Podcasts about Browsing

I'm sure we've all done it, things are a bit quiet at work, have a quick google about a random query that comes to mind...may need to think twice. A man has been fired after 50 hours of his search history was printed out by his bosses! Listen in to find out what he looked up that got him fired.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello Interactors,This week, I've been reflecting on the themes of my last few essays — along with a pile of research that's been oddly in sync. Transit planning. Neuroscience. Happiness studies. Complexity theory. Strange mix, but it keeps pointing to the same thing: cities aren't just struggling with transportation or housing. They're struggling with connection. With meaning. With the simple question: what kind of happiness should a city make possible? And why don't we ask that more often?STRANGERS SHUNNED, SYSTEMS SIMULATEDThe urban century was supposed to bring us together. Denser cities, faster mobility, more connected lives — these were the promises of global urbanization. Yet in the shadow of those promises, a different kind of city has emerged in America with growing undertones elsewhere: one that increasingly seeks to eliminate the stranger, bypass friction, and privatize interaction.Whether through algorithmically optimized ride-sharing, private tunnels built to evade street life, or digital maps simulating place without presence for autonomous vehicles, a growing set of design logics work to render other people — especially unknown others — invisible, irrelevant, or avoidable.I admit, I too can get seduced by this comfort, technology, and efficiency. But cities aren't just systems of movement — they're systems of meaning. Space is never neutral; it's shaped by power and shapes behavior in return. This isn't new. Ancient cities like Teotihuacan (tay-oh-tee-wah-KAHN) in central Mexico, once one of the largest cities in the world, aligned their streets and pyramids with the stars. Chang'an (chahng-AHN), the capital of Tang Dynasty China, used strict cardinal grids and walled compounds to reflect Confucian ideals of order and hierarchy. And Uruk (OO-rook), in ancient Mesopotamia, organized civic life around temple complexes that stood at the spiritual and administrative heart of the city.These weren't just settlements — they were spatial arguments about how people should live together, and who should lead. Even Middle Eastern souks and hammams were more than markets or baths; they were civic infrastructure. Whether through temples or bus stops, the question is the same: What kind of social behavior is this space asking of us?Neuroscience points to answers. As Shane O'Mara argues, walking is not just transport — it's neurocognitive infrastructure. The hippocampus, which governs memory, orientation, and mood, activates when we move through physical space. Walking among others, perceiving spontaneous interactions, and attending to environmental cues strengthens our cognitive maps and emotional regulation.This makes city oriented around ‘stranger danger' not just unjust — but indeed dangerous. Because to eliminate friction is to undermine emergence — not only in the social sense, but in the economic and cultural ones too. Cities thrive on weak ties, on happenstance, on proximity without intention. Mark Granovetter's landmark paper, The Strength of Weak Ties, showed that it's those looser, peripheral relationships — not our inner circles — that drive opportunity, creativity, and mobility. Karl Polanyi called it embeddedness: the idea that markets don't float in space, they're grounded in the social fabric around them.You see it too in scale theory — in the work of Geoffrey West and Luís Bettencourt — where the productive and innovative energy of cities scales with density, interaction, and diversity. When you flatten all that into private tunnels and algorithmic efficiency, you don't just lose the texture — you lose the conditions for invention.As David Roberts, a climate and policy journalist known for his systems thinking and sharp urban critiques, puts it: this is “the anti-social dream of elite urbanism” — a vision where you never have to share space with anyone not like you. In conversation with him, Jarrett Walker, a transit planner and theorist who's spent decades helping cities design equitable bus networks, also pushes back against this logic. He warns that when cities build transit around avoidance — individualized rides, privatized tunnels, algorithmic sorting — they aren't just solving inefficiencies. They're hollowing out the very thing that makes transit (and cities) valuable and also public: the shared experience of strangers moving together.The question isn't just whether cities are efficient — but what kind of social beings they help us become. If we build cities to avoid each other, we shouldn't be surprised when they crumble as we all forget how to live together.COVERAGE, CARE, AND CIVIC CALMIf you follow urban and transit planning debates long enough, you'll hear the same argument come up again and again: Should we focus on ridership or coverage? High-frequency routes where lots of people travel, or wide access for people who live farther out — even if fewer use the service? For transit nerds, it's a policy question. For everyone else, it's about dignity.As Walker puts it, coverage isn't about efficiency — it's about “a sense of fairness.” It's about living in a place where your city hasn't written you off because you're not profitable to serve. Walker's point is that coverage isn't charity. It's a public good, one that tells people: You belong here.That same logic shows up in more surprising places — like the World Happiness Report. Year after year, Finland lands at the top. But as writer Molly Young found during her visit to Helsinki, Finnish “happiness” isn't about joy or euphoria. It's about something steadier: trust, safety, and institutional calm. What the report measures is evaluative happiness — how satisfied people are with their lives over time — not affective happiness, which is more about momentary joy or emotional highs.There's a Finnish word that captures this. It the feeling you get after a sauna: saunanjälkeinen raukeus (SOW-nahn-yell-kay-nen ROW-keh-oos) — the softened, slowed state of the body and mind. That's what cities like Helsinki seem to deliver: not bliss, but a stable, low-friction kind of contentment. And while that may lack sparkle, it makes people feel held.And infrastructure plays a big role. In Helsinki, the signs in the library don't say “Be Quiet.” They say, “Please let others work in peace.” It's a small thing, but it speaks volumes — less about control, more about shared responsibility. There are saunas in government buildings. Parents leave their babies sleeping in strollers outside cafés. Transit is clean, quiet, and frequent. As Young puts it, these aren't luxuries — they're part of a “bone-deep sense of trust” the city builds and reinforces. Not enforced from above, but sustained by expectation, habit, and care.My family once joined an organized walking tour of Copenhagen. The guide, who was from Spain, pointed to a clock in a town square and said, almost in passing, “The government has always made sure this clock runs on time — even during war.” It wasn't just about punctuality. It was about trust. About the quiet promise that the public realm would still hold, even when everything else felt uncertain. This, our guide noted from his Spanish perspective, is what what make Scandinavians so-called ‘happy'. They feel held.Studies show that most of what boosts long-term happiness isn't about dopamine hits — it's about relational trust. Feeling safe. Feeling seen. Knowing you won't be stranded if you don't have a car or a credit card. Knowing the city works, even if you don't make it work for you.In this way, transit frequency and subtle signs in Helsinki are doing the same thing. They're shaping behavior and reinforcing social norms. They're saying: we share space here. Don't be loud. Don't cut in line. Don't treat public space like it's only for you.That kind of city can't be built on metrics alone. It needs moral imagination — the kind that sees coverage, access, and slowness as features, not bugs. That's not some socialist's idea of utopia. It's just thoughtful. Built into the culture, yes, but also the design.But sometimes we're just stuck with whatever design is already in place. Even if it's not so thoughtful. Economists and social theorists have long used the concept of path dependence to explain why some systems — cities, institutions, even technologies — get stuck. The idea dates back to work in economics and political science in the 1980s, where it was used to show how early decisions, even small ones, can lock in patterns that are hard to reverse.Once you've laid train tracks, built freeways, zoned for single-family homes — you've shaped what comes next. Changing course isn't impossible, but it's costly, slow, and politically messy. The QWERTY keyboard is a textbook example: not the most efficient layout, but one that stuck because switching systems later would be harder than just adapting to what we've got.Urban scholars Michael Storper and Allen Scott brought this thinking into city studies. They've shown how economic geography and institutional inertia shape urban outcomes — how past planning decisions, labor markets, and infrastructure investments limit the options cities have today. If your