Podcasts about analysts

Rob and Kelvin tell us if it’s fair to call Shai Gilgeous-Alexander one of the villains of the NBA, and explain why sports teams and athletes should not feel obligated to accept invitations to the White House. Plus, NCAA national champion and ACC Network analyst Joel Berry II swings by to discuss the Hubert Davis era at North Carolina, the perception that young players struggle in March Madness more than veterans, which teams are most likely to win the NCAA Tournament, and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob and Kelvin debate whether Luka Doncic deserves NBA MVP consideration, share a few of their favorite ‘Chuck Norris Facts’ in honor of the late, great martial artist, and take a trip out to Shekel City for Rob's nightly bets. Plus, FS1 college basketball analyst Casey Jacobsen swings by to discuss Hubert Davis’ uncertain future at North Carolina, how much pressure is on Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo in this NCAA Tournament, why some college coaches prefer not to recruit 5-star prospects, and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fran talks Arizona Wildcats, High Point, and all things March Madness.

A slew of upgrades capture Diane King Hall's attention for morning movers helping to close the trading week. Arm Holdings (ARM) gets a hand from HSBC, with the analyst upgrading the stock and issuing a price target far above the current price. Chipotle (CMG) also got bullish optimism from Mizuho. Diane then talks about the energy space with a pair of upgrades in Chevron (CVX) and Occidental Petroleum (OXY). ======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Before trading, read the Options Disclosure Document. http://bit.ly/2v9tH6DSubscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

A recent NBC News poll analyzed by CNN's Harry Enten shows President Trump maintaining 100% approval among self-identified MAGA Republicans, with zero disapproval, which Enten compared to the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. This perfect support level highlights unbreakable loyalty within Trump's core MAGA base, even as broader public opinion faces challenges. Despite the ongoing Iran conflict driving up oil prices and contributing to inflation concerns, Trump has not lost any support from MAGA voters, according to the data. Enten emphasized that the MAGA coalition remains as strong as — or slightly larger than — it was during the 2024 election, with no signs of fracture in this key group, which could energize Republican turnout and primary dynamics heading into the 2026 midterm elections. WE ALSO COVER: Trump: “No more attacks will be made by Israel.” Get your Lego dinosaurs set for under $5 million. Team USA takes off silver medal. Hillary Clinton almost died in 1992? New York governor BEGS rich people to return. 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:14 BYU Talk 02:19 Trump Message on South Pars Gas Field 05:18 US/Iran Attitude Poll Results Change 06:31 MAGA GOP Approves of Trump 100% 08:18 Trump at Dignified Transfer 10:57 Tulsi Gabbard & Jon Ossoff 15:13 Angus King: Strait of Hormuz 17:33 Angus King: Daily Briefings 19:19 Joe Kent on Iran - Three Months Ago 21:08 JD Vance on Joe Kent 23:38 Byron Donalds on Joe Kent 24:47 Joe Kent Leaked Classified Information?! 31:28 Fat Five 44:02 Babylon Bee on the Gayatollah 51:04 Team U.S.A. Baseball "Controversy" 1:00:13 Robot Arrested 1:01:24 Robot Goes Crazy! 1:06:18 FLASHBACK: Studio Light Nearly Hits Hillary Clinton 1:13:58 Recap of Kaitlin Bennett Interviews 1:15:00 Kaitlin Bennett Calls In! 1:24:12 Kathy Hochul Begs the Rich to Come Back 1:28:30 Rand Paul Doesn't Like Markwayne Mullin 1:33:24 John Fetterman Likes Markwayne Mullin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louie DeBrusk joins the show to talk Oilers on his birthday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rory Sutherland is the Vice Chairman of advertising giantOgilvy UK, a behavioural scientist, TED speaker, organiser of the Nudgestock conference and so much more. Most important, he is one of the most original thinkers around. In this wide ranging conversation, he explains what accountants and analysts miss, why he believes family-owned businesses are long term winners, two reasons to own Costco, his views on luxury brands, why he thinks electric cars could reshgpae industries, what short selling has in common with behavioural science and much, much more. Rory is not an investor but there are some tremendous insights here for investors to take away.

We discuss Shannon Drayer's report that JP Crawford is back from his visit to Texas to have his shoulder looked at and the news is good. Then, ESPN draft analyst Field Yates joins us to discuss whether this draft is as weak as everyone says, who he likes at pick 32 for the Seahawks, whether they could trade out of the first round and if Maxx Crosby or De’Von Achane could be trade options for Seattle.

Rich and Brockman react to Venezuela's come-from-behind win over Team USA to win the World Baseball Classic. NFL Network Analyst Daniel Jeremiah and Rich discuss the upcoming NFL Draft including his list of the top ten players he loves the most from a non-stop motor standpoint, the Miami Dolphins options after trading Jaylen Waddle, if the Rams could move up to draft Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, how the Jaylen Waddle trade impacts the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos moving forward, and more. Rich weighs in on the WNBA and the players union agreeing to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leila Rahimi, Marshall Harris and Mark Grote welcomed on Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes for the daily transition segment.

Bob and Lefko are joined by MLB Stats Analyst Mike Petriello to get his thoughts on why the Mariners are among the favorites to win the AL, what he likes about their lineup, and which of the new acquisition will be most impactful this season, they discuss the offseason changes to the Seahawks roster and coaching staff, and they hear Jared Verse tell an interesting story about the Seahawks offensive line in Sweeping the Dial. 

Mike Decourcy joins the show to talk all things College Basketball, a look at the Texas Rangers and the World Baseball Classic, and Trevor Beck has Good News!

Rob Brown joins the show to talk the Oilers with Bob. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob and Kelvin tell us why they have a big problem with the way the Dominican Republic players conducted themselves after they got eliminated in the World Baseball Classic, discuss whether the ABS system would have prevented such a controversial ending to the DR-USA game, and take a trip out to Shekel City for Rob's nightly bets. Plus, FOX Sports Radio NBA analyst Ric Bucher swings by to discuss the San Antonio Spurs' championship ceiling, how big of a threat the Los Angeles Lakers are to win the Western Conference, the Detroit Pistons' recent swoon, and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bump and Stacy are joined by NFL Network Analyst Marc Ross to get his thoughts on the biggest moves in the first weeks of free agency and what the Seahawks still need to do this offseason, they answer your questions about the 2026 NFL Draft and jersey number retirement in Four Down Territory, they hear some more NBA legends react to Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point performance, and they discuss some of the realities of the possible NBA expansion and return of the Sonics. 

Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.Today's Host: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin) and Co-Host: (ronthe3manweav)Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast:Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676

Topics discussed: Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum talk "finding balance" with one another again (The Drive) // Our official preview for the exciting conclusion of the 2026 World Baseball Classic // Official ratings predictions for the World Baseball Classic and the NCAA Men's Basketball first-four games tonight (Odds and Ends)

Sam Panayotovich, Fox Sports Betting Analyst and co-host of the sports betting show “Chicken Dinner,” joins John Williams to give us his picks for the men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Help us become the #1 Data Podcast by leaving a rating & review! We are 67 reviews away! The data analyst job market in 2026 is broken. Here are 5 ways to simplify the journey and land a role without burning out.

Sam Panayotovich, Fox Sports Betting Analyst and co-host of the sports betting show “Chicken Dinner,” joins John Williams to give us his picks for the men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.

