Podcasts about ASB

Aman Advani is Founder and CEO of Ministry of Supply, a clothing brand using science to make the world's most comfortable clothing. The company was founded in 2012 with the mission to incorporate fundamental engineering and performance principles into clothing staples, ultimately building a wardrobe that both looks good, and feels comfortable.Prior to co-founding Ministry of Supply, Advani spent 4 years in management and non-profit consulting with Deloitte and TechnoServe. He holds a BSIE from Georgia Tech, and half an MBA from MIT, was a member of Forbes 30 under 30 list and BBJ's 40 Under 40 list, and has been featured as the cover of both ASB and Boston Magazine. Most recently, Aman was named to the NRF's 2023 "List of People Shaping Retail."In This Conversation We Discuss:[00:00] Introduction[01:58] First reactions to AI tools and Lovable[05:04] Co-founder's non-technical background[07:39] Sponsor: Klaviyo[09:45] Using Claude for CRO and analytics[13:07] Sponsor: IntelliGems[15:16] Build vs buy for AI customer service[19:12] How much human oversight remains[20:17] Sponsor: eFulfillment Service[22:04] More efficiencies from AI tools[24:22] Building an internal production system[27:05] Why AI makes agencies more valuable[29:42] Callouts[29:52] Getting teams comfortable taking the demo[32:08] Testing fast without overthinkingResources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on YoutubeMachine Washable Everything ministryofsupply.com/pages/home-2  Follow Aman Advani linkedin.com/in/amanadvani Book a demo today a intelligems.io/ Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest Lower scale costs today eFulfillmentService.com/honest If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

In episode 69 of Leaders Getting Coffee our guest is one of New Zealand’s most successful business CEO’s, Sir Ralph Norris. An everyday upbringing in Auckland’s suburb of Mt Roskill, laid the foundations for the humble and softly spoken manner that typifies Sir Ralph Norris. But don’t let that humility fool you. He was an active youngster and clearly bright enough to further his education. However, like many of the time, the family fortunes didn’t enable university study. But he certainly made up for it when opportunity came calling. His banking career started in the IT department of the ASB Bank, where he was a beneficiary of the bank’s training relationship with IBM and his own curiosity about technology. The IBM training filled in what he’d missed at university and he became instrumental in enabling the massive change that went through the banking system over the following two decades. He speaks of starting with mainframe computers that occupied their own air-conditioned rooms, and he leads us through the changes brought by the personal computer generation, and now the mobile phone centric life we all lead today. Over the course of his career, he led three massive companies. In the first, ASB Bank, he worked his way to the top job. The reputation he built there led to the next two. Firstly he was asked to take the reins at a suffering Air New Zealand in 2001, and subsequently Commonwealth Bank of Australia in 2005. In both, he encountered poor customer experience, weak employee engagement, and a flattened growth curve. In both, he led a rejuvenation that still gets talked about. Norris became the CEO of ASB Bank through that most unusual avenue of the IT department at a time when CEO’s came from sales and marketing. He also became a change manager before there was such a term. He led ASB Bank from it’s roots as a regional bank, to a national player competing on level terms with the big internationally owned banks. He brought institutional and commercial banking to what was previously a domestically focussed affair. And he created leaders. On the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast, Sir Ralph Norris speaks with Bruce Cotterill about turning business performance around. The importance of asking good questions and listening to what the people within the organisation are saying is the starting point. Then comes a good plan, and the need for relentless communication. There are lessons in this discussion for every current and aspiring leader. And each one delivered in that quiet and humble way. Sir Ralph Norris is one of our country’s best, and this discussion, a must listen, reflects that. Leaders Getting Coffee – Episode 69 with Bruce Cotterill and Sir Ralph Norris – Former CEO of ASB and Air NZ.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While further OCR hikes are probably on the way, inflation now appears to have turned a corner. Latest Stats NZ data shows diesel inflation's fallen to 34.8% and petrol inflation's fallen to 15.1%, with prices for both dropping for three consecutive months. Electricity inflation's back down to 9.5% and food inflation's now just 1.9%. ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Mike Hosking inflation appears to be falling from the peak reached last quarter. He says the numbers are very positive. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode of Delivering #marketingjoy Kate Murray joins the show to discuss ASB's position in the branded merch industry, the role of communication in sales, surprises in branded merchandise, and challenges in communication and storytelling. Check it out!

ASB's settlement over alleged historic breaches of credit disclosure rules has affected its bottom line. The bank reached a $135.6-million-dollar settlement in October last year. In annual results released today, ASB's reporting a six-percent rise in operating income, but a 16 percent rise in operating expenses. CEO Vittoria Short says inflation and new investments in technology also added to the profit drop. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB's settlement over alleged historic breaches of credit disclosure rules has affected its bottom line. The bank reached a $135.6-million-dollar settlement in October last year. In annual results released today, ASB's reporting a six-percent rise in operating income, but a 16 percent rise in operating expenses. CEO Vittoria Short says inflation and new investments in technology also added to the profit drop. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Shashank and Cormac introduce our new ASB cohost Vivasvaan! Vivasvaan gives us a broad strokes overview of what galaxy mergers are and why astronomers love to study them while giving us a glimpse into his research involving galaxy mergers and machine learning. We also hear about some of the fun things Vivasvaan likes to do such as playing chess, and watching sports.

