Podcasts about APL

On this episode of National Disability Radio, we sit down with award-winning recording artist, advocate, and author Lachi for a powerful conversation about disability pride, music, and unmasking. Lachi shares her journey, from navigating the music industry as a blind artist, to founding RAMPD, a coalition amplifying disability culture across the industry. We talk about what it means to say “I identify as blind,” move beyond the medical and social models of disability into a cultural model rooted in identity and joy, and remind listeners that no one can defeat someone who hasn't given up. From glam canes to Grammy stages, this episode is about claiming space, rejecting internalized ableism, and turning perceived flaws into flexes. Transcript: Alden Blevins: It’s Lachi? I feel very- Lachi: Lachi like Versace. Alden Blevins: Lachi like… Oh, I love that. Michelle Bishop: That is the best way to explain it. Lachi: I mean, but you know what I’m saying? Come on. Alden Blevins: Well, we’re really excited about having you today because we’re all music lovers in this group here. Michelle Bishop: Yes. Alden Blevins: We talk about music all the time. Michelle Bishop: So much. Lachi: Good, good, good, good, good, good, good. I’m in the right place. Michelle Bishop: Hi everyone. Welcome back to National Disability Radio, the official podcast of the National Disability Rights Network. I am Michelle Bishop, 1/3 of your podcast hosting team. Stephanie Flynt McEben: And I’m Stephanie Flynt McEben, public policy analyst here at NDRN. Alden Blevins: I am Alden. I am a communication specialist at NDRN and I am so excited today, like I mentioned, we’re all lovers of music, so we got a guest that I’m really excited about. Lachi is an award-winning recording artist and a recording Academy Grammy’s national trustee. She’s also a disability advocate who’s been breaking barriers in the music industry and beyond. She’s the founder of RAMPD, which by the way, is such a fun play name. I really love that. And the author of the upcoming book, I Identify as Blind. So without further ado, Michelle, you’ve got some questions to kick us off, I think. Michelle Bishop: Yes. We’re so excited to have you with us. As Alden said, we are. We’re huge music lovers. I’m pretty sure we spend most of our meetings where we allegedly plan this podcast just talking about music. So you’re absolutely in the right place today, but to get us started, I mean, you’ve been open about the fact, and I’m just really interested in this as a disability rights podcast. You’ve been really open about the fact that it took you some time to really embrace your identity as a blind and disabled woman, especially in the industry that you’re in that often really rewards conformity. Can you tell us a little bit more about that journey for you, both as an artist and as someone navigating just the world with a disability? Lachi: Okay. Yeah, for sure. Hey, everybody. Lachi here, Lachi like Versace. I am a Black woman with cornrows, chilling here in New York in my studio. I also identify as blind, I identify as neurodivergent, and I identify as an Aries. So do with that what you will. Michelle Bishop: All the important points right there. Lachi: All the important points like name, age, sign. Thank you. Okay. Yeah, but I’m really glad to be here. And thank you for that question, and thank you for having me. So music has always been a very integral part of my life of growing up. Where other babies would kick in the womb, when she was pregnant with me, I was playing the piano in the womb. I don’t know how she got a piano in there, but she’s not a liar, so I’m going to take her word for it. When I was super-duper young, I didn’t really have a lot of friends, especially because of the fact that I had differences and this and that. And so I would take to music to, I guess, understand the world better and have the world understand me better. I just knew how to express myself through song and it just said the things I needed to say. It was the prayer I needed. And because of music, I started to find confidence in how to speak and how to behave and how to act. And as I got older, when I was growing up, disability was not necessarily a thing people talked about a lot in schools and teachers didn’t know what to do. My parents didn’t really know what to do. And so I would always just turn to music. It’s actually right now I’m working on a children’s album because I think that kids need to hear music that has to do with disability and neurodivergence, as well as their parents as they grow up. When I got into college, I started wanting to do music, but I studied business and finance because when I told my parents I wanted to do music, they were like, “That’s not how you spell doctor.” because they are Nigerian immigrants and everybody else in my family went to either med school and blah, blah, blah. And I was like, “No, I want to do music.” But I did get a day job after school, after college, and didn’t love it because this girl is not going to exist behind a desk. So I ended up going to South by Southwest and I got signed actually from playing the guitar at a hole in the wall spot that nobody was at, except for this A&R apparently. So we got signed to an imprint under EMI, which was a major label back then, and we started touring and music then became my life. Now today, why wouldn’t I pay my respects back to music? I mean, it’s because of music that I was able to really lean into who I am, my disability, my confidence, et cetera. So because of that, because of how much music has given to me in my life, I’m here using music to give back to other people with disabilities. Now, your question was essentially, how do you sit here and try to bring about change for disability in an industry that is not only about conformity, but also about like, “Hey, pick me to exploit.” is essentially what the music industry is. You’re raising your hand to be exploited and that’s what kind of authenticity is that? But at the end of the day, music is some of the truest forms of storytelling. And I think to myself, just the way that hip hop has amplified Black culture and the way that country music has amplified rural culture and the way that different global musics have represented different global cultures. I want to use music to amplify disability culture. I want to use music to amplify disability stories and feelings that are difficult to put words to, that are words of the soul, which is essentially what music is. And so I started going to studios and realizing things weren’t as accessible as they should be. I started speaking with organizations and realizing things weren’t as inclusive as they should be. And the response I kept getting was like, “Oh, well, there’s nobody with a disability in the music industry, so why would we make these measures?” And so I have made it my life’s goal through RAMPD, which by the way, the best thing we ever accomplished was our acronym, not us working with the Grammys to get sign language on the red carpet, not us getting these partnerships with title, Live Nation, Spotify. I mean, we’ve done so much, not just for artists, but also for professionals. And we’ve started to realize something really interesting with the work we’ve done with RAMPD. We are getting people joining our membership who are director level folks, who are label owners, who are like the big wigs that write the checks, and they’re like, “I’m neurodivergent. I’m actually hard of hearing. I have a TBI.” And so when I originally set out, they said, “We don’t do disability inclusion because nobody’s disabled.” That was three years ago. Now I’m like, not only are there neurodivergent and disabled music professionals out here, but we all are. So really to conclude, it’s just that everyone is navigating trying to make it out in this world, but everyone’s masking. Everyone feels that they have to change some part of themselves to be as close as they can to what success looks like, be as close as they can to what “beauty” looks like, what winning looks like. But really all it is internalized ableism. And I say, as soon as we drop that internalized ableism and we really start to sit in who we truly are and we start to recognize our perceived flaws as flexes, that’s when we truly start to win. And so that’s what we’re finding out with RAMPD, that people are like, “You know what? I’m tired of navigating this difficult industry with the added layer of having to mask.” And so that’s why I do what I do. Michelle Bishop: Yes. And honestly, as ridiculous as it sounds that they say to you, “Oh, there aren’t any people with disabilities.” When I tell you, we see that in everything that we do. I do voting work at NDRN and we’ll have elections officials tell us, “This polling place isn’t accessible, but there aren’t any people with disabilities that vote here.” And it’s like, “What? You realize we’re everywhere and we do all sorts of things.” Maybe the reason they think there’s no people with disabilities here is because they’re stuck outside and they can’t get in because you didn’t make it accessible, just a thought. But I mean, it sounds like coming up against all that is really, correct me if I’m wrong, helped you to develop that identity and that disability pride in the industry. When did you first say, “I identify as blind.” and what did that mean for you? Lachi: Well, so when I first came into really doing the disability thing, really leaning in, I wanted to find out more influencers or thought leaders and such with disabilities. I didn’t really know that many people. This is pre COVID, 2018, 2019, that kind of thing. And so I came across an influencer, her name is Molly Burke, and we’re great friends now, but I didn’t know her back then. I had just seen her tagline and it had said, “I’m Molly Burke and I’m a YouTuber who happens to be blind.” And for some reason I was like, “I don’t know if I love the happens to be blind thing.” I was like, “Well, I’m proud of being blind. Blindness is part of my identity. I don’t just happen to be a woman. I don’t just happen to be a Nigerian. I don’t just happen to be all of the things I am.” And so I would go to… I was touring… We’re always touring and every time I tour and do a show, I do a comedic open where I just introduce myself, I do a quick self-description, et cetera. And in my self-description, I would say, and I don’t just happen to be blind. My blindness is part of my identity, has given me all of the opportunities I have, and it’s really made me a deeper blah, blah, blah. It was just too long. So I had punched it up to be, “My name is Lachi like Versace. She, her, I’m a Black woman with cornrows and I identify as blind.” And the interesting thing about that is people took onto it. They were like, “Oh, that’s cool, nice and punchy.” But whenever I would say it in front of a large crowd or like I’ve said it on interviews or during commercials, I would get this weird, I don’t know, pushback of like, you can’t identify as blind. Blindness is an identity. It’s a medical condition. Or they’ll be like, “Do you read braille or not?” Or they’ll be like, “We don’t want people to think trans blindness is a thing where you just have a blind identity.” And then you can be like, “Well, I’m blind today, so that’s my identity.” And I thought that was really fun. I was like, “Look, everybody’s upset. They’re talking about blindness though.” So I really leaned all the way into it. And I have to say, I am super proud of my disability identity. Was it music that brought me there? I think in a sense and in a way, like today I have a few songs, you guys are music lovers, I have a few songs out that really talk about my disability pride. I think that a lot of the times as we navigate the world, masking our disability, masking our chronic condition, our difference or whatever, we end up overcompensating. We end up building up this really, really thick problem solving muscle or this really, really thick how to get around things muscle and we overcompensate. When we’re finally accommodated, when we finally get to a place where we’re accommodated or we have the tools we need, we’re coming in like bulk as hell. We’re coming in with problem solving muscles. We’re coming in with all of these things that we had to build up because of navigating the world differently, because of every day working through this very difficult maze that is living a life unaccommodated, then when we finally are accommodated, then we are killing it and crushing it. And how could you not be proud of that? How can that not give you a sense of pride? So the songs that I would love for you guys to check out that are mine is I have a song called Life on Hard, which has gone viral several times on Instagram. I’m known as an Instagram rapper, which is like, what? Hello, I do disability advocacy. Look at that stuff. But anyway, so I have a song called Life on Hard, which is essentially about just winning the game of life, playing it on the hardest setting out here while people are still trying to consult the manual. I have another song called Professional, which is oftentimes when I walk on the stage, people see the cane and they’re like, “Aw, she’s going to do a song for us. Is this from Make a Wish Foundation?” And then I bust out these raps or I hop on the piano and I go ape on this piano and then they’re like, “Oh, snap. What? Okay.” And I’m like, “Bro, I’m a professional artist. I’m not object for pity to make you feel good because you felt weird on a Monday and you didn’t feel like getting up for work, but it’s like, she could do it. So can I.” I’m like, “No, I can do it. You most likely probably just can’t.” So that’s what that song’s about. And then there’s The Bag, and The Bag is just essentially like, I’ve been told no so much like, “No, you can’t. No, you’re not good enough. No, we don’t want you.” And I’m like, “You know what? Yes, I am good enough and I deserve everything. So I’m going to throw everything I deserve in the bag, which is everything.” I don’t know. I would not be the person I am if I didn’t love all parts of myself. And that includes my disabilities, that includes my neurodivergences and all of the other wacky, weird body jazz that I bring with me everywhere I go. Michelle Bishop: Lachi, can we maybe, do you and I just FaceTime each other every morning and hype each other up? Stephanie Flynt McEben: I was literally about to say the same thing. I would like in on a true call. Michelle Bishop: I don’t know if you know. Actually, I want to say quickly, I know some of those songs actually from social media, but they’re real. They’re so real. So people haven’t heard music, go check it out. I don’t know if you know one of our co-hosts, Stephanie is blind. You’re speaking directly to her soul right now. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I literally just texted them in our podcast group text and I was like, she’s totally speaking to my soul RN, but of course I don’t want to interrupt anything. Michelle Bishop: No, I know you’re dying to talk to her about the book, Stephanie, and take it away. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yeah, no, absolutely, for sure. And as somebody who is blind and who also identifies as a blind person and definitely does not identify with the medical model of disability, clearly gotten to more of a social model. But yeah, in terms of going through that journey of accepting all of who you are and everything about yourself, for me, I mean, it took a minute, especially when you’re talking about your experiences as a child and I totally feel that. I was that girl playing the harmonica on the jungle gym by herself. Anyway, this is about you. This is not about me, but I’m just saying that I totally relate to you on a spiritual level. And given that, I would love to know, were there any particular moments when it came to writing the book that were particularly hard or healing? Because I mean, I think that we all know that it’s not always a linear journey. Some days are going to be harder than others. And so would love to get your perspective on that. And I think that our listeners would be interested. Lachi: Yeah, absolutely. The journey for me has been one of constantly unwrapping this amazing gift. I always try to use that as the visual, if you will, of you have this big present and you get to unwrap it and then you just keep getting something cooler inside and then you get to unwrap that and you get something cooler inside and you just keep unwrapping this beautiful gift that is yourself. But you don’t realize that when you first get the box, the amazing stuff that’s going on inside, and it takes time to get to it. So a lot of times growing up, I would kick myself in the butt of, I wish I had come to this when I was so much younger. I wish there were people out there when I was younger, role models that I could look up to when I was eight years old and pointing on the TV and saying like, “Okay, well, I mean, I understand that Ray Charles existed, but that’s not going to…” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Stevie Wonder is here, Ray Charles is here, but we need more of us. Hello. Lachi: We need more of us. Hello. Exactly. And so this time and place where I am right now is where I needed to be for this to work. So I can’t really kick myself in the butt of like, “I wish I had this. I wish I knew this so much earlier. I would’ve been so much further.” That kind of thing. You have to be where you got to be where you need to be. Even right now, this conversation we’re having right now is going to have been necessary for the next thing that is happening in our lives. And just the other day, I was hanging out with Queen Herby, who’s been one of my favorite more modern rappers. I just did a thing with Apl.de.ap. I have done some stuff with Black Caviar. Folks that I’ve looked up to, I’m having the opportunity to Snoop Dogg. I’m having the opportunity to work with these days because of the fact that I am here at the right time now. So when I was writing my book, we were peeling back all the layers. I’m a generally very positive and energetic, social butterfly type of person today. But it’s interesting, I wasn’t always this person and I had to unpack all the layers to get there. One of the biggest things that happens to me, so I’ve always been low vision. So I was born with relatively low vision and it stayed the same throughout my teens and early 20s. But one day I woke up and my sight was just gone. Boom. So the interesting thing is anybody listening would be like, “Oh my God, if I woke up and my sight was gone, I would just die or I would not know what to do. My life would be over.” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yep. Heard that a million times. Yes. Lachi: But for me, it was weird because I was already low vision, so I was going from level one to the underwater level or whatever. So it wasn’t like that life changing of a thing. I was already using screen readers or Zoom text. I was already doing stuff of that nature. So I wake up blind and I’m just like, “Okay, I guess this is it. This is the day that they told me was coming.” What had ended up happening was my corneas had erupted. And so I went to the doctor and he was like, “You’re going to become completely blind. You’re going to go from this much worse vision than you’ve had to complete blindness over the course of time.” So here you go, here’s a coupon. Bye.” or whatever. So I’m like, all right. So I had decided at that moment that I wanted to start a bucket list. So I was like, okay, what are all the things I’ve always wanted to do before completely going completely blind? So I was like, let me go skydiving, let me go spolunking, let me go meet with people, meet with celebrities and just do all of the things I’ve always wanted to do before I lose my vision. So I went out and I did it. This is still me doing it. This is still me doing it. And so I say that because to people who say if I ever went blind, I would just die. Well, when I went blind, it made me want to live. And that’s what opened me up into being this person that I am today. Stephanie Flynt McEben: That is amazing. I genuinely love that. Lachi: We talk about charity model and propping disabled folks up as tools of pity. We talk about medical model, which is really just waiting around for cure, making the cure the hero. We talk about social model, which is a really good place to live in the sense of things are impairing if they’re not accessible. Society is impairing if it’s not inclusive. But honestly, if I have all of the things, like if I have all my tools, if I have all that I need and if folks are inclusive, then I’m still blind, but I’m not impaired. But I like to go a little step further into what is the cultural model. And so the cultural model is it’s not just a discussion of what society should and shouldn’t do. It’s actually a celebration of what you gain as a person who identifies with their disability or their neurodivergence, the things they need to overcompensate because they’re navigating the world a little differently, leaning into that. So let’s say for instance, deaf culture, sign language, and the fact that folks can have complete discussions outside of what we’re talking about, there is so much deaf pride out in these streets, that is a celebration of culture that comes out of disability. And for me, let’s say for instance, I have ADHD and it powers my one million and counting ideas. I have diagnosed OCD, which helps me carry out all those one million and counting ideas. I have diagnosed general anxiety disorder, which gives me my empathy and my excitement. And then I am blind, which when I have the tools I need, it gives me drive. It keeps me determined, it keeps me focused, and it gives me my dope ass glam canes. There was a girl and her mom, and she came up to me after a show and she was like, “Oh my God, your music was great.” I was like, thank you. She’s like, “Mommy, can I get one of those canes?” And then her mom was like, “Ugh, well, you have to be blind.” And I’m like, “Yeah, girl, you better want to be me.” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yeah. We drive sticks. Anyway, sorry. Lachi: Yes. You know what? I speak softly and I carry a big old stick. Thank you. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yes. Amen to that. Exactly. As somebody who considers themself a lifelong disability advocate, I never really thought about it in the sense of going beyond the social into the cultural. So thank you so, so much. We all learn something new every single day on this podcast, but I’d love to know a little bit more about, obviously you were very, very, very good at talking through these experiences in such a way that they are very relatable and easy to understand and that thing. So I’d love to pick your brain about the intended audience of your book. Who did you write it for? Other blind folks? Did you write it for, was it written for multiple audiences? Lachi: Yeah, honestly, I wrote it for the person who is masking. I wrote it for anyone who is tired of… Listen, let me put it like this. Let’s face it, disability is boring, a lot of the time it’s sad and it’s compliancy. We have to go the extra mile to make it fun because the actual truth of it is that the only reason it’s boring, sad, and compliancy is because society has kept it that way through its collective internalized ableism. And so my book is actually a humor book. It’s a pop culture book. It’s a comedy book. In fact, when we were talking to the publisher, it’s like, we should be putting this up against other comedic books, not necessarily disability books because it’s a book. I got so many jokes. I have dad jokes, they’re corny jokes, I have rap bars. I rap in a lot of the book just because I was like, “Hey, this rhymes.” I’m going to say it like a rap. We’re doing the audiobook right now, so I actually get to wrap it, which is really fun. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Oh, that is so cool. Oh my gosh. Lachi: Which is really, really fun. But really, honestly, what the book is what everything I do is it is using joy, soul, pop culture, jokes, humor, fashion, and just a really good time to celebrate disability, as well as community. So what you’ll find in this book is my story through my story, through historical deep dives, through interviews with some really, really cool popular figures and a really big deep dose of disability joy. And so a lot of folks who have disabilities, they will read this book and they’ll be energized. It’ll be like, “This is really great. I’m glad that I finally get to read a book that talks about disability in a positive way.” For blind specific folks, they might relate to a few of my stories because I talk about the day I woke up blind, I talk about when I went skydiving blind, I talk about just some of my interesting blind moments. But then I also talk about how I would go to red carpets and not know how to talk to anybody. So I’m in this amazing room with all these celebrities I can’t see and I’m just sitting on the wall. So I talk about some of the hard times too as well. But at the end of the day, really what the book is is an invitation in for somebody who feels a little different, a little awkward, has to mask, and just needed that invite in to talk about disability in a fun, joyful, celebratory way, to recognize that yes, that thing in you that’s different, that thing in you that society has told you you should view as a weakness and hide, you should be proud of. And I say this to people all the time. I say it in the industry, I say it to all my friends, I say it to anyone who will listen. I say it to my local barista and they come back and they say things like, “Oh my God, I’m so glad you said it that way. It turns out I have a titanium hip and I’ve never told anybody about that.” And that’s the vibe. The vibe is someone who was like, “I really needed this to be said to me this way, and now I am able to step all the way into my disability identity.” Alden Blevins: I love, especially what you said about joy. I feel like for me as an autistic person, my experience in the arts is that it is really a space where people who maybe don’t belong in other spaces or don’t feel like they belong in other spaces or are made to feel like they don’t belong in other spaces. I think that a lot of them really do find a safe space in music, in the arts, in theater. And I just wanted to ask, why do you think the music space is such a special one for you and why do you think it’s a place where other people with disabilities seem to flock together as well? Lachi: I mean, you hit the nail on the head. Counterculture, I mean, music often rewards counterculture. And then it eventually becomes mainstream and then we got to rebel against that. So music is a place where your soul can speak. And I think a lot of the times with disabilities, especially autism for me, I’m ADHD, OCD, a different neurodivergence situation, but a lot of the issue is communication. We don’t know how to say exactly what we need or whoever we’re talking to just doesn’t know how to hear what we’re saying. And so I think that what music does is it allows a soul to speak to a soul. A lot of the times music does this thing where you’ll be listening to a song and you’ll just be like, “That, that right there. That’s what I it me. That’s the thing I’m feeling.” type deal. Music has the ability to do that. And so for me, right now, this children’s album that I’m working on, the kids’ album, which is an album that is essentially R&B, pop, electronic, sort of the genres that I dance in for kids centered on disability and neurodivergence. Because what I want to do is be able to say, “Hey, I want you to point at that and say, that’s me.” And I think the easiest and quickest way to point at something and say, “That’s me also.” has been music. And so it’s why it’s been my strongest medium. Again, it’s not my only medium. I’m talking to folks through the book, I’m talking to folks through fashion, et cetera, et cetera. But again, music has been just the quickest, easiest point A to point B conversation easer, if you will, about disability. Another thing I also love to use is humor and comedy. So I make jokes all the time. They’re all bad. They’re all very not good jokes. I need to probably get a joke writer, but the fact that I’m having such a good time telling the jokes, I think I think is all that really matters. So I think both music and humor are just really, really great spaces for two people to get to relate to something that may be difficult to talk about. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yo, if you need a joke writer, I’m your girl. I actually do a joke every single episode of this podcast. Michelle Bishop: Her jokes are not better than yours, Lachi. Don’t hire her. Stephanie Flynt McEben: My jokes are pretty bad. They’re worse than dad’s jokes. They’re like granddad jokes. Alden Blevins: Yeah. Stephanie is the queen of the jokes on our podcast. She always brings one through. Didn’t know that you were working on a children’s music album, and I think that’s really interesting. I actually used to be a teacher, so children’s music is something that’s near and dear to my heart. So I just wanted to ask, what would you want to tell to younger people with disabilities, younger disabled creatives about claiming space and being able to tell their own stories? Lachi: Well, one thing that I heard from someone else, I don’t remember who it was. I think it was- Michelle Bishop: Jordan? Lachi: Yes, Jordan. He’s the one that said this. Michelle Bishop: I love him. Lachi: Yeah, he’s so funny. I met him at a… What did I meet him at? The Webby Awards or something. But anyway, no one can ever defeat someone who hasn’t given up. And for some reason that hit me, and I don’t even think he was trying to say it that deep. He was just saying a joke or something. But I took that and it was like, no one can ever defeat someone who hasn’t given up. So at the end of the day, you are really the only one who can end whatever you’re trying to get. Because as long as you are still going for it, it is still still there. It’s like a Schrodinger’s cat. It’s like as long as you’re still running for it, that opportunity is still there for you to have. The opportunity is never lost as long as you’re still going for it. And people can tell you, people can take your shoulders and tell you to go right. People can take your shoulders and tell you to go left. But until you take your own shoulders and go in the direction that your heart, your soul, your passion, your fire, desires, that is when you truly begin to live. And so I say personally, lean into that. I hear from a lot of younger, especially creators with disabilities. I mentor a lot of folks, tons and tons of folks. It’s one of the things I love to do the most. But what I love to tell folks is you are going to be the best you. And that you is going to include all of the different parts of who you are, but it is especially going to include you leaning in to the things that make you different and unique as unique selling points. Earlier I talked about how people try so hard to be the “definition of beauty”, definition of success, definition of whatever. Everyone’s trying to be this reference man. Everyone’s trying to be as close as they can to the reference man. And if I’m as close as I can to the reference man, then I’ll be successful or then I’ll get this job or then I’ll get this gig. But the truth of the matter is when we look at all of the people that are doing all of the big things, they’re “eccentric”. They’re “weird”. They did some big different idea that no one was thinking about and everybody fell into their trend. The further away you are from the reference man, that is when you start to win. That is when you’ll start to see success. That is when you’ll start to feel much better about yourself. That is when you can wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say, “I am fine.” When you are able to accept all of those different freckles of yourself that are as far away from the reference man as possible, because guess what? There is room outside of the barrel for everyone to win if they are all being their unique self and running their unique purpose. That’s what I would tell to young disabled creators. Michelle Bishop: That’s amazing. Almost feel like we should stop there, but I have so many follow-up questions. Lachi: Listen, I’m here to drop as many mics as they will let me keep breaking. Michelle Bishop: I was wondering how you see the conversation around disability and inclusion and evolving these days. And a lot of our listeners are people with disabilities or people who have other even multiple intersecting identities in which they experience barriers as well. What does allyship look like to you? Lachi: This is one of my favorite questions. So yes, we have folks with disabilities and we have folks who want to work with people with disabilities, want to help a friend with a disability, want to make sure they don’t say the wrong thing to a person with a disability, neurodivergence, chronic condition, mental health condition. That’s not an ally. Wanting to help a person with a disability is not an ally. To me, wanting to support someone with a disability, that’s an ally in the very basic definition of allyship. Here’s what I think an ally is. To answer the question, I got to do two things. One, talk about the disability umbrella. So the disability umbrella encompasses so many forms of disability. It is neurodivergence, which is ADHD, dyslexia, OCD. It is mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, bipolar. It is someone who learns a little differently. It is someone who has explosive situations like anger management. It is someone who has substance abuse disorder, maybe somebody who drinks too much or uses different substances. It is chronic back pain. You know what I’m saying? It is asthma. It is EDS. It’s POTS. It is long COVID. It is different complications that you gain after pregnancy. It is different complications that you gain as you age. It is different complications you gain through menopause. It is temporary. It is breaking your arm and wearing a cast. It is seasonal depression. There is nobody on this earth that is not within the disability umbrella. And I don’t mean that you’re going to grow into it. I don’t mean in the future. I mean right now. Whether you identify as a person with a disability or not, you have disability identity because you have experience in your body disability. And when you figure that out, then you’re an ally. Allyship is seeing yourself through the other person because you can’t look through someone else’s eyes unless you can see yourself in them. And you can’t see yourself in disability until you recognize the disability identity within yourself. All of a sudden, and I say this and people are like, “What? I say this, but I’ve seen this. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve seen people who did not associate themselves with any form of disability or anything and they’re just like, Oh, them. Oh, I’ll help them. We have a conversation and then we have a follow-up conversation and then we’re drinking and then all of a sudden they’re telling me all their disabilities and then they’re walking a little different when they encounter disability. It’s no longer a them thing. And so that’s what an ally is. People with disabilities are also allies. I am an ally to the deaf community because I recognize though I’m not deaf, I see the having to navigate the world differently in you of myself. So that’s how I define an ally. An ally is someone who understands their own disability identity and can see it in others. Michelle Bishop: Don’t mind me over here just taking notes. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Literally. Oh my gosh. Lachi, thank you so, so, so much for being with us and taking time. I know that your website, lachimusic.com is one of the places where folks can stay up to date on all of the latest and greatest things that you’re up to. Is there anything else in particular you would like to plug for our listeners? Lachi: Like you said, LACHI, L-A-C-H-I M-U-S-I-C. I’m on the internets everywhere. Instagram, Spotify, check out the old music. If you’re a creator, a music creator or professional with a disability, check us out at RAMPD, R-A-M-P-D.org. Or if you want to donate or if you want to partner with us over at RAMPD, please do. If you are a cane user, whether you’re a blind cane user or you use Mobility Cane, check out glamcanes.com, get your canes bejeweled. I Identify as Blind, our book is out on Penguin Random House, imprint called Tiny Reparations by Phoebe Robinson, who is also a comedian. So we’re out here all writing very funny books. So please check it out. And lastly, listen, try to find moments in your day of disability joy. And when you find that moment, take a picture of it or write it down so that you can go back to it and live for those moments. So thank you guys so much for having me on this podcast. It’s really been a blast getting to talk at you about all things I identify as blind. Alden Blevins: I love it. I was over here taking notes too because I just found so much of myself in what you were saying and so many things were poignant and empowering. I, as an autistic person, try to be an ally to other parts of the disability community myself. And that’s something where I’m always trying to put myself in the shoes of another person and what they might experience. So I think that’s really powerful. We were so grateful to be able to connect and learn more about you, Lachi. Lachi: Yes, yes, yes. So honored to be here, guys. Michelle Bishop: Before you head out, Lachi, do you want to hear one of Stephanie’s grandpa jokes? Lachi: I was going to say, I was like, “Let’s hear one of these granddad jokes.” Let me see. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Okay. This might be- Michelle Bishop: Okay, do it. Stephanie Flynt McEben: … a granddad joke. Okay. Where do spiders like to get their information? Lachi: The web? Michelle Bishop: That would be something to do with web. Stephanie Flynt McEben: But what kind of web? Lachi: Wow. Really? You are fired from being my comedy writer. You are fired to be my comedy writer. I was rooting for you too. I was like, let’s just… Please. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I wouldn’t even get to the punchline yet. Michelle Bishop: Worldwide web? Stephanie Flynt McEben: It is the worldwide web. Michelle Bishop: Oh. Stephanie Flynt McEben: It’s fine. It’s fine. My wife warned me not to tell that joke this month and I didn’t lose it. Michelle Bishop: Oh my gosh. I’m so glad you stuck around for that part. Lachi: As I live and breathe. Thank you guys so, so much. This has been so much fun and I will see who else I can tell that joke to. And go ahead and just to help you out, Stephanie, I’ll go ahead and embarrass myself by telling that joke to others. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Not my best work, but that is allyship. Yes. Michelle Bishop: Oh my gosh, Lachi, thank you so much. And everyone, please lachimusic.com. Check it out. Listen to the music, read the book. Alden Blevins: Speaking of the worldwide web, this has been National Disability Radio. We celebrate stories, leadership, and talent of people with disabilities. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, share, and continue the conversation with us on that worldwide web at ndrn.org or anywhere you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening and until next time. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Bye.

