Podcasts about ambassadors

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump's Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz collapsing under cross-examination over the war. Just visit https://ProlonLife.com/MEIDAS to claim your 15% discount and your bonus gift. Pre-order the new book from MeidasTouch, WTF America?!: The Way Out of This Hell and Back to Democracy, today: https://bit.ly/wtfamericayoutube Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio. A tanker fire in the Straits of Hormuz and consecutive days of missile exchanges signal a "war restart." Ambassador Haqqani argues neither side can afford to look weak, leading to a stalemate of aerial bombing without a clear plan for regime change. Roggio and Haqqani agree air power alone cannot secure ground, and the estimated 600,000 troops required for a ground invasion is "science fiction." (1)1767 YEMEN

With the Israel-Australia relationship probably in its worst shape ever, Israel’s Ambassador to Australia joins Chris live.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monica Crowley, Ambassador and Chief of Protocol of the United States, joined us on the Guy Benson Show today with guest host Rich Zeoli to discuss the 2026 World Cup, and her experience helping President Trump to make it the most secure tournament. Zeoli and Crowley also touched on upcoming America 250 festivities the administration has planned and more, and you can listen to the full interview below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This one's a little different. Aaron, Matt, and Jonathan talk with Ken Salazar—former US Senator from Colorado, Secretary of the Interior under Obama, and Ambassador to Mexico under Biden—about why Democrats need to rethink their approach to the US-Mexico border and start treating immigration not as a liability to be managed, but a genuine opportunity to be seized. We also discuss the politics of Mexico and Ken's experiences with AMLO, Mexico's former insanely popular populist president, and Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico's current insanely popular populist president. Aaron even tries to get a little feisty with Ken about his climate record, but fails spectacularly due to Ken's kind grandpa demeanor. Oh well.Check out Ken Salazar's new book, Borderlands.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What does it take to change systems rather than simply address symptoms? In this episode of the Do One Better Podcast, Alberto Lidji speaks with Don Gips, CEO Emeritus of the Skoll Foundation, about the evolution of social entrepreneurship and the enduring role it plays in tackling the world's most complex challenges. Drawing on a career spanning the private sector, government, diplomacy, and philanthropy, Don reflects on the Skoll Foundation's pioneering efforts to help establish social entrepreneurship as a global field. He discusses Jeff Skoll's founding vision, the creation of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Oxford, and the growth of the Skoll World Forum into one of the world's foremost gatherings of social innovators. The conversation explores what distinguishes social entrepreneurship from traditional charitable approaches, emphasizing the pursuit of systems change through innovative models that reshape incentives, institutions, and outcomes. Don explains why successful social entrepreneurs increasingly build enduring organizations rather than relying on individual leadership, and why adaptability is essential when navigating resistance to systemic reform. A central theme is the growing importance of "systems orchestrators": trusted leaders who convene diverse stakeholders, align incentives, and enable collective action across sectors. Don argues that these often overlooked actors play a critical role in advancing large-scale social change, even when their contributions resist conventional methods of attribution and measurement. The discussion also examines philanthropy's relationship with risk, the challenges of funding systems change, and the need to move beyond linear models of impact toward collaborative approaches that recognize shared contribution. Don shares practical insights into how foundations can better support both social entrepreneurs and the broader ecosystems that enable transformational change. Reflecting on his own career, Don recounts lessons from leadership roles including U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, domestic policy advisor to Vice President Al Gore, and CEO of the Skoll Foundation.  The episode concludes with a simple but powerful principle that has shaped both the Skoll Foundation and Don's own career: bet on good people doing good things, then use your resources, relationships, and influence to help them succeed. This conversation will appeal to anyone interested in philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, systems change, impact investing, leadership, and the future of social innovation. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

Episode 238 - Remember Your Oath, There Are Traitors Among Us, The World came and are now Social Ambassadors   Join Alpha Sierra 288, Bravo Golf 592, and Kilo Romeo for discussions regarding the #HardTurth about today's stories the lamestream won't talk about.    (X): https://x.com/Signal50Podcast   GETTR: Follow Bravo Golf 592 below: https://gettr.com/user/bravogolf592   Truth Social: Follow Bravo Golf 592: https://truthsocial.com/@BravoGolf592   Truth Social: Follow Alpha Sierra 288: https://truthsocial.com/@AlphaSierra288   GETTR: Follow Alpha Sierra 288 below: https://gettr.com/user/alphasierra288     Watch us on RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/c/Signal50Podcast   Apple Podcast: Audio Only  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/signal-50-podcast/id1533557486     Google Podcast: Audio Only https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3NpZ25hbDUwcG9kY2FzdC9mZWVkLnhtbA%3D%3D     Podbean: Audio Only https://signal50podcast.podbean.com     Spotify: Audio Only https://open.spotify.com/show/6uO9fsmbEbhwfKaNYYAFYR   Signal 50 on the web:  www.signal50.com   Email Alpha Sierra 288 and Bravo Golf 592 with your comments: Sig50podcast@protonmail.com

Canada's relationship with the United States is being tested like never before. Trade tensions, tariffs, defence spending, Arctic security, energy, and the rhetoric coming out of Washington, D.C. have left many Canadians asking what comes next. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of the Canada-U.S. relationship in an exclusive interview (1:30) presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West. THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY HANSEN DISTILLERY. ROOTED IN PRAIRIE GRIT AND A REBELLIOUS SPIRIT, HANSEN IS KNOWN FOR AUTHENTIC, SMALL-BATCH WHISKY AND OTHER SPIRITS CRAFTED WITH LOCAL ALBERTA INGREDIENTS. LEARN MORE: https://hansendistillery.com/ MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/ 40:00 | Supriya Dwivedi joins Jespo to debrief after the Hoekstra interview. Real Talkers have their say in the Live Chat powered by Park Power. SAVE on INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, and NATURAL GAS: https://parkpower.ca/ TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: leave a comment below or email talk@ryanjespersen.com REAL TALK'S LIVE STREAM IS PRESENTED BY CALIFORNIA CLOSETS. BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION: https://californiaclosets.ca/ SIGN UP for YEGplus, CANADA'S FIRST AIRPORT REWARDS PROGRAM: https://yegplus.com/realtalk SAVE 10% on ONLINE MEN'S CLOTHING PURCHASES at THE HELM with promo code REALTALK: https://thehelmclothing.com/ FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: @ryanjespersen REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Following Andy Burnham today becoming the new Prime Minister of the UK, replacing Kier Starmer, Ciara is joined by British Ambassador to Ireland, Kara Owen, to discuss…

 "Every gin producer says they have the finest botanicals for their gin—and of course, we say the same. The way we source them directly from farmers is truly exceptional. But what really sets us apart from everyone else is something entirely different," says Sam Carter, Senior Brand Ambassador for the world-renowned gin brand Bombay Sapphire.Líbí se Vám tento díl? Napište nám o tom!

Charles Spicer relates how Ribbentrop arrived at Victoria Station as the new German ambassador with a mission to neutralize Britain through a show of friendship. However, his tenure was a disaster; he was socially clumsy, notoriously giving a Hitler salute to the King. His wife, Annelies, was equally thin-skinned and offended by the British habit of teasing. Simultaneously, Nevile Henderson became the British ambassador to Berlin. Henderson, an arch-appeaser who admired the regime's efficiency, was paranoid about upsetting Hitler, further complicating the efforts of amateur spies to communicate the true nature of the Nazi threat to Whitehall. (6)1945

