Podcasts about america there

And our Was (not Was) odyssey comes to an end with the glory years of What Up, Dog? and Walk The Dinosaur alongside working with Elvis Costello, Roy Orbison and Frank Sinatra Jr.7. WHAT UP, DOG? (1986-88)A two year process begun with a rejected album by Geffen. Then former podcast guest, David Bates saves the day and one of the best albums of the 80s results.Special focus made on the superlative ballads from the LP; Anytime Lisa, Somewhere in America There's a Street Named After My Dad, Anything Can Happen and Wedding Vows in Vegas.8. ELVIS COSTELLO (1986)A Was/Costello co-write results from a fortuitous meeting with Mr MacManus at Tower Records. We discover what lyric Costello contributed and how David was responsible for the track Elvis made with Brian Eno for The X Files 10 years later.9. WALK THE DINOSAUR (1987)Plenty was said about the hit in part 1 of the interview but we boom-boom-ackla-lacka-lacka boom once more with a few more questions. What was the line David was asked to change? Why was it released so much earlier in the UK than the USA? What was Randy Jacobs songwriting contribution?10. MISCELLANEOUS (1987-89)Plenty of chat about David's old comrade, Don. As well as talk on my favourite lesser know WNW track, working with the great Roy Orbison and some chat on why David's answer to Are You Okay? was "no". Plus the highs of Top of the Pops and live performing in the UK.80SOGRAPHY QUICKFIRE ROUNDDavid is on Twitter @HennyYoungbloodPlease support the podcast via PayPal - 80sography@gmail.comTwitter/Blue Sky @80sography                  Men Without Women Are Like Fish Without Water To Swim In.                 With Their Eyes Bugging Out, They Flop On The Beach,                 And Look Up At The Girls Who Are Just Out of Reach. Send us a text

This year, Mexican beer, liquor, and cocktails have all hit #1 in America – There are 3 reasons why, and one of them is storytelling (story-selling?).Every social media platform is leaving away from news right now, except for one: LinkedIn — Because LinkedIn has a team of 250 in-house journalists.And Taylor Swift's concert movie hits theaters tomorrow, expected to be Top 10 opening weekend — It makes us think the future of movie theaters is not movies.$BUD $STZ $MSFT $AMCSubscribe to our newsletter: tboypod.com/newsletterWant merch, a shoutout, or got TheBestFactYet? Go to: www.tboypod.comFollow The Best One Yet on Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok: @tboypodAnd now watch us on YoutubeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Putin warns that when Russia nukes America “There will be no chance of survival” and “There will be no single enemy left”. {For those who wish to support the show with donations, please send them to :$aigner2019(cashapp) or https://www.paypal.me/Aigner2019 or Zelle(1-617-821-3168).}

Bill & Mike Got Your MLB Opening Day Up & Running With Guardians VS Mariners - Game 1-Opening Night 2023 - 10:10PM On WTAM 1100AM-Guards PBP Jim Rosenhaus - Cavs Vs Knicks Preview-Cavs PBP Tim Alcorn - WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS - STEVE KATZ of BS&T - Cleveland Beer-Restaurant News-Cleveland.com Marc Bona - Faith Furry Friends - It is Opening Day-NBC Radio Rory O'Neill had a look at USA Today's annual ranking of the BEST (and WORST) Ballparks in America - There has been a resurgence in “dumb phones” in the U.S. and it may be tied to the mental health impact of Smartphones-NBC Radio Erin Real

