is supposed to be fun. The show opens with Chelsea Green's emotional response to suffering an orbital injury immediately after her championship victory. The crew praises Green's fiery babyface promo, the crowd's investment in her journey, and WWE's decision to give her 30 days to return and defend the title. They also examine the strength of WWE's women's championships, Fatal Influence's fast rise, and Facade's personal experience working with Green earlier in her career. WWE's growing relationship with AAA leads to a larger lucha discussion. The hosts consider a potential Penta–Rey Fenix tournament final, Roman Reigns wrestling in Mexico, El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr.'s Raw appearance, the AAA Cruiserweight Championship appearing on NXT, and WWE adjusting its schedule around football and other media partnerships. The independent wrestling roundup includes 2PW's Battle of the Barrel, RWA's upcoming Renegade Rumble, and the final two Sorgstock match announcements: Brianna Bands against Reese Hayes and The Runway against Wild Wild South. Facade then looks ahead to the Gathering of the Juggalos and Bloodymania. He discusses JCW's transition from chaotic, insider-driven wrestling toward a more polished and accessible product—without abandoning attractions like Gore Games. Most importantly, Facade previews his three-way JCW World Heavyweight Championship opportunity against Josh Bishop and JCW American Champion Father Bronson. The conversation shifts to Facade's latest Power Slap appearance. He explains accepting the fight on extremely short notice, cutting nearly ten pounds, entering without a full training camp, and being knocked out by a clean strike from Power Slap opponent Bougie. Facade also raises concerns about how a referee repositioned his stance immediately before the slap, discusses competitor safety, and reveals what it would take to bring him back. Finally, “What We Learned” covers Rey Mysterio's seemingly ageless performance against Chad Gable, CM Punk's misguided promo material against Kevin Owens, the latest Bloodline power structure, and Sorg rediscovering his enthusiasm for wrestling at a relaxed community show. News stories and topics Chelsea Green's injury and breakout promo Green suffered a broken orbital bone shortly after winning her championship. Nick Aldis gave her 30 days to recover, find a protective mask, and defend the title. Mad Mike calls her response one of WWE's strongest pure babyface promos in years. The panel believes the injury angle may strengthen her connection with the audience. Facade recalls managing Green and praises her personality and professionalism. WWE's women's championship scene The hosts discuss the momentum surrounding WWE's women's singles titles. Fatal Influence's rapid rise and championship success receive particular attention. Chelsea Green and Tiffany Stratton's recent involvement is examined. Wrestling's greatest ring slides The Usos' synchronized slides spark a debate about the best entrances into the ring. Paul London, The Rock, John Cena, and Titus O'Neil enter the conversation. The tangent expands into Samoan wrestling families and their shared athletic traits. WWE and AAA's lucha crossover The crew anticipates a possible Penta versus Rey Fenix tournament final. Roman Reigns' scheduled appearance in Mexico adds importance to the tournament. El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and El Fiscal appearing on Raw are discussed. The AAA Cruiserweight Championship continuing on NXT is viewed as a natural extension of the partnership. Michael Cole's difficulty with lucha names becomes a running joke. WWE programming and scheduling The panel discusses double tapings and earlier Raw start times. WWE's relationship with ESPN and the challenge of competing with Monday Night Football are considered. The hosts note how wrestling scheduling increasingly works around larger sports partnerships. CM Punk visiting an NXT live event Punk's surprise appearance and physical interaction with Myles Borne are discussed. The group jokes about Punk choosing a small Florida live event over other cities. Independent wrestling roundup TNF's Lethal Lottery and recent surprises receive a plug. 2PW's Battle of the Barrel featured four matches at a West Homestead fire department event. Matches included Jason Tyler versus Phillip Archer, Paul Atlas and Marshall Gambino against Gory and Super Hentai, and Dennis Gregory versus Zach Nystrom. Little Ginge's appearance with Chest Flexor is highlighted. RWA's upcoming Renegade Rumble is previewed. Final Sorgstock match announcements Brianna Bands will face amateur-wrestling standout Reese Hayes. The Runway will meet the newly presented team of Shelby Wylde and Georgia South, Wild Wild South. Sorg explains his goal of presenting fresh matches and unfamiliar combinations. Facade versus Ricochet A viewer asks for a complete Facade–Ricochet rivalry. Facade remembers facing Ricochet in a chaotic CZW Aerial Assault match that also featured Ruckus and AR Fox. He confirms that Ricochet was already remarkably smooth and welcomes another match. JCW's evolution The group contrasts older, loosely produced Gathering matches with JCW's current presentation. Facade argues that a more accessible product can attract viewers outside established Juggalo culture. Dangerous stipulations are now more effective when used for meaningful stories instead of appearing automatically. Gore Games is presented as the major violent spectacle on the Bloodymania card. Gathering of the Juggalos memories Sorg and Facade recall poorly lit matches, rings moved by heavy equipment, flashlight wrestling, and shows continuing until sunrise. They discuss how audiences have learned that throwing objects can prevent wrestlers from delivering the performances fans want. Faygo memories, vintage branding, and earlier JCW experiences provide several side trips. Facade's JCW World Championship opportunity Facade explains his path through the JCW American Championship picture. He will challenge World Champion Josh Bishop in a three-way also involving American Champion Father Bronson. A winner-take-all