On this episode of National Disability Radio, we sit down with award-winning recording artist, advocate, and author Lachi for a powerful conversation about disability pride, music, and unmasking. Lachi shares her journey, from navigating the music industry as a blind artist, to founding RAMPD, a coalition amplifying disability culture across the industry. We talk about what it means to say “I identify as blind,” move beyond the medical and social models of disability into a cultural model rooted in identity and joy, and remind listeners that no one can defeat someone who hasn't given up. From glam canes to Grammy stages, this episode is about claiming space, rejecting internalized ableism, and turning perceived flaws into flexes. Transcript: Alden Blevins: It’s Lachi? I feel very- Lachi: Lachi like Versace. Alden Blevins: Lachi like… Oh, I love that. Michelle Bishop: That is the best way to explain it. Lachi: I mean, but you know what I’m saying? Come on. Alden Blevins: Well, we’re really excited about having you today because we’re all music lovers in this group here. Michelle Bishop: Yes. Alden Blevins: We talk about music all the time. Michelle Bishop: So much. Lachi: Good, good, good, good, good, good, good. I’m in the right place. Michelle Bishop: Hi everyone. Welcome back to National Disability Radio, the official podcast of the National Disability Rights Network. I am Michelle Bishop, 1/3 of your podcast hosting team. Stephanie Flynt McEben: And I’m Stephanie Flynt McEben, public policy analyst here at NDRN. Alden Blevins: I am Alden. I am a communication specialist at NDRN and I am so excited today, like I mentioned, we’re all lovers of music, so we got a guest that I’m really excited about. Lachi is an award-winning recording artist and a recording Academy Grammy’s national trustee. She’s also a disability advocate who’s been breaking barriers in the music industry and beyond. She’s the founder of RAMPD, which by the way, is such a fun play name. I really love that. And the author of the upcoming book, I Identify as Blind. So without further ado, Michelle, you’ve got some questions to kick us off, I think. Michelle Bishop: Yes. We’re so excited to have you with us. As Alden said, we are. We’re huge music lovers. I’m pretty sure we spend most of our meetings where we allegedly plan this podcast just talking about music. So you’re absolutely in the right place today, but to get us started, I mean, you’ve been open about the fact, and I’m just really interested in this as a disability rights podcast. You’ve been really open about the fact that it took you some time to really embrace your identity as a blind and disabled woman, especially in the industry that you’re in that often really rewards conformity. Can you tell us a little bit more about that journey for you, both as an artist and as someone navigating just the world with a disability? Lachi: Okay. Yeah, for sure. Hey, everybody. Lachi here, Lachi like Versace. I am a Black woman with cornrows, chilling here in New York in my studio. I also identify as blind, I identify as neurodivergent, and I identify as an Aries. So do with that what you will. Michelle Bishop: All the important points right there. Lachi: All the important points like name, age, sign. Thank you. Okay. Yeah, but I’m really glad to be here. And thank you for that question, and thank you for having me. So music has always been a very integral part of my life of growing up. Where other babies would kick in the womb, when she was pregnant with me, I was playing the piano in the womb. I don’t know how she got a piano in there, but she’s not a liar, so I’m going to take her word for it. When I was super-duper young, I didn’t really have a lot of friends, especially because of the fact that I had differences and this and that. And so I would take to music to, I guess, understand the world better and have the world understand me better. I just knew how to express myself through song and it just said the things I needed to say. It was the prayer I needed. And because of music, I started to find confidence in how to speak and how to behave and how to act. And as I got older, when I was growing up, disability was not necessarily a thing people talked about a lot in schools and teachers didn’t know what to do. My parents didn’t really know what to do. And so I would always just turn to music. It’s actually right now I’m working on a children’s album because I think that kids need to hear music that has to do with disability and neurodivergence, as well as their parents as they grow up. When I got into college, I started wanting to do music, but I studied business and finance because when I told my parents I wanted to do music, they were like, “That’s not how you spell doctor.” because they are Nigerian immigrants and everybody else in my family went to either med school and blah, blah, blah. And I was like, “No, I want to do music.” But I did get a day job after school, after college, and didn’t love it because this girl is not going to exist behind a desk. So I ended up going to South by Southwest and I got signed actually from playing the guitar at a hole in the wall spot that nobody was at, except for this A&R apparently. So we got signed to an imprint under EMI, which was a major label back then, and we started touring and music then became my life. Now today, why wouldn’t I pay my respects back to music? I mean, it’s because of music that I was able to really lean into who I am, my disability, my confidence, et cetera. So because of that, because of how much music has given to me in my life, I’m here using music to give back to other people with disabilities. Now, your question was essentially, how do you sit here and try to bring about change for disability in an industry that is not only about conformity, but also about like, “Hey, pick me to exploit.” is essentially what the music industry is. You’re raising your hand to be exploited and that’s what kind of authenticity is that? But at the end of the day, music is some of the truest forms of storytelling. And I think to myself, just the way that hip hop has amplified Black culture and the way that country music has amplified rural culture and the way that different global musics have represented different global cultures. I want to use music to amplify disability culture. I want to use music to amplify disability stories and feelings that are difficult to put words to, that are words of the soul, which is essentially what music is. And so I started going to studios and realizing things weren’t as accessible as they should be. I started speaking with organizations and realizing things weren’t as inclusive as they should be. And the response I kept getting was like, “Oh, well, there’s nobody with a disability in the music industry, so why would we make these measures?” And so I have made it my life’s goal through RAMPD, which by the way, the best thing we ever accomplished was our acronym, not us working with the Grammys to get sign language on the red carpet, not us getting these partnerships with title, Live Nation, Spotify. I mean, we’ve done so much, not just for artists, but also for professionals. And we’ve started to realize something really interesting with the work we’ve done with RAMPD. We are getting people joining our membership who are director level folks, who are label owners, who are like the big wigs that write the checks, and they’re like, “I’m neurodivergent. I’m actually hard of hearing. I have a TBI.” And so when I originally set out, they said, “We don’t do disability inclusion because nobody’s disabled.” That was three years ago. Now I’m like, not only are there neurodivergent and disabled music professionals out here, but we all are. So really to conclude, it’s just that everyone is navigating trying to make it out in this world, but everyone’s masking. Everyone feels that they have to change some part of themselves to be as close as they can to what success looks like, be as close as they can to what “beauty” looks like, what winning looks like. But really all it is internalized ableism. And I say, as soon as we drop that internalized ableism and we really start to sit in who we truly are and we start to recognize our perceived flaws as flexes, that’s when we truly start to win. And so that’s what we’re finding out with RAMPD, that people are like, “You know what? I’m tired of navigating this difficult industry with the added layer of having to mask.” And so that’s why I do what I do. Michelle Bishop: Yes. And honestly, as ridiculous as it sounds that they say to you, “Oh, there aren’t any people with disabilities.” When I tell you, we see that in everything that we do. I do voting work at NDRN and we’ll have elections officials tell us, “This polling place isn’t accessible, but there aren’t any people with disabilities that vote here.” And it’s like, “What? You realize we’re everywhere and we do all sorts of things.” Maybe the reason they think there’s no people with disabilities here is because they’re stuck outside and they can’t get in because you didn’t make it accessible, just a thought. But I mean, it sounds like coming up against all that is really, correct me if I’m wrong, helped you to develop that identity and that disability pride in the industry. When did you first say, “I identify as blind.” and what did that mean for you? Lachi: Well, so when I first came into really doing the disability thing, really leaning in, I wanted to find out more influencers or thought leaders and such with disabilities. I didn’t really know that many people. This is pre COVID, 2018, 2019, that kind of thing. And so I came across an influencer, her name is Molly Burke, and we’re great friends now, but I didn’t know her back then. I had just seen her tagline and it had said, “I’m Molly Burke and I’m a YouTuber who happens to be blind.” And for some reason I was like, “I don’t know if I love the happens to be blind thing.” I was like, “Well, I’m proud of being blind. Blindness is part of my identity. I don’t just happen to be a woman. I don’t just happen to be a Nigerian. I don’t just happen to be all of the things I am.” And so I would go to… I was touring… We’re always touring and every time I tour and do a show, I do a comedic open where I just introduce myself, I do a quick self-description, et cetera. And in my self-description, I would say, and I don’t just happen to be blind. My blindness is part of my identity, has given me all of the opportunities I have, and it’s really made me a deeper blah, blah, blah. It was just too long. So I had punched it up to be, “My name is Lachi like Versace. She, her, I’m a Black woman with cornrows and I identify as blind.” And the interesting thing about that is people took onto it. They were like, “Oh, that’s cool, nice and punchy.” But whenever I would say it in front of a large crowd or like I’ve said it on interviews or during commercials, I would get this weird, I don’t know, pushback of like, you can’t identify as blind. Blindness is an identity. It’s a medical condition. Or they’ll be like, “Do you read braille or not?” Or they’ll be like, “We don’t want people to think trans blindness is a thing where you just have a blind identity.” And then you can be like, “Well, I’m blind today, so that’s my identity.” And I thought that was really fun. I was like, “Look, everybody’s upset. They’re talking about blindness though.” So I really leaned all the way into it. And I have to say, I am super proud of my disability identity. Was it music that brought me there? I think in a sense and in a way, like today I have a few songs, you guys are music lovers, I have a few songs out that really talk about my disability pride. I think that a lot of the times as we navigate the world, masking our disability, masking our chronic condition, our difference or whatever, we end up overcompensating. We end up building up this really, really thick problem solving muscle or this really, really thick how to get around things muscle and we overcompensate. When we’re finally accommodated, when we finally get to a place where we’re accommodated or we have the tools we need, we’re coming in like bulk as hell. We’re coming in with problem solving muscles. We’re coming in with all of these things that we had to build up because of navigating the world differently, because of every day working through this very difficult maze that is living a life unaccommodated, then when we finally are accommodated, then we are killing it and crushing it. And how could you not be proud of that? How can that not give you a sense of pride? So the songs that I would love for you guys to check out that are mine is I have a song called Life on Hard, which has gone viral several times on Instagram. I’m known as an Instagram rapper, which is like, what? Hello, I do disability advocacy. Look at that stuff. But anyway, so I have a song called Life on Hard, which is essentially about just winning the game of life, playing it on the hardest setting out here while people are still trying to consult the manual. I have another song called Professional, which is oftentimes when I walk on the stage, people see the cane and they’re like, “Aw, she’s going to do a song for us. Is this from Make a Wish Foundation?” And then I bust out these raps or I hop on the piano and I go ape on this piano and then they’re like, “Oh, snap. What? Okay.” And I’m like, “Bro, I’m a professional artist. I’m not object for pity to make you feel good because you felt weird on a Monday and you didn’t feel like getting up for work, but it’s like, she could do it. So can I.” I’m like, “No, I can do it. You most likely probably just can’t.” So that’s what that song’s about. And then there’s The Bag, and The Bag is just essentially like, I’ve been told no so much like, “No, you can’t. No, you’re not good enough. No, we don’t want you.” And I’m like, “You know what? Yes, I am good enough and I deserve everything. So I’m going to throw everything I deserve in the bag, which is everything.” I don’t know. I would not be the person I am if I didn’t love all parts of myself. And that includes my disabilities, that includes my neurodivergences and all of the other wacky, weird body jazz that I bring with me everywhere I go. Michelle Bishop: Lachi, can we maybe, do you and I just FaceTime each other every morning and hype each other up? Stephanie Flynt McEben: I was literally about to say the same thing. I would like in on a true call. Michelle Bishop: I don’t know if you know. Actually, I want to say quickly, I know some of those songs actually from social media, but they’re real. They’re so real. So people haven’t heard music, go check it out. I don’t know if you know one of our co-hosts, Stephanie is blind. You’re speaking directly to her soul right now. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I literally just texted them in our podcast group text and I was like, she’s totally speaking to my soul RN, but of course I don’t want to interrupt anything. Michelle Bishop: No, I know you’re dying to talk to her about the book, Stephanie, and take it away. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yeah, no, absolutely, for sure. And as somebody who is blind and who also identifies as a blind person and definitely does not identify with the medical model of disability, clearly gotten to more of a social model. But yeah, in terms of going through that journey of accepting all of who you are and everything about yourself, for me, I mean, it took a minute, especially when you’re talking about your experiences as a child and I totally feel that. I was that girl playing the harmonica on the jungle gym by herself. Anyway, this is about you. This is not about me, but I’m just saying that I totally relate to you on a spiritual level. And given that, I would love to know, were there any particular moments when it came to writing the book that were particularly hard or healing? Because I mean, I think that we all know that it’s not always a linear journey. Some days are going to be harder than others. And so would love to get your perspective on that. And I think that our listeners would be interested. Lachi: Yeah, absolutely. The journey for me has been one of constantly unwrapping this amazing gift. I always try to use that as the visual, if you will, of you have this big present and you get to unwrap it and then you just keep getting something cooler inside and then you get to unwrap that and you get something cooler inside and you just keep unwrapping this beautiful gift that is yourself. But you don’t realize that when you first get the box, the amazing stuff that’s going on inside, and it takes time to get to it. So a lot of times growing up, I would kick myself in the butt of, I wish I had come to this when I was so much younger. I wish there were people out there when I was younger, role models that I could look up to when I was eight years old and pointing on the TV and saying like, “Okay, well, I mean, I understand that Ray Charles existed, but that’s not going to…” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Stevie Wonder is here, Ray Charles is here, but we need more of us. Hello. Lachi: We need more of us. Hello. Exactly. And so this time and place where I am right now is where I needed to be for this to work. So I can’t really kick myself in the butt of like, “I wish I had this. I wish I knew this so much earlier. I would’ve been so much further.” That kind of thing. You have to be where you got to be where you need to be. Even right now, this conversation we’re having right now is going to have been necessary for the next thing that is happening in our lives. And just the other day, I was hanging out with Queen Herby, who’s been one of my favorite more modern rappers. I just did a thing with Apl.de.ap. I have done some stuff with Black Caviar. Folks that I’ve looked up to, I’m having the opportunity to Snoop Dogg. I’m having the opportunity to work with these days because of the fact that I am here at the right time now. So when I was writing my book, we were peeling back all the layers. I’m a generally very positive and energetic, social butterfly type of person today. But it’s interesting, I wasn’t always this person and I had to unpack all the layers to get there. One of the biggest things that happens to me, so I’ve always been low vision. So I was born with relatively low vision and it stayed the same throughout my teens and early 20s. But one day I woke up and my sight was just gone. Boom. So the interesting thing is anybody listening would be like, “Oh my God, if I woke up and my sight was gone, I would just die or I would not know what to do. My life would be over.” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yep. Heard that a million times. Yes. Lachi: But for me, it was weird because I was already low vision, so I was going from level one to the underwater level or whatever. So it wasn’t like that life changing of a thing. I was already using screen readers or Zoom text. I was already doing stuff of that nature. So I wake up blind and I’m just like, “Okay, I guess this is it. This is the day that they told me was coming.” What had ended up happening was my corneas had erupted. And so I went to the doctor and he was like, “You’re going to become completely blind. You’re going to go from this much worse vision than you’ve had to complete blindness over the course of time.” So here you go, here’s a coupon. Bye.” or whatever. So I’m like, all right. So I had decided at that moment that I wanted to start a bucket list. So I was like, okay, what are all the things I’ve always wanted to do before completely going completely blind? So I was like, let me go skydiving, let me go spolunking, let me go meet with people, meet with celebrities and just do all of the things I’ve always wanted to do before I lose my vision. So I went out and I did it. This is still me doing it. This is still me doing it. And so I say that because to people who say if I ever went blind, I would just die. Well, when I went blind, it made me want to live. And that’s what opened me up into being this person that I am today. Stephanie Flynt McEben: That is amazing. I genuinely love that. Lachi: We talk about charity model and propping disabled folks up as tools of pity. We talk about medical model, which is really just waiting around for cure, making the cure the hero. We talk about social model, which is a really good place to live in the sense of things are impairing if they’re not accessible. Society is impairing if it’s not inclusive. But honestly, if I have all of the things, like if I have all my tools, if I have all that I need and if folks are inclusive, then I’m still blind, but I’m not impaired. But I like to go a little step further into what is the cultural model. And so the cultural model is it’s not just a discussion of what society should and shouldn’t do. It’s actually a celebration of what you gain as a person who identifies with their disability or their neurodivergence, the things they need to overcompensate because they’re navigating the world a little differently, leaning into that. So let’s say for instance, deaf culture, sign language, and the fact that folks can have complete discussions outside of what we’re talking about, there is so much deaf pride out in these streets, that is a celebration of culture that comes out of disability. And for me, let’s say for instance, I have ADHD and it powers my one million and counting ideas. I have diagnosed OCD, which helps me carry out all those one million and counting ideas. I have diagnosed general anxiety disorder, which gives me my empathy and my excitement. And then I am blind, which when I have the tools I need, it gives me drive. It keeps me determined, it keeps me focused, and it gives me my dope ass glam canes. There was a girl and her mom, and she came up to me after a show and she was like, “Oh my God, your music was great.” I was like, thank you. She’s like, “Mommy, can I get one of those canes?” And then her mom was like, “Ugh, well, you have to be blind.” And I’m like, “Yeah, girl, you better want to be me.” Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yeah. We drive sticks. Anyway, sorry. Lachi: Yes. You know what? I speak softly and I carry a big old stick. Thank you. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yes. Amen to that. Exactly. As somebody who considers themself a lifelong disability advocate, I never really thought about it in the sense of going beyond the social into the cultural. So thank you so, so much. We all learn something new every single day on this podcast, but I’d love to know a little bit more about, obviously you were very, very, very good at talking through these experiences in such a way that they are very relatable and easy to understand and that thing. So I’d love to pick your brain about the intended audience of your book. Who did you write it for? Other blind folks? Did you write it for, was it written for multiple audiences? Lachi: Yeah, honestly, I wrote it for the person who is masking. I wrote it for anyone who is tired of… Listen, let me put it like this. Let’s face it, disability is boring, a lot of the time it’s sad and it’s compliancy. We have to go the extra mile to make it fun because the actual truth of it is that the only reason it’s boring, sad, and compliancy is because society has kept it that way through its collective internalized ableism. And so my book is actually a humor book. It’s a pop culture book. It’s a comedy book. In fact, when we were talking to the publisher, it’s like, we should be putting this up against other comedic books, not necessarily disability books because it’s a book. I got so many jokes. I have dad jokes, they’re corny jokes, I have rap bars. I rap in a lot of the book just because I was like, “Hey, this rhymes.” I’m going to say it like a rap. We’re doing the audiobook right now, so I actually get to wrap it, which is really fun. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Oh, that is so cool. Oh my gosh. Lachi: Which is really, really fun. But really, honestly, what the book is what everything I do is it is using joy, soul, pop culture, jokes, humor, fashion, and just a really good time to celebrate disability, as well as community. So what you’ll find in this book is my story through my story, through historical deep dives, through interviews with some really, really cool popular figures and a really big deep dose of disability joy. And so a lot of folks who have disabilities, they will read this book and they’ll be energized. It’ll be like, “This is really great. I’m glad that I finally get to read a book that talks about disability in a positive way.” For blind specific folks, they might relate to a few of my stories because I talk about the day I woke up blind, I talk about when I went skydiving blind, I talk about just some of my interesting blind moments. But then I also talk about how I would go to red carpets and not know how to talk to anybody. So I’m in this amazing room with all these celebrities I can’t see and I’m just sitting on the wall. So I talk about some of the hard times too as well. But at the end of the day, really what the book is is an invitation in for somebody who feels a little different, a little awkward, has to mask, and just needed that invite in to talk about disability in a fun, joyful, celebratory way, to recognize that yes, that thing in you that’s different, that thing in you that society has told you you should view as a weakness and hide, you should be proud of. And I say this to people all the time. I say it in the industry, I say it to all my friends, I say it to anyone who will listen. I say it to my local barista and they come back and they say things like, “Oh my God, I’m so glad you said it that way. It turns out I have a titanium hip and I’ve never told anybody about that.” And that’s the vibe. The vibe is someone who was like, “I really needed this to be said to me this way, and now I am able to step all the way into my disability identity.” Alden Blevins: I love, especially what you said about joy. I feel like for me as an autistic person, my experience in the arts is that it is really a space where people who maybe don’t belong in other spaces or don’t feel like they belong in other spaces or are made to feel like they don’t belong in other spaces. I think that a lot of them really do find a safe space in music, in the arts, in theater. And I just wanted to ask, why do you think the music space is such a special one for you and why do you think it’s a place where other people with disabilities seem to flock together as well? Lachi: I mean, you hit the nail on the head. Counterculture, I mean, music often rewards counterculture. And then it eventually becomes mainstream and then we got to rebel against that. So music is a place where your soul can speak. And I think a lot of the times with disabilities, especially autism for me, I’m ADHD, OCD, a different neurodivergence situation, but a lot of the issue is communication. We don’t know how to say exactly what we need or whoever we’re talking to just doesn’t know how to hear what we’re saying. And so I think that what music does is it allows a soul to speak to a soul. A lot of the times music does this thing where you’ll be listening to a song and you’ll just be like, “That, that right there. That’s what I it me. That’s the thing I’m feeling.” type deal. Music has the ability to do that. And so for me, right now, this children’s album that I’m working on, the kids’ album, which is an album that is essentially R&B, pop, electronic, sort of the genres that I dance in for kids centered on disability and neurodivergence. Because what I want to do is be able to say, “Hey, I want you to point at that and say, that’s me.” And I think the easiest and quickest way to point at something and say, “That’s me also.” has been music. And so it’s why it’s been my strongest medium. Again, it’s not my only medium. I’m talking to folks through the book, I’m talking to folks through fashion, et cetera, et cetera. But again, music has been just the quickest, easiest point A to point B conversation easer, if you will, about disability. Another thing I also love to use is humor and comedy. So I make jokes all the time. They’re all bad. They’re all very not good jokes. I need to probably get a joke writer, but the fact that I’m having such a good time telling the jokes, I think I think is all that really matters. So I think both music and humor are just really, really great spaces for two people to get to relate to something that may be difficult to talk about. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Yo, if you need a joke writer, I’m your girl. I actually do a joke every single episode of this podcast. Michelle Bishop: Her jokes are not better than yours, Lachi. Don’t hire her. Stephanie Flynt McEben: My jokes are pretty bad. They’re worse than dad’s jokes. They’re like granddad jokes. Alden Blevins: Yeah. Stephanie is the queen of the jokes on our podcast. She always brings one through. Didn’t know that you were working on a children’s music album, and I think that’s really interesting. I actually used to be a teacher, so children’s music is something that’s near and dear to my heart. So I just wanted to ask, what would you want to tell to younger people with disabilities, younger disabled creatives about claiming space and being able to tell their own stories? Lachi: Well, one thing that I heard from someone else, I don’t remember who it was. I think it was- Michelle Bishop: Jordan? Lachi: Yes, Jordan. He’s the one that said this. Michelle Bishop: I love him. Lachi: Yeah, he’s so funny. I met him at a… What did I meet him at? The Webby Awards or something. But anyway, no one can ever defeat someone who hasn’t given up. And for some reason that hit me, and I don’t even think he was trying to say it that deep. He was just saying a joke or something. But I took that and it was like, no one can ever defeat someone who hasn’t given up. So at the end of the day, you are really the only one who can end whatever you’re trying to get. Because as long as you are still going for it, it is still still there. It’s like a Schrodinger’s cat. It’s like as long as you’re still running for it, that opportunity is still there for you to have. The opportunity is never lost as long as you’re still going for it. And people can tell you, people can take your shoulders and tell you to go right. People can take your shoulders and tell you to go left. But until you take your own shoulders and go in the direction that your heart, your soul, your passion, your fire, desires, that is when you truly begin to live. And so I say personally, lean into that. I hear from a lot of younger, especially creators with disabilities. I mentor a lot of folks, tons and tons of folks. It’s one of the things I love to do the most. But what I love to tell folks is you are going to be the best you. And that you is going to include all of the different parts of who you are, but it is especially going to include you leaning in to the things that make you different and unique as unique selling points. Earlier I talked about how people try so hard to be the “definition of beauty”, definition of success, definition of whatever. Everyone’s trying to be this reference man. Everyone’s trying to be as close as they can to the reference man. And if I’m as close as I can to the reference man, then I’ll be successful or then I’ll get this job or then I’ll get this gig. But the truth of the matter is when we look at all of the people that are doing all of the big things, they’re “eccentric”. They’re “weird”. They did some big different idea that no one was thinking about and everybody fell into their trend. The further away you are from the reference man, that is when you start to win. That is when you’ll start to see success. That is when you’ll start to feel much better about yourself. That is when you can wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say, “I am fine.” When you are able to accept all of those different freckles of yourself that are as far away from the reference man as possible, because guess what? There is room outside of the barrel for everyone to win if they are all being their unique self and running their unique purpose. That’s what I would tell to young disabled creators. Michelle Bishop: That’s amazing. Almost feel like we should stop there, but I have so many follow-up questions. Lachi: Listen, I’m here to drop as many mics as they will let me keep breaking. Michelle Bishop: I was wondering how you see the conversation around disability and inclusion and evolving these days. And a lot of our listeners are people with disabilities or people who have other even multiple intersecting identities in which they experience barriers as well. What does allyship look like to you? Lachi: This is one of my favorite questions. So yes, we have folks with disabilities and we have folks who want to work with people with disabilities, want to help a friend with a disability, want to make sure they don’t say the wrong thing to a person with a disability, neurodivergence, chronic condition, mental health condition. That’s not an ally. Wanting to help a person with a disability is not an ally. To me, wanting to support someone with a disability, that’s an ally in the very basic definition of allyship. Here’s what I think an ally is. To answer the question, I got to do two things. One, talk about the disability umbrella. So the disability umbrella encompasses so many forms of disability. It is neurodivergence, which is ADHD, dyslexia, OCD. It is mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, bipolar. It is someone who learns a little differently. It is someone who has explosive situations like anger management. It is someone who has substance abuse disorder, maybe somebody who drinks too much or uses different substances. It is chronic back pain. You know what I’m saying? It is asthma. It is EDS. It’s POTS. It is long COVID. It is different complications that you gain after pregnancy. It is different complications that you gain as you age. It is different complications you gain through menopause. It is temporary. It is breaking your arm and wearing a cast. It is seasonal depression. There is nobody on this earth that is not within the disability umbrella. And I don’t mean that you’re going to grow into it. I don’t mean in the future. I mean right now. Whether you identify as a person with a disability or not, you have disability identity because you have experience in your body disability. And when you figure that out, then you’re an ally. Allyship is seeing yourself through the other person because you can’t look through someone else’s eyes unless you can see yourself in them. And you can’t see yourself in disability until you recognize the disability identity within yourself. All of a sudden, and I say this and people are like, “What? I say this, but I’ve seen this. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve seen people who did not associate themselves with any form of disability or anything and they’re just like, Oh, them. Oh, I’ll help them. We have a conversation and then we have a follow-up conversation and then we’re drinking and then all of a sudden they’re telling me all their disabilities and then they’re walking a little different when they encounter disability. It’s no longer a them thing. And so that’s what an ally is. People with disabilities are also allies. I am an ally to the deaf community because I recognize though I’m not deaf, I see the having to navigate the world differently in you of myself. So that’s how I define an ally. An ally is someone who understands their own disability identity and can see it in others. Michelle Bishop: Don’t mind me over here just taking notes. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Literally. Oh my gosh. Lachi, thank you so, so, so much for being with us and taking time. I know that your website, lachimusic.com is one of the places where folks can stay up to date on all of the latest and greatest things that you’re up to. Is there anything else in particular you would like to plug for our listeners? Lachi: Like you said, LACHI, L-A-C-H-I M-U-S-I-C. I’m on the internets everywhere. Instagram, Spotify, check out the old music. If you’re a creator, a music creator or professional with a disability, check us out at RAMPD, R-A-M-P-D.org. Or if you want to donate or if you want to partner with us over at RAMPD, please do. If you are a cane user, whether you’re a blind cane user or you use Mobility Cane, check out glamcanes.com, get your canes bejeweled. I Identify as Blind, our book is out on Penguin Random House, imprint called Tiny Reparations by Phoebe Robinson, who is also a comedian. So we’re out here all writing very funny books. So please check it out. And lastly, listen, try to find moments in your day of disability joy. And when you find that moment, take a picture of it or write it down so that you can go back to it and live for those moments. So thank you guys so much for having me on this podcast. It’s really been a blast getting to talk at you about all things I identify as blind. Alden Blevins: I love it. I was over here taking notes too because I just found so much of myself in what you were saying and so many things were poignant and empowering. I, as an autistic person, try to be an ally to other parts of the disability community myself. And that’s something where I’m always trying to put myself in the shoes of another person and what they might experience. So I think that’s really powerful. We were so grateful to be able to connect and learn more about you, Lachi. Lachi: Yes, yes, yes. So honored to be here, guys. Michelle Bishop: Before you head out, Lachi, do you want to hear one of Stephanie’s grandpa jokes? Lachi: I was going to say, I was like, “Let’s hear one of these granddad jokes.” Let me see. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Okay. This might be- Michelle Bishop: Okay, do it. Stephanie Flynt McEben: … a granddad joke. Okay. Where do spiders like to get their information? Lachi: The web? Michelle Bishop: That would be something to do with web. Stephanie Flynt McEben: But what kind of web? Lachi: Wow. Really? You are fired from being my comedy writer. You are fired to be my comedy writer. I was rooting for you too. I was like, let’s just… Please. Stephanie Flynt McEben: I wouldn’t even get to the punchline yet. Michelle Bishop: Worldwide web? Stephanie Flynt McEben: It is the worldwide web. Michelle Bishop: Oh. Stephanie Flynt McEben: It’s fine. It’s fine. My wife warned me not to tell that joke this month and I didn’t lose it. Michelle Bishop: Oh my gosh. I’m so glad you stuck around for that part. Lachi: As I live and breathe. Thank you guys so, so much. This has been so much fun and I will see who else I can tell that joke to. And go ahead and just to help you out, Stephanie, I’ll go ahead and embarrass myself by telling that joke to others. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Not my best work, but that is allyship. Yes. Michelle Bishop: Oh my gosh, Lachi, thank you so much. And everyone, please lachimusic.com. Check it out. Listen to the music, read the book. Alden Blevins: Speaking of the worldwide web, this has been National Disability Radio. We celebrate stories, leadership, and talent of people with disabilities. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, share, and continue the conversation with us on that worldwide web at ndrn.org or anywhere you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening and until next time. Stephanie Flynt McEben: Bye.