For perspective on Israel's killing of one of Iran's most senior leaders, Ali Larijani, and the head of Iran's Basij internal security force, Amna Nawaz spoke with Alan Eyre and Joel Rayburn. Eyre was part of the Obama administration's negotiating team for the nuclear deal with Iran and is now at the Middle East Institute. Rayburn is a retired Army colonel and is now at the Hudson Institute. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas is predicted to win this Saturday's state election by a landslide – but that's not why this poll is attracting so much interest. Analysts and politicians alike are watching because this will be One Nation's first real test since its surge in opinion polls. Can this rightwing populist party translate those eye-opening numbers into seats? Chief political correspondent Dan Jervis-Bardy went to Adelaide to find out. He speaks to Reged Ahmad about what One Nation voters told him, and why the major parties are seeking to learn lessons on how to counter the party's rise

As the overwhelming majority of North Carolinians are well aware, the economic news of late remains a mix of good and bad news. On the hopeful side, the official unemployment rate remains comparatively low. What's more, there are some important ways in which our state remains better situated than many others. On the other hand, however, there are several areas in which things are trending in a negative direction. Perhaps most notable here, is the ongoing affordability crisis that continues to keep prices for several basics of life – housing, health care, groceries – beyond the reach of many average households. Now add the failure of state and national policy leaders to tackle these matters effectively and it's no wonder that concerns are running high – both among experts and average citizens. And recently NC Newsline caught up with North Carolina Budget and Tax Center Policy Analyst Alex Campbell to learn more. Click here to listen to the full interview with North Carolina Budget and Tax Center Policy Analyst Alex Campbell. 

Ahead of the March 17 primary in Illinois, The Daily talked to nine journalists and analysts who have been covering Illinois' 9th Congressional District to figure out what you should be watching for as the polls close, and who's actually voting in the district.