city bet on car-centric growth decades ago, you're probably still paying for that decision, even if pivoting is palatable to the public.CONNECTIONS, COMPLEXITY, CITIES THAT CAREThere's a quote often attributed to Stephen Hawking that's made the rounds in complexity science circles: “The 21st century will be the century of complexity.” No one's entirely sure where he said it — it shows up in systems theory blogs, talks, and books — but it sticks. Probably because it feels true.If the last century was about physics — closed systems, force, motion, precision — then this one is about what happens when the pieces won't stay still. When the rules change mid-game. When causes ripple back as consequences. In other words: cities.Planners have tried to tame that complexity in all kinds of ways. Grids. Zoning codes. Dashboards. There's long been a kind of “physics envy” in both planning and economics — a belief that if we just had the right model, the right inputs, we could predict and control the city like a closed system. As a result, for much of the 20th century, cities were designed like machines — optimized for flow, separation, and predictability.But even the pushback followed a logic of control — cul-de-sacs and suburban pastoralism — wasn't a turn toward organic life or spontaneity. It was just a softer kind of order: winding roads and whispered rules meant to keep things calm, clean, and contained…and mostly white and moderately wealthy.If you think of cities like machines, it makes sense to want control. More data, tighter optimization, fewer surprises. That's how you'd tune an engine or write software. But cities aren't machines. They're messy, layered, and full of people doing unpredictable things. They're more like ecosystems — or weather patterns — than they are a carburetor. And that's where complexity science becomes useful.People like Paul Cilliers and Brian Castellani have argued for a more critical kind of complexity science — one that sees cities not just as networks or algorithms, but as places shaped by values, power, and conflict. Cilliers emphasized that complex systems, like cities, are open and dynamic: they don't have fixed boundaries, they adapt constantly, and they respond to feedback in ways no planner can fully predict. Castellani extends this by insisting that complexity isn't just technical — it's ethical. It demands we ask: Who benefits from a system's design? Who has room to adapt, and who gets constrained? In this view, small interventions — a zoning tweak, a route change — can set off ripple effects that reshape how people move, connect, and belong. A new path dependence.This is why certainty is dangerous in urban design. It breeds overconfidence. Humility is a better place to start. As Jarrett Walker puts it, “there are all kinds of ways to fake your way through this.” Agencies often adopt feel-good mission statements like “compete with the automobile by providing access for all” — which, he notes, is like “telling your taxi driver to turn left and right at the same time.” You can't do both. Not on a fixed budget.Walker pushes agencies to be honest: if you want to prioritize ridership, say so. If you want to prioritize broad geographic coverage, that's also valid — but know it will mean lower ridership. The key is not pretending you can have both at full strength. He says, “What I want is for board members… to make this decision consciously and not be surprised by the consequences”.These decisions matter. A budget cut can push riders off buses, which then leads to reduced service, which leads to more riders leaving — a feedback loop. On the flip side, small improvements — like better lighting, a public bench, a frequent bus — can set off positive loops too. Change emerges, often sideways.That means thinking about transit not just as a system of movement, but as a relational space. Same with libraries, parks, and sidewalks. These aren't neutral containers. They're environments that either support or suppress human connection. If you design a city to eliminate friction, you eliminate chance encounters — the stuff social trust is made of.I'm an introvert. I like quiet. I recharge alone. But I also live in a city — and I've learned that even for people like me, being around others still matters. Not in the chatty, get-to-know-your-neighbors way. But in the background hum of life around you. Sitting on a bus. Browsing in a bookstore. Walking down a street full of strangers, knowing you don't have to engage — but you're not invisible either.There's a name for this. Psychologists call it public solitude or sometimes energized privacy — the comfort of being alone among others. Not isolated, not exposed. Just held, lightly, in the weave of the crowd. And the research backs it up: introverts often seek out public spaces like cafés, libraries, or parks not to interact, but to feel present — connected without pressure.In the longest-running happiness study ever done, 80 years, Harvard psychologist Robert Waldinger found that strong relationships — not income, not status — were the best predictor of long-term well-being. More recently, studies have shown that even brief interactions with strangers — on a bus, in a coffee shop — can lift mood and reduce loneliness. But here's the catch: cities have to make those interactions possible.Or they don't.And that's the real test of infrastructure. We've spent decades designing systems to move people through. Fast. Clean. Efficient. But we've neglected the quiet spaces that let people just be. Sidewalks you're not rushed off of. Streets where kids can safely bike or play…or simply cross the street.Even pools — maybe especially pools. My wife runs a nonprofit called SplashForward that's working to build more public pools. Not just for fitness, but because pools are public space. You float next to people you may never talk to. And still, you're sharing something. Space. Water. Time.You see this clearly in places like Finland and Iceland, where pools and saunas are built into the rhythms of public life. They're not luxuries — they're civic necessities. People show up quietly, day after day, not to socialize loudly, but to be alone together. As one Finnish local told journalist Molly Young, “During this time, we don't have... colors.” It was about the long gray winter, sure — but also something deeper: a culture that values calm over spectacle. Stability over spark. A kind of contentment that doesn't perform.But cities don't have to choose between quiet and joy. We don't have to model every system on Helsinki in February. There's something beautiful in the American kind of happiness too — the loud, weird, spontaneous moments that erupt in public. The band on the subway. The dance party in the park. The loud kid at the pool. That kind of energy can be a nuisance, but it can also be joyful.Even Jarrett Walker, who's clear-eyed about transit, doesn't pretend it solves everything. Transit isn't always the answer. Sometimes a car is the right tool. What matters is whether everyone has a real choice — not just those with money or proximity or privilege. And he's quick to admit every city with effective transit has its local grievances.So no, I'm not arguing for perfection, or even socialism. I'm arguing for a city that knows how to hold difference. Fast and slow. Dense and quiet. A city that lets you step into the crowd, or sit at its edge, and still feel like you belong. A place to comfortably sit with the uncertainty of this great transformation emerging around us. Alone and together.REFERENCESCastellani, B. (2014). Complexity theory and the social sciences: The state of the art. Routledge.Cilliers, P. (1998). Complexity and postmodernism: Understanding complex systems. Routledge.David, P. A. (1985). Clio and the economics of QWERTY. The American Economic Review.Granovetter, M. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology.Hawking, S. (n.d.). The 21st century will be the century of complexity. [Attributed quote; primary source unavailable].O'Mara, S. (2019). In praise of walking: A new scientific exploration. W. W. Norton & Company.Roberts, D. (Host). (2025). Jarrett Walker on what makes good transit [Audio podcast episode]. In Volts.Storper, M., & Scott, A. J. (2016). Current debates in urban theory: A critical assessment. Urban Studies.Waldinger, R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The good life: Lessons from the world's longest scientific study of happiness. Simon & Schuster.Walker, J. (2011). Human transit: How clearer thinking about public transit can enrich our communities and our lives. Island Press.West, G., & Bettencourt, L. M. A. (2010). A unified theory of urban living. Nature.Young, M. (2025). My miserable week in the ‘happiest country on earth'. The New York Times Magazine. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

President Trump's national security team is in disarray after his national security adviser is ousted from his post. A new image shows Mike Waltz in the White House using the very same app that landed him in hot water in the first place. Plus, Apple says Trump's trade war will cost them a billion dollars in just three months.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Browsing online reviews when you're shopping for a new product or service can be incredibly helpful, but only if they're real. We Meet: Trustpilot CEO Adrian Blair Credits:This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Meg Marco.