After a corporate career rooted in fashion and media, Aplós Co-Founder and CEO David Fudge is now helping to move the non-alcoholic industry beyond simple imitation. In this conversation, we explore how Aplós is creating a sophisticated new flavor language using ingredients like yuzu, basil, and dandelion, designed to act as a lead in premium cocktails rather than a 1:1 alcohol proxy.We dive into topics like the strategic choice of using THC-free, broad-spectrum hemp in their first offering, to how the brand's serene, minimalist aesthetic serves as a much-needed antidote to modern, high-stress culture. David also shares a little about the Aplós roadmap for 2026 and his vision for a "bar of the future" that prioritizes intentional rituals over intoxication.Key Takeaways:The "Lead" Spirit: Why Aplós was built to perform like a primary spirit in complex mixology, developed alongside mixology legend Lynnette Marrero.Function Without the High: The decision to lean into broad-spectrum hemp (0% THC) for its stress-relieving properties while (thus far) avoiding the psychoactive effects of THC.Cracking the Balance: A look at the R&D behind their spirits versus their RTD (ready-to-drink) cans, and which one was harder to break the code on.2026 Growth: Scaling through "long-game" brand building and moving from DTC roots to a broader footprint in retail and Michelin-starred hospitality.Mentioned in this episode:Aplós We'd like to thank our sponsor, Go Brewing! Use code NATION15 to get 15% off your order on either their delicious N/A beer, or their THC brand, Easy Man.  We'd love your feedback!