The job market is expected to remain tight for quite some time. Many economists are picking today's unemployment rate will increase from 5.3% to 5.5% for the June quarter. ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Ryan Bridge the war in Iran and the surrounding uncertainty has probably spooked many employers. He says they may even hold off making any hiring decisions until next year. Smith says manufacturing and construction are likely to see bigger job losses, and workers under 25 are suffering the most, with their unemployment rate sitting around 15%. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Manufacturing and construction are showing signs of recovery. ANZ's latest Business Outlook survey finds confidence rose 19 points over the last month, to 56%. In terms of past activity, manufacturing was highest, while agriculture saw a marked fall and construction lifted. ASB acting chief economist Kim Mundy told Andrew Dickens the construction sector has been struggling for some time, so this is welcome news. She says it's good to see the rise in residential consents transfer into activity. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Manufacturing and construction are showing signs of recovery. ANZ's latest Business Outlook survey finds confidence rose 19 points over the last month, to 56%. In terms of past activity, manufacturing was highest, while agriculture saw a marked fall and construction lifted. ASB acting chief economist Kim Mundy told Andrew Dickens the construction sector has been struggling for some time, so this is welcome news. She says it's good to see the rise in residential consents transfer into activity. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New term, new surah. This term and next, we're studying one of the most important surahs in the Qur'an — the one Rasul ﷺ told us to read every Friday: Surah al-Kahf.This note is a companion to the video. Watch for the full explanation; use this to hold the structure in your mind.Why this surah mattersRasulullah ﷺ taught that Surah al-Kahf is our protection from the Dajjāl — the great deceiver who comes as the greatest trial to humanity near the end of time. Every prophet from Nūḥ عليه السلام onward warned their people about him. But because Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ is the last messenger, with no prophet to come after him, he was given something extra: not only the warning and description, but the protection. And that protection is in this surah.The Dajjāl will be given powers that appear divine — controlling the weather, appearing to raise the dead — until he claims godhood and commands people to worship him: worship me and receive the world's wealth; refuse and go hungry. Against this, we recite Surah al-Kahf every Friday.Reciting in Arabic earns the reward (ten ḥasanāt per letter) and the barakah. But the Qur'an was sent as guidance — so understanding the surah adds a further layer of protection. That's what we're doing this term.The reason for revelation (Asbāb al-Nuzūl)The Quraysh, doubting the Prophet ﷺ, went to the learned People of the Book in Yathrib for questions only a true prophet could answer. They were given three:* Tell us about the sleepers of the cave* Tell us about a ruler who reigned from east to west* Tell us about the soul (the rūḥ)The Prophet ﷺ said, “Come tomorrow and I'll answer” — but Jibrīl did not come. Days passed; in some narrations, close to two weeks. The first two answers came in Surah al-Kahf; the third, about the rūḥ, in Surah al-Isrāʾ.The lesson in the delay: Allah revealed “And never say of anything, ‘I will do that tomorrow,' except [when adding], ‘if Allah wills.'” The future belongs to Allah — so when we speak of it, we say In shā' Allāh. And note: In shā' Allāh has become a polite “no” in much of the Muslim world. That's a misuse. If you intend to do something, say it and mean it. If you don't, learn to say no plainly.The structure: four stories, four testsThe surah's four main narratives map onto the four tests the Dajjāl will bring — each story teaching us how to survive its test.1. The Sleepers of the Cave (Aṣḥāb al-Kahf) — the test of FAITHYoung men, some said to be sons of ministers with comfortable lives, commanded to worship idols. The scholars gave up, the leaders gave up — but they chose to flee the city to protect their īmān. Allah preserved them in sleep for 309 years. The lesson: protecting our īmān comes before everything in this world.2. The Owner of Two Gardens (Ṣāḥib al-Jannatayn) — the test of WEALTHA rich man who assumed there was no ākhirah — this world is all there is. Two reminders: rizq comes from Allah, ar-Razzāq, not from any system or deceiver in this world — so never disobey Allah for worldly gain. And wealth is not a sign of Allah's love or of success in the ākhirah.3. Mūsā and al-Khiḍr — the test of KNOWLEDGEMūsā عليه السلام — the greatest prophet to that point, leading the largest ummah, first to receive a scripture — was asked who was most knowledgeable and answered that it was himself. Allah said: no. However knowledgeable you are, there is always someone who knows more — and ultimately, Allah is the Most Knowing. Fitting for our own age, drowning in information.4. Dhul-Qarnayn — the test of POWERNot his name, but a title. A ruler over a vast empire, east to west, who remained a humble servant of Allah and never turned tyrant. The test: what will you do when Allah gives you power? A pressing question when humanity has never been more powerful.This week's practiceRecite Surah al-Kahf this Friday. If you can't manage the whole surah, recite the first ten and the last ten ayat. If not that, at least the first ten — the ones we've been practising since Tajweed Tuesday, so they should be flowing beautifully by now.See you next Thursday, in shā' Allāh. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.grounded.day/subscribe

This week, ASB member and long-time USPAP Instructor Alan Hummel joins Amy as a new guest host to discuss understanding the subject property.

Grant reacts to the Brewers sweep of the Marlins out of the ASB and Woodruffs announcement of another surgery. Devonte Wyatt gets a contract extension, and the Monday Mailbag closes the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It finally happened! The Orioles got over the hump, winning four straight heading into the All-Star Break with a series sweep of the Royals. But then, they kept it rolling! Coming out of the ASB, they headed to Houston and swept three straight from the Astros, pushing their winning streak to 7 games with a matchup against the Red Sox and their current 13-gm winning streak looming. Are you buying back into this ballclub? Plus, The Orioles have a new $90M man, and Jake Hasan of GameDay Garage and Hasan's Hacks (Substack) joins the guys to discuss some Orioles draft picks. That and more on The Bat Around!

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.Think the New Zealand property market is locked in permanent doom and gloom? Think again! Massey University's latest data reveals a staggering 23.1% annual jump in housing affordability, right alongside a historic 6-year high surge in June market activity. In this week's episode, Debbie Roberts strips away the media's negativity bias to show you where the real opportunities are hiding. Learn why Canterbury is hitting all-time high records, how to navigate the banks' confusing new split-direction mortgage rates, and why counter-cyclical buyers are preparing to reap massive rewards as the longest market downturn since the 1970s begins to mature.Detailed Episode Breakdown & Sources1. ANZ Forecasts & Interest Rate TrimsDespite predicting a mild 2% drop in national property values due to election-year tax uncertainty, wholesale interest rates have eased off after geopolitical de-escalations. Savvy buyers are utilizing this brief calm to manufacture equity and negotiate prices directly with vendors on the ground. 2. June's 6-Year Listing Surge & Canterbury DominanceKiwi property sellers are officially done waiting around for "perfect" market conditions. June saw the highest volume of transaction activity in six years, with total stock climbing to 34,761 homes, giving buyers ultimate leverage. Meanwhile, Canterbury hit an all-time record average asking price of over $757,000. 3. The Double-Digit Affordability BoostMassey University's Home Affordability Index reveals a massive 12.6% quarterly gain and a phenomenal 23.1% annual surge in nationwide housing affordability. A stellar combination of lower fixed interest rates, rising incomes, and corrected vendor expectations has opened up a brilliant buying window across Auckland, Wellington, and Northland. 4. ASB's Split-Direction Rate AdjustmentsCommercial lenders are rewriting the mortgage playbook ahead of the next major OCR shifts. ASB executed a series of split-direction moves—bumping up short-term 6-month options while simultaneously cutting long-term 3 to 5-year fixed mortgage rates down significantly. 5. Social Housing Realities & Private LandlordsWith emergency housing numbers under strict review, 30% of declined applicants are left navigating the accommodation gap without direct government help. This underscores the critical, socially valuable role private property investors play in providing stable, reliable long-term housing solutions without dragging on the taxpayer. Ready to learn the exact risk-reduction strategies needed to succeed as a property investor in New Zealand without risking it all? 