Sam Panayotovich, Fox Sports Betting Analyst and co-host of the sports betting show “Chicken Dinner,” joins John Williams to give us his picks for the men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Rich Eisen reacts to TEAM USA defeating the Dominican Republic to advance to the finals of the WBC where they will face either Italy or Venezuela. ESPN College Basketball Analyst Seth Greenberg joins Rich and discusses the seeding in the regions, coach Rick Pitino and John Calipari turning around programs at St. John's and Arkansas, some upset specials in the tournament, if Miami of Ohio deserves to get the seeding that they did, Dan Hurley and UConn squaring off against UCLA and Mick Cronin, who he likes to see in the Final Four. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last time we spoke about the Soviet-Japanese neutrality pact. In the summer of 1939, the Nomonhan Incident escalated into a major clash along the Halha River, where Soviet-Mongolian forces under Georgy Zhukov decisively defeated Japan's Kwantung Army. Zhukov's offensive, launched on August 20, involved intense artillery, bombers, and encirclement tactics, annihilating the Japanese 23rd Division and exposing weaknesses in Japanese mechanized warfare. The defeat, coinciding with the Hitler-Stalin Nonaggression Pact, forced Japan to negotiate a ceasefire on September 15-16, redrawing borders and deterring further northern expansion. Stalin navigated negotiations with Britain, France, and Germany to avoid a two-front war, ultimately signing the German-Soviet pact on August 23, which secured Soviet neutrality in Europe while addressing eastern threats. Post-Nomonhan, Soviet-Japanese relations warmed rapidly: fishing disputes were resolved, ambassadors exchanged, and the Chinese Eastern Railway sale finalized. By 1941, a neutrality pact was concluded, allowing Japan to pivot southward toward China and Southeast Asia.   #193 The Chiang-Wang Divide Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. After that lengthy mini series covering the battle of Khalkin Gol, we need to venture back into the second sino-japanese war, however like many other colossal events….well a lot was going on simultaneously. I wanted to take an episode to talk about the beginning of something known as the Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China, or much shorter, the Wang Jingwei Regime. It's been quite some time since we spoke about this character and he is a large part of the second sino-japanese war.    After the fall of Tianjin and Beiping, the government offices in Nanjing entered their annual summer recess. All of GMD's senior leadership, from Chiang Kai-shek down to Wang Jingwei, gathered on Mount Lu, a picturesque resort in northern Jiangxi, south of the Yangtze, famed for cliffs, clouds, and summer villas. Although Chiang had visited Mount Lu every summer, this was the first occasion that nearly the entire central government assembled there. Analysts suspected the gathering was a deliberate move to relocate government functions inland in the event of total war. Dozens of the nation's leading intellectuals were invited to Mount Lu to discuss strategies for countering Japan's ambitions. The forum was scheduled to begin on July 15 and to last twenty-seven days in three phases. The bridge incident caught them off guard. Unlike Manchuria, Beiping had long been the nation's capital, and the shock added urgency to the proceedings. When the forum, chaired by Wang, finally opened on July 16, speculation ran as to whether this signaled another regional conflict or the onset of full-scale war. The media pressed for a resolute stance of resistance from the government. To dispel the mounting confusion and perhaps his own indecision, Chiang delivered a solemn speech on July 17, declaring that if the incident could not be resolved peacefully, China would face the "crucial juncture" of national survival and would consider military action; if war began, every Chinese person, from every corner of the country and from every walk of life, would have to sacrifice all to defend the nation.   Chiang's Mount Lu Speech was now commonly regarded as the moment when China publicly proclaimed its firm commitment to resistance. Contemporary observers, however, did not take Chiang's stance at face value. Tao Xisheng, a Peking University law professor who had been invited, recalled that after the speech, people gathered in Hu Shi's room to discuss whether a peace option remained. Chiang left the mountain on July 20, leaving Wang to chair the conference. The discussions continued upon their return to Nanjing, where a National Defense Conference was organized in mid-August. It was also Tao's first encounter with Wang Jingwei. A "peace faction," largely composed of civil officials and intellectuals, began to take shape around Wang, favoring diplomatic solutions over costly and potentially ineffective military action.   During this period, both Chiang and Wang publicly called for resistance, while both harbored hopes for a peaceful solution. Yet their emphases differed. On July 29, Wang Jingwei delivered a radio address from Nanjing titled "The Critical Juncture," echoing Chiang's slogan. He likewise asserted that after repeated concessions and retreats, the critical juncture had come for China to rise against Japan. It would be a harsh form of resistance, since a weak nation had no alternative but to sacrifice every citizen's life and scorch every inch of land. Yet toward the end, Wang's speech took on an ironic turn. He stated, "The so-called resistance demands sacrificing the whole land and the whole nation to resist the invader. If there is no weakness in the world, then there is also no strength. Once we have completed the sacrifice, we also realize the purpose of resistance. We hail 'the critical juncture'! We hail 'sacrifice'!" The sentiment sounded almost satirical, revealing his doubt about the meaning of total sacrifice.   The hope for containment was crushed by Japan's ongoing advances. On November 12, Shanghai fell. Chiang's gamble produced about 187,200 Chinese casualties, including roughly 30,000 officers trained to German standards. Japanese casualties were estimated at a third to a half of the Chinese losses, still making it their deadliest single battle to date. The battered Japanese Imperial Army and Navy, long convinced of their invincibility, were consumed by vengeful bloodlust. The army swept from Shanghai toward Nanjing, leaving a trail of murder, rape, arson, and plunder across China's heartland.   With the fall of Nanjing looming, the central government announced on November 20 that it would relocate to Chongqing, a city upriver on the Yangtze protected by sheer cliffs. Plans for Chongqing as a reserve capital had already begun in 1935, with Hankou as the midway station. To preserve elite troops for the future while saving face, Nanjing was entrusted to General Tang Shengzhi and his roughly one hundred thousand largely inexperienced soldiers. Nanjing fell on December 13. Despite this victory, Japan's hopes of ending the China Incident within three months were dashed. The carnage produced by the war, especially the Rape of Nanjing, left a profound moral stain on humanity. A mass exodus from the coastal provinces toward the hinterland began. People fled by boats, trains, buses, rickshaws, and wheelbarrows. Universities, factories, and ordinary households were moved halfway across China, step by step. The nation resolved to persevere, even in distant mountains and deserts if necessary. In Sichuan alone, government relief agencies officially registered about 9.2 million refugees during the war years.   Chiang Kai-shek, after paying respects at Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum, flew to Mount Lu with Song Meiling. The so-called Second Couple chose a more modest path: like most refugees, the Wang family traveled upriver along the Yangtze. On November 21, they left Nanjing, abandoning a recently renovated suburban home and thirty years of collected books. Coincidentally, the ship carrying Wang Jingwei from Nanjing to Wuhan was SS Yongsui, the former SS Zhongshan that had escorted Sun Yat-sen to safety and witnessed Wang's ascent and subsequent downfall from power. Ironically renamed "Yong-sui," the ship's new title meant "peace," while the compound term suijing denoted a policy of appeasement. This symbolism—Wang being carried away from Nanjing by a ship named "Eternal Peace"—foreshadowed his eventual return to the city as a champion of a "peace movement."   After the Mount Lu Forum, Hu Shi and Tao Xisheng could not return to Beiping, now under Japanese occupation. They joined the government in Nanjing. Beginning in mid-August, Japanese bombers began attacking Nanjing. Air power—an unprecedented weapon of mass destruction—humbled and awed a Chinese public largely unfamiliar with airborne warfare. By striking a target that did not serve its immediate interests, Japan demonstrated its world-class military might and employed psychological warfare against the Chinese government and people. Because Zhou Fohai's villa at Xiliuwan had a fortified cellar suitable as an air-raid shelter, a group of like-minded intellectuals and civil servants sought refuge there. They preferred a peaceful approach to the conflict, subscribing to the idea of trading space for time—building China's industrial and military capabilities before confronting Japan. Tao Xisheng and Mei Siping, old allies of Zhou Fohai, lived in his house. Another frequent guest was Luo Junqiang, an ex-communist. The former CCP leader Chen Duxiu, recently released from prison, joined their gatherings a few times. Gao Zongwu hosted another meeting site. Hu Shi, as a guest himself, jokingly called this circle the "Low-Key Club" (Didiao julebu), a label that underscored their pragmatic defiance of the government's high-flown rhetoric urging all-out resistance. Many members of this group would later become central figures in a conspiracy known as the "peace movement," with Wang Jingwei as its leader and emblem.   