Claude now has web browsing, making it far more powerful in real-time information access. This means better answers, up-to-date data, and broader capabilities. Let's break down why this is such a big deal.AI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferMy Podcast Course: https://podcaststudio.com/courses/Try AI Box: ⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠Join my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/about

Browsing the web is now part of Claude's toolkit, and that changes the game. From up-to-date news to dynamic research, this feature expands possibilities. Here's what you should know.AI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferMy Podcast Course: https://podcaststudio.com/courses/Try AI Box: ⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠Join my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/about

For Earth Month, we're spotlighting a browser turning everyday internet use into climate action. Marco sits down with Neil Henderson and Mahum Azeem from Shift to explore how they're reimagining the web browser as a tool for reducing digital emissions. From email and streaming to Slack and beyond, Shift is tackling the hidden climate cost of our online lives—without compromising performance. A must-listen for product builders, climate tech founders, and anyone curious about weaving sustainability into software at scale.  

With its new browsing feature, Claude can now fetch the latest info straight from the web. This update makes it more competitive and more helpful. Here's how it enhances the AI experience.AI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferMy Podcast Course: https://podcaststudio.com/courses/Try AI Box: ⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠Join my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/about

With its new browsing feature, Claude can now fetch the latest info straight from the web. This update makes it more competitive and more helpful. Here's how it enhances the AI experience.AI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferMy Podcast Course: https://podcaststudio.com/courses/Try AI Box: ⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠Join my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/about

Claude now has web browsing, making it far more powerful in real-time information access. This means better answers, up-to-date data, and broader capabilities. Let's break down why this is such a big deal.AI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferMy Podcast Course: https://podcaststudio.com/courses/Try AI Box: ⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠Join my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/about

With its new browsing feature, Claude can now fetch the latest info straight from the web. This update makes it more competitive and more helpful. Here's how it enhances the AI experience.AI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferMy Podcast Course: https://podcaststudio.com/courses/Try AI Box: ⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠Join my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/about

Claude's new browsing ability opens doors for more relevant and accurate AI use. From fact-checking to breaking news, it's all now in reach. Here's what to expect with this upgrade.AI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferMy Podcast Course: https://podcaststudio.com/courses/Try AI Box: ⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠Join my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/about

Claude's browsing update puts it in the race with other top AIs. Real-time, contextual, and smarter than ever, this feature is a big win. Let's unpack what it means for users.AI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferMy Podcast Course: https://podcaststudio.com/courses/Try AI Box: ⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠Join my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/about

"Browsing through the audio files and listening to a few, I came across a recording that caught my ear. The sounds of different insects formed an afternoon melody in the desert. "Paquimé is an archaeological site of a long-gone culture, the ruins of a once-thriving city. I try to imagine how it sounded when it was populated—how it must have felt to walk through its streets. As a pre-industrial city, its sonic landscape likely blended human and non-human activity: the songs of birds waking with the sunrise, people walking to the river to collect water, and insects buzzing around the town's market. "The lively sounds of insects in this recording are among the few remnants left behind— a sonic memory of what no longer exists, a way for them to tell each other and remind us of the past. "I wanted to compose a piece using this recording, sampling moments from it and adding a few atmospheric synth sounds. Together, they invite listeners to imagine different pasts while reflecting on history and possible futures." Desert insects at Paquime reimagined by Shachaf Polakow. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world's most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

This week the guys start by breaking down their March Madness brackets and break the news of Juju Watkins being injured and what that does to USC's chances. Felix asks Beav to apologize to Bronny and he refuses. During Quick Hits, they discuss Wale's new song and the release of Jalen Chords new poject. They give a tribute to George Foreman, and in Rule Breakers, they discuss Holly Rowe not reading the room, Jayden Daniels helicopter parenting, OF model doing more charity work, making the wrong people famous and LeBron songs. Enjoy!

In this episode, Jaeden discusses the recent addition of web browsing capabilities to Anthropic's Claude AI model, a feature that has been long-awaited. He explores the implications of this update, particularly in terms of AI safety and usability, and how it positions Claude in the competitive landscape of AI tools. Jaeden emphasizes the importance of real-time information access for users and the need for Claude to keep pace with other AI models in the market.Chapters00:00 Anthropic's Game-Changer: Web Browsing in Claude02:39 The Evolution of AI Safety and Usability05:55 Competitive Landscape: Claude vs. Other AI ModelsAI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferMy Podcast Course: https://podcaststudio.com/courses/Get on the AI Box Waitlist: ⁠⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠⁠Join my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle/about

Browsing HyperCard stacks on our RP2350-based Fruit Jam

Are you looking for a reliable, secure conservative search engine this year? TUSK is the obvious answer - check out the full range of benefits here! Find out more at https://tuskbrowser.com/search/ TUSK City: Santa Barbara Address: 5383 Hollister Ave., Suite 120 Website: https://tuskbrowser.com/