stipulation is discussed as a possibility, not a confirmed match rule. Facade hopes Vanilla Ice might provide a live “Ninja Rap” entrance. Bloodymania card The discussed lineup includes James Storm and Cocaine versus Mr. Anderson and Stephon Smith. Sonny Kiss, Haley J, J-Rod, Mickey Knuckles, Caleb Konley, Kerry Morton, EC3, Willie Mack, Too Tough Tony, Yabo the Clown, Ruffo the Clown, Donovan Dijak, Big Vito, and others are mentioned. Bloodymania will stream free on YouTube at approximately 2 a.m. Eastern Saturday morning. Facade's short-notice Power Slap fight Facade received the call while teaching at a parkour gym. He accepted only days before the event without a dedicated training camp. He reduced his weight from approximately 179 pounds to 169.5. He expected the striking order to be redrawn but learned he would have to receive the first slap. Facade believes the referee moved him out of his trained defensive posture before the strike. He credits Bougie with delivering a legitimate, clean slap and holds no personal animosity toward him. Facade is reluctant to compete again unless he receives the first strike. Power Slap safety and officiating Other competitors' experiences are used to question defensive positioning and officiating consistency. A broken arm, fighters declining unsafe situations, and commentary that ignored Facade's short-notice status are discussed. Raj Dhesi's victory over Jake Hager is highlighted as an emotional comeback. The sport's growing international schedule and involvement of wrestlers, athletes, and online creators are examined. Wrestlers finding opportunities elsewhere Power Slap, Banana Ball, American Gladiators, MMA, and visual art are presented as alternate paths. The hosts appreciate seeing wrestlers turn their personalities and athletic skills into new opportunities. “What We Learned” breakdown The chat's lesson: Solo Sikoa works surprisingly well as a babyface, while Roman Reigns' order preventing Jacob Fatu from attacking LA Knight explains Jacob's unusual inaction. The Usos also appear to have become Roman's clear seconds-in-command. Professor T-Pop's lesson: Rey Mysterio still refuses to age. His match with Chad Gable delivered match-of-the-year-level lucha action, while Gable's increasing ability to blur the line between himself and El Grande Americano continues to strengthen the character. Mad Mike's lesson: Even experienced talkers sometimes need stronger boundaries or scripting. CM Punk's endometriosis reference during his exchange with Kevin Owens was confusing, needlessly insensitive, and weaker than the material available within the story. Mike believes Owens is carrying the more effective side of the feud. Sorg's lesson: Wrestling is most rewarding when there is still room to experience it as a fan. Attending the relaxed 2PW fire department show—without being responsible for the entire production—helped him reconnect with old friends and remember what drew him to wrestling. Facade's extension of the lesson: Wrestling has taken him from local shows to touring with musicians and competing in unexpected arenas. His advice is to pause, recognize those opportunities, and appreciate where the work has led. The larger takeaway: A passion project can become so focused on logistics and business that the passion disappears. Everyone involved should remember that they choose to be there, protect their energy, and leave situations that no longer justify the cost.

This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk a show that actually does twists well on Canada's Drag Race All Stars; a throwback to reunions of old on Real Housewives of Atlanta; and a throwback to Housewives of old on Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. 6:24 - Canada's Drag Race All Stars: Season 01 41:09 - Real Housewives of Atlanta: Season 17: Episode 18 1:17:58 - Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Season 05: Episode 01 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

The Wrestling Mayhem Show dives deep into the increasingly interconnected world of professional wrestling as Sorg, Mad Mike, and TruePrinceofPro (T-Pop!) tackle WWE's growing relationship with AAA, AEW and CMLL's continued collaboration in Mexico, the expanding wrestling landscape in Canada, and plenty happening right here in Pittsburgh. The crew starts with WWE's AAA crossover and the tournament determining who will challenge Roman Reigns in Mexico City. Penta, Laredo Kid, Psycho Clown, La Parka, Dragon Lee, Rey Fenix and more enter the conversation as the hosts debate whether AAA wrestlers are being presented strongly enough on WWE television. They also give Corey Graves credit for putting in the work to explain AAA history and wrestlers to WWE's broader audience—even while questioning the remote commentary setup being used for AAA programming. From there, the conversation heads to AEW Grand Slam Mexico and CMLL, including the incredible atmosphere surrounding the crossover shows, Adam Copeland checking another item off his wrestling bucket list, the unique Bandido/Brody King/Hangman Page trio, and the wild format of CMLL's massive Grand Prix match. T-Pop explains how the elimination format works and why Mexican wrestling continues to offer something structurally different from American wrestling television. The expanding wrestling TV universe also gets examined through Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling, MLW, NWA, AEW, ROH and CMLL. How important is immediacy in wrestling? Does a show lose momentum when its television is months behind the live tapings? And why does wrestling remain such attractive television programming compared with scripted productions? On the local front, there is plenty to celebrate. The crew looks back at 2PW Summer Showdown, including the delightfully unexpected blindfolded Lights Out match, Gianni Michael Emricko and Gorgeous Gregory challenging The Troublemakers for the NWA JCP Southeastern Tag Team Championship, and developments surrounding 2PW's championships. There are also updates from 880 Wrestling's Lethal Lottery, Prospect Pro Wrestling, Enjoy Wrestling and the upcoming Sorgstock. And