What are the stories and motivations behind our local bike shops and those who run them? In this first of a series of conversations we'll be having on this topic, Katya Morzhueva joins Randall to share how she went from growing up in Siberia, to traveling the world (including an eventful stint in China), to founding Cool Cat Cycles and leading group rides in her chosen home of Katy, Texas. Katya's is a story of curiousity, compassion, resiliency, and service to others, and is exemplary of transformative energy that the best shops bring to their local communities. Visit Katya and Cool Cat Cycles at 22010 Westheimer Pkwy in Katy, TX. Episode Sponsor: Dynamic Cyclist (code THEGRAVELRIDE for 15% off) Web: www.coolcatcycles.com Instagram: @coolcatcycles Facebook: @coolcatcycles Support the Podcast Join The Ridership  Automated Transcription, please excuse the typos:     [00:00:00] Craig Dalton: Hello, and welcome to the gravel ride podcast, where we go deep on the sport of gravel cycling through in-depth interviews with product designers, event organizers and athletes. Who are pioneering the sport I'm your host, Craig Dalton, a lifelong cyclist who discovered gravel cycling back in 2016 and made all the mistakes you don't need to make. I approach each episode as a beginner down, unlock all the knowledge you need to become a great gravel cyclist. This week on the broadcast, I'm going to hand the microphone over to my co-host Randall Jacobs. Who's got Katia Morris waver from cool cat cycles in Katy, Texas on the show to talk about the community she's building around the shop and leading group rides in her hometown. Before we jump in, I need to thank this week. Sponsor, dynamic cyclist. As you know, I've been working with a dynamic cyclist stretching routines for a couple of months now working on increasing my mobility and support of strengthening my lower back. Dynamic cyclist has hundreds of cycling, specific stretching routines for you to work through, including some very specific injury prevention routines. I myself am working on the low back injury prevention routine right now. The team at dynamic cyclists has a free trial for all their programs. So head on over to dynamic cyclists.com and check out what they have to offer. Additionally for podcast listeners using the code, the gravel ride. You'll get 15% off all programs. They have both a monthly membership model as well as an inexpensive annual model to cover all your stretching. And strength training needs again, that's dynamic cyclists.com and the coupon code, the gravel ride. Would that business behind us? Let's hand the microphone off to my co-host Randall Jacobs. [00:01:52] Randall: What are the stories behind our local bike shops and those who run them. In the first of a series of conversations we'll be having on this topic, Katia Morzhueva joins me to share how she went from growing up in Siberia, to traveling the world, including an eventful stint in China that we'll get into in a moment, to founding Cool Cat Cycles and leading group rides in your chosen home of Katy, Texas. Katia is a story of curiosity, compassion, resiliency, and service to others, and is exemplary of the transformative energy that the best shops bring to their local communities. We dive right in here. So I hope you enjoyed the conversation. And now we bring to you Katia Morzhueva. [00:02:28] Randall: Do you have like a meditation practice [00:02:30] katya: uh, you know, we can talk about this a little bit more if we start talking about my injury in China. Cuz when you are alone with a broken back, nobody to talk to because you don't speak the language. All you can do is meditate. You know, I, in a, in a irony, like black humor sort of way, a good way to lose weight and become a Buddhist is break a back in a foreign country. [00:03:00] Randall: I'm fortunate in that I had a somewhat parallel experience of breaking my neck in China, I was a bike touring through Hine Island in the South China Sea, but I had zero dislocation. I just ripped a process off a C3 through C five and I was in a neck brace, for a few days and then I saw a specialist and they're like, yeah, you're probably more likely to injure yourself due to muscle atrophy than, to aggravate the injury. And so I was back on my bike in two weeks, which is a very different thing. [00:03:29] katya: Yes, [00:03:29] Randall: so I had version of that Yeah. I'm seeing you shared this picture of your spine with a bunch of rods and pins holding what looks like some of your upper lumbar, [00:03:42] katya: Five vertebrae. Yeah, it's T 12 to T nine. [00:03:47] Randall: Yeah [00:03:48] katya: right. Um, yeah, so I have two plates and 10 screws they're holding five vertu bread together, but it's only one that shattered. So one, actually, the piece fell off and they went in to connect T 12 to 10 and to nine, but then, um, a T 11 to 10. But then the, he was not happy with the result of the surgery, my surgeon. he came back and he said, you want to be active in the future, we want to go back in, redo the surgery, but we will have to connect more vertebrae. And he gave me like half a day to think about it I just went ahead with it. So they went in again, um, you know, 12 hour surgery again, and now I'm like a myoni woman, [00:04:45] Randall: Uh, well, let's, so let's, let's take a step back and kind of talk about how we ended up having this conversation. So um, I think Craig and I had put out word in the ridership looking for, um, you know, recommendations from the community on a guest. And one of the members, uh, had reached out and be like, you have to talk to Kaia. She does, uh, a, you know, an outstanding job building community, uh, in your community out there in, uh, uh, what part of Texas is this? Remind me. [00:05:15] katya: Um, we are west of Houston. We're about 20 miles west of Houston and Katy. [00:05:21] Randall: Yeah. And I had seen, uh, some of the rides that you organize. You have a beautiful shop that you've started, um, you are of Russian descent. Spent some time in, uh, living in China. Uh, really just a fascinating story and a lot of kind of values and ethos, alignments around community and so on. So, where do we start? Where do we want to kick off? [00:05:44] katya: Whew. Um, well, I think we're wanna start in 2016 when we moved back to Houston from China, [00:05:57] Randall: Uhhuh [00:05:57] katya: because that was, um, that was a pivotal moment when decided to get into a business ownership and open a local bike shop, [00:06:08] Randall: this is you and, [00:06:10] katya: And it's me and my husband. Um, we traveled a lot with oil and gas. We both were in oil and gas. Uh, and when we moved back here, um, the community where we are has a lot of potential and there was no bike shop to work with that potential. Um, and I, you know, I would be riding my bike everywhere. Uh, we ended up, Even though we have a child who ended up having only one car, which is very unusual. Um, and as I was commuting everywhere by bike, uh, or I would be working and taking the car and Robert would be riding around everywhere and my son could ride to school. we found out that there's nowhere for us to go is bike commuters, just to get basic service, to get a rack and piners that would fit my bike. Um, and there was a little, you know, there are a couple of places that I thought wouldn't it be nice to have a bike shop right here? Cause I would bike pasted it all the time on my commune and yeah, just come to thousand 17, we opened a shop [00:07:15] Randall: That's, uh, so you, so have you always been avid cyclists, you and your husband? [00:07:21] katya: Uh, no. Uh, but I was, I was always. Not a human powered commuter. my first car, um, I got my first car, I was 30 years old. Uh, and before, before that I lived in about six countries as a resident with oil and gas. I was born in Russia. Um, you know, for my first 20 years of life, I spent as, as a pedestrian walking, using public transportation. Um, even though family had, we had one car, I never used it. Um, and then, you know, Australia, Dubai, New Zealand, uh, traveling all over Europe, never felt like I needed a car. And then we moved to Houston and the reality hits you here and it's just so shocking because I think Houston is epitome or Texas of car dependency in, in America. And it was such a shock to my system and I think largely, Um, that formed me as, as almost an American. I'm an American who doesn't have a car. [00:08:30] Randall: Yeah. It's, uh, all too common for the cities here to have been built. Uh, especially the further west you go around automobiles is the primary way of getting around you. Some places you can't even cross the street cuz it's lanes and there's a fence in the middle. a lot of cities were built, at a time when the automobile was already present versus older European Asian cities where, it's much more walking or horse path oriented. Uh, so, so yeah, it is, uh, something that fortunately cities are, a lot of cities are starting to. backfill, uh, human-centered, uh, transportation infrastructure, uh, and bike lanes and things like this. But, uh, my understanding is that Houston is tough for infrastructure and also for weather. [00:09:13] katya: hmm. Well, you know, in my firm belief, uh, I was born in Siberia, so Siberia is not too far from Polar Circle. Um, in, my opinion, you can ride all year around here. actually if you look, um, at professional cyclists in the US, quite a few of them come from Texas. Um, so Emily Newsom, um, she was raised in Tour de France this year. She's from Fort Worth, that's Dallas. Um, a bunch of people like Beon, MCCA, McCan, they are from, uh, hill country, like Austin area. So, um, I think. The heat of Texas is underestimated. I realized that when we actually moved here, cuz we came from Dubai in summer and we arrived in in August and the second day we went to Zoo and, and everybody was telling us that we were crazy to go to the Zoo Park in August. We're the only people there with a two year old and tow. But we came from the desert and this felt amazing. It actually cools off from a hundred degrees to 98 at night. , is relative. Uh, one thing that you learn when you travel and when you leave is anat in many countries. It all depends on your frame framework. [00:10:37] Randall: And so, uh, you mentioned some of the countries you've been an expat in this. Was this all working with [00:10:43] katya: With oil and gas, yes. In the same company. My husband and I, we met in Neighbors Drilling International. It was the biggest land drilling contractor in the world. I was their first Russian employee working for them in a Russian, in the territory of Russia. But I'm a linguist. I'm not AUM engineer. I have masters and linguistics. [00:11:01] Randall: Oh, interesting. So how many languages do you have? [00:11:04] katya: Uh, I studied a bunch of dead ones. [00:11:07] Randall: Okay [00:11:08] katya: like you have to, uh, ladin an old Greek old Russian old English. Um, I speak English and Russian. Russian is my native. Um, . I speak French a little bit if I, I studied it in college, but it's been such a long time since I actually spoke French. But I think I will pick up pretty fast. I said at Mandarin in China. [00:11:29] Randall: Uhhuh. [00:11:30] katya: Um, I found Mandarin and writing to be extremely interesting. and I would recommend everybody to go and look it up. find that it's like plain Lego where you have a couple of bricks, well, a lot of bricks, and you can build anything you want if you know how to combine those bricks together. It's so interesting. Um, great intellectual challenge. I could not speak Mandarin because I could not understand the tones. Even though I play piano and I have musical ear, I should be able to, I could not, I was never understood. I would go to the market in Dion and try to say that I, I want to buy this, or this is my name and nobody would understand what I'm saying. I know I'm saying it correctly if I was to write it in, transcribe it in in Pinine, [00:12:19] Randall: Yep. [00:12:20] katya: but nobody could understand what I'm saying. [00:12:22] Randall: Well, and there's a certain, um, certainly coming from an English background, there were a lot of sound. Oh, there were a few sounds that we don't have in English. . So getting those mastered was critical cuz the subtlety is, is a critical piece. And then you have the tones and then you have the way that the tones relative to each other. So um, you know, it's really easy to call out a non-native, native speaker because even if they get the tones right, generally they, we, um, you know, the, they won't have the musicality of a native speaker. Um, it was something I had to pay a lot of attention to, [00:12:54] katya: How did you, I know you, you speak Mandarin, right? Or Cantonese. [00:12:59] Randall: uh, I speak Mandarin, uh, fairly fluently and then enough Cantonese to, you know, convince uh, somebody that I speak Cantonese before I switch to Mandarin. [00:13:09] katya: Okay. How long did it take you to capture the tones? [00:13:13] Randall: Uh, I, Hmm. Um, I would say it was like my second trip. So I was, I taught there for a semester as an undergrad, and then I went and studied for a semester at a university, uh, junction University in Guang Jo, for one semester, and really paid attention to tones and got a, a, a firm foundation in grammar and so on at that time. Uh, and so, you know, that made me very aware and I would constantly ask if I got the tones right or check the tones. I had a I act actually let my little pocket dictionary over there, uh, that I would have with me at all times. And so I was, I had to be very intentional about it, but once I got the hang of it, I, it, it was very natural. So for the most part, you know, uh, my tones are pretty good. Like I can order, I can order food over the phone and then show up and they're looking for a Chinese person, [00:14:08] katya: Oh that's amazing Yes Congratulations Uh um my my dissertation and my specialty in college uh was to teach Russian as a foreign language to grad students and freshmen who come to college in Russia to get their degree in Russia but they would come from foreign countries um I have so much appreciation for anybody who can at adult age capture a foreign language you know acquire it to an extent that they can actually freely communicate [00:14:43] Randall: And yet so many people, uh, especially here in the us, uh, do that. There's, know, they don't get credit. It's more like, you know, why, why do you have an accent? Is kind of the response that is often, you know, that people often get and uh, I, having gone through that journey myself, I definitely have a lot of respect. And from what I hear, Russian is especially difficult to learn because of the number of tenses and things of this [00:15:12] katya: Yes Russian is pretty hard Um but I would recommend if you ever wanted to to just immerse yourself and um you'll get it It's hard to learn it on your own for sure uh I assume mentoring would be the same if you just try to use dual lingo [00:15:31] Randall: The uh, the, the grammar of Mandarin is really easy and that helps a lot. So I found it easier than Spanish. [00:15:38] katya: Oh yes But just being able to converse [00:15:40] Randall: Yeah. Yeah. Um, so, okay, so you had a background in linguistics and teaching, uh, Russian to foreigners. Um and then you went into the oil and gas industry, traveled around the world husband ended up in, outside of Houston, Texas, and you have this idea to start a bike shop. So let's what what, is that journey like? Like what was your analysis? Uh, like what has, what has it been like actually running a small business and dealing with the, the ups and downs and the, the risks and the vendors and all this other, [00:16:12] katya: Yes Um well we definitely had no idea what we were getting ourselves into I just had this dream so need to back off back off a little bit and explain Um so you know coming first I arrived in Houston in 2010 and I saw this as an extremely car-centric community society city with no real urban planning Um and then you know then I would go to China Then I returned in 2016 and we moved to a completely different area and suddenly I realized that there are a lot of bikeways here Uh the bikeways were built by um well some are shared use pathways so they're like extended sidewalks uh you can say And some are actual bikeways that follow the bayou So as you know Houston floods this area floods everybody remembers Harvey We have a diversion channel system to remove the water um into the Gulf And uh this neighborhood is crisscross but a lot of bayou e and it's Bayou uh has easements So they actually own the land around the bayou So imagine that this channels uh that Water grass a lot of land and the local management of this channels will afford drainage district are run by wonderful people who understand the value of investing back in the community So they have realized with the help of some bike advocates cuz none of the board members actually ride bikes or not much but they have realized that there's a huge value in investing into bikeways along these channels So all of this community has about 30 miles of bike trails just through our little you know there's about 7,000 homes here So it's not huge and the amount of bikeways per square mile is pretty impressive Uh every kid can bike to elementary school here so with middle and high school it's a little bit more longer to commute But every kid can get to school by bike walk or on a scooter When we came here it's pretty impressive And there's about five elementary schools here but when we came in 2016 I was shocked how empty those paths are Just made me really sad I would be the only person riding around you know to local grocery store or very few other people There maybe were other people I could never see many Um there were a bunch of kids who would go to school but also even now you know we have the streets that are full of carpool parents people who said for 30 minutes and they only have to cross from one street to the other that would do have infrastructure to support their kids bike into school So it just made me really sad And then I thought you know believe there was a bike shop and they they could do some advocacy They could maybe you know help the community to realize the potential that they have to see that this investment is done for them to improve their life quality um and to you know reduce carbon monoxide pollution It's that simple Right Um and We had the resources to do it So you know we started to look around and we thought well let's try So right We opened the shop we get all the wholesalers on board And then um and then it became very interesting because um one thing I did not realize you know speaking of being woman in the in the industry think I had a blind spot for any um like uh misconception about what women can do Uh because you know coming from Russia Russian women deal with uh slightly different issues In the World War ii huge population of Russian men was um just disappeared as victims of war and Russian women had to carry the economy essentially on their shoulders We had female sks we had women factory directors we had female drivers like women could always do everything Uh my mother is a doctor Super typical Um you know there was never an issue that oh well she's a woman and she will have a harder time going to school or whatever my grandmothers have college education Um it was never even a question Um you know working in oil and gas as well I have never felt um that I'm less then Amen And then here ran in a local bike shop in Texas opened my eyes towards some of the biases that are out there And I remember just not even recognizing that and I would just think oh well that was strange interaction which has just happened But I wouldn't have somebody from here And it typically would be a man some of my friends And she would come and say oh you know they talk to you like that because you're a woman So first of all they think you don't know anything Uh they probably make an assumption that you are $8 an hour who just comes here to say hi Bye [00:21:17] Randall: Mm-hmm. [00:21:18] katya: And we're a very small shop So initially when we opened it was May and my tech uh Michael who is African American and an Eastern European woman and we are running a bike shop in a suburb of Houston [00:21:35] Randall: Text [00:21:36] katya: So you can only imagine Uh but know despite all that I think we brought um so much interesting um so many interesting characteristics like from our our personalities and backgrounds that it it works out [00:21:55] Randall: So what has been the, uh, the learning curve as you've been both preneur and in terms of, you know, maybe specifics to the industry or the machine? [00:22:03] katya: Oh gosh Well I'm trying to be positive and all I'm seeing is a Potential for um and I think you know honestly COVID has opened a lot of people's eyes to what's possible when uh you don't have to commute long hours in traffic to work and you can work from home and what's possible um for a local Environments to be built more human centered Uh so many cities in Europe uh have um revamped their urban planning and even here in the US I see potential with electric bikes Um I really hope that understanding of climate change and the human impact in on climate will help as well So in terms of bike commute I see a lot of potential with sports and bi bi cycling is a sport It's a little bit different story This is where I see gravel is playing a huge role [00:23:08] Randall: Mm-hmm [00:23:08] katya: um and adventure by bike Um and that I think is [00:23:14] Randall: with you there. [00:23:15] katya: right and I think that's something that not just I learned as you know as we went into the business I think everybody figured that out in the industry that this is kind of where we're heading uh for um in terms of know just running a small business uh in this part of of um the us mean it's what it is You learn the skills You you you know you help you try to stay positive uh you try to work with community Um yeah it's it's been quite a journey [00:23:52] Randall: So talk about, um, some of the, like what do you carry, what type of shop, and then how have you gotten the word out and how do you engage with the community where you are? [00:24:01] katya: Ryan So we started the idea was to have a community centered shop to help people quote unquote to get out on bikes our initial focus was mostly bike commute so we were the kind of shop that always carried bunch of cruisers step throughs uh single speeds racks fenders commuter backs veneers Cute helmets um you know a bunch of gear for commuters And then we have evolved a lot uh with gravel uh with all I was a roadie even before I opened the shop Um I actually started psych I was in track and field in school and then my knees just started to get really bad when I was In like late twenties I couldn't run as much Um so I you know I had miles and I would ride with him in the trailer and like try to fight the roadies on the local loop with my cruiser bike and a kid and a trainer then I thought well maybe it's time for me to get an actual road bike So I started you know I love the fitness aspect of Cyclone for sure but roads here are pretty unsafe Uh where we are in in our little pocket in It's tolerable You can actually I don't mind doing solo 20 30 mile ride out here with uh a good portion of it being in traffic you can only do it on certain times of the day only uncertain roads The rest of the roads are just so crazy fast and dangerous Uh but we have a gravel levy two miles from the shop you can go there 24 hours Uh it's always empty You will see a bunch of deer very few people You're totally safe And uh we started to train out there uh and then we introduced a bunch of people to the levee and now we have rides out there But my true gravel rides are about an hour from here in the car we drive out in the country And that's when you have your hundreds and hundreds of miles of gravel [00:26:05] Randall: Got it. Very, very cool. [00:26:07] katya: So yeah it it has moved a little bit and then bike packing you know that kind of jumped on board Natural progression I do feel like if you have a gravel bike and then tell it to my customers who come to get a bike and say well think you only wanna do 20 miles of this little gravel path over here but look at this this is what you could do And we have this big photographs of backpacking trips on the walls so people can see and hopefully get inspired and you know and go to one of our cuz we do this beginner backpacking trips I have one coming up this weekend by the way [00:26:39] Randall: Oh, no kidding. [00:26:40] katya: Yeah Mm [00:26:41] Randall: That's great. And it is part, um, so I'm fully on board with you. I've been, I mean, gravel bikes have existed in, in other forms. For a long time people were riding road bikes with 23 roads, long before there was something called a gravel bike. And people have been bike packing since before it was called bike [00:26:59] katya: Mm-hmm [00:27:00] Randall: but the fact that there's this focus on making versatile machines that can, you know, really tackle a variety of road surfaces and have mounting points for different gear and so on, just makes it so well, why not get a machine that can do a lot more? And then it just begs the question, and why don't you get out there and have some of these experiences? And there's a, a lot of people who do good work. So, so having, having a group activity, like what you're putting on, I would imagine just radically reduces the barrier to entry for a lot of people. [00:27:31] katya: Hmm You know I remember uh when I got my first road bike and in general and in it's gonna be a little bit philosophical but me cycling became an entry into society here when we moved from Dubai That was in 2010 when we first arrived in Texas in Houston and I didn't know anybody Um it is people are super friendly here and it's very international and you do start making friends very quickly And you know I had a kid um so you know making friends with other parents was relatively easy but I didn't I wasn't here long enough to start going to school or to get a job I was still uh getting my green card then And I met so many people through recycling My best friends here in Houston were all mad through recycling group but I remember that when I got my bike I was still really shy I didn't know anyone and I ride alone I would ride every single day by myself or have a kid and tow or have you know a babysitter looking or my husband looking o after him And I would go and do loops by myself in the same time just as a way to stay fit And I did that for about a year before I was brave enough to join in a group And I remember I was Intimidated uh when you're a beginner and and you and you don't you don't know if you're gonna be safe out there and you don't know if you're gonna act right and you gonna you know say right things especially you know my language is improving hopefully but you know it's so far from where it could be and just being so anxious about it And then all the friends that I made through cycling were so friendly so helpful I think that experience allows me to be that helpful and friendly face in the shop when I have somebody who comes in and these are my favorite customers my favorite person in the shop is someone who wants to get into biking Maybe they want to get their first bike or maybe they want to start biking for groceries or to work uh because I know what they experience And as someone who taught in college I know how to break down activities into steps so I can just really kind of micromanage their entry Uh I do beginner road rides where anybody's welcome on bike We will talk about what hand to use how to ride together in a group how not to bump into each other how to act with traffic What is the safest road to ride I just love helping people in that way because you never know where are they gonna end up Maybe they're gonna be like me and open a bike shop years later [00:30:27] Randall: It's, I, I can't tell you how many examples, uh, including my own, uh, of people who have used the bicycle. As you know, I, I've said many times on this podcast a vehicle for connection. And so like, you know, I, the, the, the thing that I recall, like the first thing I recall being able to do on my own pretty much at any time for extended periods and really enjoy my own company, was riding a bicycle. the rolling meditation part of it. The going out and exploring a place from a different vantage point. Like if wherever you live, you're going to experience it very differently on a bicycle, especially a bicycle that you can take off and explore the back trails and parks and the roads that you don't take, cuz it's not the direct line between any A and b. and then the community element of it. You know, rolling up next to somebody, striking up a conversation, going to your first group ride, you know, showing up in jorts in a, in an old helmet and a bike that's falling apart and whatever. And then slowly like learning the ropes and going through that, that rite of passage. Uh, and then I also resonate very much with, um, the opportunity for folks like ourselves who've kind of gone through a lot of that journey to just make it easier for others, you know, reduce the, the friction, make it so that there's educational materials, make it so that there are rides that are accessible. Make it so that there's content like this conversations where people can hear like, oh, I'm, I'm. Uh, unique in my slight awkwardness in getting into this. Um, you know, even the, the people that seem all put together and the cool kids on the bikes were, uh, well, I'll speak for myself. I was definitely, definitely a socially awkward awkward in general when I first started riding. And, um, very much the bike has been kind of a, a, a means of, uh, I mean career, uh, relationships all around the world, uh, opportunities and so on. And even if you don't take this extreme path or taking, you know, starting a bike shop, um, just the friendships that, you get cultivated or like the, the healthy habits that get developed, the reduced stress and how that impacts one's entire life. [00:32:43] katya: Well and you know with going back to how we may appear all put together