After the high of the derby win the lack of consistency once again shows itself with a frustrating draw with Adelaide. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

A 10h, ce vendredi 27 février 2026, les GG : Laura Warton Martinez, sophrologue, Antoine Diers, consultant auprès des entreprises, et Jérôme Marty, médecin généraliste, débattent de : "Loyers : faut-il supprimer les APL aux mauvais payeurs ?".

Au menu de la deuxième heure des GG du vendredi 27 février 2026 : "Devenir mère, est-ce renoncer à sa carrière ?", "Loyers : faut-il supprimer les APL aux mauvais payeurs ?", et "Quand les crues ne remplissent pas les nappes phréatiques", avec Laura Warton Martinez, sophrologue, Antoine Diers, consultant auprès des entreprises, et Jérôme Marty, médecin généraliste.

Ever wanted to hear three blokes talk about Juan Mata for half an hour? This might be the episode for you! (Sorry Santos!) Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

A tale of two halves would be an understatement after the Vuck served up a second half that would make tepid piss look more appetising. A game we really needed to win ended up feeling like a loss with an ex-vuck returning to add to the misery. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

The rollercoaster continues with a good win against the Nix. Do we get excited again or do we just roll with it? In a good weekend for those in navy, the wuck also snapped their winless streak against the Jets. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

Back to usual programming for the Vuck with a frustrating loss to the Mariners on Sunday afternoon where the same old problems once again were laid bare for all the see. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

It was great day to be a Vuck as Juan and his merry men ran riot over a hapless Sydney FC. Join us and bask in the glory of an all too rare hammering of the smurfs. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

📝 INVESTIR AVEC NOUS : Conseil en investissement et club deals alternatifs : https://bit.ly/sondageRA30A --- 0:00 - Le choc inflationniste 2:50 - FREXIT suite au BREXIT? 4:30 - L'argent "mort" #frexit #investissement #monnaienumérique Extrait de l'émission « Prévisions choquantes : La France va Mal  » du 18 avril 2025. https://youtu.be/vmhBx0KjDEc loyer encaissés en France ≠ loyer encaissés aux USA La différence ? C'est l'argent "mort", quand l'État tue la valeur : Tu encaisses 100€. L'État prend sa part en impôts. Il la redistribue à ton locataire en APL. Qui te la redonne en loyer. Résultat : de l'argent qui tourne en rond sans créer de valeur. Aux États-Unis, 100$ encaissés = 100$ vivants. Pas de circuit absurde. Pendant ce temps, on vient d'encaisser un choc inflationniste brutal : 100€ en 2026 = 100 francs en 1996, en tout cas, dans nos têtes aujourd'hui. On a perdu 6,57x de pouvoir d'achat. Même si ton compte affiche le même chiffre, de l'argent t'a été pris. Et avec les cycles économiques qui arrivent, comment on absorbe le prochain choc avec une monnaie déjà entamée ? L'euro a un problème structurel. Le Brexit a ouvert une brèche. Si l'Angleterre prospère hors de l'UE dans les 10 prochaines années, d'autres suivront. Mais pour nous ? Impossible de sortir comme les Anglais. Ils avaient gardé la livre. Nous, on a tout mis en commun. C'est comme un divorce où personne n'est d'accord. --- Nous sommes gestionnaires de patrimoine et conseillers en investissement. Nous accompagnons les citoyens à investir autrement. Nous sommes persuadés que le modèle économique du passé ne se reproduira pas et qu'il faut aller vers de nouvelles dimensions : fin de l'abondance, technologie du savoir, modes d'organisation, modèle économique... C'est un réel combat politique, qui se gagne par l'argent, le nerf de la guerre. Nous proposons des produits et services performants dans l'économie réelle, en respectant nos critères d'investissements : innovations utiles, éthiques et durables ; de souveraineté économique, industrielle, monétaire, technologique, énergétique et alimentaire. Nous axons nos stratégies d'investissements sur trois axes : - l'économie réelle via le private equity (le capital-investissement), deeptech, medtech, greentech, winetech, saas... - les investissements alternatifs de terrain (ressources naturelles, métaux rares et critiques, énergie, eau, vin, numismatique, oeuvres d'Art, immobilier atypique...) - les innovations Web3 (cryptoactifs, DeFi, RWA, token sales, DePIN, DAO, DApp, NFT, GameFi) --- // RESSOURCES : 📚 Le livre bestseller IMMOBITCOIN (gratuit) : http://bit.ly/immobtc 🧠 POUR ALLER PLUS LOIN (1h20) - INVESTIR durant la période de crise civilisationnelle en cours (atelier privée): https://youtu.be/rp71QVEjl78?si=enEoB6-NpPNNsXTA&t=2280 📞 Pour fixer un appel téléphonique avec un membre de l'équipe : https://fdinvest-patrimoine.com/contact // SUIS-NOUS 📷 Instagram : https://instagram.com/francoisjgdenis https://instagram.com/pic.podcast 💼 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/fdenis01 --- FD Invest – Société par actions simplifiés au capital social de 100 € - n°89888347500029 au RCS de Montpellier – 2 rue des pivoines 34070 Montpellier – http://fdinvest-patrimoine.com/. Enregistré à l'ORIAS sous le n°22001382 http://www.orias.fr/ en qualité de : Conseiller en investissement financier adhérent de la compagnie cif, association agréée auprès de l'Autorité des Marchés Financiers. FD Invest exerçant en marque commerciale sous le nom Riche à 30 ans. RC Pro auprès de MMA. - IMPORTANT: Risque de perte en capital ou de moins-value sur les investissements alternatifs. Faites vos recherches si vous n'êtes pas accompagné. Ce retour d'expérience ne constitue pas un conseil ou une recommandation. Un conseil est toujours au cas par cas.