In this week's episode, we take a look at five lessons for writers from Barnes & Nobles' turnaround. I also discuss indie author advertising results from February 2025. This week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Blade of the Elves, Book #3 in the Dragonskull series (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills), at my Payhip store: BLADE50 The coupon code is valid through March 28, 2025. So if you need a new audiobook for spring, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates   Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 242 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is March 7, 2025, and today we are looking at writing lessons from the dramatic turnaround of Barnes and Noble. We'll also look at my ad results for February 2025 and we'll also have Coupon of the Week and an update on my current writing projects and Question of the Week.   First off, let's start with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Blade of the Elves, Book Number Three in the Dragon Skull Series (as excellent narrated by Brad Wills), at my Payhip store. That coupon code is BLADE50. We'll have the coupon code and the link in the show notes. This coupon code is valid through March 28th, 2025, so if you need a new audiobook for spring, we have got you covered. Now an update on my current writing and audiobook projects. The rough draft of Ghosts in the Assembly is done and I am 16% into the second phase of editing. If all goes well, I am planning to publish the book on March 14th, assuming there are no unanticipated interruptions, which is always risky to rely upon, but things are going well with it and I'm optimistic we can do that. I'm also 13,000 words into Shield of Battle and after Ghost in the Assembly is published, that will be my main project.   In audiobook news, Orc-Hoard, the fourth book in the Half-Elven Thief series (as narrated by Leanne Woodward), is now available and you can get it at all the usual audiobook stores. Half-Elven Thief: Omnibus One (which is a combination of Half-Elven Thief, Wizard-Thief, and Half-Orc Paladin, the first three books in the series) is also now available in audio (as excellently narrated by Leanne Woodward), and you can give that omnibus edition at Audible, Amazon, and Apple. So that is where I'm at with my current writing projects.   00:01:49 Question of the Week   Question the Week is designed to inspire enjoyable discussions of interesting topics. This week's question, when you have an unpleasant chore that must be done, do you prefer to split it up into smaller parts over a number of days or just to get it all over with at once? No wrong answers, obviously. The inspiration for this question is the fact that it's tax prep time here in the United States, and I have spent a lot of time this week working on that.   Justin says: I prefer to get it over with all at once if possible. Extending your example, I have somehow become the tax preparer for other family members, so there are a few days where that is what I do. I also set aside a few hours every month for vehicle maintenance: check fluids, tire pressure, top off everything, look at belts (replace if worn). It's amazing how more reliable cars are when you look after them a bit.   That is very true. Good car maintenance advice from Justin.   Catriona says: Procrastinate. I love to procrastinate, then the mad dash to the very last second of the deadline. Retired now, so no longer need to be efficiently organized.   Jenny says: Oh, split if I can, procrastinate if I can't. Dishes? Do some or put some away, do more later or let my laundry pile up until I have no pants.   And Juana says: Let's get this over with. (Transcriptionist's note: this was posted in the form of a GIF of Liz Lemon from 30 Rock)   For myself, I suppose the answer is that I essentially get to do both since I'm technically a small business owner as a publisher, I do some tax stuff every month and then usually have a couple of days in March that are all tax prep. Other than that, it really depends on the size of the task in question. My preferred way would be to split a task up into smaller pieces and do 'em until they're done. But if you have something like snow shoveling, for example, you really do have to kind of bite the bullet and get it over with all at once.   00:03:21 February 2025 Ad Results   Now let's see how my ads did in February 2025. February is generally a better month for advertising than November, December, and January. The reason for that is that Valentine's Day and the Super Bowl drives some consumer spending, though not nearly as much as the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays, and so therefore the cost per click is often lower and you can usually have good results with ads.   First up, Facebook ads. In February, I advertised both Cloak Games/Cloak Mage and all the Ghosts on Facebook. For Cloak Games/Cloak Mage, I got back $2.98 (USD) for every dollar spent, with 6.8% of the profit coming from the audiobooks. For the Ghosts, I got back $3.24 cents for every dollar spent, with 15.4% of the profit coming from the audiobooks. I also ran a few different Amazon ad campaigns. Remember that for an Amazon ad campaign to work, it needs to generate a sale or a complete Kindle Unlimited page readthrough for every six to eight clicks. For Half-Elven Thief, I got back $2.30 for every dollar spent, with a sale for every 0.68 clicks. In other words, we had more total sales than we had clicks. For Stealth and Spells Online: Creation, I lost $2.52 for every dollar spent, with a sale for every 8.1 clicks. For The Linux Command Line Beginner's Guide, I got back $1.86 for every dollar spent, with a sale for every one click and 32% of the month's profit coming from the audiobook. I think this shows how badly I misjudged the LitRPG market with Stealth and Spells Online. The ads for Half-Elven Thief actually get more search terms for LitRPG related searches than Stealth and Spells actually does. I ran BookBub ads for Sevenfold Sword and The Ghosts on Apple, and here's how they did. For The Ghosts, I got back $5.26 for every dollar spent. For Sevenfold Sword, I got back $4.35 for every $1 spent. Finally, for the Demonsouled series, which is currently in KU, I did a combined Facebook and Amazon campaign, and when you run multi-platform ad campaigns like that, the most valuable metric tends to be honestly money back for dollar spent. So for Demonsouled, I got back $2.58 for every dollar spent. So good results, all in all, and I didn't actually lose that much money on Stealth and Spells. So thanks for reading everyone and hopefully I'll have more good books for you to read soon.   00:05:47 Main Topic: Lessons for Writers from Barnes and Noble's Turnaround   So now onto our main topic this week, lessons for Writers from Barnes and Noble's Turnaround because it is fair to say Barnes and Noble has had a turnaround recently. For a while at the end of the 2010s and the early 2020s, people would have their self-publishing predictions for the year, and one of them was almost always that Barnes and Noble is going to finally close, which was a reversal of fortune for it because if you remember in the ‘90s and the 2000s and even the early part of the 2010s, Barnes and Noble was the juggernaut in the publishing industry. They had forced out of business a lot of smaller indie bookstores and what Barnes and Noble wanted in the publishing industry, Barnes and Noble got. Then just as Barnes and Noble disrupted all the smaller book chains and independent bookstores, Amazon came along and disrupted Barnes and Noble. And so for a while it looked like Barnes and Noble was going to go out of business, but Barnes and Noble's revenue actually grew 1.6% in fiscal year 2024, and their foot traffic is up significantly. They're planning 60 new stores after a wave of closures in previous years.   A few years ago, as I said, they seemed headed for extinction, yet a combination of unpredictable factors and good decisions helped turned around Barnes and Noble. What are some of those factors leading into it? I suspect one of them is that many people are forced to be on screens all day and can find this frustrating or stressful, especially when schooling and work were virtual. I've talked to some teachers over the past couple of years and they would tell me stories of, for example, younger children who will burst into tears at the site of a Chromebook just because the experience of remote learning via Chromebooks was so stressful and miserable in 2020 and 2021 (and places that held onto that policy for probably longer than they should have). So much socialization nowadays is conducted online too through TikToks and chats and text messages and so forth. Because of this, many now feel like print books are a break from being constantly online. Various social media people such as TikTokers and Instagrammers make Barnes and Noble trips and hauls, showing off giant stacks of the latest books, filling up feeds. Home book displays are also a trend online, as collectors show off carefully style collections of books. Owning physical books and browsing the shelves at Barnes and Noble has become cool again. Truly history is a wheel that keeps on turning.   So what lessons can you take from this turnaround as a writer (even if your physical books aren't stocked by Barnes and Noble and you don't sell that many eBooks through them)? How they approach their relationship with their readers and their customers still has a few lessons to provide writers.   #1: Focus on your primary mission and also double down on what actually works. Barnes and Noble started to devote much of their store space to a confusing, aimless mixture of toys and gifts mixed in with the books. The stores began to look cluttered and much of this merchandise did not actually sell to their customers. They also wasted a large sum of money trying to compete with Amazon, Apple, and tech companies with their Nook tablets and kept Nook ereaders as a strong store presence long after it was clear they had lost the battle for the ebook market. There was even an extremely ill-advised foray into Barnes and Noble restaurants. Customers were quick to reject $13 avocado toast and $7 oatmeal from a mall chain bookstore.   One, when the company focused on returning to selling print books and making the store a better place to browse, sales improved. Many stores moved the gifts and games away from the book areas and back into the dedicated sections, which cleaned up the layout and made it easier for customers wanting non-book items to find what they were looking for. Since most of the customers were actually there to buy books, that made it easier to buy books.   How to apply this as a writer? Your job as a writer is to create and sell books. Getting lost in side quests, like overly frequent social media posting, creating courses or webinars, and selling merchandises are only taking time away from what your readers actually want the most from you: more books. So double down on writing more books, just as Barnes Noble doubled down on selling more books.   #2: Target the right people. Barnes Noble's display spaces and tables were taken up by books that publishers paid to place there. This led to their prime store space being taken up by books that were often poor sellers or not a good fit for their local customers. It was better to turn down the short-term money but have more targeted displays, including putting similar books in “thematic nooks.”   By focusing much of their marketing on the BookTok/Bookstagram groups of heavy readers, they were able to find ways to appeal to a younger and growing customer base. Since this group loves books both as content and décor, showcasing exclusive or “aesthetic” special editions was a way to bring these customers back into the store and keep them from buying cheaper copies online. These readers were also willing to spend a few dollars extra for the experience and to ensure that the books they were buying weren't damaged, which is often a complaint when you buy books online, that they sometimes aren't packaged properly and arrive damaged in transit. Store space was also devoted to manga readers, another group that reads voraciously and enjoys the experience of reading the print version and later collecting the print version as opposed to the electronic one.   