The Reserve Bank says more OCR hikes are "likely", but it doesn't know how many more will be needed, or when they're likely to happen. The central bank's raised the cash rate to 2.5% – the first hike in more than three years. It wants to get the OCR back to a "neutral" level that doesn't contribute to inflation. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Ryan Bridge they believe the bank will steadily lift interest rates over the rest of the year – bringing the cash rate back to 3.25% by the end of the year. He says there is a chance they'll pause along the way, but having done one, they think it's very likely they'll follow through in September. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB's latest outlook says New Zealand's economic recovery is back on track. Inflation is expected to hit 4.1% in Q2, but the bank says the overall economic picture as "markedly improved". ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking that, "We do think it will still be tight, but we do think that the Reserve Bank will lean on remaining on hold." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Monday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news an OPEC decision overnight may bring lower fuel prices much sooner. But then, this will depend on the volume of Hormuz crossings. But first, this coming week locally will be dominated by the RBNZ's OCR review on Wednesday. Economists are divided on whether an inflation-fighting hike will come, and financial markets are pricing one in at 76%. The split voting at the May 27 review, where the external members all wanted a hike, but the majority internal members didn't, is just as likely to be repeated. ASB is saying that locally, easing oil prices have strengthened our economic outlook and reduced the risk of a prolonged inflation shock. Lower fuel costs and stronger than expected economic momentum have put the recovery back on a firmer footing. In Australia, the data out this week will be mainly about the Melbourne Institute's monthly inflation gauge, and about job ad changes. In the US, their data releases will focus on service sector activity and existing home sales as they, like Europe, start to battle excessively hot conditions. In Japan, the focus will be on defending the yen. They will also release June machine tool order data. China will release June CPI and PPI data this week. Over the weekend, China released their unofficial services PMI and it came in quite positive for June, similar to May. Growth rates for activity and new business remain strong. They recorded the strongest rise in employment since July 2024 and the fastest input cost inflation in over two years. Service sector firms there are optimistic about the immediate future. The overall result was better than the official China services PMI. In Japan, their services PMI returned to growth in June, but cost pressures intensified, but here business confidence remained subdued. Which is in contrast to their quite positive factory PMI. In South Korea we should probably note a very bumpy run recently by their stock market. It is dominated by major technology and semiconductor companies like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, so it is like the Nasdaq on steroids. This gives it unusual volatility, and that volatility has been on display in the past two weeks. This market hit a new record high on June 22 but has fallen -11% since. On Friday, it rose +5.8% however but even that still left it down -3% for the week. Over the past year, this equity market has risen a stunning +165% with most of it in 2026 and most of it tech-related. In Vietnam, they posted a high Q2-2026 growth rate of +8.4%, building on their +7.8% Q1-2026 rate. (How can they report so quickly?) But this latest result will disappoint them because they have set a 2026 target of +10% and that now looks unlikely to be achieved, derailed somewhat by the Middle East conflict, also by missing their infrastructure build-out targets. Inflation eased to 4.7% in June from May's 5.6%, moving closer to the government's 4.5% inflation target this year. The World Bank has now reclassified Vietnam as an upper-middle-income economy, effective July 1. The FAO global Food Price Index retreated for a second consecutive month in June, led down by falling cereals prices as harvests stay high, despite concerns in the US and Australia. Dairy prices eased slightly too, but meat prices stayed elevated. However it is vegetable oil prices that are keeping this index from falling faster. In the US, the latest update of the AtlantaFed's GDPNow tracking reveals a sudden turn from high optimism about economic expansion, to a dour outlook. It has been rare that this model has come in lower than 'consensus' forecasts. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.49%, unchanged from this time Saturday but a +12 bps rise from this time last week.  The price of gold has risen to US$4174/oz, unchanged from Saturday, up +US$100 from a week ago. Silver is now under US$62.50/oz, unchanged from Saturday too, up +US$3.50/oz for the week. Oil prices are little-changed but slightly firmer from Saturday at just under US$69/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is still at US$72/bbl. Hormuz transits picked up Friday but then on renewed uncertainties fell back again over the weekend with just 10 crude or product tankers exiting over the past 19 hours (1 dark with transponders off) but 15 entering for new loads (1 dark). Large tankers which are exiting are now choosing to do so in Oman-controlled lanes. And we should probably note attacks on a ships in the Red Sea near Yemen over the weekend, adding another layer of uncertainty. OPEC met over the weekend, and raised output by +188,000 barrels/day. They have Middle East members who need maximum revenues to recover from the conflict. So we may end up awash in oil and sharply lower prices. The Kiwi dollar is unchanged from this time Saturday at just over 57.1 USc, up +70 bps from a week ago. Against the Aussie we are unchanged at 82.3 AUc. Against the euro we are still at just on 49.9 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just on 60.9 which is unchanged from this time Saturday, up +60 bps for the week. The bitcoin price starts today at US$62,563 and up +0.7% from this time Saturday, but up almost +4% from this time last week. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at just under +/- 0.8%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Public sector jobs keep on rising, even as the Government promises to slash numbers. Seasonally-adjusted Stats NZ data shows filled jobs rose 0.3 percent across the country last month - 0.7 in the past year. More than 6,000 public service roles were created in the year to May. ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley says lifts in Government spending on health and education have translated into jobs. "When you do look at where the Government has been prioritising its spending, it is those two sectors - when you look at that sort of public service beyond those sectors, you have had a slight decline." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public sector jobs keep on rising, even as the Government promises to slash numbers. Seasonally-adjusted Stats NZ data shows filled jobs rose 0.3 percent across the country last month - 0.7 in the past year. More than 6,000 public service roles were created in the year to May. ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley says lifts in Government spending on health and education have translated into jobs. "When you do look at where the Government has been prioritising its spending, it is those two sectors - when you look at that sort of public service beyond those sectors, you have had a slight decline." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB has joined Westpac in predicting the Reserve Bank will keep the Official Cash Rate on hold next month. The outlook has been revised after they previously predicted a hike when it's next reviewed on July 8th. However, ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it'll be another close vote to stay at 2.25%. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB has joined Westpac in predicting the Reserve Bank will keep the Official Cash Rate on hold next month. The outlook has been revised after they previously predicted a hike when it's next reviewed on July 8th. However, ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it'll be another close vote to stay at 2.25%. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bay of Plenty could be seeing the light at the end of the economic tunnel. ASB's Regional Economic Scoreboard shows the Bay's reclaimed first place after a strong kiwifruit season. Canterbury's runner up, Otago third and the West Coast last. Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive, Matt Cowley, says innovation follows money and there's a lot of innovation in the area. "Even the construction industry - that's usually our biggest contributor to GDP, so when that takes off...we really will be sailing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bay of Plenty could be seeing the light at the end of the economic tunnel. ASB's Regional Economic Scoreboard shows the Bay's reclaimed first place after a strong kiwifruit season. Canterbury's runner up, Otago third and the West Coast last. Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive, Matt Cowley, says innovation follows money and there's a lot of innovation in the area. "Even the construction industry - that's usually our biggest contributor to GDP, so when that takes off...we really will be sailing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HEALTH NEWS   Ginger Supplementation Reduces Muscle Soreness, Review Finds Artificially sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverage intake and risk of liver cancer Plant-based quinoa burgers reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes Sleep and exercise may curb heart risk from mutant white blood cells Pregnant women may reduce key health risk through less sitting, more light exercise     Ginger Supplementation Reduces Muscle Soreness, Review Finds Old Dominion University, June 4 2026 (Natural News)     A review published in Nutrition Reviews found that consuming 2 grams of ginger daily for 11 consecutive days before exercise reduced delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) by 23% to 25%.   The review examined multiple placebo-controlled studies and found that single doses taken just before exercise did not produce significant pain reduction, but consistent daily intake over the 11-day period yielded measurable results.   DOMS typically occurs 24 to 72 hours after exercise and is a common reason individuals skip subsequent workouts. In two placebo-controlled studies reviewed, participants consumed 2 grams of either raw or heat-treated ginger daily for 11 days before performing eccentric exercise, which lengthens muscles under tension. The effective dose identified in the review was 2 grams per day, roughly equivalent to one teaspoon of fresh grated ginger.   Artificially sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverage intake and risk of liver cancer Yale University, National Cancer Institute, Boston University, June 10 2026 (Eurekalert) Are artificially sweetened beverage (ASB) and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intakes associated with risk of liver cancer overall and by subtype (hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma [ICC])? In this pooled analysis of 11 prospective cohort studies comprising 1,518,411 adults, SSB intake per 1-beverage/day increment was associated with increased risk of HCC and ICC, whereas ASB intake was not associated with liver cancer overall or by subtype. There was no evidence of effect modification by diabetes status.     Plant-based quinoa burgers reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes Federal University of Golas (Brazil), June 10 2026 (News-Medical) A study published in ACS Nutrition Science suggests that a plant-based burger made from baru pulp and red quinoa could reduce post-meal blood glucose responses in healthy adults. Red quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a pseudocereal that is rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients. It provide spolyphenols that have been shown to slow gastric emptying and overall digestion, and may reduce enzymatic degradation of carbohydrates in the gut. This would influence the rate at which glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream after a meal, altering the GI. The authors of this pilot study examined GI in a small sample of eight volunteers after consuming two plant-based burgers: one made with baru pulp and red quinoa, and the other with red quinoa alone.  All three foods produced their highest blood glucose levels 30 minutes after consumption. The glucose reference food generated the largest peak at 174 mg/dL, while the baru pulp–red quinoa and red quinoa burgers reached substantially lower peaks of 118 mg/dL and 120 mg/dL, respectively. By 120 minutes, blood glucose levels had declined in all groups. Compared with the glucose reference, both plant-based burgers caused only modest increases in blood glucose relative to fasting levels: 15.5% for the red quinoa burger and 18% for the baru pulp–red quinoa burger.   Sleep and exercise may curb heart risk from mutant white blood cells Mount Sinai Hospital, June 10. 2026 (Medical Xpress) Healthy sleep and regular exercise can work to counteract genetic mutations in white blood cells that are associated with cardiovascular disease and are most common among older people, Mount Sinai researchers have found. In a study published in Nature, the team reported for the first time that sufficient sleep and exercise can help reduce the cancer-like cell expansion and atherosclerotic risk linked to mutations that spontaneously occur in white blood cells. These mutations accumulate over our lifetimes and occur most often in hematopoietic stem cells, which are the cells in bone marrow that make blood cells, including macrophages and monocytes, immune cells that help defend the body. When these cells develop mutations, they start to proliferate, multiplying faster than they should, and become more inflammatory, irritating or damaging tissues in the body. This condition, known as clonal hematopoiesis (CH), is detectable in a quarter of people over age 70 and half of people over 80, though it is infrequent in young, healthy people. Healthy sleep and exercise was found to selectively influence immune cells with clonal hematopoiesis mutations, repressing their proliferative programming and expansion, as well as their ability to promote the formation of harmful plaque in the arteries of the heart. The findings reveal that CH mutant cells are malleable and selectively responsive to lifestyle behavior in a way that can mitigate atherosclerotic risk. Mount Sinai researchers discovered that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with a reduced incidence of gene-specific CH and fewer mutant cells in the blood. Sufficient sleep and exercise "turned off" the detrimental effects of rogue Jak2 and Tet2 mutant CH hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow, decreasing their ability to proliferate and grow, a precancerous process known as "clonal expansion.   Pregnant women may reduce key health risk through less sitting, more light exercise University of Iowa, June 10 2026 (Eurekalert)   Women who engage in light physical activity and lessen their sedentary time may significantly reduce the risk of key health problems during pregnancy, according to a new University of Iowa-led study. Researchers examined the daily behaviors of 470 pregnant women across all stages of pregnancy. Each participant wore a monitor that measured physical activity in 24-hour cycles and another monitor that recorded the time they spent asleep. Based on observational data collected from the study's participants, the researchers propose a “Goldilocks Day”-like guide for pregnant women that could reduce by nearly 30% the risk of developing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), commonly occurring complications of pregnancy that include chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia. Those recommendations are: • Reduce sedentary time to fewer than eight hours each day. • Engage in light physical activity for at least seven hours each day. • Engage in approximately 22 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, such as a brisk walk, each day. • Get nearly nine hours of sleep each night.