July 19, 2026 | Derek Jones

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Ralph welcomes back his old running mate, Native American activist, Winona LaDuke, who has devoted her life to advocating for Indigenous control of their homelands, natural resources, and cultural practices to talk about her latest incarnation: hemp farmer. Then, we'll speak to Hal Weitzman, from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, about how Elon Musk's feud with Delaware may transform corporate America. Plus, we tick off Robert Reich's ten policy prescriptions the Democratic Party should fight for to beat the GOP in the upcoming midterms.Winona LaDuke is an activist, economist, and author, who has devoted her life to advocating for Indigenous control of their homelands, natural resources, and cultural practices. She is also a two-time vice-presidential candidate with Ralph Nader. Ms. LaDuke lives and works on the White Earth Ojibwe reservation in northern Minnesota, where she runs Winona's Hemp & Heritage Farm. She is also a member of the Indigenous Hemp & Cannabis Farmer's Cooperative.I'm looking first at seed sovereignty. We're growing [European hemp] varieties and then we're growing these feral hemp varieties. They're called feral varieties (which of course, that's something that I love) which means that when they eradicated hemp in the 1930s with the Marijuana Prohibition Act—well, they missed some spots. And those guys kept growing. And so 80 years of being illegal—isn't that great? Something that's illegal for 80 years is still with us, rocking out. And so I figure if you grew illegally for 80 years, you are really a tough hemp plant…And so we are growing out these hemp varieties and built a cooperative because we want to own the seeds and we want to own the technology (the value-added processing), and we want to use this hemp as a part of our future as tribes.Winona LaDukeMy grandsons are farming. I don't know who else can say their grandchildren are farming—let me know. My grandchildren are farming. They're running the horses. They're running the farms. You know, that's a retirement plan. My 401k will be worth nothing, but my grandchildren will feed me. This is my strategy.Winona LaDukeHal Weitzman is Executive Director for Intellectual Capital at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, editor-in-chief of Chicago Booth Review, and host of The Chicago Booth Review podcast. A former Financial Times editor and foreign correspondent, he is the author of Latin Lessons: How South America Stopped Listening to the United States and Started Prospering and What's the Matter with Delaware?: How the First State Has Favored the Rich, Powerful, and Criminal—and How It Costs Us All.There is a race to the bottom. There's been a race to the bottom for many decades. That's not new. I think it's accelerated somewhat. Delaware has joined that race from having been something of a “premium product” in terms of incorporating companies—Delaware has become a bit more “cut-price” I would say, and in that sense has followed Texas and Nevada. So the conclusion that we have a race to the bottom and it may be worse than Delaware—actually I think Delaware's already there. So it's not that it's getting worse outside of Delaware, it's getting worse including Delaware.Hal WeitzmanThe trend I think we're seeing is the exclusion of small shareholders completely—regardless of the status of your shares, this is about how big you are. And if you're a small shareholder there is no corporate democracy for you… It was practice in the past for activist groups, campaigning groups, to buy one share of a company and then to go to the shareholder meeting so they could make the point that they wanted to make. Now that kind of shareholder democracy is being encroached on. And the extent now is to say: unless you have a large position (regardless of the size of the company and the cost of the shares), you will not be allowed to bring suits against the executives for the correct running of the company.Hal WeitzmanNews 7/17/26* Our top story this week is New York Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to impose a one-year “pause” on the construction of AI data centers across the state. ABC7 reports that this is the first such moratorium in the nation, despite similar attempts in several states, most notably Maine where Governor Janet Mills vetoed a bill to this effect. Hochul argues that the pause is necessary so lawmakers and regulators can formulate “Guardrails to reduce the risk to our energy grid, minimize land disruption, noise pollution, and protect our natural resources, especially our water supply.” Hochul's move comes amidst a broader push against AI data centers from the left. Semafor reports Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a nationwide ban in March and many progressives running for state and local office in the midterms have made this a cornerstone of their campaigns. According to this piece, “In February, polling from Marquette Law School found 70% of all Wisconsinites agreeing that ‘the costs of the data centers outweigh the benefits.' Among Democrats, the number was 85%.”* Another progressive Member of Congress quite literally stepped into another hot-button political issue this week. While visiting a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank Wednesday, Al Jazeera reports armed settlers stopped the van of Representative Ro Khanna and were “later joined by Israeli soldiers who continued to block the road.” In a video, Khanna points out, settlers can be seen “brandishing M4s [rifles], kicking the tyres of our van, laughing at us, mocking at us, videotaping us.” This continued for over an hour and was only resolved when he reached out to the American Embassy, according to Khanna. Israel has responded to this fiasco by blaming Khanna, accusing the congressman of failing to coordinate his trip with the Israeli government; Khanna retorted that “The [Israeli military] is lying” and called for the arrest of the violent settlers. Conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson excoriated U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, writing “An American member of congress is threatened by foreign terrorists carrying American rifles, backed by a foreign military paid for by American taxpayers, and the US ambassador to that country says not a word in defense of his own countryman…It's too much, too insulting and humiliating to America.”* Following his return from occupied Palestine, Khanna again teamed up with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky to sponsor an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which would have removed the “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative” from the must-pass legislation. Responsible Statecraft describes the initiative as “an unprecedented integration of the U.S. and Israeli military industrial complexes,” by creating “an executive agent within the Department of Defense whose sole responsibility is furthering U.S. and Israeli military tech integration across nearly every facet of the defense process.” This article also notes that “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described this shift in the U.S.-Israel relationship as ‘my plan.'” However, House leadership is not backing this commonsense, bipartisan amendment. In a letter, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he would vote against the amendment, calling it “overly broad” and claiming the amendment would “restrict our country's ability to confront Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region who are sworn enemies of both the United States and Israel,” per the Times of Israel. However, Jeffries pledged not to whip votes against the amendment and indeed the House Minority Whip, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, voted for the amendment as did Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, despite the opposition of Jeffries and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar. The Congressional Progressive Caucus reportedly whipped votes in favor of the amendment.* In more Israel-related news, this week Marco Rubio – who serves as Secretary of State as well as the acting National Security Advisor – announced that the State Department will launch a “sweeping campaign to dismantle…the International Criminal Court.” CNN observes that “The administration's ire against the ICC goes back to President Donald Trump's first term, when it targeted the ICC for seeking to investigate alleged war crimes committed by US forces in Afghanistan,” and that since taking office for the second time, the Trump administration has “imposed a slew of sanctions against ICC officials for their attempts to investigate the US and Israel.” CNN also quotes a State Department official who said that top officials, including Secretary Rubio and US ambassadors, “are calling countries as part of a campaign to diplomatically isolate the International Criminal Court.” It is worth noting that “all American presidents since the ICC's ratification have maintained that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over Americans,” and that Congress even passed a law calling for an invasion and occupation of the Hague if any American serviceman was ever prosecuted by the ICC, implying that this crackdown on the court is not about American sovereignty at all but rather the prosecution of Israeli officials for their war crimes in Gaza.* In another stunning story starring Marco Rubio, the New York Times reports the Secretary of State is functionally “running Venezuela from afar.” The Times story characterizes Rubio's position as the “de facto viceroy of Venezuela,” effectively controlling the country's “finances, the distribution of its natural resources and its government.” This story makes clear that while Delcy Rodríguez, the former Vice President of Venezuela under Nicolás Maduro, nominally occupies the presidency, Rubio is the one really calling the shots, with Rubio setting the conditions on what Venezuela's export revenue “can be spent on, and by whom,” and having the authority to approve or deny key governmental appointments in the country, such as the minister of defense. In short, the United States has established a shocking explicitly neo-colonial regime in the country, fulfilling the gravest prognostications of anti-imperialist critics of American intervention in the Bolivarian Republic.* Closer to home, Bloomberg reports the federal government has officially launched a grand jury investigation into the United Auto Workers and the union's outspoken president, Shawn Fain. The investigation stems from accusations made by the union's Vice President, Rich Boyer, who alleged that Fain used his position to secure benefits for his fiancée and her sister – and when Boyer refused to approve the benefits, Fain retaliated by stripping Boyer of his duties as chief negotiator with Stellantis NV. Fain has called the allegations “false” and is accusing Boyer of seeking to influence the upcoming UAW leadership election. Fain also claims that Boyer is the one retaliating after Fain “refused the vice president's request to hire family members to positions in the union.” Fain has long maintained that the Justice Department, and specifically the DOJ-appointed monitor, Neil Barofsky, has a political grudge against him because “the UAW took an anti-war stance about what was happening in Gaza.” According to Bloomberg, “Both Fain and Boyer have slates running and each is accusing the other of attempting to abuse their positions to benefit family.”* This week, another victim of harassment by the federal government, student activist Mahmoud Khalil, filed a landmark civil rights suit alleging that the government conspired with a number of private groups – including the Heritage Foundation, Betar, and Canary Mission – to “suppress criticism of Israel through a coordinated campaign to dox, jail and ultimately deport student activists.” According to the lawsuit, said activists were “nearly automatically targeted by the Federal Defendants for arrest and removal.” Khalil's lawyers argue that this “public-private partnership” could violate the “Ku Klux Klan Act, a Reconstruction-era law that sought to restrict government coordination with vigilante groups.” The suit is led by the Center for Constitutional Rights. The AP reports “Soon after his arrest, both Canary Mission and Betar boasted of their role in flagging Khalil's noncitizen status to the government.” Since Khalil's arrest, Betar has agreed to “dissolve its nonprofit status,” following a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James accusing Betar's members of harassing Palestinians.* Turning to the state level, this week 12 state attorneys general, led by California's Rob Bonta, filed an antitrust lawsuit seeking to block the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance, controlled by the Trump-aligned David Ellison. The proposed, $110 billion merger was approved by the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department last month, which reached the dubious conclusion that the merger is “not likely to result in harm to competition or American consumers.” In the filing, Bonta and the state AGs for Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington allege that the merger “would extinguish competition between Paramount and Warner Bros. and inflict substantial harm on movie theatres, basic cable distributors, and, ultimately, audiences nationwide.” This from Reason.* In the world of philanthropy, CNBC reports Warren Buffett, the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has “excluded the Gates Foundation from his sizable annual charitable donations.” As this report notes, the Gates Foundation has been among the top recipients of his annual Berkshire donations, totaling $47 billion worth of Berkshire stock since 2006. The reason for the exclusion of the Gates Foundation has been much speculated upon, in particular, whether it was due to the recent revelations about Gates' relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Asked about this, Buffett said that he had “read a great deal…in terms of what happened, with Bill and Epstein,” calling their relationship “distasteful,” but also saying that he “found nothing in there that was beyond what [he] could picture [himself] doing.” Instead of the Gates Foundation, all of this year's donations will go to foundations linked to the Buffett family.* Finally, British multinational diamond conglomerate De Beers, famous for coining the “A Diamond is Forever” tagline in 1947, reported this week that they plan to halt work at their “flagship” Venetia mine in South Africa as demand for the stones wanes. The BBC highlights both slackening consumer demand as well as competition from lab-grown diamonds, particularly those produced in China. That said, the closing of the Venetia mine – the biggest in South Africa, accounting for over 40% of the country's diamond production – will send shockwaves through that country's already shaky economy. That mine alone employs more than 4,000 people, while the mining sector employs nearly half a million. De Beers said they plan to reopen the mine in two years; in the meantime, they are looking to expand copper mining to keep up with demand from AI data centers.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

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Los Angeles hides an almost overwhelming number of ghosts behind its glamour, from the piano-playing spirit at Hollywood's Magic Castle and the body found in the Cecil Hotel's water tank to the sex-magick rocket scientist, Father Yod's robed disciples, and the cults that made the City of Angels a capital of the occult.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/hauntedlaREAD or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p98dtw7CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:01:24.727 = Hollywood's Haunted Magic Castle00:09:13.905 = Los Angeles' Haunted Hotels ***00:27:05.636 = Los Angeles: City of the Occult ***00:51:50.907 = L.A. Ghosts ***01:01:24.337 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Hollywood's Haunted Magic Castle” by Christina Sanza for Graveyard Shift: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/nhdf2f29“Los Angeles' Haunted Hotels” by Andy Miller from Weird History: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/mvbdcwac“L.A. Ghosts” by Jen Lennon for Graveyard Shift: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/39xypc6c“Los Angeles: City Of The Occult” by Christine Aprile for Weird History: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4y9rj77r(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: April, 2021This episode of Weird Darkness turns to Los Angeles, the City of Angels, and the almost overwhelming number of ghosts, haunted hotels, and occult history hiding behind its glamour, from the Magic Castle and the Cecil Hotel to the sex-magick rocket scientist Jack Parsons, cult leader Father Yod, and the ghosts of Griffith Park.It opens inside Hollywood's Magic Castle at 7001 Franklin Avenue, the private clubhouse of the Academy of Magical Arts, where the Houdini Séance Room honors a magician who spent his career trying to debunk spiritualism and left his wife Bess the code phrase "Rosabelle, believe" for contact from the afterlife. The castle carries the story of Irma, the piano-playing ghost said to have died in 1932 and returned to the mansion built in 1909 by Rollin B. Lane, along with the ghost of magician Dai Vernon near his favorite seat in the Palace of Prestidigitation, the unidentified girl in the Haunted Cellar, and a Halloween 2011 fire that started at the exact time of Houdini's 1926 death and gutted the Dante Room while sparing the Houdini Room.From there the episode checks into the haunted hotels of Los Angeles, beginning with the Knickerbocker, which opened in Hollywood in July of 1929, hosted Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio on their honeymoon, and staged Bess Houdini's tenth and final rooftop séance the night an isolated thunderstorm struck the building alone. It moves through the Ambassador on Wilshire Boulevard, where Robert F. Kennedy was gunned down by Sirhan Sirhan in the kitchen on June 4, 1968, the Rosslyn Annex with its forgotten Prohibition speakeasy, the Alexandria and its bricked-off phantom wing, the Biltmore where Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, was last seen before her 1947 murder, and the Cecil Hotel, home to serial killers Richard Ramirez and Jack Unterweger and the site where guest Elisa Lam was found dead in the rooftop water tank in 2013 after guests complained the water tasted strange.Next the episode traces L.A.'s long history of the occult, running from Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and his early Pasadena partnership with rocket scientist Jack Parsons, who performed the "Babalon Working" ritual and later died at 37 in a home laboratory explosion, to Charles Manson and the Family murders of August 1969 that killed Sharon Tate and six others, Carlos Castaneda and the Yaqui shaman Don Juan Matus who launched the New Age movement, and Jim Baker, the marine turned messiah Father Yod, who took fourteen wives and led the Source Family from a Hollywood Hills mansion. It covers avant-garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger and the witch Marjorie Cameron, the 1920 LAPD raid on the Mazdaznan sun-worshipers, the love-cult of Edith Maida Lessing at Mount Helios, the Devil's Gate Dam in Pasadena, and the curse Petronilla Feliz laid on the land that became Griffith Park.The episode closes with a tour of famous L.A. ghosts: the more than one hundred jumpers off Pasadena's Colorado Street "suicide bridge," including Myrtle Ward, whose daughter survived the fall; the body parts Marines found in a freezer at the abandoned Rancho Los Amigos hospital in 2006; picnic table number 29 in Griffith Park, where a couple was crushed by a falling tree in 1976; Bela Lugosi's hearse drifting past his favorite cigar shop; the many spirits of the Queen Mary docked in Long Beach; the unsolved 1929 deaths of Ned Doheny and Hugh Plunkett at Greystone Mansion; the ghost of Superman actor George Reeves; and Bob Baker, still haunting his marionette theater alongside the dead puppeteers who worked there.

On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with Michael Carpenter, a senior fellow for Transatlantic Affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who served in the administration of former President Joe Biden as the NSC's Senior Director for Europe and U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE and in the administration of Barack Obama as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia; and Max Bergmann, director of the Europe and Russia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who served as a member of the Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff and as a speechwriter for former Secretary of State John Kerry.