on our rides um I when I first meet people who are interested in something like a gravel rod like say they're roadies and they're hear about gravel rods but they're not sure if they have the skills or if they can tackle this you know climb and the ground under you shifting all the time and you're sleeping And I always say look uh when I broke my back I was still I was told I'll never get a bike again And I was told that if I can I should not And with all this screws that I have in there I'm still out there you know and I'm 42 year old mother and I'm riding bikes and I'm doing this you know crazy adventures My next trace is 280 miles [00:33:37] Randall: All in one [00:33:39] katya: Oh in one go Yeah It's it's an ultra bike fucking thing Shout out to bikes or Death it East Texas Showdown [00:33:47] Randall: All right. When is this? [00:33:49] katya: I uh I'm a month from now so I've been geeking out on tires and setups but I've done that before though it's not my first show so [00:33:58] Randall: of course. Well, well bravo on that. You definitely, I've never done a ride that long. Longest I've ever done was, uh, a 300 k ride when I was, uh, training in Europe for a couple of weeks. And, uh, that was the hardest day I've ever put in the saddle. So [00:34:14] katya: 300 K That would be about 200 miles [00:34:17] Randall: yeah, a hundred. And I think it ended up being like 188 or 189 miles. Um, 180 6 I think is, is 200, 300 K [00:34:26] katya: or off road [00:34:27] Randall: road. [00:34:28] katya: Yeah [00:34:29] Randall: Yeah. So very different animal right Road is easier. Even with the mountain passes road is definitely easier to cut. And I was in a, I was in a Peloton with a bunch of other fast riders and we were like, you know, so I was, I got carried through certain sections. I mean, had to do the climbs, but on the, on the flats we were doing 25 and I was probably putting out 150 watts and just kind of cruising. [00:34:50] katya: We'll be doing 12 [00:34:52] Randall: Yeah. [00:34:53] katya: miles an hour It's off road or 70% offroad [00:34:58] Randall: That's awesome. Very, very cool. [00:35:01] katya: So if I can do it anyone can [00:35:04] Randall: Well, and so I also, I didn't appreciate, this at all. When, um, you know, when, when I first reached out, I only knew about a little bit about your background, um, and, uh, that you had this shop that was very community focused, but, you know, you spent, so you broke your back cycling in China. That's not the, the full extent of your, your China story. So especially as someone who spent so much time there myself, I want to hear more about how'd you end up there? Uh, you were working at, with, for an orphanage there as well. [00:35:37] katya: Uh yeah So with China it was the the time when my husband was still fully involved in oil and gas and um he was Offered an opportunity to manage a huge huge project in Dion that's just across from South Korea On on the Sea Uh there's several massive shipyards so whatever we receive over here a lot of that stuff when it comes from China it comes from Dion or that area generically It's about two hour flight north from Beijing And um yeah we all decided to go So um I was going to school here but I you know I said you know that's such an awesome opportunity to discover that part of Asia I haven't been there before and it's very close to Russia as well So uh we moved and um yes I ended up um I was cycling there ended up hurting myself really bad about a month in South Korea Um my injury quite extensive so I had to be Placed uh in a jet and taken over to Samsung Medical Center in in Seoul for spinal surgeries Um it was easier from Dian It was easier to go to se than to Beijing for the style of surgery that I had because it was faster and I had collapsed lung so I couldn't be on the plane for a long time as well So they needed to move me somewhere where it's close and uh good quality of healthcare [00:37:11] Randall: Mm-hmm [00:37:11] katya: And yeah Seoul was the closest place where they took me And when I returned from so I spent about a month my son and my husband were in China I was in Korea uh in the hospital for about a month Uh then I moved back when I was allowed to walk Um and when I arrived in Darlin I thought well I can't ride my bike uh and I can't I I can't really go anywhere far Um what am I going to do And there was a community Now Dion is not very well known among Westerners most of expats who go to that part of China are Chinese or Cor uh Japanese or Korean So I was surrounded by um awesome awesome families from Japan and Korea We made a lot of friends especially if we could speak Yeah if they knew a little bit of English that would help Um but yeah there were not very many expats at all So I tried to like find myself in that community And there was a little group of women who were going to a local orphanage uh just to help out Um cuz the orphanage was understaffed It's a public orphanage I don't know the number the name Just kind of know where it's located I could not ever read exactly what it said and then I so I would come and I would just help help the nurses help Daise to take care of little kids then I heard that they this orphanage was selected to participate in an program where older kids so age seven and up uh would possibly go to the US and would be possibly adopted in the US at that old I think the limit is 15 years old So between wanna say between seven and two 15 that age group I suggested you know as a linguist I said oh they have to be speaking English a little bit Um because it's gonna be such a trauma for a child even you know we might think with a white person complex that we're doing this amazing thing by removing this child into a Western society but it's a huge trauma cuz they're going from a familiar environment you know people who take care of them they're friends uh and they're dropped in you know this com like on the moon and they don't they can't even express that they're hungry or that they need to go to the bathroom or you know any discomfort that they have And insisted it took about a month to get a permission I think the orphanage was very concerned about teaching something that's not correct I don't know maybe some know it's very political right Um so I had to be I had to be persuasive but also I had to be you know very precise and say look this is what I'm going to do These are the books I'm going to use It's gonna be so simple It's gonna be just conversational language so that the kids don't suffer as much as they would with the separation anxiety from their environment And eventually they allowed me to come I had a group of about maybe 10 kids and it would change some would join and some would leave And eventually um about half of them were adopted in the US and it was uh it the program became so good I mean I would be there several times a week regularly with lessons plans Uh I had typically one of the teachers stay with me The the orphanage uh supervisors stay with me so they get to learn as well And it became so good And the demand was so good for this type of lessons that I trained other uh English speaking women in uh our little community so they could come and do this And there were some women who had teaching backgrounds so they got it really quickly and they could come and work with kids There was documentary made I mean I had a TV crew to come and film I think it was made for the prospective parents to see that you know this orphanage has this program so you will be able to communicate with kids I've never seen the end product but to me that was a sign that something that I'm doing is helpful I was not paid It was just totally volunteering but I really enjoyed it Really enjoyed it and it's something that I know how to do So [00:42:02] Randall: that's. , really wonderful. Truly, truly wonderful. And something that, you know, when I, when you had shared that with me again, uh, was very resonant. One I've, I taught in, in, I taught English was teaching uh, high school students and I got to create my own curricula. I actually had 40 classes and they would rotate every two weeks. So I get an each class every two weeks. And so I would create curricula around, um, you know, there one where we did, uh, song lyrics. So we you know, singing Beatles tracks and things like that Um, and then others were, you know, just a, the creative element of being able to create, uh, um, a curriculum for an audience that was really stoked just to interact. Um and this was back in 2004, so China was a very different place. Um, the changes have been so, . And then also I, I also recall, uh, so I lived in Guang Jo for a period and a lot of the adoptions go through, uh, Shanda in, Guang Jo in, um, it's the, uh, the US consulate there. Mm I think it's Beijing and Guang Jo is where most of them go And so you'll, I remember going to that part of town and seeing, you know, mostly Caucasian American families there adopting these mostly, uh, uh, female Chinese [00:43:26] katya: Mm-hmm [00:43:27] Randall: And it didn't occur to me at the time, um, just how, I mean, just how traumatic, even at that age that is, kids have already gone through the trauma of like not having their mother, [00:43:42] katya: mm [00:43:43] Randall: which. You know, it's something I, I didn't appreciate, uh, until doing a whole lot of, uh, therapy and me meditation and various other things, just how critical that early is. to imagine what you're describing of, you know, someone who's a teenager and mm is, is very much, uh, uh, in many ways formed. Mm-hmm constantly changing, but there's a lot of deeply ingrained patterns. There's language, there's familiarity. Then you go to a place where maybe there's no one who looks like you [00:44:15] katya: Mm [00:44:16] Randall: and maybe it's not welcoming. [00:44:18] katya: mm [00:44:18] Randall: Yeah who, who want to love you but don't know how to speak. Not just language with words, but your language with behaviors and Um, were the, I'm curious, were the kids, um, in general, were they excited about the prospect of go being adopted outside of China or, [00:44:37] katya: They were but they were also very scared [00:44:41] Randall: Yeah [00:44:42] katya: I think And it's it's going it's very sad what I'll say right now But I still remember when we were talking we had lessons when some fa some kids were already selected they knew they were moving one kid is trying to explain push like he shows this poof poof that people shoot that something that he maybe has seen in the movies mass media the guns in America And that's one thing he shows to me and he is trying to explain I'm scared that there are a lot of guns and and maybe I will be killed People shoot in America a lot So I then have to explain and of course their language you know they've been taking classes maybe for six months prior their language is quite limited But I'm trying to explain will not be shot in the America There are a lot of very good people and kind people and they will love you and they will take care of you And look I lived in America I never seen a gun in America never Nowhere on the street there was a person with a gun You will not see the gun But that that's one thing they told me immediately [00:45:56] Randall: Mm-hmm. . It [00:45:58] katya: It's sad This is these are the stereotypes that [00:46:01] Randall: well, and those stereotypes go very heavily in both directions. I remember when I was first going to China, um, Uh, family members being, uh, certain family members being deeply concerned. You know, it's a communist country. And, um, there's all these, you it comes from, comes from ignorance ultimately. Um, but you know, the, it's people often fear what they don't understand. Um, my experience there was profoundly different and, you know, it's been in, in my very limited way in my circles. Like, I consider it a real opportunity to have been, uh, immersed in that culture. It's, it's my second culture and be able to dispel a lot of those myths actually. Um, yes, there's the Chinese Communist Party and yes, it has, uh, you know, a fairly authoritarian bent, but, um, here's a mirror on our culture and in many ways, like you, Communism in China doesn't mean what you think it means [00:47:00] katya: mm [00:47:00] Randall: it's largely capitalist in some ways, more capitalist ways that have their own problems. Um, and more fundamentally at the end of the day, like people are people. That's the thing that I have learned, um, and that I think learning a another language and immersing in other culture teaches more than anything is that we all have, you know, we all have, um, hopes and fears. We all have, you know, basic needs that are largely common, like, you know, and shelter and food and companionship and esteem and things like this. Um, and while culture can result in various seemingly disparate manifestations at our core, there's a hell of a lot more in common. In fact, I, I find that at the end of the day, if I can identify someone, something in someone else, positive or negative, um, That I have it in myself as well. [00:47:58] katya: Hmm mm-hmm Yes You know through all the travels that I've done I've figured out we've really need so little uh to well I maybe I speak for myself but I think most people and I've seen it in other expats um if you have a job you have self-fulfilment fulfillment and you have friends and you have um you know close people that you love and take care of and and that's pretty much all you need And it doesn't matter where you are you can be uh you know in uh beautiful So in China we lived in Shula so you know Shilla [00:48:41] Randall: Yeah. The [00:48:42] katya: right So in Dion Shangrila Hotel had apartment complex next to it and it was just so luxurious right And then in Australia we lived in a tiny little farmhouse uh in the middle of nowhere And I all my life I lived in small apartments in Save or in Moscow Uh and it doesn't matter where you are if you have family good health hopefully um know basic needs are met Uh you're good so simple [00:49:16] Randall: Now this actually brings up, uh, what I think might be an interesting topic, which is, I mean, you're of Russian descent. you lived in Russia, you spent most of life in Russia. Um, there's a conflict between, well, there's a perceived conflict between Russia and the West at the moment. There's a lot of. I think concern in, in American society, uh, and in European society about But, uh, maybe we can, well, I think already this conversation should dispel some myths from, uh, of Yeah. Amongst people who've never heard, uh, you know, truly heard the voice of a, of a native, uh, Russian in terms of just how much love and kindness and so on, uh, you bring to the table. But, uh, What [00:50:00] katya: Uh yeah know my biggest takeaway from this whole conflict right now is protect media and freedom of speech But but for the media especially I have respect for those big resources uh like Washington Post or like New York Times or like b C you know these big channels because once they get controlled by someone uh it's so easy Even in modern society with all the access to information that we have is so easy for them to block it Whoever is in control of the narrative controls the mind controls the politics the Russian society is uh really divided right now And um sorry to say it but I think it's heavily brainwashed And the reason it's brainwashed is precisely because uh all the media were banned the free speech So to speak uh media were banned uh right now The Russian the Russian platform that I personally follow they have been uh broadcasting from Europe since 24th of February When the war started they were banned immediately so they had to move out and start broadcasts from Europe The only way to listen to them in Russia towards them would be through vpn but just very recently they were called pretty much a terrorist organization and anybody who shares a screenshot uh an audio recording a screen grab from a video from the program anybody who shares on their social platform private Like Facebook's band Instagram's band So it would be Telegram Okay Telegram is still allowed If you share you are looking at potential arrest in jail time uh because you are supporting terrorism This is how far it's gone since 24th of February last year Um and you know if somebody told me a year ago that you cannot control the whole of Russian population you cannot switch all of the internet Well now my answer is yes you can If you make people if you if people are so afraid to share um the you know their conversations become very personal They maybe will talk face to face and they will say you know what saw that Russia just has bombed this houses and 10 children died and these were not military um you know groups It was just a house You can say that in conversation but you cannot broadcast it on any any social platform And that's how you just slowly slowly you're closing closing it up And people who are brave enough to speak out they either end up in jail or they get out [00:53:14] Randall: Mm-hmm. [00:53:15] katya: and yeah [00:53:16] Randall: Well, and just for anyone who is, uh, listening and is somewhat sat self-satisfied, thinking that it can't happen here, these same forces are at play in, um, you know, quote unquote democratic societies. [00:53:31] katya: Mm-hmm it can happen anywhere [00:53:34] Randall: can happen anywhere. There's definitely, uh, you know, consolidation of media. There's definitely. you know, certain, you know, there have been times when having certain opinions could, can get you shouted down, can get you essentially canceled in a way. you know, I remember when the, the Iraq war was being debated [00:53:54] katya: Mm [00:53:55] Randall: you know, the buildup towards that. And if you had a dissenting opinion, uh, you were, you know, anti-American. Um well, you know, it's, uh, in, in retrospect it seems like a number of people on both sides of the political spectrum, uh, look at that conflict as not, uh, having born the fruits that were promised [00:54:16] katya: Mm-hmm yes [00:54:17] Randall: Um, and you know, the point that I would make is, You know, we all have our beliefs, we all have our, uh, predispositions. Um, but you know, another form of this that seems quite pervasive here is the bubbles. You know I only you know, I, I only read certain types of media and the other media is bad. And then the people on the other side have the same sort of perspective. And so getting, having a diverse diet, including of opinions you don't like, including of opinions you don't agree with from parties that you, um, don't, uh, necessarily resonate with, but treating them like people who are doing their best and who may look at you in the same way and have some merits in that perspective, uh, I think is tremendously valuable and is also essential in not having a society progress in the direction towards extreme polarity, I factionalism and so on. [00:55:11] katya: Mm [00:55:13] Randall: Oh [00:55:14] katya: You know I think one of the best thing each of us can do to combat our own biases step out of our own echo chambers the more even if you have very polarized opinions around yourself the Opinions you surround yourself with the better your selection is the you know the more the wider the picture you see And even you know being a extremely liberal super left leaning person in Texas um you know I'm surrounded by people who don't feel the same that I do But for you know for many reasons I want to know where they're coming from because there's no way for me to br to build the bridge towards that side If I ignore that side is there you have to see the other bank to be able to reach out to it So I know there is a lot of you know there's so much polarization whereas some people say oh I proudly don't I'm not going to include in my circle This type of person who thinks that way like for me would be a gun owner I would say oh well but hey you want to have as many opinions around yourself and you know to get a full picture And uh you know my message to my son who's 13 and who's super interested in ev in all politics right now um in being of Russian descent as well loves so socialism communism he loves the iconography of it he would wear Russian C C C P U society t-shirt before the now he's not But uh you know my message to him and everybody in his age group is Hey critical thinking is what you want And to develop critical thinking you wanna have a lot of sources of of information know how to process information know how to you know digest it find the key moments and don't just trust the loudest wa voice in the room And in Russia going back to that in Russia right now um all the loudest voices have extremely conservative They're very polarizing It is hard but that gives me even more appreciation for anybody who stands out And there are still people who are out there protesting Uh there are a lot of women who protest cons The wives of those you know guys imagine that Imagine you're an IT specialist or you're a banker You have nothing against Ukraine never had you have relatives over there Uh you are very peaceful never had a gun in your hand You maybe have two kids at home and a dog and then somebody shows up To your office cuz they do it They can script now through offices uh they come to your boss and they bring him the name of the list of names and they're saying we know that such and such works Here you will be responsible for distributing the conscription notes And the boss comes into the room They don't even know what's going on You're just okay guys you were all conscripted because as soon as you receive the paper you acknowledge that you know you've been called and you can't really back out So you can hide and not open the door if they come to your house People literally have been hiding Russian men have been running from their homes There is a guy who build a camp in the woods like in Taiga Forest so that the people don't find him He's got no address Nobody knows where he is because once they see your face and once you receive it in your hand they got you And yeah imagine this Bankers go to war and a month later the wife gets a note that he's dead This is what happens to Russian soldiers and these poor women know now they have kids they have a dead husband in the war they it wasn't his defined uh there is a story of uh of an it or yeah someone from administrative you know side of life who was hired a lawyer to fight his conscription because by law he was not supposed to be conscripted He was killed while the lawyer was protesting his conscription he was killed at the war zone Um not I not trying to you know Russia look like a victim is an aggressor and I'm terribly ashamed what my country does And when people come to the shop and they ask me oh where's your accent from It is so difficult to answer this question like it's always been cuz I don't wanna be stereotyped as someone who's Russian or someone someone at all Like I don't want you to know like I live to so many places who knows what has formed me as as a woman right now but right now especially it's really hard And I always give a disclaimer and I say yes I'm from Russia I support Ukraine I feel like I have to say because I don't want Anybody to think because there are so many who do support the war unfortunately it's hard Um it's very difficult [01:00:23] Randall: Well, and, and again, like to, before we bring it full circle, like, you know, I, I, I sus, I wonder if there are, you know, if, if there are any Vietnam veterans who might be listening who might with some of that experience. I mean, we are immune to this in, uh, in the us And furthermore, you know, in my own travels, um, you know, I've been to places where I've been asked to account for the choices of the government, of the country I come from particularly, um, back in the, you know, 2004, 2005, 2006. Um, and, um, it, you know, as much as, uh, there's an American. Belief in, you know, a certain set of values and like this idea that we, uh, are promulgating these values in the world. Well, oftentimes the things that are, are that the population here is not paying attention to are going counter, uh, to the narrative that's being put out. But, um, we've, we've gone gonna, I think you and I will end up having another conversation [01:01:25] katya: Yes. Yes. [01:01:27] Randall: sort of thing, but to, to bring it full circle, you know, talking about like connecting with people [01:01:34] katya: Mm. [01:01:34] Randall: who have different perspectives and backgrounds and so on. Um, I don't think it's at all trite to say that like, this is an experience that you can have on a bicycle. Like on a bicycle. You go show up for a group ride and you know, you can find rides where everyone, you know, is a skinny, shaved shave legged white guy and Lyra going, going hammering on the road ride. But there's a lot of diversity to be had as well if you find your group and there's nothing quite like the shared ordeal of a long bike ride, um, to break down barriers and help realize the humanity of another person. [01:02:10] katya: Oh, for sure. And, you know, speaking of diversity in Cycline, um, I, I really do feel, and it's, you know, it's not just, you know, thinking someone's tune or what's the phrase that. Adventures. Cycline in general does that, and by that I mean gravel events. So I'm not specifically not saying racing, but gravel events, bike packing events. I feel like my contribution, um, to build in or to help in reach out is because I'm a female and I'm not from here. And, you know, English is my foreign language and I'm just trying to have a good time on the bike. So for me, I'm coming from this, you know, vantage point where I really don't care you look like, how old you are, what your bike is like. I just want us to go out there and have a great time and I want you to have a very good experience. Um, and you know, the fact that Cy. Still perceived as, you know, middle-aged men or younger men, super fed, um, out in old matching kid, you know, beautiful bike. think it's very, uh, retro. I think it's dying out. Um, the people that I see, uh, are becoming a lot more how would just different, you know, come with what you have. And I'm so happy that, uh, at least on the gravel side of things, is really welcoming. There's so many women's clinics, they're, you know, there are these pros who do great videos and they write it in these amazing places where in Jordans and flip flops. Um, I think that is actually super encouraging too. Like everybody, and it's funny, I do some advocacy here where I go out and meet some decision makers, um, for local infrastructure investments. Like when there is some, I just want to a, a meeting about an extension of a highway, you know, stuff like that. I make sure if I can, I make sure to come on my bike in a skirt and like flip flops or not to look at all as a cyclist. Um, just to, to say, look, we look the same. We are the same, we speak the same language. Like there's nothing that really separates me from you. I think there's nothing worse than going to places like that full decked out and Lyra and, and screaming pretty much, I am so different from you. Um, know, at the end of the day we wanna find more commonalities than, you know, something that separates us. And, uh, biking for sure can be both. Uh, and I think that's why I gravitate to commuting by bike. Fuck adventure though I love road cycling for sport. It's amazing. increases my F tp hopefully. [01:05:10] Randall: Yeah, [01:05:11] katya: I follow my metrics. I do my intervals [01:05:15] Randall: well, Katy, um, it's been really, really lovely connecting with you, hearing your story. I'm sure that, uh, you know, some of the members of the community will, will appreciate it as well. Uh, if folks want to find your shop, find information about, uh, the work that you're doing, how, how would they go about doing so [01:05:33] katya: Um, well, thank you very much. It was very nice. Uh, I, I should have mentioned that I got to know your podcast through my 20 hour drive to Colorado, and I listened to 15, 15 episodes in a row, just binged on my drive, so I'm extremely honored. , don't even know how honored I am to be here. Two years ago when I was driving to Timbo, it was Timbo gravel race I would've never, ever imagined. Um, but to find us, um, cool Cat Cycles website, cool Cat Cycles is just one cat and she cycles with c ccc. Easy to remember. Cool cat cycles. Um, dot com and then Facebook page. All my events are on Facebook. We are also ambassadors and right with gps, so you might be able to find cool cat cycles. Uh, there is at least one word there, backpacking route. Um, and then Instagram. Cool cat cycles as well. I answer all the messages quickly. Uh, I love sharing my roots. All my roots are right with gps. My personal roots are public. I'll be very happy to send a bike back in route, the gravel route. I'm out in the country, uh, about 50 minutes from here, twice a week, riding gravel, and I know those roads like my 10 fingers. [01:06:59] Randall: Well, um, for anyone listening who happens to be in the area around katy, Texas [01:07:05] katya: Cat cycles. [01:07:06] Randall: Cycles strongly encourage you to pay them a visit and join one of their rides. And I also just wanna say that it's been an honor and a privilege chatting with you as well. It's one of the joys of this role, and it's something I don't take lightly. So thank you for coming on. [01:07:20] katya: Thank you so much Randall. [01:07:21] Craig Dalton: That's going to do it for this week's edition of the gravel ride podcast. Big thank you to Randall and Katia for that interesting conversation. And big, thanks to our friends at dynamic cyclist. Remember, use the coupon code, the gravel ride to get 15% off any dynamic cyclist program. If you're interested in connecting with me or Randall or Katia for that matter, I encourage you to join the ridership. That's www.theridership.com. That's a free global cycling community where you can connect with other riders around the world. To trade information about roots and rides, parts and equipment. Anything that's in your gravel vocabulary. If you're able to support the show, please visit buy me a coffee.com/the gravel wide. Or ratings and reviews are hugely appreciated. Until next time. Here's to finding some dirt under your wheels. .

AMALA EKPUNOBI – TODAY, we are going to talk about the culture war that is happening right now in America…There is a war going on for the mind, heart, and soul of America. It's being waged from Preschool to the Board Room and the progressive ideology is threatening every aspect of what makes America exceptional. Meet Amala Ekpunobi. Amala was raised in a far-left activist household and was once a student organizer for the left. But being immersed in an environment where everyone thought the same way created a lot of unanswered questions. This led her to begin a quest for the truth and ultimately to a complete ideological transformation. She is now the host of the podcast Unapologetic Live with Amala. She inspires millions of young people every day to have open conversations, discover the truth, defend their values, and lead better lives. Let us know your takeaways. Post on social, tag UFA (@UnstoppableFreedomAlliance) and @theamalekpunobi and @prageru or visit her YouTube Channel Amala Ukpunobi: Unapologetic. Check out our website where you can find tools and resources to help you join in the fight for life! https://unstoppablefreedomalliance.com

Edmond Burke stated it (1729-1787) like this: “Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.” George Santayana wrote it like this, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”– (The Life of Reason, 1905.) I was shocked by how much hatred there is among some Christians and non-Christians for all things Jewish. Jews are to some voices on social media the monsters of greed, pedophilia, bad government, wars, famines, world domination, the antichrist, the devil, and more. They have been accused of every dark and evil thing imaginable. This tendency is not new. Historically, the Jews have been hated throughout history and accused, often falsely, that they were the scum of the earth.[1]  Though this article addresses much more than antisemitism, I am starting with that subject. I am not a Jew so I have no axe to grind, though I am consistently against all forms of antisemitism. When I was studying at the University that I eventually graduated from in the late 80's, I did much study on antisemitism throughout history. There are particularly interesting books about antisemitism. [2] There is NO question about the hatred of the Jew in the religion of Islam from when it was established. I've read the Qur'an. Islam is not a religion of peace and love, and Muslim hatred of the Jew is not a modern phenomenon, as the apologists want us to believe. The roots of Islamic antisemitism run as deep as when Muhammed first began to spread his religion.[3] Few are knowledgeable of the hatred of the Roman Empire against the Jews. Many countries have had their Jew haters. Yet, many erroneously believe that Jew-hatred was an isolated incident in Germany during the NAZI era. Sorry to burst your bubble but do a light perusal of modern social media and you will find many Holocaust deniers, and many that accuse the Jews of every evil under the sun.  Christianity had a big part to play in the promulgation of antisemitism. If I had space I would tell you about the virulent antisemitism of the protestant reformer Martin Luther. He was among the worst of the Jew-haters, and yet many follow his doctrine of "only believe"  as though it were the Gospel truth. It's not, but that is for another article. I am also not a Catholic so I am not espousing their opposition to Luther. For further details read the excellent book, Martin Luther's Anti-Semitism: Against His Better Judgment, Eric W. Gritsch. The author traces Luther's antisemitism and how it influenced Europe and the Final Solution under Hitler. I also suggest reading the tract Luther wrote displaying his hatred against the Jews, The Jews and Their Lies. Honestly, it reads like NAZI propaganda. Here are some excerpts: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/martin-luther-quot-the-jews-and-their-lies-quot.  I studied the Holocaust profusely, so I am unpleasantly surprised by the amount of ignorance and denial on the subject. I read one woman's comments on social media stating that the Red Cross records showed there were only 221,000 Jews murdered by the Nazi's in the concentration camps. The Nazi's kept meticulous records. The allied forces found many document caches, record books, and physical evidence. The Red Cross didn't have all the numbers as were recorded in Nazi records. Additionally, there were multiplied thousands of Jews that were dragged off the streets, out of their homes, taken from their lands, and forcibly removed from their businesses that were often shot by firing squads. Mass graves of Jews were found in many cities and towns. The same goes for wherever the NAZI war machine went. They murdered men, women, and children without remorse. One ghastly way the NAZI soldiers got rid of babies was by ripping them from Jewish mother's arms and smashing them against a wall. There were other ways they rid themselves of the “vermin” Jews as they conquered Europe. Many were herded onto trains and sent to their deaths in the concentration camps.   The Holocaust of the Jews was a historical fact that should never be denied, rewritten, modified, or forgotten. Unfortunately, many have forgotten the horrific toll on human life caused by the Nazis. It looks like many are moving progressively into repeating history with the medical lockdowns, masking, forced medical procedures, quarantines, vaccine concentration camps, and the need for vaccine passports. These bear a striking similarity to Nazi issued “papers” or written authorization to work, buy, sell, travel, and some are following the model of concentration camps of the Nazis. No, they are not throwing people in ovens or herding them into the “showers” to be murdered by poisonous gas. That is true, but when the non-pandemic began around March of 2020, nobody believed that forced vaccinations, vaccine passports, QR codes, and quarantine camps would ever happen. Some believed it to be conspiracy theories, but the actions of evil governments have proven differently. Look how far evil has gone, and how far the tyrants have taken it in a short amount of time, and never forget who they are! They will take it all the way to Revelation 13:16-18 and the mark of the beast if left unchecked. I believe we are winning in the U.S., though state by state. England cancelled all vaccine related mandates January of 2022, and soon other countries will follow. Other countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Italy, and others are full blown totalitarian vaccine lockdown states. It is so sad to see what has happened in these countries. The good news is that in Canada, France, Italy, and in other countries the populace is fighting back! Today, we are seeing a repeat of history with the nonsensical and unscientific worldwide Covid-19 response to a virus that is 99.9% survivable. “Oh, but what about all the variants that are more virulent?” ask the gullible. Here is the truth. All the variants are weaker mutated versions that are easier to resist than the original Covid-19. For those that get it, it will be a mild cold and you will get over it. There may be exceptions that some get a bad case because their immune system is compromised and/or they have other severe illnesses. For most people, it will be a mild. What is happening in our world with all this globalist agenda? What is behind the Covid nonsense we have seen from 2020 to 2022? It is not complicated really. We are seeing the attempted rise of the antichrist spirit to subjugate the human race under a global and totalitarian leadership,. The world is being prepared for the  beast system of government control. Anyone ever hear of the Book of Revelation I mentioned above? Why do pastors not teach that truth? There are a few exceptions, but 99% of churches refuse to see the correlations. A vast majority of churches around the globe complied and continue to comply with tyrannical governments. Most closed their doors without so much as a whimper. A great falling away (apostasy) from God and His Word has begun.  At that time, many will ·lose their faith [turn/fall away], and they will ·turn against [betray] each other and hate each other. Many false prophets will ·come [appear; arise] and ·cause many people to believe lies [deceive many]. There will be more and more ·evil [sin; lawlessness] in the world, so ·most people will stop showing their love for each other [the love of many/most will grow cold]. But those people who ·keep their faith [endure; stand firm; persevere] until the end will be saved. The Good News [This Gospel] about God's kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to every nation. Then the end will come. (Matthew 24:10-14 Expanded Bible) But even so, the Spirit very clearly tells us that in the last times some will abandon the true faith because of their devotion to spirits sent to deceive and sabotage, and mistakenly they will end up following the doctrine of demons. They will be carried away through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences have been branded with a red-hot iron. (1 Timothy 4:1-2 The Voice) Also he compels all [alike], both small and great, both the rich and the poor, both free and slave, to be marked with an inscription [stamped] on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that no one will have power to buy or sell unless he bears the stamp (mark, inscription), [that is] the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is [room for] discernment [a call for the wisdom of interpretation]. Let anyone who has intelligence (penetration and insight enough) calculate the number of the beast, for it is a human number [the number of a certain man]; his number is 666. (Revelation 13:16-18 AMP) Open your eyes and see that what is happening worldwide with the Covid response, mandates, passports (also QR codes), lockdowns, and quarantine camps! They are clearly preparing the way for the final mark of the beast! If you can't buy or sell, that includes a huge percentage of everything we do in life. If you can't buy, that means no food, electricity, water, gas, fuel, cars, boats, airplanes, houses, travel, schooling, property, and ad infinitum! If you can't sell, that means you are out of any and every kind of business transaction. That would curtail you operating or owning any kind of business. No work and no business. That is coming upon the world, and what we are seeing is the beginning of the antichrist government to come. Getting back to the genocide against the Jews by NAZI Germany, I read the extraordinarily bloody book, The Holocaust, by Sir Martin John Gilbert. Don't read it at night or the nightmares will be worse than any Freddy Kruger movie! Ask me how I know. Contrary to the Freddy Kruger movies that were all based on a scary fantastical story, genocide against the Jews of Europe truly happened. It was no myth. Gilbert's book made me suffer through the entire range of human emotion. That had never happened to me before. The record of man's inhumanity towards other human beings is graphically retold with its many gory details. Sir Martin Gilbert was the official historian for Winston Churchill. He was a thorough researcher and listed his many sources. He wrote about the history of the Holocaust using Nazi records and whatever other sources were available during the period. The sources indicate that millions of Jews were murdered. (See https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/estimated-number-of-jews-killed-in-the-final-solution). Hitler's death machine destroyed most of the Jewish population in Europe! It was no mere 221,000![4] In addition to reading about the genocide of the Jews in all its bloody details, visit the Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem (Yad Vashem). I have not visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. There is no question that the exhibits will be a shock that will stay with you for weeks if not months. I visited the entire museum in Jerusalem twice on two consecutive trips. After that, when in Israel with students, I would wait outside while the students toured the museum. Two times at the HHM was more than enough for me. Emotionally, it was tough to bear. The students would come out of the museum all messed up. The women often came out with make-up smeared on their faces, and men trying to hide their tears. It is not until you see the physical evidence, photos, movies, and hear the testimonies, that you realize the profound horrors of the holocaust.    Around 35 million people were murdered by the Nazi war machine. Did you know that? Poland's population was decimated by the Third Reich. Many Poles (and other Slavs) were sent to support the war effort through forced labor in factories. The Polish farmers were forcibly sent to farm German lands, and others were sent to the concentration camps.     Other people that were not considered of the pure Aryan race also died in the concentration camps. Gypsies (Roma), handicapped, homosexuals (even those suspected of it) were sent to the concentration camps to be exterminated. Jehovah's Witnesses rejected the Third Reich's demand of loyalty to their cause. The JW's were rounded up wherever the Nazis showed up in Europe. Thousands were murdered. Whatever you may think of Jehovah's Witnesses and their doctrines, they displayed a moral rectitude and backbone that was not found among most professing Christians in Europe. Most Christians in Germany caved to the demands of the Third Reich and became active supporters. You need to get that straight in your thinking. Christians folded in Germany like a deck of cards. There were a few exceptions, but Germany considered itself a “Christian” country during the rise of the Nazis. When I see what churches and ministers have done and are still doing with their compliance to all the totalitarian regime demands for the response to Covid, I know that in the 30's and 40's they would have easily been convinced to support Hitler's tyranny against the Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, and so on. It is obvious that the church in Germany was weak and ignorant of the Word. It is also evident that many churches today have become weak and tolerant of evil. Not only that, but many in the church have fallen from grace and faith because of their support and tolerance for lockdowns, forced church and business closures, vaccine passports, and quarantine concentration camps where people lose all freedoms.  The Nazis arrested politicians, lawyers, doctors, pastors, priests, and put them in ghettos to starve and die! Under the Nazi regime interracial marriages were considered an aberration to be eradicated, and the children of such unions were to be destroyed so the Aryan race would not be diluted. The Nazis considered the “mulatto” (mixed race) children born of such unions to be an infection needed to be destroyed.  Some blind and racist ignoramus mentioned repeatedly on a social media network that Hitler was not a racist. Any reading of Hitler's Mein Kampf begs to differ with the insanity that would think Hitler was not a racist! There is no way to read that devilish book and come away with love for other races except for the “white” Nordic-Aryan race! Hitler believed that only the Aryan-Nordic style race was pure and that all others were mixed. Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, blacks, and many others were considered mongrel races.[5]  In addition, there was a systematic Nazi boycott of all Jewish businesses, and Jews were forbidden to enter stores or restaurants, and own property. Hmmm. Does that sound familiar? In 2020 and 2021, we have seen countries forbidding the unvaccinated from entering stores, eating at restaurants, entering grocery stores, going into entertainment or exercise venues, and the list goes on. They could have just put a mark (or a yellow star) on the unvaccinated and called it by what it is, discrimination and racism. Oh wait, in many countries they did just that with their vaccine passports and QR codes! Canada (under martial law as of  February 2022), Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, and others have become fascist police states with its enforcement of vaccine mandates. Many of these countries have brutalized protesters. In Canada, peaceful protesters were arrested, beat, kicked, trampled, and some have been murdered by their own Gestapo police! We better wake up in America because the Biden regime would love to do the same here in America. Sadly, many forgot about World War 2 and the NAZI takeover of Europe and beyond. They forgot that Hitler started by imposing disarmament of citizens. Hitler health orders were specifically made to target the Jews because they supposedly were "super spreaders" of typhoid. Jews and others were to be removed from society. Many racist laws and mandates were implemented, and brown shirt regiments and Gestapo became the personal police force of the Nazis to see to it that Hitler's orders were obeyed without opposition. Have you ever heard of the Red Terror imposed by Lenin on Russian citizens to remove all opposition to his communist revolution? Again, history has many lessons to teach us about repressing the multitudes by intimidation, violent suppression, murder, disarming the people of firearms and anything that could be used as a weapon, forced labor camps, concentration camps, and the resultant starvation. Millions died through the actions undertaken by Lenin to subdue the people into complete obedience! Many thousands of “undesirables”, like the deplorables and conservatives of today, were murdered! Many were publicly executed.[6] The same can be said about China. Mao Zedong and his communist revolution were responsible for the deaths of  around 65 million Chinese[7]  Yet, you hear useless idiots venerate the mass murderer. They forgot or whitewashed Mao's bloody history with a romantic view of the CCP and its founder.[8]     Don't you see what this Covid-response has opened the door to? In the US, the FBI, DOJ, DC police, tech demi-gods, and other agencies are weaponized and may now be used to target conservatives and any opposing voice that disagrees with the Democrat's socialist and globalist agenda. Wake up! One BIG difference between the nations of Europe and others is that Americans are armed to the hilt, and they will never surrender all their weapons to any tyrannical orders! Some may lose privileges through unjust local government laws in some states, but they will not ever disarm the people of the USA. The people would fight back (hopefully) if it ever came to that. That is why the Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms. It is a protection of the right of the people to revolt against a tyrannical government. It is embarrassingly stupid when idiot leftist or socialist politicians and other Demonrats accuse conservatives of being like Hitler. In actuality, the Democrat leftist socialists are every bit like Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao. They want to control the narrative by prohibiting free speech that opposes their agenda. They will repress by intimidation or violence all who dare oppose them. They want to disarm all conservatives, corral them, and remove them from society. Did you notice that the most draconian lockdowns and repressive Covid measures have all been in Demonrat controlled states and cities? Doesn't it ring a bell in you? It sounds like they are imposing policies of Hitler, the USSR or the CCP. They are repeating history. In getting back to more about Hitler's racism, I read Mein Kampf, and the severely anti-Semitic and libelous, Protocols of the Elders of Zion. I read them to compare them to the actual practice of Judaism. No religious or orthodox Jew would engage in the evil that those books accused the Jews of doing. Religious Jews believe in keeping the moral commandments of God. Drinking the blood of the innocent or sacrificing children are violations of God's Word. No real Jew that follows the Torah would ever engage in such evil practices!  Those are only some of the accusations levied against all Jews. I am not saying Jews were perfect at keeping God's moral guidelines, and that there were not many violations of them throughout history. I am saying that religious Jews endeavored to obey God's rules in Scripture, often to a higher degree than Christians did. Throughout history, there have been many people that have identified themselves as Jews or of Jewish descent that were not Jews at all in practice. There were some anti- Biblical Jews for sure! Just because someone carries a Jewish sounding last name does not mean that they are true Jews! Read Romans chapters 2 and 11. Notice that is precisely what Paul argues. Not all Jews are really Jews! Specifically, he was referring to the Jews that do not keep the moral commandments of God in the Scripture. Those are the Jews in name only! You know, like the Republicans-in-name-only or RINO's, history has had JINO's, Jews-in-name-only. They may have had Jewish ancestors and received their surname from them, but that does not mean that they were practicing TORAH-keeping Jews. It is exactly that way in Christendom. Not all those that claim to be Christians are real Christians. There are many people that claim to be Christians that live hideous lives doing anti-Christian stuff. Let me give you a case in point. Did you know that Italian mobsters (Mafia) have often been church going, baptized, communion-taking, members of the Catholic church? Often, these mobsters also contributed significant amounts to the Catholic churches and charities. Of course, much of the leadership of the Catholic church has strongly repudiated and condemned the criminal activities of the Mafia (only since the 1990's), but the truth exists that many, if not most, Italian mobsters are very religious.[9] Not only that, but the evidence is clear that the Catholic church has been involved heavily with the Mafia in Italy and the U. S.[10]   From the article, The "Theology" of the Mafia and the Silence of Rome: “In the book “Mafia” by the German journalist Petra Reski, who lives in Venice, recently published by Droemer, discussions with mafiosi, their wives and priests describe how they understand the divine order. “You know, the judiciary can't forbid us to leave out a mafioso for the salvation of our soul. We must not deny the sacraments to anyone.” So spoke the young priest of Corleone. The wife of mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano, who was arrested in 2006, told a journalist: “I only acknowledge divine justice. I no longer believe in justice on earth. Only God knows everything and sees everything.” In her interviews, Reski has repeatedly found out those commandments that mafiosi believe in. “You shall not commit adultery” is one of them. “You should not murder”, is not found in them. There are testimonies to justify murders like this: “Since God has not yet taken him in, I sent him to Him.” The Vatican is silent on that theology, to which many of those priests apologetically agree, although they (or because they?) are called to their office by regional bishops. Here and there, there are the anti-Mafia pastors. Even the Wojtyla Pope condemned the mafia, but just as a syndicate of crime and not as a religiously based model of life. There is no official document from Rome on this. The German journalist Magdalena Krol spoke to Padre Nino Fasullo, head of the monthly magazine Segno. The Redemptorist Order says the Church ignored the syndicates completely until the 1990s, when the anti-mafia movement was spurred on by then-mayor (and recently mafia author) of Palermo, Leoluca Orlando. When the Mafia murdered the judges Falcone and Borsellino, the movement failed because of the fear of the Sicilians. Since then, there have been arrests and convictions again and again, but the church is not involved. The mafia issue is absent from the training of the priests. Far too many priests come from mafia families. The traditional obedience within families and the "distrust of the state" are further aspects. Can something change? Only with difficulty because the “white collars”, the exponents of “better society”, would stand idly in the background. Especially politicians who continuously defuse anti-mafia laws.”[11] What an indictment against the tolerance and deception of such devilish activity in churches! Did you get that, “Far too many priests come from mafia families”? It was all a part of the “family” business.    Let me get back to the Jews. The truth is that there are many SECULAR Jews in the rank and file of people that consider themselves to be Jews. These are people with Jewish last names that may or may not believe in God or the Scripture. Did you know that there are Jewish agnostics and atheists? I have met a few. I remember having Jewish in-name-only teachers that were as worldly as anything in heathenism! Did you know that there are people identified as Jews that are followers of Buddhism and other world religions that have nothing to do with the Bible? I saw a video of an entire Jewish family that were devout Buddhists. Did you know that many Jews in the Bible were idolaters that followed Baal and other religions? If you didn't know that then you are ignorant of the Scripture. Did you know that there were and are a few Satanists of Jewish ancestry?  I say that kind of tongue-in-cheek because there have been idolaters, worshippers of demons and false gods from many nations. It is not something exclusive to some Jews. Just like there have been people that practice witchcraft, sorcery, greed, adultery, sexual perversions, murders, homosexuality, pedophilia, theft, and every evil thing under the sun in all nations, the Jews have had their perverts too!  Did you know that there is a big history of gangsters in the U.S.A. that were of Jewish families? I quote from Jewish Gangster in America: “There are few excuses for the behavior of Jewish gangsters in the 1920s and 1930s. The best-known Jewish gangsters – Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, Longy Zwillman, Moe Dalitz — were involved in the number's rackets, illegal drug dealing, prostitution, gambling, and loan sharking. They were not nice men. During the rise of American Nazism in the 1930s and when Israel was being founded between 1945 and 1948, however, they proved staunch defenders of the Jewish people.[12] Not only were those Jewish gangsters “not nice men”, but they were commandment-covenant breakers. So obviously, my article is not a defense of the wicked among the Jews, but what about the wicked in all other nations? Do you think it was only the Jews? No, they were not the only ethnic or national group that had gangsters and criminal organizations among their ranks. What about the Italians from my father's side of the family? Were any of them mafiosi? There may have a been a few, but the details are sketchy. Not only that, but the sketchy ones are all dead because they all died young. But it will not be well for the evil man, and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God. (Ecclesiastes 8:13 NASB 1995) Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. (Psalms 37:1, 2 NASB 1995) What about La Cosa Nostra, and the rest of the Italian mobsters in America? What about the many mafiosos (in Spanish) that go faithfully to church? Did you know the mafia has its rules of conduct, their so called Ten Commandments? “The following list was found during the arrest of Salvatore Lo Piccolo, the reputed new boss of the Sicilian Mafia. It is thought to have been drawn up as a "guide to being a good mobster." [13] The Mafia's "Ten Commandments" The original Ten Commandments 1. No-one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must be a third person to do it. 1. You will have no other gods before Me 2. Never look at the wives of friends. 2. You will not make for yourself an idol 3. Never be seen with cops. 3. You will not make wrongful use of the name of your God 4. Don't go to pubs and clubs. 4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy 5. Always being available for Cosa Nostra is a duty - even if your wife's about to give birth. 5. Honor your father and mother 6. Appointments must absolutely be respected. 6. You will not murder 7. Wives must be treated with respect. 7. You will not commit adultery 8. When asked for any information in the family, the answer must be the truth. 8. Thou will not steal 9. Money cannot be appropriated if it belongs to others or to other families. 9. You will not bear false witness against your neighbor 10. People who can't be part of Cosa Nostra: anyone who has a close relative in the police, anyone with a two-timing relative in the family, anyone who behaves badly and doesn't hold to moral values. 10. You will not covet   The BBC author put the Ten Commandments side by side with the Mafia list of "commandments". I took out the archaic King James English. The list illustrates how the Mafia has taken the original Ten Commandments and given them their own spin. God's moral commandments must be obeyed and not changed or reinterpreted to mean something else. There is big trouble ahead for those that add or take away from the clear meaning of Scripture as the Mafiosi (in Italian: members of the Mafia) obviously have done. They have twisted the meaning of Scripture to their beliefs and agenda. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. (1 Cor. 7:19 NASB) This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints—those who obey God's commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus. (Revelation 14:12 NET) I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18, 19 NASB 1995) Even some from among your very own ranks will rise up, twisting the truth to seduce people into following them instead of Jesus. (Acts 20:30 The Passion Translation - TPT) …Escape from the empty echoes of men and the perversion of twisted reasoning. (1 Timothy 6:20b TPT) Yes, the mafiosi have a twisted reasoning because they have twisted the truth. The pentito (repentant) Antonino Calderone recounted similar Commandments in his 1987 testimony: These rules are not to touch the women of other men of honor; not to steal from other men of honor or, in general, from anyone; not to exploit prostitution; not to kill other men of honor unless strictly necessary; to avoid passing information to the police; not to quarrel with other men of honor; to maintain proper behavior; to keep silent about Cosa Nostra around outsiders; to avoid under all circumstances introducing oneself to other men of honor. [14]   Omerta is another “commandment” among the Mafiosi. Properly, in Italian, omertà means silence. It is basically the code of silence that forbids speaking to police or government authorities (or anybody else outside the organization) about anything related to the mafia. To break the code is to break a Mafiosi's blood oath swearing allegiance to the organization, and it is punishable by death. Even if a Mafiosi was robbed in his own house, he was never to give any info to the cops about the robbery or the robber. He was to be silent and was duty bound to seek vengeance against the thief by himself. It was considered the height of honor and manliness to go to jail rather than break the code.   Though the purpose of the code among the Mafiosi was criminal from the outset, there are some things to be learned about honor and respect here. Do you honor and respect the Lord and His Word at least as much as the Mafiosi did to their criminal organization, where you would rather die than lie or commit murder? You may not have ever had your finger cut and bled all over an idol of a “saint” that was then set on fire as you swore your allegiance to a criminal organization, but have you ever received communion or participated in the Lord's table? Communion over the bread and wine are a declaration of allegiance to the Lord Jesus and to God the Father because of the shedding of the blood and the sacrificing of the body of Jesus. Do you respect God's Word so much that you would rather go to jail than shut down your church because of an evil mandate that forbids meetings to preach and minister to the people? That is what governments ordered during the planned hysteria that was not a pandemic, something that is contrary to Scripture.  Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25 NASB) 18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20 NASB) The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:27-29 NASB) Look, I have my shortcomings too which are a weakness, and I have yielded to sin at times. Yet, I know in Whom I have believed and to Whom I have sworn my allegiance, and His Name is Jesus Christ my Lord! I would rather die than deny Him. Of course, I'd rather live long upon the earth and fight, fight, and fight some more to stay alive. If death came knocking at the door with a choice of deny Him or die, I would see Jesus sooner through a martyr's death because denial is not an option. The Italian mob is well-known, but what about the Russians, Japanese, Chinese, Irish, and many others with their own crime syndicates? On the island of Puerto Rico (USA) there are numerous gangs and criminal organizations. I know that because I was born there and spent about 25 years on the island. I saw a lot firsthand because I was a pastor in a high crime area of the San Juan metroplex. I pastored there from 1978 until 1993, first as assistant pastor with my father Israel, and then as pastor from 1982.        Criminal gangs have either been imported or formed in the U.S. by nationals from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Thailand, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Libya, Egypt, India, Brazil, Columbia, Mexico, and the list goes on and on. There are law abiding people among those nationalities, but there are also crime families and criminal organizations from all those nationalities! The same goes for all nations around the globe. How about criminal biker gangs, gangsters, and mobsters that are “good ol' American bred boys? I have met a few in years gone by. As an example, I remember living in Florida in the early 70's. There was a gang led by an all-American son of a very wealthy businessman with a famous last name, and the son sold drugs right out of his very expensive and exclusive luxury car! No, it was not a “Trump”, so quit trying to guess! It is ridiculous to blame the Jews for all evil, even in the Bible. Millenia before the Jews even existed, the world was destroyed by a massive flood because it was filled with violence and wickedness. (Genesis 6) Before there were any Jews there were many wicked nations upon the earth. Every nation on earth today has evil criminal organizations or mobs among its citizens. Everybody that has ever lived has sinned. Some to greater degrees than other, but ALL HAVE SINNED. (Romans 3:23) That is a fact. If you say the Jews are responsible for all the evil on the planet, what about all the rest of the countries on earth with evil people, organizations, governments, wicked leaders, and crime syndicates among its populace? Do you exclude them to blame the Jews for all evil? Are other ethnic groups or nations exempt from wickedness? No, they are as guilty as the criminals and evil people that have existed among the Jews. Criminal activity is found in all ethnic groups, nationalities, and their skin color doesn't matter. Just as it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10 NET) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV) But I know your dwelling place, your going out and your coming in, and your rage against Me. (2 Kings 19:27 NKJV) Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? (Psalms 2:1 NKJV) The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. (Psalms 46:6 NKJV) That is a fact. Sin has affected all people on earth. No one is excluded. The soul who sins shall die. (Ezekiel 18:20 NKJV) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NLT) Thank God for what Jesus did for us when He went to the cross, shed His blood, and went to hell in our place to set us free! Here are some instructions: Then Peter said to them, “Repent (turn firmly away from your past life of sin and turn firmly to God) and let every one of you be baptized (immersed in water) in the name (authority) of Jesus Christ (the anointed One) for the remission (removal, cleansing) of sins; and you shall receive (lay hold of) the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved (set free, delivered) from this perverse (twisted, wicked) generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized (immersed in water); and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine (teaching, instruction) and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:38-42 NKJV- parenthesis are my translation comments) To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name (authority), whoever believes (trusts and obeys) in Him will receive remission (removal, cleansing) of sins. (Acts 10:43 NKJV- parenthesis are my translation comments) Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (declare your submission and allegiance to Him as your Lord) and believe (trust and obey) in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (delivered, made whole). (Romans 10:9 NKJV- parenthesis are my comments and/or translation) NOTES: [1] Jew-hatred is more commonly referred to as antisemitism: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/antisemitism. [2] Here are a few: The Conflict of the Church and the Synagogue: A Study in the Origins of Antisemitism; James Williams Parkes. Why the Jews?, Prager and Telushkin. The comprehensive 4 volume set by Leon Poliakov: The History of Antisemitism. [3]  See: The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism: From Sacred Texts to Solemn History, Andrew G. Bostom. The historicity of Muslim hatred towards the Jews is undeniable. This book is very well documented. It will answer many questions. [4] See these articles that break down how many died: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/documenting-numbers-of-victims-of-the-holocaust-and-nazi-persecution - https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/jewish-losses-during-the-holocaust-by-country?parent=en%2F11652 – Roam around that website to get more info. [5] Look at this video where Hitler promises the destruction of all the Jews of Europe. It's in German, but that is the translation of Hitler's last words in the video clip. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/asset/cae99c77-f639-4b3c-bf22-401025466b90.mp4 - There was a systematic Nazi boycott of all Jewish businesses, and Jews were forbidden to enter stores or restaurants. See this historical video clip: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/film/nazi-anti-jewish-boycott?parent=en%2F3225 [6] See: https://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/russia/red-terror.htm ;   https://alphahistory.com/russianrevolution/red-terror/ ; also look at their list of documents. https://alphahistory.com/russianrevolution/russian-revolution-documents/ [7] See https://www.heritage.org/asia/commentary/the-legacy-mao-zedong-mass-murder. See the book: The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression, by authors:  Jean-Louis Panné, Andrzej Paczkowski, Karel Bartosek, Jean-Louis Margolin, Nicolas Werth, Stéphane Courtois. That title about sums up what many are clamoring for among the Democrats, Hollywood, and among national government leadership. They incessantly praise the CCP, the former USSR, Maduro, and let's not leave out the Castro regime. If liberal socialist's read this book honestly, I think they could have a change of heart, but probably not. Some would try to equate it to some sort of conspiracy theory, but the facts as established from many sources say otherwise. It's amazing many don't see the preamble to all this horror playing out right before our eyes! They forgot history or whitewashed it.    [8] For more info see: Mao's Great Famine: The History of China's Most Devastating Catastrophe, 1958-1962, Frank Dikötter ; Tombstone: The Great Chinese Famine, 1958-1962, Yang Jisheng; China: A New History, John K. Fairbank and Merle Goldman. See article here: https://www.dispropaganda.com/single-post/2019/12/26/Mao-Zedong-the-man-who-starved-China. The article says Mao was responsible for 45 million deaths. Other historians mention 65 million as a better estimate of all that died of starvation or were directly murdered by Mao's communist regime throughout the entire time he was dictator. Either number is HUGE!  [9] Why are so many mafia members religious and devoted to God and church even though it is clear that everything they do directly contradicts the Bible? is a really good article by Hofstra University graduate Ed Scarpo, Cosa Nostra News: https://www.quora.com/Why-are-so-many-mafia-members-religious-and-devoted-to-god-and-church-even-though-it-is-clear-that-everything-they-do-directly-contradicts-the-Bible. [10] See: The Vatican Connection, Richard Hammer. See essay: The Undertold Story: The Vatican, the Mob, Super Ponzi Schemes and MORE- http://churchandstate.org.uk/2016/02/the-understold-story-the-vatican-the-mob-super-ponzi-schemes-and-more/. More on the connections between the Mafia and the Catholic Church: Operation Gladio: The Unholy Alliance Between The Vatican, The CIA, and The Mafia; and also The Vatican Exposed- Money, Murder, and the Mafia, both written by Paul L. Williams. [11] Translated by Google (with errors in it) from the German language, https://www.derstandard.at/consent/tcf/story/1229796911942/gerfried-sperl-die-theologie-der-mafia-und-das-schweigen-roms. [12] Quote from, Jewish Gangsters in America, by Michael Feldberg; Jewish Virtual Library. [13] See article, Mafia's 'Ten Commandments' found, at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7086716.stm [14] From: http://pinoy555.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-156.html , but the info came from articles in Wikipedia on the Sicilian Mafia and from an article on Antonino Calderone. Look them up. Wikipedia leans left, but in their articles on this subject there is a lot of good information, and we should give them credit. **Look at the following historical articles for further information on the subject matter: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nazi-racism https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/the-nazi-rise-to-power/the-early-years-of-the-nazi-party/what-were-hitlers-ideas/ https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/how-and-why/why/ https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-gangsters-in-america https://www.britannica.com/topic/blood-libel https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/jews-expulsion-spain-portugal https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/russian-soviet-and-cis-history/pogroms Often, I do not include these many footnotes, but I thought this article demanded more than usual. Anybody can look up the references and verify what I am saying. It may take time to do that, but that is the only way to get to the truth. Study and verify! (2 Timothy 3:15) A lack of doing that makes a lot of people gullible to errors and misinformation. The proof is in how many churches closed their doors for a virus that is 99% survivable for most of the people on the planet! A lack of verifying things written or spouted by the fake news media early on concerning Covid 19 is what led to the acceptance and submission by many to the tyrannical and draconian response of governments around the globe. The plandemic could have been stopped through the verification process! Instead of believing the lies of crazed governments and the fake and fear-mongering news networks and social media, much economic suffering and premature death could have been avoided by verifying things! Many believed the lies of the efficacy of vaccines instead of studying for themselves the enormous amount of research materials against ever jabbing that garbage into your veins! Do you need more info about the Covid-19 vaccines? Study the huge amount of research, interviews, and articles by medical doctors and scientists at: https://nojabforme.info. What is desperately needed in America is an encounter with the living Lord and Savior Jesus Christ- the Messiah! Jesus is what people need! He is the answer! Hear the message below! Be mightily blessed!  

There are a lot of people who are fans of the MBA and tout its merits. However, there are also plenty of critics who don't really appreciate it.One of the most vocal opponents of the MBA has been Elon Musk. You may have heard some of the comments he's made. He never shies away from sharing his opinion and has made it known he has a less than favourable one about MBAs.In the past Musk has said things like MBA graduates “may be good at powerpoint presentations but they don't know how things work.”In late 2020, Musk spoke at the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council Annual Summit. One of the comments he made was that MBAs were polluting companies' ability to think creatively and give customers what they really want.This commentary came as no surprise to me because it is in line with what Musk has said for years.At the summit Musk went on to say, “I think there are too many MBAs running companies. There's the MBA-ization of America… There should be more focus on the product or service itself, less time on board meetings, and less time on financials.”Elon Musk is not the only big name CEO who has taken to demeaning the MBA. Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, has also been rather critical of MBAs. However, he acknowledges that he does hire them. Of course, so does Elon Musk. But Elon Musk likes to say, “I hire people in spite of an MBA, not because of one.”Peter Thiel is a venture capitalist who started PayPal with Musk. Thiel is known for saying, “never hire an MBA; they will ruin your company.”As somebody who's taught in Master's and MBA programmes for over a decade and works with MBAs who are on the job hunt, I struggle hearing this kind of criticism. There is a lot to be said for the MBA degree and I think that if it's used properly it absolutely can help somebody with furthering their career.Whether you already have an MBA or are thinking of getting one, here are a few things to remember:There will always be critics.You don't have to attend a top ranked program to be successful. There are benefits to attending Stanford or Harvard Business School. But alumni status from one of these institutions is not a golden ticket without additional work.It's imperative you take your MBA degree and make it your own.