speaking of Sorgstock: Mikey Montgomery vs. Justin Idol in a Video Game Match is officially on the card for August 28. What exactly is a Video Game Match? Apparently, you'll have to be there. Then things get personal with CM Punk and Kevin Owens. The hosts revisit their complicated history, the real-life stories wrestling fans are already resurfacing, and why these two could create weeks of compelling television without needing to throw a single punch. Plus: Chelsea Green's injury, Johnny Gargano stepping away amid a difficult family situation, wrestling trading cards raising money for the Cauliflower Alley Club, Big Man Tater and his microwave helmet, Tatum Paxley arriving on SmackDown, Mickey Knuckles coming to VCW, and Sorg's reflections after finishing a book about Rowdy Roddy Piper. It's another trip through the increasingly strange, global and wonderfully interconnected world of professionalized wrestling. News Stories & Topics Discussed WWE and AAA expand their crossover: A tournament featuring talent from WWE and AAA will determine a challenger for Roman Reigns in Mexico City, with Penta, Laredo Kid, Psycho Clown, La Parka, Dragon Lee, Rey Fenix and others discussed. Is WWE protecting AAA enough? The hosts question why AAA talent is frequently introduced to the Raw and SmackDown audience without being allowed to score important victories. Dominik Mysterio as AAA Mega Champion: The contradiction between Dom holding AAA's top championship and AAA wrestlers sometimes feeling secondary on WWE television becomes a major point of discussion. Corey Graves and AAA commentary: T-Pop and Sorg praise Graves' knowledge and enthusiasm while examining the awkwardness created by remote commentary involving Rey Mysterio and JBL. AEW Grand Slam Mexico: The Arena Mexico atmosphere, Mexican audience participation, Adam Copeland's appearance and AEW leaning into its CMLL relationship all get praise. CMLL Grand Prix explained: T-Pop breaks down the enormous elimination match and its rotating tag structure, including why it feels so different from the usual American multi-person match. AEW/CMLL/ROH relationships: The hosts appreciate AEW's willingness to work across promotions rather than trying to isolate its roster. Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling: The Canadian promotion's weekly television presence is discussed along with Mauro Ranallo's commentary and the opportunity created by changes in WWE's Canadian distribution. MLW and NWA tape delays: Sorg and T-Pop talk about how months of unaired matches can reduce urgency even when the actual wrestling remains enjoyable. The economics of wrestling television: A discussion of live wrestling production leads to appreciation for how much WWE and AEW accomplish every week and why wrestling remains appealing programming for broadcasters. 2PW Summer Showdown: The hosts recap the show, including championship developments, the blindfolded Lights Out match and Some Guy Named John's spectacular elbow drop to absolutely nobody. Gianni Michael Emricko & Gorgeous Gregory: Their NWA JCP Southeastern Tag Team Championship match against The Troublemakers is part of the 2PW recap. 880 Wrestling Lethal Lottery: T-Pop likes the unusual team of Dev Swayze and Tatiana, while Sammy Suntimer's attempts to bond with Marco Narciso become a source of amusement. 2PW Friday Night Frights: The October 23 Halloween event and an announced casket match are previewed. Enjoy Wrestling's anniversary: Lee Moriarty vs. Amazing Red is singled out as a match worth watching. Sorgstock announcement: Mikey Montgomery faces returning Pittsburgh wrestling favorite Justin Idol in a mysterious Video Game Match on August 28. CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens: The hosts love the early verbal confrontation and dig into some of the genuine history that can add another layer to the feud. Chelsea Green injured: Her orbital-bone injury leads to speculation about recovery time and whether it should affect her championship status. Johnny Gargano: The conversation turns serious while discussing Gargano stepping away to focus on his father during his battle with stage-four prostate cancer. Pittsburgh wrestling trading cards: Falcom Digital Imaging's cards and wrestling-related fundraising lead into recognition of efforts benefiting the Cauliflower Alley Club. Big Man Tater: A gigantic Vader-inspired independent wrestler who enters wearing a microwave becomes an immediate Mayhem Show obsession. Tatum Paxley: Her SmackDown arrival has Mad Mike excited about the potential for increasingly spooky developments. MPX “Who Runs the World”: The chat points out the stacked women's wrestling event featuring a wide range of notable talent. Mickey Knuckles headed to VCW: A breaking local wrestling announcement gets an enthusiastic reaction. Roddy Piper: Sorg discusses finishing the Piper book assembled after his death and reflects on the difference between Roddy Piper the character and the person underneath it. “What We Learned” Breakdown T-Pop: Sometimes the best way to introduce someone is simply to unleash them as a monster. He highlights the AAA debut of a WWE/LFG talent who attacks Psycho Clown, tears away part of his mask and chokeslams him onto a chair. The presentation immediately makes the newcomer feel dangerous. Mad Mike: It was apparently a tremendous week for tater-related professional wrestling. First comes Big Man Tater, a giant Vader-inspired wrestler who enters with a microwave on his head. Then there's Tatum Paxley, whose SmackDown arrival has Mike eagerly anticipating where her character could go next. Sorg: Finishing the Rowdy Roddy Piper book helped reconnect dots between moments Sorg remembered as a fan and the life happening behind them. He particularly reflects on Piper becoming so immersed in the wrestling character that separating “Roddy Piper” from the person himself became difficult, while also remembering his wife getting a chance to meet one of her childhood wrestling heroes. From the chat: Mercedes Moné's wrestling anniversary gets recognized, along with excitement over MPX's upcoming women-focused Who Runs the World card.