What does it really mean to build bridges that last for decades? I want you to meet Bircan Unver, whose lifelong commitment to responsibility, creativity, and global citizenship has shaped more than 25 years of meaningful work through Light Millennium. From growing up as the eldest of seven children in Turkey to creating an internationally recognized nonprofit connected with the United Nations, Bircan shares how art, public media, and open dialogue can bring people together across cultures. We explore why responsibility begins with each of us, how local communities can help solve global challenges, and why issues like water security, environmental stewardship, and human connection matter more than ever. I believe you'll enjoy hearing how one person's unstoppable mindset continues to inspire collaboration, education, and hope for a better future. Highlights: 06:55 - How growing up with responsibility shaped Bircan's lifelong commitment to serving others. 18:30 - Why public access television became the foundation for sharing voices and building community. 26:15 - The story behind founding Light Millennium and creating a nonprofit built on dialogue and education. 36:55 - How local communities can play a meaningful role in advancing United Nations goals. 49:45 - Why water security, cybersecurity, and gender equality are becoming deeply connected. 55:40 - Bircan reflects on preserving ideas through books, creativity, and lifelong learning. About the Guest: Bircan Ünver is the Founder-President of The Light Millennium, a Charitable Global Human Advancement Organization (LMGlobal.Org, 2001, New York); Executive Producer of the LMTV Programs; Multi-Media and Event Producer; Host, Author, Publisher, Public Speaker; [Head] NGO Representative of The Light Millennium to the United Nations Department of Global Communications since 2005 (formerly, UN.DPI); and Chair, Outreach and Partnerships Subcommittee at Global NGO Executive Committee and director for the 2021-2023 term. She has been also a Content Provider at QPTV since 1992, and she is the editor and co-founder of the U.S. Turkish Library & Museum Project. She has undertaken the Organization's e-publications, public programs since its inception in August 1999, and #LightMillenniumTV Series and Specials in all aspects of it since January 2000; along with, the LMGlobal.Org's all UN-related activity and programs since 2005. Bircan is the author and director of the Compulsory Peace & ICTs Education from Kindergarten to K-12, and Beyond Campaign, which she launched it through the Light Millennium Global in support of the Summit of the Future in 2024. The Campaign has delivered its 8th session along with the Coalition for the Campaign, which contains 22 organizations and educational institutions including The Light Millennium Global as the leading organization. Further,  she is also author of the bi-annual international high school project, “J.U.C. Media, Research, Writing & Innovation Awards”. The third of its kind was dedicated to the “Water Action Decade” and was delivered  (virtually) on the World Water Day, March 22, 2025. Bircan served as a mentor to the GPODS for three consecutive terms in Winter'22, Summer'22, and Fall'22 Fellowship Programs; and delivered lectures on “How to associate with the UN-NGO”, Public Access TVs in the U.S., and the latest one was on the #WaterActionDecade and the #2023UNWater Conference. To attach that, on behalf of LMGlobal.Org, she organized and hosted an Outside-UN Side Event ID #W175, titled, “What Is Your Commitment To The #WaterActionDecade? ~ Seven Core Ideas Toward #WaterAwareness, #WaterConscience and #GameChangers” in NYC on March 21, 2023, and was the head delegate of the LMGlobal.Org at the #UN2023WaterConference. Based on LMGlobal.Org's Commitments to the #WaterActionDecade, she launched #OneMinuteWaterActionCommitment during the #W175 Side Event, along with continues to work toward #WaterAwareness toward building up #WaterConscience.  She served as the chair of the ATAA Committee on UN Relations, guided its association to the UNDGC in 2020, and also served as the New York Regional Vice-President of ATAA (Assembly of Turkish American Associations) from October 2019 to January 2022. Furthermore, she served on several Planning Committees of the UN-Civil Society Conferences, and the Planning Committee of the High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace (HLF-CoP). She has been a strong advocate of the UN Vision, Programs & Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030) along with the relevant UN Days, which are in line with the LMGlobal.Org's Mission/Purposes since its association with the UNDGC (formerly, UN.DPI/NGO) in December 2005. Currently, Bircan is on the Advisory Board of the Turkish Forum (based in Germany). She encourages and guides interested civil society organizations and members of academia toward their educational institutions' associations with the UN, along with engaging them with the UN Programs that are within her networks and beyond. Further, she is an Ambassador of Peace and Goodwill for Anuvrat (Anuvibha) Global Organization (Jaipur, India, since 2014); and a Member of the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace (GMCoP, since 2012). Bircan is also the founder and president of the IsikBinyili.Org Association based in Istanbul (2010), which is a sister organization and counterpart of the LMGlobal.Org. Author of the following four book titles in print (Turkish): “En Kutsalı Yaratmak” (The Most Sacred is to Create) (1995, 2022), “Sanatın Labirentlerinde” (The Labyrinths of Arts) (2016), and “Işık Yollarında (“The Ways of the Light”) (poetry, 2017), and “Bin Yıl Daha…” (2020, A Thousand Years More…). Also, she is the author of the concept and compilation of the “Hope Never Fades” (English) book (Istanbul, 2023). Bircan initially received her local and studio television production certificates at QPTV.Org in 1992. Based on this capacity, she produced and broadcasted near to 260 television programs through local channels in New York City, which are also available online through www.vimeo.com/channels/LightMillenniumTV including 36 #OneMinute #WaterAction PSAs. Bircan celebrated her 30th Anniversary at QPTV.Org through a video profile, titled, “A Turkish Experience in America” (Duration: ~9 min. Production Year: 2022). Her works through The Light Millennium Global is a recipient of various national (U.S.) and international awards and recognitions including two awards from the Foundation of Alliance Community 2023 Hometown Media Awards (F-ACM-HMA for her “GroundWater” Light Millennium TV program in Web-based Programming and Online Events / Independent Producer categories (received at Brick TV, New York), the Anuvrat Ahimsa Award For International Peace-2023 (received in Mumbai, India), and the 2023 International Volunteer President Award by Institution of Green Engineers (received in Chennai, India), and ashe is also the recipient of the 2024 Best Web-Based Program – Independent Producer for the #HopeNeverFades program by F-ACM-HMA, which was produced based on the 2023 J.U.C. Media, Research & Writing Awards (ACM HomeTown Media Awards, San Jose, CA). Bircan holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree from the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (Istanbul, 1988) and a Master's Degree (M.A.) from Media Studies of the New School University (New York City 1999). Ways to connect with Bircan**:** Websites: www.lmglobal.org  (active web site) | www.lightmillennium.org (serves as the organization's web archive)#LightMillenniumTV | www.vimeo.com/LMTV | www.vimeo.com/channels/LightMillenniumTV Social Media: Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bircan-ünver-7353207 X@lightmillennium Instagram@lightmillennium About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:04 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe? Welcome to Unstoppable Mindset, where inclusion, diversity, and the unexpected meet. I'm your host, Michael Hingston, speaker, author, and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head-on, and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear. Together, we focus on mindset, resilience, and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Well, hello everyone, and I want to welcome you to another edition of Unstoppable Mindset, and today we get to talk to a very interesting person with a with a lot of roots in Turkey, but she is also doing a lot of work with the United Nations here in the U.S. and other places. Her name is Birchan Umfer, and I hope I got that right. And Bircan Unver  01:23 thank you. Michael Hingson  01:24 Oh, good. And Berjan is is with us, and is going to talk about a number of things that she is working on. She's working on, and for years has been involved with a program called Light Millennium, and we'll we'll talk about all that, but let's just start and and as usual we'll have a great conversation. So, Bir John, I want to welcome you to Unstoppable Mindset. We're glad you're here. Bircan Unver  01:50 Thank you so much, Michael Hingston. It's great honor and privilege to have your guests. Especially, I love the title Unstoppable Minds. It's really inspiring and triggering the mind. Thank you. Michael Hingson  02:08 Well, my pleasure. We're glad that you have the time to to spend with us, and we will we will we will do it and make it work. Well, let's start. I love to start this way because I really want people to learn about you. Tell us kind of about the early Birchan growing up, and then we'll go from there. So tell us about Birchan and growing up, and and and all of that. Bircan Unver  02:32 Thank you. This will be a little bit different than most people know about me, my work. Well, we'll get to Michael Hingson  02:38 your work. Bircan Unver  02:40 Yeah, I know. I mean, the people who already know my work. What I'm gonna say now is completely too different from Berja. So I am a elder of seven siblings, and I was born in an ancient village in Mid Anatolia, actually nearby the Black Sea region, and I'm proud with my age, 1959, and my family moved to town first from the village, and then Istanbul for our educations for their kids, and but I don't know really as a girl child growing up with seven kids, as especially with a traditional family, being older girl is not a good idea. But but maybe it was a kind of tough childhood as a girl child. I I don't feel that I never been a child. That's really what I feel. But on the other hand, and that was you know when you are growing up, living through like I was a kind of second mom, and also our home was kind of everyone our guest from the village town and stay over not only one night, like or a week, like sometimes months, even years. You won't believe that, and it was not because either. So, but those kind of build up maybe my feeling to be responsible, so I consider myself a responsible person because I was responsible for my sisters, brothers, and also washing dishes, making helping my mom to prepare the meal, lunch, breakfast, and clean up. Like you know, I was kind of second person, second mom at home. So those early things, all those stolen my childhood, but at the same time, provide me being able to do everything from very early age. Even though I remember several times at the time. The bread wasn't, you know, you you weren't buying the bread from the market, but from the bakery, real where they were baking the bread. So she was, and time to time also she was making the the bread at home, and then she she wasn't sending me to school because then I had to stay with my brothers and kids so she can make the you know breads a big amount for a couple days. So that said, also gave my idea. I want to suddenly want to work as soon as you know I'm 17, 1617, So and then I started early working at a bank, and it was my first eight years. I worked at a bank in Istanbul. It is called Istanbul Bank, and then my graphic is like life graphic is a little bit different, like curvy, not like straight line. Then after eight years working at a bank, I started to university and fine arts, and then I had kind of interest art history, especially TV production, art history, arts in in the concept is producing art documentaries. That was kind of my vision. Also, it was also my reason initially coming to the U.S. learning TV production. Of course, English as first. So that was very much my childhood until you know 18 until starting at the bank, and then the rest is another story. I have, I must say, I would have three different life. Michael Hingson  06:48 Well, you had certainly an interesting childhood, needless to say, and I, I can understand what you're saying about being the oldest and all the challenges. I was not. I was the youngest, but we only had two siblings, and neither of us we were we were both males, and so we we did not do a lot in terms of preparing meals and all that sort of stuff. Except my brother and I were both in the Boy Scouts, and so when we went camping and other things like that, we learned how to cook on an open or an open fire and and things like that. But still, I understand that you you had a a lot that you had to do. What lessons did you learn by being the oldest child? What kinds of things do you think that you you carry over to what to your life today, because you were the oldest. Bircan Unver  07:44 I think two different components of that. One is also because it wasn't only I was the as a kid at the home and as a girl, girl, but also at the time there wasn't that kind of awareness which we have today. Which I mean, my mom got married with my dad at the age of 15, and she had birth. She had given me birth at the age of 16, the reason I'm bringing up this, when we were going to shopping Kapolechar, Grand Market of Istanbul, when I was 1516, and literally we were halfway age difference between my mom and myself. And when I was saying mom, and the people were surprised, and she and isn't your sister, other sister? They were asking me, and she was my mom. So, but this is in the long later years. I always become the best friend with my mom, and even my brother was saying, "Oh, now I understood that she, you are the joy of my mom because she can kind of a joke, and the others, my kids, like they are kids, but I'm her friend because they kind of feel similar. That is one, you know, lifetime developed feeling and strong connection, different connection with my mom, and the other also, as I mentioned at the beginning, it really this whole, you know, not selected, but where you, which house you born, which condition you grow up, that build up for me early high level responsibility. I feel responsible to do everything, and I, you know, that's a little bit tiring because that's what I want to say here. You say something in our after our initial Zoom meeting. It's really very inspiring. You say something. I just took note. We can solve all the worst problem. We can. You say you don't say we cannot. You say we can. Solve all the world's problems. So, like, it wasn't possible. It's not possible, but you know, as if I could solve the problems or I could carry everything. So it's kind of you know build up my bricks in my life. Michael Hingson  10:18 One of the things that you certainly, it sounds like you learned as you were growing up, though, was was all about responsibility and and and learning to take charge, but learning about responsibility and and feeling that it was okay to be responsible for others in your family and so on. And I think a lot of people don't necessarily learn a lot of lessons about responsibility, like they should. But you were put in a position where you had to do that, which is is certainly a good thing because you clearly have have done that in your life. Bircan Unver  10:54 That's very true, and also it goes with everything. Let's say sometimes some people think maybe unnecessary action when people cut trees, even in their you know backyard or front yard, whatever trees or any type of trees or fruit trees. I really get mad and upset because it is irresponsible to nature, to their own environment, just feeling they're responsible to trees, loving the trees, loving the you know, for instance, if when I was it was two weeks ago, I was working on at my desk, a bees was you know flying around me, and I don't like you know trying to hit and chase the bees, and I just left the window open, moved the room two hours, and it's gone. So I don't want to hurt things, even though if it bites, it would hurt me, right? So to kind of find a way, being responsible, because also I have a subconscious thinking that if I try to chase a herd, if an insect, any of them, they you know they react sharp. So I'm not a threat to them. So they are not threat to me. So I kind of make a subconscious connection, communication. Michael Hingson  12:22 Well, and it's it's better to to learn to love than than not. So I I hear what you're saying. Now you didn't go to college or university, right? Or you did? Bircan Unver  12:35 Of course, I did. That's what I was just briefly brought this stair at that level. That after eight years working at at Istanbul Bank, from literally actually 17 to 24 or 23 late 23 early 24 then I started at the Fine Arts University in Istanbul, and I mainly study both as major Turkish tradition arts and also along with as a minor. We didn't have a minor, but we had we didn't have the minor degree, but we had a selected course. So I was following up several like four years in a row and also whole year around, not a quarter semester base artist troy and contemporary art. So I started writing on art and exhibit and interviewing artists while I started study at the Fine Arts University, which is top university in Fine Arts in Istanbul, Myanmar, Sinan Fine Arts University. Michael Hingson  13:44 So you learned a lot about fine arts, and Bircan Unver  13:47 yeah, Michael Hingson  13:47 and you had obviously learned about finance from the bank, which Bircan Unver  13:51 is didn't learn that Michael Hingson  13:53 much, huh? Bircan Unver  13:53 Not at all, and I didn't like it. That's why I, you know, I changed all my life line. Michael Hingson  14:00 Right, but but you enjoyed art. Bircan Unver  14:03 Yes, and because also art always for me, and it as it is today. Whatever the life problems we cannot be resolved, art is always for me a branch to hold on and to kind of feel strength, connect with the nature, with the art culture, whom I never might met, or maybe you know through art, through music, through books. So it's kind of really, I think the the best human conscious and what we leave behind is what we produce. Creative might be a little bit another discussion. What is the term defined? And now everyone using like creative for everything, but creativity is like really what stays, you know, central. And something as what is already before, and what you brought it something new, that new perspective, like cubism and faism and expressionism and all that different genres or pop arts and another one Dali's movement. So all the Dadaism, so each of them brought something what is already existed, and then you know moved to different level, and also technology and communication brought where we are today. So and music, I'm not any degree. Degree train or understand, but I love music as most people about music and arts and literature and writing is always for me. Also taking pictures. I don't trust my memory much, but this is not new, not because of my age now. But I somewhat I always like take the pictures, whether I have cell phone, the oldest, you know, digital or the manual photo photographs. So even though when I run into where where was it, where I was, who was with, who next to me? I can't remember. But why I love that? Because really, it brings, it captures your life, even you don't remember, and then reconnect. Also, I I come up with a new concept. I haven't done anything yet, but it's kind of developing in my mind, that we can, we are able to capture the past, but we cannot capture the future, because you know whether you know unexpected the one photo comes up, or an audio recording, or all those movies, musics, and documentaries and paintings throughout artistry, you can really capture the past depending on what you know your background or interest and education, but you cannot capture the future. But you can imagine, we can imagine the future. We can invest into the future. Michael Hingson  17:16 Well, and and the the reality is that that the future is based on so many things that happen in the past, and so you can learn to to use some of that information and and have a better idea of what the future might be like, and that's that's pretty fascinating too. So so, how long did you go to college Bircan Unver  17:42 in in Turkey the basic four university education is annual base, not semester base. It's a four years, and actually when I started it was five years. Then later on they the system education board changed it to like four years plus two years. So I graduated from a four years fine arts, and then I have a master's degree based in New York News School University. Michael Hingson  18:20 Ah, in New York. Bircan Unver  18:21 Yeah. Michael Hingson  18:22 Okay. So that was was that two years. Bircan Unver  18:27 Yes, but it was a little bit different again. Yeah. See, because first when I was here for the first time, 18 919, 89 to 1994, I started and I took to six credits and I love it. But I had to go back to Istanbul, so then I got the you know absence live of absence, and then but coming back three years later, I readmitted, and then I finish it. I got my graduate diploma in 1999 May 1999 Michael Hingson  19:12 Okay, so Bircan Unver  19:14 you've been dealing late. You've been Michael Hingson  19:17 dealing with school for a while, but but while all that was going on, you got interested in, and you started to to do things regarding public access television. And you started that, if I read your biography correctly, in in 1991, you started doing things with public public access TV. Tell us a little bit about that, and why did you do that? Bircan Unver  19:41 That's really the kind of key point in my life. In as for the initial one of the two reasons that I came to the U.S. as the first time, I was you know the first aim to learn English. The second also. To learn the TV production, and then my first year was in the U.S. was in L.A. and then I was looking for the schools and just I'm I I'd like to get the formal education, formal training, and then one of my friends there, whom I met there, she said my aunt is TV producer at Queens Public TV in New York, and she is looking for someone like you who really wants to get in and all that. And then I think a couple months later, I had a very brief trip to New York, and I met with her, and then I met with her at QPTV. Now she is unfortunately not with us, but she was also she was the first Turkish producer at QPTV, and I'm forever grateful in memory of her. She was the one who introduced me QPTV, so I met Victor at QPTV in 1990, and then when I went back to LA, I decided to move to New York. So as soon as I moved to New York and I registered to QPTV's both field production and studio, and at the time, there were seven, eight months waiting list. Eventually, I got it on the list, 1991, and first I got the field production certificate, and it was I think six months something, and we had a group project and solo project, and then studio and studio production. It's when the same group project after you are learning all the equipment and then shooting and everyone is crewing everyone is helping each other within the same group of the class and then also producing group project and then the individual project that it is the similar step for the field production and the studio, that also provides a certificate to enabling us to use QPTV equipment, studios taking out the equipment, inviting studios, studios. Unfortunately, after COVID 19, there has been a long dragging issue. They haven't opened the studios. This is I don't want to get in because it is beyond our concept, but because that was my initial reason also moving to New York. And then once I started producing program and airing, I really loved idea from one idea, just idea, and then put paper and develop it. Bring yes, bring the crew, especially with the manual three-inch tapes, and to present, put everything in a tape, and then submit it an ARC schedule. I really love that. So then, while I was there, and then I said, "Okay, I want to really have a master's degree on TV production. So my master's degree from New Zealand University is in media studies. So and I got my diploma May 1999 So, but New Zealand was amazing. I learned all the first my you know my life although it was 39 maybe 3839 years old when I was Photoshop and Premiere or Evid and all the first offline digital all the software program I learned at the new school and I edited my first program offline at the new circle as well, but when I got diploma, and then I had nowhere no access to continue. Also, you know, it's just I, I never been about the person. My mind and my heart wealthy, but not financial terms. And then, so QPT was always my second home because it provides me continuing the producing and provides me access, provides me equipment. It's like provides the community. That's what it is exists for, especially in support of the Article First Amendment and freedom of expression, and also QPTV format is really, really not well known, or not QPTV loaned. It is public access, pack programming, public education and government programming, non-commercial. So it's it is not much known widely, but it is really one of the best symbol of democracy. And now it's kind of a little bit diminishing because also widespreading out other web streaming platforms like this or other, so that there are so many. Discussion and issues, and also there is one petition to the New York Senate that is called Team New York that could also bring in all the web streaming to this community media access public access media. So then, Michael Hingson  25:19 oh, go ahead. Bircan Unver  25:20 No, I mean the question is so QPTV had has been the longest since 1991. I've been providing content, and as long as I am in the US, if I'm out of the country, even if I am out of the country, my previously submitted programs are rerunning in different, you know, whenever they schedule for my new programs, I determine which time slot because I have a time slot to be scheduled, and whether 28 minutes or one hour. But especially again after COVID 19, I couldn't produce anything at the studio at QPTV, but like this Zoom-based programs, and then for the late million organization, the programs I produce and then edit them, reformat them to schedule for QPTV. But it wasn't as it used to be produced at QPTV, at the studio with the crew, that's the excitement teaming up. It's really, I love it. But Zoom, this type also make more maybe manageable, but also bring more intonation speakers. You know, through online connection. If Speaker 1  26:54 you enjoy Unstoppable Mindset and would like to help us continue bringing these conversations to you each week, we've created a way for you to support the show. Your contribution helps us cover production costs and continue sharing stories, insights, and ideas that inspire people to live with purpose and possibility. If supporting the podcast feels right for you, you'll find the link in the show notes. Thank you for being part of the Unstoppable Mindset Community. Michael Hingson  27:28 So you you started in public access television and and