The High Court has ordered ASB Bank to pay $6.731 million for breaching anti-money laundering laws. The penalty is the largest ever imposed by a New Zealand court under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act 2009. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained the case further - and whether it sets a precedent. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sirenen heulen, das Handy warnt, der Strom fällt aus - und was passiert dann? Durch den Krieg in Europa, Cyberangriffe und Extremwetter hat sich die Sicherheitslage in Deutschland deutlich verschärft. Deshalb soll das Land jetzt krisenfester werden. Mit einem neuen Pakt für den Bevölkerungsschutz will die Bundesregierung zehn Milliarden Euro in Zivilschutz und Vorsorge investieren. Doch viele Experten und Hilfsorganisationen bezweifeln, dass die Pläne ausreichen. Wie gut sind wir auf Blackouts, Katastrophen und Co vorbereitet? Was macht Staat und Gesellschaft krisenfest, genügen die Vorschläge der Regierung und wo sollten wir selbst aktiv werden? Darüber spricht Moderatorin Jessy Trommer mit der Sicherheitsexpertin Helena Quis, Michael Schnatz vom ASB, Lars Gerhold, Psychologieprofessor an der TU Braunschweig und Peter Aurnhammer, Gründer und Geschäftsführer des Deutschen Schutzraum-Zentrums. Podcast-Tipp: Die Großen Fragen in 10 Minuten Wer überlebt die Apokalypse? Die Prepper-Szene bereitet sich konzentriert auf den Tag X vor - den Tag, an dem ein Dritter Weltkrieg oder eine andere Apokalypse den Planeten unbewohnbar machen könnte. Aber kann man sich auf so etwas überhaupt vorbereiten? Kann man das überleben? Das Leben hat bisher jede vergangene Apokalypse, jedes Massensterben überstanden. Irgendeine Spezies hat es immer geschafft. Doch was ist das Geheimrezept, um Katastrophen zu überstehen? Welche erfolgreichen Strategien hält das Leben bereit? Diese Episode widmet sich den Grundprinzipien von Leben und Überleben, der Frage, wie flexibel Leben eigentlich ist, und was das Wort "lebensfeindlich" überhaupt bedeutet. https://www.ardsounds.de/episode/urn:ard:episode:a4cbcaaaab41cfae/

As B.C. Premier David Eby contends with a potential Alberta pipeline, he's also facing questions about Indigenous land rights, and other policies he's had to roll back. On top of this, the B.C. Conservatives are picking up steam as they get set to elect a new leader this weekend. Katie DeRosa, CBC's provincial affairs reporter in B.C., and Rob Shaw, political correspondent for CHEK News in Victoria, take a close look at the complex political picture in the province.

Halie Creps, CPA, chair of the AICPA Auditing Standards Board, joined the JofA podcast to  discuss the ASB's refreshed 2026–2030 strategic plan and its focus on responsiveness, collaboration, and technology. She also explained why taking part in AICPA committees and boards is important to her and mentioned the link that members can visit to explore volunteer opportunities.  Creps highlighted current projects, including proposed updates to attestation standards, sustainability assurance, confirmations, and fraud. She also explained how practitioner feedback and international standard‑setting influence the board's work. What you'll learn from this episode: Why Creps said that serving on the Auditing Standards Board helps make her a better auditor. A mention of the numerous types of volunteer opportunities for members. How the ASB's 2026–2030 strategic plan reflects stakeholder feedback. What proposed changes to attestation standards could mean for practitioners. How sustainability assurance fits into the ASB's broader standards framework. The status of and comment deadlines for exposure drafts on confirmations and fraud. How technology and global collaboration are shaping future audit standards.

ASB is set to launch their own answer to Sharesies with their new app. ASB Share Central will include a mobile app and desktop platform, and it will allow Kiwis to make their own investments into shares. CMC Markets managing director Chris Smith says it's 'exciting' ASB wants to take this step, and they're looking forward to working with the bank on this project. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwis struggling to find work aren't alone in it. Stats NZ data due out this morning is expected to show unemployment's remained steady or risen slightly in the first three months of this year. It was already at a near-decade high in the previous quarter. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking the jobs being created don't seem to be keeping pace with the number of people moving to New Zealand. He says they're expecting a marginal lift in jobs, but migration's also picking up. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A majority of British Columbians now say reconciliation has gone “too far.” Is reconciliation the problem or how it's being talked about? This is VANCOLOUR host Mo Amir speaks with BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee about the growing backlash to DRIPA, the Cowichan land controversy, and separating political spin from legal realities. As B.C. Premier David Eby faces criticism from all sides, are misunderstandings about Aboriginal rights fuelling the backlash? Is there ever an end point to reconciliation?Recorded: April 27, 2026  

The Finance Minister is concerned about an expected spike in inflation. The inflation rate has remained unchanged at 3.1% in the March quarter, despite forecasts of a drop. ASB economists now expect it to approach 4.5% this quarter, remain above 4% until the end of the year, and remain above 3% until at least the middle of next year. Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking there's no doubt inflation will rise this quarter. She's also refusing to name the five disgruntled National MPs that Christopher Luxon says are behind party leaks to the media. Luxon's passed a vote of confidence at yesterday's lengthy caucus meeting, but MPs aren't revealing details of the vote, including how many of them supported Luxon. Newstalk ZB understands the disgruntled MPs are Joseph Mooney, Andrew Bayley, Sam Uffindell, Barbara Kuriger, and Tim van de Molen. Willis told Hosking she won't throw colleagues under the bus without evidence. She says each of the five have said they haven't leaked to the media and support a unified caucus. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Praha otevírá další most přes Vltavu. Stavba trvala tři a půl roku a spojuje Smíchov s Podolím. Na jeho podobě a úpravě okolí se vedle architektonického studia Atelier 6 podílel i tým výtvarníka Krištofa Kintery. Právě množstvím uměleckých děl a přemýšlením o prostoru kolem se projekt vymyká běžným dopravním stavbám nejen v Praze, ale v celé republice. Přes most vedou tramvajové a autobusové linky veřejné dopravy a využívat ho mohou i chodci a cyklisté. S automobily se naopak nepočítá. Čím dalším tato dvoumiliardová stavba upoutává pozornost?  Host: Matěj Beránek - novinář, šéfredaktor časopisu ASB o architektuře a stavebnictvíČlánek a další informace najdete na webu Seznam ZprávySledujte nás na sociálních sítích X, Instagram, Threads nebo Bluesky. Náměty a připomínky nám můžete psát na e-mail zaminutusest@sz.cz

Praha otevírá další most přes Vltavu. Stavba trvala tři a půl roku a spojuje Smíchov s Podolím. Na jeho podobě a úpravě okolí se vedle architektonického studia Atelier 6 podílel i tým výtvarníka Krištofa Kintery. Právě množstvím uměleckých děl a přemýšlením o prostoru kolem se projekt vymyká běžným dopravním stavbám nejen v Praze, ale v celé republice. Přes most vedou tramvajové a autobusové linky veřejné dopravy a využívat ho mohou i chodci a cyklisté. S automobily se naopak nepočítá. Čím dalším tato dvoumiliardová stavba upoutává pozornost? Host: Matěj Beránek - novinář, šéfredaktor časopisu ASB o architektuře a stavebnictví Článek a další informace najdete na webu Seznam Zprávy Sledujte nás na sociálních sítích X, Instagram, Threads nebo Bluesky. Náměty a připomínky nám můžete psát na e-mail zaminutusest@sz.cz

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.Are the surging building consent numbers hiding a deeper economic reality?  In Episode 9 of New Zealand Property Insights, Paul and Debbie Roberts unpack three major shifts in the New Zealand financial landscape.In this episode, Paul and Debbie cover:Surging Consents vs. Economic Reality: Stats NZ data reveals 37,534 new homes were consented in the year to February, representing a 12% year-on-year increase. Auckland remains the growth engine, with multi-unit dwellings like townhouses making up over half of all new homes consented. However, Paul and Debbie explain why rising construction and excavation costs are making project feasibilities highly sensitive, and why buyers must use sunset clauses and fixed pricing.The KiwiSaver Shift: On April 1st, the default KiwiSaver contribution rate increased from 3% to 3.5%. An ASB survey found that 51% of people planned to increase their contributions to match this new rate. While this is a minor weekly adjustment—around $7 extra for someone earning $70,000—it has a massive compounding effect over time. We discuss why younger investors stand to benefit the most, despite having the lowest awareness of the changes.The Balanced Property Market: A new CBRE valuers report shows the housing market is currently stable and balanced. First-home buyers are the most active demographic, but they are heavily favoring move-in ready homes. This creates a massive opportunity for savvy investors to purchase unrenovated "do-ups" with less competition and manufacture their own equity in a flat market.Whether you are looking to build a new townhouse, check your KiwiSaver settings, or find hidden property deals, this episode provides the factual insights you need.Resource Links:

ASB is facing a fine of around $6 million for breaching anti-money laundering rules. Banks are required to do their due diligence with their money, in order to comply with existing legislation - but ASB hasn't followed the right systems. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With so much uncertainty in the Middle East, people should focus on preparing for different scenarios that could affect their businesses, ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley says. ASB's revised outlook forecasts inflation to climb further this year and GDP growth contracting for the second quarter thanks to higher fuel prices hitting consumers. Tuffley told Mike Hosking that Q2 was when the peak impacts of the oil shock would ripple through and affect people's spending power. The ASB forecast —of GDP growth at 1.3% and inflation at 4%— was “not the end of the world” but would delay New Zealand's economic recovery, he said. Inflation had hit 5% before, when oil prices were high before the financial crisis. That level of inflation was still possible this year, but the Reserve Bank had time to wait, given New Zealand's economy wasn't overheating. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch locals say the city is prospering and heading in the right direction, on the back of an ASB report finding Canterbury is the best place to be in the country economically. But there's concern the good times won't last, with rising fuel prices and they worry about how the economy will be affected by the war in the Middle East. Anna Sargent reports.

It's a tale of two cities, with Canterbury crowned the top regional economy and Wellington finishing last. ASB's latest Regional Economic Scoreboard shows Canterbury outperformed in nearly every key measure, including employment, retail spending, housing activity, and population growth. Otago and Waikato tied for second and Auckland climbed to fourth. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking it follows the theme they've seen over the past few years of export-focused regions being more resilient. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASB economists Chris Tennent Brown and Kim Mundy join host Nigel Grant to unpack two ASB surveys revealing a shift in how New Zealanders think about housing, KiwiSaver and investing. With confidence slowly rebounding, they explore why investment preferences are changing, what's driving housing sentiment, and the key questions to ask before making your next move.

Economists are predicting promising economic results from the last quarter ahead of the ongoing ripple effects caused by war in the Middle East. GDP data for the December quarter is being released just before 11 this morning. Both Westpac and ASB are anticipating 0.4% quarterly growth. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking exports have largely been the driver. But Tuffley says recovery has been uneven, pointing to a weaker construction sector. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders are rethinking how they invest, according to a new survey from ASB. ASB Senior economist Chris Tennent-Brown spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

More New Zealanders are putting their faith back into the housing market. ASB's latest survey shows confidence has lifted sharply this quarter, with respondents who expect house prices to rise over the next year jumping from 17% to 30%. Chief Economist Nick Tuffley says it's a buyer's market and advises caution when it comes to banking on strengthening house prices. But he told Mike Hosking the affordability factor is quite good currently, with plenty of supply, reasonably stable prices, and debt servicing rates from banks remaining very low. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this “0 and Two-ahhh” episode of The Pacers Post Up, Brad and Ryan break down the very tanky post-ASB back-to-back losses in DC to the Wizards, dropping Indy to the 2nd-worst record league-wide. Tank haters are coming out in full force, but the youth showed flashes: Jarace Walker near triple-double territory, Jay Huff's offensive outburst, Taelon Peter's career high, and Ben Sheppard's sneaky solid contributions. We talk about what can actually be taken away from these 2 games, celebrate the young guys stepping up, note the boosted top-4 pick chances, and react to Adam Silver/Shams signaling offseason anti-tanking tweaks. Apologies for the technical difficulties on this episode, but appreciate Pacers Nation hanging in there with us, as always! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The RBNZ's OCR decision lands Wednesday, 18 February, and it's expected to hold at 2.25%. The deeper truth? Australian banks (ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac) dominate New Zealand's mortgage market, influence media and politics, and shape house prices and the economy at large. With fragile recovery signs amid persistent inflation, will their pursuit of wider margins on “safe” lending tip us toward Japanese-style housing stagnation? Rupert Carlyon of kōura Wealth joins to discuss.Book in a free 15-min phone call with Darcy Ungaro (financial adviser).Sign up to the fortnightly newsletter!Thank You Swyftx: With over 1 million customers across New Zealand and Australia. Ask yourself …”Where can crypto take you?". Check out Swyftx.Provincia: Whether you're looking to invest, or you have a commercial property that needs better management - they the true one-stop shop for wholesale industrial investors. Check out Provincia.co.nz for more.Affiliate Links!The Bitcoin Adviser: Plan for intergenerational digital wealth.Hatch: For US markets.Revolut: For a new type of banking.Sharesies: For local, and international markets.Loan My Coins: Bitcoin lending product.Exodus: Get rewards on your first $2,500 of swapsOnline courses:Take the free, 5-part online course Crypto 101: Crypto with ConfidenceGet Social:Check out the most watched/downloaded episodes hereFollow on YouTube , Instagram, TikTok: @theeverydayinvestor, X (@UngaroDarcy), LinkedIn.www.radicalinvestment.co.nz________________________Disclaimer: Please act independently from any content provided in these episodes; it's not financial advice, because there's no accounting for your individual circumstances. Do your own research, and take a broad range of opinions into account. Ideally, engage a financial adviser / pay for advice!

On the latest Pickaxe and Roll, Ryan Blackburn discusses the MVP race between Nikola Jokic and Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander that still has life despite Jokic's absence. He breaks down Jokic's chances to catch SGA, what's next for David Adelman and Nuggets post ASB, and previews tonight's matchup vs James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

ASB on the hire of Petzing.

ASB backlash?

If you want to understand the future of learning and equip yourself with the best possible tools for operating at the top of your game, I believe becoming polymathic is your best bet. And to succeed in mastering multiple skills and tying together multiple domains of knowledge, it’s helpful to have contemporary examples. Especially from people operating way out on the margins of the possible. That’s why today we’re looking at what happens when a poet decides to stop writing on easily destroyed paper. Ebooks and the computers that store information have a shelf life too. No, we’re talking about what happens when a poet starts “writing” into the potentially infinite cellular matter of a seemingly unkillable bacterium. This is the story of The Xenotext. How it came to be, how it relates to memory and the lessons you can learn from the years Christian Bök spent teaching himself the skills needed to potentially save humanity's most important art from the death of our sun. Poetry. But more importantly, this post is a blueprint for you. The story of The Xenotext is a masterclass in why the era of the specialist is over, and why the future belongs to the polymaths who dare to learn the “impossible” by bringing together multiple fields. What on earth could be impossible, you ask? And what does any of this have to do with memory? Simple: Writing in a way that is highly likely to survive the death of the sun changes the definition of what memory is right now. And it should change what we predict memory will be like in both the near and distant future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwQiW1XDAvI Encoding Literature Into Life: The Xenotext Christian Bök, often described as a conceptual poet, has run experiments with words for decades. For example, Eunoia is a univocal lipogram. That means, in each chapter, Bök used only words containing one of the vowels. This is a constraint, and it leads to lines like, “Awkward grammar appals a craftsman.” And “Writing is inhibiting.” There are other “programs” or constraints Bök used to construct the poem. As a result, you hear and feel the textures of your own mother tongue in a completely new way as you read the poem. But for The Xenotext project, Bök wondered if it would be possible to discover the rules and constraints that would enable himself, and conceivably other poets and writers, to encode poetry into a living organism. That leads to a fascinating question about memory that many mnemonists have tackled, even if they’re not fully aware of it. Can a poem outlive the civilization that produced it? If so, and humans are no longer around, how would that work? The Science of How Biology Becomes Poetry As far as I can understand, one of the first steps involved imagining the project itself, followed by learning how it could be possible for a poem to live inside of a cell. And which kind of cell would do the job of protecting the poetry? It turns out that there’s an “extremophile” called Deinococcus radiodurans. It was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most radiation resistant bacterium on planet Earth. As a life form, its DNA was sequenced and published in 1999. According to the Wikipedia page on The Xenotext, Bök started conceiving of encoding poetry into DNA and then inserting it into the bacterium circa 2002. But the project is about more than having poetry persist within a cell so it can transmit the work without errors later. It’s a kind of combinatory puzzle in which the bacterium acts as a kind of co-author. In order to pull this project off, Bök needed to enlist the help of scientists while mastering multiple skills many people would not normally consider “writing.” But as we head into the future, we definitely should. Radical Autodidacticism: Reaching New Heights Through Deep Discipline To this day, many educators talk about the importance of being a specialist. But The Xenotext project and the work Bök put into it forces us to redefine what it means to be a self-directed learner in the 21st century. When Bök decided to encode a poem into the DNA of an extremophile bacterium, he didn’t just “dabble” in science or explore various interests as a multipotentialite. Nor did he read a few pop-sci books and expect an organism to write a poem in return. No, he spent many years studying genomic and proteomic engineering. He coded his own computer program to help him “unearth” the poetry, all while writing grants and collaborating with multiple experts. The Skill Stack If you’re a lifelong learner with big dreams, it’s useful to examine how people with autodidactic and polymathic personality traits operate. One of the first skills is to allow yourself to dream big. Giving oneself permission like this might not seem like a skill. But since we can model any polymath or other person who inspires us, you probably won’t be surprised that many of the most inspiring polymaths regularly daydream. Picking a dream and pursuing it despite any obstacles is also a skill. And once you’ve got a project, the next step is to take a cue from a polymath like Elon Musk and break your goal down into the most basic principles. No matter how unusual or unlikely your dream, it’s a useful exercise. When it comes to analytical thinking and breaking a goal down so you can start pursuing it, it’s often useful to look at your existing competence. In Bök’s case, I believe he wrote Eunoia by culling words manually from dictionaries over many years. But he couldn’t brute force The Xenotext in that way due to all the biological chemistry involved, so he had to become what you might think of as a computational linguist. My point is not to diminish the originality of this project in any way. But I think it’s helpful to recognize that The Xenotext is not wildly divorced from the skills Bök already had. It’s an evolution that draws from them. There’s also the skill of what Waqas Ahmed calls synesthetic thinking in his book, The Polymath. Not to be mistaken with synesthesia, synesthetic thinking involves imagining an outcome through at least one other sense. In Bök’s case, The Xenotext involves imagining the use of living beings other than human as being part of art. And he has described the possibility that his work could reach “a sufficiently intelligent civilization that has fast computers and smart cryptographers.” This is the skill of sensing beyond our own species and taking the risk of trying to reach them. Even if we’re long gone. We Need Deathless Memory Now, I have a confession to make. One of the many reasons I’m so fascinated by The Xenotext is that my memory is incredibly weak. That’s why I use mnemonics with such passion, including for memorizing poetry. Recently, I had the chance to interview Christian Bök, who you can probably tell by now, I consider to be one of the most rigorous intellects alive. And right in the middle of the interview, I started reciting one of his books from Book I of The Xenotext. For all the mnemonics in the world, I choked. Now, sometimes, this happens just because I have mouth problems and things get a bit sticky. Other times, it’s exhaustion and yet other times, I manage to recite poems with no problem at all. I’m mentioning this human moment in my career as a mnemonist not because I have a deep need to confess. No, this fragile, ephemeral human moment while talking about encoding and retrieving information perfectly from its placement within a living cell suggests the possibility that life really can be the most durable storage device in the universe. And to see this project come to fruition after all the years Bök pushed through multiple struggles inspires me in countless ways. For one thing, Bök’s project strikes me as the ultimate memory strategy. Was Poetry the Original Hard Drive? As Bök reminded me during our discussion, poetry was a memory technology long before writing existed. Rhythm, rhyme, and meter were engineering tools used to ensure information survived the “game of telephone” across generations. In Bök’s words: “We certainly owe every great epic story of the sort like the Epic of Gilgamesh or the Iliad… stories that were intended, of course, to transmit important cultural information over long periods of time. We need poets to be able to create that work and make it memorable enough… to persist over time.” And it is in this context that Christian Bök realized something terrifying: “There’s nothing that we’ve built so far on the planet Earth that would probably last more than a few tens of billions of years at most.” Until his work on The Xenotext succeeded, we have had nothing to rely on apart from our brains assisted by techniques like the Memory Palace, or silicon prostheses. But the computers and servers we now use to store our collective memory are just as subject to rot as paper. Even our homes would be ground into “an almost undetectable layer of geological dust” in just a few million years. So Bök’s selection of a deathless bacterium isn’t just a petri dish stunt. By choosing a specific bacterium that is “widely regarded as one of the most unkillable things ever to have evolved on the planet Earth,” Bök has created a memory inside a “message in a bottle thrown into an enormous ocean” that might actually survive the death of our sun. How to Develop Your Own Polymathic Persistence  Reading this, you might be thinking, “I’m just a student,” or “I’m just a writer.” Bök could have thought that too. As he told me: “My assumption was that I’ve got training in English literature… Obviously, in order to embark upon such a project, I had to acquire a whole set of new skills, familiarize myself with a lot of very difficult discourses.” And so he made the decision to step outside of his lane, joining other innovators who have done the same. But how do you engage in a project that takes decades without burning out? Bök gave me three specific clues you can apply to your own learning journey. One: Embrace the Unknown Bök told me that if he had known how hard the project would be, he might not have started. He called this his “saving grace,” yet how many times do we turn away from our dreams because we don’t know the size of the mountain. Nelson Dellis told me something similar once about memory training. He’s a memory champion, but also a climber who has summited Everest. He said you don’t have to worry about whether the top of the mountain is there or not. Just focus on where you’re going to place your hands next. Two: Focus on Incremental Achievement Even as Bök’s project threw new obstacles at him, he told me: “I gave myself accomplishments or achievements that were incremental, that I knew I could probably fulfill, and would embark upon those doable tasks in an effort to acquire the required skill set in order to accomplish the remainder of these tasks.” In other words, he stacked small, doable wins on top of each other. And kept stacking until he had built a ladder to the impossible. Three: Tunnel Through the Noise Bök was candid about some of the loneliness on the path of the polymath. Sadly, he noted: This project, especially, has been beleaguered with all kinds of obstruction and difficulty that were added to the already difficult task at hand and the improbable kinds of risks that I had to adopt in order to be able to accomplish it. His advice having pushed through and made it to the other side? “If you’re going through hell, keep going. Don’t stop, because otherwise, you’re in hell… Just keep going, try to tunnel through.” Bök's work definitely makes a big statement when it comes to 21st century poetry. But for me, it's also a statement about memory and human potential. The Xenotext challenges us to stop thinking of computers as something that has eclipsed the human brain as the ultimate storage and retrieval device. It places our attention squarely back on the relationship between poetry and life, and the aspects of language that were in so many ways already a technology “infecting” our cells. If you want to become a polymath and enjoy a legacy that lasts, you must be willing to endure what Bök described as “36 different side quests” of complex projects, you must be willing to look at subjects and skills that seem “impossible” and learn them anyway. Ready to start your own “impossible” learning project? I have a guide that will help you develop your own curriculum: This Self-Education Blueprint will help you transform scattered curiosity into tightly interwoven levels of expertise. That way, the knowledge you accumulate gets put to use, and above all, helps others too.