Now, how do you apply this as a writer? Appeal to your core audience. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, find your core “thematic nook” (as Barnes Noble puts it), meaning similar authors and titles. There are resources like Publisher Rocket that can help you do this. Focus your advertising on finding these readers instead of the general population.   For myself, I've experienced this lesson personally in the last four years because in the last four years I've tried three different new things: The Cormac Rogan Mysteries, the Stealth and Spells LitRPG book, and the Rivah Half-Elven series. And of the three, Rivah was by far the most successful because it was another form of epic fantasy, which I think is what my core audience really wants from me and not contemporary mysteries or LitRPG. So this is the lesson I can attest to through personal experience.   #3: Give customers a good experience. Barnes and Noble spent money on repainting, installing brighter lighting, and changing store layouts. The CEO James Daunt stated it was their aim to make the store feels like “places of discovery.” Chairs were even added back to some stores to allow readers to browse in comfort.   Now, how can you apply this to being a writer? First, you want to make sure that your readers have the easiest possible experience, the most pleasant possible experience in buying books from you. One way to do this is keep your website updated and check for broken links, which is easier said than done. I know, especially for me since Ghost in the Assembly will be my 160th novel, and that is a lot of links to check and my website had gotten complex enough that I finally hired someone to overhaul it and make sure all the links were working. But I think we've had good results since traffic is up and I get much fewer complaints now about dead links. It's often a good idea to refresh ad images to keep potential readers' attention. For Facebook ads, I think based on my experience, the best you can hope for is two to three weeks of good results with a single image. For BookBub, maybe three or four days. So it's good to have a supply of ad images you can rotate out often. Finally, incentivize readers to read your newsletter by keeping it brief and providing some kind of special reward, like a discount or bonus content, which is why I give away a lot of short stories in my email newsletter.   #4: Be willing to change it up or try new things. Barnes and Noble's leadership also ceded more control of the selection and displays to the individual stores, allowing them to better customize the stores towards the taste of the community. For most of Barnes and Noble's history, if you walked into the store and you saw the displays in the front and on the end caps where books were highlighted. Publishers paid through the nose for the privilege of having their books stocked that way. And while there is still some of that, obviously the new regime at Barnes and Noble has changed things around so that more local stores have greater control of what to put where, which means they can put out more books that their local community is more likely to buy. If you walk into a Barnes and Noble in Illinois, for example, you're much more likely to see a large display of Illinois local history than you would have otherwise.   For another example, I once visited a Barnes and Noble in a large suburb that had a very large teenage population that had the Young Adult section wedged in a single cramped back corner by the bathrooms. It was extremely unpleasant to browse, especially if one person was already in the aisle. And of course, if there was a line for the bathroom, which is often the case, teenagers typically want more physical space from strangers. This decision to put the Young Adult section in a cramped corner in the back of the store was clearly made by someone who did not a lot of experience talking to or working with teenagers. After Daunt's changes, Young Adult was moved to the center of the store. The aisles in the new section were extra wide to accommodate groups of teens browsing together, and it was now full of colorful displays, many of which were handmade by staff members. In the times I visited this Barnes and Noble since, it is always the busiest part of the store.   Another surprise area of growth was the refreshing of the stationery and planner section. The previous selection was stale and heavily reliant on older licensed properties like Disney. It wasn't reflective of the trends in the category being popularized (once again by Instagram and TikTok), such as dot grid notebooks with high quality paper and guided journals (like the influencer favorite, the Five Minute Journal, which offers a few brief prompts to reflect on the day). Barnes and Noble bought the stationery brand Paper Source, which brought in fresh designs to its cards and stationery. They also changed their selection to adapt to two of the biggest trends in stationery, bullet journaling and customizable Japanese planners. Stationery enthusiasts were willing to pay a premium to be able to see stationery items in person before buying, since that allows you to avoid counterfeit versions that are sold online and ensure that the product was in pristine condition and would not arrive through the mail damaged. Since the margins on stationery are way higher than they are in books, this was a wise decision.   Now how can we apply this lesson as a writer? One of the advantages of being self-published is the ability to change quickly based on data and reader feedback. For example, the Stealth and Spells Online series was originally called the Sevenfold Sword Online. Once I realized that readers were confusing this series with the main Sevenfold Sword series, I changed the title to help prevent confusion and emphasized that the series was in fact a separate one. I also changed the cover to reflect trends in the LitRPG series, such as characters' faces usually not being shown and a more diffused, animation-influenced color palette.   If one of your books isn't connecting with readers, it may be worth your time to update your blurb and cover trends based on your categories. Another similar experience I had was with the Silent Order covers where I went through five different iterations with that cover before I settled on the version I have now, which definitely sells the best.     #5: Do what Amazon can't. The new CEO of Barnes and Noble focused on what Amazon couldn't do: provide a physical environment for browsing.  Browsing aisles of books with a cup of coffee (from the Barnes and Noble Café) in hand is a relaxing experience for many people. Amazon famously tried to set up its own chain of physical bookstores, and it didn't work out because the experience for customers tended to be industrial and unpleasant in a way that made an airport newsstand seem downright cozy in comparison. The bookstores were stocked with just a very limited selection of popular books on plain shelves with electronic price tags. Nothing about it inspired browsing or finding new books, the most important way physical bookstores inspire readers to buy additional books.   This was an example of Amazon doing the opposite of our first lesson. Rather than doubling down on what was working, they tried something that was away from their core competency of low prices and fast delivery, which was a physical bookstore. In fact, one of these Amazon bookstores opened across the street from author Ann Patchett's Parnassus books, which is an indie bookstore in Nashville that provides lots of help from friendly, knowledgeable staff, autographed books from authors like Patchett, and a full calendar of events with local authors. Reviewers who have visited this indie bookstore rave about the friendly and helpful staff and the cozy atmosphere. Even though Parnassus offered higher prices than the Amazon bookstore across the street, the experience was so much better that it's not surprising that the Amazon bookstore did not work and that Parnassus outlasted this physical Amazon bookstore that opened across the street. As many people have found out the hard way, it is very difficult to compete with Amazon on price. Instead of constantly discounting books with buy two get one free promotions or providing steep discounts through its membership program, Barnes and Noble stopped trying to compete with Amazon on price and turned their attention to something that Amazon couldn't do, which is the physical experience of the store. Events like children's story times and special events (complete with gift bags) for popular releases like Onyx Storm brought in people who hadn't been to a physical store in a while.   Now, the point of this isn't to indulge in Amazon bashing because Amazon does get criticized a lot, sometimes fairly, sometimes not fairly. The point is that trying to compete with Amazon on its core competencies of low price and fast delivery is not a good idea. And so instead, you need to try and find a way to do something well that Amazon can't do or Amazon isn't interested in doing. Even if Amazon remains a big part of your business as an indie writer, you can diversify your profits and readership by looking beyond Amazon.   What can't Amazon do for your readers? You can engage with your readers directly through your newsletter and social media. That's why I try to post at least once a day and respond to comments when possible. You can find ways to provide special content for loyal readers, which I do personally in the form of free short stories, discounts, Coupon of the Week (which we always talk about every week). Giveaways, et cetera provide something that Amazon can't or won't. For example, direct sales platforms like my Payhip store can provide DRM free ebook files, multiple file formats with each purchase, and special bonus content for readers buying direct and so forth. If you buy a book off My Payhip store, you can download the epub file and a PDF file, which you can't do from Amazon anymore.   On a related note, give people who don't want to buy from Amazon a place to buy your books, whether that be other ebook vendors or your own direct sales page (or ideally both). I should mention that personally of my (soon to be) 160 books, only 14% of them are currently on Kindle Unlimited (which means Amazon exclusivity), which is a fortunate position I'm able to be in because Kindle Unlimited is also a big part of the market. I'm able to essentially play in both worlds where I have the majority of my series available wide (and available on my Payhip store with files and the other things we were talking about), while also providing some books for Kindle Unlimited readers, which also is a big part of the pool. I'm fortunate enough to be able to play in both worlds there and continue to do that.   To sum up, Barnes and Noble recovered by focusing on what it does best and finding the people who respond best to that. As a writer, I think your main focus should be on putting out new books and targeting your advertising is the best way to make that approach work for you. If you have a long series, it might be a good idea to make the first book free and advertise that if you want to connect more with your readers, giving away short stories is a good way to do that, especially in your newsletter. So to sum up, perhaps the best way forward for all writers is to remain flexible and to double down on your core competencies and core strengths.   So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes on https://thepulpwritershow.com, often with transcripts. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.  