and are still doing that essentially. But in 2000 you started Light Millennium TV. Tell us about Light Millennium Television. Bircan Unver  27:42 Thank you so much. Because Late Millennium, I still consider it's my third child because already 25th anniversary. The flyer on my back says 25th That also refers the 25th anniversary of the Light Millennium. I think a the experience and production, and also providing three platform QPTV, Queens Public TV, but actually the 1992 Communication Act and PAC programming, public government public education and government programming; those emerge with my new school education, like Fatrus, Plato, the concept of the two ways of messaging, and for the first time in my life, at the age of I think it was I was 39 I was able 3039, I was able to use. It was very new, also for the war. Internet. We had the internet at the new school as our media class, the open forum. One week media theory class. We have open discussion forum about Greek philosophy, further is communication, media theory. The other class we had the classic format. So all these together merged in my mind, and I really felt I found my medium. That medium is the internet, which me, especially someone is living in New York, who has you know 30 years first life in Turkey, Istanbul, that culture, and then I I didn't want to kind of disconnect from my root cultures, and internet provided me that connections, and also I always like to write and communicate, so so it becomes like natural medium. And then when I just graduated in May 1999 I send out by then like 40 people with my friends. Colleagues, and then I said, "Oh, I want to start a platform. This platform is going to be ours. And everyone wants to say, kind of to expand the QPTV's concept, because when I say QPTV's concept, this is the again First Amendment, and they don't control the content. They don't say anything you can do, you cannot unless it is a threat to someone's life. So it's all the content, or you are responsible as the producer. So I really love that freedom and responsibility again. And then then I was mentoring at the New York Food Moon Finance and Television, and I was kind of trying to find what I want to do, and I was already producing programs at QPTV. I never give up as as long as I could afford to produce the time and edit. Edit is always more time consuming, and then the executive director of the at the time 1999 Woman Film Man Television, she said you can form a nonprofit. I never taught it before, and I'm forever thankful to her. And then I said I don't know what to do where to start because she perhaps she saw the potential because I was producing non-commercial and publishing, trying to promote, you know, through group emails, and whatever the you know social media available at the time. Well, mostly email and group emails, and then she suggested me a volunteer lawyers of arts that she said they can help you, and I never knew and I never thought I if I never came to U.S. maybe I will never had a concept of forming a nonprofit or light minimum. So that U.S. and all combination brought me and news called Queens Public TV, First Amendment, United Nations Article of 19 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Everything together kind of merged in my mind. Also, the projects I produce, I communicate, is contact with people, I learn from them. So then, when I contacted with them, they ask me, you know, what is my statement this type? And then I drafted all of them, and they put in medical, you know, terms and terminology, and I was lucky that we got a pro bono at the time one of the you know major U.S. law firms. I I think I can say now because they even though I think merged K Shuler, but they took our case and they formed my organization on on a pro bono basis and officially the first as a non profit organization done with the 500 1c T V together. So we officially formed 2001 July 17, and we and then right after that they filed 501c3 for us, and then we granted that in September 18, 2002. Bircan Unver  33:14 My memory is not good, but I I remember that date as of today because it was kind of imprinted in my mind, but also the beauty was that the granted granting 501 c3 was effective of the formation date, which is July 17 2001 So then, since I developed started the light minimum concept, introducing speaking people trying creating an open platform that everyone can you know contribute be part of it, so then I started in January 2000 on January 13 2000 started first monthly the like TV series at like at QP TV. That's how it came about. Michael Hingson  34:02 Yeah, you have certainly created quite a niche in in the whole light millennium and all the other things that you've done, which is pretty fascinating. How did you get connected with the United Nations? Because I know you're doing work with them. Bircan Unver  34:18 Thank you. Actually, the concept with the UN use, I don't do work for them. Michael Hingson  34:29 Right. Bircan Unver  34:29 We do work with them. Right. You're connected Michael Hingson  34:34 with them. You're not working for them. I understand that. Bircan Unver  34:36 Yeah, I just you know one word, but it's key key differences. But as as I mentioned, how the light millennium concept emerged, and also my master's degree program, media studies at the New School, and also there is another person I have to mention here, also in. Separate for her respectful and loving memory, Danielle Camille. She was my advisor for my thesis project advisor at the new school, and all that TV ideas and my thesis project. And she loved, and I got all A. And my first TV ideas project was peace, reality, or utopian dream, and it was 11 minutes or so. It was just before the first Clinton administration election, just October, I think 2002 and then I interviewed many academicians, civil society, non-profits who whose focus area on peace and war and you know against nuclear or all that and and then that actually the concept peace reality or utopian dream that took me to the United Nations I don't know now as a as an outsider, at the time it was so welcoming, and I went to photo department. They share me with photos, and I got all the books I was looking for. Of course, public library. I got all the books about the peace and peace organization. So that 12 minutes program, peace rate or utopian dream, and physically led me to step in the UN for the first time, and then producing this project, searching kind of open to me new horizon, and also my advisor was persistent. Birjan, we know you are great. You produce fundamental programs on arts, but I want you to do something else. So that actually also forced me to move beyond producing something beyond arts. And so then then peace, reality, or utopian dream concept came in, but also it wasn't far topic in my life because my son was born 20 when I was 2022 Now he is 45 His name is Borush, and mean is in Turkish peace. Peace also at the time, you know, Africa hunger, and I was hoping when I get 4050, this will be over. It's not the case, but as a vision, I always look for humanistic positive for the humanity, not you know for myself well-being. Michael Hingson  37:38 Well, you you kind of act as a bridge between UN programs and local communities. Tell me more about that because you view that you view yourself as being a bridge between UN programs and the local community. Why do you why do you view yourself as more of a bridge? Bircan Unver  38:00 That's very nice metaphor, and I think it's very true for me too. Maybe I could take it two three step backs. One is the village I was born. There is a river, and and then there was a bridge, and that bridge was kind of fundamental. Really, going to where you know people are established, living in all the agriculture and large fields, and it was kind of nostalgic to me. It's a bridge, but it's a stone, short bridge. That's the the first part. The second Istanbul. You know, my life main path when I was in Istanbul, Turkey in Istanbul, and Istanbul the Bosphor and then the Istanbul Bridge. Now the name changed, and now three bridges, and not just the bridge itself, but also Turkish geographic Turkey's geographical space place on Earth and especially on in between Europe and Asia and Black Sea and then the Mediterranean Sea and then when you go down North Africa, and then you go up like Russia and North Europe. So you see that that connection physically, geographically, and troy physical bridges. We live, we grow up with this kind of as part of our DNA and vision. When I was working on this, the first the initial need you know in the non-profit world to describe the need need was to connect with my culture, people, friends, family, the internet medium, and then village is also metaphor, and when we associated with the. I let I'm proud to say it. Let the association process. That was also my vision from that small video for the class project. And then, then I realize this is also. I think today is real fact that local communities, even Queens here, people are paying 1000s of dollars to come to New York to get visas. All that trying to get the sponsor, you know, to attend a conference, and I I didn't see much interest within the local nonprofits there, and that little bit was shocking realization for me. So I brought to my programs UN visions programs, MDGs, UN days, sustainable development goals. For instance, when it was announced at the UN for the 2023 agenda, we created dreams for humanity. So we brought people from lots of life, poets, authors, and youths to really share their ideas for humanity, for peace. Michael Hingson  41:12 Well, you-it sounds like, from all that I've read and and studied, you're you're, or at some point, you kind of have moved more into dealing with a lot of things with the environment. So I know that your program has been able to get a credit accredited as an observer observer status with the UN Environment Program. How is how has that affected what you do and all of your work going forward. Bircan Unver  41:43 Thank you. This is also another important, I think, milestone for us. The first in connection with the UN, associated with the in the formerly United Nations Department of Public Information, and then it has changed to Department of Global Communications. Officially, we've been associated since 2005, active and good standing, and we are able to be presented at the UN with six representatives, and therefore we are able also to reflect back to our committee's networks from the UN and it's two ways. I really like the concept two ways messaging, and then always environment in somewhat it involves in our programs. But let's say through water, through energy, through, for instance, when the forest fires really burns my heart. So being sensible and trying to, as much as I could, to attend the meetings, especially MDGs for the first phase of the Millennium Declaration, really, it's. I consider UN is the best school I ever had, and it's for me lifetimes to call, and I learn about so many countries I will never otherwise know them much. Some of the names you hardly hear in media and anywhere else, so it's kind of opens and to see the global spectrum. Also, one of the things I really love at the UN, whether you you are a ambassador or president or prime minister of a country that has maybe a population 1 million or 2 million or 1 billion or two 1.6 billion, the largest one, so you have the same minutes of speaking time, same voting, especially of course, I'm talking about the general assembly. So those things I follow up, and we try to incorporate time to time. And water issue always, I wanted to involve. I want to do something about, but it's just not like because I love the tourists, and I'm not, you know, scientist, so I'm not officially trained. So also, I'm not able to protect the, you know, fires in the forest. And every year it's getting worse and worse. And then I'm sensible, but you know, you can't do much about it. And eventually, although our last name is same, but we are not blood connected. Professor Oljoymer, at the time he was vice president for the UN Water at the UN, and we connected. And I was following up, and I was aware his work before we met. We connected through the UN. So then, especially during the COVID era, then when I've seen his speeches, natural-based solutions, and then his piece on smart water, so I propose him if we can do something. About water, and then he was very supportive, very kind, very modest. We had our first water program on the World Water Day in March 2001 and then it has turned out an annual program, and we kind of made the global connections and collaborations, and especially first three, four of them, Professor Olja led and guide, and also we worked together in a sense that I brought one part of the speakers and he brought other parts. So it was also great, diverse speakers and also the level of the speakers from whether civil society, academia, UN, and youth, all that. So we already presented six of them, and 2023 we were part of the UN Water Conference. We presented a program, and then last year we participated and presented a program site event in Nice on the Ocean Conference, and we kind of we also had previously on the ocean again. So plastic also become whether ocean, whether water, whether land life, like plastic, is becoming a huge in every level. Not plastic, but also chemical, all all sorts of polluters on in environment. So then we become promoting, producing, and there are really great level of academicians and experts, and they also like to share and connect their research and their findings. So it's a platform to break down together, and then when it is a video, when it is posted as both a summary along with the full presentation or speech, so it becomes a really source where you know you can find diverse voices, diverse solutions, diverse ideas, and also we align them in support of the UN days, UN conferences, SDGs, sustainable development goals like Water Days. Also, we collaborate with an organization in India, IGEN Green Institution, Green Engineers Institute of Green Engineers. So they are focusing on energy SDG seven. So we contribute them, bringing speakers. Bircan Unver  47:40 So then they join us to our program. So really, it's an organic volunteer base. So that that actually, I was so proud that we got a call, invitation to submit the application for this accredited status, and it was June 2025 after the ocean conference. I think ocean conference kind of brought them cumulatively and maybe brought their attention. And then October they asked our official documents, the bylaws and and certificate of organization, which is the regular require any formal application at the UN, and then I I submitted them in I think it was October 1525 but I haven't heard anything, and then I thought maybe you know they didn't consider, and then literally a year later, in June, last June, we got approval, and with a, it's not just accredited for a special one particular conference. It is an observer status assembly to contribute draft ideas. I mean, to contribute drafts, draft resolution to observe, to participate, and then also to be responsible to provide every four-year quadrennial report. Let's say if we fail to produce contribution at any level to this cause, then you know we may lose that observed status, but of course we'll do our best to contribute and to continue. Michael Hingson  49:27 With all of the work that you've done in all of this, I want to come back to World Water Day in a moment. But with all the work that you've done and all the the the things that you've done in public television and so on, when you host these meetings or you participate in these meetings, do they get televised? Also, are you able to bring those to to the public through public television? Bircan Unver  49:53 When it is Zoom, then I edit within my time slot within the limits of. Time slots and QPTV provides two different time slots. One is 20-eight minutes, the other one is 50-eight minutes. So then, let's say if it's two-hour session, I you know a little bit edit and then title, etc. and part one, part two, and also depending on the length of the session or 20-eight minutes. So then I schedule them through the local channels, as we spoke at QPTV. Also, I make them available through our vmail.com/lmtv channel on web on the web. Also, when we have a summary or outcomes, so we also provide those links and share through social media. Try our best to make those information available, visible, and reachable. Michael Hingson  50:51 Well, that I'm glad you do that. I'm glad that it gets to be something that is a lot more publicized than you just attending a meeting-that's important, I would think, to do when when you talk about World Water Day and so on. One of the things that that I I understand you do is you compare water security directly with cybersecurity and gender equality. Those are three different sorts of things when you include water security. Tell us more about that. Bircan Unver  51:24 This was our latest program in last March, and we had in our prior program on AI a discussion on AI a public discussion on AI policy or AI arc. So he's a professor and at the SUNY, and he's a mathematician, and he's also teaching cybersecurity. And when I was talking about when we met about the water conference upcoming, actually in this December, in the United Emirates on I think December six to eight. Even I was thinking to attend, but I wanted part a bit this time virtually instead of going there. So when we were talking about and and I really like this idea and I say as I asked exactly what you asked for, and then his really statement explanation made great sense because everything is nowadays control troy some form of electronic or AI or a combination of those systems, right? Competing systems. So if or if there is a technical issues, that's one case. But if there is a hack, especially water is the life source for everyone, whether you are billion or trillion, or you are you know ordinary people on the you know everyday life. So water is the source for everything, including producing the energy. AI. So water is the life itself. So then, when he said, if any hacking, whether you know small you know some you know people with a bad intention or some maybe big corporation because some profit purpose they want to sell more you know bottled water whatever or some international security issues you you may name this many other things. So if a computer system, if the control mechanism, if the AI system, whatever that combination in that system, is hack, then everything is a huge risk, and that's number one. How it connects with the water. Also now you know we smart how everything is electronic. Everything and then when that somewhat the life collapses there. So including water, including energy. So everything is so much you know interconnected. And then how that the gender equality came. Also, we follow Michael the UN annual-based dedication team for each UN Day or conferences. For instance, last year, water and gender equality, because water and gender required is also so inseparable concept and conditions in many parts of the world, and then also our professor Emre Tokus, he also. Make beautiful connection that if woman or when woman, if and when women are more in the security, cyber security, IT technology sectors, they are more sensitive. They are more like maybe natural in their dealings, like mother protection. So more protective, so there is less risk than where it is now. So to increase the gender equality, both not burden on the woman, you know, where it's the water scarcity that woman has to carry the burden. Girls, even five, seven years old, when developing countries, when it comes to developing countries, and then if the girls are, and also that was staggering. Stats he gave sort of shocked me today because he is a professor at SUNY. So what I mean by that, he said one of his class has only four girls out of 31. of his class has only one girl. One of his class doesn't have no girl. So even though if if girls are girls are not getting in this field, how we gonna bring the gender balance in all cross-cutting sectors of society. So that's how both from the UN perspective, the dedication team, also cybersecurity, the profile from a university that girls are not showing attention, interest studying cybersecurity. That was the fact based on his class last semester. One Michael Hingson  56:46 of the things that you have done, as I understand, is you've written several books. Bircan Unver  56:53 Yes, there are more, but hopefully I could get work on them, publish them as well. The my first book was Michael, based on my interviews with artists and my reviews on art exhibits, and also when I had questionnaire surveys like with artists, galleries, academicians, professors, students. When I before my first life prior prior the U.S. So when I went back after four years and I was really eager to get in a job for as a TV producer and somewhat that didn't work despite all my efforts even I my project load and everyone was after me, but they want to take the project, but not give me the role what I deserve for. So then I kind of close myself, and then I said I want to compile my books, my articles, my interviews. So that was how my first book came about in Turkish. To create is the most sacred. So, like the value to give the highest value for the creativity, intellectual production. That is through all those interviews, reviews, and questions. So that's that was the first book. The second book is in a way a bridge again between U.S. and Istanbul, New York and Istanbul, or maybe L.A. New York and Istanbul. Because when I came in, also I've done freelance journalism, so I wrote some you know reviews and the magazine. I used to, you know, send and appear my interviews and reviews. So and it was include not too frequent, but it was include some of major exhibits, both from LA and also from the Metropolitan Museum in MoMA in New York. Also Turkish artists here. So I met them, you know, when I was living. I started living in here. So then I a combination of those, and also that was another metaphor developed in my mind when I was Istanbul. I was feeling like the labyrinths of arts. So that's my second book title in Turkish labyrinths in arts. So like you are like this kind of narrow and small world in Istanbul art worlds and very high competition, and then nobody expanding to New York and LA expansion means bringing some, for instance, Franz Bacon, Thomas Hart Benton, and Max Ernst and Marina Magritte. Those also the last part connecting with the New York Istanbul from my art based on my art background. Michael Hingson  59:51 So, were any of the books published in English? The Bircan Unver  59:54 last 120, 23 is English, but. It is a compilation concept is written me. I directed the project, and of course I have some pieces also beside the concept. But it is a compilation by 24 contributors. It is based on the JUC Media Research Writing Awards 2021 and 2023 High School Awards Project, and also it is also engaging the youth to involve the UN programs at an early age and encourage them award them. So that also the next one is going to be on the Water Action Decatur in the same line, same concept, and also I have a book project since 2022 I couldn't still 2022 2020 actually. I dream, therefore I am. I have 80% of the book manuscript is ready, but I couldn't finalize it, and so the other one also I was hoping but couldn't to have a book for the 25th anniversary of the latentium. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. It's a little bit seemingly not going to happen this year to come up 25th anniversary of late millennium, but I had 20 anniversary of the late millennium in Turkish, and so this is completely different issue because I introduced like Millennium both in Turkish and in English, so it's like Tiffany Sister is the Turkish one, and then I formed Turkish sister in 2010, and then so on the 20th anniversary of the Turkish organization, as it is association, official association. So I compile the first part, the concept vision, very much like Millennium, because it's the system. But the second part based on the programs, activities, and challenges in Istanbul. So this book also in English will be first the the manifesto and the first all the history will be very much in English, the original one. But the second part is going to be completely, you know, selected ideas and projects and programs from the website and public programs from the last 20-five years, and it's hard hard things to do. It it's very challenging. I couldn't do it. Michael Hingson  1:02:47 It's it's a lot of work. Well, Berjan, I I want to tell you that we have now been talking for more than an hour. Time flies when you're having fun. Man, I'm going to go. I'm going to have to go ahead and and end our time, but we'll have to do this again and and continue the discussion. But I really appreciate you taking the time to be here, and I hope that people will monitor your programs and and and read your books if they can read Turkish or English, whichever works. Troy Bircan Unver  1:03:18 has so many English pieces, and now everyone welcome to look out our website. And what's the Michael Hingson  1:03:26 website again? Bircan Unver  1:03:28 lmglobal.org. Michael Hingson  1:03:32 lmglobal.org. Okay. Bircan Unver  1:03:34 Yes, but the whole archive from 2019 to 2000 no, 2019 no. of course not 2019 1999 to 2018 The archive. Our initial website is light millennium.org Millennium is with double N double N. So the everything we are talking about, all the process, our UN programs, and the reports from the UN NGO briefings, some conferences we participated. If anyone has any question, I'll be happy to provide the link and you know to contact them. Michael Hingson  1:04:17 And we will put that information in the show notes, the notes for the podcast. So I want to thank you for being here. This has been absolutely informative. I really appreciate your time, and I hope the programs continue to go well. So I want to thank you again for being here, and this has just been a lot of fun. Bircan Unver  1:04:39 Thank you so much, Michael Kingston, it is great honor and privilege. Especially, you are a hero, and your your story is amazing, and you are also taking really one of the challenges works like producing these programs, and we never met in real life. And then this is also like Millennium and your work. How we connected through? Otherwise, there was no like regular environment or database environment that we could meet. Your work and your dedication and your inspiring contribution really connected us and bring us together in this session. Thank you, and I'm really grateful for that. Michael Hingson  1:05:29 Thank you for being here with me on Unstoppable Mindset. I hope today's conversation left you with a fresh perspective, a new insight, or at least something worth thinking about. If you're ready to go deeper into the ideas that shape how we see ourselves and others, I have a free gift for you. Head over to michaelhingson.com and download my free ebook, Blinded by Fear. It explores the invisible beliefs that hold us back and shows you how to reframe them so you can move forward with clarity and confidence. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share this show with someone who can use a reminder that growth starts with mindset. When people think differently, we all move forward together. Thanks again for listening. Keep learning, keep questioning, and keep choosing to live with an unstoppable mindset