C'est dans un énième discours sur le perron de Matignon que le Premier ministre Sébastien Lecornu a annoncé le 16 janvier à 18h30 une série de mesures dont des premières annonces en faveur du logement afin d'éviter la censure du Gouvernement sur le budget. Après avoir menacé les députés de dissoudre l'Assemblée nationale puis de faire adopter le budget de l'État par ordonnance, Sébastien Lecornu à la quête d'un compromis s'est enfin dit prêt à faire évoluer la copie budgétaire. Côté logement, le chef de l'Exécutif répond à la demande du groupe du Parti socialiste (PS) et il propose de renoncer à l'année blanche « pour les allocations sur le logement » (APL) envisagée dans le budget initial mais aussi une augmentation de 400 millions d'euros des moyens pour les bailleurs sociaux pour qu'ils construisent bien et qu'ils rénovent mieux. Sébastien Lecornu prévoit aussi 200 millions d'euros « pour de nouveaux projets Fonds vert » ainsi que le maintien de MaPrimeRenov'. C'est un outil selon lui « utile » et « efficace ». Enfin, pour la première fois, le Premier ministre a souhaité poser les bases d'un statut du bailleur privé pour relancer l'investissement locatif privé au moment où les fameux Conseil national de la refondation et de l'habitat, les alertes des notaires ou le dernier rapport Daubresse-Cosson ont rappelé l'urgence du secteur. C'est dans ce contexte que le ministre du Logement, Vincent Jeanbrun, bien silencieux jusqu'à aujourd'hui a promis « un très beau statut du bailleur privé » au cours de la cérémonie des vœux d'Action Logement organisée ce mardi 20 janvier en présence de son président Bruno Arcadipane, l'ancien ministre de la Ville Jean-Louis Borloo, promoteurs, constructeurs, parlementaires et syndicalistes comme Frédéric Souillot, secrétaire général de Force ouvrière (FO). L'objectif est bien de prendre en compte le déficit foncier dans le calcul du revenu global du bailleur particulier en quête de rentabilité. Réduction de loyer de solidarité (RLS), statut du bailleur privé, MaPrimeRenov', l'hébergement d'urgence… Lionel Causse, député des Landes (Ensemble pour la République) des Landes nous explique qui sont les grands gagnants et les perdants (Fonds national des aides à la pierre, plafonds du PTZ et prêts subventionnés) à l'issue de l'adoption du budget du logement pour 2026.

Mateo 4:4 (NVI) Jesús respondió: «Escrito está: “No solo de pan vivirá el hombre, sino de toda palabra que sale de la boca de Dios”. Jesús pronunció estas palabras en el desierto, hambriento, cansado y bajo presión. El enemigo lo tentó a convertir las piedras en pan, apelando a su necesidad física y a su alivio inmediato. Pero Jesús respondió con una verdad poderosa: la vida no se sustenta solo de pan, sino de la Palabra de Dios. En otras palabras, lo que Dios dice importa más que lo que sentimos, lo que vemos o lo que nos falta. Al comenzar este ayuno de 21 días, muchos llegan cansados. Algunos oran oraciones que ya han hecho antes. Otros luchan contra el desánimo. Otros se preguntan en silencio: “¿Cambiará algo algún día?”. Este ayuno comienza con un recordatorio simple pero profundo: Estás a una palabra de distancia. A lo largo de las Escrituras, vemos momentos en los que todo cambió porque Dios habló. María era una joven común y corriente cuando un ángel le entregó una palabra extraordinaria. El futuro de la humanidad pendía de un hilo, y su respuesta fue sencilla pero contundente: «Hágase en mí conforme a tu palabra» (Lucas 1:38). Esa palabra, promesa, cambió su vida para siempre. La fe no se encontraba en comprenderlo todo, sino en confiar en la palabra de Dios. El centurión romano acudió a Jesús desesperado por la sanación de su siervo. No le pidió a Jesús que fuera a su casa. En cambio, le dijo: «Solo di una palabra, y mi siervo sanará» (Mateo 8:8). Jesús se maravilló de su fe. La sanación no requirió proximidad, solo una palabra. Y esa palabra viajó más lejos y más rápido que cualquier presencia física. En la creación, Dios no luchó contra la oscuridad, sino que le habló. «Y dijo Dios: “Sea la luz”; y fue la luz» (Génesis 1:3). La oscuridad no discutió. El caos no se resistió. Una palabra de Dios trajo orden, belleza y vida. Este ayuno no se trata de ganar el favor de Dios. Se trata de preparar tu corazón para escucharlo. Cuando nos negamos el pan natural, declaramos que la Palabra de Dios es nuestra verdadera fuente de vida. Cree que Su Palabra aún tiene poder. Cree que lo que Él dice tiene la autoridad final sobre lo que ves.   Oración de hoy Querido Padre Celestial, Al comenzar este ayuno, aquietamos nuestros corazones ante Ti. Confesamos que hemos buscado la vida en muchos lugares, pero hoy declaramos que Tu Palabra es nuestro verdadero sustento. Habla, Señor, una palabra tuya es suficiente para traer luz a nuestra oscuridad, fuerza a nuestra debilidad y esperanza a nuestra espera. En el nombre de Jesús, oramos. Amén.   Aplícalo hoy Al ayunar, que esta sea tu confesión diaria: No estoy vacío, estoy esperando. No estoy estancado, estoy posicionado. No estoy olvidado, estoy a una palabra de distancia.  

Heartbreak and anger were served up in Adelaide with the Vuck going down in farcical circumstances. That's what A-League do to ya! Meanwhile the Wuck didn't fare much better. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

The APL has stepped in to manage the Central Coast Mariners after the former owners gave up their A-League license.At the same time, the club’s academy has been shut down, with new owners yet to be confirmed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The APL has stepped in to manage the Central Coast Mariners after the former owners gave up their A-League license.At the same time, the club’s academy has been shut down, with new owners yet to be confirmed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode, Ashea is joined by Hyunkook Lee (Professor of Psychoacoustics and APL founder), Emre Ramazanoglu and Mark Gittins, for part two of The Science Of Listening, where they discuss Psychoacoustics, HRTF, multidimensional audio, virtual reality, the future of immersive in the music and audio industry and what's in store for VIRTUOSO. About Our Guests:Hyunkook Lee: Professor of audio and psychoacoustic engineering, Founder/director of the APL, & recording/mixing engineerEmre Ramazanoglu: Immersive audio engineer, mixer/producer/drummerMark Gittins: Immersive engineer/mixer/producer/outside broadcast engineer.

This week on Box2Box Stoppage Time, Michael Edgley and Willem van Denderen are joined by PFA Co-President Tameka Yallop, following the release of Ready For Takeoff - the Player’s Vision for the A-League Women.Comprised of four key pillars, Ready For Takeoff advocates for the professionalisation of the ALW and an overhaul of the APL into an independent commission, among numerous other recommendations.Tameka reflects on the stand taken by the 2015 Matildas squad - of which she was part - to demand the professionalisation of the national team, and why the union feels now is the time to force a similar result for Australia's domestic women's league. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just when some optimism starts to creep in we revert back to old ways. The Vuck had everything to play for against the last placed Wanderers and served up a meek performance reminiscent of the start of the season. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

Box2Box, with Rob Gilbert, Michael Edgley & Willem van Denderen!Western United have secured a last-minute stay of execution at the Australian Tax Office, and now present as a possible returnee to the A-Leagues in the face of all expectation. But would the APL’s door swing open? Michael Lynch returns to assess the latest turn in the saga.Then to Italy, where the Azzurri are awaiting their date with destiny that will define either a return to the World Cup, or a third dose of national torture. Adriano Del Monte speaks to their desperation to qualify, and to the (once-again) enthralling Serie A season unfolding before us.Also on the agenda: AFCON quarter finals, FA Cup upsets and Mariners instability…Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/Box2BoxNTSLike us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100028871306243 Enjoy our written content: https://www.box2boxnts.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To start off the new year in style Ashea is joined by Hyunkook Lee (Professor of Psychoacoustics and APL founder), Emre Ramazanoglu and Mark Gittins, where they discuss Psychoacoustics, mixing in Dolby Atmos and the future of immersive formats both audio and visual.About Our Guests:Hyunkook Lee: Professor of audio and psychoacoustic engineering, Founder/director of the APL, & recording/mixing engineerEmre Ramazanoglu: Immersive audio engineer, mixer/producer/drummerMark Gittins: Immersive engineer/mixer/producer/outside broadcast engineer.

We are back after a short Christmas break and boy have things turned around! Vergos is scoring, Mata is the best player in the league and the Vuck have won 4 on the bounce! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

El mayor error que comete un emprendedor es creer que su cliente sigue pensando igual.En este video te revelo la nueva psicología del cliente 2026, y cómo adaptar tu marketing para no quedarte atrás.Estas son las 5 reglas nuevas:1️⃣ Decide antes de pensar (compra con emociones)2️⃣ La confianza no se pide, se transmite con autoridad3️⃣ Menos datos, más transformación real4️⃣ Odia perder tiempo (y te ignora si no vas al grano)5️⃣ Solo quiere lo mejor (no le hables de precio, háblale de valor)

Ho ho ho, Merry Vuckmas! The Vuck make it two on the bounce with a late winner by the people's own Matt Grimaldi, who also joins us for a chat. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

The drought is broken! The Vuck get the win over the pissants. Are we back or is it just a temporary reprieve from the misery? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

Our scoreless streak extends to four games with a 0-0 against Macarthur. Was it an improved performance or was it just against an opponent who have the same deficiencies as us? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

Aplós is one of the quickest-growing craft brands in the non-alc space — a premium functional spirit designed not to mimic tequila or gin, but to redefine what a cocktail experience can be without alcohol. Founded in 2018 and launched in 2020, the brand is now breaking out: Approaching 100K case sales annually, their wholesale is up more than 500% YOY, and they're ​​on pace to double their wholesale volume in 2026. In the last 12 months, Aplós has added 1,300+ chain retail doors, and on-premise placements have climbed to 750+ cocktails across 550 accounts. The company also just announced a $5 million funding round to grow production and expand its hospitality and retail footprint.In this episode, David Fudge, Co-Founder & CEO of Aplós, shares how the company is scaling through long-game brand building, deep bartender collaboration, and disciplined distribution strategy.

The Victory served up Friday night garbage as they got bullied by Brisbane Roar, just like we predicted. This week we turn the blowtorch up a little more because it's all we can really do! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

Aujourd'hui, nous abordons l'une des propositions de réforme sociale les plus clivantes : le plafonnement des aides sociales – RSA, APL, allocations familiales, etc. – à 1 500 euros par mois et par foyer. Faut-il y voir une mesure de bon sens budgétaire ou une menace pour les plus fragiles ?Les partisans de ce plafonnement, dont la figure de proue est Agnès Verdier-Molinié de la Fondation iFRAP, avancent un argument de poids : celui de l'économie publique. Cette mesure permettrait de réaliser une dizaine de milliards d'euros d'économies par an. C'est un montant colossal qui pourrait soulager les finances publiques, confrontées à une dette massive.Mais au-delà de l'aspect purement comptable, cette proposition répond à une forte attente populaire. Un sondage réalisé par Odoxa pour la Fondation iFRAP a montré que 72% des Français se disent favorables à un tel plafonnement. Cette adhésion majoritaire s'explique souvent par la volonté de mettre fin à ce que certains appellent l'« assistanat » : l'idée qu'il ne doit jamais être plus avantageux de percevoir des aides que d'occuper un emploi. Le plafonnement servirait donc à rétablir une justice sociale par le travail en garantissant que le revenu du travail reste toujours supérieur au revenu issu uniquement des transferts sociaux.Cependant, les économistes et les associations de lutte contre la pauvreté mettent en garde contre les effets pervers d'une mesure aussi uniforme. L'aide sociale n'est pas un bloc unique ; elle est constituée de dispositifs ciblés pour des besoins précis. Par exemple, l'APL est liée au coût du logement, et les allocations familiales au nombre d'enfants.Plafonner à 1 500 euros pourrait se révéler une catastrophe pour les foyers les plus vulnérables. Imaginons une mère isolée avec trois enfants vivant dans une zone où les loyers sont élevés. Son cumul d'aides peut dépasser ce seuil non pas par 'luxe', mais par la nécessité structurelle de couvrir le loyer, la garde d'enfants et les dépenses alimentaires. En imposant un plafond, on risque de plonger ces familles directement dans la grande précarité, voire de les empêcher de se loger dignement.La question n'est donc pas seulement de savoir si l'État peut économiser 10 milliards d'euros, mais si ces économies ne se feront pas au prix d'une augmentation de la pauvreté, engendrant à terme des coûts sociaux encore plus élevés.Le débat sur le plafonnement incarne la tension classique entre la rigueur budgétaire souhaitée par une majorité de Français et l'impératif de solidarité nationale. La solution réside peut-être dans une réforme plus fine, qui distinguerait les aides selon leur finalité – garantir le minimum vital, encourager le retour à l'emploi, ou compenser les charges familiales. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

More misery was piled onto the Vuck this week at the hands of Sydney FC. Seeming bereft of ideas the Vuck sleepwalked to a 3 goal battering. Is it time for a change?Additional tunes courtesy of Ranges RC. Check them out on Instagram Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

Revenge was not served up in the Grand Final rematch. Instead, another limp performance that has left us scratching our heads yet again about our inability to create high quality chances. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