Sorg and Dave Podnar are back for another AwesomeCast packed with Pittsburgh tech, gaming, streaming, photography, AI, retro media, and a surprisingly practical app for finding a bathroom when you really need one. The episode starts locally with Dave highlighting Stormfreak, a Pittsburgh-area weather enthusiast who has built a following on Reddit by offering practical, level-headed forecasts without the sensationalism that often accompanies severe weather coverage. That leads into a bigger conversation about how Reddit, YouTube, and independent creators increasingly fill information gaps once occupied by traditional specialty television. Sorg then takes a trip back to the video-store era with Binge Buster, a web experience that lets users browse movies available on their existing streaming subscriptions in an interface inspired by wandering through the shelves of a physical rental store. Gaming takes over a large part of the conversation, including EA going private in a massive Saudi-backed deal, Netflix getting an extended GTA 6 preview, Atari showing signs of financial improvement, the possibility of accessing Xbox and PC Game Pass titles on Linux and Mac through the XODUS project, new content for the original Quake, and Sorg's experience comparing Xbox cloud gaming with NVIDIA GeForce NOW. Then things get weird in the best possible way: Diablo is heading to amusement-park Halloween events, while a permanent Freddy Fazbear's Pizza experience complete with animatronics is planned for American Dream. Dave also shares his latest experience with Adobe Project Indigo, including computational photography, AI photo critiques, and the increasingly blurry line between traditional editing and generative AI. The episode wraps with two ideas that bring physical experiences back into a digital world: Pittsburgh's Lost Lizard renting VHS, DVD, and even Betamax tapes, and Nature Calls Run, an upcoming crowdsourced app designed to help runners, cyclists, travelers, and people with medical needs locate bathrooms, water, and other resources. Stories, Gadgets & Topics Discussed 300–600mm iPhone zoom lens — Dave points listeners toward iPhonography Podcast co-host Greg McMillan's detailed look at an enormous telephoto solution for iPhone photography. Stormfreak and Pittsburgh weather on Reddit — Dave highlights the local forecaster's calm, practical approach to Pittsburgh weather and the community that has formed around his posts. They discuss how independent online weather coverage can sometimes be more useful than national television coverage when people need highly local information. The changing role of specialty media — Sorg and Dave compare today's creator-driven information sources with the original promise of channels like The Weather Channel, Discovery, TLC, and Food Network. Binge Buster — Sorg tries a streaming discovery site that recreates some of the experience of browsing a video store. Users select the streaming services they already subscribe to and browse movies through virtual box art, descriptions, genres, trailers, staff picks, and more. https://bingebuster.net/ Awesome Person of the Week: Lewis Latimer — Dave profiles the inventor, draftsman, engineer, and patent expert whose work intersected with both Alexander Graham Bell's telephone patent and the development of more durable electric-light filaments. Slice on Broadway pizza sauce — Dave discovers jars of Slice on Broadway's original pizza sauce while shopping at Labriola's Italian Market. EA goes private — Chachi's Video Game Minute covers EA completing its reported $55 billion sale to a Saudi-backed buyer and what private ownership might mean for the future of EA's games and monetization. Netflix and GTA 6 — Netflix is set to feature an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI on August 27, prompting discussion about whether GTA really needs any additional publicity. Atari's financial comeback — Atari reports its strongest annual revenue in roughly a decade, giving Sorg and Dave an opportunity to talk about the strange history of the Atari name, its changing ownership, and the collection of gaming properties associated with it over the years. Xbox games potentially coming to Linux and Mac through XODUS — Sorg discusses an open-source reverse-engineering project designed to make compatible Xbox and PC titles accessible beyond Windows, including the possibility of accessing portions of a user's existing Microsoft gaming library. Xbox backward compatibility — The conversation touches on original Xbox and Xbox 360 games potentially becoming increasingly accessible through Microsoft's PC ecosystem. New Quake content decades later — Quake continues receiving new content around its 30th anniversary, giving players another reason to revisit the classic first-person shooter. NVIDIA GeForce NOW vs. Xbox cloud gaming — Sorg compares his experience streaming games like Doom: The Dark Ages and Forza Horizon, finding GeForce NOW's higher-end hardware particularly impressive for demanding, fast-moving games. Do you still need a gaming PC? — Cloud gaming raises a bigger question: if a service already supports hundreds of games in your library and provides continuously upgraded hardware, does spending thousands on a dedicated gaming PC still make sense? Diablo invades Cedar Point and Six Flags — Blizzard's Diablo becomes part of the Halloween amusement-park experience, leading to a conversation about licensed haunted attractions and the changing amusement-park industry. Cedar Fair/Six Flags consolidation and disappearing amusement parks — Dave looks back at the history of older amusement parks, including Pittsburgh-area memories of White Swan Park and the larger trend of parks disappearing as land was redeveloped. Freddy Fazbear's Pizza becomes real — A permanent Freddy Fazbear's Pizza experience featuring animatronic stage shows is planned for American Dream in 2027. Naturally, Sorg and Dave wonder whether anybody involved has actually learned the lesson of Five Nights at Freddy's. American Dream as the modern destination mall — The conversation expands into how malls are evolving from shopping centers into entertainment destinations with theme parks, water parks, skiing, restaurants, attractions, wrestling events, and other experiences. Adobe Project Indigo — Dave continues experimenting with Adobe's computational photography app, particularly challenging lighting situations and shooting directly toward a sunset. AI-powered photography reviews — Project Indigo can analyze a photo and provide feedback, giving photographers another way to evaluate composition and possible improvements. When an AI edit becomes a different photograph — Dave demonstrates an AI edit that substantially changes clouds and the sky, prompting an important conversation about the difference between enhancing a photograph and generating new visual information. AI quietly becoming another editing tool — Sorg shares his experience using AI to quickly create client graphics and discusses how generative tools increasingly feel less like a separate novelty and more like another part of a production workflow. Lost Lizard brings video rentals back to Pittsburgh — A Lawrenceville business is renting VHS tapes, DVDs, Betamax tapes, and even retro video games. The concept triggers plenty of nostalgia for independent video stores and their wonderfully strange horror collections. Physical media versus digital ownership — Reports of purchased digital movies disappearing from user libraries lead to a larger discussion about what consumers actually own when they "buy" a digital movie. Movies Anywhere and fragmented digital libraries — Sorg discusses the usefulness of synchronizing eligible purchases across services while acknowledging that licensing can still make digital ownership complicated. Maybe it's time to buy DVDs again — The uncertainty of digital licenses gives physical media another unexpected advantage: nobody can remotely remove a disc from your shelf. Nature Calls Run — An upcoming Pittsburgh-created app will crowdsource public restrooms, water sources, and other useful resources for runners, cyclists, travelers, parents, and anyone suddenly asking the most important question of the day: "Where can I go?" https://naturecallsapp.com/ Restroom access as an accessibility and medical issue — The app also plans to educate users about restroom-access laws affecting people with conditions including Crohn's disease and IBS. GCXC running events — Dave also discusses upcoming Pittsburgh-area races and the community surrounding GCXC events. https://gcxc.com/events-pa Support AwesomeCast: https://www.patreon.com/awesomecast

What does it actually mean when someone tells us to “be like the Buddha”? In Fishing Without Bait Episode 527, Jim Ellermeyer sits down with longtime co-host and Producer Mike to explore Buddhism not as an unreachable ideal, but as a practical way of approaching everyday life. Being awake doesn't mean being perfect. It means noticing what is happening around us, recognizing what is happening within us, and becoming more intentional about what we do next. That leads Jim and Mike into a discussion about living on autopilot. Jim even brings up the longtime Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel as a playful connection to the idea of “sleepwalking through life.” How many days do we simply go through the motions without really participating? Learn more about Asleep at the Wheel: https://www.asleepatthewheel.com/ The conversation moves through compassion, boundaries, time, emotional reactions, expectations, and the Buddhist “middle path.” Jim reminds us that compassion does not mean becoming a doormat. We can care about other people while still deciding where our time, effort, and resources belong. Jim and Mike also explore non-attachment and the expectations we place on our future. Wanting a new job, a different career, a bigger house, or another version of life isn't inherently wrong—but suffering can begin when we convince ourselves that those outcomes must happen. That discussion leads Mike back to the spoken-word track “Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen),” a piece that has stayed with him since his teenage years. He reflects on its message about the role chance plays in our choices: sometimes things work, sometimes they don't, and we don't have to spend our lives regretting a road that didn't lead where we expected. Listen to “Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI Throughout the episode, Jim and Mike return to one central idea: mindfulness creates a space between what happens and how we respond. In that space, we can make a choice instead of reacting automatically. The challenge for this week is simple: stop trying to become perfect. Work on becoming more awake. Observe. Describe. Participate. And take the next step. Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait on your favorite podcast player. Support Fishing Without Bait and receive ad-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait Pick up “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book”: https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk Haley's fourth bad week on Big Brother; the desecration of the franchise of Project Runway; Drew's receipts falling apart as she falls down on Real Housewives of Atlanta; and Gina defending the honor of Emily over a bag and a toy on Real Housewives of Orange County. 6:29 - Big Brother: Season 28 18:34 - Project Runway: Season 22 25:10 - Real Housewives of Atlanta: Season 17: Episode 17 53:46 - Real Housewives of Orange County: Season 20: Episode 05 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk a Halloween party that confronts a spooky mystery on Real Housewives of Atlanta; Vicki finding a new insult to be mad about on Real Housewives of Orange County; and a banging tea party on Big Brother. 5:03 - Real Housewives of Atlanta: Season 17: Episode 16 28:24 - Real Housewives of Orange County: Season 20: Episode 04 1:03:00 - Big Brother: Season 28: Episodes 10-12 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

What happens when a PC gamer turns downloadable Steam games into physical cartridges? Sorg, Katie Dudas and Dave Podnar explore that inventive project alongside an AI-generated reality show starring romantic fruits, Xbox's possible plan for preserving physical game collections, Fitbit's long-awaited Apple Health support and a 9,000-pound rocket stage headed for the Moon. The crew also discusses a travel app that automatically tells stories based on your location, the staggering first imagery from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Kevin Mitnick's legacy in cybersecurity and several troubling decisions from the video game industry. Stories, Gadgets and Topics Discussed Katie's Brother P-touch label maker: Katie shows how she is using built-in symbols—including cameras, computers and warning icons—to organize and identify equipment, drives and other technology. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory reveals an enormous view of the universe: Dave follows up on the observatory's 3.2-gigapixel LSST camera and an image containing approximately 650,000 galaxies. The hosts discuss the astonishing detail available when zooming into tiny sections of the image, the observatory's planned decade of data collection and how AI could help scientists examine datasets too large for humans to process manually. See the Vera C. Rubin Observatory imagery Wrinkles turns city exploration into a location-aware audio tour: Katie introduces Wrinkles, a travel app that automatically shares historical facts, local stories and hidden details as users walk through supported cities. The app uses AI-generated voices, but its information is drawn from curated sources such as historians, museums and local organizations. Creators and tourism groups may also be able to build their own tours and experiences. Explore the Wrinkles travel app A PC gamer creates physical Steam cartridges: Sorg examines a DIY project that stores individual Steam games on inexpensive 128GB, 2.5-inch SSDs. A script detects the drive when it is inserted, connects the game to the owner's Steam library and launches the title—creating something close to a modern PC game cartridge. The discussion considers storage costs, portability and whether physical presentation can make digital collections feel more permanent. See the DIY Steam cartridge project Kevin Mitnick and National Social Engineering Day: Dave looks back at famed hacker-turned-security-consultant Kevin Mitnick, whose birthday on August 6 inspired National Social Engineering Day. The hosts explain how attackers can bypass strong technology by manipulating employees, customer-service representatives and other people into revealing passwords, resetting accounts or granting access. Learn about National Social Engineering Day Read Kevin Mitnick's congressional testimony ChachiSays Video Game Minute—“Doubling Down on Dumb Decisions”: Sony acknowledges the backlash surrounding its move away from physical PlayStation discs but plans to continue moving in that direction. Read the Sony physical-media story Electronic Arts reportedly rewarded its CEO with a major compensation increase following the success of Battlefield 6 while developers responsible for the game faced layoffs. Read about the EA compensation and layoffs August Interactive is working with NASA on Moonbase Y, a game designed to encourage children to plan, collaborate and invent solutions for a future lunar colony. Learn about Moonbase Y Xbox considers converting physical games into digital licenses: A reported Xbox disc-to-digital program could allow owners of original Xbox and Xbox 360 discs to access compatible digital copies on newer hardware or PC. The hosts discuss game preservation, license transfer, resale and whether Microsoft's approach inspires more confidence in the long-term future of an Xbox library. Read about Xbox's reported disc-to-digital plan Fitbit data can finally sync with Apple Health: Fitbit users can now consolidate more of their fitness information inside Apple Health. The hosts discuss the convenience of keeping activity, blood-pressure readings and medical information in one location, while noting that some measurements—including heart-rate variability—may not transfer yet. Learn how to sync Fitbit with Apple Health A SpaceX rocket stage is headed for the Moon: A roughly 9,000-pound piece of space hardware is expected to strike the lunar surface. Although the collision is accidental and likely will not be visible to the naked eye, lunar orbiters may be able to document the crater and debris, turning the impact into an unexpected scientific experiment. Read about the lunar impact Fruit Love Island and the strange appeal of AI reality television: Sorg introduces an AI-generated dating show starring anthropomorphic fruits and vegetables. The hosts examine its bizarre character designs, inconsistent AI visuals, audience voting, reality-show storytelling and surprisingly organized production workflow. They also debate whether projects like this are disposable “AI slop” or useful experiments in storyboarding, character consistency and accessible video production. Watch Hasan Minhaj react to Fruit Love Island Visit Fruit Love Island Watch the Fruit Love Island video Support AwesomeCast and receive the ad-free edition at Patreon.com/AwesomeCast. AwesomeCast is supported by Slice on Broadway, serving Pittsburgh podcasting with the perfect pepperoni pizza for more than a decade. Visit SliceOnBroadway.com.

Pro wrestler Gianni Michael Emricko joins Sorg, Rizz and Mad Mike for an episode packed with WWE SummerSlam reactions, Pittsburgh independent wrestling news and a spoiler-heavy trip through Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The crew opens by asking a surprising question: Was SummerSlam more enjoyable than WrestleMania? They examine a second night filled with fan-service moments, major returns and championship developments. Topics include Chelsea Green's victory, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns seemingly closing another chapter of their shared history, CM Punk versus Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens returning to the championship picture, Nick Aldis stepping back into the ring, Dominik Mysterio's success in AAA and WWE's evolving relationship with lucha libre. Gianni also receives some major news live on the show. His scheduled match at Prospect Pro Wrestling has changed, and he and Gorgeous Gregory will now challenge The Troublemakers for the NWA JCP Tag Team Championship. Gianni responds with an impromptu message for the champions and explains why the Italian Strongman plans to bring NWA gold home. The conversation then turns toward Gianni's recent match with EFFY at 880 Wrestling, his growing list of appearances throughout the region and the practical lessons he has learned while building his wrestling career. His advice is simple: get in the car, attend shows, help with the ring and production, introduce yourself and become someone promoters and wrestlers enjoy having in the locker room. Sorg also reveals new details for Sorgstock, including a surprising battle between Psychedelic Dreams members Sammy Suntheimer and Billy the Alien, plus wrestling-theme music from Sykes. After an official spoiler warning, the crew dives deeply into Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Gianni gives the film a 9.6 and calls it one of the most authentically Spider-Man stories yet. The discussion covers Peter Parker's stripped-down life, the introduction of Jean Grey, Punisher's role, mutant technology, the Hulk battle, Ned's potentially significant handshake, Miles Morales speculation and possible connections to Secret Wars and the wider multiverse. The episode closes with the viral video of Beastman and Sam Adonis helping break up a festival fight, followed by “What We Learned,” where Mad Mike argues that WWE is misunderstanding the basic appeal of Joe Hendry. News Stories and Topics Discussed The original Mayhem crew reunites: Sorg welcomes Rizz and Mad Mike, with early conversation covering Mad Mike's LEGO Soundwave set, teaching and the increasingly responsible lives of the show's longtime hosts. SummerSlam versus WrestleMania: The panel considers whether SummerSlam delivered a more consistently entertaining weekend than WrestleMania. WWE production mistakes: A misspelled commercial-break graphic launches a discussion about live production errors, unrealistic expectations and why even major companies make visible mistakes. SummerSlam's fan-service-heavy second night: Chelsea Green's title victory, Baron Corbin's return and Kevin Owens reentering the championship picture make Sorg wonder whether someone secretly used his fantasy booking. Chelsea Green's championship moment: The crew celebrates Green's victory, the reaction from her fellow wrestlers and how her success contrasts with comments discussed from WWE: Unreal. Hell in a Cell: The match's violence, ring destruction and feud-ending atmosphere are praised as an effective use of the stipulation. Seth Rollins versus Roman Reigns: The match is viewed as a possible closing chapter for The Shield, with particular interest in what comes next for Seth and a more independent Roman Reigns. Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar: Gianni offers a wrestler's perspective on the decision not to perform a dangerous spot directly onto exposed wood. Roman Reigns and AAA: Roman's interaction with Rey Mysterio creates fantasy-booking possibilities involving TripleMania, Worlds Collide, Penta, Jacob Fatu and The Lucha Brothers. Solo Sikoa's changing audience reaction: The hosts discuss how the SummerSlam build helped Solo emerge as an entertaining and increasingly sympathetic figure. Dominik Mysterio's popularity: The panel argues that Dominik feels like a major star in AAA and deserves a larger, more consistent role on WWE programming. Nick Aldis versus Gunther: Aldis' return to the ring impresses the crew and sparks speculation about a longer in-ring run or a future match with Adam Pearce. CM Punk versus Cody Rhodes: The match receives a more measured defense than some online reactions, while Kevin Owens' return sets up a potentially excellent microphone-driven rivalry with Punk. Nikki Bella's heel turn: A possible injury to Brie Bella leads to fantasy booking involving Paige, AJ Lee and a potential legends-focused WarGames match. Liv Morgan versus IYO SKY: The opening match and its finishing sequence are highlighted as one of the weekend's strongest performances. SummerSlam attendance and location: The crew discusses tarped seating, the lack of a public attendance announcement and whether Minneapolis was an ideal destination for a major summer wrestling event. Sorgstock announcement: Sammy Suntheimer will face his Psychedelic Dreams partner Billy the Alien, raising questions about tension inside the team. Gianni's championship opportunity: Gianni and Gorgeous Gregory will challenge The Troublemakers for the NWA JCP Tag Team Championship at Prospect Pro Wrestling. Gianni's live promo: The Italian Strongman immediately delivers a message promising that the NWA championship will not remain on Glenn Spectre's shoulder. Wrestling EFFY at 880 Wrestling: Gianni explains how the crowd quickly sided with EFFY, forcing him to adjust and embrace being the heel during the match. Breaking into new wrestling promotions: Gianni recommends traveling, introducing yourself, helping with setup and stepping outside your normal comfort zone. Locker-room reputation: Being positive, safe and helpful can be as important as social-media numbers when promoters decide whom they want to book again. Avoiding unhealthy environments: Gianni explains that a negative locker room—or a place where he does not feel safe in the ring—is unlikely to receive a return visit. Spider-Man spoiler discussion: The crew praises the film's grounded version of Peter Parker, swinging sequences, action choreography and emotional tone. Jean Grey and the mutants: The movie's mutant storyline leads to discussion of Jean Grey, Phoenix references, inhibitor technology and the future of the MCU's X-Men. Punisher's role: The panel examines Punisher's hospital scenes, his public identity and how he fits into a world where Spider-Man has regained public support. Ned and Peter's handshake: The hosts debate whether Ned consciously remembers Peter or simply feels a lingering connection that he cannot explain. Miles Morales and the multiverse: Potential clues are connected to Beyond the Spider-Verse, Doomsday, Secret Wars and the possibility of Miles eventually entering live action. Marvel physical media: Mad Mike displays elaborate Marvel and Harry Potter box sets, prompting nostalgia for collector editions filled with props, files and hidden compartments. Additional movie discussion: The crew briefly reviews Backrooms, Obsession, Eternals, New Mutants, the Fox X-Men films and the Spider-Man video games. Beastman goes viral again: Video from Tacos and Tequila shows Beastman and Sam Adonis helping break up a real fight, inspiring the suggestion that venues should hire Beastman as security. What We Learned Sorg: Never start a fight when Beastman is nearby. After watching the viral festival video, Sorg's larger conclusion is that Beastman may be the most effective security option available. Gianni Michael Emricko: Gianni learns the full details of his changed Prospect Pro Wrestling match during the episode. He and Gorgeous Gregory are receiving an NWA JCP Tag Team Championship opportunity, and Gianni confidently predicts that Glenn Spectre will not leave with his championship. Mad Mike: From Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Mike learns that it is okay to be sad. From wrestling, he learns that WWE appears confused about Joe Hendry. He argues that Hendry's entire presentation is built around “say his name and he appears,” yet WWE repeatedly brings him out without anyone saying his name, cuts away from his entrance and presents his musical segments more like Elias. Mike believes this removes the elements audiences are already excited to see. Rizz: Rizz does not give a separate standalone lesson in the closing segment, but contributes to the discussion about WWE failing to preserve the established logic and audience appeal of Joe Hendry's character.

In Fishing Without Bait 526, we continue our conversation with Vic Costik of the New Rust Pittsburgh Podcast. In Part 2, Vic joins Jim Ellermeyer for a thoughtful discussion about identity, community, safety, recovery and the daily work of becoming a more compassionate person. Vic explains why they try to approach ignorance through “neutral inquiry,” beginning with questions rather than immediate confrontation. The conversation examines the experiences of transgender people navigating public spaces, the importance of listening to people when they tell us who they are and the need to create communities in which people feel welcomed rather than merely tolerated. Vic also discusses their commitment to Pittsburgh's LGBTQ+ community and the fear that has caused some transgender people to leave their homes in search of safer places. That concern helped inspire Vic's community involvement and ultimately contributed to the creation of New Rust Pittsburgh. Jim and Vic connect these ideas to the principles of 12-step recovery, including acceptance, accountability, making amends and changing both thoughts and actions. They consider the pain of perfectionism and the healing that can begin when we acknowledge our flaws, accept responsibility and reconstruct ourselves through what we have learned. The conversation then turns toward the overlooked side of Pittsburgh. Vic describes the artists, entrepreneurs, makers, small businesses and unusual creative communities that exist throughout the city. From strangers playing music together before the Fourth of July fireworks to the Andy Warhol Museum, neighborhood restaurants, local shops and nighttime bike rides across the Smithfield Street Bridge, Vic shares the memories that have made Pittsburgh feel like home. The episode closes with a discussion about authenticity, privilege, personal boundaries and relationships. Vic reflects on overcoming people-pleasing, cultivating relationships with people who provide encouragement and stepping away from relationships that repeatedly cause harm. Ultimately, New Rust Pittsburgh is more than a guide to interesting places. It is Vic's effort to create a love letter to Pittsburgh—one that embraces the city's people, creativity, weirdness and potential to become a more welcoming home for everyone. Explore the New Rust Pittsburgh Podcast at NewRustPodcast.com. Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait through your favorite podcast player so you never miss an episode. Listen without advertisements and help support the show through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait Continue your mindfulness journey with our book, “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book”: https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

What happens when drones go somewhere they're not supposed to go? In this AwesomeChat, Sorg talks with Logan Harris, CEO of Spotter Global, about the technology being developed to detect drones, track their operators, protect critical infrastructure, and give security teams a better picture of what is happening across large areas. Spotter Global began by shrinking ground-surveillance radar technology that once required large equipment, significant power, and multiple operators into compact systems designed to provide situational awareness in the field. Today, that technology has expanded into critical infrastructure, public safety, drone detection, and some surprisingly unexpected applications. Logan demonstrates how radar, cameras, GPS tracking information, video analytics, and Remote ID can work together to help operators identify what is actually moving instead of simply generating another security-camera alert. The conversation also explores a rapidly changing drone landscape: public-event incursions, Remote ID regulations, DJI's changes to its geofencing system, DIY aircraft, fiber-optic drones that cannot be detected or jammed through conventional radio-frequency methods, and the growing challenge of defending against inexpensive drones without using dramatically more expensive countermeasures. Learn more about Logan Harris and Spotter Global at www.spotterglobal.com. Topics, News Stories & Technology Discussed How Spotter Global started with military radar technology Logan explains how the company grew out of a need for much smaller ground-surveillance radar systems. Instead of the roughly 100-pound systems that traditionally required several operators, Spotter Global developed compact radar technology for providing situational awareness to small teams operating in remote areas. A compact radar covering a surprisingly large area Logan demonstrates a radar unit with roughly a 600-meter range that uses about eight watts of power and can monitor approximately 40 acres. Radar provides the wide-area detection layer while cameras and additional analytics help determine what the radar actually found. SnapTrack brings live targets directly onto the map Spotter Global's SnapTrack feature combines target location information with live camera imagery. Rather than forcing an operator to monitor a wall of camera feeds, a target can appear on a map with picture-in-picture video once a camera acquires it. Radar + cameras + video AI to reduce false alarms Sorg compares the technology to conventional security cameras that send an alert without making it clear whether the movement came from a person, vehicle, animal, or even a tree branch. Spotter combines radar tracking, GPS coordinates, metadata, cameras, and video analytics to add multiple levels of verification. Critical infrastructure and the Metcalf substation attack Logan discusses how the 2013 attack on the Metcalf electrical substation in California highlighted vulnerabilities around major infrastructure. That helped drive demand for security systems capable of monitoring activity well beyond a facility's fence line. Drones over a Fourth of July event Logan describes assisting local law enforcement around a fireworks event where four drones flew around or over a stadium containing approximately 50,000 people. Police were able to intercept two of the operators. Remote ID: a “license plate” for drones Remote ID is compared to ADS-B on traditional aircraft. Compatible drones broadcast information including an identifier and location data, allowing detection systems to track the aircraft and, in some cases, identify the location of its operator. Spotter Global's Remote ID sensor Logan demonstrates a compact sensor capable of monitoring a large surrounding area for Remote ID broadcasts and plotting drone tracks and operator locations on a map. The 250-gram threshold and smaller drones The conversation looks at how weight affects Remote ID requirements and why some very small consumer drones operate differently from larger aircraft. DIY drones, RC aircraft, and external Remote ID beacons Sorg connects the discussion to SAE Aero Design competitions and student-built aircraft. Logan demonstrates a small Remote ID transmitter that can be attached to a DIY aircraft that needs to comply with Remote ID requirements. DJI and the change from geofencing to warnings Logan discusses DJI's change from firmware-enforced no-fly restrictions to warnings that alert operators when they are entering certain restricted areas without necessarily preventing the aircraft from flying there. Drone activity around major sporting events The conversation touches on drone pilots entering restricted areas around stadium events despite warnings, illustrating why detection and enforcement remain necessary even when consumer drones notify pilots of restrictions. Fiber-optic “FOG” drones Logan identifies fiber-optically guided drones as an important emerging challenge. Instead of communicating with an operator using radio signals, these drones remain physically connected by an extremely thin fiber-optic cable. Why fiber-optic drones are difficult to stop Because control and video travel through fiber rather than a wireless RF link, conventional RF detection and jamming techniques may not work. That increases the importance of radar and other methods of physically detecting the aircraft. Long-range attack drones and the economics of defense Logan contrasts smaller fiber-optic drones with much larger long-range fixed-wing attack drones and discusses the challenge of using extremely expensive defensive weapons against comparatively inexpensive aircraft. Fish farms need radar too One unexpected commercial application is protecting fish farms where millions of dollars of stock could be vulnerable to theft or sabotage. Radar can alert operators to someone approaching a restricted area. Avalanches, rockfalls, and polar bears Spotter's radar technology has moved far beyond its original security mission. Logan mentions applications involving avalanche monitoring, rockfall monitoring, and even tracking polar bears. Entrepreneurship: do it for more than money Logan says entrepreneurship involves too much work and stress for money alone to be the motivation. The Three Rs: Record, Remind, Report Logan's productivity philosophy centers on doing small things consistently: record what needs to happen, establish reminders, and make sure progress gets reported. His lesson is that accomplishing large goals depends on consistently handling the little things.

Sorg welcomes guest co-hosts Tina Keys and TruePrinceofPro (T-Pop) for a packed Wrestling Mayhem Show! The crew breaks down AEW Redemption, Kenny Omega and Kevin Knight, Will Ospreay and the Death Riders, Kyle Fletcher vs. Bandido, Maya World, Tommaso Ciampa and the continuing evolution of Ring of Honor. Then it's on to SummerSlam, including the two-night lineup, Punk and Cody, Roman and Seth, Penta vs. Chad Gable, the women's ladder match and one extremely strange Joe Hendry/Danhausen segment. Plus: WWE Radio and SiriusXM, changing wrestling streaming options, Rebel's ALS benefit efforts, T-Pop's complete AAA update, Dominik Mysterio joining forces with Omos, Penta's AAA return, Sorgstock announcements, Pittsburgh indie wrestling and our weekly What We Learned! Hosted by Sorg with Tina Keys and TruePrinceofPro. More Wrestling Mayhem Show: www.wrestlingmayhemshow.com

Can AI make you better at Photoshop instead of replacing Photoshop? Sorg, Katie Dudas, and Dave Podnar explore that question on AwesomeCast 789 as Sorg shares a workflow for turning AI-generated concepts into editable graphics while keeping control of the final design. The crew also gets into Pittsburgh technology history with plans to preserve Westinghouse's Atom Smasher, the impressive Commercial Street Bridge replacement, and the accessibility origins of the modern audiobook. Then the geekery kicks into high gear: Xbox expands its classic-game preservation efforts to PC, Hasbro combines Transformers with Jem and the Holograms, LEGO brings Smart Play to Star Trek, Robosen releases an Optimus Prime robot designed to reopen childhood wounds, and Universal plans movies based on ten Atari properties. Plus, Chachi has gaming headlines involving Hasbro, Steam Deck and Atari, and the crew discusses the backlash surrounding a $58,000 humanoid robot proposed for use in a New York school district. It's Pittsburgh technology, AI creativity, retro gaming, accessibility, robots and pop-culture nostalgia on AwesomeCast 789.