In this bulletin, Laos' ambassador summoned amid reports of lesser charges in a methanol poisoning case; Democrats accuse Trump of spreading election lies and in football, calls for FIFA to pay tribute to two people shot dead by US immigration officers.

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This is a NerdySouth Entertainment joint!   Season 7 of 30&Nerdy Podcast is brought to you by Fanboy Expo. With multiple shows throughout the year, Fanboy Expo has something for everyone. Whether you're a fan of anime, comics, cosplay, sports, or any other aspects of the Nerdiverse; Fanboy Expo is the show for you. Whether we're in Knoxville, Tennessee, Orlando, Florida, or in your city, You don't want to miss out on the excitement. Come see why people travel from all across the globe to take part in Fanboy Expo. To get the latest info like celebrity guest announcements, event information, cosplay contests, giveaways, and so much more, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter at fanboyexpo.com.   Fanboy Expo Knoxville has come and gone and we are here to break down the extremely busy weekend!   30&Nerdy Podcast's Opening Rift: Kyle Standifer The Ballad of 30&Nerdy: Beth Crowley Fanboy Expo Ad Music: “Omega” by Scott Buckley   This Episode is brought to you by: Fan Boy Expo  Fill Her Cup use the code 30&Nerdy at checkout for 30% Off Hippie Water use the code NERDYSOUTH at checkout Advertising Expressions Encore Theatrical Company Shane's Rib Shack Hwy 81 McDonough, GA   Reaper Apparel Company 30&Nerdy Podcast is an Ambassador for Reaper Apparel Co. If you are interested in checking out all the great attire they have, or learning more about them; click here and if you want to purchase something, don't forget to use our code 30ANDNERDYPOD at check out for 10% off of your order!   You can learn more about NerdySouth Entertainment and its content by visiting The Fortress of NERDitude and while you are there, subscribe to our Nerdly Newsletter for behind the scenes, announcements, and Nerdly News updates. You can also check out the other shows and content under NerdySouth Entertainment   For more NerdySouth content, find us on all social media outlets: Instagram YouTube TikTok Facebook   Email us at 30andnerdypod@gmail.com    Shop Nerdy at NerdySouth Studios   Cheers To Ya Nerds!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Tonight on America at Night with McGraw Milhaven: John Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, joins the show to discuss escalating tensions with Iran and why he believes the regime is too weak to negotiate from a position of strength. Bolton examines the latest developments in the Middle East and what they could mean for U.S. foreign policy and regional stability. Eric Tucker, justice reporter for the Associated Press, breaks down a federal judge's decision involving a Trump IRS lawsuit, including why the judge said the case was filed for an "improper purpose" and referred one of the attorneys for possible disciplinary action. Tucker explains the legal implications and what happens next. Later, Leroy Chiao, former NASA astronaut and author of Dinner with an Astronaut: Serving Space Stories: Past, Present and Future, joins the program to share stories from his remarkable career in space. Chiao reflects on life aboard the International Space Station, the challenges and rewards of space exploration, and the experiences that inspired his new book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to Build the Teams That Make Customer Experience Stick Episode 262 of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast Launching a customer experience initiative is one thing. Building the internal structure that keeps it alive is another. In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, John DiJulius continues his conversation with Dave Murray, Vice President of The DiJulius Group, about the stakeholders required to successfully launch and sustain a customer experience transformation. They focus on two groups that can determine whether a CX initiative becomes part of the culture or quietly disappears: the customer experience steering committee and CX ambassadors. Dave explains who should serve on a CX steering committee, how often the group should meet, what responsibilities it should own, and why representation must extend beyond customer-facing departments. John and Dave also explore how frontline employees can become influential CX ambassadors who reinforce standards, build peer-level support, and help organizations identify future leaders. Related:  Building an initiative that lasts Why a Customer Experience Steering Committee Matters A CX steering committee serves as the governing body of a customer experience initiative. The group helps select workshop participants, shape implementation priorities, review ideas, approve realistic next steps, and turn workshop content into usable training materials, playbooks, standards, and tools. The strongest committees include representation from both customer-facing and support departments. Sales, customer service, operations, training, finance, accounting, logistics, and other internal service providers all influence the experience customers ultimately receive. The committee must also be able to evaluate what can be implemented immediately, what requires additional technology or funding, and what should be scheduled for a later phase. Who Should Serve on the Committee? Most steering committees include managers, directors, department leaders, training professionals, and employees who understand how work moves across the organization. Members do not need to meet constantly. During normal periods, a monthly virtual meeting may be sufficient. During rollout or content-development phases, the group may meet weekly until key deliverables are complete. The goal is not to add another meeting. It is to create accountability for the customer experience. How CX Ambassadors Build Frontline Buy-In CX ambassadors are often frontline employees who participated in the original customer experience workshops and want to remain involved. They may not hold formal leadership titles, but they have influence among their peers. They understand the initiative, believe in its value, and can explain how it will improve the experience for customers and employees. Ambassadors help communicate what is coming, reinforce new behaviors, identify obstacles, share best practices, support individual locations, and keep the initiative visible after the formal rollout. John and Dave also explain why organizations should consider including respected skeptics and informal influencers during the development process. When these employees understand the purpose behind the initiative, they can become some of its strongest advocates. Related: How to get company wide buy in CX Ambassadors Should Support, Not Police One warning from the episode is especially important: CX ambassadors cannot become the "gotcha police." When ambassadors visit teams only to identify mistakes, the program becomes associated with punishment rather than improvement. Effective ambassadors recognize what employees are doing well, provide constructive coaching, replenish resources, answer questions, and help teams succeed. Their role is to support the culture, not inspect people into compliance. Customer Experience Has No Finish Line The most successful organizations continue meeting after the initial initiative has launched. Steering committees should review customer experience metrics, recognize employees, update standards, identify emerging service defects, and ensure CX training remains embedded in onboarding and leadership development. Ambassadors should continue sharing observations, comparing results across teams or locations, and identifying practices that can be adopted throughout the organization. Customer expectations, internal processes, technology, and business models change. Customer experience standards must evolve with them. CX Programs Can Help Identify Future Leaders A strong CX ambassador program creates another valuable result: it reveals which employees are ready for greater leadership responsibility. Employees who volunteer, coach peers effectively, reinforce standards, and take ownership of the experience demonstrate many of the behaviors required of successful leaders. Organizations can also reduce the number of accidental managers by allowing aspiring leaders to experience leadership training before they are promoted. This gives employees a realistic view of the responsibilities involved and helps companies evaluate more than technical performance when selecting managers. Key Takeaways A customer experience steering committee should govern the initiative after the initial workshops and rollout. The committee should include customer-facing departments and internal support functions. Steering committees translate ideas into realistic standards, training materials, playbooks, and implementation priorities. CX ambassadors are often influential frontline employees rather than formal managers. Employees who are skeptical of change may become powerful advocates when included early. Ambassadors should coach and support employees, not operate as compliance police. Monthly meetings help steering committees and ambassadors maintain momentum. Customer experience materials should be treated as living documents and updated as the business evolves. Ambassador programs can help organizations identify and prepare future leaders. Customer experience is an ongoing operating discipline, not a temporary project. Quotes "The steering committee becomes the governing body of the project." "We want to have cross-departmental representation because that is the group that shapes the project." "The primary thing ambassadors do is take that message back to their teams." "Sometimes the people who do not like change become advocates." "We do not want ambassadors looking only for the bad stuff and ignoring the good." "When it comes to customer experience, there is no finish line." "This is who we are as an organization, and we need to keep the focus on it." "Everything they have created is treated as a living document." "A customer experience ambassador program can help identify your future leaders." "Organizations often promote people without looking at the soft skills required to lead." Chapters 00:49 — Recapping the Six Customer Experience Stakeholders 03:23 — The Role of the CX Steering Committee 05:08 — Who Should Serve on the Committee? 06:46 — Time Commitment and Meeting Structure 08:25 — Creating a CX Ambassador Program 10:51 — Why Ambassadors Are Usually Frontline Employees 11:18 — Turning Skeptics Into Advocates 12:26 — Ambassador Best Practices from Financial Services 13:55 — Avoiding the "Gotcha Police" Problem 15:22 — Building a Regional Ambassador Network 17:04 — How to Maintain Buy-In and Momentum 18:08 — Why Consistent Meetings Matter 20:54 — Developing CX Knowledge Across the Organization 22:32 — Keeping Customer Experience Standards Current 24:28 — Using CX Programs to Identify Future Leaders 25:46 — Preventing Accidental Managers 27:05 — Leadership Training Before Promotion 28:11 — Helping Employees Decide Whether Leadership Fits 30:29 — Final Thoughts   Links: Storytelling blog:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/how-to-be-a-more-effective-leader-by-learning-the-best-way-of-storytelling/ ROX Dashboard:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Peter Ricketts, Britain's former ambassador to France, speaks with Paul Lay about a golden age of diplomacy. Image: Archibald Clark Kerr (Britain's Ambassador to the Soviet Union) and Alexander Cadogan (Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs) at the Potsdam Conference, 1945. Credit: Alamy.