As Gerald Bunker noted, the peace scheme did not originate with Wang but with certain associates of Chiang, elements in Japanese military intelligence, and members of liberal-minded Japanese political circles who were linked to Konoe. Zhou Fohai belonged to the Chiang-loyalist CC faction, named for Chen Guofu and Chen Lifu. Zhou believed that resistance under current conditions was suicidal. He sought to influence Chiang through people around him, including Wang Jingwei, whom he found impressionable and began visiting at Wang's salon. Gao Zongwu, head of the Foreign Ministry's Asian Department, felt sidelined by Chiang's uncompromising stance. They shared the sense that Chiang might be willing to talk but feared the price, perhaps his own leadership. They were dismayed by the lack of a long-range war plan beyond capitulation. Their view was that China's battlefield losses would worsen the terms of any settlement, and that the war's outcome seemed to benefit Soviet Russia and undermine the GMD more than China itself. The rapid collapses of Shanghai and then Nanjing vindicated their pessimism. Chiang's autocratic decision-making only deepened their dissatisfaction. They feared China was again at risk of foreign conquest from which it might not recover.   Wang Jingwei became the focal point for these disaffected individuals, drawn by his pacifist leanings, intellectual temperament, and preference for consensus-building. After the government relocated to Hankou, he lent guidance to the Literature and Art Research Society (Yiwen yanjiu hui), a propagandist body led by Zhou Fohai and Tao Xisheng. Its purpose was to steer public opinion on issues like the war of resistance and anticommunism, and to advocate a stance that the government must preserve both peace and war as options. Many believed it to be Wang's private organization; in truth, Chiang supported its activities. For much of 1938, Chiang's belligerent anti-Japanese rhetoric and Wang's conciliatory push were two sides of the GMD's broader strategy.   Among the society's regional branches, the Hong Kong chapter flourished under Mei Siping and Lin Baisheng. In addition to editing South China Daily News, Lin established Azure Books and the International Compilation and Translation Society (Guoji bianyishe) as primary propaganda organs. Ironically, Mei Siping had himself been a radical during the 1919 student protests, when he helped set fire to the deputy foreign minister's house in protest of perceived capitulation to Japan.   Wang Jingwei also actively engaged in international efforts to broker peace between Japan and China, including Trautmann's mediation by the German ambassador. Since the outbreak of war, various Western powers had contemplated serving as mediators, but none succeeded. Nazi Germany, aligned with Japan in an anti-Soviet partnership, emerged as China's most likely ally because it did not want Japan to squander its strength in China or compel China to seek Soviet help. Conversely, Japan's interest lay in prolonging the war or achieving a swift settlement. Ambassador Trautmann met with Wang Jingwei multiple times from October 31 to early November 1937 to confirm China's preference for peace before negotiating with Japan. The proposal Trautmann carried to Chiang Kai-shek on November 5 proposed terms including autonomy for Inner Mongolia, a larger demilitarized zone in North China, an expanded cease-fire around Shanghai, a halt to anti-Japanese movements, an anti-communist alliance, reduced tariffs on Japanese goods, and protection of foreign interests in China. Although Japan did not specify territorial gains, these terms deviated significantly from Chiang's demand to restore pre–Marco Polo Bridge status. After Shanghai fell, Chiang's rigidity softened.   On December 5, at Hankou, the National Defense Conference agreed to begin peace negotiations based on Trautmann's terms, a decision Chiang approved. But it was too late: Nanjing fell on December 13, and a provisional Beiping government led by Wang Kemin was established, signaling Japan's growing support for regional separatism. On December 24, Japan issued an ultimatum for a harsher deal to be accepted by January 10. In response, Chiang resigned as chairman of the Executive Yuan on January 1, 1938, and was succeeded by his brother-in-law Kong Xiangxi. Chiang declared that death in defeat was preferable to death in disgrace and refused to yield under coercion. The Konoe Cabinet announced on January 16 that Japan would not negotiate with Chiang Kai-shek. Trautmann's mediation had failed.   After Konoe's announcement, mediation became even more precarious, as it placed the already deadly, no-win situation between the two nations in deeper jeopardy. Secret contacts between the two governments persisted through multiple channels—sometimes at the direction of their own leaders, other times at the initiative of a cadre of officials and quasi-official figures of dubious legitimacy. Many of these covert efforts were steered by Chiang himself. In late 1937, Wang Jingwei even sent Chen Gongbo to Rome to explore the possibility of Italian mediation between China and Japan. After meetings with Mussolini and Foreign Minister Ciano, Chen concluded that Italy had no genuine goodwill toward China and favored Japan. His conversations with other Western leaders (Belgium, France, Britain, and the United States) proved equally fruitless. In diaries, Zhou Fohai and Chen Kewen recorded a pervasive mood of pessimism among Hankou and Chongqing's national government factions. Although direct champions of negotiating with Japan were few, many voices insisted that China was on the brink of collapse while secretly hoping peace talks would begin soon. Gao Zongwu's mission emerged from this tense atmosphere.   With Konoe's cabinet refusing to negotiate with Chiang Kai-shek, many regarded Wang as the best candidate to carry forward a diplomatic solution. Yet Wang remained convinced of his loyalty to Chiang and to Chiang's policy. The Italian ambassador visited Wuhan to offer mediation between Wang and the Japanese government, an invitation Wang declined. Tang Shaoyi's daughter traveled to Wuhan to convey Tokyo's negotiation intent, but was similarly turned away. Even Chen Bijun, then in Hong Kong, urged Wang to join her and start peace negotiations; he again declined. Tao Xisheng remembered a quiet night when Wang confided in him: "This time I will cooperate with Mr. Chiang until the very end, regardless of how the war unfolds." His stance did not change when Gao Zongwu reported that the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office wanted him to head the peace talks.   Gao Zongwu's bid was brokered by Dong Daoning, head of the Japan Affairs Section in the Foreign Ministry. Shortly after Konoe's statement, Dong traveled to Shanghai to meet Nishi Yoshiaki, representative of Mantetsu, and Matsumoto Shigeharu, a Dōmei News Agency journalist. Nishi and Matsumoto then introduced Dong to Kagesa Sadaaki, head of the Strategy and Tactics Department in the General Staff Office. Kagesa introduced Dong to Deputy Director Tada Hayao and colleagues Ishiwara Kanji and Imai Takeo, who agreed that a peaceful resolution to the China crisis aligned with Japan's interests. It would be inaccurate to paint these figures as pacifists: Ishiwara, who helped build Manchukuo, also recognized that further incursions into China could jeopardize Japan's hard-won gains. They proposed a temporary resignation by Chiang to spare Konoe from having to retract his refusal to negotiate, thereby allowing Wang to lead the talks. In short, the scheme aimed to save face for Konoe.   Dong returned to Hong Kong and delivered the proposal to Gao Zongwu, who had been stationed there since February under Chiang's orders to oversee intelligence and liaison with Japan. Luo Junqiang, Gao's contact, testified that Gao was paid monthly from Chiang's secret military fund. Gao went back to Hankou twice, on April 2 and May 30. On the second trip, he personally conveyed Japan's terms to Chiang. Gao later admitted that Chiang never gave him explicit instructions, but rather cultivated an impression of tacit approval. At no point did Gao view the deal as Chiang's betrayal. As long as Chiang retained control of the military, Wang's leadership could only be nominal and temporary. Unbeknownst to Wang, Gao's personal ties to Chiang remained hidden from him; he learned of them only through Zhou Fohai. Startled, he handed the information to Chiang Kai-shek and told Tao Xisheng: "I cannot broker peace with Japan alone. I will not deceive Mr. Chiang." Given Tao's later departure from Wang's circle to rejoin Chiang, Tao's recollection could be trusted.   Two months later, Wang left Chongqing to pursue a peace settlement. A key factor may have been persistent lobbying by Zhou, Gao, Mei, Tao, and especially his wife Chen Bijun. Luo Junqiang recalled that Kong Xiangxi objected that Gao acted without him, prompting Chiang to order Gao to halt his covert efforts, an order Gao ignored. Gao and Mei Siping continued to press for a deal. Gao even spent three weeks in Japan in July, holding extensive talks with Kagesa Sadaaki and Imai Takeo. Their discussions produced the first substantive articulation of the Wang peace movement as a Sino-Japanese plot to end the "China incident." On November 26, Mei flew from Hong Kong to Chongqing with a draft of Japan's terms and Konoe's planned announcement. The proposal stated that the Japanese army would withdraw completely within two years once peace was reached, but it demanded that China formally recognize Manchukuo. Wang was to leave Chongqing for Kunming by December 5, then proceed to Hanoi. Upon Japan receiving news of his arrival in Hanoi, the telegram would reveal the peace terms. This pivotal moment threw Wang into intense inner turmoil. Zhou Fohai visited Wang daily, and Wang delayed decisively each time, much to Zhou's frustration. Ultimately, it seemed that Chen Bijun rendered the final judgment on Wang's behalf. As in earlier episodes, Wang found himself trapped by an idealized image of himself held by family, followers, and loyalists, seen by them as a larger-than-life figure who must undertake a mission too grand to fail.   