Cilvēkus visos laikos saistījuši baisi stāsti, kriminālās ziņas un viss mīklainais un neatklātais. Vai tās būtu kādas paranormālas parādībās, detektīvs vai šausmu filma - tie visi rada aizrautību un zināmu devu adrenalīna. Kāpēc cilvēki labprāt izvēlas baidīties un kāpēc mūs saista nezināmais? Ko par to stāsta folkloras un psiholoģijas pētījumi? Raidījumā Zināmais nezināmajā sarunājas Latvijas Universitātes Humanitāro zinātņu fakultātes pētnieks Ingus Barovskis un psihoterapeits, RSU Psihosomatikās medicīnas un psihoterapijas katedras docents Artūrs Utināns. Par spokiem runājot, kāpēc mēs dažkārt baidāmies no izdomātiem tēliem, nevis no reālām dzīves situācijām un problēmām, piemēram, slikta dzīvesveida, ka tas radīt gan slimības vai izraisīt pat nāvi. Kāpēc iedomu spoks dažkārt nobiedē vairāk nekā neveselīgs dzīvesveids? Artūrs Utināns: Tas ir smadzeņu evolūcijas likums, bioloģiskā evolūcija ir konservatīvāka par kulturālo evolūciju. Tāpēc, piemēram, var pajautāt, kāpēc cilvēki baidās no zirnekļa? Ja būs 20 sieviešu auditorija, vismaz vienai noteikti būs zirnekļa fobija. Vēl kādai varētu būt čūsku vai peļu fobija. Es 32 prakses gados ne reizi neesmu nevienu cilvēku redzējis, kam būtu pistoļu fobija, piemēram. Šī zirnekļu, čūsku, peļu, žurku fobija - tā ir dispozīcija no mūsu evolucionārās pagātnes, kad mēs izgājām no Āfrikas, un šie dzīvnieki bija bīstami vai peles un žurkas pārnēsāja kaut kādas slimības. Līdz ar to tie cilvēki, kas turējās vairāk pa gabalu, tie labāk izdzīvoja. Lai arī mūsu smadzenēm nebija patiesā skaidrojuma, kāpēc tāda maza, pelēka pelīte varētu būt bīstama.  Savukārt tas, kas nāk ar kultūru, piemēram, holesterīna līmenis un glikozes līmenis asinīs, to mūsu smadzenes tā neasimilē. Nav tā, ka mūsu zemapziņā konkrēti zirneklis ierakstās kā fobiskais objekts, bet dispozīcija, ka vieni objekti izsauc bailes vieglāk un fobijas, savukārt tie citi jaunie kulturālie - mazāk. Tāpat kā cilvēki automašīnās iet bojā daudz biežāk nekā lidmašīnu katastrofās, bet fobija lidot vai fobija no augstuma mums kā pērtiķu turpinātājiem, kas lēkāja pa kokiem un varēja nokrist no zara, ir aktuālāka, nekā iedomāties, ka automašīna ir daudz bīstamāka. Vai līdzīgi ir mainījies tas, par ko mītiskajos stāstos vai mistērijās un filmās mēģina mums šīs bailes radīt. Mūs vairs nenobiedēs ar kaut ko, ar ko varēja nobiedēt varbūt cilvēku pirms simts un 1000 gadiem. Ingus Barovskis: Man jau pat gribas jautāt: ar ko vispār vēl var nobiedēt mūsdienu cilvēku? Vai tad mēs visu jau neesam redzējuši? Zombijs ir redzēts, pele jau arī ir redzēta... Rakstniekam Vladimiram Kaijakam gan 70. gadu beigās iznāca stāsts "Zirneklis", kur arī biedē ar zirnekli, kurš kļūst milzīgi liels un līdzīgi kā amerikāņu filmās mēdz ieturēties ar cilvēku.  Protams, tas baiļu objekts, respektīvi, tas objekts, kuram būtu jāizraisa bailes, mainās līdz ar kultūras periodiem. Tas mainās arī ar to aspektu, kurš piedāvā šo baiļu objektu. Ja paskatāmies senākās kristietības idejās - kas ir ellē? Kārtīgam cilvēkam ir jābaidās no elles. Tad ir visnotaļ krāšņi aprakstīti tie radījumi, kas cilvēku tur sagaidīs, velni, dēmoni un tā tālāk. Neviens negrib tur nonākt un sastapties ar šiem radījumiem. Un gluži vienkārši cilvēks dara to, lai tas nenotiktu. Pamatā, protams, ir ticība. Manuprāt, ja mēs neticam kaut kam, mēs nebaidāmies. Ja mēs neticam spokiem, diez vai mēs iedomāsimies, ka tas, kas uzmirdzēja kaut kur pagriezienā, ka tas ir spoks. Tāpat, ja skatāmies latviešu mitoloģijas kontekstā - baidās no tā, kas ir svarīgs, baidās no tā, kas ir arī nozīmīgs. Piemēram, zeme, htoniskais. Kāpēc baidīties no htoniskā? Čūska ir htoniskā būtne, saistīta ar lielo pirmmāti, ar atdzimšanu. Ko tur baidīties? Bet baidās no tā, kas svarīgs un pret kuru kaut kā ne tā izturoties, var kaitēt. Ja izdara kaut ko ne tā, kā vajag, var nebūt raža, var nebūt auglība. Tāpēc tas rada bailes.  Ko dara maza pelīte, kāpēc baidīties? Pele nonāk pazemē, viņa ir kā mediators, šeit, protams, runāju no mitoloģiskā skatījuma, viņa ir kā mediators starp šo pasauli un pazemes pasauli. Un tas jau uzreiz ir diezgan bīstami. Iespējams, tas kaut kā vēl joprojām reprezentējas cilvēka domāšanā, cilvēka uzskatos. Es šobrīd filozofēju. Raidījumā noslēgumā zinātnes ziņas Lai neraudātu, sīpolu iesaka griezt ar asu nazi, bet lēnām Iepsējams beidzot rasts risinājums, kā raudāt mazāk, griežot sīpolus. Tā kā pie vainas ir sīpolu sulā esošā viela - kāds sērorganisko savienojumu klases oksīds, zinātnieki no Cornela universitātes ASV izmērījuši, ka, griežot sīpolus ar asiem nažiem un lēnākām kustībām, tā sulā esošās attiecīgās vielas molekulas izplatās lēnāk un mazākā apjomā, tā pasargājot acis no asarošanas. Aplūkojot sīpolu griešanu augstas izšķirtspējas mikroskopā, pētnieki secinājuši, ka, griežot sīpolus ar asākiem nažiem, tiek pielikts mazāk spēka to mizu saspiešanai, kā rezultātā sīpolos esošās sulas pilieni gaisā izplatās mazāk un līdz acīm nemaz nenonāk. Zinātnieki rada “superkoksni”, kas ir stiprāka par tēraudu Šāda vēsts, kas publicēta “CNN” tīmekļa vietnē, nonākusi mūsu uzmanības lokā šonedēļ. Tiesa, “superkoksnes” pētījumi aizsākušies jau agrāk, tos īstenojis materiālzinātnieks, Jeilas Universitātes profesors Liangbings Hu. Pirms vairāk nekā desmit gadiem viņš uzsācis meklējumus, kā inovatīvi pārveidot koksni, bet galvenais mērķis - padarīt koksni stiprāku. 2017. gadā viņa darbībā noticis izrāviens, kas pēc tam aprakstīts publikācijā vietnē “Nature”. Profesors Hu koksni vispirms vārījis ūdens vannā ar izvēlētām ķīmiskām vielām, pēc tam koksni karsti presējis, lai to padarītu ievērojami blīvāku. Nedēļu ilgā procesa beigās iegūtajai koksnei stiprības un svara attiecība bijusi “augstāka nekā lielākajai daļai strukturālo metālu un sakausējumu”. Tā savulaik teikts publikācijā “Nature”, un šobrīd “superkoksne” tiek piedāvāta komerciālai ražošanai.  Cik sens ir šis “superkoksnes” stāsts globālā un Latvijas kontekstā? Kas pašmāju zinātniekiem, kuri ikdienā strādā ar koksnes pētījumiem, koksnes blīvināšanu un lignīna noņemšanas procesiem šķiet jau pazīstams un kas ir jauns? Stāsta Latvijas Valsts koksnes ķīmijas institūta Celulozes laboratorijas vadošā pētniece Laura Andže.

Dragonfly has moved far beyond a concept on a computer screen.

The Vuck register their first win of the season against a very poor Perth Glory. The line-up changes had a positive impact which included a great performance from Juan Mata. Will this result create the momentum we need leading into the derby? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

這个烏影景色 就是冥王星暗暝彼半爿。遮是一个暗淡 koh 遙遠 ê 世界。這張予人讚嘆 ê 太空視角內底，太陽 to̍h tī 49 億公里遠（差不多是 4.5 光時遠）ê 所在。這張相片是 飛足遠 ê 新視野號太空船 tī 2015 年 7 月 翕 ê。彼陣 ê 太空船離冥王星 2 萬 1 千公里遠，差不多是伊 ùi 離冥王星 上近彼位飛--出去 ê 19 分鐘後。這个 Kuiper 帶 ê 成員有戲劇性 ê 外形。Ùi 這張相片來看，咱知影冥王星 霧霧 ê 大氣層其實是蔫蔫，而且實在是 有夠複雜 ê。Tī 這張相片頂懸彼个月眉形 ê 晨昏區景色 內底，有南部地區 ê 窒素冰原，這馬叫做 Sputnik 平原，嘛有 坎坎坷坷、有水冰 ê Norgay 山脈。 ——— 這是 NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day ê 台語文 podcast 原文版：https://apod.nasa.gov/ 台文版：https://apod.tw/ 今仔日 ê 文章： https://apod.tw/daily/20251002/ 影像：NASA, Johns Hopkins Univ./APL, Southwest Research Institute 音樂：P!SCO - 鼎鼎 聲優：阿錕 翻譯：An-Li Tsai (TARA) 原文：https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251002.html Powered by Firstory Hosting

The Vuck open the new season with a 0-0 against Auckland FC. With a few injuries to the best XI it was a reasonable result but one that didn't ease the concerns around our strikers. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

Thank you Austin Public Library for always giving the ghouls a scary good time! Please enjoy this collection of stories from attendee's at APL's Hallo-Weird event!La Casa de Los TubosThis Fall Season's eventsWant to hear your story on Susto? Fill out the Letters From the Beyond form or visit SustoPodcast.com to be shared on the show!Become a Patron here! Subscribe to Susto's YouTube channel!

What's this? Another episode so soon? This time its our season preview. We go over the Vuck squad and address some of the burning questions the off season has raised. We sprinkle in some predictions and look toward the opening round fixture against Auckland. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

After the world's longest off-season FVS is back! We blow off the cobwebs and get out on the track for an off-season wrap where we take a look at all the ins and outs, as well as give our correct take on the new kits. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookSupport us on PatreonMON THE VUCK

We welcome Thomas Lilley to this episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast! Thomas is a 36-year-old Australian powerlifting coach, gym owner, and federation president who founded Zero Weakness, a powerhouse strength brand with 11 gyms across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. He leads three major federations—APL, NZPU, and UKPU—with APL now Australia's largest. Known for coaching lifters to multiple all-time world records, including the #1 total of 1200kg (wraps) and highest DOTs score ever (688.33), Thomas also holds the #1 equipped total and bench in Australia. Through ZeroW's expansion into franchising, education, and equipment, and his work on the Peak Speak and ZeroW Podcasts, Thomas continues to shape global powerlifting culture. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombro7/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ptcgoldcoast Zero W: https://www.zerowequipment.com/   Become an elitefts channel member for early access to Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast and other perks. ➡️@eliteftsofficial Support Dave Tate's Table Talk: FULL Crew Access - https://www.elitefts.com/join-the-crew Limited Edition Apparel - https://www.elitefts.com/shop/apparel/limited-edition.html Programs & More - https://www.elitefts.com/shop/dave-tate-s-table-talk-crew.html TYAO Application - https://www.elitefts.com/dave-tate-s-tyao-application Best-selling elitefts Products: Pro Resistance Training Bands: https://www.elitefts.com/shop/bands.html Specialty Barbells: https://www.elitefts.com/shop/bars-weights/specialty-bars.html Wraps, Straps, Sleeves: https://www.elitefts.com/shop/power-gear.html Sponsors: Get an extra 10% OFF at elitefts (CODE: TABLE TALK): https://www.elitefts.com/ Get 10% OFF Your Next Marek Health Labs (CODE: TABLETALK): https://marekhealth.com/ Get a free 8-count Sample Pack of LMNT's most popular drink mix flavors: https://partners.drinklmnt.com/free-g... Get 10% OFF at Granite Nutrition (CODE TABLETALK): https://granitenutrition.com/?utm_sou... Support Massenomics! https://www.massenomics.com/ Save 20% on monthly, yearly, or lifetime MASS Research Review (CODE ELITEFTS20): https://massresearchreview.com/ Get 10% OFF RP Hypertrophy App (CODE: TABLE TALK) :https://go.rpstrength.com/hypertrophy...

What happens if you can't afford your whole life insurance premium anymore? It's the most common concern when people design large policies for Infinite Banking: "I don't want to pay this huge premium until I'm 95 years old." The truth is, once you understand what premium is doing for you—building momentum, creating guaranteed growth, and establishing your family banking system—you won't want to stop. But life happens. Income disruptions, career changes, or simply changing priorities might make you reconsider. That's why understanding your contractual rights matters. There are five distinct options when you can't or won't continue paying premiums, and most people only know about the worst one: surrendering for cash. This episode breaks down all five options, from the contractual non-forfeiture provisions required by state law to the optimal strategy that lets your policy sustain itself. We explain extended term insurance, reduced paid-up insurance, automatic premium loans, and the dividend payment strategy—plus why working with an authorized IBC practitioner ensures you actually have access to these options. The goal isn't to plan your exit from day one, but to understand the full contract you're entering and know you have control no matter what happens.Chapters:00:00 - Opening segment07:00 - Introduction to non-forfeiture options and PUA  10:00 - Four contractual non-forfeiture options overview  11:20 - Cash value refresher13:00 - Net present value14:40 - Dave Ramsey's misrepresentation   17:50 - Company exposure and why cash value grows over time  18:55 - Option 1: Cash surrender value (closing the policy)  20:30 - Option 2: Extended term insurance explained  25:45 - Option 3: Automatic premium loan (APL)  27:00 - When APL makes sense: income disruption scenarios  32:00 - Base premium vs. total premium: What you actually need to sustain  35:00 - Option 4: Reduced paid-up insurance (RPU)  36:25 - Why you can't RPU before year seven (MEC rules)  42:15 - How using dividends changes projections  44:50 - Option 5: Using dividends to pay premiums (the optimal strategy)  48:05 - Keeping premium door open  52:00 - Protection and savings before speculation  54:10 - Keeping the wall between savings and investments  56:30 - Final thoughtsKey Takeaways:- Cash surrender value is not separate from death benefit—it's your equity in the future payment at present value- There are 5 total options when you can't pay premium: 4 contractual non-forfeiture options plus the dividend strategy- Cash surrender (Option 1): Walk away with equity, lose all coverage—least recommended option- Extended term insurance (Option 2): Same death benefit dollar amount, reduced timeframe based on cash value- Reduced paid-up insurance (Option 3): Same timeframe (whole life), reduced death benefit, no future premiums required- Automatic premium loan (Option 4): Company loans against cash value to pay base premium automatically- Dividend payment (Option 5): Use policy dividends to pay base premium—the optimal approach for mature policies- Not all whole life companies support optimal IBC design—must have PUA riders available- Work only with Nelson Nash Institute authorized practitioners to ensure proper policy structure- Goal is never to stop paying premium once you understand what it's doing for your family banking system- Your whole life policy should be the asset you understand most completely before signingGot Questions?Reach out to us at info@remnantfinance.com or book a call at https://remnantfinance.com/calendar !Visit https://remnantfinance.com for more informationLow Stress Trading: https://remnantfinance.com/options  FOLLOW REMNANT FINANCEYoutube: @RemnantFinance (https://www.youtube.com/@RemnantFinance )Facebook: @remnantfinance (https://www.facebook.com/profile.id=61560694316588 )Twitter: @remnantfinance (https://x.com/remnantfinance )TikTok: @RemnantFinanceDon't forget to hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE

We sat down with Cheryl Nash, President of APL at InvestCloud, on the boardwalk at Future Proof Festival to discuss the current landscape of retail investing. APL is a portfolio management platform that powers construction, modeling, trading, and rebalancing for managed accounts. Cheryl shares how APL democratizes access to private market strategies and enables the private wealth channel to invest in alternatives.

Tank - Dog - 4 yr old Pittie Mix - Came to APL at the beginning of June through Humane Investigations after not being provided the Vet care he needed - He received the care he needed at the APL and is still looking for his new family.