Topics: On Location event for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, WYWG RHOSLC, befriending strangers, Colin Jost went dumpster diving, Jane Fonda called out Chelsea Handler, the Fyre Festival is back, plane anxiety, birds of a snooping feather flock togetherSponsors:Lume: Use code TAYLOR for 15% off your first purchase at LumeDeodorant.comProlon: Just visit ProlonLife.com/TOT to claim your 15% discount and your bonus giftBellesa: SILENT VIBRATOR GIVEAWAY: https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/tasteoftaylorpodcast-whisperSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore the rapid advancements in AI, particularly highlighting the Chinese AI model Deep Seek and OpenAI’s latest creation, Operator. They discuss the technical achievements and controversies surrounding Deep Seek, its implications for the AI community, and the groundbreaking capabilities of Operator in controlling a browser to perform […]

Dave found a too good to be true of a deal for a townhouse online, but there are no images of the inside of the home. Russell Faucette, Owner of The Stern Team of Omada Real Estate walks through red flags to look at with home listing to ensure home buyers know what they are getting into.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the UConn women's basketball team's commanding 77-45 victory over Marquette, highlighting the team's standout performances and the strategies shaping their season. From KK Arnold's electrifying homecoming to Morgan Cheli's emerging versatility, we explore how Geno Auriemma's roster is adapting and thriving. Plus, we analyze the team's growing depth, key moments from the game, and what's ahead as the Huskies look to dominate Big East play.  FANDUEL:The NFL Playoffs are almost here, but there's still time to join the excitement of the regular season with FanDuel—America's Number ONE Sportsbook! Right now, FanDuel is giving new customers a chance to finish the season strong. Place your first $5 bet, and if it wins, you'll snag $250 in Bonus Bets! That's right, TWO HUNDRED and FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets, just for starting off with a winning play.FanDuel makes every game more thrilling. Personally, I love betting on which players will score a touchdown or how many total points each team will rack up. Whether it's predicting big plays or final scores, there are endless ways to pick up a ‘W' with FanDuel.And it's not just about winners and losers—you can bet on:• Which players will hit paydirt with a touchdown• Over/under totals on team points• And so much more!So, don't wait. Visit FANDUEL DOT COM today to get started. That's FANDUEL DOT COM, where your $5 bet could unlock $250 in Bonus Bets.Make every moment more with FanDuel—an official sportsbook partner of the NFL.GAMETIME:Attending the new 12-Team College Football Playoff games is an incredible experience that brings fans together like never before. I remember the excitement of past playoff games and can't wait to make new memories with the updated format and extra teams involved.Gametime has a new feature called Gametime Picks that makes getting tickets for events even easier. It filters out the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats, so you don't have to waste time searching through thousands of tickets.Recently, I used Gametime Picks to find tickets for an upcoming game at gampel, and Browsing through the deals was a breeze, and I found great value for all kinds of seats around the venue. The Super Deal, in particular, stood out as the best value for the event. I love that I could see the seat views before buying and that the app shows the total cost upfront with no surprise fees at checkout. Plus, the on-time ticket delivery and lowest price guarantee gave me complete peace of mind. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N-C-O-L-L-E-G-E for $20 off. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed.  Segment 1: Game Recap – UConn vs. Marquette• Final Score: UConn 77, Marquette 45.• Top Performers:• KK Arnold: Delivered a season-high 13 points and 7 assists, including a dramatic three-point play in front of her home-state crowd.• Sarah Strong: A well-rounded performance with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.• Azzi Fudd & Paige Bueckers: Showed leadership despite some shooting struggles.• Team Depth: 10 players scored, with the bench outscoring Marquette's 25-9.• Coach Geno Auriemma: Praised the team's adaptability and Arnold's aggressive play on both ends of the court. Segment 2: KK Arnold's Homecoming Heroics• Key Highlights:• A thrilling three-point play late in the third quarter that energized the team and sealed the game.• Over 100 friends, family, and mentors in attendance to cheer her on in her home state of Wisconsin.• Auriemma's Praise: Stressed the importance of Arnold's energy and defense in elevating UConn's performance.• Growth & Challenges: Arnold continues to find her rhythm as she takes on a crucial sixth-player role. Segment 3: Morgan Cheli – UConn's Swiss Army Knife• Versatility Personified:• Transitioned from guard to frontcourt stretch-four under Auriemma's direction.• At 6'2”, her size and skillset allow her to play multiple roles effectively.• Breakout Games:• Georgetown: 5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in a balanced showing.• USC: Played a pivotal role in UConn's second-half comeback, helping outscore the Trojans by 15 points during her time on the court.• Mentorship from Aubrey Griffin: Cheli credits Griffin for helping her navigate her hybrid role.• Auriemma's Take: Highlights Cheli's unique skillset as an X-factor for the Huskies' lineup. What's Next for UConn?• A road game against Villanova in Pennsylvania.• Focus on utilizing their small-ball lineups and bench depth to maintain dominance.• Key players to watch: KK Arnold, Sarah Strong, and Morgan Cheli as they continue to evolve.Call to Action:If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your fellow UConn basketball fans. Follow us on social media for more updates, game insights, and exclusive content. See you next time!