Yet Wang's stance was not purely involuntary. As Imai Takeo noted, he fundamentally disagreed with Chiang's strategy of resistance. The so-called scorched-earth approach caused immense suffering. Three episodes stood out: the 1938 Yellow River flood, ordered by Chiang to impede Japan's advance, which destroyed dikes and displaced millions, yielding devastating agricultural and humanitarian consequences; the subsequent epidemics and famine that followed, producing about two million refugees and up to nine hundred thousand deaths, while failing to stop the Japanese advance toward Wuhan (which fell in October); and the Changsha fire, ignited in the early hours of November 13, which killed nearly thirty thousand people and devastated most of the city. These events sharpened Wang's doubts about Chiang's defense strategy, especially its reckless execution and cruelty. By late November, Wang began to openly challenge Chiang's approach, delivering a series of speeches advocating his own war-weariness and preference for limiting resistance to preserve national strength for future counterstrikes. He argued that guerrilla warfare burdened the people and wasted national resources that could be saved for a later, more effective defense. He urged soldiers to exercise judgment and listen to their consciences, and he attributed much of the civilian suffering to the Communists; nonetheless, with General von Falkenhausen, Chiang's German adviser, now urging a shift toward smaller-unit mobile warfare, Wang's critique of Chiang's strategy took on a more pointed, risksome tone. If resistance equaled total sacrifice, Wang was not prepared to endorse it. As Margherita Zanasi noted, Wang Jingwei and Chen Gongbo had long shared a vision of a self-consciously anti-imperial "national economy", the belief that China's economy had not yet achieved genuine nation-power and that compromising with the foe might be necessary to save the national economy.   Wang and Zhou also worried that continuing resistance would strengthen the Communists and that genuine international aid would not arrive, at least not soon. After Nazi Germany occupied Czechoslovakia, Wang briefly hoped for the formation of an antifascist democratic alliance. Yet the Munich Agreement disappointed him. Viewing Western democracies as culturally imperialist, he doubted they would jeopardize their relations with Japan, another imperial power, on China's behalf. This view was reinforced by Zhou Fohai and other China specialists who had recently joined Wang's circle; they argued that China would fall unless the international situation shifted dramatically. Their forecast would prove accurate only after Pearl Harbor.   In the end, Wang longed for decisive action. He had been sidelined since the government's move to Wuhan. At the GMD Provisional National Congress in Hankou (March 29–April 1), the party resolved to restore Chiang Kai-shek to near-total control by reasserting the authoritarian zongcai system. The Congress also established the People's Political Council as a nominal nod to democracy, but it remained largely consultative. Wang was elected deputy director and chairman of the council, yet he clearly resented the position. Jiang Tingfu described Wang's Hankou mood as "somewhat resentful," recognizing the role as largely ceremonial. More optimistic observers attributed his dismay to the return of dictatorship, and he likely felt increasingly useless. Since the Mukden Incident, Wang had prioritized party unity and been content to play a secondary role to Chiang, but inaction did not fit his sense of historical purpose. It was Zhou Fohai who urged Wang to risk his reputation for a greater cause, presenting a calculated nudge to someone susceptible to idealism. A longing to find meaning through action may have finally pushed him toward a fateful decision. As Chen Bijun bluntly told Long Yun, her husband "was merely an empty shell in Chongqing and could contribute nothing to the country; thus he wanted to change his surroundings."   Wang considered staying abroad as a serious option amid the Hanoi uncertainty. Gao Zongwu had previously told Japanese negotiators that if Konoe's stance did not satisfy Wang, he might head to France. Chongqing echoed this possibility. On December 29, Ambassador Guo Taiqi, acting on Chiang's orders, telegraphed Wang suggesting he go to Europe "to take a break." It would have offered a graceful exit. Kagesa recommended Hanoi as Wang Jingwei's midway station because, as a French colony, it offered a relatively safe environment. Only the French were armed there, and several members of the extended Wang family had grown up in France, enabling them to communicate with the colonial authorities.   After Wang departed for Hanoi, Long Yun hesitated for weeks. On December 20, he telegraphed Chiang, saying Wang had paused in Kunming on the way to Hanoi to seek medical treatment. Knowing this was untrue, Chiang replied on December 27 with a stern warning about Japan's unreliability, a message that appeared to have persuaded Long. A day later, Long urged leniency for Wang. Following Wang's publication of the "yan telegram," public anger likely pushed Long toward a final decision. On January 6, he informed Chiang of a letter from Wang delivered by Chen Changzu, and he noted that the Wangs were considering the French option, but recommended allowing Wang to return to Chongqing to show leniency and to enable surveillance.   Chiang replied two days later that Wang would be better off going to Europe. The extended Wang family resided in two Western-style mansions at 25 and 27 Rue Riz Marché, surrounded by high walls. On February 15, Chongqing's envoy Gu Zhengding brought their passports to Hanoi. Accounts differed on what happened next. One version had Wang offering to travel abroad if Chongqing accepted his proposal to start peace talks; if Chongqing remained indecisive, he would return to voice his dissent. Another version claimed Gu's primary task was to bring Wang back to Chongqing, which Wang declined, preferring France.   Although the French option was gaining favor, the Wang circle continued to explore other avenues. In early 1939, secret contacts with the Japanese government persisted, though not always in a coordinated way. Chiang's intelligence advised that the Wang group was forming networks in Shanghai and especially Hong Kong, with Gao Zongwu playing a central role. On February 1, Gao returned from Hong Kong and stayed for five days, finding Wang in a despondent mood. Wang asked Gao to pass along a few letters to Japanese leaders urging the creation of a unified Chinese government to earn the Chinese people's understanding and trust. Wang believed his actions would serve the best interests of both China and Japan. On March 18, the Japanese consulate in Hong Kong informed Gao that funding for the Wang group would come from China's customs revenues that Japan had seized.   Meanwhile, Chiang Kai-shek sensed a shift in the war's direction. On February 10, Japan seized Hainan, China's southernmost major island. The next day, Chiang held a press conference describing the development as "the Mukden Incident of the Pacific." He warned that Japan's ambitions could threaten British and French colonial interests and U.S. maritime supremacy. Gao Zongwu read the speech and concluded that Chiang's outlook had brightened.   For three months, the Wang circle met frequently to weigh options. The prominent writer and scholar Zhou Zuoren, who had already accepted a collaborationist post as head of the Beiping library, warned Tao Xisheng, saying "Don't do it," signaling his misgivings about collaborating with Japan based on his reading of Japanese politics. As Zhou observed, many young Japanese militarists did not even respect General Ugaki, let alone a foreign leader.   Then the assassination of Zeng Zhongming, Wang's secretary and protégé, abruptly altered the meaning of Wang's mission. The Wang group was deeply unsettled by Zeng Zhongming's assassination. The event came as a shock. On March 20, Gu Zhengding's second Hanoi visit concluded. Allegedly Gu delivered passports and funds for a European excursion. On a bright spring day, the entire Wang family enjoyed a lighthearted outing to Three Peaches Beach, only to be halted by a French officer who warned they were being followed. During their afternoon rest, a man posing as a painter, sent by the landlord to measure rooms for payment, appeared at the door and was turned away when he insisted on entering every room. More than twenty people in the household, none were armed.   Since January, Hanoi had been a hive of BIS activity. The ringleader was Chen Gongshu, a veteran operative under spymaster Dai Li, though Chen's recollections clashed with those of other witnesses, leaving the exact sequence unclear. Chen claimed their role was intelligence and surveillance until March 19, when an unsigned telegram from Dai Li ordered, "Severest punishment to the traitor Wang Jingwei, immediately!" The mission supposedly shifted. The Wang family was followed the next day but evaded capture in traffic, prompting a raid on the house. Reports varied: some said Wang resided on the second floor of No. 27; others suggested he lived in No. 25, with No. 27 used for day guests. The force entered the courtyard, forced open the door to Wang's room, and a getaway car waited outside. Chen, in the car, heard gunshots: initial shots toward a downstairs figure, then three shots through a bedroom door hacked open with an axe, aimed at a figure beneath the bed, believed to be Wang Jingwei. The team drove off after four to five minutes. Vietnamese police soon detained three killers who lingered in the courtyard and even listened in on a hospital call. Chen didn't realize the target had been misidentified until the next afternoon. Some BIS records suggested Wang and Zeng Zhongming had swapped bedrooms that night, a detail Chen doubted. Chen did not mention a painter's earlier visit.   There were competing accounts of the event with their numerous inconsistencies that fueled conspiracy theories. Jin Xiongbai outlined three possibilities: (1) the killers killed the "wrong person" as a warning to Wang Jingwei; (2) they killed Zeng to provoke Wang toward collaboration; or (3) the episode was always part of a broader Chiang-Wang collaboration plan.   In any case, Dai Li showed unusual leniency toward Chen Gongshu, who was never punished and later led the Shanghai station. After Dai Li's agent Li Shiqun was captured in 1941, Li not only spared Chen's life but recruited him on a double-agent basis for the remainder of the war, with Chen retiring to Taiwan. Chiang Kai-shek never discussed the case publicly or in his diary, and his silence was perhaps the strongest indication that he ordered the killing.   I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Wang Jingwei, once a key figure in China's resistance against Japan, grew disillusioned with Chiang Kai-shek's scorched-earth tactics during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Amid devastating events like the Yellow River flood and Changsha fire, which caused immense civilian suffering, Wang joined a peace faction advocating negotiation. Secret talks with Japanese officials led to his defection in 1938. He fled Chongqing to Hanoi, where an assassination attempt, likely ordered by Chiang, killed his secretary Zeng Zhongming instead.   