Shawn Tierney meets up with Tom Weingartner of PI (Profibus Profinet International) to learn about PROFINET and System Redundancy in this episode of The Automation Podcast. For any links related to this episode, check out the “Show Notes” located below the video. Watch The Automation Podcast from The Automation Blog: Listen to The Automation Podcast from The Automation Blog: The Automation Podcast, Episode 244 Show Notes: Special thanks to Tom Weingartner for coming on the show, and to Siemens for sponsoring this episode so we could release it ad free on all platforms! To learn more PROFINET, see the below links: PROFINET One-Day Training Slide Deck PROFINET One-Day Training Class Dates IO-Link Workshop Dates PROFINET University Certified Network Engineer Course Read the transcript on The Automation Blog: (automatically generated) Shawn Tierney (Host): Welcome back to the automation podcast. My name is Shawn Tierney from Insights and Automation, and I wanna thank you for tuning back in this week. Now on this show, I actually had the opportunity to sit down with Thomas Weingoner from PI to learn all about PROFINET. I actually reached out to him because I had some product vendors who wanted me to cover their s two features in their products, and I thought it would be first it’d be better to actually sit down and get a refresh on what s two is. It’s been five years since we’ve had a PROFINET expert on, so I figured now would be a good time before we start getting into how those features are used in different products. So with that said, I also wanna mention that Siemens has sponsored the episode, so it will be completely ad free. I love it when vendor sponsor the shows. Not only do we get the breakeven on the show itself, we also get to release it ad free and make the video free as well. So thank you, Siemens. If you see anybody from Siemens, thank them for sponsoring the Automation Podcast. As a matter of fact, thank any vendor who’s ever sponsored any of our shows. We really appreciate them. One final PSA that I wanna throw out there is that, speaking like I talked about this yesterday on my show, Automation Tech Talk, As we’ve seen with the Ethernet POCs we’re talking about, a lot of micro POCs that were $250 ten years ago are now $400. Right? That’s a lot of inflation, right, for various reasons. Right? And so one of the things I did this summer is I took a look at my P and L, my pros profit and loss statements, and I just can’t hold my prices where they are and be profitable. Right? So if I’m not breaking even, the company goes out of business, and we’ll have no more episodes of the show. So how does this affect you? If you are a student over at the automation school, you have until mid September to do any upgrades or purchase any, courses at the 2020 prices. Alright? So I I don’t wanna raise the prices. I’ve tried as long as I can, but at some point, you have to give in to what the prices are that your vendors are charging you, and you have to raise the prices. So, all my courses are buy one, sell them forever, so this does not affect anybody who’s enrolled in a course. Actually, all of you folks rolled in my PLC courses, I see it updates every week now. So and those who get the ultimate bundles, you’re seeing new lessons added to the new courses because you get that preorder access plus some additional stuff. So in any case but, again, I wanna reiterate, if you’re a vendor who has an old balance or if you are a student who wants to buy a new course, please, make your plans in the next couple of weeks because in mid September, I do have to raise the prices. So I just wanna throw that PSA out there. I know a lot of people don’t get to the end of the show. That’s what I wanted to do at the beginning. So with that said, let’s jump right into this week’s podcast and learn all about Profinet. I wanna welcome to the show, Tom from Profibus, Profinet North America. Tom, I really wanna just thank you for coming on the show. I reached out to you to ask about ask you to come on to to talk to us about this topic. But before we jump in, could you, first tell the audience a little bit about yourself? Tom Weingartner (PI): Yeah. Sure. Absolutely, Shawn. I’m gonna jump to the next slide then and and let everyone know. As Shawn said, my name is Tom, Tom Weingartner, and I am the technical marketing director at PI North America. I have a fairly broad set of experiences ranging from ASIC hardware and software design, and and then I’ve moved into things like, avionic systems design. But it seemed like no no matter what I was working on, it it always centered around communication and control. That’s actually how I got into industrial Ethernet, and I branched out into, you know, from protocols like MIL standard fifteen fifty three and and airing four twenty nine to other serial based protocols like PROFIBUS and MODBUS. And, of course, that naturally led to PROFINET and the other Ethernet based protocols. I I also spent quite a few years developing time sensitive networking solutions. But now I focus specifically on PROFINET and its related technologies. And so with that, I will jump into the the presentation here. And and, now that you know a little bit about me, let let me tell you a little bit about our organization. We are PROFIBUS and PROFINET International or PI for short. We are the global organization that created PROFIBUS and PROFINET, and we continue to maintain and promote these open communication standards. The organization started back in 1989 with PROFIBUS, followed by PROFINET in the early two thousands. Next came IO Link, a communication technology for the last meter, and that was followed by OmLux, a communication technology for wireless location tracking. And now, most recently, MTP or module type package. And this is a communication technology for easier, more flexible integration of process automation equipment. Now we have grown worldwide to 24 regional PI associations, 57 competent centers, eight test labs, and 31 training centers. It’s important to remember that we are a global organization because if you’re a global manufacturer, chances are there’s PROFINET support in the country in which you’re located, and you can get that support in the country’s native language. In the, lower right part of the slide here, we are showing our technologies under the PI umbrella. And I really wanted to point out that these, these technologies all the technologies within PI umbrella are supported by a set of working groups. And these working groups are made up of participants from member companies, and they are the ones that actually create and update the various standards and specifications. Also, any of these working groups are open to any member company. So, PI North America is one of the 24 regional PI associations, and we were founded in 1994. We are a nonprofit member supported organization where we think globally and act locally. So here in North America, we are supported by our local competence centers, training centers, and test labs. And and competence centers, provide technical support for things like protocol, interoperability, and installation type questions. Training centers provide educational services for things like training courses and hands on lab work. And test labs are, well, just that. They are labs that provide testing services and device certification. So any member company can be any combination of these three. You can see here if you’re looking at the slide, that the Profi interface center is all three, where we have JCOM Automation is both a competent center and a training center. And here in North in North America, we are pleased to have HMS as a training center and Phoenix Contact also as a competent center. Now one thing I would like to point out to everyone is that what you should be aware of is that every PROFINET, device must be certified. So if you make a PROFINET device, you need to go to a test lab to get it certified. And here in North America, you certify devices at the PROFINETERFACE center. So I think it’s important to begin our discussion today by talking about the impact digital transformation has had on factory networks. There has been an explosion of devices in manufacturing facilities, and it’s not uncommon for car manufacturers to have over 50,000 Ethernet nodes in just one of their factories. Large production cells can have over a thousand Ethernet nodes in them. But the point is is that all of these nodes increase the amount of traffic automation devices must handle. It’s not unrealistic for a device to have to deal with over 2,000 messages while it’s operating, while it’s trying to do its job. And emerging technologies like automated guided vehicles add a level of dynamics to the network architecture because they’re constantly entering and leaving various production cells located in different areas of the factory. And, of course, as these factories become more and more flexible, networks must support adding and removing devices while the factory is operating. And so in response to this digital transformation, we have gone from rigid hierarchical systems using field buses to industrial Ethernet based networks where any device can be connected to any other device. This means devices at the field level can be connected to devices at the process control level, the production level, even even the operations level and above. But this doesn’t mean that the requirements for determinism, redundancy, safety, and security are any less on a converged network. It means you need to have a network technology that supports these requirements, and this is where PROFINET comes in. So to understand PROFINET, I I think it’s instructive here to start with the OSI model since the OSI model defines networking. And, of course, PROFINET is a networking technology. The OSI model is divided into seven layers as I’m sure we are all familiar with by now, starting with the physical layer. And this is where we get access to the wire, internal electrical signals into bits. Layer two is the data link layer, and this is where we turn bits into bytes that make up an Ethernet frame. Layer three is the network layer, and this is where we turn Ethernet frames into IP packets. So I like to think about Ethernet frames being switched around a local area network, and IP packets being routed around a wide area network like the Internet. And so the next layer up is the transport layer, and this is where we turn IP packets into TCP or UDP datagrams. These datagrams are used based on the type of connection needed to route IP packets. TCP datagrams are connection based, and UDP datagrams are connectionless. But, really, regardless of the type of connection, we typically go straight up to layer seven, the application layer. And this is where PROFINET lives, along with all the other Ethernet based protocols you may be familiar with, like HTTP, FTP, SNMP, and and so on. So then what exactly is PROFINET, and and what challenges is it trying to overcome? The most obvious challenge is environmental. We need to operate in a wide range of harsh environments, and, obviously, we need to be deterministic, meaning we need to guarantee data delivery. But we have to do this in the presence of IT traffic or non real time applications like web servers. We also can’t operate in a vacuum. We need to operate in a local area network and support getting data to wide area networks and up into the cloud. And so to overcome these challenges, PROFINET uses communication channels for speed and determinism. It uses standard unmodified Ethernet, so multiple protocols can coexist on the same wire. We didn’t have this with field buses. Right? It was one protocol, one wire. But most importantly, PROFINET is an OT protocol running at the application layer so that it can maintain real time data exchange, provide alarms and diagnostics to keep automation equipment running, and support topologies for reliable communication. So we can think of PROFINET as separating traffic into a real time channel and a non real time channel. That mess messages with a particular ether type that’s actually eighty eight ninety two, and the number doesn’t matter. But the point here is that the the the real time channel, is is where all PROFINET messages with that ether type go into. And any other ether type, they go into the non real time channel. So we use the non real time channel for acyclic data exchange, and we use the real time channel for cyclic data exchange. So cyclic data exchange with synchronization, we we classify this as time critical. And without synchronization, it is classified as real time. But, really, the point here is that this is how we can use the same standard unmodified Ethernet for PROFINET as we can for any other IT protocol. All messages living together, coexisting on the same wire. So we take this a step further here and and look at the real time channel and and the non real time channel, and and these are combined together into a concept that we call an application relation. So think of an application relation as a network connection for doing both acyclic and cyclic data exchange, and we do this between controllers and devices. This network connection consists of three different types of information to be exchanged, and we call these types of information communication relations. So on the lower left part of the slide, you can see here that we have something called a a record data communication relation, and it’s essentially the non real time channel for acyclic data exchange to pass information like configuration, security, and diagnostics. The IO data communication relation is part of the real time channel for doing this cyclic data exchange that we need to do to periodically update controller and device IO data. And finally, we have the alarm communication relation. So this is also part of the real time channel, because, what we need to do here is it it’s used for alerting the controller to device false as soon as they occur or when they get resolved. Now on the right part of the slide, is we can see some use cases for, application relations, and and these use cases are are either a single application relations for controller to device communication, and we have an optional application relation here for doing dynamic reconfiguration. We also use an application relation for something we call shared device, and, of course, why we are here today and talking about applications relations is actually because of system redundancy. And so we’ll get, into these use cases in more detail here in a moment. But first, I wanted to point out that when we talk about messages being non real time, real time, or time critical, what we’re really doing is specifying a level of network performance. Non real time performance has cycle times above one hundred milliseconds, but we also use this term to indicate that a message may have no cycle time at all. In other words, acyclic data exchange. Real time performance has cycle times in the one to ten millisecond range, but really that range can extend up to one hundred milliseconds. So time critical performance has cycle times less than a millisecond, and it’s not uncommon to have cycle times around two hundred and fifty microseconds or less. Most applications are either real time or non real time, while high performance applications are considered time critical. These applications use time synchronization to guarantee data arrives exactly when needed, but we also must ensure that the network is open to any Ethernet traffic. So in order to achieve time critical performance here, and we do this for the most demanding applications like high speed motion control. And so what we did is we added four features to basic PROFINET here, and and we call this PROFINET ISOCRANESS real time or PROFINET IRT. These added features are synchronization, node arrival time, scheduling, and time critical domains. Now IRT has been around since 02/2004, but in the future, PROFINET will move to a new set of I triple e Ethernet standards called time sensitive networking or TSN. PROFINET over TSN will actually have the same functionality and performance as PROFINET IRT, but we’ll be able to scale to faster and faster, networks and and as bandwidth is is increasing. So this chart shows the differences between PROFINET, RT, IRT, and TSN. And the main difference is, obviously, synchronization. And these other features that, guarantee data arrives exactly when needed. Notice in in the under the, PROFINET IRT column here that that, the bandwidth for PROFINET IRT is a 100 mil a 100 megabits per second. And the bandwidth for PROFINET RT and TSN are scalable. Also, for those device manufacturers out there looking to add PROFINET IRT to their products, there are lots of ASICs and other solutions available in the market with IRT capability. Alright. So let’s take a minute here to summarize all of this. We have a a single infrastructure for doing real time data exchange along with non real time information exchange. PROFINET uses the same infrastructure as any Ethernet network. Machines that speak PROFINET do so, using network connections called application relations, and these messages coexist with all other messages so information can pass from devices to machines, to factories, to the cloud, and back. And so if you take away nothing else from this podcast today, it is the word coexistence. PROFINET coexists with all other protocols on the wire. So let’s start talking a little bit here about the main topic, system redundancy and and and why we got into talking about PROFINET at all. Right? I mean, what why do we need system redundancy and things like like, application relations and dynamic reconfiguration? Well, it’s because one of the things we’re pretty proud of with PROFINET is not only the depth of its capabilities, but also the breadth of its capabilities. And with the lines blurring between what’s factory automation, what’s process automation, and what’s motion control, we are seeing all three types of automation appearing in a single installation. So we wanna make sure PROFINET meets requirements across the entire range of industrial automation. So let’s start out here by looking at the differences between process automation versus factory automation, and then we’ll get into the details. First off, process signals typically change slower on the order of hundreds of milliseconds versus tens of milliseconds in factory automation. And process signals often need to travel longer distances and potentially into hazardous or explosive areas. Now with process plants operating twenty four seven, three sixty five, system must systems must provide high availability and support changes while the plant is in production. This is where system redundancy and dynamic reconfiguration come in. We’ll discuss these again here in in just a minute. I just wanted to finish off this slide with saying that an estop is usually not possible because while you can turn off the automation, that’s not necessarily gonna stop the chemical reaction or whatever from proceeding. Sensors and actuators and process automation are also more complex. Typically, we call them field instruments. And process plants have many, many, many more IO, tens of thousands of IO, usually controlled by a DCS. And so when we talk about system redundancy, I actually like to call it scalable system redundancy because it isn’t just one thing. This is where we add components to the network for increasing the level of system availability. So there are four possibilities, s one, s two, and r one, r two. The letter indicates if there are single or redundant network access points, and the number indicates how many application relations are supported by each network access point. So think of the network access point as a physical interface to the network. And from our earlier discussion, think of an application relation as a network connection between a controller and a device. So you have s one has, single network access points. Right? So each device has single network access points with one application relation connected to one controller. S two is where we also have single network access points, but with two application relations now connected to different controllers. R one is where we have redundant network access points, but each one of these redundant network access points only has one application relation, but those are connected to different controllers. And finally, we could kinda go over the top here with r two, and and here’s where we have redundant network access points with two application relations connected to different controllers. Shawn Tierney (Host): You know, I wanna just stop here and talk about s two. And for the people who are listening, which I know is about a quarter of you guys out there, think of s two is you have a primary controller and a secondary controller. If you’re seeing the screen, you can see I’m reading the the slide. But you have your two primary and secondary controllers. Right? So you have one of each, and, primary controller has the, application one, and secondary has application resource number two. And each device that’s connected on the Ethernet has both the one and two. So you went maybe you have a rack of IO out there. It needs to talk to both the primary controller and the secondary controller. And so to me, that is kinda like your classic redundant PLC system where you have two PLCs and you have a bunch of IO, and each piece of IO has to talk to both the primary and the secondary. So if the primary goes down, the secondary can take over. And so I think that’s why there’s so much interest in s two because that kinda is that that that classic example. Now, Tom, let me turn it back to you. Would you say I’m right on that? Or Tom Weingartner (PI): Spot on. I mean, I think it’s great, and and and really kinda emphasizing the point that there’s that one physical connection on the network access point, but now we have two connections in that physical, access point there. Right? So so you can then have one of those connections go to the primary controller and the other one to the secondary controller. And in case one of those controllers fails, the device still can get the information it needs. So, yep, that that’s how we do that. And and, just a little bit finer point on r one, if you think about it, it’s s two, but now all we’ve done is we’ve split the physical interface. So one of the physical interfaces has has, one of the connections, and the other physical interface has a has the other connection. So you really kinda have, the same level of redundant functionality here, backup functionality with the secondary controller, but here you’re using, multiple physical interfaces. Shawn Tierney (Host): Now let me ask you about that. So as I look at our one, right, it seems like they connect to port let’s I’ll just call it port one on each device to switch number one, which in this case would be the green switch, and port number two of each device to the switch number two, which is the blue switch. Would that be typical to have separate switches, one a different switch for each port? Tom Weingartner (PI): It it it doesn’t have to. Right? I I I think we chose to show it like this for simplicity kinda to Shawn Tierney (Host): Oh, I don’t care. Tom Weingartner (PI): Emphasize the point that, okay. Here’s the second port going to the secondary controller. Here’s the first port going to the primary controller. And we just wanted to emphasize that point. Because sometimes these these, diagrams can be, a bit confusing. And you Shawn Tierney (Host): may have an application that doesn’t require redundant switches depending on the maybe the MTBF of the of the switch itself or your failure mode on your IO. Okay. I’m with you. Go ahead. Tom Weingartner (PI): Yep. Yep. Good. Good. Good. Alright. So, I think that’s some excellent detail on that. And so, if you wouldn’t mind or don’t have any other questions, let’s let’s move on to the the, the the next slide. So you can see in that previous slide how system redundancy supports high availability by increasing system availability using these network access points and application relations. But we can also support high availability by using network redundancy. And the way PROFINET supports network redundancy is through the use of ring topologies, and we call this media redundancy. The reason we use rings is because if a cable breaks or the physical connection, somehow breaks as well or or even a device fails, the network can revert back to a line topology keeping the system operational. However, supporting network redundancy with rings means we can’t use protocols typically used in IT networks like, STP and RSTP. And this is because, STP and RSTP actually prevent network redundancy by blocking redundant paths in order to keep frames from circulating forever in the network. And so in order for PROFINET to support rings, we need a way to prevent frames from circulating forever in the network. And to do this, we use a protocol called the media redundancy protocol or MRP. MRP uses one media redundancy manager for each ring, and the rest, of the devices are called media redundancy clients. Managers are typically controllers or PROFINET switches, and clients are typically the devices in the network. So the way it works is this. A manager periodically sends test frames, around the network here to check the integrity of the ring. If the manager doesn’t get the test frame back, there’s a failure somewhere in the ring. And so the manager then notifies the clients about this failure, and then the manager sets the network to operate as a line topology until, the failure is repaired. Right? And so that’s how we can get, network redundancy with our media redundancy protocol. Alright. So now you you can see how system redundancy and media redundancy both support high availability. System redundancy does this by increasing system availability, Walmart. Media redundancy does this by increasing network availability. Obviously, you can use one without the other, but by combining system redundancy and media redundancy, we can increase the overall system reliability. For example, here we are showing different topologies for s one and s two, and these are similar to the the the topologies that were on the previous slide. So, if you notice here that, for s one, we can only have media redundancy because there isn’t a secondary controller to provide system redundancy. S two is where we combine system redundancy and media redundancy by adding an MRP ring. But I wanted to point out here that that even though we’re showing this MRP ring as as as a possible topology, there really are other topologies possible. It really depends on the level of of system reliability you’re trying to achieve. And so, likewise, on on this next slide here, we are showing two topologies for adding media redundancy to r one and r two. And so for r one, we’ve chosen, again, probably for simplistic, simplicity’s sake, we we add an MRP ring for each redundant network access point. With for r two, we do the same thing here. We also have an MRP ring for each redundant network access point, but we also add a third MRP ring for the controllers. Now this is really just to try to emphasize the point that you can, you you can really, come up with just about any topology possible, but it because it really depends on the number of ports on each device and the number of switches in the network and, again, your overall system reliability requirements. So in order to keep process plants operating twenty four seven three sixty five, dynamic reconfiguration is another use case for application relations. And so this is where we can add or remove devices on the fly while the plant is in production. Because if you think about it, typically, when there is a new configuration for the PLC, the PLC first has to go into stop mode. It needs to then re receive the configuration, and then it can go back into run mode. Well, this doesn’t work in process automation because we’re trying to operate twenty four seven three sixty five. So with dynamic reconfiguration, the controller continues operating with its current application relation while it sets up a new application relation. Right? I mean, again, it’s it’s really trying to get this a a new network connection established. So then the the the controller then switches over to the new application relation after the new configuration is validated. Once we have this validation and the configuration’s good, the controller removes the old application relations and continues operating all while staying in run mode. Pretty handy pretty handy stuff here for for supporting high availability. Now one last topic regarding system redundancy and dynamic reconfiguration, because these two PROFINET capabilities are compatible with a new technology called single pair Ethernet, and this provides power and data over just two wires. This version of Ethernet is now part of the I triple e eight zero two dot three standard referred to as 10 base t one l. So 10 base t one l is the non intrinsically saved version of two wire Ethernet. To support intrinsic safety, 10 base t one l was enhanced by an additional standard called Ethernet APL or advanced physical layer. So when we combine PROFINET with this Ethernet APL version of 10 base t one l, we simply call it PROFINET over APL. It not only provides power and data over the same two wires, but also supports long cable runs up to a kilometer, 10 megabit per second communication speeds, and can be used in all hazardous areas. So intrinsic safety is achieved by ensuring both the Ethernet signals and power on the wire are within explosion safe levels. And even with all this, system redundancy and dynamic reconfiguration work seamlessly with this new technology we call PROFINET over APL. Now one thing I’d like to close with here is a is a final thought regarding a new technology I think I think everyone should become aware of here. I mean, it’s emerging in the market. It’s it’s quite new, and it’s a technology called MTP or module type package. And so this is a technology being applied first here to, use cases considered to be a hybrid of both process automation and factory automation. So what MTP does is it applies OPC UA information models to create standardized, non proprietary application level descriptions for automation equipment. And so what these descriptions do is they simplify the communication, between equipment and the control system, and it does this by modularizing the process into more manageable pieces. So really, the point is to construct a factory with modular equipment to simplify integration and allow for better flexibility should changes be required. Now with the help of the process orchestration layer and this OPC UA connectivity, MTP enabled equipment can plug and operate, reducing the time to commission a process or make changes to that process. This is pretty cutting edge stuff. I think you’re gonna find and hear a lot more about NTP in the near future. Alright. So it’s time to wrap things up with a summary of all the resources you can use to learn even more about PROFINET. One of the things you can do here is you can get access to the PROFINET one day training class slide deck by going to profinet2025.com, entering your email, and downloading the slides in PDF format. And what’s really handy is that all of the links in the PDF are live, so information is just a click away. We also have our website, us.profinet.com. It has white papers, application stories, webinars, and documentation, including access to all of the standards and specifications. This is truly your one stop shop for locating everything about PROFINET. Now we do our PROFINET one day training classes and IO link workshops all over The US and parts of Canada. So if you are interested in attending one of these, you can always find the next city we are going to by clicking on the training links at the bottom of the slide. Shawn Tierney (Host): Hey, guys. Shawn here. I just wanted to jump in for a minute for the audio audience to give you that website. It’s us.profinet.com/0dtc or oscardeltatangocharlie. So that’s the website. And I also went and pulled up the website, which if you’re watching, you can see here. But for those listening, these one day PROFINET courses are coming to Phoenix, Arizona, August 26, Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 10, Newark and New York City, September 25, Greenville, South Carolina, October 7, Detroit, Michigan, October 23, Portland, Oregon, November 4, and Houston, Texas, November 18. So with that said, let’s jump back into the show. Tom Weingartner (PI): Alan, one of our most popular resources is Profinet University. This website structures information into little courses, and you can proceed through them at your own pace. You can go lesson by lesson, or you can jump around. You can even decide which course to take based on a difficulty tag. Definitely make sure to check out this resource. We do have lots of great, webinars on on the, on on the website, and they’re archived on the website. Now some of these webinars, they they rehash what we covered today, but in other cases, they expand on what we covered today. But in either case, make sure you share these webinars with your colleagues, especially if they’re interested in any one of the topics that we have listed on the slide. And finally, the certified network engineer course is the next logical step if you would like to dive deeper into the technical details of PROFINET. It is a week long in Johnson City, Tennessee, and it features hands on lab work. And if you would like us to provide training to eight or more students, we can even come to your site. If you would like more details about any of this, please head to the website to learn more. And with that, Chai, I think that is, my last slide and, covered the topics that I think we wanted some to cover today. Shawn Tierney (Host): Yeah. And I just wanna point out that to you guys, this, training goes out through all around The US. I definitely recommend getting up there. If you’re using PROFINET and you wanna get some training, they usually fill the room, like, you know, 50 to a 100 people. And, it’s you know, they do this every year. So check those dates out. If you need to get some hands on with PROFINET, I would definitely check out those. And, of course, we’ll have all the links in the description. I also wanna thank Tom for that slide. Really defining s one versus s two versus r one and r two. You know, a lot of people say we have s two compatibility. A matter of fact, we’re gonna be looking at some products that have s two compatibility here in the future. And, you know, just trying to understand what that means. Right? You know, when somebody just says s two, it’s like, what does that mean? So I really if that slide really doesn’t for you guys listening, I thought that slide really kinda lays it out, kinda gives you, like, alright. This is what it means. And, so in in in my from my perspective, that’s like it’s you’re supporting redundant controllers. Right? And so if you have an s two setup of redundant, seamless controllers that or CPUs, then you’ll be that product will support that. And that’s important. Right? Because if you had a product that didn’t support it, it’s not gonna work with your application. So I thought that and the the Ethernet APL is such a big deal in process because I you know, the the distance, right, and the fact that it’s it’s, intrinsically safe and supports all those zones and and areas and whatnot, that is, and everybody everybody all the instrumentation people are all over. Right? The, the, the Rosemonts, the fishes, the, the endless houses, everybody is is on that working group. We’ve covered that on the news show many times, and, just very interesting to see where that goes, but I think it’s gonna take over that part of the industry. So, but, Tom, was there anything else you want to cover in today’s show? Tom Weingartner (PI): No. I I think that that really, puts puts a a fine finale on on on this here. I I do wanted to maybe emphasize that, you you know, that point about network redundancy being compatible with, system redundancy. So, you know, you can really hone in on what your system reliability requirements are. And and also with with this this, PROFINET over APL piece of it, completely compatible with with PROFINET, in in of itself. And and, also, you don’t have to worry about it not supporting, system redundancy or or anything of of the like, whether, you know, you you wanted to get, redundant even redundant devices out there. So, that’s that’s, I think that’s that’s about it. Shawn Tierney (Host): Alright. Well, I again, thank you so much for coming on. We look forward to trying out some of these s two profanet devices in the near future. But with that, I I really wanted to have you on first to kinda lay the groundwork for us, and, really appreciate it. Tom Weingartner (PI): No problem. Thank you for having me. Shawn Tierney (Host): Well, I hope you guys enjoyed that episode. I did. I enjoyed sitting down with Tom, getting up to date on all those different products, and it’s great to know they have all these free hands on training days coming across United States. And, you know, what a great refresher from the original 2020 presentation that we had somebody from Siemens do. So I really appreciate Tom coming on. And speaking of Siemens, so thankful they sponsored this episode so we could release it ad free and make the video free to everybody. Please, if you see Siemens or any of the vendors who sponsor our episodes, please tell them to thank you from us. It really helps us keep the show going. Speaking of keeping the show going, just a reminder, if you’re a student or a vendor, price increases will hit mid September. So if you’re a student, you wanna buy another course, now is the time to do it. If you’re a vendor and you have a existing balance, you will want to schedule those podcasts before mid September or else you’ll be subject to the price increase. So with that said, I also wanna remind you I have a new podcast, automation tech talk. I’m reusing the old automation new news headlines podcast. So if you already subscribed to that, you’re just gonna get in the new the new show for free. It’s also on the automation blog, on YouTube, on LinkedIn. So I’m doing it as a live stream every lunchtime, just talking about what I learned, in that last week, you know, little tidbits here and there. And I wanna hear from you guys too. A matter of fact, I already had Giovanni come on and do an interview with me. So at one point, I’ll schedule that as a lunchtime podcast for automation tech talk. Again, it still shows up as automation news headlines, I think. So at some point, I’ll have to find time to edit that to change the name. But in any case, with that, I think I’ve covered everything. I wanna thank you guys for tuning in. Really appreciate you. You’re the best audience in the podcast world or the video world, you know, whatever you wanna look at it as, but I really appreciate you all. Please feel free to send me emails, write to me, leave comments. I love to hear from you guys, and I just wanna wish you all good health and happiness. And until next time, my friends, peace. Until next time, Peace ✌️  If you enjoyed this content, please give it a Like, and consider Sharing a link to it as that is the best way for us to grow our audience, which in turn allows us to produce more content