Hello!! We are back this week with an actual convo with someone else! YAAY! In today's episode, I bring back my 2nd guest that I had on the show last year, Deepa Pulipati,  to talk about empowering South Asian women and strengthening their leadership skills in the workforce.  Deepa brings up some interesting facts she discovered in her research about South Asian women in the US corporate world, things that reflect our South Asian upbringing in a patriarchal society. It's complicated, but she and I have a great talk about the corporate world and how we can be agents of change to create a more harmonious place at work where productivity, creativity, and self-compassion create a bottom line of job satisfaction, better leadership, and a better product.  Plus, she gives two very simple exercises to create more balance between the inner critic we all have and developing the inner champion we need more of.  We had such a great conversation and we are so excited about the South Asian Womyn's Leadership program! Topics discussed in this episode: -People tend to lump South Asian and SE Asian womyn together, but there are some unique differences between the 2 groups -Deepa and Sharmila are working together in the South Asian Womyn's Leadership Series, a bespoke 5-week program to provide South Asian (here on out S.A.) womyn with tools for advancement, build confidence, and learn how to share their stories amongst other important tools just to name a show -How do South Asian womyn advance in the workplace -Deepa observed her South Asian womyn clients and South Asian womyn associates that worked in felt like they didn't had a clear path to "get ahead" and a lack of representation of South Asian womyn mentors, or South Asian womyn in a leadership role -Deepa personally knows many South Asian womyn that are successful in South Asia and in America -There are very few studies and articles about South Asian womyn in the workplace in the United States       --why is this? -A study showed that womyn are not confrontational nor do they take risks at work -American corporate culture needs to change. We need to think differently and revamp the corporate structure -Solutions offered for clients in the SA Womyn's Leadership series, create community, i.e. "your ideal day" exercise, taking inventory throughout your day, focusing on all the tasks you did -What 3 things do you appreciate about yourself exercise Resources mentioned:  South Asian Womyn's Leadership series deepa@tulacoach.com for more info www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/business/indra-nooyi-corner-office-pepsi.html   Asian Amerian & Pacific Islanders stopaapihate.org About the guest: Deepa Pulipati is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. She is a certified Executive Coach, Certified Facilitator for Brené Brown workshops for Daring Greatly, Rising Strong and BOLD teen workshops. She also specializes in working with parents in custody conflicts and mediating their parenting agreements. And she is currently Adjunct Faculty at Antioch University in Santa Barbara, teaching in their Master of Clinical Psychology Program. Contact Deepa: tulacoach.com deepa@tulacoach.com Support The Confident Healer: -If you love the show, please leave me a review! www.theconfidenthealer.net/reviews/new -DONATE, become a patron and donate one time or monthly, it's easy, www.theconfidenthealer.net/support -Share the love with someone you love, www.theconfidenthealer.net Music: New Day by Tokyo Music Walker Stream & Download: https://fanlink.to/tmw_new_day​ Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0, Tokyo Music Walker: https://soundcloud.com/user-356546060, Produced and Edited by Sharmila Mali

Episode #123 Prayer for the United States of America Suzzette Celeste, Licensed Spiritual Practitioner at Heart and Soul Center of Light, offers you this powerful prayer for the United States, as we set the intention for peace, harmony, cooperation, ease, grace, safety, equity and love. ------- Prayer for the United States of America ------- There is only one consciousness, only one reality principle. It is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omniaction. It is called by many many names ... First Cause, The Mystery of Life, The Thing Itself, The Strong One, The Almighty One, Divine Spirit, God and Love. It is my Life now. It is the Life of ALL citizens and residents of the United States of America. I realize an abiding respect for each of us who live in America and call it our home. I know Harmony, Peace, Cohesiveness, Cooperation, Ease, Grace, Opportunity, Safety, Equity, and a foundation of Love, Prosperity, Understanding, and Democracy for each and everyone of us. I Am Thankful for this consciousness. I Am Thankful that this is realized and done as I have spoken. I release my Word into the Law that always come back as I have declared. A’se A’se ooo And So It Is! --------------- Heart and Soul welcomes your generous support! We believe in the power of Gracious Giving and cultivating a habit of being in Divine Flow. www.heartsoulcenter.org/give Text to give: 510-500-5849 Get link to slides, special announcements, classes and more by signing up for weekly Service Recap www.heartsoulcenter.org/signup ---------------- Theme music by Lisa Forkish

People are asking, "What can I do as a Christian to help restore peace in America?" There is one thing you can do. Join the strategy to win!Support the show (https://hisvessel.givingfuel.com/his-vessel-donations)

Because of the covid-19 pandemic, 2020 became the first year ever that high-school students across the United States had to take — and prepare for — the AP exam online from their homes rather than in a classroom setting.This posed unique challenges for schools like Phillip and Sala Burton Academic High School in San Francisco, where more than two-thirds of the students come from low-income families. Eirik Nielsen, an AP history teacher there, let Washington Post education reporter Laura Meckler follow the ups and downs of his teaching life from March through May 2020, as he worked around the clock to remotely support his sophomore students — many of whom have difficult home lives, health issues and limited access to technology and the Internet.Out of this reporting, Meckler wrote the piece “The test of their lives,” which chronicles the challenges Nielsen and his students faced as the AP exam approached. In this audio episode, listeners can follow her months-long reporting journey for that story. The podcast features interviews with the teacher and several of his students, a look at the process of finding and chronicling their tale, and even the parallel challenge Meckler faced of helping her own two sons with their remote classes while working on this piece.As schools across the country wrestle with the question of how to best return to teaching in the fall, the story of Nielsen’s class gives us a window into the highs and lows, successes and struggles, that distance learning brings with it.Share your thoughts about this show and other Washington Post podcasts:washingtonpost.com/podcastsurveyGet vital coronavirus news from The Post for free: Sign up for the newsletter: washingtonpost.com/virusnewsletterRead the latest coverage: washingtonpost.com/coronavirusSubscribe to our daily news podcasts: washingtonpost.com/podcastsInterested in hearing other intimate stories about how the pandemic has reshaped people’s lives? The Washington Post produced a special audio series for the “All Told” podcast, which features first-person accounts from around the country as Americans grapple in different ways with life during the coronavirus. Listen to the episodes here:'Good luck, everybody'‘You never signed up for this’‘I cannot hold it all’'For me, it’s all the blues''First thing's first, I gotta beat this game'‘It is a pretty significant hole in the system’‘We grew up in agriculture — we’ve had a lot of experience of going without’‘I’ll be getting my degree in the mail, but that has me feeling hollow’‘Midland is trending on Twitter, and Donald Trump is tweeting about us’‘We just had one of our many talks about being a black boy in America’‘There’s no end in sight to this’Explore more first-person accounts of the pandemic:A multimedia oral history of the virus's impact

Please check out Part 1 as well. Season 3 Finale Episode 13 | Destroying False Narratives about Men of Color. How has the media shaped your opinion of men of color? Have you ever wondered what it entails to live as a man of color in America? There is so much more to the narrative then what the media has put out. Behind all of the lies lives the truth. Hear their truth. Contact Anthony Holmes at anthonyholmesjr1@gmail.com To reach out to Jonathan Holmes jonfred09@yahoo.com. For more from Antoinette Randall, visit www.antoinetterandall.com Instagram:@annrandallspeaks YouTube: Antoinette Randall

Welcome back ragers to the best movie review podcast on the planet. The rage rolls on from the Film Rage Studio.It is all about The Calgary Underground Film Festival this week! What did the crew think of the Opening Gala, Dinner in America? There is only one way to find out.Introduction-0:00Calgary Underground Film Festival WeekCUFF Opening GalaDinner in America-2:53Outro-13:27Thanks Ragers for listening to our film review podcast.Rage On!!!https://www.filmrageyyc.com/https://filmrage.podbean.com/https://www.facebook.com/filmragecalgary/https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/film-rage/id1493735088https://open.spotify.com/show/4ltbJS7XkDj0inwXf9G0ZH?si=m3OzZulNRmW6d93K7DG_uwhttps://play.google.com/music/m/Inyleam7prw77l75he733v643jq?t=Film_Ragehttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsuw4WB6zmxbgDBjFn6utlT7PFnaDa0w6https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/film-rage?refid=stprhttps://tunein.com/podcasts/Media--Entertainment-Podcasts/Film-Rage-p1325858/ 

AVAILABLE ON: Spotify, GOOGLE PLAY and iTunes https://thekcsocialhour.s3.amazonaws.com/KC+SOCIAL+Matrix+%236.mp3 Stay home if possible There is not a major food shortage in America There is not a gasoline shortage in America There is not a major water shortage on the horizon DJI hits 20,000 as predicted last episode Kansas Schools Closed as predicted last episode New Predictions: Job Losses […]

What are your thoughts on an open relationship? What if your partner told you they wanted to be in an open marriage…would you do it? It’s Alabama’s turn to take on English Evan in “Beat The Brit!” Who do you think knows the most about America? There’s a study proves people think women who wear makeup seem dumb…the girls are NOT happy! Today is National Inventors Day can you name the famous inventor by their inventor? Do you know anyone with a unique name?! Parents are purposely giving their kids crazy names so they stand out on social media! We’ve got one Dirty Little Secret involving adult diapers and another who has been a virgin for a long time! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/CarlaMarieAnthonyShow Follow us on Instagram: Instagram.com/CarlaMarieandAnthony

Airdate October 13, 2019: Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice tells Fareed about the Trump administration's "dysfunctional" and "dangerous" approach to U.S. foreign policy. From the Trump's Syria decision to his phone call with Ukraine's president, Rice says to the world it seems "we have no idea what we're doing." Then, billionaire businessman Stephen Schwarzman - sometimes called Trump's China whisperer - on the trade war. Also, how to glue back together a very divided America? There may be a simple answer - talking. GUESTS: Susan Rice, David Miliband, Stephen Schwarzman

How clean and fair are elections in America? There is evidence that Democrats are deliberately enabling voter fraud in an effort to steal elections—a dangerous example of lawlessness. Most people think of evolution as rational, as opposed to irrational religion. It’s worth looking at the origin of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection to get a more accurate view. We’ve been told in recent decades that salt is bad for you: It raises your blood pressure and causes heart disease. Recent studies, however, show that you gain tremendous health benefits if you’re eating the right kind of salt. And I share how my experience in summer camp as a teen helped change the direction of my heart. Links [1:50] Voter Fraud in America (21 minutes) “Saving America From the Radical Left—Temporarily” No Freedom Without Law [23:07] Was Charles Darwin Rational? (15 minutes) “Why Does God Allow Suffering?” from Why ‘Natural’ Disasters? “What Is Hell?” AUDIO: “What Does the Bible Teach About Hell?” [38:12] Health Benefits of Salt (13 minutes) [51:34] The Hearts of the Children (7 minutes)

  A new study just published in Scientific Reports claims domestic cats do recognize their own names — they just couldn't care less!  Apparently, cats are just as good as dogs at learning, they’re just not as keen to show their owners. Did you know cats are the most common pets in America? There are around 66 million cat owners in America compared to 58 million dogs, with Parakeets “flying” a distant third at 14 million. The average cat will cost its owner around $6000 dollars during its life to cover its expenses. Now that’s a lot of spondulicks! An ailurophile is what you call a real cat aficionado.  You’ve heard of a flock of sheep or a herd of goats, but what’s the correct term for a group of felines? A clowder of cats!

How are we called to live as Christians in post-Christian, post-modern America- There is hope. On today's program, you'll discover how we can transform our culture-and what role you and I have in that. And we'll be joined by one of the world's most respected pastors, Dr. Erwin Lutzer. And we look at the powerful impact of one faithful Christian.

“Gathering goodness is a mindset to have in all walks of life.” - Laura Hearn (23:28-23:36)Lori TaylorThe Produce Moms The amount of food that's wasted each day is just another example of the unnecessary depletion of limited resources. Much of the food that goes to waste never finds its way onto store shelves in the first place, further adding to the severity of this problem. Farmers have to find a use for the excess produce that never makes it to stores. Produce is often left in the fields because their size or shape doesn't meet the standards of food retailers and consumers. Laura Hearn co-founded Glean, a company focused on providing nutrient-dense food products to families. Glean gives consumers healthy food options in the form of single-ingredient vegetable flours and powders made from cauliflower, beets, sweet potatoes, and other produce. Other products include healthy treats for pets and gummy products made from fruits and vegetables. “Forty percent of what farmers harvest can't be considered Grade 1 produce. So they have to figure out if it's worth the time and investment required to harvest these products.” - Laura Hearn (8:20-8:38) Laura co-founded Glean with her brother. Together, they grew up in a family where food played a large role in everyday life. Their experiences in the food industry allowed them to see the hard work that farmers and others put into providing the food we eat. But they also saw that much of the food being produced was going to waste. If produce doesn't look perfect, it doesn't end up on store shelves. Farmers are forced to determine how to invest their time and money to harvest items that might not be sold because they don't look perfect. Glean was born out of a need for turning produce that doesn't make it to market into products that people can use. Laura began with flour made from dehydrated and milled sweet potatoes. She was able to create a product that maintained its flavor and nutrition while giving consumers an alternative to traditional cooking ingredients. Vegetable-based flours are beneficial for people who have food allergies and other nutritional concerns. Glean's products represent the company's willingness to do more and have a positive impact on those in need. For every pound of product they sell, they donate a pound to food banks and other organizations that help people struggling to meet their nutritional needs. Growing Into Something Bigger Working in the food industry helped the Glean founders address inadequate food labeling practices. Many products on the market aren't clearly labeled, making it difficult for health-conscious consumers to make the right choices for their families. This gave Laura the inspiration to help consumers who need to know what's in their food due to concerns over gluten, allergens, and other ingredients that can compromise health. Along the way, Glean has grown into something bigger. The brand resonates with many people, and its growth has occurred organically over time. Laura and the Glean team have learned how to launch products, break into new industries, and develop new categories. Their products can now be found in retail stores throughout the southeastern part of the U.S. as well as online and in specialty health food stores. It's going to take a lot of innovators to solve the food waste crisis in America… There's too much of a consumer mindset to have picture-perfect produce in this food-secure nation.” - Lori Taylor (22:50) Glean's products are gluten- and allergen-free, and the company's work has been recognized by the American Farm Bureau. The future of Glean includes the development of new products using patented technologies and creating products no one else can. They're fighting the idea that produce has to look perfect to be good. This common belief is one of the reasons why food waste has become such a huge problem.   By focusing on creating good in all areas of life, you can make an impact on the work you do and the people you serve. Glean encourages others to eat more fruits and vegetables while learning the stories behind the food we eat every single day. How to get involved Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week! https://www.facebook.com/groups/316715662104709/ Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you're at in life and business! Find out more at www.theproducemom.com Learn more about Glean, their mission, and their products by visiting Visit liveglean.com. Use the promo code “TPM” to get 20 percent off any product.   If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

Hello Hello Tennessee fans! This is the Podquest, and we are here to bring you arguably the MOST EXCITING edition of the PodQuest to date. Your crew has been thinking outside of the box to bring you excitement and entertainment, and we will be going through our Mailbag of voice messages from our listeners and fellow Vol fans. @Volfaninla1 and @cldemarcus were our first two to be selected for the mailbag! The funny part is that we caught the PodQuest casters off guard with the questions-- great stuff guys. The PodQuest will also finally wrap up the 2019 class and talk 2020 needs. Can the Vols land some playmakers? Also, will this football staff be the best in America? There have been some rumors going around that Jay Graham might be brought in... The PodQuest discusses this and whom he might replace. Is it Stinky Weinke? Finally, you will not want to miss the BasketVol discussion. A lot of fans have been asked to just "enjoy the season".. we all think that is true! This team is 22-1, but where can they improve? Where does Coach Barnes think this team needs to step up? Can the Vols win a huge game on the road at Kentucky, or will it be too big of an atmosphere? We discuss all of this and more (including many shout outs to our beloved Holly Warlick) in the PodQuest! Casters: @Priestvol @bleedorange23 @powellvolz @ptcvol @gatechvol Agenda: 1. Introductions 2. 2019 Recruiting Wrap Up: Great class meeting many needs 3. Mailbag (MUST LISTEN): 4. 2020 Recruiting Needs: Playmakers, OL, DL 5. Basketvols: Are they complacent? Where can they improve? Do they beat UK?

Stream episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com (mobile friendly). American Song By Joanna Murray-Smith Directed by Tom Healey Australian Premiere 3 October – 5 November (previews 3 – 6 October) Featuring Joe Petruzzi Set and Costume Design Darryl Cordell Lighting Design Bronwyn Pringle Sound Design Patrick Cronin Dialect Coach Anna McCrossin-Owen Stage Manager Alyssa Hall Assistant Stage Manager Kelly Ziccone “What happened to Whitman’s America? There is no unified song. There is no harmony of voices.” Andy’s experience is common to many of us; the slow accumulation of a good life: love, work, friendship, family. But unforeseen events lead him to places he never imagined… Can we ever know the exact moment when a good life turns irredeemably wrong? As Andy heads off to work to give the biggest presentation of his career, he wishes his teenage son Robbie goodbye. Eight hours later, everything has changed. A profound tour-de-force for one actor, played by Red Stitch ensemble member Joe Petruzzi, American Song is an intimate exploration of parenting, love, and the question: What could I have done differently? For more visit: https://redstitch.net/gallery/american-song/ Theatre First RSS feed: https://audioboom.com/channels/4839371.rss Subscribe, rate and review Movies First at all good podcatcher apps, including Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), Stitcher, Pocket Casts, audioBoom, CastBox.fm, Podbean, Spreaker etc. If you're enjoying Theatre First podcast, please share and tell your friends. Your support would be appreciated...thank you. #theatre #stage #reviews #Melbourne #Australia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In a time and place when you can lose weight from anywhere, two ladies in their mid-to-late 27s have decided to – and so far, Kelly and Kari have lost over 100 pounds this year (combined). The ladies have received many emails about their weight loss journey, and in this episode they talk about how they managed to lose the weight equivalent of a chubby fifth grader. Kelly’s about to get a full feature in Women’s Health for her efforts! Traveling the world while working as digital nomads, you’d think it would be harder to lose weight than at home – this isn’t the case. Kari and Kelly talk about how their travels have influenced their weight loss, and how living intentionally has made all the difference. Both Kari and Kelly have tried (unsuccessfully) to lose weight in the past, and they talk about what makes this time different and how they both got fat in the first place. Also, can somebody do a wellness check on America? There’s a reason we’re so fat as a country, and the ladies suspect it has something to do with depression, a lazy lifestyle and a dash of self loathing. Abroad, people are generally fit – and even with the weight loss, the ladies still have a ways to go before they’re “European skinny” instead of “American skinny.” The weight loss journey has been far from perfect, and has been peppered with nachos and fries with mayo. Still, Kari and Kelly are crushing their weight loss goals and Kelly is on track to lose 100 lbs (by herself!) by the end of the year. To follow along in real time, see video/pics of the process, get Workationing tips and travel hacks, check out www.workationing.com. Subscribe on Patreon to get access to exclusive videos, photos and GIF-fery: www.patreon.com/workationing Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/workationing And Twitter: www.twitter.com/workationing

Who do you think discovered America? There are different theories and Mr. Dave tells a story about the possible first European discoverer of America. Leighton gets sunburned by welding and Reuben ordered way too many buffalo wings for the celebration of college football. There's an Apple announcement coming on Wednesday, September 7, to announce the new iPhone and Reuben offers some tips on getting your iPhone as soon as possible without standing in line. The post Who Discovered America with Mr. Dave – FPP149 appeared first on French Press Podcast.

A Murder Over a Girl (Henry Holt & Company) On February 12, 2008, a beautiful morning in Oxnard, CA, 14-year-old Brandon McInerney and the rest of his eighth grade class walked to the computer lab with their teacher, Dawn Boldrin. As his classmates typed their history papers, Brandon quietly stood and shot 15-year-old Larry King—who for just two weeks had been wearing traditionally female accessories and identifying as “Leticia”—twice in the head.  Larry died in the hospital two days later. Psychologist and NYU professor Ken Corbett was unsettled by the media coverage that sidestepped the issues of gender identity and race, and went to California to attend the trial. In , A Murder Over a Girl, Corbett, a leading expert on gender and masculinity, details the case, and all the social issues still littering the American landscape eight years later.  The brutal murder begged the question: How this could happen? Ellen DeGeneres spoke out; Newsweek and The Advocateran cover stories. Once again, "a normal boy” like Brandon had taken a gun into a school and killed another student in cold blood. But others, still, wondered: How could this not happen?  In many ways this was a “perfect storm” of race, poverty, gun violence, and gender identity fueled by ignorance and fear. Brandon had been raised by drug-addicted parents. His mother shot his father days before their wedding, and his father later shot his mother in front of him. His home was a veritable culture of guns. Larry’s birth mother was a 15-year-old drug addicted prostitute. He had recently been removed from his adoptive parents’ home after reporting abuse. Larry identified as gay from the age of 10, and by 15 had realized he was a girl. He wore makeup and stilettos to school with his uniform and had asked the boy who would be his killer to be his valentine. Brandon says he was being sexually harassed by Larry and sought peace the only way he knew how. Nearly eight years later, we as a country are not on the same page on so many of the major issues at play: gender identity; sexual and racial equality; gun control; drug laws. Neither experts nor lawmakers nor voters can come to a consensus, and yet, teachers—most of whom have received no training in any of these areas—are thrust to the forefront in the classroom. Praise for A Murder Over A Girl: “Harrowing, humane, and utterly engaging, A Murder Over a Girl is a triumph of storytelling, delivering deep insight into gender and adolescence while drawing us into a fascinating narrative. It is a book very much of the moment, but at its heart it is a classic tale of human emotion.”—Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author of The Orchid Thief “Ken Corbett was put on earth to write this stunning book, now, at a moment in our history when we need him to be our secret agent, our witness, our guide inside the maelstrom of this mad hatter court.”—PETER CAREY, Booker Prize-winning author of Oscar and Lucinda and The True History of the Kelly Gang “With great compassion, insight, and care, Ken Corbett takes us to the scene in which one transgendered child’s daring and vibrant bid to become a girl met with the murderous rage of a boy well taught in using a gun. A murdered girl is gone, a nearly undocumented life, yet her spectre lives on in this remarkable book, a narration that enters us into the minds of those who make hatred into a form of pernicious reasoning. A Murder Over a Girl is about youth culture, gender, school, and the failures of the legal system, about cunning reversals in argument whereby murderers are cast as victims, and the traces of the dead are nearly effaced. Corbett does justice to this death and to this life with a book both intelligent and loving, exposing a world tragically lacking in those very qualities, calling upon us all to intervene to halt gender violence before it begins.”—Judith Butler, author of Gender Trouble  “A Murder Over a Girl narrates a searing tragedy, meticulously laying out the aftermath of the crime, exposing the pathos not only of the victim, but also of the classmates, parents, jurors, lawyers, and others who had to grapple with the troubling nuance of the case. And in doing so Corbett unforgettably reveals the flaws of the American judicial system, the destructive influence of sensationalizing mass media, and the blindness of good intentions at the intersection of masculinity, grief, prejudice, and empathy.”—Andrew Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of Far from the Tree “I’ve never read a book like A Murder Over a Girl. It’s an account of a murder trial, the outcome of which is known; yet, the book is a hard-to-put-down page-turner. It achieves its extraordinary narrative intensity not through any sensationalizing of the facts, but rather through its author’s quiet authority, piercing insights, and his refusal to deliver hasty or easy judgments. Through patience, respect and empathy, Corbett allows us to see how dehumanization conceals a consequential and potentially fatal refusal to confront loss. And in confronting loss, this book renders justice, restoring to the memory of the victim her dignity, her vital subjectivity and her agency.  A Murder Over A Girl is magnificently written, shattering, original and immensely valuable."—Tony Kushner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Angels in America “There are events that break out of a culture as illness breaks out of a body. Ken Corbett has written an account of a crime yes, a trial yes, a tragedy, but he has also perceived a way for us to comprehend the gender dis-ease just below our cultural skin. This is a brilliant and necessary book.” —Marie Howe, author of What the Living Do and The Kingdom of Ordinary Time "One young teenager is dead. Another is a murderer. And all of our contemporary dividing lines--race, gender, class, orientation, homophobia, privilege, and fear of the unknown--are drawn in a California courtroom. Telling this devastating story with clarity, empathy, and insight, Ken Corbett brings his profound understanding of the minds of boys--their hopes, their dreams, their terrors, their longings--to bear in the service of making the unimaginable clear to us. This essential book will broaden your mind even as it breaks your heart." —Mark Harris, author of Pictures at A Revolution and Five Came Back  “Ken Corbett corrals the chaos and trauma of the King murder trial into a riveting story of the “cratered minds” that result from, and perpetrate, violence.  With an analyst’s attunement, he also takes us beyond the courtroom, imagining his way into the lives and minds of Brandon McInerney and Leticia King with nuance and tremendous compassion.  He gives a devastating account of the emotional landscapes of the school, the families, and the communities in which both murderer and victim were and were not held. Corbett’s determination that this crime be named and these lives be told results in a powerful and heartbreaking book.”—GAYLE SALAMON, author of Assuming a Body: Transgender and Rhetorics of Materiality Ken Corbett is a clinical assistant professor at NYU in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy with a private practice in New York City. He is the author of Boyhoods: Rethinking Masculinities. Maggie Nelson is the author of The Argonauts, as well as an American poet, art critic, lyric essayist and nonfiction author of books such as The Red Parts: A Memoir, The Art of Cruelty, Bluets, and Jane: A Murder. The Art of Cruelty was a 2011 Notable Book of the Year by the New York Times and recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in Nonfiction. Jane: A Murder was a finalist for the PEN/Martha Albrand Award for the Art of the Memoir. Nelson has taught at the Graduate Writing Program of the New School, Wesleyan University, and the School of Art and Design at Pratt Institute; she currently teaches in the CalArts MFA writing program. She was awarded an Arts Writers grant in 2007 from the Creative Capital/Andy Warhol Foundation. In 2011, she was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Poetry.

Blurred Lines: What do the political parties stand for? Hillary Clinton, Jed Bush or Donald Trump: are you just as confused as most of America? There use to be a time where the parties and their platforms were clear--Republican, Democrat or Independent. Today there is so much in-fighting and skirting around the issues that many voters either vote based on their family's chosen party or not at all. Join us next Sunday, May 31st at 8:30 pm EST for an open discussion with representatives for various political parties. We will discuss each parties platform, their plan of action and why each representative feels you should vote for that party. Listen in at letsfaceitradio.com or 1-733-955-0793 and press "1" to be live on air or ask your own questions. Also, visit our Facebook community page to review the current articles and discussions concerning this week's topic:  https://www.facebook.com/LetsFaceItRadio

"Ballers of the New School: Race and Sports in America" There is a racist beat is in the music of sports.  In challenging this traditional portrayal, scholars often characterize sport as a "microcosm of society." As such, sport has revealed the dominant attitudes and practices regarding race relations in the United States throughout the country's history.              ALTERNATIVE, ACTIVIST EMPOWERMENT TALK RADIO URBAN PROGRESSIVE independent talk radio examining global and community issues, events, thought, ideas and perspectives in and about the African-American community.  OUR COMMON GROUND features  guests who bring new ideas, creative and innovative solutions and opportunities to challenge the issues of the day. "Of the Race and For the Race" Twitter  @JaniceOCG  #TalkthatMatters Facebook.com/OCGTALKRADIO About Us  www.ourcommongroundtalk.wordpress.com Program Information and Profiles   www.ourcommonground.ning.com Email:  OCGinfo@ourcommonground.com