Casey breaks down the NCAA tournmanet bracket and if Arizona can win in March Madness.

CBS News Military Analyst Col Jeff McCausland joins Megan Lynch as the US is requesting aid in the securing of the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Iran. McCausland still says the objective of the attacks is unclear.

Former CIA analyst and bestselling spy novelist David McCloskey (“The Rest Is Classified” podcast) explains how Israel manipulated Trump to get him to attack Iran and what Netanyahu’s real plan is. The new answers on Havana Syndrome and whether there was a CIA coverup. And the tragic events of Jordanian triple-agent  Balawi. Watch Mission Implausible on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MissionImplausiblePod

  As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East muddy the economic waters, market veterans Rick Bensignor and Dana Lyons dive deep into the technical “cracks”...

March 12th, 2026 Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X Listen to past episodes on The Ticket’s Website And follow The Ticket Top 10 on Apple, Spotify or Amazon MusicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rivian has spent four years and billions of dollars building electric vehicles that most people cannot afford. The R2 — a mid-size SUV that starts at $45,000 and tops out at $57,990 — is the company's answer to that problem. Full pricing and trim details dropped today, 12 March 2026, and deliveries of the first Performance variant begin this spring. If it works, Rivian becomes a proper carmaker. If it does not, the maths gets ugly fast.From Concept to ConcreteThe R2 platform was first announced in 2022, with production originally pencilled in for 2025 at a planned factory in Georgia. That changed in March 2024, when RJ Scaringe, Rivian's founder and chief executive, unveiled the production-ready R2 alongside the smaller R3 and R3X crossovers at a packed event at the Rivian Theater in Laguna Beach, California. Mr Scaringe also confirmed he was scrapping the Georgia plan — at least for now — and would build the R2 at the existing Normal, Illinois plant instead. That decision saved more than $2.25 billion in capital expenditure and, crucially, pulled the launch date forward.Within 24 hours of its unveiling, Rivian had taken more than 68,000 reservations at $100 apiece. By July 2024, the company's VP of manufacturing Tim Fallon said reservations had surpassed 100,000 and were still climbing. Rivian has not updated that figure publicly since.Production began in January 2026. Validation vehicles rolled off the Normal line first, and the factory is now ramping toward a target capacity of 155,000 R2 units per year — alongside the R1 models it already builds there. Each R2 takes roughly 15 hours to assemble, down from 18 hours for an R1.Why the R2 Matters More Than Any Vehicle Rivian Has BuiltThe R1T pickup and R1S SUV earned Rivian a devoted following and the top spot in Consumer Reports owner satisfaction surveys. They also bled money. Rivian posted a net loss of $3.65 billion in 2025, on top of a $4.75 billion loss in 2024. The R1S starts near $75,000 (around £59,000) — a price that limits the addressable market to a sliver of American buyers."R2 is really instrumental for driving the business to positive cash flow and overall profitability," Mr Scaringe told CNBC in February. He was not exaggerating. The bill of materials for the R2 is roughly half that of the R1. Rivian slashed the number of computing units from over 60 in a traditional vehicle to seven, and cut wiring length by about two miles (3.2 km). The result is what Mr Scaringe called "a dramatic reduction in the cost structure to build it."Rivian did scrape together a positive gross profit in the fourth quarter of 2025 — a milestone, though the margin was wafer-thin at around 2%, compared with Tesla's 17%. The R2, with its leaner architecture and lower price, is meant to close that gap at volume. Analysts expect around 15,000 R2 deliveries in 2026, though some believe Rivian could exceed that figure. By 2027, with three full shifts running, the Normal plant could produce roughly 155,000 R2s annually.Today's Pricing: What You GetThe lineup spans four trims, all sharing an 87.9 kWh usable battery and a $1,495 destination charge. Here is how they break down:The Performance trim arrives first, this spring, at $57,990 (around £46,000) including the Launch Package. It runs dual-motor all-wheel drive with 656 horsepower, 609 lb-ft (826 Nm) of torque and a 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) time of 3.6 seconds. Highway overtaking is savage: 50–70 mph (80–113 km/h) in 1.55 seconds. EPA-estimated range sits at up to 330 miles (531 km). The Launch Package bundles lifetime Autonomy+ access, a tow package rated at 4,400 lbs (1,996 kg) and an exclusive Launch Green paint option.The Premium trim follows in late 2026 at $53,990 (around £43,000). It shares the 330-mile range and dual-motor AWD layout but dials the power back to 450 hp and 537 lb-ft. Zero to 60 takes 4.6 seconds — hardly slow.The Standard RWD Long Range arrives in the first half of 2027 at $48,490 (around £38,500). A single rear motor delivers 350 hp and 355 lb-ft, reaching 60 in 5.9 seconds. Rivian estimates range at up to 345 miles (555 km) — the longest in the lineup, because rear-wheel drive is more efficient.Finally, the Standard RWD variant lands in late 2027 at approximately $45,000 (around £35,700). It uses a smaller battery pack and offers 275+ miles (443+ km) of estimated range. Rivian has shared few other details so far.All trims charge from 10% to 80% in 29 minutes via a native NACS port, which grants access to the Tesla Supercharger network. CCS adapters are supported too.Built Lighter, Built TougherThe R2 rides on an entirely new mid-size unibody platform — a departure from the R1's body-on-frame architecture. The result is a vehicle that weighs nearly 2,000 lbs (907 kg) less than its bigger sibling while sitting on a 115.6-inch (2,936 mm) wheelbase. At 185.9 inches (4,722 mm) long and 75 inches (1,905 mm) wide, it is squarely in Tesla Model Y territory.The weight savings translate directly into agility, but Rivian has kept the off-road DNA intact. Ground clearance of 9.6 inches (244 mm) is best in class — nearly three inches more than a Model Y. Approach and departure angles of 25° and 26° respectively, plus a wading depth of 19.7 inches (500 mm), mean the R2 can do more than look adventurous in a car park. The Performance trim gets semi-active suspension, eight drive modes including Rally and Soft Sand, and a low centre of gravity courtesy of the structural battery pack.Inside, the cabin seats five adults with 40.4 inches (1,026 mm) of rear legroom and headroom — enough, Rivian says, for occupants over six feet (1.83 m) tall. Total enclosed storage is 90.1 cubic feet (2,551 litres), with a front trunk that swallows a carry-on suitcase and a backpack, fold-flat rear seats that create a level loading surface, and dual gloveboxes. The rear drop glass — a powered window that lowers completely into the liftgate — is a genuine talking point, allowing surfboards and other long cargo to slide in or a breeze to sweep through. It is included on Performance and Premium trims.Materials lean sustainable: upcycled Birch wood accents, a headliner made from recycled ocean plastics and Rivian's second-generation Adventex material, which is designed to withstand muddy boots and wet dogs in equal measure.The Technology PlayRivian calls the R2 a "software-defined vehicle," and the specification sheet backs that up. The perception stack comprises 11 HDR cameras with a combined 65 megapixels and a five-radar system — hardware that comes standard on every trim.Rivian Autonomy+, the company's Level 2+ hands-free driver-assist system, covers 3.5 million miles (5.6 million km) of roads across the United States and Canada. It costs $49.99 per month or $2,500 as a one-off purchase. The Launch Package includes it for the lifetime of the vehicle. Every R2 gets a 60-day trial.On-board AI compute runs to 200 TOPS, dedicated to the in-cabin experience. This powers the forthcoming Rivian Assistant — a voice-controlled system that processes complex requests locally, even when offline. The 5G-connected architecture ensures updates arrive over the air, while the offline capability means the vehicle is not hobbled in areas without signal.At the steering wheel, Rivian's in-house Haptic Halo dials replace conventional switchgear. These context-aware controls scroll, push, pull and tilt with distinct tactile feedback for different functions — an attempt to bridge the gap between touchscreen convenience and physical control that many rivals have abandoned entirely. Two digital displays complete the cockpit: one behind the wheel for driving data, and one in the centre for everything else.The Elephant in the Room: TeslaThe R2 lands in the most contested segment of the electric vehicle market. The Tesla Model Y — the best-selling EV on the planet and briefly the best-selling car of any kind in 2023 — starts at $44,000 in the United States and delivers up to 357 miles (575 km) of range. It has a vast Supercharger network, a mature software ecosystem and years of manufacturing refinement behind it.The R2 fights back with 3 inches (7.6 cm) more ground clearance, genuine off-road hardware, a richer interior (Model Y's cabin has always divided opinion) and that distinctive outdoor-adventure identity that Rivian has cultivated since its founding. Whether that is enough to prise buyers away from Tesla — or from the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Chevrolet Equinox EV — remains the central question.Why Failure Is Not an OptionRivian burned roughly $3 billion in the first nine months of 2025 alone. It ended 2024 with about $5.3 billion in cash, a figure being steadily eroded by capital expenditure and operating losses. The Volkswagen joint venture — worth up to $5.8 billion in total — provides a lifeline, as does the potential for Department of Energy loan access. But lifelines do not last for ever.The company's stock tells its own story. Rivian went public in November 2021 at $78 a share, briefly touched $170 and now trades around $15. A 90% decline from the peak concentrates the mind wonderfully.The R2 must do three things at once: attract a materially larger customer base than the R1 ever could, generate a positive gross margin per vehicle and ramp to volumes that spread fixed costs across enough units to bend the loss curve downward. At a planned capacity of 155,000 units per year from Normal alone — with a second factory in Georgia eventually to follow — Rivian has the industrial ambition. The Volkswagen partnership supplies software licensing revenue and engineering credibility.Mr Scaringe has described the R2 as "the most important thing that we've developed as a company." On the evidence of today's specification sheet, it is also the most complete. The range is competitive, the technology is ambitious, the price is within reach of mainstream buyers and the off-road capability gives it a personality that few electric SUVs can match.None of which will matter if Rivian cannot build it at scale, on time and at a cost that leaves room for profit. The company that once dazzled Wall Street with a $170 share price now needs to dazzle customers with a $45,000 truck. That is the harder trick — and the one on which everything depends.

Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.Today's Host: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin) and Co-Host: (ronthe3manweav)Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast:Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676

Send a textCan AI actually help you make a better podcast?This week, we break down how to use AI to analyze your podcast episodes, transcripts, titles, and back catalog so you can spot patterns, improve your content, and plan stronger future episodes.Kevin shares how he used ChatGPT to review Buzzcast's episode titles, downloads, durations, and transcripts to uncover what topics perform best, what kind of conversations create the most engagement, how each host contributes to the show, and where there are opportunities to improve. Along the way, we talk about why back catalog optimization matters, why transcript access is such a big unlock for podcasters, and how AI can be a genuinely useful tool for creators.Steps to run your own podcast analysis:1. Start with the data:Copy your episode list, including publish dates, titles, durations, and downloadsExport or collect your podcast transcriptsUpload both into an AI tool like ChatGPT inside a single project so it can reference everything together2. Then give it some context: Tell the AI that older episodes naturally have more downloads because they've had more time to accumulate plays. Ask it to account for that before comparing old episodes to new ones.3. Analysis prompts we used:Broad analysis“Look at all the episode titles, durations, and downloads. What patterns do you see?”“Based on this data, what questions should I ask if I want to improve my podcast?”Title analysis“Look at my podcast episode titles and downloads and tell me what title patterns perform best.”Transcript and format analysis“Analyze my podcast transcripts and identify patterns in the conversations.”“What types of segments appear most often?”“Which segments create the best conversations?”Host dynamics / speaking analysis“Analyze the speaking distribution across my podcast transcripts.”Future episode planning“Based on my best performing episodes, suggest new episode ideas.”Links mentioned in this episode:6 Episode Title Tips for Podcast GrowthHow to Rank Higher and Get Discovered on Apple Podcasts25+ Creative Podcast Marketing IdeasHow to Choose the Right Monetization Strategy for Your PodcastHow I Make Money Podcasting blog postContact Buzzcast Send us a text message Tweet us at @buzzcastpodcast, @albanbrooke, @kfinn, and @JordanPods Thanks for listening and Keep Podcasting!