Last week's NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey was the latest testing ground for whether or not America's allies are making meaningful investments in their own defense so the alliance is prepared to meet evolving security challenges. President Trump came in hot at the summit claiming that NATO allies failed two key tests as he derided the lack of international cooperation on the conflict with Iran, and his aspirations for the U.S. to purchase Greenland. But in the end, President Trump said many different discussions he had with world leaders were positive, and he assured them the United States would remain in the alliance if they begin paying a new 5% of GDP for defense spending by 2035. FOX's Jonathan Savage speaks with Matthew Whitaker, U.S. Ambassador to NATO, who shares the positive takeaways from the summit and how he feels European Allies are finally stepping up on their own defense. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Reaganism, Reagan Institute Director Roger Zakheim sits down with U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Andy Puzder to discuss the Trump administration's evolving approach to the U.S.-European relationship, highlighting the successful negotiation and ratification of a landmark U.S.-EU trade agreement that lowers barriers to trade while strengthening transatlantic economic ties. Puzder argued that the deal reflects Europe's recognition of the importance of its partnership with the United States and described President Trump's leadership as instrumental in bringing the agreement to fruition despite political headwinds. The conversation also explored Europe's economic challenges—including stagnant growth, overregulation, dependence on Russian energy, and growing competition from China—and examined how closer cooperation with the United States on artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and advanced technology can help restore European competitiveness. Puzder concluded that while Europe continues to grapple with issues such as immigration, free speech, and regulatory reform, there are growing opportunities for pragmatic collaboration that can strengthen both the transatlantic alliance and the West's strategic position against China.

Morse Tan is a freedom-fighter who served as ambassador-at-large for Global Criminal Justice during the first Trump administration. Today, he is effectively a political prisoner in South Korea.  Amb. Tan has long spoken truth to power. In particular, he has warned about the lengths to which the Republic of Korea's radical leftists have subverted freedom and elections. He's even courageously done so in South Korea.  Now that the hard Left is fully in power in Seoul under a Communist named Lee Jae-myung, the Ambassador has been prevented from leaving South Korea for over five weeks. That is outrageous. When Lee visited Washington last year, President Trump declined to criticize him over myriad, serious concerns about his guest's decades of anti-American activism. It's high time Mr. Trump let Lee know his present mistreatment of Amb. Tan is utterly unacceptable. This is Frank Gaffney.

Last week's NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey was the latest testing ground for whether or not America's allies are making meaningful investments in their own defense so the alliance is prepared to meet evolving security challenges. President Trump came in hot at the summit claiming that NATO allies failed two key tests as he derided the lack of international cooperation on the conflict with Iran, and his aspirations for the U.S. to purchase Greenland. But in the end, President Trump said many different discussions he had with world leaders were positive, and he assured them the United States would remain in the alliance if they begin paying a new 5% of GDP for defense spending by 2035. FOX's Jonathan Savage speaks with Matthew Whitaker, U.S. Ambassador to NATO, who shares the positive takeaways from the summit and how he feels European Allies are finally stepping up on their own defense. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well guess who's back on Rick Flynn Presents again this week? PAM LEWIS returns to show us a different side of herself as she speaks on re-inventing herself.She was honored in 2023 by becoming a distinguished fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Celebration year. Founded in 1754, The Royal Society of Arts fellows include Stephen Hawking, Benjamin Franklin, Charles Dickens, Helen Keller, and Margaret Thatcher. Lewis is also a U.S. Ambassador for The Unity of Faiths Foundation (TUFF) as well as a member of the Churchill Society. In June of the same year, she was the guest keynote speaker with TUFF co-founder Dr. Shamender Talwar at the annual Professional Learning Conference held at MTSU.Lewis' charitable board work is extensive and has included The Tennessee State Museum, Tennessee First Lady Andrea Conte's “You Have The Power,” BRIDGES Domestic Violence Center, Franklin's Charge, Sister Cities of Franklin, Friend of Franklin Parks, Belmont Mansion, Nashville City Cemetery Board, Franklin's Historic Battlefield Commission, the ARC Board, the Tennessee Preservation Trust, the mayor-appointed Franklin Housing Commission, and the Franklin Civil War Historical Commission.Her other community outreach efforts include historic preservation and global green space causes, women and children's advocacy, educational scholarships, fair housing and environmental, and animal rights protection. Her foundation has given away hundreds of thousands of dollars to numerous charities over the last 10 years.Contact: www.plamedia.com

Last week's NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey was the latest testing ground for whether or not America's allies are making meaningful investments in their own defense so the alliance is prepared to meet evolving security challenges. President Trump came in hot at the summit claiming that NATO allies failed two key tests as he derided the lack of international cooperation on the conflict with Iran, and his aspirations for the U.S. to purchase Greenland. But in the end, President Trump said many different discussions he had with world leaders were positive, and he assured them the United States would remain in the alliance if they begin paying a new 5% of GDP for defense spending by 2035. FOX's Jonathan Savage speaks with Matthew Whitaker, U.S. Ambassador to NATO, who shares the positive takeaways from the summit and how he feels European Allies are finally stepping up on their own defense. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna of California made a trip to the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank last week. There he says he was stopped and not allowed to leave for over an hour by armed Israeli settlers and then Israeli soldiers. He says he was only allowed to continue after contacting the U.S. embassy in Israel. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee later called his trip a “stunt” and said Khanna went to a military-controlled area without prior clearance. Israeli officials have also countered Representative Khanna's narrative. We hear about this incident from Congressman Ro Khanna himself. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Some conversations stay with me long after they end, and this is one of them. I had the opportunity to sit down with Justin Breen for a thoughtful discussion about resilience, intuition, healing, and what it really means to keep moving forward when life completely changes. Justin shares how growing up with a World War II hero as his father shaped his perspective, why he believes many visionaries feel misunderstood, and how his own journey through entrepreneurship, loss, and personal transformation led him to a deeper understanding of purpose. We also explore guide dogs, fear, 9/11, artificial intelligence, and the importance of listening to your heart instead of getting trapped in overthinking. I believe you will find this conversation both thought-provoking and encouraging, especially if you're searching for meaning, healing, or a new way to look at life's greatest challenges. Highlights: 00:53 - Why choosing hard challenges builds resilience. 11:18 - Why many visionaries feel misunderstood. 20:29 - How resilience keeps you moving forward. 31:10 - Why trusting your intuition matters. 42:22 - Why healing yourself comes first. 58:27 - How AI reflects the person using it. About the Guest: Justin Breen's next book*, Epic Journey*, will feature an introduction from Dr. Deepak Chopra. The book also will be turned into a documentary with star actor Gary Sinise providing the narration. Breen also is Co-Founder of Corvia.AI, an education platform that teaches participants how to create songs using artificial intelligence. Breen's second book, Epic Life, featured a foreword from Dr. Peter Diamandis and has been the No. 1 overall book for sales on Amazon Kindle. It also made the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller lists. Ways to connect with Justin**:** Apply to join Epic F.I.T. Network —-> www.TheEpicFit.com Book a phone call --> https://calendly.com/justinbreen/connection-call  Wall Street Journal-USA Today Best-Selling Book "Epic Life" --> https://lnkd.in/gKb5Reff Do you have Visionary, Abundance, Investment Mindset? --> https://www.kys.coach/96382a667b443f0e Interview with Strategic Coach Founder Dan Sullivan —> https://apple.co/3bktbcL Interview with Abundance 360 Founder Peter Diamandis --> https://lnkd.in/edg7yVu Interview with Shannon Waller's Team Success --> https://lnkd.in/dEJfMD2p Interview with Jay Abraham and Nick Sonnenberg --> https://lnkd.in/gzN2e5Kf Interview with Dave Will for Entrepreneurs' Organization EO 360 podcast --> https://entrepreneursorg.libsyn.com/justin-breen About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes:

Guest Host Major Terry Slatic U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker sharply criticized Iran's leadership during a CNN appearance, saying the country is currently “controlled by a bunch of crazy people.” His remarks came amid renewed military tensions between the United States and Iran and ongoing concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What will it take to save the U.S.-Israel alliance?  Dan is joined by Rahm Emanuel, a Democratic party powerhouse who was a former Chicago mayor, White House Chief of Staff, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan. Dan challenges Emanuel on ideas from the speech he delivered in Tel Aviv that ignited debate across Israel and the United States. Emanuel argues that Israel's current course is putting the U.S.-Israel alliance at risk, while Dan presses him on whether October 7 fundamentally changed the assumptions behind his vision for Israel's future. They discuss Israel's security, Palestinian statehood, the future of a more hostile Democratic Party, and whether Emanuel's message is ultimately an act of tough love or tough luck for Israel. Watch Rahm Emanuel's Tel Aviv speech HERE. ___ Call Me Back is made possible by our subscribers. If these conversations are where you turn to understand Israel and the Jewish world, consider joining them. It's what keeps this show going. Become a Subscriber - Inside Call me Back ____ In this episode: - Rahm Emanuel remembers Senator Lindsey Graham - How October 7 changed Israel's security doctrine - Rahm Emanuel's 23-state solution for Israel and the Arab states - Is its isolation becoming a security threat for Israel? - How Emanuel would reshape the U.S.-Israel alliance - Are calls for “From the River to the Sea” and Greater Israel equivalent? - Emanuel's response to fears antisemitism reshaping the Democratic Party - Is Emanuel really advocating tough love or tough luck for Israel? More Ark Media: Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings. Explore Israel Votes Listen to Ark News Daily Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What's Your Number? Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer's book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Beth Pearlman, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

What will it take to save the U.S.-Israel alliance? Dan is joined by Rahm Emanuel, a Democratic Party powerhouse who was a former Chicago mayor, White House Chief of Staff, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan. Dan challenges Emanuel on ideas from the speech he delivered in Tel Aviv that ignited debate across Israel and the […]

-The late Sen. Lindsey Graham championed a strong U.S. foreign policy on the world stage including fierce defense of Ukraine and Israel. NEWSMAX's Senior White House Correspondent John Gizzi reports. -Ric Grenell discussed Sen. Lindsey Graham's bipartisan nature in an era where that has become less common on "Sunday Agenda." -Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee speaks about what he will miss most about Sen. Graham. -Fred Fleitz, John Jordan, and Tom Sauer discuss the impact Sen. Graham had on President Trump on "Sunday Report." -Snake the Bigfoot Hunter joins "Saturday Agenda," to talk about the alleged neanderthal-human hybrid he discovered. Today's podcast is sponsored by : NOBLE GOLD - Don't wait six months from now wishing you had positioned earlier. Have the conversation now. Schedule a free gold strategy session at http://NobleGoldInvestments.com/NEWSMAX Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at ⁠http://Newsmax.com/Listen⁠ Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at ⁠http://NewsmaxPlus.com⁠ Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : ⁠http://nws.mx/shop⁠ Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media:  -Facebook: ⁠http://nws.mx/FB⁠  -X/Twitter: ⁠http://nws.mx/twitter⁠ -Instagram: ⁠http://nws.mx/IG⁠ -YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV⁠ -Rumble: ⁠https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV⁠ -TRUTH Social: ⁠https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX⁠ -GETTR: ⁠https://gettr.com/user/newsmax⁠ -Threads: ⁠http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX⁠  -Telegram: ⁠http://t.me/newsmax⁠  -BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com⁠ -Parler: ⁠http://app.parler.com/newsmax⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Face the Nation, breaking overnight: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has died from what his office calls a "brief and sudden illness" at the age of 71. We'll have the latest and we'll talk with fellow South Carolina Senator Tim Scott about his impact in Washington and beyond. Plus, new developments overseas as U.S. Central Command has launched a new wave of strikes against Iran after its military force attacked a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, in defiance of U.S. demands to keep the waterway open. What's next for the security of the region, after President Trump declared that fragile ceasefire deal to be "over"? We'll be joined by former CENTCOM commander Frank McKenzie, Republican Ohio Congressman Mike Turner, and Israel's Ambassador, Dr. Michael Leiter. We'll also talk with Democrat Rahm Emanuel, who's just back from delivering a speech in Tel Aviv about the future of U.S.-Israeli relations. It's all just ahead, on Face the Nation.

July 12, 2026 | Derek Jones

Melissa shares her insights on recent Bravo shows In the City, The Valley and Next Gen NYC. YBT discusses social media drama, and personal reflections, offering a candid look at celebrity behavior, and social issues. keywords:Bravo, reality TV, social media drama, mental health, celebrity culture, Bravo shows, social issues, podcastkey topics:Bravo show analysis and commentarySocial media drama and celebrity interactionsSocial issues including bigotry and LGBTQ+ topicsMelissa's upcoming podcast and content plansReflections on personal and societal challengesChapters:00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview00:29 Melissa's Recent Podcast and Content Updates02:17 Social Media Drama: Lindsay Hubbard and RHORI03:14 Bigotry and Hate in Reality TV06:28 Analysis of Next Gen New York City17:09 Serious Discussions on Sexual Assault in The Valley18:06 Reflections on Survivor and Personal Growth20:37 Melissa's Future Podcast and Closing RemarksTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING and for all the support!Please follow Your Bish Therapist podcast; please give a 5-star comment & rating (it really helps!) Please follow @yourbishtherapist and on Instagram and Patreon For full video (ad free, early release, full video & bonus content) visit YBT Patreon, Spreaker Supporters Club or YouTubePatreon (Ad Free, Early Release, Full Video, Bonus Content) https://patreon.com/YourBishTherapist?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkApple Podcast (Ad Free): https://apple.co/3MfskzeSpreaker Supporters club (Ad Free, Early Release):  https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/your-bish-therapist--6065109/supportYouTube (Full Video): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu8bmVPTlWANg5v7rGRJjow?subconfirmation=1To find links to all YBT content: https://linktr.ee/yourbishtherapistrand Ambassador: www.Iamhumanthebrand.com for clothing with a purpose. Code BISH20 for 20% off purchaseDisclaimer: Posts are not intended to diagnose, treat or provide medical advice. Your Bish Therapist (YBT) is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The podcast, my opinions, and posts, are my own and are not associated with past or present employers, any organizations, Bravo TV, Grey Heart productions or any other television network. The information in YBT podcast and on its its social media is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat. Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read, see, or hear on YBT, podcast or associated social media. Communicating with YBT via email, and/or social media does not form a therapeutic alliance. Melissa, operator of YBT, is unable to provide any therapeutic advice, treatment or feedback.

When Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley first proposed a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer role at the State Department, the response from HR was polite and dismissive. Years later, she came back and got the job done — on her own terms, with her own budget, her own staff, and a seat on the committee that assigns ambassadors. What she found when she got inside was not what most people assume. Dr. Joy sits down with Ambassador Abercrombie-Winstanley — thirty-year diplomat, former US Ambassador to Malta, and the State Department's first-ever CDIO — to talk about what DEI was designed to do, what it was never meant to be, and why so much of the backlash against it is built on a misreading. They get into the mechanics of how people really get hired and promoted in elite institutions — the secret handshakes, the drug deals, the posted job that was never really open — and what it looked like when the Ambassador's office forced those positions into open competition. She also talks about the psychological toll of watching allies flip overnight once the political climate shifted, what she believes is still happening inside organizations even now, and how she's thinking about the pendulum — not to minimize this moment, but to prepare for what comes next. The conversation closes with some of the most specific career advice the show has offered: how to run your elevator pitch until it flows, when to reach out to someone on LinkedIn and what to say, and why she tells the people she mentors to bring their best self to work, not just their authentic one. Resources & Announcements Want to reflect on this conversation in community? Join us inside our Patreon community where we’re unpacking this episode together. You can now catch episodes of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week. Did you know you can leave us a voice note with your questions for the podcast? If you have a question you'd like some feedback on, topics you'd like to hear covered, or want to suggest movies or books for us to review, drop us a message at memo.fm/therapyforblackgirls and let us know what’s on your mind. We just might share it on the podcast. Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals. Where to Find Our Guest LinkedIn Atlantic Council Stay Connected​ Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox. If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory. Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop. The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession. Make sure to follow us on social media: Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls Our Production Team Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis Producer: Ndeye Thioubou & Tyree Rush Production Assistant: Bria MosleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NATO allies spent much of the summit in Ankara attempting to manage Donald Trump. Meanwhile, our president's unpredictable commentary and bizarre statements only deepened the rift between the US and its allies. What does this mean for the future of NATO? Is the core mission of NATO undergoing a fundamental shift? Lieutenant General Mark Hertling and former Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder join David Rothkopf and Ed Luce to discuss the NATO summit in Turkey and the future of the alliance. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After trading strikes overnight, are the US and Iran still in a truce? Not according to President Trump, who declared the deal with Iran "over" and promised more bombing tonight. CNN Senior White House Reporter joins Christiane from the NATO summit in Ankara to discuss the latest developments.   Also on today's show: Sanam Vakil, Director, Middle East and North Africa Program, Chatham House; Carl Bildt, Former Swedish Prime Minister & Ivo Daalder, Former US Ambassador to NATO; CNN World Sport's Amanda Davies    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Preview for Later Today: Former UK Ambassador Edmund Fitton-Brown examines Iran's attempt to control the Strait of Hormuz. He highlights Oman's critical role and US efforts to support Oman, preventing Iran from establishing a maritime "protection racket." (3)

President Donald Trump confirms he asked FIFA to review U.S. soccer player Folarin Balogun's red card suspension. Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor discusses the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey. Graham Platner says he's considering “the best path forward” after denying an accusation of sexual assault reported in POLITICO. Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the state of the presidency as America celebrates 250 years. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of John Solomon Reports, host John Solomon reflects on the vibrant celebrations following America's 250th birthday, sharing the excitement and gratitude felt across the nation. Kicking off the discussion, former ambassador to Denmark, Carla Sands, joins Solomon to delve into the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey and the challenges facing U.S. relations with European allies, particularly in light of the ongoing tensions with Iran and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.In the second segment, Solomon welcomes Judge Michael Warren, whose insightful book on American exceptionalism and the Declaration of Independence sheds light on the foundational principles that have shaped the nation. Warren emphasizes the importance of preserving these ideals as contemporary challenges arise.The episode also addresses a critical issue within the pro-life movement, as Shawn Carney from 40 Days for Life reveals a looming funding expiration for Planned Parenthood, highlighting the need for congressional action to prevent federal funding from being reinstated. Solomon navigates this unexpected twist in the political landscape, urging listeners to stay informed and engaged.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.