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff speaks with David Fudge, Co-Founder and CEO of Aplós, and Amanda Amos, Investor at Collaborative Fund, for a comprehensive discussion on the current fundraising landscape in consumer packaged goods.Together, they break down what has — and hasn't — changed in the early-stage fundraising environment, with actionable advice for founders from both an operator's and investor's perspective. Amanda shares how Collaborative Fund evaluates startups, what investors look for in pitch decks, how to think about market size, and the importance of aligning with the right capital partners. David offers hard-earned insights from building Aplós, including how he navigated early fundraising, how his pitch evolved over time, and what advice he gives to other founders stepping into the fundraising arena.They also discuss bootstrapping vs. raising venture capital, SAFE notes vs. priced rounds, how to build authentic investor relationships, and the real expectations around valuation and ownership.Whether you're a founder preparing to raise or just curious about how the process works behind the scenes, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and candid reflections.

Platicamos de algunas técnicas japonesas que les recomendamos a todas esas personas que te necesitan un respiro del mundo real y no están pudiendo salir de vacaciones. ¡Aplícalas! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Rose Hamilton, Founder of Compass Rose Ventures, first tried Aplós, she knew there was something different, sophisticated, calming, and beautifully intentional.  In this episode, Rose sits down with David Fudge, Co-founder and CEO of Aplós, to unpack how he's not just building a brand—he's reimagining what it means to unwind. From Bonobos to beverage, David's journey is a masterclass in blending creative vision with operational strategy. We dive deep into how Aplós is breaking category codes while anchoring to timeless consumer desires. David shares how his fashion-forward, design-driven mindset helped shape a non-alcoholic spirit brand that's as emotionally resonant as it is operationally sound.  Whether you're a founder, marketer, or brand strategist, this episode is full of insights that will have you rethinking what brand-building really means today. Here are a few key moments to listen for: * How David leveraged a non-beverage background to challenge industry norms—and why not knowing the rules can be an asset. * The concept of “disciplined disruption”: choosing which category codes to break and which to honor. * Why bartenders—not just consumers—are key to Aplós's advocacy and growth strategy. * Building a go-to-market strategy rooted in both aspiration and data: from DTC learnings to luxury retail partnerships. * David's powerful mantra: “Be convicted in vision, malleable in strategy,” and what it means for modern founders navigating fast-changing landscapes. Join us in listening to the episode to discover how David is crafting more than a product. He's creating a cultural shift in how we gather, relax, and connect. This is a story of vision, values, and the bold art of brand building. For more on Aplós, visit:  https://www.aplos.world/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave The Story of a Brand Show a rating and review.  Plus, don't forget to follow us on Apple and Spotify.  Your support helps us bring you more content like this! * Today's Sponsors: Compass Rose Ventures - Advisor for CPG Brands: https://compassroseventures.com/contact/ Compass Rose Ventures can help your CPG brand increase customer lifetime value, expand into the US market, create an omnipresent omnichannel footprint, optimize customer journeys, build brand communities, and more. Visit the link above to learn more.      Workspace6 - Private Community for 7, 8, 9-figure Brands: https://www.workspace6.io/ Workspace6 is a private community where over 950 seven, eight, and nine-figure brand operators trade insights, solve problems, and shortcut growth. It's the anti-fluff operator's room, and for your first 30 days, it's just $1. Get real answers and skip the trial and error

We hit the ground running with a CBS poll dissecting Trump's latest speech, and DJ Daniel stirring the pot in the media. As Democrats falter in facing non-victim narratives, Trump's fiery social media takes and Don Jr.'s insights on the State of the Union stoke the flames.Tensions rise with Cory Booker's bizarre influencer interview antics and Byron Donalds' relentless grilling of sanctuary city spending. Discussions heat up over immigration policies, culminating in Rep. Mace's scorching critique of Chicago.The episode peaks with Trump's bold declaration on gender, Charlie Kirk's controversial study, and Megyn Kelly's fierce takedown of John Fetterman. Wrapping up, Trump sends a stark message to Hamas, and the clash between Andrew Tate and DeSantis ignites debate. Tune in for an unmissable, fiery discourse on today's most pressing political issues.Visit https://readywise.com/ code CHICKS10 for 10% off your entire purchase. Prepare when times are good, so you are ready when they are bad.Lose weight the smarter way.  Visit https://TakeLean.com and use code Chicks20 for 20% off your first order.Never run out of MEAT go to https://omahasteaks.com/CHICKS subscribe and get 12 FREE burgers, FREE shipping, and an EXTRA 10% OFF. Minimum purchase may apply.Maximize your rest as Daylight Savings Time begins! Visit https://HealthyCell.com/Chicks code CHICKS to get REM Sleep and 20% off your first order