Podcasts about Acton

GUEST:   https://x.com/julesacton?lang=enhttps://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/oakloreMENTIONS:   https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/sessile-oak/   https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/boscobel-house-and-the-royal-oak/history/charles-ii-and-the-royal-oak/   https://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/gbr/england/wiltshire/2379_savernakeforest/3713/   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fistulina_hepatica   https://woodlandtrust.org.uk/   MUSHROOM HOUR:   https://welcometomushroomhour.com    https://instagram.com/welcome_to_mushroom_hour   https://tiktok.com/@welcome_to_mushroom_hour   Show Music courtesy of the one and only Chris Peck: https://peckthetowncrier.bandcamp.com/   TOPICS COVERED:   Importance of Oaks Around the World   Biogeography of Oaks   Oak Diseases & Conservation Efforts   Mycorrhizal Relationships & Biological Markets   England's Ancient Oaks   How an Oak Saved a King   Faerie Doors   The Big Belly Oak & the Devil   Goddess Worship with Chicken of the Woods   The Woodland Trust   Oaklore   

In this special bonus episode, we share a live story told by Professor Scott Acton, chair of UVA's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Recorded at Carr's Hill as part of our ongoing collaboration with The Story Collider, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the personal side of a scientist's journey. With humor, vulnerability, and insight, Scott Acton reflects on the experiences that shaped his path in STEM

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Jenna Robinson, president of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. They discuss current crises in American higher education and what can be done to resolve them. Is there too much or too little money in higher education? How should colleges and universities think about their role in […]

Everything we do today is recorded as data that's sold to the highest bidder. Plugging our personal data into impersonal algorithms has made government agencies more efficient and tech companies more profitable. But all this comes at a price. It's easy to feel like an insignificant number in a world of number crunchers who care more about their bottom line than your humanity. It's time to flip the equation, turning math into an empowering tool for the rest of us. In Robin Hood Math: Take Control of the Algorithms That Run Your Life (Penguin, 2025), award-winning mathematician Noah Giansiracusa explains how the tech giants and financial institutions use formulas to get ahead—and how anyone can use these same formulas in their everyday life. You'll learn how to handle risk rationally, make better investments, take control of your social media, and reclaim agency over the decisions you make each day. In a society that all too often takes from the poor and gives to the rich, math can be a vital democratizing force. Robin Hood Math helps you to think for yourself, act in your own best interests, and thrive. Noah Giansiracusa is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Bentley University, Visiting Scholar at Harvard University, and the author of How Algorithms Create and Prevent Fake News. His writing has appeared in Scientific American, TIME, WIRED, Slate, and the Washington Post, among others, and he has been featured as a guest on CNN, BBC Radio 4, and Newsmax. Giansiracusa lives in Acton, Massachusetts, with his wife, two kids, two dogs, and 12 chickens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Not that anybody asked, but this week we wanted to be the very best, like no one ever was, because we're using our 151st episode to talk about eating Pokémon. They have been video games, trading cards, anime and a whole host of other things but now they are finally lunch. What will make our final Top 3 list this week? Expect Peter Squirtle, the North Korean Embassy in Acton and worms in tequila going the same way as quicksand.YOU CAN BUY TICKETS TO OUR FIRST EVER LIVE SHOW AT OVER ON THE CHEERFUL EARFUL WEBSITEYou can become a friend of the podcast over at Patreon where you. can get bonus episodes, swag and the knowledge you're helping to keep the podcast goingYou can buy our merch over at TeepublicYou can sign up to our newsletter over on SubStackFollow us on Instagram thepodcastnobodyaskedforFollow us on Threads: @thepodcastnobodyaskedforFollow us on Bluesky: @thepodcastnobodyaskedfor.co.ukFollow us on TikTok: @nobodyasked4podFollow us on Facebook: /nobodyasked4podLeave us a review, including any ideas you have for future episodes on Apple Podcast or Podchaser

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Samuel Gregg, president of and Friedrich Hayek Chair in Economics and Economic History at the American Institute for Economic Research. He is also an affiliate scholar at the Acton Institute. They discuss his new essay “Michael Novak the Thoroughly Catholic Capitalist,” published in the Summer 2025 issue of Religion […]

How can Ohio lawmakers, who caused the property tax crisis, think the solution is to abolish property taxes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We think staying plugged in keeps us connected, updated on what's happening, in the loop, and tuned into the people and opportunities that matter. But what if it's actually the thing keeping you distracted from the real connection that's available to you? In this episode, we'll explore what happens when you step back from the constant scroll and tap into what I call the “universal wifi”—a deeper, truer network that's always broadcasting exactly what you need to hear. If you've been feeling drained by social media, craving more meaningful synchronicities, or wondering how to strengthen your intuition, this conversation will make you want to unplug… just to see what shows up. Other episodes you might like:  191: How to Act On and Trust Your Intuitive Hits! 206: Why You're Not Hearing the Universe's Messages Join The Weekly Nudge Email List!  

Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.comThe world is living with a Cold War hangover. The logic of deterrence, which dominates the minds of the people who plan nuclear wars, means that America must have enough nuclear weapons to credibly threaten to destroy the world should someone launch nukes at it. That thinking led to a world with tens of thousands of nuclear weapons, and that was just when the U.S. had the Soviet Union to think about. Now it's facing the twin threats of Russia and China. Does that mean America needs twice the nukes to handle twice the threats?Some in the Pentagon seem to think so, and the world is embarking on a radical and expensive nuclear build up the likes of which it hasn't seen in a generation.What if there's another way? James Acton is here to pitch us on a world where Optimal Deterrence does not mean spending trillions of dollars on new world-ending weapons just to make sure everyone else doesn't use theirs.Acton is a co-director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Nuclear Policy Program and the author of a new article that outlines the 21st century nuclear arms race and a new plan to stop it.Podcasting from an iPhone in a closetThe apocryphal camera lens storyThe nuclear teaseWhat are nuclear weapons pointed at?How to win a three-way nuclear warThe dread logic of counterforce targetingTrump's nuclear reticenceHow many nukes are there anyway?How to spend a trillion dollars on nuclear weapons upgradesActon's big idea“I don't think we lose much by ceasing to target an adversary's nuclear forces.”“It doesn't matter if they believe it or not.”Optimal DeterrenceRussia's nuclear torpedoCarnegie Endowment for International PeaceSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month on the Acton Rundown: Dan and Mark chat about upcoming Acton events and announce two new affiliate scholars. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Acton's 2025 Emerging Leaders Marcel van Hattem on the Fight for Freedom in Brazil Why I Slept on the Streets for a Year – Religion & Liberty […]

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Dave Herbert, a senior research fellow at AIER and an affiliate scholar here at the Acton Institute. They discuss the American economy from all angles. What do the latest GDP numbers mean in the real economy? Why are the new tariffs announced by the White House troubling? How […]

On today's episode, Noah Gould, Acton's Alumni and Student Programs manager, speaks to three members of the Emerging Leaders Program. The Acton Emerging Leaders Program is an 8-week leadership-development internship in Grand Rapids, Mich. The program brings together a cohort of student leaders from across the nation and around the globe for a transformative experience. […]

Investigating Attached vs. Detached: Don't Get BurnedPicture this: You're eyeing an attached single-family home in Canyon Country because it's under your budget. Great, right? Wrong if you don't dig deep. These setups can share walls, which means investigating insurance is non-negotiable. Why? Because if your neighbor's unit floods or catches fire, it could jack up your premiums via shared claims history.Head over to https://www.santaclaritaopenhouses.com/homes-for-sale-in-canyon-country-ca to see current listings, but before you fall in love, pull a CLUE report. That's Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange—fancy talk for a five-year claims history on the property. I've had clients skip this and regret it when their insurance quote doubled because the attached neighbor had a leaky roof saga. As your first-responder Realtor, I always push for this early—better to know upfront than bail mid-escrow.And speaking of insurance, in 2025, it's the elephant in the room. California's wildfire risks and rising costs have carriers pulling back faster than a bad date. If you're buying in fire-prone spots like Acton or Agua Dulce (check listings at https://www.santaclaritaopenhouses.com/homes-for-sale-in-acton-ca), shop quotes before offering. Some buyers waive inspection contingencies in hot markets, but that's like playing Russian roulette with your wallet. I've seen properties that looked perfect online turn into money pits—termite damage hidden behind fresh paint, or outdated wiring begging for a fire.Youtube Channels:Conner with Honor - real estateHome Muscle - fat torchingFrom first responder to real estate expert, Connor with Honor brings honesty and integrity to your Santa Clarita home buying or selling journey. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for valuable tips, local market trends, and a glimpse into the Santa Clarita lifestyle.Dive into Real Estate with Connor with Honor:Santa Clarita's Trusted Realtor & Fitness EnthusiastReal Estate:Buying or selling in Santa Clarita? Connor with Honor, your local expert with over 2 decades of experience, guides you seamlessly through the process. Subscribe to his YouTube channel for insider market updates, expert advice, and a peek into the vibrant Santa Clarita lifestyle.Fitness:Ready to unlock your fitness potential? Join Connor's YouTube journey for inspiring workouts, healthy recipes, and motivational tips. Remember, a strong body fuels a strong mind and a successful life!Podcast:Dig deeper with Connor's podcast! Hear insightful interviews with industry experts, inspiring success stories, and targeted real estate advice specific to Santa Clarita.

Episode 133 features our incredible conversation with Dr. Amy Acton, who's running as the Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio. She left us feeling so hopeful about the future of our home state - and we think you'll feel the same after listening!Dr. Amy Acton grew up in Youngstown, Ohio under difficult circumstances. But that made Amy tough – and now, Amy is running for governor to fight for every Ohio family that's struggling today.After putting herself through medical school, Amy did a residency at Children's Hospital and Ohio State University where she trained in pediatrics and preventive medicine and created the first ever residency rotation in child advocacy.Amy began her career as the Director of Project L.O.V.E where she managed public private partnerships between Columbus area hospitals and key community stakeholders to keep our children healthy. Amy then joined the faculty at Ohio State University where she became an award winning professor of maternal and child health and global public health.In 2019 Governor DeWine asked Amy to serve in his administration as the Director of the Ohio Department of Public Health. Working closely with Governor DeWine, Amy's widely acclaimed leadership and inspiring guidance were experienced in daily news conferences as COVID exploded in the spring of 2020, earning her a Profile in COVID Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in 2021. In 2022 she was named Woman of the Year for Ohio by USA Today for her efforts.Following her service in the DeWine administration, Amy returned to the Columbus Foundation and helped found the Center for Human Kindness. She worked with CEO's, Mayor's, and community advocates to launch Rapid 5, a nonprofit to promote the region's health and economic wellness. Amy also partnered with WKYC on a new multi-platform series on Health, Hope & Healing–where she spoke to Ohioans about the challenges they face and the innovative solutions they're using to move themselves forward.Now, Amy's running for Governor because she refuses to look away from Ohioans who are struggling.Amy lives in Bexley, Ohio with her husband, Eric, who has coached and taught in Bexley City Schools since 1987. Together they have six kids and enjoy traveling, exploring nature, and spending time with their good friends and growing family.Resources: * Acton for Governor Website* Donate to Dr. Acton's Campaign* Connect with Dr. Acton's on Social Media:* Instagram* Bluesky* Facebook* X/TwitterConnect with USS:* Substack* Instagram* TikTokThis episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:* Website* Instagram Get full access to United SHE Stands at www.unitedshestands.com/subscribe