Browsing the shelves at our local big box beer stores, we realized there are so many winter beers on the market today, and many of them sort of go against what we consider to be true "Winter Warmers". So on today's show, we bring you several examples of beers (and two ciders) that will fit right in with the cold weather this year, while still providing you with a new drinking experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Matthews talks about the interesting news from the week and Mike answers what good lesson we can learn from Elton John's recent scare regarding his eyes. Join Mike as he podcasts live from Café Anyway in podCastro Valley with Chely Shoehart, Floyd the Floorman, and John Deer the Engineer. Next show it's Benita, the Disgruntled Fiddle Player, and the Brewmaster.

Mike Matthews talks about the interesting news from the week and Mike answers what good lesson we can learn from Elton John's recent scare regarding his eyes. Join Mike as he podcasts live from Café Anyway in podCastro Valley with Chely Shoehart, Floyd the Floorman, and John Deer the Engineer. Next show it's Benita, the Disgruntled Fiddle Player, and the Brewmaster.

Mike Matthews talks about the interesting news from the week and Mike answers what good lesson we can learn from Elton John's recent scare regarding his eyes. Join Mike as he podcasts live from Café Anyway in podCastro Valley with Chely Shoehart, Floyd the Floorman, and John Deer the Engineer. Next show it's Benita, the Disgruntled Fiddle Player, and the Brewmaster. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mikesdailypodcast/support

​Mike Matthews talks about the interesting news from the week and Mike answers what good lesson we can learn from Elton John's recent scare regarding his eyes. Join Mike as he podcasts live from Café Anyway in podCastro Valley with Chely Shoehart, Floyd the Floorman, and John Deer the Engineer. Next show it's Benita, the Disgruntled Fiddle Player, and the Brewmaster.

Nicole and Rich wrap up your week, exhausted by Elf on the Shelf and the added challenge of keeping the Santa myth alive. Their advice for parents participating in Elf on the Shelf? Use your worst penmanship to keep the magic going!Do the holidays bring out the most awkward conversations with your kids? Nicole experienced it firsthand during last weekend's road trip with her children. Their curious questions included: What do clouds taste like? What's cremation? and Can you smile at someone and say they have an ugly face without being mean?Meanwhile, Rich and producer Jess share their love for Home Depot, but Nicole is still frustrated that they didn't help Matt secure their Christmas tree on top of their car.And you won't want to miss Today's Top That featuring donut eating, football watching, and freezing in pajamas—because what's the holiday season without a little chaos? Have Kids, They Said... is a SiriusXM Network Podcast made by Nicole Ryan and Rich Davis.If you'd like to send us a message or ask a question email us at HKTSpod@gmail.comFollow on social media:Instagram @havekidstheysaidpodNicole @mashupnicoleRich @richdavisand @siriusxm

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Jim revisits a cherished conversation with the late Kim Flottum, reflecting on their shared passion for beekeeping books and the joy of exploring bee knowledge together. From rare finds like Beekeeping New and Old to beloved staples like The Hive and the Honey Bee, Jim and Kim delve into the excitement and challenges of collecting bee literature. They discuss favorite authors, trusted resources like USDA pamphlets, and how beekeeping knowledge continues to evolve. Hearing Kim's voice again reminds us of his warmth, insight, and dedication to the beekeeping world—qualities deeply missed nearly a year after his passing. This episode offers a heartfelt tribute to Kim and a reminder of the wealth of knowledge and friendship that beekeeping brings. Listen Today! ______________________ Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com ______________________ Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics) Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

The US Department of Justice wants to force Google to sell Chrome, its browser, for antitrust reasons. It raises the question: who would buy it? Could it live as a standalone company? That opens a whole can of worms for your favourite tech podcast, as we talk about browsers and why they're such a strange business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Browsing the beer shelves at the grocery store can sometimes yield amazing stuff. On our last trip to the store, we found two beers that seemed equally interesting, for different reasons. The first is a non-alcoholic version of 805 from Firestone-Walker called ... 8Zero5. The other is a holiday beer from Clausthaler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this insightful conversation, Amir Ben-Efraim takes us on a journey through his remarkable career in cybersecurity, from growing up in Silicon Valley to building and scaling two successful ventures—Altor Networks and Menlo Security. Menlo Security has attracted funding from top-tier investors like Vista Equity Partners, Neuberger Berman, General Catalyst, American Express Ventures, and Ericsson Ventures.

A Conversation with Jonathan Reed

About two hours south of Dunedin, in the Catlins, the Tautuku and Fleming rivers flow into the sea at Tautuku beach. Covered in native bush from headwaters to the ocean, this special catchment is home to many native, and some threatened, plants and animals. But there's an ongoing battle. Browsing animal such as deer and pigs are destroying the undergrowth, while feral cats and stoats are predating on critters such as the mātātā, the South Island fernbird. We meet some of the people fighting back.

Social media strategist Scott Kleinberg joins Bob Sirott to squash some online myths, like how browsing using incognito mode can give us a false sense of safety. He also explains the dangers of public Wi-Fi and answers this week’s genius bar question.

Texas history. Least favorite Halloween candy. Browsing the new summer collection. Honda Pilot malfunction. Merriam-Webster's 200 new words. Weighing whales. We forget things because of technology. BTHO missouri.

What is more dangerous? Texas history. Least favorite Halloween candy. Browsing the new summer collection. Honda Pilot malfunction. Chelsea plays volleyball. Merriam-Webster's 200 new words. Weighing whales. We forget things because of technology. BTHO Missouri. Chunk Stuffers. Smartless. Salsa Cereal. How early is too early for Christmas decorations? Costco is selling platinum bars. Wine labels.

Send Everyday AI and Jordan a text messageSo good it's literally illegal? ChatGPT's new Advanced Voice Mode just dropped to all paid users. (Well, except for countries where it's kinda technically not legal.) We're gonna do live demos, take some LIVE user requests, and tell you the 5 things you need to know about this new groundbreaking feature.Newsletter: Sign up for our free daily newsletterMore on this Episode: Episode PageJoin the discussion: Ask Jordan questions on ChatGPTUpcoming Episodes: Check out the upcoming Everyday AI Livestream lineupWebsite: YourEverydayAI.comEmail The Show: info@youreverydayai.comConnect with Jordan on LinkedInTopics Covered in This Episode:1. ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode2. Current Limitations of Advanced Voice Mode3. Live Demo of Advanced Voice Mode4. Future AI CapabilitiesTimestamps:02:05 Daily AI news06:30 ChatGPT's New Advanced Voice Mode13:32 AI voice chat is most advanced, widely available.17:14 Real-life human-like interaction, limited by custom instructions.22:15 AI inferring emotions is restricted in EU/UK.24:18 Agents build, interact in real time but limited.27:33 Verifying mute functionality before demonstrating voice mode.33:03 New advanced voice mode rolled out worldwide.35:45 Emotion-sensing tech transforms future interpersonal interactions.37:25 AI firms unaffected initially; downloadable use limited currently.41:31 Listen to podcast, discuss problems using advanced mode.44:40 Language skills summary & newsletter tips, minion-style.48:51 AI expands human capabilities and aids productivity.52:18 Standard voice mode remains overlooked but insightful.Keywords:ChatGPT, Custom Instructions, Memory, Advanced Voice Mode, Generative AI, AI Adoption, AI Capabilities, Gemini Models, Google Workspace, Meta Connect Event, Everyday AI Show, Everyday AI newsletter, User Experience, Voice Mimicking Demo, Newsletter Performance, Real-Time Consultant Use Case, AI Future Implications, Technical Setup, Browsing with Bing, Advanced Emotion Detection, Emotion Recognition, Prompt Engineering, Accessibility, Regional Restrictions, New Features, OpenAI limitations, Voice Assistant, Typing, DALL-E Get more out of ChatGPT by learning our PPP method in this live, interactive and free training! Sign up now: https://youreverydayai.com/ppp-registration/