[00:30] Terrorist Attacks Escalate (28 minutes) Authorities warn that Iran has activated “sleeper cells” in the U.S. Analysts blame the increase in terrorist attacks worldwide on Israel instead of the terrorists. [28:15] WorldWatch (4 minutes) [32:15] Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ: Repentance Toward God (27 minutes) The Bible has a lot to say about repentance, but most Christians don't understand this subject. What is true repentance?

On the March 13 edition of A's Cast Live, Chris Townsend discussed how important Spring Training games are for players battling for spots (14:10) and the players who have impressed so far for the A's (31:30) and was joined by: 1:04:25 Dallas Braden - A's Analyst on NBC Sports California 1:21:20 Ken Korach - Radio Voice of the A's Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Tannenbaum, ESPN Insider and former NFL General Manager, joins Silver & Krueger to assess the Ravens backing out of their trade for Maxx Crosby and whether that will hurt Eric DeCosta's ability to do business for future transactions. Tannenbaum also explains why the Vikings signing Kyler Murray could be the most consequential move of the entire NFL offseason and revisits his proposal from radio row that the 49ers should try to extend Mac Jones rather than trade him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Chris Cochrane dives into Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo – the cheapest Mac laptop ever made – and whether it spells trouble for Chromebook makers. He also covers Samsung’s CEO blaming AI for rising phone prices, Framework raising RAM prices for the third time in three months, Meta unveiling four custom AI chips, NVIDIA’s GTC 2026 conference preview, a billion-dollar bet against large language models, Microsoft’s game-changing Project Helix Xbox with native Steam support, Windows 11’s new Xbox Mode, and SpaceX gearing up for a critical Starship Flight 12 test. – Want to start a podcast? Its easy to get started! Sign-up at Blubrry – Thinking of buying a Starlink? Use my link to support the show. Subscribe to the Newsletter. Email Chris if you want to get in touch! Like and Follow Geek News Central’s Facebook Page. Support my Show Sponsor: Best Godaddy Promo Codes Get 1Password Apple MacBook Neo The lead story covers Apple’s MacBook Neo. It launched at $599 and marks the cheapest Mac laptop ever made. The device runs on the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone 16 Pro. Cochrane notes a solid market for students, casual users, and anyone who needs a reliable home laptop. However, he advises photographers and videographers to invest in a MacBook Air or Pro instead. The real question remains whether this kills Chromebook sales in education. Samsung CEO Blames AI for Price Hikes Cochrane tackles Samsung’s Galaxy S26 price increases. CEO TM Roh blamed AI infrastructure demand for the hikes. Meanwhile, DDR4 DRAM prices surged sevenfold in a single year. Cochrane points out the irony. Samsung manufactures memory chips, shifted production toward AI data centers, and now cites that same shortage to justify higher consumer prices. He calls the situation “a little shady” but appreciates the transparency. Framework RAM Prices Up Again The RAM crisis extends beyond phones. Framework raised RAM prices for the third consecutive time in three months. Cochrane reinforces advice from a recent episode. He urges listeners to buy now before prices climb further. Analysts project peak prices by mid-2026. The shortage could last through late 2027. Sponsor: GoDaddy Economy hosting $6.99/month, WordPress hosting $12.99/month, domains $11.99. Website builder trial available. Use codes at geeknewscentral.com/godaddy to support the show. Meta Unveils Four Custom AI Chips Cochrane reports on Meta’s four new MTIA chip generations. The company aims to reduce its dependence on NVIDIA by building custom silicon. The MTIA 300 is already in production. New generations will ship every six months through 2027. The chips are built on open-source RISC-V architecture and manufactured by TSMC. NVIDIA GTC 2026 Preview NVIDIA’s GTC conference starts Monday in San Jose. Jensen Huang promises “chips the world has never seen.” Rumored architectures include Rubin Ultra and Feynman. The keynote streams free at nvidia.com on Monday at 11am Pacific. Cochrane notes that while companies like Meta are building chips to escape NVIDIA, competition will eventually catch up. Yann LeCun’s AMI Labs Raises $1.03 Billion Former Meta AI chief Yann LeCun raised $1.03 billion for AMI Labs at a $3.5 billion valuation. It marks the largest European seed round in history for a company just four months old. LeCun is building “world models” that learn from physical reality rather than text. Backers include Jeff Bezos, NVIDIA, and Samsung. Cochrane notes both approaches to AI can coexist. Microsoft Project Helix Microsoft revealed Project Helix at GDC 2026. For the first time, an Xbox will natively support Steam and GOG. Cochrane sees it as both desperate and inevitable. The only reason to buy from the Xbox store would be exclusives. He notes this is a breath of fresh air after months of talk that the Xbox era was ending. Dev kits ship in 2027 with a consumer launch likely late 2027 or 2028. Windows 11 Xbox Mode Microsoft is rolling out Xbox Mode to all Windows 11 PCs in April. The full-screen controller-optimized interface works with Steam, Epic, and Battle.net. Cochrane sees it as the first half of Microsoft’s two-phase gaming strategy. Xbox Mode trains users now. Project Helix delivers dedicated hardware later. He asks whether Sony and Nintendo will follow in Xbox’s footsteps. SpaceX Starship Flight 12 SpaceX announced stacking complete for the next Super Heavy booster at Starbase. Flight 12 targets April and debuts V3 hardware with Raptor 3 engines. Orbital refueling remains the critical unknown for NASA’s Artemis III moon landing. SpaceX has a track record of delivering eventually, just never on Elon’s original timeline. The post Is the MacBook Neo a Chromebook Killer? #1860 appeared first on Geek News Central.

Retail earnings season just wrapped, and the headlines are telling one story while the data tells another. Consumer sentiment is dismal. Tariffs are squeezing margins. Geopolitical uncertainty looms. Yet average retail revenues grew 7-9% in Q4, and consumers keep spending. How do you reconcile these contradictions? Simeon Siegel, Senior Managing Director at Guggenheim Securities and one of Wall Street's most data-driven retail analysts, cuts through the noise with a simple philosophy: "The first thing I look at is revenues. Because it's very easy to conflate growth rates with revenue sizes."In this episode of The Retail Pilot, Ken sits down with Siegel to dissect what's really happening in retail beyond the sentiment surveys and macro doom-scrolling. From Nike's "dying" $47 billion business to Gap's viral comeback, from the D2C myth to why NPS scores should be banned from boardrooms, Siegel brings his signature contrarian analysis backed by hard numbers. This isn't about feelings—it's about what consumers are actually doing with their wallets, which stocks are positioned to win, and why the retail industry's most cherished beliefs might be leading CEOs astray.In this episode you'll learn:Why consumer spending remains strong despite abysmal consumer sentiment—and what that divergence really meansThe revenue vs. narrative disconnect: How Nike can be "dying" with $47-49 billion in salesWhich retail subsectors are winning and losing in the K-shaped economy (hint: it's a market share story, not a demographic one)Simeon's top stock picks for 2026: Why he's bullish on Nike, TJX, Ross, Birkenstock, Planet Fitness, and CapriThe real impact of tariffs on Q4 earnings: What retailers passed through vs. what they absorbedWhy Gap Inc.'s comeback under Richard Dickson is working—and whether it's sustainable beyond the hypeThe one KPI Simeon wants banned from retail boardrooms: Net Promoter Score (NPS) and why it misleads executivesWhy "D2C is not all it's cracked up to be": The data-driven case for wholesale distributionHow the Iran conflict could impact consumer spending, gas prices, and petroleum-based athleisure costsThe department store survival blueprint: What Macy's, Nordstrom, and off-price retailers are getting rightWhy TJ Maxx's lack of e-commerce is actually an asset for moving premium brand inventory "invisibly"Don't forget to subscribe to The Retail Pilot podcast for more conversations with retail industry leaders and visionaries shaping the future of commerce.If you missed our last episode, where Terry Lundgren (former Macy's CEO) and Jan Rogers Kniffen dissect the Saks Global bankruptcy, predict the future of department stores, and reveal why some retailers will survive while others won't, be sure to tune in.Connect with Ken:-Follow Ken Pilot Ventures on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

As U.S. and Israeli forces continue to dimmish Iran's military capabilities, Tehran is moving towards more asymmetrical warfare with cyberattacks and the cutting off of the important trade route of the Straight of Hormuz. Iran's proxy groups using low end drones and speedboats to attack on U.S. and other Mideast nation's owned oil and energy infrastructures aim to damage the worked economy. Meanwhile, a U.S. medical device company, Stryker, confirmed they experienced a cyberattack focused on their Microsoft platform that shares patient information and real time data. More cyberattacks, like the one on Stryker, are feared to be coming as politically motivated hackers act like digital sleeper cells. FOX's Jonathan Savage speaks with Bill Udell, former CIA Operations Officer and Analyst, and the Chief Executive Officer, The Americas at Control Risks, bringing expertise in risk management and international operations, who says Iran's low sophisticated weaponry and attack capabilities could still cause major problems. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For an assessment of where things stand with the war in Iran, Geoff Bennett sat down with Alan Eyre and Behnam Ben Taleblu. Eyre was part of the Obama administration's negotiating team for the nuclear deal with Iran and is now at the Middle East Institute. Taleblu is at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, where he is the senior director of their Iran Program. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.Today's Host: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin) and Co-Host: (ronthe3manweav)Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast:Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676

NFL Matchup Executive Producer and Analyst and NFL Films Senior Producer Greg Cosell joins John Clark on the latest episode of the Takeoff podcast to share his thoughts on Riq Woolen, his expectations for Sean Mannion's offense and Jalen Hurts' fit in it, and discuss whether AJ Brown has lost a step or not. NBC Sports Philadelphia serves Philly sports fans 24/7 with the latest news on the Eagles, Sixers, Phillies and Flyers. Watch live games and insightful analysis from our experts on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Subscribe to our channel for the latest Philly sports news and highlights! » Visit NBC Sports Philadelphia: https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/ » Facebook: / nbcsphilly » Twitter: / nbcsphilly » Instagram: / nbcsphilly

Analysts are raising earnings estimates on these 3 companies trading under $10. (1:00) - Where Can You Find Strong Investments For A Deal? (5:45) - Tracey's Top Stock Picks For Your Watchlist Right Now (23:00) - Episode Roundup: CLDT, INNV, BCBP

Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.Today's Host: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin) and Co-Host: (ronthe3manweav)Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast:Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676

ESPN's Marcus Speers and Rich discuss what the addition of Maxx Crosby means to the new-look Baltimore Ravens and what's kept the All-Pro DE from being talked about as one of the NFL's GOAT defensive players, what the Cincinnati Bengals must do to take advantage of having a talent like Joe Burrow, why Malik Willis to the Dolphins was a win-win for the player and team, reacts to LB Nakobe Dean choosing the Las Vegas Raiders over the Dallas Cowboys in free agency, and more. Jets fan Rich reacts to the return of former 2nd-round draft pick Geno Smith to New York after his rollercoaster ride of an NFL career. Patriots fan Brockman offers up some advice to New England's front office in the wake of signing free agent WR Romeo Doubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

────────────────────────────────────────00:02:09:13 — Alleged Tomahawk Missile Strike on Iranian Girls' SchoolFootage and analysis circulate suggesting a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile struck a girls' school in Iran, reportedly killing more than 150 civilians. The precision of the weapon raises serious questions about whether the strike was accidental or deliberate.────────────────────────────────────────00:07:58:13 — Trump Claims Iran Could Have Used a “Tomahawk” MissileWhen questioned about the strike, Trump suggests Iran or another country may have used a Tomahawk missile. Critics challenge the explanation, noting the weapon is tightly controlled and possessed by only a few U.S. allies.────────────────────────────────────────00:11:35:00 — Civilian Casualties Raise Questions About Targeting ProceduresThe school strike is cited as evidence of rushed targeting decisions and pressure to meet military strike quotas. Critics argue such practices dramatically increase the risk of catastrophic civilian casualties.────────────────────────────────────────00:21:26:21 — Experts Identify Missile in Footage as a U.S. TomahawkWeapons analysts and multiple media outlets reportedly identify the missile captured in footage as a Tomahawk cruise missile. Experts say the weapon does not resemble any system known to exist in Iran's arsenal.────────────────────────────────────────00:22:00:18 — Pentagon Pushes for AI Surveillance and Autonomous WeaponsDefense officials are described as pressuring AI companies to remove safeguards preventing domestic surveillance and autonomous lethal systems. Critics warn this could accelerate the deployment of AI-driven warfare technologies.────────────────────────────────────────00:29:27:25 — Growing Fear of Autonomous AI Weapons Making Kill DecisionsAnalysts warn that removing human oversight from weapons systems could lead to deadly errors. Concerns rise that autonomous AI could eventually select and attack targets without meaningful human control.────────────────────────────────────────00:37:54:01 — Reports Iran Quietly Reached Out to the CIA for Peace TalksSources claim Iranian intelligence officials contacted the CIA seeking discussions about ending the conflict shortly after the war began. The outreach reportedly occurred while public rhetoric remained highly confrontational.────────────────────────────────────────00:41:23:10 — Netanyahu Reportedly Pressures Trump to Avoid Iran NegotiationsReports suggest Israeli leadership confronted the White House over possible U.S.–Iran communication channels. Officials say Israel urged the administration not to pursue cease-fire discussions.────────────────────────────────────────00:55:44:12 — Strait of Hormuz Disruption Sends Oil Prices SurgingOil prices spike above $100 per barrel as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz collapses. Analysts warn that prolonged disruption could cripple global energy markets.────────────────────────────────────────01:01:18:28 — Lindsey Graham Suggests War Could Deliver Oil ProfitsSenator Lindsey Graham is quoted describing the war with Iran as a potential economic opportunity tied to control of global oil reserves. The remarks intensify accusations that strategic resources are driving the conflict.────────────────────────────────────────01:15:26:01 — Warning Iran Could Escalate Conflict Into Regional WarAnalysts warn that if Iran feels existentially threatened, it may expand the conflict across the Middle East. Retaliation against regional actors could rapidly draw multiple countries into a broader war.────────────────────────────────────────01:47:08:25 — BlackRock Restricts Withdrawals as Financial Stress EmergesA major BlackRock private credit fund limits investor withdrawals after redemption requests surge. The move raises concerns about liquidity problems and possible instability in private credit markets.──────────────────────────────────────── Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHT Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.

10. Guests: Bill Roggio and Jonathan Sayeh Headline: Monitoring the Fog of War in Tehran Summary: Analysts examine Tehran's internal state, noting that foot soldiers are becoming increasingly alienated. They monitor the Basij and regular military for signs of defection while the regime anticipates a ground invasion. (11)1953 TEHRAN IMPERIAL BANK