In 2004, Madelaine Weiss had a flesh-eating disease, which started as strep throat and extended into her arm. She had a 1% chance of survival. The doctors were threatening to remove her upper right quadrant, but after seven weeks in the hospital and three months off her post at Harvard Medical School, here she is – happy, healthy, prosperous, and productive with a smile. Madelaine Weiss is a Harvard-trained licensed psychotherapist and mindset expert, with an MBA and board certification in executive, career, and life coaching. She is the founder and former chair of The School-Business Partnership, former parenting education facilitator, group mental health practice administrative director, corporate chief organizational development officer, associate director of an educational resource program at Harvard Medical School, and bestselling author of “Getting to G.R.E.A.T. 5-Step Strategy for Work and Life.” "The harder a decision is to make.....  STOP and take time to listen to your inner voice."   Madelaine shares her full story in her interview and points you to building your best adventures in life.  I"A great life depends on a great fit between who we are and the environments in which we work and live." Getting to G.R.E.A.T. is a lively, practical guidebook for living with a proven method that has already changed so many lives. Loaded with science and stories, each information-packed chapter launches with a topic-relevant vignette from the author's own experience, moves to research and practical recommendations on each chapter topic, and concludes with a chapter-specific case example and exercise for personal use.   Beginning with the pivotal event that shaped the trajectory of her work and life, Madelaine Weiss reveals a powerfully effective five-step strategy for satisfaction and success in your own work and life.   DIVE INTO A WORLD WHERE YOU AND YOUR BRAIN TEAM UP TO BUILD THE STORIES OF YOUR LIFE!

High School Reunions are SCAMMING us

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Kevin Vallier, professor of philosophy at the University of Toledo, where he is associate director at the Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership and affiliate scholar at the Acton Institute. They discuss his new essay, “The Fusionist Manifesto,” published in the Summer 2025 issue of Religion & Liberty. […]

In this episode of "What Is the Right," we're turning our attention to the religious dimension at play on the American Right. From the often-talked-about, rarely-understood Evangelical voting bloc to observant Jews and everything in between, it's a confusing landscape. Religious groups add a layer of complexity to the freedom-vs.-order tension we've been exploring in this series as we think about what it means to be conservative or liberal theologically in addition to politically. Indeed, our guests in this first episode are hesitant to apply today's political labels to their own tradition. Joining Peter to explain Catholicism in the public square and in conversation with political conservatism are Kathryn Jean Lopez and Kris Mauren. Kathryn is a Senior Fellow at the National Review Institute, where she directs the Center for Religion, Culture, and Civil Society. She is also the Religion Editor for National Review magazine and a Fellow at the Catholic University of America's Institute for Human Ecology. Kris is President and co-Founder of the Acton Institute, a think tank based on Grand Rapids, MI. Acton works to promote a freer and more virtuous society with research and resources that highlight the benefits and ethical foundations of free markets.

En esta ocasión, les contare sobre un misterioso incidente ocurrido en el ahora abandonado Campamento Acton, en el condado de Marion en Indiana. Un hombre, después de ser golpeado por un relámpago, fue socorrido por una misteriosa mujer. https://terrorcercadeti.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/terrorcerca/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/terrorcerca/ 

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Eric Kohn, CEO of America's Future. They discuss just that—and what the organization Eric leads is doing to make that future a bright one. What are the ideas that animated America at its founding, and how do we best transmit them to a new generation? What are the […]

This week, host Dan Hugger is joined by John Pinheiro, Anthony Bradley, and Dylan Pahman to discuss the results of the 2024 U.S. elections. What do the results say about American society, its politics, its parties, and its future? A wide-ranging conversation from pre-election polls to possible party futures.   Subscribe to our podcasts   […]

James doesn't sugarcoat anything in this passage. He goes straight to the heart of the matter: faith without works is dead. It's not enough to claim belief in God if your life never reflects it. In recovery—and in discipleship—true faith shows up in obedience, sacrifice, and tangible action. Abraham offered his son. Rahab risked everything. And James says that if your faith doesn't lead you to move, serve, surrender, or obey, then it's not real faith—it's just talk. This week, we're digging into what active, alive, working faith looks like—and how to take one bold step that proves your faith is more than just words.Talk is cheap. Real faith shows up in real life.Faith that works is faith that walks—it doesn't sit still, it doesn't stay quiet, and it doesn't just show up on Sundays.If your faith never moves you to action, it may not be faith at all.This week we're asking: What does your faith do?

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Marcel van Hattem, a Brazilian politician, journalist, and political scientist who is an elected federal representative of the State of Rio Grande do Sul in Brasilia. They begin by discussing Brazil's history, people, and culture. The conversation then turns to the ongoing constitutional crises and how the Supreme […]

Kelly talks to Rob Acton, who pairs businesspeople with non-profit boards and offers excellent advice on making the most of the cause you choose. His book is called “Becoming a Causie: Champion Your Cause Through Nonprofit Board Leadership.” “I think everyone is a potential causie.”  “Passion for the mission is necessary but not sufficient.”  “Notable board […]

Marzae is Massachusetts' first & only natural winery, founded by husband & wife team Eliot Martin & Katie Luczai in 2023 with the vision to build community and bring the production of great, approachable wines & other local ferments to the Greater Boston Area. We produce wine with 100% local fruit in Acton, are working on an urban tasting room, run MA's natural wine fair (MASSeration), and are planting a vineyard in Haverhill next spring. Berkshire Cider Project crafts dry, sparkling hard cider inspired by the art and agriculture in our community. Our fine ciders start with fresh apples sourced from local orchards or foraged in backyards and forgotten apple trees all across the Berkshires. Made in North Adams, visit our tasting room just down the road from MassMoCA. #bringtheberkshires @berkshire_ciderTilde aims to bring an approachable, social, & locally-focused edge to the coffee & wine scene in Cambridge. every decision we make is an attempt to reflect the tastes & passions of the people who call this city home, and give everyone a space to meet, gather, & take a breath. above all else, we value local products & relationships. we hope to cultivate a menu which reflects our focus on the neighborhood: sourcing from nearby wholesalers, encouraging staff ownership of rotating specials, & featuring local culinary artisans.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest Richard J. Acton Panelist Richard Littauer Show Notes In this episode of Sustain, host Richard Littauer speaks with Richard J. Acton, a research data outputs manager at the Human Developmental Biology Initiative based near Cambridge. He discusses his involvement with open source software through bioinformatics and his development of a comprehensive checklist for researchers producing code. This checklist aims to guide researchers in making their software outputs more citable, reproducible, and user-friendly. The conversation delves into various themes covered by the checklist, such as source control, licensing, documentation, testing, and governance. He also shares his insights on the importance of open science and transparent research practices, the challenges of balancing open source work with academic demands, and the potential role of funders and publishers in supporting these efforts. Press download more to hear more! [00:00:43] Richard Acton explains his job at the Human Developmental Biology Initiative and how the checklist started. [00:01:23] He transitioned into open source via bioinformatics and Linux and advocates for open science and reproducibility in software. [00:02:26] We learn why the checklist was created and the design and structure of the checklist. [00:05:46] Richard Acton talks about lack and time and incentives prevent open sourcing and the how the checklist makes code more citable and boost academic recognition. [00:09:17] There's a discussion on the trade-off between citing a paper vs. citing the code. [00:12:05] The tier system is mentioned and Richard Acton explains how the checklist encourages progression from bronze to platinum and goes over the key areas in the checklist categories. [00:14:21] Governance and community is discussed with Richard Acton explaining that governance also includes continuity and community management is addressed especially for reusable pipelines. [00:16:29] We hear about the three categories for research code: one-off code, web-based services, and reusable packages and how the definitions were tailored for the checklist. [00:17:23] Richard Acton presented the checklist at the SSI workshop and he's seeking contributors, reviewers, and testers. [00:19:18] Richard Action advocates for publishers to enforce code quality and universities and funders can hire staff to ease researcher workload, and he speaks about transparency and quality assurance. [00:24:59] Implementation and badging is discussed and he shares the grading is currently designed for self-assessment, but open to expert review in the future. [00:26:33] Richard Acton is open to collaborating with CHAOSS and he aims to grow the project into a broader community standard. [00:27:23] Find out where you can follow Richard Acton and his work on the web. Quotes [00:02:13] “Software being an integral part of modern research means that it needs to be open in order to be reproducible effectively.” Spotlight [00:27:58] Richard's spotlight is attending the Birds New Zealand annual conf. [00:28:55] Richard Acton's spotlight is ‘rix: Reproducible Environments with Nix.' Links podcast@sustainoss.org (mailto:podcast@sustainoss.org) richard@sustainoss.org (mailto:richard@sustainoss.org) SustainOSS Discourse (https://discourse.sustainoss.org/) SustainOSS Mastodon (https://mastodon.social/tags/sustainoss) SustainOSS Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/sustainoss.bsky.social) SustainOSS LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainoss/) Open Collective-SustainOSS (Contribute) (https://opencollective.com/sustainoss) Richard Littauer Socials (https://www.burntfen.com/2023-05-30/socials) Richard J. Acton Website (https://richardjacton.net/) Richard J. Acton Mastodon (https://fosstodon.org/@RichardJActon) Research Software Sharing, Publication, & Distribution Checklists (https://rsspdc.org/) Birds New Zealand (https://www.birdsnz.org.nz/) rix: Reproducible Environments with Nix (https://github.com/ropensci/rix/) Credits Produced by Richard Littauer (https://www.burntfen.com/) Edited by Paul M. Bahr at Peachtree Sound (https://www.peachtreesound.com/) Show notes by DeAnn Bahr Peachtree Sound (https://www.peachtreesound.com/) Special Guest: Richard J. Acton.

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In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Dan Churchwell, director of programs and education at the Acton Institute, and A. Trevor Sutton, senior pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church, about their essay “The Gospel According to Silicon Valley,” which is the cover story for the Summer 2025 issue of Religion & Liberty. Is there a Christian […]

The former Director of Ohio's Department of Health, Amy Acton, M.D., MPH was the first Democratic candidate to announce a campaign for Ohio Governor. Dr. Acton was nominated Director of Ohio's Department of Health by Governor Mike DeWine in February 2019. She quickly became a household name, joining Governor DeWine during his daily afternoon press conferences in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.rnrnDr. Acton began her career as the Director of Project L.O.V.E, managing public-private partnerships between Columbus area hospitals and key community stakeholders. Amy then joined the faculty at Ohio State University, and eventually joined the Columbus Foundation, where she worked to improve the community's health and well-being, particularly in the area of women's health and youth homelessness.rnrnDr. Acton received her medical degree from Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine and completed her internship and residency training in pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus. Dr. Acton lives in Bexley, Ohio with her husband Eric, and together they have six kids.

Today, Acton librarian Dan Hugger and podcast producer Mark Townsend announce that the podcast will be on video going forward. They reveal the new podcast studio, talk about how recent economic events forced them to move quickly, and discuss the joys of flailing-arm tube men. Subscribe to our podcasts Acton On-Demand If you'd like to […]

On today's episode, Dan Hugger speaks to Dan Churchwell, Acton's director of programs and education, about what people can expect at Acton University 2025. They share some favorite memories from past years, look forward to some special guests this year, and dive into what makes this conference unique. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast […]

James Goss (born 1974) is an English writer and producer renowned for his extensive work in the Doctor Who and Torchwood universes. Initially part of the BBC, he managed the official Doctor Who website from 2000, expanding its scope before transitioning to TV tie‑in media .He wrote multiple Torchwood novels—Almost Perfect, Risk Assessment, First Born—and crafted acclaimed Doctor Who audiobooks and novels, including Dead Air (Best Audiobook 2010), Dead of Winter, and novelisations of Douglas Adams' scripts like City of Death and The Pirate Planet .

On today's episode, Acton's director of programs and education, Dan Churchwell, speaks to Philip Bunn, assistant professor of political science at Covenant College. They discuss his Acton Lecture Series presentation “The Heart of a Machine: Technological Threats to Liberty in Adam Smith and Beyond.” Subscribe to our podcasts Acton Lecture Series Philip D. Bunn

On today's episode, Acton librarian Dan Hugger speaks with James Otteson from Acton University 2024. They discuss Adam Smith and what he tells us about the role of business in society. Subscribe to our podcasts Acton University Acton On-Demand James Otteson | Mendoza College of Business

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Isaac Willour, journalist and analyst at Bowyer Research. They discuss his Religion and Liberty Online essay “America Poured Billions into DEI Initiatives. Who Benefited?” What ideology underlies diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives? How did DEI take root in corporate America, and why is it now in retreat? What roles do […]

On the cusp of the greatest wealth transfer in history—with $124 trillion moving between generations in the next 20 years—we explore how philanthropy can be transformative, and transformed. Nationally recognized philanthropic leader Dimple Abichandani has crafted a blueprint for how wealth can be transformed into a more just and sustainable future in times of rapid change and crisis. Can philanthropy be an anti-racist, feminist, relational, and joyful expression of solidarity? In A New Era of Philanthropy, Dimple argues that yes, philanthropy can be these things—and for the future we seek, and for the sector to achieve its greatest impact, it must be. With fresh answers to the question of how philanthropy can meet this high-stakes moment—from reimagining governance to aligning investments to crisis funding and beyond—she explains how paradigm shifts can move us forward, beyond critique into real transformation, with relatable stories about funders who are forging a new era of philanthropy. About the Speakers Dimple Abichandani is a nationally recognized philanthropic leader, lawyer, and author of A New Era of Philanthropy: Ten Practices to Transform Wealth Into a More Just and Sustainable Future, a book that reimagines how philanthropy can meet this moment. For two decades, she has worked to reshape philanthropy's purpose and practice while leading innovative funding institutions. As executive director of the General Service Foundation (2015–2022), she aligned the foundation's grantmaking, investments, and governance with justice values.  A National Center for Family Philanthropy Fellow, Abichandani's leadership has been recognized with a Scrivener Award for Creative Grantmaking. She serves on the Board of Directors of Solidaire Network and has served on the boards/steering committees of the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, Northern California Grantmakers, and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she advises donors and foundations on transforming wealth into a just and sustainable future. Tegan Acton founded Wildcard Giving, a family of philanthropic entities created following the sale of WhatsApp to Facebook in 2014. Acton serves as the principal at each of the sister entities, which work together to further civic values, collective responsibility and our common humanity. Prior to establishing Wildcard Giving, Acton served as the director of communications and strategic initiatives for the vice provost of undergraduate education at Stanford University. She additionally held positions at Yahoo! and the Sundance Institute, and graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a BA in English and Political Science. Acton's personal commitments include serving on the Executive Committee for the Collaborative for Gender and Reproductive Equity, chairing the Board of Trustees of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and investing in independent films through her production company Good Gravy Films. The Commonwealth Club of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. A Social Impact Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. OrganizerVirginia Cheung  This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world is constantly evolving. Clients are changing. That means we have to meet them where they are. Accountants are no longer strictly “service providers”. Go ahead…add “technology advisor” to your resume. It sounds scary, but it's true. Accountants must start embracing new technology and AI in order to free up ourselves for the services that clients are actually wanting. “There's an app for that” and our tech savvy clients know it, so we have to push past our own fears to meet them where they are…and that means more metrics, financial reporting, and advisory. Sarah Acton, Chief Customer Officer with BILL, says that we must get comfortable with automating the granular tasks so that we can free ourselves up for doing one thing that technology can NOT do, and that's building personal relationships. Strive for efficiency. Experiment with new ideas. Ultimately, your authenticity is what builds credibility with your clients. Walk them through their own fears and develop a practical roadmap for success in their own business. Learn how BILL can help make your firm more efficient and streamline operations at www.bill.com.

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Dylan Pahman, research fellow and executive editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality at the Acton Institute. They discuss his recently published essay “An Ascetic Way of Life in a World of Abundance,” an adaptation of a chapter from Dylan's forthcoming book, The Kingdom of God & the […]

Michael Acton believes investors will see promise in the start of a new real estate cycle. He says now's a great time to get involved despite current interest rate and yield levels. Muted construction spending is what Michael expects will set the foundation for strong rent growth.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with John Pinheiro, director of research at the Acton Institute, and Daniel Wagner, chair of the philosophy department and director of Catholic Studies at Aquinas College, about the election of Pope Leo XIV. Why is the election of an American pope so surprising? How is his choice of name […]

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with John Pinheiro, director of research at the Acton Institute, and Daniel Wagner, chair of the philosophy department and director of Catholic Studies at Aquinas College, about the election of Pope Leo XIV. Why is the election of an American pope so surprising? How is his choice of name […]

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with the Acton Institute's John Pinheiro, director of research, and Michael Miller, director of the Center for Social Flourishing, about all things conclave. Why are conclaves important? What should people make of the horse race coverage in the media? What sort of qualities does the Church need most in […]

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with the Acton Institute's John Pinheiro, director of research, and Michael Miller, director of the Center for Social Flourishing, about all things conclave. Why are conclaves important? What should people make of the horse race coverage in the media? What sort of qualities does the Church need most in […]

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with the Acton Institute's John Pinheiro, director of research, and Michael Miller, director of the Center for Social Flourishing, about all things conclave. Why are conclaves important? What should people make of the horse race coverage in the media? What sort of qualities does the Church need most in […]

On today's episode, Dan Churchwell, Acton’s director of programs and education, interviews Raymond Harris, author, architect, and a venture capitalist in God's kingdom. They discuss his new book, “Enduring Wealth: Being Rich in This World and the Next,” where Raymond shares how he has seen God multiply human efforts when people faithfully steward all God […]

On today's episode, Dan Churchwell, Acton’s director of programs and education, interviews Raymond Harris, author, architect, and a venture capitalist in God's kingdom. They discuss his new book, “Enduring Wealth: Being Rich in This World and the Next,” where Raymond shares how he has seen God multiply human efforts when people faithfully steward all God […]

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with the Acton Institute's Stephen Barrows, chief operating officer, and John Pinheiro, director of research, about the life and legacy of Pope Francis. This wide-ranging conversation covers Pope Francis's perspective on the market, the environment, liturgy, synodality, business, ecumenicism, and the poor. Which parts of Pope Francis's legacy will endure? […]

Tech Bro NonsenseFormer Google CEO Tells Congress That 99 Percent of All Electricity Will Be Used to Power Superintelligent AIbillionaire tech tycoon and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt comments to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce: "What we need from you is we need the energy in all forms, renewable, non-renewable, whatever. It needs to be there, and it needs to be there quickly.""Many people project demand for our industry will go from 3 percent to 99 percent of total generation... an additional 29 gigawatts by 2027 and 67 more gigawatts by 2030. If [China] comes to superintelligence first, it changes the dynamic of power globally, in ways that we have no way of understanding or predicting.”Meta Says It's Okay to Feed Copyrighted Books Into Its AI Model Because They Have No "Economic Value"In the ongoing suit Richard Kadrey et al v. Meta Platforms, led by a group of authors including Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Sean Greer and National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company has argued that its alleged scraping of over seven million books from the pirated library LibGen constituted "fair use" of the material, and was therefore not illegal.Meta's attorneys are also arguing that the countless books that the company used to train its multibillion-dollar language models and springboard itself into the headspinningly buzzy AI race are actually worthless. Meta cited an expert witness who downplayed the books' individual importance, averring that a single book adjusted its LLM's performance "by less than 0.06 percent on industry standard benchmarks, a meaningless change no different from noise." Thus there's no market in paying authors to use their copyrighted works, Meta says, because "for there to be a market, there must be something of value to exchange," as quoted by Vanity Fair — "but none of [the authors'] works has economic value, individually, as training data." Other communications showed that Meta employees stripped the copyright pages from the downloaded books.Tellingly, the unofficial policy seems to be to not speak about it at all: "In no case would we disclose publicly that we had trained on LibGen, however there is practical risk external parties could deduce our use of this dataset," an internal Meta slide deck read. The deck noted that "if there is media coverage suggesting we have used a dataset we know to be pirated, such as LibGen, this may undermine our negotiating position with regulators on these issues."Lauren Sánchez in Space Was Marie Antoinette in a Penis-Shaped RocketKaty Perry Boasts About Ridiculous Rocket Launch While NASA Is Scrubbing History of Women in Space“It's about a collective energy and making space for future women. It's about this wonderful world that we see right out there and appreciating it. This is all for the benefit of Earth.”Last month, the Orlando Sentinel first reported, NASA scrubbed language from a webpage about the agency's Artemis missions declaring that a goal of the mission was to put the first woman and first person of color on the Moon; just a few days later, NASA Watch reported that comic books imagining the first woman on the Moon had been deleted from NASA's website.A webpage for "Women at NASA" is still standing, but pictures of women and people of color — astronauts, engineers, scientists — have reportedly been removed from NASA's real-world hallways amid the so-called "DEI" purge. Per Scientific American, the word "inclusion" has been removed as one of NASA's core pillars. And as 404 Media reported in February, NASA personnel were directed to remove mentions of women in leadership positions from its website.OpenAI NonsenseOpenAI Is Secretly Building a Social NetworkOpenAI has been secretly building its own social media platform, which The Verge reports is intended to resemble X-formerly-Twitter — the social media middleweight owned by CEO Sam Altman's arch-nemesis, Elon MuskOpenAI updated its safety framework—but no longer sees mass manipulation and disinformation as a critical riskOpenAI said it will stop assessing its AI models prior to releasing them for the risk that they could persuade or manipulate people, possibly helping to swing elections or create highly effective propaganda campaigns.The company said it would now address those risks through its terms of service, restricting the use of its AI models in political campaigns and lobbying, and monitoring how people are using the models once they are released for signs of violations.OpenAI also said it would consider releasing AI models that it judged to be “high risk” as long as it has taken appropriate steps to reduce those dangers—and would even consider releasing a model that presented what it called “critical risk” if a rival AI lab had already released a similar model. Previously, OpenAI had said it would not release any AI model that presented more than a “medium risk.”Saying 'please' and 'thank you' to ChatGPT costs OpenAI millions, Sam Altman saysBeing nice to your AI chatbot requires computational power that raises electricity and water costsAltman responded to a user on X (formerly Twitter) who asked how much the company has lost in electricity costs from people being polite to their models: “Tens of millions of dollars well spent — you never know,” the CEO wrote.AI models rely heavily on energy stored in global data centers — which already accounts for about 2% of the global electricity consumption. Polite responses also add to OpenAI's water bill. AI uses water to cool the servers that generate the data. A study from the University of California, Riverside, said that using GPT-4 to generate 100 words consumes up to three bottles of water — and even a three-word response such as “You are welcome” uses about 1.5 ounces of water.Antitrust NonsenseTrump DOJ's plan to restructure Google hurts consumers, national security, says exec: 'Wildly overbroad'Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs: "We're very concerned about DOJ's proposal. We think it would hurt American consumers, our economy, our tech leadership, even national security. The proposed reform from DOJ "would result in unprecedented government overreach that would harm American consumers, developers, and small businesses — and jeopardize America's global economic and technological leadership at precisely the moment it's needed most."8 revelations from Mark Zuckerberg's 3 days on the witness stand in Meta's antitrust trialThe FTC alleges Meta "helped cement" its illegal monopoly in the social media market with its acquisition of Instagram and the messaging app WhatsApp more than a decade ago.8 revelations:Antitrust worries surfaced years agoTwo years before the FTC initially sued Meta over allegations that it violated US competition laws, Zuckerberg considered breaking Instagram out into its own company to avoid potential antitrust scrutiny, according to a 2018 internal email revealed by the government at trial."I wonder if we should consider the extreme step of spinning Instagram out as a separate company," Zuckerberg wrote in the email to company executives. "As calls to break up the big tech companies grow, there is a non-trivial chance that we will be forced to spin out Instagram and perhaps WhatsApp in the next 5-10 years anyway." If a break up were to happen, Zuckerberg wrote, history showed that companies could end up better off.Asked about this view at trial, Zuckerberg said, "I'm not sure exactly what I had in mind then."A 'crazy idea' to boost Facebook's relevanceZuckerberg's "crazy idea" for Facebook in 2022 involved purging all users' friends. The CEO — fearful that Facebook was losing cultural relevance — made the proposal in a 2022 email to the social network's top brass."Option 1. Double down on Friending," Zuckerberg wrote in the message. "One potentially crazy idea is to consider wiping everyone's graphs and having them start again."Sheryl Sandberg wanted to play Settlers of CatanZuckerberg once offered to give Sheryl Sandberg, the former COO of Meta, a tutorial in the board game Settlers of Catan.The lesson offer came up in 2012 messages in which the two discussed the fresh $1 billion purchase of Instagram, partially redacted missives presented by the FTC during Zuckerberg's testimony showed."We would love it. I want to learn Settlers of Catan too so we can play," Sandberg told Zuckerberg in the message. He responded: "I can definitely teach you Settlers of Catan. It's very easy to learn."Meta's rivalry with TikTok has only just begunDuring his testimony, Zuckerberg hammered home Meta's argument that the tech giant faces massive competition from other apps, especially TikTok."TikTok is still bigger than either Facebook or Instagram," Zuckerberg testified. "I don't like it when our competitors do better than us. You can sort of bet that I'm not going to rest until we are doing quite a bit better than we are doing now.”Facebook Camera app struggles were a source of worryInstagram's early rise shook Zuckerberg. As his company struggled to mount its response with the Facebook Camera app, the CEO began to lose his patience."What is going on with our photos team?" Zuckerberg wrote in a 2011 message to top executives, as revealed by the FTC in court. Zuckerberg then described a number of individuals, whose names were redacted, as being "checked out." He added another person didn't want "to work with this team because he thinks this team sucks."In May 2012, Facebook launched a photo-sharing app called Facebook Camera, which aims to make it simpler for the social network's users to upload and browse photos on smartphones. Only weeks after Facebook spent $1 billion on a similar photo-sharing app called Instagram. Zuckerberg tried to buy Snapchat for $6 billionZuckerberg's failed bid to buy Snapchat was highlighted by the government to bolster its argument that Meta sought to maintain its dominance in the social media market through acquisitions rather than competition.Facebook isn't really for friends anymoreWhile under questioning by the FTC, Zuckerberg said that Facebook had greatly evolved since he launched the platform more than 20 years ago and that its main purpose wasn't really to connect with friends anymore.The FTC argues that Meta monopolizes the market for "personal social networking services.""The friend part has gone down quite a bit," Zuckerberg testified. He said the Facebook feed has "turned into more of a broad discovery and entertainment space."Not impressed by WhatsApp cofounderZuckerberg wasn't too impressed with one of WhatsApp's cofounders after a 2012 meeting he had with company leadership."I found him fairly impressive although disappointingly (or maybe positive for us) unambitious," Zuckerberg wrote in an email to colleagues after the meeting, it was revealed at trial.Jan Koum and Brian Acton cofounded WhatsApp in 2009. Zuckerberg said in his testimony that he thinks he was referring to Koum. Asked about his email, Zuckerberg seemed uneasy. He said that Koum was clearly smart but that he and Acton were staunchly opposed to growing their messaging app enough to be a real threat to Facebook. Zuckerberg would go on to buy WhatsApp in 2014 for $19 billion.Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Platforms adds former Trump advisor to the board days before an antitrust showdown with the FTCMeta Platforms is further boosting its lineup of heavy hitters with the additions of Stripe CEO Patrick Collison and Dina Powell McCormick to the mix. Powell McCormick was the former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump during his first term. Married to Republican Senator Dave McCormick, former CEO of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world's largest hedge fundsStakeholder/shareholder activism NonsenseBP suffers investor rebellion at first AGM since climate strategy U-turnBP suffered an investor rebellion on Thursday after facing shareholders for the first time since abandoning its climate strategy at a meeting marred by protest.About a quarter of shareholders (24.3%) voted against the chair, Helge Lund, which marked the first time in at least a decade that more than 10% of BP's shareholders voted against the re-election of the chair.The outgoing chair told shareholders that the company had “pursued too much while looking to build new low-carbon businesses” but that “lessons have been learned”.BP's CEO Murray Auchincloss (2.7% against), repeated his previous claim that BP's optimism in the global green energy transition was “misplaced”, and that the board's “one simple goal” was to “grow the long-term value of your investment”.Mark Van Baal, the founder of the green activist investor group Follow This, said shareholders had “made it clear that weakening climate commitments is unacceptable”. He added: “This historical result serves as a wake-up call to BP's board and emphasises investor expectation for robust governance mechanisms and genuine leadership on ESG issues.”Starbucks CEO faces major backlash after details of his work routine are revealed: 'Ill-conceived decision'A press release from the National Center for Public Policy Research reported on the hypocrisy of Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol's transportation practices when considering the company's public commitment to eco-friendly practices.Niccol travels regularly from his home in Newport Beach, California, to Starbucks' headquarters in Seattle, Washington, via private jet. Each 2,000-mile round-trip commute releases nearly nine tons of carbon dioxide.The National Center for Public Policy Research's Free Enterprise Project's director Stefan Padfield pointed out the discrepancy of policy and practice during his presentation of Proposal 8 requesting an annual report on emissions congruency. He noted that each round trip made by Niccol "is roughly the annual energy-consumption footprint of the typical American household."This analogy paints a vivid picture of the hypocrisy between Starbucks' public environmental commitments and the practices of the CEO. Gaps are apparent. Target CEO Cornell meets with Sharpton to discuss DEI rollback as civil rights leader considers boycottCEO Brian Cornell met with the Rev. Al Sharpton in New York on Thursday as the retailer faces calls for a boycott and a slowdown in foot traffic that began after it walked back key diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the civil rights leader told CNBC Wednesday.The meeting, which Target asked for, comes after some civil rights groups urged consumers not to shop at Target in response to the retailer's decision to cut back on DEI. While Sharpton has not yet called for a boycott of Target, he has supported efforts from others to stop shopping at the retailer's stores.“You can't have an election come and all of a sudden, change your old positions,” Sharpton told CNBC in a Wednesday interview ahead of the meeting. “If an election determines your commitment to fairness then fine, you have a right to withdraw from us, but then we have a right to withdraw from you.”IBM Informs Staff of DEI Retreat as Trump-Era Scrutiny GrowsEmployees were told of the changes earlier this week, in a memo that cited “inherent tensions in practicing inclusion.” Legal considerations and shifting attitudes to DEI were among the factors for the company. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna discussed the changes in his monthly video update to employees Thursday.Anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck said he first contacted the company in February to question its policies. IBM confirmed it discussed its changes with Starbuck.The company (-10% gender influence gap) also disbanded a diversity council that represents the views of employee groups as part of its reevaluation.Exxon Faces No Shareholder Proposals for First Time in 25 YearsThe absence of requests in Exxon's proxy statement comes a year after the company sued two climate-focused investors to remove what it described as their “extreme agenda.” It also tracks with the US Securities and Exchange Commission's decision to back guidelines that make it easier for corporations to block votes on shareholder resolutions at their annual meetings.Exxon said in a statement late Monday that it received only one proposal this year and the SEC agreed it should be discarded because “it tried to micromanage the company.”Occidental Petroleum Corp., Valero Energy Corp. and Dow Inc. are other companies with no shareholder proposals up for vote at this year's annual meetings.Exxon said this year marks “the first time in recent history that our proxy includes zero proposals from activists.” It was just four years ago that a small fund scored a victory over Exxon, placing three directors on the company's board.Climate activist shareholder group Follow This pauses big oil campaignClimate activist shareholder group Follow This said on Thursday a lack of investor appetite has forced it to suspend its nearly decade-long campaign seeking stronger commitments from major oil and gas producers to emission cutsHarley-Davidson slams activist investor, saying its campaign is messing up its CEO searchIn early April, H Partners' Jared Dourdeville, who had been a Harley director since 2022, abruptly resigned from the board, saying among other things that Harley had “cultural depletion” because of its work-from-home policies and the exit of several senior leaders. And that was not his only point of contention with the rest of the board.Investment firm H Partners, a major investor with 9.1% of Harley's shares, in an open letter filed on Wednesday, urged fellow shareholders to remove three longtime directors from Harley's eight-member board at its annual meeting in mid-May by withholding votes for them. H Partners said the board had not held Harley CEO Jochen Zeitz accountable for what it called his repeated “strategic execution failures” and “severe underperformance.”CEO/Chair Zeitz (2007, 30%)Lead DIrector Norman Thomas Linebarger (2008, 13%)Sara Levinson (1996, 20%)"We believe Mr. Zeitz, Mr. Linebarger, and Ms. Levinson should be held accountable for the destruction of shareholder value,"Harley's bylaws stipulate that directors who win less than 50% of votes in an election must tender their resignations.Harley announced last week that Zeitz, CEO since 2020 and board member for 18 years, would resign but stay in his role until a successor is found. H Partners wants him out now.That followed a letter issued a day earlier by Harley-Davidson, which accused H Partners of “publicly campaigning” against it and saying that those efforts are also “adversely impacting the CEO search process and ongoing execution of the Hardwire strategic plan,” referring to a turnaround plan it launched in 2021.Harley said that it began a CEO search late last year after Zeitz expressed interest in retiring and has interviewed three potential CEOs, including one supported by Dourdeville, but declined to offer any the job. The company has also said that Dourdeville had cast only one vote against the majority during his time as a director and that as recently as November 2024 he had expressed support for Zeitz.Harley-Davidson faces board fight from H Partners amid calls for CEO to exit soon

The 2024 PovertyCure Summit “Dignity, Agency & Charity” was a virtual event put on by Acton's Center for Social Flourishing. Over two days, participants learned from scholars and practitioners involved in the global struggle against poverty—and against the “toxic charity” that hinders people's ability to rise. On today's episode, we bring you the keynote presented […]

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Marvin Olasky, executive editor for News and Global at Christianity Today and the founder and chairman of Zenger House. They discuss many of the news stories that won the 2025 Zenger Prizes. What is the state of journalism today? How does honoring excellence in journalism encourage better journalism? […]