Yan Zhu, Chief Information Security Officer at Brave Software, discusses ways to reduce your risk of getting compromised when browsing the Internet. She also explains how Brave's policy of only collecting the bare necessities not only boosts security but also simplifies legal compliance and keeps your data truly private. Key Takeaways:   Security challenges that are unique to browsers, and how Brave builds your user profile differently using user-first principles How security and policy work together for establishing company culture and best practices that ultimately protect both users and the company The potential of AI in automating security tasks, and the critical importance of user education in this evolving landscape The evolution of HTTPS, passkeys, two-factor authentication, and SIM swapping Guest Bio: Yan Zhu has been the Chief Information Security Officer at Brave Software since 2015. Prior to Brave, Yan was a Senior Security Engineer at Yahoo working on end-to-end email encryption, and a Staff Technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, where she worked on open source projects such as HTTPS Everywhere and Let's Encrypt. She has also served on the W3C Technical Architecture Group and DEF CON talks review board. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte  

It's a jam-packed episode this week ranging from more Android 15 to a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy S25 to the much-maligned return of Flappy Bird. Yes, Flappy Bird. Jason Howell, Ron Richards and Mishaal Rahman (for a little bit) go on this Android journey with you, our faithful audience.Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor.NEWS00:03:55 - Mishaal has the details on Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 with many new features00:16:00 - A new dawn rises as RCS rolls out to iOS devices with iOS 18's release00:21:41 - More digital IDs and state IDs are coming to Google Wallet along with an official digital credentials API00:24:19 - Sideloaded apps get the smackdown (sorta) in Android 1500:28:14 - Pixels be damned! Circle to Search looks to no longer be exclusive!00:29:40 - The Patron News pick was all about those notification icons in Android 15. Bright colors!HARDWARE0:37:42 - Here it is, the Samsung Galaxy S25 in all its flat sided glory!0:42:19 - And the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ & S10 Ultra will arrive in a couple of weeks!0:45:49 - The new Techno Phantom foldables look to be impressive and affordableAPPS0:51:33 - Gemini Live rolls out to more users...for free?0:53:20 - Browsing gets a little safer with these new Chrome features0:55:40 - Google Home adds Search because, well Google.0:58:07 - I can't believe I'm saying this, but Flappy Bird is back and it's tied to Crypto, because of course it isCOMMUNITY1:07:48 - Adam in San Diego is not thrilled with Gemini over Assistant1:12:41 - James runs into a problem sharing photos from Google Photos to Google Messages Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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View in HD at . Learn some advanced techniques for browsing the Web with Safari on your Mac. Use tabs more efficiently, add a Favorites bar, view two Web pages at the same time, autofill forms, log into multiple accounts at the same time, search engine tips and much more.

Send us a Text Message.In Episode 164 of Book Talk, Etc., Tina and Hannah talk about the impact that public reading has had on their reading lives - especially as it pertains to browsing books at our local libraries, browsing the shelves at our local bookstores, and choosing which popular new releases we add to our overflowingTBR piles!If you enjoy our commercial-free podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon! Your membership will give you access to our exclusive bonus episodes, including Niche Novels, Books We DNFed and What's in the Mailbag! Plus, invites to monthly events like Mood Reader Happy Hour and Bookstore Browsing, and a private Facebook group and Discord server where you can interact with other fans of the show... all for just $5 a month!Loving LatelyAtlas Obscura (T)Gold Wire Book cart from World Market (H)Latest ReadsNo Road Home | John Fram (T)Out on a Limb | Hannah Bonam-Young (H)Book Talk - For today's episode, Tina and Hannah talk about the impact of public reading on our most recent library browse.  A Secret Worth Keeping | Drew Strickland (T)The Craftsman | Sharon Bolton (H)The Second Mrs. Astor | Shana Abe (T)Terrace Story | Hilary Leichter (H)Shelf AdditionsPet | Catherine Chidgey (T)The Palace of Eros | Caro De Robertis (H)Support the Show.Let's Connect... Email us at booktalketc@gmailTina's TikTok , IG @tbretcHannah's TikTok , IG @hanpickedbooksJonathan IG @infiltrate_jayPodcast IG @booktalketcRenee's Substack Newsletter , IG@Itsbooktalk

Browsing through the doormats displayed in my local big box store, I noted the messages stamped on their surfaces. “Hello!” “HOME” with a heart for the “O.” And the more customary one I chose, “Welcome.” Putting it in place at home, I checked my heart. Was my home really welcoming the way God desires it to be? To a child selling chocolate for a school project? A neighbor in need? A family member from out of town who called on the spur of the moment? In Mark 9, Jesus moves from the Mount of Transfiguration where Peter, James and John stood in awe of His holy presence (vv. 1–13), to healing a possessed boy with a hopeless father (vv. 14–29). Jesus then offered private lessons to the disciples concerning His upcoming death (vv. 30–32). They missed His point—badly (vv. 33–34). In response, Jesus took a child atop His lap saying, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” The word welcome here means to receive and accept as a guest. Jesus wants His disciples to welcome all, even the undervalued and the inconvenient as if we were welcoming Him. I thought of my welcome mat and wondered how I extend His love to others. It starts by welcoming Jesus as a treasured guest. Will I permit Him to lead me, welcoming others the way He desires?

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Stepfamily life: It's a rollercoaster. Trying to blend different parenting styles, dealing with trust issues, managing finances—it's enough to make anyone's head spin. Is there any hope for relief? Dr. Darrell Bock offers advice on how to patch up those trust issues, get a handle on your finances, and set yourselves up for a brighter tomorrow. Show Notes and Resources Connect with Dr. Darrell Bock and catch more of their thoughts on, The Table Podcast. and on Twitter @DBockDTS. Listen to entire episode on FamilyLife Blended Want to hear more episodes by Dr. Darrell Bock, listen here! Get ready to tune in or join us in person for Blended and Blessed, running from January 1, 2024, to April 27, 2024! Get ready for the most anticipated event of the year, tailored specifically for stepfamily couples, dating couples with kids, and all those committed to the prosperity of blended families. Donate to FamilyLife Today! Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com. See resources from our past podcasts. Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

Brea and Mallory tick off a box on the 2024 Reading Glasses Challenge - go book browsing at the library! Plus, they review a viral copper bookmark and recommend romantic historical fiction. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!Reading Glasses MerchRecommendations StoreSponsors -Microdose Gummieswww.microdose.comCODE: GLASSESPair Eyewearwww.paireyewear.comCODE: GLASSESLinks -Reading Glasses Facebook GroupReading Glasses Goodreads GroupAmazon Wish ListNewsletterLibro.fmCopper BookmarkTo join our Slack channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership!Books Mentioned - Green Valley by Louis GreenbergParasol Against the Axe by Helen OyeyemiThe Little Village of Book Lovers by Nina GeorgeCity of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert