Podcasts about Brussels

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: First up — just days into Operation Epic Fury, Israel says it now controls Iran's airspace and is operating directly over Tehran after dismantling key air defense systems and missile infrastructure. We break down what aerial supremacy means strategically — and why Iran, though wounded, remains dangerous. Later in the show — the world reacts. From the United Nations to Brussels, from Moscow to Beijing, global leaders weigh in as the conflict reshapes diplomatic alignments and raises fears of broader escalation. Plus — while the war rages abroad, the FBI shifts into a heightened defensive posture at home. Director Kash Patel orders counterterrorism teams onto high alert as intelligence officials monitor for potential asymmetric blowback inside the United States. And in today's Back of the Brief — a mass shooting in Austin leaves three dead and more than a dozen injured. We bring you the latest details as authorities investigate the motive and whether terrorism may be a factor. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com . Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Ethos Life Insurance: Protect your family's future with fast, online life insurance from Ethos—get your free quote in minutes at https://Ethos.com/PDB  American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. NMLS 182334, http://nmlsconsumeraccess.org -. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1881 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB DeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/PDB and use promocode PDB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How toe-ga helps you strengthen the pelvic floor ~ Take Me With You (28 May 2014 - Brussels, BEL)

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports on a new probe into disgraced former ambassador Peter Mandelson's business dealings.

Thinking TogetherRecorded live on February 7, 2026 – This episode is in German.In this live conversation, I speak with Nicolaus Schafhausen — gallerist, curator, author, and exhibition maker. Nicolaus began his career as an artist before consciously stepping into other roles within the art world, shaping institutions and discourses from multiple perspectives.Over the decades, he has co-founded the gallery Lukas & Hoffmann in Berlin and Cologne and has held numerous influential positions: Artistic Leader at Künstlerhaus Stuttgart, Director of Frankfurter Kunstverein, Founding Director of the European Kunsthalle in Cologne, Director of Witte de With in Rotterdam, Strategic Director of the Shorefast Foundation on Fogo Island, Commissioner of the German Pavilion at the 52nd and 53rd Venice Biennales, Director of Kunsthalle Wien — and most recently, Founder and Director of KIN, a gallery for contemporary art in Brussels.We begin briefly with the question of how Nicolaus carved out his own path in the arts — and then move directly into the present moment and its challenges.Who buys art today — and why?How has that changed in recent years?What shifts do we see coming?And how do we, as gallerists, respond?But also: To whom do we sell? Is there something like a moral radar when placing artworks? What responsibility do we carry toward artists, collectors, institutions — and toward one another?We speak openly about relationships: between artists and galleries, between money and values, between conviction and compromise. There are more questions than answers — but we both agree that thinking together, publicly and honestly, is a powerful place to begin.After the book recommendation, there is a bonus Q&A with the audience.Book PickI recommend the Gereon Rath series by Volker Kutscher, the literary basis for the acclaimed TV series Babylon Berlin.Published in Germany by Kiepenheuer & Witsch, in English by Sandstone Press, and as an audiobook by OsterwoldAudio.The novels paint a vivid portrait of Berlin in the late 1920s and early 1930s — a city vibrating with jazz, avant-garde art, nightlife, and radical political energy during the Weimar Republic. What begins as a time of cultural freedom and experimentation gradually gives way to fear, propaganda, and conformity. Art and the press come under pressure — and with them, free thought itself.Kutscher shows how quickly an open society can erode when extremism, economic instability, and disinformation converge. It is a powerful reminder that art and culture are never neutral — they are deeply tied to freedom, and therefore often the first to be threatened.https://kinbrussels.com/https://nicolausschafhausen.com/https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Schafhausenhttps://van-horn.net/podcast/

Jack Power, Europe Correspondent for the IrishTimes spoke to Rachael from Brussels.

The EU built the world's strictest privacy law. Now it's negotiating how much personal data to give US border agents.View the full article here.Subscribe to the IMI Daily newsletter here. 

Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell unpack insights from Brad Walsh, founder of the Empowerography Podcast. In this recap, they reflect on the transformative power of boudoir photography and how seeing yourself in a new light can change how you think, feel, and show up. This conversation digs into resilience, authenticity, and why sharing your story might be the very thing that helps someone else keep going. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Boudoir photography helps women see themselves differently.Why resilience is the courage to keep rising.The importance of sharing experiences to inspire others.Why true authenticity requires dropping the mask of perfection.How trusting your path frees you from fear of missing out.Episode References/Links:Agency MINI Waitlist - https://prfit.biz/miniPoland Contrology Pilates Conference - xxll.co/polandVintage Friends & Contrology Brussels - xxll.co/brusselsPilates On Tour® London - https://xxll.co/potOPC Spring Training - How to Get Overhead - https://opc.me/eventsEmpowerography Podcast - https://empowerographypodcast.comEmpowerography Podcast Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/empowerographypodcastBrad Walsh LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradwalsh70Brad Walsh Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brad.walsh.56Empowerography Live Conference 2026 - https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D7QAc3hFx If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  He said when they see who they truly are and how they're captured, they leave a completely different woman. And there's not enough words, he said, to encapsulate the power in that as a photographer. Lesley Logan 0:09  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.  Lesley Logan 0:53  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the powerful convo I have with another Brad. Brad Walsh. Brad Crowell 0:55  Another Brad. Lesley Logan 0:55  In our last episode. If you haven't yet listened to that interview, then actually listen to this one. You should go back and listen that one. It's pretty good. I liked it. Brad Crowell 1:05  That's a great interview. It was, I'm not gonna lie you, you spoke my thoughts out loud. Lesley Logan 1:10  I did? Brad Crowell 1:11  Yes. Like. Lesley Logan 1:12  Did I say that I have to say Brad's thoughts? Brad Crowell 1:14  No, but two. There's another comment I can't remember. It'll come back to me. But you know when, when I heard you introduce Brad Walsh as someone who is entirely devoted to platforming and empowering women, I was like, a man is doing that? Okay, okay. I was like, I guess, I guess I'm I didn't even know. I was dubious and a little curious and then encouraged and excited at by the end. So, yes, it's great.Lesley Logan 1:45  Turns out you can be really successful if you platform women. Turns out. Brad Crowell 1:50  How about that? Lesley Logan 1:51  Yeah, it turns out there's, there's things like, there's like, good things that happen when you do that.Brad Crowell 1:55  You did mention that you had similar thoughts to him, and I was laughing, because I was like, okay, I'm not alone. Lesley Logan 1:59  Yeah. I'm intrigued. Well, we'll get into that in just a second. But first today is February 26th 2026 and it's Black Lives Matter Day. Black Lives Matter Day is celebrated annually on February 26th in remembrance of Trayvon Martin, an African American teen who was killed by a white American out of hatred. The acquittal of the killer, George Zimmerman, from the murder charge and is roaming free, caused a wave of widespread anger, which led to nationwide campaigns centered around fairness and justice for black people. Black Lives Matter is a chant against systemic racial discrimination which has shaped and increased the risk of violence towards black people. Join in the movement to end discrimination, declare equality for all.Brad Crowell 2:39  Yeah. So one of the things that I wanted to address is we're obviously not black. However, we have heard a lot of people who are not black say, well, what about white people? Or what about other, you know, people as well? Shouldn't we be focusing on them as much as we are focusing on black people? And ultimately, I would say Black Lives Matter does not say other lives don't matter. But what Black Lives Matter is saying is that there is a historical, documented like systematic approach against that has not given the same opportunities in our society, in our in the United States of America, to black people, whereas it has favored, white people. Lesley Logan 3:37  Oh one thing and I heard that I heard this in 2020 and I'll share it here. It doesn't mean you didn't have to swim uphill, it just meant that you had a paddle, it just means that, like, you could have had a hard life but there, the research is there, even if your family came here like mine did in the 1912 all this stuff, the research is, is, is very much there, the status are there that because after slavery, we didn't, we did not treat black people the same as white people, the wealth that their families could pass down, which whether or not you got any money, because I didn't either whether doesn't matter. It doesn't mean that you that there was less opportunity for their generations of families to have options. And there's actually a black family, a guy who was able to buy slaves, the black man who was able to buy his family as slaves. And so then when when slavery ended, there was this whole, basically reparations for the slave owners. And so he was given money for the slaves that he lost, and you can see his family and the generations that came from his family, and how different their lives were compared to other black people and so especially as we're watching this right now where brown people are being targeted in an insane way, black and brown people, but we're seeing a lot of it with brown people because of ICE. I'm just gonna say who it is, because of that. The reality is, is because.Brad Crowell 5:02  Because of ICE directed it by, you know, Stephen Miller and our president.Lesley Logan 5:06  And our president and his vice president, we're gonna add in there. Because some people think if we just got rid of Trump at life would be better. No, you'll still have a shit sandwich. So the reality is, because we've never had Black Lives Matter, we are all being affected. All every other color is going to have a hard time. And by the way, white people, you are too, your life is not going to get easier because they got rid of some brown people, or they only pull over black people. You're this is a community.Brad Crowell 5:32  But I want to go back to this. I agree with the things that you're saying, but I want to go back to this by saying let white lives matter too. We're actually sidestepping the issue. And that's the problem. The problem is not that white lives don't matter. That's not what we're saying, and that's not what you know, that's not what, when someone says Black Lives Matter, they're not saying white lives don't matter too. But what they but when we say white lives matter too, we're we're just derailing the conversation away from the fact that there has been systemic oppression of people in our society for 400 years, right?Lesley Logan 6:05  And also, by the way, if you vote for the people of color who are different than you, you benefit too. By the way, if you've not, I'm not saying vote for people of color. I'm saying if you vote for the people who will represent the people of the least of these, you will benefit. You'll benefit in so many different ways.Brad Crowell 6:20  But here's the thing, that, yes, that you will absolutely benefit when there is, like, cultural and systemic racism against a particular group, it almost empowers violence towards that group, and that is where the that's where everyone got really, really frustrated with this murderer who was literally set free, you know, and, and I couldn't agree more, you know, it's, it's, it's wrong.Lesley Logan 6:50  It's just fucked up. I mean, to be honest, the whole thing that he stood on, that law that he stood on, is stupid, and it's in several different states, and people and like kids have been killed since then because they knocked on the wrong door. A black kid last year knocked on the wrong door looking to pick up his brothers, and they shot him because he's a black kid at their door. Like, what the, I'm sorry, that is infuriating. And we, we are not done. And I think, like, we got past 2020. Brad Crowell 7:18  It's like a mix of fear and racism and the fact that they're ever like. Lesley Logan 7:21  But they're, I won't even give them warrant over fear they're fucked up. Like, come on, I'm sorry.Brad Crowell 7:26  Like their bread fear is like, spued into their life.Lesley Logan 7:31  Right, I guess. But also like, we live in a world where you can curate your own algorithm and and these people are not taking the time to even, like, think about somebody else's experience at all, just their own, and they're so self-centered, and then they vote for people who lie to them and use them and use fear to use them. And now look where we're at. People are dying, and they're like, but my life still sucks. Yeah, it does. You voted for people who made sure it fucking sucked. And I am just like, the guns are the fucking problem. And then we have to. We voted we got rid of Trump the first time. We're like, oh, good. All this stuff is better. No, it's not. The Democrats didn't work fucking fast enough. And now we're here in this place of shit where black people still don't have the rights that white people do, and now brown people are being attacked in crazy ways. And by the way, like, if you're so concerned with, like, immigrants and crime. Like last year, immigrants killed three people, and ISIS killed 33 people from the stats that I just looked at. So like, I just think that, like, there's things that we could be taking into perspective, and it requires us to be more considerate of people who look different than us, and also fighting for their rights, because it will help yours. Anyways, end of rant. And by the way, that's a long conversation that we were like trying to get out. So if we like, that's something a little weird forgiveness, because we're all growing. We're all learning. You get amped up. Lesley Logan 8:50  So anyways, I want to get into what's going on. We just wrapped up Agency Mini last week, and so you missed it. Brad Crowell 9:02  Congratulations, it's over. Lesley Logan 8:57  Congratulations. You can't get on the waitlist, but you can get on the waitlist for the next one. We will do one more this year, prfit.biz/mini prfit.biz/mini that's profit without the O and it is for Pilates instructors and studio owners who work for themselves or want to so highly recommend it. Now we're getting up and we're gearing. We're gearing. We're gearing up and getting ready because we will be gone for an entire month in Europe. Brad and I, we're not taking Bayon on this trip. On this trip, and so we'll be first in Poland at the Controlology Conference to Contrology Pilates Conference in Wroclaw with Karen Frischmann, xxll.co/poland you can come from anywhere to go to that. Karen and I speak in English, and it will be translated into Polish. So if you can do either of those languages, that conference is for you. And then after that, Brad, Karen and I are going to go to the Contrology. We're going to Brussels to Pilatels like Vintage Pilates and friends. Ignacio is going to be there. El is the owner. She's going to be there. The four of us are gonna be teaching workshops and classes. It's gonna be a long, fun filled days. I promise these are something you don't wanna miss. Els really throws a party with these xxll.co/brussels, and I guess we're gonna be like in Bruges. So that's really cool. Don't quote me. It's all on the site. Just go there. Brad Crowell 9:02  Sounds fun. Lesley Logan 9:02  We have a lot of eLevate and other people that we know are going to that one. So it's gonna be a really fun party. And then after our second honeymoon, which your recommendations for things to do between Brussels and Paris that get us to London are welcomed, because we're going to take that train. I think, hopefully we can. That's the plan. We clearly haven't looked up anything. I just heard you can go from Paris to London, so that's what we're going to do. But you can join us at POT London. My Saturday workshop is filled, but there is a few spots left in the Sunday workshop that I'm teaching, but you should come to any of the workshops, because there's some excellent presenters at the POT in London, xxll.co/pot. By the way, that link will take you to all the POTs that Balanced Body is doing right now. Right now the only one on that schedule that I'm going to be at is POT London. We will have a booth at a couple others, but if you want to take workshop from me in Europe, you've got three weekend options, and that is it for at least a year, maybe two. So check it out xxll.co/pot, and then we come home, we're gonna get ready for spring training. Brad Crowell 11:16  Yeah, really looking forward to it. This year we're gonna change it up. Lesley Logan 11:19  How to get overhead. Brad Crowell 11:20  How to get overhead. So last year's spring training was so fun. We had people join us from all over the world. We had teachers join us from all over the globe, all the OPC teachers, and it was a big party. And we were digging into, well, each year we're digging into a different topic. So this year's topic is how to get overhead. And I know we kind of said this last week on the pod. But you don't have to be able to get overhead right to come learn. Lesley Logan 11:46  I don't like that. It's not have to get overhead, it's a how to. It's really finding your own version of overhead exercises. It's really just, you're here to find your own and that's what Pilates is making your own personal practice practice. It's called Contrology, the study of control. Not controlled.Brad Crowell 12:02  Yeah, not controlled. So come join us. Go to opc.me/events opc.me/events to grab a spot on the waitlist so that you're gonna be the first one to know when we do that in May. Before we get into this great interview with Brad, let's dig into this question. So on YouTube, @wanderlustonwheels asks, I would love to see recommendations for us perimenopausal ladies on the Cadillac. I am also hyper mobile, so I can't really do any mat work without fabricating and crunching my joints and pinching my nerves. I always end up with neck cranks that keep me from sleeping when I do mat work. So this is like multiple things rolled up into one. Lesley Logan 12:45  Yeah, I'm gonna keep it tight, because I appreciate your question about perimenopausal exercises on the Cadillac. And unfortunately, the way that Pilates has been changed, in some ways, is that people think I need to know this type of exercise for this piece of equipment, but really it's a system. And actually all Pilates is available to any perimenopausal woman on any piece of equipment. So what's cool about Pilates is it actually is a low cortisol producing workout, or it should be. And if yours is not, then you're probably not doing Pilates. It's a mind body connective work, and you're not moving super slow or super fast. There's some moments with zest and there's some moment with rhythm. But in in all honesty, most Pilates exercise classes session should actually be low cortisol producing really great for building strength and for getting that mind body connection, which will bring down that cortisol levels. And you should be able to sleep really, really well. So I'm not gonna say which exercises are great for perimenopause, because they all are, but depends on which ones your body needs right now. And that actually has nothing. That has very little to do with perimenopause, and more to do with like, what's going on with your body, the fact that you're hyper mobile, you didn't mention that you have EDS. So if you had EDS, this was a it's a different story, and you should definitely be working. You should really make sure to find an EDS teacher near you, trained teacher near you or online. Because the fact that when you do mat work your nerves are pinched and you have neck cranks makes me actually nervous that you're not doing actual Pilates exercises, and somebody is using the popularity of Pilates to entice you in, because if you're doing Pilates from your center on the mat as a hyper mobile person, the worst case scenario you're going to have is that it's easy. I'm a hyper mobile body, and so it would just feel easy to me because I was just locking my joints out and over stretching things and kind of hanging off of things. But the fact that you're actually having pinched nerves and neck cranks tells me that there's some sort of pressure that's being pulled to you in these exercises.Brad Crowell 14:46  Well, I think, I think, like, okay, so also hypermobile here. And did you know in like, super intense yoga for like, a long time before moving to Vegas and so now I do yoga differently, but before it was like, you know, 3, 4, 5 days a week doing yoga. And I definitely understand the idea of, like, crunching joints and pinching nerves, or I don't understand fabricating. That doesn't mean anything to me. But, you know, just because you can force your body into a shape doesn't mean you're doing it correctly. Lesley Logan 15:18  Well and also, I think that, like, something that you had to learn was that not every cue is for you. And I think sometimes in a class we hear them say something, so we do it in a hyper mobile people, we can keep going like, our end range isn't there, whereas a tighter person would be like, get stuck on something.Brad Crowell 15:35  I mean, look, I you know, I could put my head, my foot behind my head on the first day of class, the very first day, like, and they were like, your yoga practice is amazing. I was like, I'm brand new. What are you talking about? Right? So.Lesley Logan 15:46  And that teacher should have been like, oh, even though you can do that, you should not do that, because you don't know what you're doing.Brad Crowell 15:51  Right. You don't know how to engage your muscles, to protect your body. And that's what, to me, that's what it sounds like here, when you have crunching joints or pinching nerves, like in Pilates, we talk about the five spine shapes. And the spine shape that that you should focus on as a hyper mobile body is tall.Lesley Logan 16:07  Yeah, look at you, Brad. Brad Crowell 16:09  Oh yeah. Lesley Logan 16:10  Look at you. So so @wanderlustonwheels, like, here's the thing, if you were an OPC member and I was you sent in a video of you doing a couple of the mat exercises, just a couple reps, I don't want you to hurt anything, I could actually see what's going on. Without being able to see it just based off what I'm reading, it sounds to me that the person who's teaching the class is not teaching your body. They are teaching a class, and that is hard because it's more accessible for you to go to a class or to watch a YouTube video, but not everything is going to be for you. And so actually learning how to move from your center is going to be key, and that might mean investing in some time or some money to get either an OBC membership or a studio near you, where a teacher can actually look at you and go, oh, that's too high. Oh, that's too much. Or here are these exercises, because the mat work, like I said, as a hypermobile, it should just feel easy, and the fact you're getting hurt, really, like alarm bells are going off for me. Brad Crowell 17:03  There's a second thing I wanted to say on this, and I'm not a physical therapist, but also being a hypermobile body, the best thing that has that I've done for my body in the past five years is lifting weights.Lesley Logan 17:16  Well and, for perimenopausal women, you should be so people who actually do Pilates say I should lift weights. It's not an or it's an and I do both. I lift heavy weights and I do Pilates.Brad Crowell 17:27  Because, because the strength, here's here's where this has been weird for me, because I am, like, super competitive, the guy who wants to be the guy who can, you know, bend over backwards and and, like, you know, touch my toes backwards. I want to be that guy, because if they can do it, so can I. That's how my mentality has always been, and I could do a lot more flexibility things, maybe not properly, but with my hypermobility before I started becoming more strong, but with the strength added, which, you know, has been like, a process over multiple years. My body hurts way less, way less. I can still jack myself up, and I can still be like, oh man, I'm in my lower back right now. I can feel it, you know. But because my, because I've been like, my shoulders don't hurt anymore. They used to. My knees are hurting less they, you know, my back especially has been hurting less, and then, you know, I haven't had neck issues the way that you're describing them. But like, you know, if you strengthen your neck, imagine.Lesley Logan 18:31  Well, that's the thing that people, especially while we're doing that, going back to that spring training with overhead, I ask you, like, what they're nervous about and everyone's afraid of their neck. And I'm like, one, you should be on your neck. And two, your neck should be strong. Most people, like, are so afraid of hurting their neck that they're not actually strengthening their neck anymore, and their necks getting weaker. And so guess what? It's actually gonna you're gonna hurt it just sitting around. So I, I really, like, I feel for people because, like, what if? So what if @wanderlustonwheels, like, can't go to any place, right? What if she, like, doesn't have money or the time, and she like, I get that it's about listening to your body. And really true, like, sometimes you have to film yourself, because if you're looking at someone do something, and then you're trying to make yourself look like them. But then when you actually film yourself, you go, oh, wow, look at how hyperextended or look where my chin is like that could help you or if you can invest in even just some privates, going hey, I need to know these foundational exercises for my body. I need to know these foundational weight training exercises for my body. I'm hyper mobile, then you can I truly believe you can do Pilates on your own once you have those foundations. And that's I wouldn't have created OPC if I didn't think so, and you can train on your own. That's why gyms exist. So at any rate, like also, I just really wonder if the person teaching that mat class is actually teaching real mat Pilates or doing lots of extra reps or something. They might be doing Pilates exercises, but doing a ton of reps, or doing it too fast, or adding heavier weights. I say, like, what? I was like, oh, I want lightweights for a class, right? And I showed up and they're like, the lightest one's worth five pounds each. And I'm like, that's not Pilates. That like that should be in a gym, because Pilates is a one pound weight. So like, sometimes, you know, people want to fill the burn and so, and then studios lean towards that, because that's what I think, is there gonna be money, and what we're not doing is educating people, you know? (inaudible)Brad Crowell 20:12  Thanks for writing in that question. There's a lot there, but, but. Lesley Logan 20:17  We have a great workshop on OPC that Mindy Westfall did about Pilates for hypermobility, so I highly recommend taking a look at that.Brad Crowell 20:24  Yeah, that's a great point and and sorry for interrupting you there. But yes, if you have a question, we want to hear it, so text us 310-905-5534, or you can submit it through beitpod.com/questions beitpod.com/questions where you can leave either a win or a question. So send us some wins, people, we want to celebrate with you. Stick around. We'll be right back. We're going to talk about Brad Walsh. Brad Crowell 20:49  All right, let's talk about Brad Walsh. Brad is the host and founder of the Empower Podcast, a Toronto based platform dedicated to amplifying women's stories and strengthening their voices. A lifelong photographer. He discovered his passion in high school, and later transitioned from a 12 and a half year career as corporate audiovisual technician to full time photography, eventually specializing in boudoir work that helps women see their own strength and beauty. His commitment to women's empowerment is rooted in the example set by his mother and grandmother, whose courage shaped the values behind his work today. Lesley Logan 21:23  Yeah, and some cool women in his life. And we've had one photographer on before, and so I was, I was excited to talk a little bit about boudoir photography with him, because I grew up where a lot of women changed their bodies because of what they thought men would like, and then him being a male boudoir photographer who's like, literally loving everybody as it is and showing them how beautiful they are in their own bodies with these photos. And then then they can see how beautiful they are in those photos. It's fucking cool. I think it's great. Thanks, Brad, for not being a dick, you know, like there are some good men out there. Brad Crowell 21:56  If you haven't listened to his episode just yet, his you know, he shared his story a little bit. His dad left, or his mom left his dad, who was, you know, off cheating on her, basically, when he was 10, and they went through it like they were broke. They got an apartment. Mom slept on the couch, because he also has a brother, and he said, you know, her strength and courage to stand back up after 15 years of marriage and say, I'm done with this abuse. She left with nothing but the clothes on her back. And, you know, and then when she got a job because she needed to, after being out of the workforce for over a decade, grandma helped in, you know, stepped in to help. So, you know, very inspirational story there. And also, like, definitely lays the foundation for why he would be encouraging, you know, women and empowering women. So I appreciated hearing a little bit of that. But what are the what is one of the things that he talked about that you really loved?Lesley Logan 22:54  Well, he said, the gift of her seeing herself for the first time a light she's not used to seeing herself in. He said, like, it's so powerful to be able to give that to another human being and.Brad Crowell 23:03  You're specifically talking about his photography, yeah, boudoir photography.Lesley Logan 23:06  Yeah. He said when they see who they truly are and how they're captured, they leave a completely different woman. And there's not enough words, he said, to encapsulate the power in that as a photographer. I mean, I.Brad Crowell 23:19  His conviction, like, was, was so. Lesley Logan 23:21  Oh yeah, you have to hear it. Brad Crowell 23:22  Yeah, it was. It was very compelling. Because he's like, I don't, I don't have the words to say how much that has impacted me. Lesley Logan 23:28  Yeah. Well, I think, like, first of all, ladies, if you're like, I hate being on camera. I don't have (inaudible) you're the one who fucking needs to have your picture taken. Because, like, I was like, oh my God, we have a photo shoot tomorrow, and I love our photographer, and I love our makeup artist, and so I'm like, it's, I know it's going to be a great time, and it's a long day, like we talked about Brooks Tyler's book last week, and it's like, to be on an eight-hour shoot, you you have to have stamina, endurance, and I really think Adderall would have helped, like, just, just to stay focused right for that many hours. But when you see the photos at the end of the day, you're like, oh my God, I'm fucking stunning. And then you like, wake up the next day without hair and makeup, like, I'm fucking stunning. Like, it just keeps going. So, like, I highly recommend doing it, because it does change how you think about yourself. And when you change how you think about yourself, you change how you act, you change how you act, you change how you be it till you see it. I mean, there's no other way to say it. So what did you love?Brad Crowell 24:25  So I really dug when he was talking about resilience, right? And it stemmed from a conversation about being tired of the word resilient. You know, like, I've been told so many times you're so resilient. Well, I don't want to be resilient anymore. Why do I have to keep being resilient?Lesley Logan 24:37  My friends are like, you're the most resilient person, I know I'm like, over it pretty done.Brad Crowell 24:42  And he took a step back and paused, and he's like, well, this is how I see what resilience is. It's, it's courage and inner strength, specifically, when you you keep getting back up after being knocked down time after time, right? And he said, he said it's really important that women be resilient so they can share their experience, and inspire other women by being vulnerable, by sharing their experience. It's a permission slip for others. It shows them what is possible, right? And I thought that's totally relevant and important. And he said, while it can certainly be tiring, it serves a greater purpose, right? And it makes your efforts bigger than just you. You know, it makes your efforts towards whatever it is that you're working on. When you share those things and you continue to get back up, you know, you're giving permission for others to keep going on their journey, which we don't know what exactly what it is, but there's clearly going to be something relatable. He said, even if you're only influencing one person, right? It's worth it. He said, think about that impact, and how you know that you can have and how you can help. Maybe, you know, maybe by sharing your story, your struggles, it will prevent someone from having to go through something similar that you experience, because you know you're sharing how you got through it. So, I mean, that's honestly, like half the reason we do this podcast is hearing, you know, how did they get from A to B? How are they being it till they see, how they get to where they are today and, you know, it's inspirational. I hope you found it as well.Lesley Logan 26:08  I did. I really did. And I couldn't agree more. I mean, like, you're, you know, it's not a podcast I used to listen to before I was ever like when the first they just ended their first season, which is like, more like an ending of a show. I think they call the end of a season one, because they could always come back. But it was like 968, episodes. And I know. And I was just like, interesting. I wonder what it'd be like, like, well, how do you, how do you think about ending it? I read, like, their statement, which is, like, everything that we did worked, and like, look, we've inspired people. And I was like, there must have been a point where they, like, thought it wasn't adding anymore, you know, and but, and every time I'm like, is this podcast like helping anybody out? And then we go on tour, and someone's like, I loved this. And I'm like, well, fuck, we got to keep going because it's fucking hard work podcasting. But I know every stupid bro makes it look like it's the easiest thing you ever did in your life. This is a fucking hard thing that we do every week.Brad Crowell 27:00  Yeah, we're surrounded by a whole team to set us up to be able to even do this.Lesley Logan 27:03  Yes, and you just get to, like, vent or rant or like, I don't know what the fuck they think they're doing, but like, you actually have to, like, have structure and, like, think about these things and think about the people you're platforming. You know, I know that dickhead CEO podcast is like, I'm not platforming these people. I'm having a conversation. No, you're fucking platforming them, right? So, like, sometimes I'm like, oh, do I should I be platforming this person? Because I want to change lives for the better, right? So, and it's difficult because you're like, how do I know this person? How am I going to there's so many things to think about, but I do agree. It's like, if you can change one's person's life with it, like, then it's worth doing, worth all the effort. Brad Crowell 27:33  Yeah, well, stick around. We'll be right back. We're going to dig into those Be It Action Items that we got from your conversation with Brad Walsh. Brad Crowell 27:42  All right, welcome back. So finally, let's talk about those Be It Action Items. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from your conversation with Brad Walsh? He said, you just have to be authentic. Don't try to be something that you're not. And the two of you went back and forth about we need to take back the word authentic, it's overused and overplayed, but there's still something to it. You know? He said, look, when we only show the happy, shiny, beautiful part of the thing that we went through, we're not being honest, and that's not being authentic, because there was definitely some shit we had to go through to get there too, right? And so I think it's fair to say that you can still be selective about all of the shit. You don't have to share everything. We're not airing our dirty laundry, but it's important to show that there's a struggle as well, and that that like contributes to that authenticity. It makes it actually authentic, right? So drill down, you know, be selective, but take that mask off and actually like, be genuine. So what about you?Lesley Logan 28:42  Oh, well, you know, I love this his father's wisdom, who said, what's meant for you will never go by you. And the mantra that I say, which means the same thing, is, like, what is for you will not pass you, or you will not pass you. And I think that that's a really important thing, because it's really easy to, like, hang on to something because we're afraid that something else won't come along. But like, if it's meant for you, will not go by you. And it's something that, like, as our career has taken off, as our business continues to grow, I have to say no to a lot of things, and that means worrying. Oh my god, am I letting something go? Am I saying no to something that could have, like, changed the trajectory? And it's like, I have to trust that what is meant for me will never go by you. What is for me will not pass me. So I hope that gives you something to think about, because it's not going to be all fucking rainbows and glitter, especially right now. Like, it's really hard right now. And I want to recognize every single one of you are listening like, you open up the news and it's fucked, and then you have to go to work and go, how are you? Well, all things considered, not shitty, but, like, it's hard, especially especially as people who have empathy and feelings and and caring. And so you have to keep getting up, doing the best you can. If you live somewhere where you can call someone who represents you and yell at them for what they need to step up, do that, it's part of a great day, and then keep going because if you can affect one person's life to make it better, it does matter. I love that. Brad Crowell 30:04  Yeah, me too. Lesley Logan 30:04  I'm Lesley Logan.Brad Crowell 30:06  Well, before we do that, we just wanted to shout out. Brad has an upcoming conference that's called Empowerography. It's a live conference for 2026 It is Friday, April 24th, through Sunday, April 26th, and I'm pretty sure it's a virtual. Lesley Logan 30:21  It's virtual so you can go. Brad Crowell 30:22  So you can find tickets and information about it on Facebook. Search for Empowerography. That's E-M power ography. You know, Empowerography Live Conference. Just search for Brad Walsh. Lesley Logan 30:33  We'll put the link in the show notes as well. That might be easier. Okay, go do that. And I'm Lesley Logan. Brad Crowell 30:38  And I'm Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 30:39  Thanks so much for listening. Thanks for being you. Thanks for calling your congressman and your senators and laying on the peppy if you're American and if you are European or somewhere from anywhere else you there's ways to lay on our shit too. So you can, you can help make change in this world. I believe it. I believe you and you. And if you don't want to do any of that, then leave me a review, please. Thanks so much. Until next time, Be It Till You See It.Brad Crowell 31:01  Bye for now. Lesley Logan 31:03  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 31:45  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 31:50  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 31:54  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 32:01  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 32:04  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:15:00 GMT http://relay.fm/conduit/122 http://relay.fm/conduit/122 Kathy Campbell and Jay Miller Jay is gone again, so Kathy brings back Merlin Mann to discuss productivity porn as well as a ton of other topics of import. Jay is gone again, so Kathy brings back Merlin Mann to discuss productivity porn as well as a ton of other topics of import. clean 5583 Jay is gone again, so Kathy brings back Merlin Mann to discuss productivity porn as well as a ton of other topics of import. Guest Starring: Merlin Mann Links and Show Notes: Checked Connections - Merlin ✅ - Working on collecting the old sites and Fives list - Kathy ✅ - Get ready for unicorning cowork Keep sending those MyConduit Connections to us on Discord and through Feedback! New Connections - Merlin - Keep working on the site thing - Kathy - Take things to the post office For Our Super Conductors: Pre-Show: LIDar on iOS. How do you know if you're ladder is against the right wall? Post-Show: Embracing the chaos Credits Music: When You Smile Executive Producers: Relay FM Discord Community Conduit e122 Links Merlin's One Good Things Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Judy Greer (Ted Danson, Conan O'Brien Network) -- "I went in thinking, oh, this looks really good, and I ended up liking it probably twice as much as I expected." Judy Greer -- Cheryl/Carol on Archer, Kitty Sanchez on Arrested Development. "It was neat to hear her talk about how important it was for her to get better at acting." Typora -- WYSIWYG Markdown editor ($15). "A really nice balance of what I'm looking for" -- discovered through the 5ives redesign work with Claude. Judi Dench speech on The Graham Norton Show -- "Made me cry." Kathy's One Good Thing Flavor Flav sponsoring the US women's hockey team -- Vegas celebration for the gold-medal team. Merlin responded by rapping "Bring the Noise" from memory. Merlin's Shows Do By Friday (with Alex Cox) Reconcilable Differences (with John Siracusa) Roderick on the Line (with John Roderick) Productivity / Publishing Inbox Zero -- "I'm the inbox zero guy." Merlin originated the concept; the world turned it into a marketing term. 43folders.com -- "In 2004, there were not a lot of websites about how to deal with your productivity problems as a Mac user." Back to Work (5by5) -- former podcast David Allen / Getting Things Done -- "He claims he's the laziest man in the world, and I've always admired that he says that." Danny O'Brien and the 2005 ETech "Life Hacks" talk -- "Danny and I are both so addled and odd and different... his energy was just incandescent to be around." The conference where Merlin's laptop had Wi-Fi for the first time. Site Meter -- "There's your life before site meter and your life after site meter." The little GIF badge that counted page loads and launched a million blog vanity spirals. 5ives & Typography 5ives -- Merlin's list site (2002), 450 lists, being revived. "I'm pleased with myself. I like that I made four hundred and fifty lists that some people thought were funny in the 2000s." Matthew Butterick -- fonts, Practical Typography. "One of those people where I'm just interested in your deal," like Simon Willison or Edgar Wright. Merlin bought the entire font set during a bout of situational depression and is finally using them for the 5ives redesign. Movies & TV The Hollow Crown (BBC) -- Trailer. "Look at that stacked cast." Ben Whishaw, Tom Hiddleston, Sophie Okonedo, Rory Kinnear. Merlin told Kathy to buy it on Apple TV "or I can pirate it for you." Kenneth Branagh's Henry V (1989) -- "My number one movie that I recommend." "You don't even need to understand what they're saying. It'll still give you shivers." Mark Rylance: St. Crispin's Day speech at the Globe -- "It gives you a different kind of shivers, like a different part of your neck and your back." Merlin recited part of the speech from memory. The Death of Stalin (2017) -- "A very dark, very funny film" by Armando Iannucci. Veep / The Thick of It -- "It's gonna be difficult difficult lemon difficult." Both Iannucci. Led to Merlin imagining Matthew Butterick as a Veep restaurant reservation alias. Women Talking (2022) / Men (2022) -- Merlin's suggested double feature for mom's night. "Start with Women Talking, back with Men." Jessie Buckley, Rory Kinnear. Our Flag Means Death -- Merlin named his Mac Studio "Buttons" after Ewen Bremner's Mr. Buttons ("the guy from Trainspotting"). Rhys Darby, Kristian Nairn ("Hodor's on there. He's a big fella."). Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) -- "Just to be available." Merlin's favorite line, from Mr. Kylie the possum wanting to know his job in the big plan. Music Vikingur Olafsson: Goldberg Variations (Deutsche Grammophon, 2023) -- Merlin's current obsession. "I care so intensely about that." Discovered after years of only knowing Glenn Gould. Glenn Gould: 1955 vs. 1981 Goldberg Variations -- The famous pair: 38 minutes of youthful showmanship vs. 51 minutes of deliberate structure. Public Enemy -- "Bring the Noise" -- Merlin rapped the full opening verse from memory when Kathy mentioned Flavor Flav. "Bass, how low can you go?" Poetry Gwendolyn Brooks -- "We Real Cool" (video of her 1983 Guggenheim reading) -- "We real cool. We jazz June. We die soon." Merlin on hearing poetry "in the air" vs. on the page. Sylvia Plath -- "Daddy" (her 1962 BBC recording) -- "You do not do, you do not do... you really hear something you didn't see on the page." Books & Podcasts Bessel van der Kolk on The Ezra Klein Show -- "One of my all-time favorite podcast episodes. It changed my life. Everything you know about trauma is screwing you up." Off Menu -- celebrities describe their dream meal. The Amanda Seyfried episode taught Merlin about a kind of olive he now puts on Brussels sprouts. Mr. Show with Bob and David -- source of the "hey everybody" drum bit Merlin does throughout. "I'm very, very, very specifically stealing it from a bit about the new Ku Klux Klan." Blank Check (Griffin Newman) -- source of "the great ___" bit. "I'll credit Griffin Newman for that bit." People James Thompson (PCalc, Dice by PCalc) -- "What if twenty-sided dice fell on your head?" Merlin on how James finds delight in close-to-the-metal Apple tech. Armando Iannucci -- "If you like English nerd comedy, he's really something." Simon Willison, Matt Webb, danah boyd -- people Merlin follows because "I'm just interested in your deal." Edgar Wright -- "I will just show up because I'm interested in what he's up to. I don't even care if I like his movie." Ecamm Live -- streaming app Kathy uses for her unicorn co-working sessions. Pre-Show (Superconductors only) LiDAR accessibility features on iPhone -- Merlin fiddled with it on the street, "pointing his phone at people for a very long time." Apple's breathing sleep LED -- the MacBook pulsing light. Kathy: "So relaxing, so unnecessary and delightful." Apple researched sleeping respiratory rates and chose the calmest end of the spectrum. Erich Brenn, plate spinner, on The Ed Sullivan Show -- the origin of "spinning plates" as a metaphor. 8 appearances in the 1950s-60s. Support Conduit with a Relay Membership

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Alyssa Donovan from Canada, best known for her incredible sourdough creations! We dive into everything from making your own starter to tips and resources for making delicious loaves. She even shares a dessert focaccia recipe! Alyssa talks about the best flours for gluten-free baking, so your baked goods turn out soft and fluffy, and she recommends a site with delicious recipes you'll refer to again and again. We discuss a way to make chores fun for kids, why an air fryer might be a kitchen must-have, and a Brussels sprouts recipe the whole family will love. We're so glad you're here! Visit www.comeoverfordinner.com for recipes, product links, and more!

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:15:00 GMT http://relay.fm/conduit/122 http://relay.fm/conduit/122 There is No One True Anything with Merlin Mann 122 Kathy Campbell and Jay Miller Jay is gone again, so Kathy brings back Merlin Mann to discuss productivity porn as well as a ton of other topics of import. Jay is gone again, so Kathy brings back Merlin Mann to discuss productivity porn as well as a ton of other topics of import. clean 5583 Jay is gone again, so Kathy brings back Merlin Mann to discuss productivity porn as well as a ton of other topics of import. Guest Starring: Merlin Mann Links and Show Notes: Checked Connections - Merlin ✅ - Working on collecting the old sites and Fives list - Kathy ✅ - Get ready for unicorning cowork Keep sending those MyConduit Connections to us on Discord and through Feedback! New Connections - Merlin - Keep working on the site thing - Kathy - Take things to the post office For Our Super Conductors: Pre-Show: LIDar on iOS. How do you know if you're ladder is against the right wall? Post-Show: Embracing the chaos Credits Music: When You Smile Executive Producers: Relay FM Discord Community Conduit e122 Links Merlin's One Good Things Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Judy Greer (Ted Danson, Conan O'Brien Network) -- "I went in thinking, oh, this looks really good, and I ended up liking it probably twice as much as I expected." Judy Greer -- Cheryl/Carol on Archer, Kitty Sanchez on Arrested Development. "It was neat to hear her talk about how important it was for her to get better at acting." Typora -- WYSIWYG Markdown editor ($15). "A really nice balance of what I'm looking for" -- discovered through the 5ives redesign work with Claude. Judi Dench speech on The Graham Norton Show -- "Made me cry." Kathy's One Good Thing Flavor Flav sponsoring the US women's hockey team -- Vegas celebration for the gold-medal team. Merlin responded by rapping "Bring the Noise" from memory. Merlin's Shows Do By Friday (with Alex Cox) Reconcilable Differences (with John Siracusa) Roderick on the Line (with John Roderick) Productivity / Publishing Inbox Zero -- "I'm the inbox zero guy." Merlin originated the concept; the world turned it into a marketing term. 43folders.com -- "In 2004, there were not a lot of websites about how to deal with your productivity problems as a Mac user." Back to Work (5by5) -- former podcast David Allen / Getting Things Done -- "He claims he's the laziest man in the world, and I've always admired that he says that." Danny O'Brien and the 2005 ETech "Life Hacks" talk -- "Danny and I are both so addled and odd and different... his energy was just incandescent to be around." The conference where Merlin's laptop had Wi-Fi for the first time. Site Meter -- "There's your life before site meter and your life after site meter." The little GIF badge that counted page loads and launched a million blog vanity spirals. 5ives & Typography 5ives -- Merlin's list site (2002), 450 lists, being revived. "I'm pleased with myself. I like that I made four hundred and fifty lists that some people thought were funny in the 2000s." Matthew Butterick -- fonts, Practical Typography. "One of those people where I'm just interested in your deal," like Simon Willison or Edgar Wright. Merlin bought the entire font set during a bout of situational depression and is finally using them for the 5ives redesign. Movies & TV The Hollow Crown (BBC) -- Trailer. "Look at that stacked cast." Ben Whishaw, Tom Hiddleston, Sophie Okonedo, Rory Kinnear. Merlin told Kathy to buy it on Apple TV "or I can pirate it for you." Kenneth Branagh's Henry V (1989) -- "My number one movie that I recommend." "You don't even need to understand what they're saying. It'll still give you shivers." Mark Rylance: St. Crispin's Day speech at the Globe -- "It gives you a different kind of shivers, like a different part of your neck and your back." Merlin recited part of the speech from memory. The Death of Stalin (2017) -- "A very dark, very funny film" by Armando Iannucci. Veep / The Thick of It -- "It's gonna be difficult difficult lemon difficult." Both Iannucci. Led to Merlin imagining Matthew Butterick as a Veep restaurant reservation alias. Women Talking (2022) / Men (2022) -- Merlin's suggested double feature for mom's night. "Start with Women Talking, back with Men." Jessie Buckley, Rory Kinnear. Our Flag Means Death -- Merlin named his Mac Studio "Buttons" after Ewen Bremner's Mr. Buttons ("the guy from Trainspotting"). Rhys Darby, Kristian Nairn ("Hodor's on there. He's a big fella."). Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) -- "Just to be available." Merlin's favorite line, from Mr. Kylie the possum wanting to know his job in the big plan. Music Vikingur Olafsson: Goldberg Variations (Deutsche Grammophon, 2023) -- Merlin's current obsession. "I care so intensely about that." Discovered after years of only knowing Glenn Gould. Glenn Gould: 1955 vs. 1981 Goldberg Variations -- The famous pair: 38 minutes of youthful showmanship vs. 51 minutes of deliberate structure. Public Enemy -- "Bring the Noise" -- Merlin rapped the full opening verse from memory when Kathy mentioned Flavor Flav. "Bass, how low can you go?" Poetry Gwendolyn Brooks -- "We Real Cool" (video of her 1983 Guggenheim reading) -- "We real cool. We jazz June. We die soon." Merlin on hearing poetry "in the air" vs. on the page. Sylvia Plath -- "Daddy" (her 1962 BBC recording) -- "You do not do, you do not do... you really hear something you didn't see on the page." Books & Podcasts Bessel van der Kolk on The Ezra Klein Show -- "One of my all-time favorite podcast episodes. It changed my life. Everything you know about trauma is screwing you up." Off Menu -- celebrities describe their dream meal. The Amanda Seyfried episode taught Merlin about a kind of olive he now puts on Brussels sprouts. Mr. Show with Bob and David -- source of the "hey everybody" drum bit Merlin does throughout. "I'm very, very, very specifically stealing it from a bit about the new Ku Klux Klan." Blank Check (Griffin Newman) -- source of "the great ___" bit. "I'll credit Griffin Newman for that bit." People James Thompson (PCalc, Dice by PCalc) -- "What if twenty-sided dice fell on your head?" Merlin on how James finds delight in close-to-the-metal Apple tech. Armando Iannucci -- "If you like English nerd comedy, he's really something." Simon Willison, Matt Webb, danah boyd -- people Merlin follows because "I'm just interested in your deal." Edgar Wright -- "I will just show up because I'm interested in what he's up to. I don't even care if I like his movie." Ecamm Live -- streaming app Kathy uses for her unicorn co-working sessions. Pre-Show (Superconductors only) LiDAR accessibility features on iPhone -- Merlin fiddled with it on the street, "pointing his phone at people for a very long time." Apple's breathing sleep LED -- the MacBook pulsing light. Kathy: "So relaxing, so unnecessary and delightful." Apple researched sleeping respiratory rates and chose the calmest end of the spectrum. Erich Brenn, plate spinner, on The Ed Sullivan Show -- the origin of "spinning plates" as a metaphor. 8 appearances in the 1950s-60s. Support Conduit with a Relay Membership

All eyes on Geneva. Nuclear talks between the US and Iran resume today amid rising tensions, military posturing, and sharp rhetoric from Donald Trump. Is a deal within reach — or are both sides preparing for confrontation? We also turn to efforts to revive peace talks on Ukraine, five years into the war, and examine growing strains within Europe — from the Druzhba pipeline dispute to mounting pressure over EU–US trade relations. With tariff threats looming and political trust under scrutiny, can Brussels and Washington still find common ground? We are joined by top trade MEP Bernd Lange.Europe Today is Euronews' daily podcast hosted by Maria Tadeo and Méabh Mc Mahon, broadcasting directly from Brussels, at the heart of Europe. Every morning, we deliver the top and exclusive stories shaping the European Union (EU) and beyond.Stay ahead with the key news and insights that matter in Europe today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Toth, Research Director of the Civitas Institute, defends financialization against critics, arguing that expanded market participation through 401ks and deregulation drives median income growth and American productivity compared to Europe. 12.1900 BRUSSELS

In episode 123 of "I Learned About Flying From That," host Carl Valeri sits down with pilot James McDiarmid to discuss a dream cross-country flight that quickly turned into a terrifying emergency. Cruising at 23,000 feet in his Mooney Acclaim en route from the UK to Italy, James was enjoying a smooth ride—until the engine unexpectedly quit cold over Brussels. Faced with freezing temperatures and a complete loss of power, James was forced to declare a Mayday and initiate a harrowing dead-stick glide toward an unfamiliar runway, with his wife by his side and the odds stacked against them. Will they make it to the ground safely? And what invisible, easily overlooked threat caused a perfectly well-maintained engine to suddenly fail at flight level 230? Tune in to hear the gripping conclusion to James's mid-air crisis and discover the critical lesson every high-altitude piston pilot needs to hear.

Over the past year, Europe–India relations have entered a markedly upbeat phase. What was once a diffuse partnership—long on rhetoric, short on strategy—now looks far more purposeful. From the announcement on a long-delayed EU-India Free Trade Agreement to expanding cooperation on security, technology, and migration, Europe and India appear to be—finally—converging around a shared strategic logic.To unpack what's driving this convergence—and where its limits lie—Milan is joined on the show this week by Garima Mohan. Garima is a senior fellow in the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund based in Brussels. In this capacity, she leads GMF's work on India and serves as convenor of the India Trilateral Forum. Her research focuses on Europe-India ties, EU foreign policy in Asia, and security in the Indo-Pacific. She's also the author of a new GMF report titled, “A Long Time Coming: Europe and India have discovered a strategic partnership,” published in January 2026.Milan and Garima discuss the geopolitical drivers that are bringing the EU and India closer together, Europe's views on the limits to India's potential, and the key takeaways from the EU-India FTA. Plus, the two discuss how Russia might derail Indo-European security cooperation and the urgent need for Europe to invest in India expertise.Episode notes:1.     “Europe's long-awaited free-trade deal with India,” The Economist, January 25, 2026.2.     Garima Mohan, “As Trump takes Office, Planets Align for the EU and India,” India's World, March 6, 2025.3.     “Can Europe be India's Plan B? (with James Crabtree),” Grand Tamasha, September 17, 2025.4.     “India and the Reordering of Transatlantic Relations (with Tara Varma),” Grand Tamasha, March 11, 2025.5.     “Mr. Modi Goes to Europe (with Garima Mohan),” Grand Tamasha, May 11, 2022.

In Jurassic Park, the T-Rex stomps around the place with an earth-shattering rumble, but a new study in the States has discovered that it actually moved much more daintily, using its tip toes.Filippo Bertozzo, Researcher at the Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels and a dinosaur expert, wasn't involved in the study, but has been reviewing its findings, and joins Seán to discuss.

Michael Toth, Research Director of the Civitas Institute, compares the thriving US equity markets with Europe's "eurosclerosis," attributing American growth to deregulation and dynamism while critiquing Europe's failure to produce new unicorns. 11.1900 BRUSSELS

Preview for later today: Michael Toth attributes US economic superiority over Europe to "Eurosclerosis," arguing that excessive Brussels regulations stifle the market competition and growth found in America.1900 BRUSSELS

European leaders are failing to pushback against racist messaging from the Trump Administration, signaling their acceptance of a new geopolitics of whiteness. Among the most recent examples is a standing ovation for US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference after he celebrated the colonial era and reprised warnings about a so-called civilizational erasure of Europe by migrants. The stated reason for the clapping in Munich was the softer tone on Europe taken by Rubio compared to that taken by US Vice President JD Vance a year earlier. In reality, the governing elites in Europe have a good deal more in common with the Trump Administration than most would care to admit. For one, Washington and Brussels both are seeking to justify a radical expansion of migration and asylum policies that brutalize large numbers of black and brown people inside and outside their borders. The difference is that the Europeans have historically sought to obfuscate such actions, says Emmanuel Achiri of the European Network Against Racism. By contrast the Trump Administration bluntly advertises its brutality by announcing ICE operations in racialized communities and posting white supremacist memes to official social media channels. In this episode: Emmanuel unpacks the origins of whiteness in Europe and North America; he examines the use whiteness by the Trump Administration as a main plank of US foreign policy; and he explains how violence on Europe's borders is often effectively invisibilized in what amounts to a form of necropolitics.Support the show

In undisclosed locations, volunteers meet regularly in the Belgian capital to assemble drones destined for Ukraine. Teachers, European civil servants, members of the Ukrainian diaspora and former military personnel are participating in this initiative coordinated by the NGO Wings for Europe. Funded by private donations, these devices are then sent to the front lines. FRANCE 24's Alix Le Bourdon and Dave Keating report from Brussels.

Silicon Bites Ep289 | 2026-02-20 | Brussels drops a “terms of defeat” on Moscow. Extensive, comprehensive and bold. This is the first glimmer of strength and quite uncharacteristically clear. Why have these demands dropped now, and why does Brussels think they have a chance of being obeyed? Could it be that they sense the defeat and collapse of Russia is on the horizon? This is intriguing. Alright — pause the farce of a so-called peace negotiation in Geneva for a second, because Brussels has just slid a document across the table that basically says: “No, actually—Russia doesn't get to keep its overseas garrisons and vassals as a prize for invading its neighbour.”Multiple outlets — drawing on reporting from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty — say EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has circulated an internal EU “discussion paper” setting out what Europe thinks Russia should be forced to concede in any settlement. Not Ukraine. Russia. (Euromaidan Press) Finally putting demands to the aggressor, not the victim. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------SOURCES:EU internal paper reported via RFE/RL summaries and regional coverage (Feb 17–19, 2026): (messenger.com.ge) EU Commission spokesperson remarks on EU role in any peace agreement (Feb 20, 2026): (ukrinform.net) EU briefing quote: “no tangible signs” Russia is serious on peace; “nothing can be decided…” (Feb 19, 2026): (The Guardian) Foreign Affairs Council agenda (23 Feb 2026): (Consilium)Russia war-economy strain: Reuters Breakingviews (Feb 19, 2026): (Reuters)Russia oil & gas revenue projection (Feb 19, 2026): (Reuters)Russia National Wealth Fund liquid assets (Finance Ministry via TASS, Feb 5, 2026)Moldova reintegration / troop withdrawal emphasis (Moldpres)Ukraine FM Sybiha on Transnistria threat (Interfax Ukraine)South Caucasus pressure points (Reuters on Vardanyan sentencing, Feb 17 2026): (Reuters)Syria: Russia negotiating/uncertain base status (TASS) and Moscow Times analysis: (TASS)Iran escalation / regime change logic (Reuters, Feb 20 2026): (Reuters)----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

Rob Jetten starts his term one finance minister short of a full cabinet after Natalie van Berkel is found to have inflated her credentials on LinkedIn. More new homes are being built, but not enough to tackle the housing shortage or cool the property market. The armed forces are struggling to recruit chefs, mechanics and other support staff in the battle to spend the extra Nato billions. A new rail link is planned to connect Eindhoven to Brussels. And the Dutch shorttrack skaters eclipse the stars of the big oval at the Winter Olympics.

In Brussels, several EU member states are angry with the European Commission. These countries did not appreciate that the EU's executive body attended the first meeting of the “Board of Peace” launched by Donald Trump.What was the alternative for the EU? Should Europeans stay away from this initiative?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This lecture was recorded by Alain Goriely on 13th February 2026 at Bernard's Inn Hall, LondonAlain Goriely is a mathematician with broad interests in mathematical methods, mechanics, sciences, and engineering. He is well known for his contributions to dynamical systems, mathematical biology, as well as fundamental and applied mechanics. He is particularly well known for the development of a mathematical theory of biological growth, culminating with his seminal monograph The Mathematics on Mechanics of Biological Growth (2017).He received his PhD from the University of Brussels in 1994 where he became a lecturer. In 1996, he joined the University of Arizona where he established a research group within the renowned Program of Applied Mathematics. In 2010, he joined the University of Oxford as the inaugural Statutory Professor of Mathematical Modelling and fellow of St. Catherine's College. He is currently the Director of the Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/she-sellsGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

We caught up with Jana Kominek Vecerkova to learn more about the EUSPA CASSINI Challenge, which is now looking for more interesting startup space ideas for future EU launches. See more details about the project here CASSINI Challenges competition is open | EU Agency for the Space Programme Check out the webinar on the CASSINI Challenge call Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams Jana is a startup ecosystem builder with over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship, product development, and project management. At the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), she supports space ventures as part of the CASSINI initiative, helping space ventures scale, secure investment, and transform bold ideas into market-ready solutions. As a serial founder, she has launched an acclaimed tech education program and a real estate micro-investment marketplace. Earlier in her career, Jana worked in Brussels managing pan-European projects, collaborating with public and private stakeholders. She holds an MSc in European Political Economy from the London School of Economics. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell unpack what having a “Pilates body” actually means, diving deep into the misconception that health has a specific aesthetic. They explore why moving for health matters more than chasing a look, how confidence is built through action, and what it takes to stop shrinking your own story. Through honest reflection and real examples, this episode challenges the narratives that keep people playing small. Listeners are invited to redefine strength from the inside out. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Why “Pilates body” was never meant to describe a physical aesthetic.Moving for health instead of chasing shape or size outcomes.Reframing “fake it till you make it” as a confidence tool.How luck narratives keep people from owning their grit.Why having the right people in your corner matters long-term.Episode References/Links:Agency MINI - https://prfit.biz/mini Poland Contrology Pilates Conference - xxll.co/poland Brussels - xxll.co/brussels POT London - https://xxll.co/pot Spring Training - How to Get Overhead - https://opc.me/events The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063337163The Great American Spit Out - https://beitpod.com/americanspitoutRethinking Thin by Gina Kolata - https://a.co/d/0djq9K9pHysteria Podcast - https://beitpod.com/hysteriaButts: A Backstory - https://a.co/d/gHqMk8vSend your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questions If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  We have to cut to the bullshit of like, what a healthy body looks like. We just have to. Like, I am massively impressed by these strong women and strong men. They are not tiny people, they are big people, and what they can do is fucking insane. Lesley Logan 0:14  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 0:54  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the redefining convo I had with Brooke Siler and Maria Earle in our last episode. And if you didn't listen to that one, you fucked up, you missed, you messed up. Brad Crowell 1:09  Game over. Lesley Logan 1:09  I'm sorry. I hate to say it that harshly, but you gotta, you gotta listen. I mean, what are you doing? How are you missing the Tuesday episode? No, I'm kidding. Listen to this. Sometimes people like to listen this, and then they go listen to that one. So if that's you, I'm not harping on you, you're gonna go listen to it, because you are gonna be so intrigued if you missed it. It was so good. It was so fun. Brad Crowell 1:28  Yeah, it was good. It was actually a lot of fun. And there were, like, some great moments in there that I started taking notes. Lesley Logan 1:35  Whoa, whoa. 643 episodes later, friends and he is taking notes. Oh, my God. Well, today is February 19th 2026, it's a Great American Spit Out. We observe Great American Spit Out on the Thursday of February's third full week every year. So complicated. This year it takes place. I have a really funny side note, I listened to this podcast. Brad Crowell 2:01  Third full week. Thursday of the.Lesley Logan 2:04  Yeah, The February's third full week every year. Yeah. So there's this one podcast I listened to, and those, I won't say the podcast name, because if you listen to it, you'll know what I'm talking about. And she always says the date, and she'll say 2000 2026 and it's taken forever for her to go, what I'm not saying it right? They're like, No, you're not, anyways. And that just made me think of it like, let's make it as complicated as possible. Thursday of February, third full week of every year. So would it be the third Thursday of the fullest week in February? Brad Crowell 2:37  Why would the third week of February not be full? Lesley Logan 2:39  Well, because you could start on a for the first could start on a Thursday. Brad Crowell 2:40  Oh, I see. Lesley Logan 2:41  And so that's not a full week. Brad Crowell 2:43  So it's not, technically, the third Thursday, because if the if the week start, if it starts on a Wednesday, the first Thursday is not a full week.Lesley Logan 2:54  The third Thursday of February's fullest week. Brad Crowell 3:00  I think this is hilarious. Moving on.Lesley Logan 3:02  Anyways, they're like, dying to know what this is. So this year, it takes place on February 19th. It's a day to encourage people, especially veterans, to stop using smokeless tobacco products. The important mission of the day. I mean, honestly, this is for everybody. I appreciate that we're encouraging our veterans.Brad Crowell 3:19  All tobacco products, but right now we're talking about the Great American Spit Out, which is clearly talking about dipping, yeah, dipping and other things. Lesley Logan 3:27  Dipping and other things. I guess there's other things. So the important mission of this day is to provide users with enough resources to help them stop using such products that tobacco plant is cultivated for its leaves. Tobacco leaves are rich in nicotine, which is an addictive chemical people can use tobacco to smoke, chew or sniff. The Great American Spit Out as the perfect day to start, to start fighting the addiction caused by tobacco products and nicotine. Smokeless tobacco users are encouraged to quit, even if just for one day. Hey, you know what? You know around here, we are here for just one day. Anything to start. I actually really picked this day because a few other days were quite boring. But my family has a history of smokers and it and all of them had to have surgery, and all of them did not die on an easy in an easy way. So my grandfather, he had a part of his lung removed, like a huge part back in the day when they did those surgeries, it looks like a shark bit him. And they would show us, this is this is our hooked on trucks. This is our dare campaign. My family would pull up a shirt and show us the shark attack. Oh, this is gonna happen to you if you smoke. And then, yes, but your parents did a more, kinder.Brad Crowell 4:25  Yeah, we didn't have any shark attack smoking shark attack (inaudible).Lesley Logan 4:29  Everyone was able to learn, like the way I was raised. And then my mom had another because of the blood, the way his blood coagulated, and his tobacco use started losing limbs. And to the day he died, he still smoked. Because at one point he was like, Well, if I have no feet or legs or fingers, I should at least continue to smoke. And then his wife died of secondhand smoke. She died of emphysema. So yeah, so at any rate. So I also looked up because we are hearing that tobacco products are back on the rise again, partly because, like, you know, the hooked on drugs is your brain on drugs and and and things like that aren't working. But also the youth today, the youth, the younger people today, the youths, they are actually they're they actually don't they have a deeper sense of fatalism, like they actually don't think that they'll be alive as long as the rest of the world has been or in a world that is going to be healthy and clean for them. So why not smoke? Which I get that? Here's the deal. Brad Crowell 5:25  Aren't they drinking less though?Lesley Logan 5:28  They don't drink as much, they also have sex later, so that's cool, or less. Do you know today, the day that we're recording this, I heard that 40 year old women are having more babies than teenagers, and that's huge. That is a huge deal Because, like.Brad Crowell 5:43  That's not what I don't think I would have expected that, but that's great.Lesley Logan 5:46  Well, because now IVF has gotten better and kids are having less sex. So, you know, so I think, but here's the deal. Like, look, we all have our vices. We all have our addictions. And there's just something about cigarette smoke that just and if you're a smoker who listens this, I'm not judging you. I feel bad that you got hooked on that you got hooked on it, and it bothers me, and I understand, like you could be addicted to alcohol and other things that are as bad. But there's just about cigarette smoke that I fucking can't stand. I can't stand walking by a doorway and smelling it. I can't. So if, if, if me wanting to stand next to you outside matters, maybe you quit today, and I know you're like Lesley, this is chewing. Well, chewing causes jaw cancer, you know, so tongue, not not sexy, not sexy. In fact, one of our friends fathers had jaw cancer from smoking, from chewing tobacco, and so we all got to see that. That was my parents way of making sure we never started chewing. Brad Crowell 6:43  The Shark Attack of the jaw cancer. Lesley Logan 6:45  Well, it's not sexy. I'm gonna tell you right now, even if you're fatalistic, you definitely want your teeth you do. So stop smoking, even for today. Okay, let's get into it. So oh gosh, my goodness, babe. Agency Mini kicked off today.Brad Crowell 6:59  Today. This morning. We are, we are, while you're listening to this, we're probably live on a webinar. Lesley Logan 7:05  Yeah? So you can, I think you could still sign up today, but. Brad Crowell 7:08  You sure can. Lesley Logan 7:07  But it's gonna move quick, so and you don't want to wait till the next one, because I know you're like, Oh, I'll wait till the next one. You'll forget about it. So you should just sign up for today. prfit.biz/mini it's for Pilates instructors and studio owners who work for themselves or want to. We are going to get you clarity. We're gonna help you with your business. Brad and I have been around a lot of different fitness business coaches out there, and one thing that they all have in common is treating you all the same and encouraging your business to follow certain templates. And we want you. We've I believe that your business will ride any recession wave if you are differentiated and your services are diversified, and it follows your goals and your life, and that's what we coach. Brad Crowell 7:31  That is. But, so go to prfit.biz/mini. That's profit without the O slash mini, and then in March, we're hitting the road, y'all, in a different way than normal when we when we say we're hitting the road, usually means we're hopping in the van. This time, we are hopping on a plane. We are going to be skipping across said pond. Lesley Logan 8:07  We're going to be in Poland. Yeah, Poland first for the Controlology Pilates conference with Karen Frischmann. That's gonna be a couple of days of epicness. And there's a day where you can get some sessions, and it's just a lot of fun. If you didn't, if you missed us the last time was a couple years ago. Don't miss this one. We don't know when we're coming back, and that's just because the world is really big, and I've got to start going to new places. You know, we need to go to Australia and stuff. So xxll.co/poland and then we'll, we'll venture over. I don't really know if it's I have, you know, when I look at the map, I'm so confused. I don't know. I clearly forgot how to study the map of Europe. So we're gonna go over to Brussels. I'll just say that, because I don't really know if it's up or down, or east or west. We're going to Brussels. xxll.co/brussels, we'll be at Els Studio. P li tells which I just love. I love NFL is listening to this one of my Oh, whenever I hear what else I always think of? What else? Yeah, yeah. From our time with Jay, we would start going, what else? What else? Anyways, xxll.co/brussels that's, when we meet Karen, again. Brad Crowell 9:11  Let's just say that again, xxll.co xxll.co/brusselsLesley Logan 9:17  What you can't you can't hear this fast you can hear. And that's just giving out the fine print. It's Karen and I again, also our friend Ignacio is going to be there. Oh my gosh, I love him so much I can't even wait. So definitely snag your spots to that before it's sold out. And then we're gonna do our second honeymoon and make our way over to London to POT London, and I have some information for you folks. My Saturday workshop is sold out. Brad Crowell 9:45  What already? Holy mackerel. Lesley Logan 9:47  Yeah, it is. It is at max capacity. And there's only a few spots left in my Sunday workshop. So if you are wanting to add classical concepts to your contemporary classes, then you're going to want to go xxll.co/pot xxll.co/pot I'm super excited. We'll have our decks there. Those workshops will happen, and you definitely want to stick around, because there's also going to be a little hangout session that we're doing for our members and our listeners. And then there's a really cool documentary that they are doing. The release, Pilates Anytime is doing the release of at that POT event. Yep, you'll want to be there. Then we're gonna come back. Brad Crowell 10:25  Then we're coming home. Lesley Logan 10:26  And we're doing some fun stuff at home. We have eLevate weekend, we have eLevate retreat. We have business retreat. You know those things you can't come to unless you can, and you'll know if you can. So you got an invite, but what you can come to is something we're doing in May. And believe it or not, May is still springtime. Brad Crowell 10:49  Believe it or not. Lesley Logan 10:49  It's still springtime. And so. Brad Crowell 10:51  News flash. Lesley Logan 10:48  News flash. Well, some people think it's the summer because of the weekend, the holiday weekend, but it is still spring, and we're doing spring training, and it's how to get overhead so this is our overhead exercises. We have a lot of requests for people struggling with Overhead, Jack Knife, Control Balance, High Season, Bicycle Headstands. So what I'm super excited about is that we're going to do a whole week long on all these different classes with different teachers from the OPC platform, so that no matter your body size, height, age, experience, you are going to have a class. It's going to give you tips for for your life, for your practice. I mean, we even have a teacher who's removing overhead exercises from her practice, and so you don't let fear stop you from this one or, Oh, I'm a beginner, or I can never do that. I have contraindications. We will have versions and variations for you. And our goal is it's kind of like. Brad Crowell 10:51  Look, it's how to do it, not necessarily having to do it, right? How to do it, not have to do it. Lesley Logan 10:54  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And at OPC, we're really big fans of like you you learn the variations and the versions replacements for your practice, and then we believe it's brave and courageous that you do that. So we're super excited about it. You're going to want to go to opc.me/events, to get on the waitlist for that, because you'll, you'll, if you're on the waitlist, you'll hear about Early Bird and all that good stuff, and so you won't miss out on that information.Brad Crowell 12:08  Yeah, totally. Well.Lesley Logan 12:10  I'm excited we have. I mean, hello, welcome to the new year. I know it's February 19th, everyone. Brad Crowell 12:14  Busy busy year already. Lesley Logan 12:16  But we just got home. This is our first day in the office. Brad Crowell 12:18  This is literally the first full day in the office, and it's already January's almost done.Lesley Logan 12:23  I know, I know I kind of like it, though I feel very I felt ready to come back to work today. So anyways, we have to get into this episode before that. We have a question from audience. Would you like to share it with me, babe? Brad Crowell 12:35  Yeah. So IG, from IG, Pilates_Rosi is asking, Hey, someone told me that you should always gear out on the Reformer to do the short box series. Yes, no. Do you agree? Lesley Logan 12:48  Isn't always such a strong word? Brad Crowell 12:50  Always. This is why I failed all personality tests, because there's always an exception. So the answer would be fucking no, but.Lesley Logan 12:57  Yeah, I don't always do anything. Brad Crowell 12:58  Oh, right. We don't always do anything ever come on. Lesley Logan 13:00  And also not every Reformer gears out. So then what? Right? Brad Crowell 13:04  Then, what are you supposed to do? Should you be gearing out? Maybe that's a better way to ask the question. So we're not getting into our ADHD-ness.Lesley Logan 13:12  All right, so in an ideal world, your some people call it a sitting box. I call it a short box, goes over your shoulder blocks on the carriage, like a hamburger side, like it's, I guess. Anyways, I'm trying to describe how it goes on the Reformer for visual. But anyways, the short box goes on the carriage over the shoulder rest. That's the goal. So most Reformers will have a peg or some sort of post that is on there, and then there's space, and then there's your shoulder block. And so the box would, one side of the box would fit between that and lock it into place, lock in air quotes, right, would sit in there.Brad Crowell 13:44  So it's not sliding off easily. Still can if you're not paying attention. Lesley Logan 13:44  I mean, you could. You know, people have done funny things, but in an ideal world, you just sit on it, and it's not going to move forward or backwards. It's going to be in place. And then from that position, your feet go underneath the strap and they should. Brad Crowell 14:01  You're facing the foot bar. Lesley Logan 14:06  You're facing the foot bar. Brad Crowell 14:08  Feet go in the strap. Lesley Logan 14:03  In an ideal world, your feet do not rest on anything. That said, sometimes they touch things. There's a difference between touching and resting, right? However, I have noticed in our tours that there are a lot of new rules out in the world, and so there are some people who put the box in front of the shoulder rest. And I think this is because people aren't really paying attention to how they put the box on.Lesley Logan 14:09  So you're saying in front, as opposed to over the shoulder, okay. Lesley Logan 14:10  Over exactly in front. So they put them in front of the shoulder rest. Because I think the boxes are getting damaged because people aren't paying attention to what they're putting the box on. Or some equipment has, like, different things back there on their blocks. They have to go in front of the shoulder blocks. So if you're going in front of the shoulder blocks, most of the time, you're going to gear out. Unless someone is fun size and your box is really big, you're going to gear out. What does that mean? It means you're going to move the carriage away from the strap a little bit so that you can actually have straight, non resting legs when they're under the strap. Now, can the legs be slightly bent, of course. Should they be forced to bend? I wouldn't, because then it makes it really difficult to get into your seat. Makes it really difficult to get into your center. Your hip flexor start pulling you up. So here is the thing that I would agree with.Brad Crowell 14:10  When you say the thing you're talking about now we're talking about the actual gearing. Lesley Logan 14:10  We're going to talk about the exercise. In an ideal world, you place the box on the equipment where the body needs it, so that their legs can be reaching as long as possible without locking out, and their feet are underneath the strap flex without resting. That's the goal. Brad Crowell 14:10  Okay.Lesley Logan 14:10  That's the goal. So it's going to be different for everyone. Some people are going to be in front of the shoulder blocks. Some people are going to be over the shoulder blocks. Some people are gonna be front geared out. But if you are putting the box in front of the shoulder blocks, because that's a rule, most often, you're gearing out. Brad Crowell 15:27  Yeah, because it's now shifting the box forward like four inches. Lesley Logan 15:35  And then, by the way, you have to gear back in, because the straps are measured with the carriage geared in, and so in my opinion.Brad Crowell 15:52  So it's really a pain, that's a pain in the ass. Lesley Logan 15:54  Yes, thank you so much. Just put the box over the shoulder blocks. Why are we doing why are making this harder? Oh, because we don't want just teach people, you have to. I remember my trainer saying, hey, when you put the box on, make sure this part of the leather is underneath the box. Otherwise it will curl in and it will break and it will hurt against someone's neck. Okay, great. Just tell people. This is why we have a weird rule, you know, Hey, you think polite is expensive. Don't damage the box. How about that? Okay? Brad Crowell 16:21  Yeah, don't damage my damn box. Lesley Logan 16:24  So anyways, I just think that like I get, I get, I get why some people make funny up rules, but we are when you change the exercise placement, you change the exercise, and when you change that, it affects the cueing that people are giving, and then teachers are giving out weird ass cues that make no sense to the person doing it, because they're like, well, how do I get my butt on if my hip flexors are overworking, you know? So it's just hard. So anyways, hopefully, Pilates_Rosi, this gives you some ideas to think about. Definitely check out my videos on the short box, and in my flashcards, you can see where the box is placed. You can see how long my legs are. And if you're an OPC member, you can send in a video. Brad Crowell 16:57  You can see how long her legs are. Lesley Logan 16:59  Oh, my God, they're so long. But if you're an OPC member, you can send in a video of your setup for your short box, and I'll give you personalized feedback on where your box goes. There you go. If you have a question, you can send it in.Brad Crowell 17:13  Yeah, send it in. You can text us, 310-905-5534, or hit us up. At beitpod.com/questions, beitpod.com/questions, where you can leave both a win or a question. Lesley Logan 17:25  I want your wins. Brad Crowell 17:26  Yeah. Lesley Logan 17:27  I want your questions and your wins. I want all. I want it all. Brad Crowell 17:30  We want them all. All right, stick around. We're going to talk about Brooke Siler and Maria Earle. Brad Crowell 17:34  All right. Welcome back. Let's talk about Brooke Siler and Maria Earle. Brooke and Maria are internationally respected Pilates educators with over 50 years of combined teaching experience. Brooke, the author of the best selling The Pilates Body dropped in 2000 y'all, has spent decades teaching and researching Joseph Pilates' original writings, photos and archival materials which deeply inspired the new 25th anniversary edition of her book and its expanded chapter on internal sensing and natural movement. Maria, who began teaching in 1997 and previously owned a Pilates studio in Manhattan's Upper East Side, now runs a global education practice from Barcelona, where she moved, I think she said, about 15 years ago, she appears as the model in Brooke's new edition of the book, and was chosen for her grounded, internal, authentic approach to movement, rather than an her aesthetic performance. Together, they're redefining what a Pilates body really is.Lesley Logan 18:34  Okay, so I have to say, and I did say this on the episode, but I had, I have many Pilates people pitched to be on this podcast, and while we talk about Pilates a lot, it's not a Pilates podcast like I know it's for Pilates listeners. But to me, Pilate is a mind body, you know, practice, and sometimes our mind is a little fucked up, and we need help from these Be It guests that we have so we can get into our body around our practice. So, but I really wanted to interview them, because what a e it till you see it story and just how the book came about, how the second edition came about, how Maria jumped in on the second edition. I mean, she was so vulnerable and authentic about all about that, about joining the book. And I love that Maria said, let's celebrate the body as it is. Let's cut to the bullshit of what it means to have a Pilates body. And I here's the thing that's really interesting, right? Like, when I bought the book, The Pilates Body, I wasn't like, Oh, I'm going to look like this after I do this book. Like, that's not how I interpreted the book. It's kind of like, like a runner, like, you know what I mean? Like, what do these things mean.Brad Crowell 19:31  That'd be weird to pick up, like, a Gold's Gym muscle book and be like, Oh, if I do these exercises, I'm gonna look like Arnold.Lesley Logan 19:37  I'm gonna have the Gold's Gym body, you know? And like, I mean, I guess like people, I guess people do, but I think this all stems from just terrible media information on what a healthy body looks like. And so I couldn't agree more with like, with the cut through the bullshit of what a Pilates body means, because we have to cut through the bullshit of like, what a healthy body looks like. We just have to. Like, I am massively impressed by these strong women and strong men. They are not tiny people. They are big people, and what they can do is fucking insane. Brad Crowell 20:07  Yeah like, the dudes who pick up the boulder and carry it down the thing, or those, like weird, like rock that are, like, shaped like, kind of like a diamond, like those, and there are hundreds of pounds. Those people who are in those bodies, those are huge bodies. They're not, they're not. Lesley Logan 20:23  They are stronger than anybody I know. Brad Crowell 20:25  Yeah. Lesley Logan 20:26  Literally any, any of the bodies that we work out with, that we're friends with, that we're connected with, stronger than any of the bodies I know. Remember when we watched, what was that Korean show?Brad Crowell 20:36  The one the 100, the 100, the physical doc.Lesley Logan 20:39  Oh, physic, Physical 100. Brad Crowell 20:42  The Physical 100. Lesley Logan 20:42  Didn't translate well, which is why. But like, it was interesting because, like, they brought on all these different athletes, or pseudo athletes and trainers, and they had all these different bodies, and depending on the challenge, certain bodies did better, right? Like, the mountain climbers certainly slayed the first challenge over the strong men, but then when it came down to the end, you had an equal amount of people who were in bigger bodies and endurance bodies at the same challenge. And so what it comes down to is like, on average, most of us, if we are paying attention to our body and balancing out our strength and flexibility and our endurance, can do a fuck ton of stuff, but so many of us are, like, obsessed with getting smaller, and it's boring. Anyways, I could keep going, but she for Maria, you know, she there was an internal struggle because, of course, like, she was excited about the conversation, and then she's still a human being. So we got to talk about, like, when you look at yourself in those pictures and you go, yeah, I'm a proud of my body. I'm proud to be part of this, but ooh, that's what I look like, and I resonate with this so much. I was, I was doing a photo shoot yesterday, and I was just like, Okay, guys, this is not a sitting outfit. This is a standing outfit. So can you like because, because also it's like, how much of it do you want to be as a just, how much of it is a distraction versus like, the point or, or do we just do it so that people feel real, see real bodies more often? Like, it's, it's such a complicated thing, and your your mind messes with you based on how you were raised. And these stories take a long time, but she said for her, it was bigger than the photos. She said it became about reframing what is in our bodies, to be embodied and to celebrate all the different phases. And I love this so much because, you know, Maria, Brooke, and I, and many people listening, our bodies are in a different part of our journey. So it's just we're, you know, we're not going to look like 20 year olds, nor should we. And then Brooke also was conscious of this issue because in 2000 she had wrote in that issue that she said she hopes, in earnest that the models in the book inspire and don't intimidate, because she chose the original models for their strength and endurance, and also because they knew the work, I think that that's, you know, really hard when you're trying to pick it out and not because of their size and it. And I think even though her heart was really, you know, in there about inspire and not intimidate, like people just have a really hard time reading all the words and applying that to themselves. And so I'm excited for this additional chapter.Brad Crowell 22:57  Yeah, I also just wanted to say I'm glad you grabbed this as your topic, because I when I said I started taking notes, I actually was quoting you. As much as I appreciate the interview, you said something that really stuck out to me. You said we should have always been moving for the health of it and not for the shape of it. Move for the health of it and not the shape of it. In fact, I thought it was kind of quippy little, like, tagline, you know, for the health of it, because it's almost like, for the hell of it. Lesley Logan 23:29  Isn't it so great that I can come up with these things?Brad Crowell 23:33  Also, it's so great that I can hear them and be like, we should clip that. Lesley Logan 23:36  That's your job. Brad Crowell 23:37  Be It Till You See It, baby.Lesley Logan 23:39  Well, and I think that comes from like, I don't know if I mentioned on this episode or a different one, but I read a book called Rethinking Thin and at the same time that I picked up The Pilates Body book, I picked up that book because I was thinking about becoming a personal trainer, and I was doing this personal training stuff. And it was this history. It's a history of dieting and, like, where dieting came from and where the ideal woman's body came from. And it's two fucking things that'll fuck and piss you off. One, it's a cartoon drawing. So that's annoying, because it's not even fucking real. And then the other was on the statue, Norman. So the Norman statue. Brad Crowell 24:12  Is it the one holding the earth? Lesley Logan 24:13  No, but it's just a man. It's just a man. And then what they did for Norma. Brad Crowell 24:14  Oh, Norman, Norman, versus Norma. Lesley Logan 24:19  Norma, or nor woman, from what I understand from it, a book about butts it's, they basically took. Brad Crowell 24:27  I really hope that was the title, A Book About Butts.Lesley Logan 24:29  I think it is. I'll look at while you're talking about your favorite thing, I'll look it up. They basically put boobs on Norman. Well, Norman does not have estrogen. His pelvis is a different shape, like, oh my God, he doesn't even have.Brad Crowell 24:42  Oh I see. So you're they took, they took sculpture of a man and just put boobs, and then said, this is what the ideal woman should look like.Lesley Logan 24:50  This is what a woman looks like. And so I think ideal, I think it might have been average, right? But it's not that's not even a thing, not even impossible. So, anyways, like, because of the book Rethinking Thin, I learned about all the different diets that came around, all the different things that were obsessing about, and also how genetics plays such a massive role on the size that your body is determined to be. And then there's and then you go into the history of, like, when being heroin chic is in and it's always when they're trying to take rights away from women. Like, literally, if you take all the different times heroin chic was in and then you take all the different times they're trying to oppress women, they literally line up at the same time. So it's like, it's a cultic behavior of like, ladies stop eating so you your brain isn't functioning and you're not able to hear how we're taking your rights away. Anyways, what did you love?Brad Crowell 25:41  Well, I just wanted to say shout out to a podcast called Hysteria that I listened to that talks about this all the time, like the women's rights and. Lesley Logan 25:52  Oh, we love Hysteria, yeah. Brad Crowell 25:53  And, you know, like, it's a lot of politics as well, but it's two, you know, very powerful women who really dig in. And it's been really enlightening for me to see this from a different perspective.Lesley Logan 26:06  Yeah, the book is called Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke. Brad Crowell 26:12  By who? Lesley Logan 26:13  By Heather Radke. Brad Crowell 26:14  That's really funny.Lesley Logan 26:15  If anyone knows her, I want to interview her. But yes, it's about race, gender, control, beauty standards. It's, it's it's a lens of the human backside, and it's really great. But I also just want to say, if you're like, Oh, I get so annoyed when they get political. Ladies, being a woman in this world is political. Just, I hate to break it to you, but it is. Anyways, your turn. Brad Crowell 26:36  Yeah, you're not wrong. All right. Well, hey, look, back to Brooke and Maria. Maria also recounted how her mom often said, fake it till you make it. And I know that we've talked both times here about Maria, but I this really resonated with me, because I actually really wanted to hear you say, be it till you see it is the positive spin of fake it till you make it.Lesley Logan 27:02  I know, but, but I know, and I'm. Brad Crowell 27:03  We're not trying to take away from her. Lesley Logan 27:05  But also it works for her, like it works for her and it doesn't hold her back. So, like, I don't ever want to take something that works for someone away. And so I will let Brooke have fake it till you make it. That said. Brad Crowell 27:16  Maria. Lesley Logan 27:17  Oh, Maria said that, oh, yeah Maria said that. I will let Maria have that, because I think that's important. And also, if that is hard for you or inauthentic, then that's the be it till you see it reframe. That's all.Brad Crowell 27:28  Yeah and it is a reframe and, but it's obviously, you know. Lesley Logan 27:33  It's why always is a terrible word. Brad Crowell 27:36  Right. But she, she, so, Maria said she uses this when she's not quite sure what she's doing, or when she feels like she's not quite sure, helps her bypass the paralysis of starting where, you know, often starting things not 100% sure where they're going, but trusting that she's going to land on her feet. And, you know, I think it's really helpful. There's got to be, you know, it is a weird thing, right? This, this idea of having this internal dialogue of, like, your own internal like cheerleader versus like, you know, antagonist. And I think it's hard to sometimes be in the moment and see this is a time right now where I have to choose to fake it till I make it, right? You know, it's, it's hard to do that, but if you can, you know, being it until you see it is a win. You know, there's, there's a way to to at least get the ball rolling until, because confidence comes through action, right? It comes through doing and experiencing. So if you there's got to be a point where you got to get the ball rolling.Lesley Logan 28:39  Oh, couldn't agree more. And I like, I remember, like, you know, when I had a job in retail, one of the guys who worked for me, I was going through a lot, and I took him for his like, you know, monthly meeting. I said, Are you good? Like, I just know you got a lot going on outside of this. And he goes, Oh, none of that bothers me here, because when I cross the threshold of the store, sure, it's showtime. And that's another way of being it till you see it, or fake it till you make it, like, and I think that that's good mantra for us to have. And I also like, I think we are all putting too much pressure on feeling ready. You know, I don't know that I got to ask Brooke, like was, did she feel ready to like, add to this book? But also, like, this is a big endeavor to take a bestselling book and make changes to it. Like, like, the number of people like this book changed my life. I still have my book from 25 years ago. And then to go, Oh, I'm adding on. Brad Crowell 29:30  I'm just gonna make it better. Lesley Logan 29:30  I'm just gonna make it better. Brad Crowell 29:30  No big deal. Lesley Logan 29:31  And people didn't go, Oh, I'm just gonna keep the one I have. No. A bunch of our OPC members and our eLevate members all were like, Oh, I pre ordered the copy. I'm ready to go and, like.Brad Crowell 29:43  But, but I think this is, like, we're dancing around the word perfectionism, right? You know, like, the the idea of being ready to get started to do the thing, you know, that's, that's very much a perfectionism mentality, yeah. And it's, it creates this fear. That we're not gonna it's not gonna be right or done or perfect or whatever, and that that is debilitating, and also it is, like, the fastest way to go nowhere.Lesley Logan 30:10  Yes, it really is. And like, first of all, I think we, we're also blessed for the second edition of this book to be out, because the additional chapter isn't only a visual understanding of of what Brooke was trying to get in the first book, and also in the research she's done since. But, you know, she got to go through and, like, with 25 years of hindsight, and add into that, and it's, and I think that is a really beautiful thing, because it means the conversation continues, you know. And I think, like, going back to the word perfection, like, even though the book is it has hit print and you can all get it and you should, the conversation will continue. And I think that's what's really cool.Brad Crowell 30:47  Yeah, I think I'm, I'm excited for her, and also I love that she shared, that Brooke shared, oh yeah, I thought it was gonna get away with, like, the easy smack two books together and re release it, and be like, done. And then her publisher was like, No, no. Lesley Logan 31:02  Yeah, I know. I know. I actually really appreciated that, because when we redid the mat deck, we were like, Okay, we're gonna break these things out. And I think Meredith, I remember Meredith going, Oh, you edited every single card. And I was like, Well, yeah, because I thought we could just, like, pull these three out. But then once I did that, I was like, Well, I kind of got her through the whole thing like I now I know too much. I know too much about how it was used, and I.Brad Crowell 31:25  Well it would also have been five years, right? We got a tons of feedback. So I imagine that Brooke was similarly like, inundated with feedback for 25 years which is amazing.Lesley Logan 31:37  Probably, most unsolicited and some solicited.Brad Crowell 31:39  Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure. But hey, there's one more thing I wanted to talk about that Maria mentioned that really struck a chord with me. I really appreciate it. She didn't quite say it that way that I have said it, but the story she told herself, right? She, you know, was that, oh, she was just in the right place at the right time to be able to move to Spain, decide to live there and become an international educator, right? That's the story that she told her. She said it was she was spinning a narrative that kept her small, right? And so effectively, that was how she was viewing herself, (inaudible) well, and then when people would ask her, what did she do? How did she do it? She would say, I was just in the right place at the right time, which then allows them to go, oh, you lucked out, right? And she's like, but that takes away from all the hard work and the tough decisions, then the scary decisions that I had to make to get here. And that's not, that's not true. Yes, there's, of course, there's always some element of luck to it, but, you know, she was very intentional about that. And so she started to talk about the that that like addressing the narrative of playing small, you know, and, and I really appreciate that, because I remember when I was working for someone else. I, you know, why did I not go and ask for a raise? Oh, I'm just, I shouldn't even be here, was what I kept telling myself. I'm just the musician that, like I, you know, if I had ever gone through an interview process, they never would have hired me. These are all the things that I used to say to myself to justify the position that I was in, and that's 100% playing small. So I really resonated with this when she was talking about this. And she said today, she reframes her story. She said, you know, what got her here was her grit, persistence and tenacity, not luck, you know? And I just applaud her for I think it's really important that we identify that in our own lives. What story are you telling yourself that's keeping you small?Lesley Logan 33:31  Ooh, good question. Journal on that. Brad Crowell 33:33  Yeah. Well, stick around. We'll be right back. We're going to dig into those Be It Action Items that we got from Brooke and Maria right after this. Brad Crowell 33:42  Welcome back. All right. So finally, let's talk about those Be It Action Items. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from your convo with Brooke and Maria? Brooke said the only way out is through. The only way out is through. She said she has a mentor who's a Buddhist, and their guidance has been helping her push through the fear, especially when it comes to like we talked about, how do you make something that's 25 years successful even better, and not jack it up? The only way out is through, right? She said, if I see fear, I'm going to head towards that fear so that I can make it through, right? She said, now, when she has an idea she wants to share, she reframes taking action as sharing, rather than doing a thing for others to react to, which I thought was pretty cool, because what she was talking about you asked her, like, how do you have the confidence to do this stuff? She said she started teaching, and three years later, wrote this book, three years later, wrote this book that has been an international success. Lesley Logan 34:45  Took me six years to get the fuck on YouTube.Brad Crowell 34:48  Right? So that's kind of amazing. And you asked her, like, how did you do that? And she said, Honestly, I just get so excited about the thing that I'm focusing on that I want to share it. And I didn't, don't approach it in the way that, like I'm the authority. Listen to me. No, she's excited about this thing. She's nerding about out about it, and then she's sharing it with others. And that's how you know, that's what gave her the confidence.Lesley Logan 35:12  Well, and also, do you know that, like fear and excitement, the difference is breathing like they're on the same energetic wavelength. But why don't you breathe? Yeah, so if you're afraid or nervous, exhale, and then you can enjoy excitement, because it's the same. Brad Crowell 35:29  That's amazing. Lesley Logan 35:30  According to Gay Hendricks, and you know he is, he is one of the lords around here. Him, by the way, on the day we're recording this, it's not the day you're listening to it. He's 81 today, so, he's an Aquarian. Of course, he is. Of course, that's why I love him.Brad Crowell 35:43  That's amazing. Well, what about you? What was your big takeaway? Lesley Logan 35:47  All right, so I took some of Maria's Be It Action Item as my takeaway. So make sure you have people in your corner. Fuck yeah. If you don't, if your people in your corner suck at life. I know it's hard, it's almost hard to, like, have nobody, but I'd rather you have nobody, and like, you've held a space open for somebody, rather than have people who are who are, like, actively bringing you down. So just keep that in mind. Make sure you have some people in your corner. And she said, it's important that we nurture those relationships that you've built. It doesn't have to be big, but it should be something you can hold on to. And this is interesting, like, I'm always just reflecting, you know, yesterday in our photo shoot like I'm used to having a lot of friends I only saw once a month because we live in LA and there's traffic. And I love those friendships. And they don't have to to me. It goes back to me. It doesn't have to be big, doesn't have to be a weekly relationship, but it is something you have to have tangible. You have to hold on, to have some connections, and those are people you have in your corner. And so if you haven't yet, take some time go through your context, who's actually in your corner? Which nurture? Which relations do you want to nurture back and because in the hard moments, people who show up for you and see you for you are can reflect back to you all the good stuff that you are. And this has happened to me more times than I can imagine. And we have a friend who is recently going through something that's really quite frustrating and awful. And you know what? We don't talk to her very often, but we heard what happened. Someone else told us who's also in her corner. And a bunch of us are like, Oh, here's how we can support you. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, and she didn't ask for that help. I'm sure she didn't even know what kind of help we can give. But when you have relationships, you nurture, even it's on a quarterly basis, people will show up for you, and they'll and you'll show up for them, and it's, and it's quite it makes life a lot more fun. Brad Crowell 37:17  Yes, yeah. I definitely agree. You know, I think that we've talked about it before, being intentional about who you let weigh in, you know, or how, how much weight you give to their feedback, you know. So that's important. But I think also too, you know, there was an element to this conversation about allowing life to life and for relationships to change, which I also really appreciated, because I have always had a fear of loss, of letting go, I don't know why, and I've always struggled with, like, friendships drifting apart. And it was really interesting to hear her say, hey, it's kind of okay that that happens, and it allows you to take stock of who actually is paying attention and, like, in your world and choosing to be in your world instead of you, you know, trying to drag people along.Lesley Logan 38:07  Well, and also, I think, like, if they're really meant to be in your life, and you run into them, or something comes up and you call them, it will pick back up. Maybe there might have to be a quick conversation, or, like, why there's been so much space, but it'll pick back up. You know, we recently saw someone I haven't talked to in years. They were a part of my life for quite some time, and I had reflected about, like, why I let that kind of fade out. And when I saw them, I was like, yeah, it's okay. Like, I'm still okay with that decision. And I think it's hard, because we go, should I have a whole conversation with them? Should we dialog? Should we have, like, a whole like, here's why our relationship didn't know you don't need to have those things. You just can move on, because no one is right or wrong in these instances. It's just the way life goes. And you evolve, and they evolve, and sometimes that evolution is together and sometimes it's apart, and you can still support them from afar. I'm Lesley Logan. Brad Crowell 38:56  And I'm Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 38:57  Go get The Pilates Body book if you haven't already, you should. It's so good, especially if you're into Pilates, it's, it's.Brad Crowell 39:02  The new one. Is the new one out? Lesley Logan 39:04  Yeah, the new one's been out since December. Brad Crowell 39:05  Great. So, so The Pilates Body 25th Anniversary Edition.Lesley Logan 39:09  Oh my God, if you want to see my reaction to my husband literally opening the package for me, instead of, like, every day for five days, watching me go to the mailbox to open this package, and then he just opened it. It's on my Instagram. It's in December. Brad Crowell 39:25  It would have been in November. It may or may not have happened. Lesley Logan 39:29  Yeah, yeah. It was, I was like, every day he's filming me check the mail for this book, and then the one day he gets the mail, he opened it. Anyways. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Lesley Logan. I'm just so grateful for you. Make sure you send this to a friend who needs to hear it. We want to hear your wins and your questions, so send them in to the Be It Pod, and until next time, Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 39:49  Bye for now. Lesley Logan 39:50  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 40:32  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 40:37  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 40:41  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 40:48  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 40:52  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of Life Stories, Shara sits down with filmmaker, author, teacher, and global traveler Craig D. Forrest, whose career has taken him across the world to tell stories through television, film, and now books.Craig shares how he discovered his calling at just 22 years old while living in Brussels , a moment that set the course for a lifetime of directing, traveling, and storytelling. From working on major television productions like The Amazing Race to filming documentaries overseas, Craig opens up about what life behind the camera really looks like, including the long nights, the solitude, and the deep connections formed along the way .He also talks about his love for teaching and mentoring, why it matters to pour into the next generation, and how patience, listening, and perseverance shaped his career. Craig gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at writing his memoir Night Train to Cairo, sharing how years of experiences from Paris cafés to traveling with his children became a powerful story of a life lived fully.To find out more about Craig and his work, visit: craigdforrest.com and matchstickmedia.org.Want to be a guest on Life Stories Podcast?Send Shara Goswick a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1718977880777072342a16683

At the Munich Security Conference, Marco Rubio offered Europe a peace in our time. The Americans sprayed on the charm. But looking between the fine words, it seems like Marco was on his way out the door. Do Europe's friends need to tell her this is a break up speech? Meanwhile, rumours of the destruction of Iran remain premature. We've run the numbers, and it turns out it would take ten per cent of all the Tomahawks in the world to flatten three mullahs and an oil derrick. But with American strike fleets still camped in the Persian Gulf, how does this end? Finally, Hungary was all anyone was talking about backstage at Munich. The Brussels establishment have decided that defeating Orban in his upcoming fourth successive election will bring a massive W in a world drowning in Ls. The polls haven't just tightened - they've actually split. With two sides both predicting victory for their candidate, across a spread of 15 points, what happens when one side wakes up in April to find themselves robbed?

  Gregory Copley notes that despite scandals surrounding Prince Andrew, the Royal Family remains essential glue holding the UK and Commonwealth together, with the King and working royals performing vital diplomatic functions while spares struggle without defined roles.1900 BRUSSELS

Gregory Copley of Defense & Foreign Affairs discusses the US deployment of one hundred troops to Nigeria to counter ISIS and Boko Haram, arguing stability requires addressing economic disenfranchisement from damming the River Niger rather than treating symptoms with military advisors.1910 BRUSSELS

Joseph Sternberg of the Wall Street Journal discusses European leaders finally addressing the continent's economic dysfunction compared to the US, noting proposals for a twenty-eighth regime to simplify business laws while politicians like Meloni and Merz face challenges balancing welfare states with growth reforms.1900 BRUSSELS

ISGAP Founder Dr. Charles Asher Small addresses the EU's European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium to discuss the topic of "Antisemitism and the Demonization of Israel on European Campuses."

However you say it, we agree on this: February is for food!In this delightfully delicious episode, Jean celebrates the everyday blessing of food — especially the gift of three solid meals a day for her entire life. Then she and Laura dig into the latest food trends popping up everywhere, including:• The new Food Pyramid• All things fiber• Gut-healthy drinks• Oats making a comeback• Saying "no" to Brussels sprouts and "yes" to cabbage (and Jean still votes for "grass")• Sensory sipping• Dementia-prevention diets• And the mighty rise of bowls — Mexican bowls, Asian bowls, all the bowls!Plus, we share our gratitude for The Pour Over, the calm, factual, Christian-based online news source we absolutely love.Follow along @OKBoomerPod for more fun.

We caught up with Jana Kominek Vecerkova to learn more about the EUSPA CASSINI Challenge, which is now looking for more interesting startup space ideas for future EU launches. See more details about the project here CASSINI Challenges competition is open | EU Agency for the Space Programme Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams   (webinar on the CASSINI Challenge call).Jana is a startup ecosystem builder with over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship, product development, and project management. At the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), she supports space ventures as part of the CASSINI initiative, helping space ventures scale, secure investment, and transform bold ideas into market-ready solutions. As a serial founder, she has launched an acclaimed tech education program and a real estate micro-investment marketplace. Earlier in her career, Jana worked in Brussels managing pan-European projects, collaborating with public and private stakeholders. She holds an MSc in European Political Economy from the London School of Economics.

Browne uses inaugural Caribbean-EU forum to argue CBI vetting exceeds European standards; calls for engagement over coercion as Brussels and Washington tighten the screws.View the full article here.Subscribe to the IMI Daily newsletter here.

Jonathan Schanzer describes Syria as effectively a Turkish proxy state viewed with danger by the region, discussing President Trump's announcement of five billion dollars from the Board of Peace for Gaza while expressing skepticism about Turkey and Qatar's reconstruction roles.1900 BRUSSELS

Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies analyzes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's disingenuous peace efforts, discusses US demands for Iran's total nuclear dismantlement, and highlights strategic confusion regarding the Board of Peace and Hamas supporters' involvement.1900 BRUSSELS

Mary Kissel analyzes the massive US naval deployment near Iran as a credible threat to force regime compliance, dismissing Iran's military drills in the Straits of Hormuz as feeble, suggesting the administration will use force if Tehran refuses dismantlement.1900 BRUSSELS

Judy Dempsey and Thaddeus Mart identify a leadership void in Europe, noting weakness in Macron and Starmer, arguing Europe possesses treaty tools for defense but lacks political will, often blaming Donald Trump rather than addressing internal paralysis.1900 BRUSSELS

Judy Dempsey and Thaddeus McCotter dismiss Poland's reparation demands from Russia as political jostling, criticize Senator Rubio's visit to Hungary for bolstering Viktor Orbán, and note the Wagner Group's reported return to Europe as destabilizing.1900  BRUSSELS

Liz Peek critiques California Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, citing California'sstruggles with homelessness, illegal immigration, and a wealth tax driving residents away, characterizing him as a catastrophe whose record undermines his viability.1900 BRUSSELS, PRINCE OF WALES ATTACKED

Liz Peek discusses the market's current drift and the continued dominance of Artificial Intelligence, arguing AI is not a bubble but a rapidly adopted technology transforming productivity, with companies underhiring as they assess impact and investors needing exposure to this dominant sector.1900 BRUSSELS

Brussels is full of lobbyists. Over decades, big companies have been using their financial might not only to influence EU policies but even to shape how EU institutions are designed and what their key goals are. Host Licia Cianetti talks to Kenneth Haar, who for almost two decades has been conducting research on corporate lobbying in the EU for Corporate Europe Observatory. Kenneth explains how corporate lobbying works, what lobbyists want, and how a sketchily defined “competitiveness” agenda is driving a far-reaching deregulation drive by the European Commission, which endangers hard fought for environmental, social, health, and labour protections.  Guest: Kenneth Haar is a researcher and campaigner at Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO). His freely downloadable book, A Europe of Capital, details how corporate lobbyists got to the core of the European project. Corporate Europe Observatory is an advocacy and investigative research group. Their many reports, articles, and infographics on corporate lobbying in the EU are available on the CEO website. You can download their alternative tourist guide to Bussels here: “Lobby Planet – Brussels”. CEO's podcast EU Watchdog Radio is also highly recommended! Presenter: Licia Cianetti is Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and Founding Deputy Director of CEDAR. The People, Power, Politics podcast brings you the latest insights into the factors that are shaping and re-shaping our political world. It is brought to you by the Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR) based at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Brussels is full of lobbyists. Over decades, big companies have been using their financial might not only to influence EU policies but even to shape how EU institutions are designed and what their key goals are. Host Licia Cianetti talks to Kenneth Haar, who for almost two decades has been conducting research on corporate lobbying in the EU for Corporate Europe Observatory. Kenneth explains how corporate lobbying works, what lobbyists want, and how a sketchily defined “competitiveness” agenda is driving a far-reaching deregulation drive by the European Commission, which endangers hard fought for environmental, social, health, and labour protections.  Guest: Kenneth Haar is a researcher and campaigner at Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO). His freely downloadable book, A Europe of Capital, details how corporate lobbyists got to the core of the European project. Corporate Europe Observatory is an advocacy and investigative research group. Their many reports, articles, and infographics on corporate lobbying in the EU are available on the CEO website. You can download their alternative tourist guide to Bussels here: “Lobby Planet – Brussels”. CEO's podcast EU Watchdog Radio is also highly recommended! Presenter: Licia Cianetti is Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and Founding Deputy Director of CEDAR. The People, Power, Politics podcast brings you the latest insights into the factors that are shaping and re-shaping our political world. It is brought to you by the Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR) based at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Day 1,449.Today, as Ukraine's security services claim responsibility for the longest-range strike yet on Russian oil and gas infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion, we examine reports of a surge in Russian army casualties and what that could mean for Vladimir Putin's war effort. Then we bring you the latest from the NATO summit in Brussels, where allies are discussing military support for Ukraine and European security, before returning to the escalating controversy at the Winter Olympics, where Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych has been disqualified over his “Helmet of Memory” tribute to Ukrainian athletes killed in the war.ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Jeremy Wilson (Chief Sports Reporter). @JWTelegraph on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Zelensky accuses Olympics of ‘playing into Russia's hands' after Ukraine athlete disqualified (Jeremy in The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/winter-olympics/2026/02/12/winter-olympics-2026-ukrainian-skeleton-helmet-ioc/ Halyna Klepikovska: participation in the International Cultural Programme of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics:https://www.halynaklepikovska.com/post/movement-as-a-form-of-thinkingRussian army casualties in Ukraine surge (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/ce74d2d8-5562-4e6d-9e5f-041b017b5d39SBU sends text warning Russians are trying to recruit Ukrainians to register Starlink terminals (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/sbu-sends-messages-to-holders-of-ukrainian-phone-numbers-warning-russians-trying-to-recruit-ukrainians-to-register-block-starlink-terminalsLISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of Europe's largest annual security conference, NATO defense ministers gathered in Brussels to calm nerves and stiffen spines after President Trump's threats to Greenland roiled the alliance. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Donald Trump doesn't much like Pedro Sánchez — and the Spanish prime minister is perfectly fine with that. Unlike other European leaders who reflexively genuflect to the American president, Pedro Sánchez stands apart for his willingness to confront Trump—not for its own sake, but in service of a theory of politics that diverges sharply from many of his European counterparts. As my guest, journalist Dave Keating, puts it: "While other European leaders zig, Pedro Sánchez zags." Most recently, Sánchez enacted policies to regularize the immigration status of roughly 500,000 undocumented migrants living in Spain, granting work permits and other pathways to formally enter Spanish society and the economy. He has also resisted efforts to substantially increase defense spending, while boosting Spain's support for international development and foreign aid. In today's interview, we discuss Pedro Sánchez's unique standing in European politics, why he's sometimes shunned by other leaders in Brussels, and whether his experiment in regularizing half a million undocumented migrants can actually succeed. Dave Keating is the Brussels correspondent for France 24, writes the Gulf Stream Blues Substack, and is the author of the new book The Owned Continent: How to Free Europe from American Military, Economic, and Cultural Dependence.

SHOW SCHEDULE 2-9-20261828 BANK OF ENFGLAND Guests: Bill Roggio and Husain Haqqani. Al-Qaeda has grown significantly since 9/11, maintaining a long-term vision for a global caliphate and establishing safe havens in Afghanistan and Syria, unlike the more isolated ISIS. Guests: Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio. Al-Qaeda veteran Ahmed al-Shara's presidency in Syria highlights the group's diplomatic manipulation and Western naivety in accepting jihadists who adopt modern suits and polished personas. Guests: Ernesto Araujo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa. Conservatives gathered in Brussels to champion freedom of speech and consolidate the "Foro Madrid," a transatlantic alliance uniting Latin American and Europeanleaders against socialism. Guests: Ernesto Araujo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa. Venezuelan regime factions clash over detaining opposition figures, while Brazilian conservative Flavio Bolsonaro seeks international support to combat totalitarianism ahead of the upcoming national election. Guests: Bill Roggio and Jonathan Schanzer. Reports indicate Iran's regime has killed thousands to suppress ongoing unrest, feigning diplomatic willingness while maintaining a paranoid grip on power and refusing real concessions. Guests: Bill Roggio and David Daoud. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem pledges loyalty to Iran, threatening asymmetric attacks on global U.S. assets if the "mothership" is struck, while organizing for Lebanese elections. Guests: Gordon Chang and Peter Huessy. China reportedly conducted secret underground nuclear tests to develop battlefield weapons for coercion, ignoring arms control treaties while the U.S. struggles to modernize its own deterrents. Guests: Gordon Chang and Brandon Weichert. NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission faces indefinite delays due to SLS rocket flaws, leading experts to urge replacing the bureaucratic program with SpaceX's efficient Starshipsystem. Guests: Bill Roggio and Bridget Tumi. The Houthis maintain improved military capabilities despite a temporary lull in attacks, remaining a persistent threat to Red Sea shipping and eager to support Iran if conflict erupts. Guests: Bill Roggio and John Hardie. Trilateral peace talks regarding Ukraine show limited progress on core issues, while Russia faces communication disruptions from Starlink denials and continues striking Ukrainianenergy infrastructure. Guests: Marianna Yarovskaya and Lyuba Sobol. Filmmaker Yarovskaya and activist Sobol discuss their documentary "Lyuba's Hope," highlighting the severe repression in Putin's Russia and the struggle of exiles fighting for democracy. Guests: Marianna Yarovskaya and Lyuba Sobol. Lyuba Sobol represents democratic Russian forces at the Council of Europe, aiming to delegitimize Putin, while facing continued threats and surveillance alongside other exiled activists. Guests: Bill Roggio and Ahmed Sharawi. Syrian leader Ahmed al-Shara secures resources by integrating the Kurdish SDF into his forces, while the U.S. watches for red lines regarding threats to Israel or regional stability. Guests: Bill Roggio and Edmund Fitton-Brown. The U.S. deploys military assets to pressure a defiant Iran, but the weakened regime refuses concessions to avoid looking vulnerable, relying on bluster and proxy distractions. Guest: Peter Berkowitz. Berkowitz argues that "National Conservatism," which seeks to root public life in a specific Christian vision, contradicts America's founding principles of religious pluralism and constitutional liberty. Guest: Craig Unger. Unger details Donald Trump's early alleged ties to Russian state security and the mob, beginning with the Commodore Hotel deal and continuing through real estate money laundering.E

PREVIEW FOR LATER TODAY Guest: Judy Dempsey. Dempsey highlights Europe's helplessness regarding U.S.political shifts, noting a lack of strategic leadership to navigate the changing geopolitical landscape driven by the U.S.1890 BRUSSELS

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The Fake News lost the narrative on the climate hoax. Trump bringing back the fishing industry in Maine. Everything is being reverse, jobs are coming back. Trump is moving the pieces on the board and preparing the country to move back to sound money and the is using the market as a weapon. The [DS] cannot keep the country divided anymore. The people are awake and they are seeing the true enemy through the fog. Trump is pushing everything to win the Midterms. We are watching the final countdown. Trump is exposing the system and the election cheating system to force the RINOS to pass the save act. Once this is done it is game over.   Economy https://twitter.com/ChrisMartzWX/status/2020341736896360591?s=20 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");   foolishly reinstated them. Since Day One, I have taken historic action to END these disastrous policies and, today, I signed a Presidential Proclamation to UNLEASH Commercial Fishing in the Atlantic Ocean, advancing the America First Fishing Policy! I am restoring nearly 5,000 square miles of Fishing access off the Coast of New England, which will revitalize our Fishing Industry, and STRENGTHEN our Booming Economy. Congratulations to all of our Great Fishermen. Please remember I did this for you, against strong Democrat opposition, and VOTE REPUBLICAN IN THE MIDTERMS! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP  https://twitter.com/unusual_whales/status/2020181009124192563?s=20   https://twitter.com/Bobby1_x/status/2020284867708350837?s=20  house: 614 oz gold Now: 82 oz 1971 Car: 86 oz gold Now: 9 oz 1971 Harvard: 63 oz gold Now: 11 oz 1971 Gas: 1 oz gold = 113 gallons Now: 1 oz gold = 1736 gallons If you saved in dollars your value inflated away to almost nothing But if you saved in gold you INCREASED your real world purchasing power MASSIVELY You didn’t see inflation, you saw deflation And you never even had to do so much as sell as stock or learn about bonds and interest rates All you had to do was save in gold Gold is and always will be the ultimate store of value https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2020229075487322323?s=20  By comparison, the 2020 high and 2012 peak were 40.9 million and 43.4 million, respectively. Meanwhile, ETFs of gold and other precious metals attracted +$4.39 billion in inflows in January, posting their 8th consecutive monthly intake. Furthermore, investors have invested a net +$3.62 billion in gold miner ETFs, the most since at least 2009. Demand for gold investments remains robust. https://twitter.com/MrPool_QQ/status/2020219515615793465?s=20  Reserve nominee if he doesn’t lower rates. “It was a joke.” No. It was a WARNING. The Fed’s days are numbered. MOVE 3: Pentagon CUT ALL TIES with Harvard. Military training. Fellowships. Programs. ALL GONE. The Ivy League pipeline to power is DEAD. MOVE 4: Launched TrumpRx. 43 medications. Ozempic included. Big Pharma’s monopoly: BROKEN. They charged you $1,000. He’s giving it for $300. MOVE 5: DHS funding expires February 13th. 6 days from now. Controlled shutdown incoming. Why? Because you can’t RESTRUCTURE what’s still running. Connect the dots: Iran tariffs = END of petrodollar Fed threat = END of central banking control Harvard cut = END of Deep State recruitment TrumpRx = END of Big Pharma monopoly DHS shutdown = RESTRUCTURING of homeland security This isn’t chaos. This is a DEMOLITION. Piece by piece. System by system. Pillar by pillar. The old world is being dismantled in REAL TIME. And the new one is being built while you watch.  DARK TO LIGHT   Political/Rights https://twitter.com/ICEgov/status/2019804241343234265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2019804241343234265%7Ctwgr%5Ea4849f0e923af3c8c6337a4af454066151ac3a71%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F02%2Fsupposedly-autistic-womans-tale-being-abused-arrested-ice%2F   the location, continued to impede our officers, and found out the hard way. 18 U.S.C. § 111 criminalizes impeding or interfering with federal officers. Team Trump Catches Gavin Newsom in a HUGE Lie During Back-and-Forth as California Governor Releases Thousands of Violent Criminal Illegals Back into Society https://twitter.com/KristiNoem/status/2019831108511158481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2019831108511158481%7Ctwgr%5Ed4914c3e3e7d1872b32b0c54f58216356aecffd0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F02%2Fteam-trump-catches-gavin-newsom-huge-lie-during%2F https://twitter.com/CAgovernor/status/2019876274798567749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2019876274798567749%7Ctwgr%5Ed4914c3e3e7d1872b32b0c54f58216356aecffd0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F02%2Fteam-trump-catches-gavin-newsom-huge-lie-during%2F https://twitter.com/USAttyEssayli/status/2019883966355107911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2019883966355107911%7Ctwgr%5Ed4914c3e3e7d1872b32b0c54f58216356aecffd0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F02%2Fteam-trump-catches-gavin-newsom-huge-lie-during%2F   The law in question is the California Values Act (SB 54), signed into law in 2017 by then-Governor Jerry Brown. The legislation bars state and local resources from being used to assist federal immigratio Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/liz_churchill10/status/2020347917962473789?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2020451356562096282?s=20 https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2020249786017095995?s=20   https://twitter.com/Kimberlyrja8/status/2019799463129133362?s=20  , Savannah stated, “[Nancy] is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her, and you'll see.” Many have noticed that the phrasing is nearly identical to the line from the famous thriller, when Sen. Ruth Martin addresses the kidnapper of her daughter, Catherine, saying, “Catherine is very gentle and kind. Talk to her, and you'll see.” https://twitter.com/IENouwen/status/2020088584964125145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2020088584964125145%7Ctwgr%5E35d5b78a17a39c8933cea82db5535043ef4b09ff%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F02%2Fwatch-savannah-guthrie-echoed-iconic-silence-lambs-line%2F TAKE A LISTEN   https://twitter.com/RyanSaavedra/status/2019972293032833214?s=20 https://twitter.com/drawandstrike/status/2020283785451806956?s=20   is coming. Remember immediately after that last tranche of documents were released, all of a sudden our international elite class of baby-farming, baby-eating kid fucking criminals were in an increasingly untenable position, where some of ’em had to resign from important positions, and others were being forced into exceedingly awkward explanations/apologies? Well how do you stop the train? How do you arrest the progress of the exposure of your baby-eating/kid fucking activities? Wouldn’t you try to come up with a way to do damage control where you make as VERY PROMINENT PUBLIC WARNING to the mainstream media: You do NOT really want to GO THERE and keep asking us awkward questions. BACK THE FUCK OFF. It could be YOUR mother next…TAKE THE HINT… Now… Who is she? Who is she pictured with? Where was the picture taken? Will Bill Clinton be asked on February 28 who she is and why he was with her on Epstein’s plane? Stay tuned for developments. https://twitter.com/ByronYork/status/2020107433612288444?s=20   BREAKING: Pam Bondi Announces Arrest of Key Suspect in the 2012 Benghazi Attack (VIDEO)  Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Friday morning that the FBI arrested one of the key players behind the deadly terrorist attack against the US Consulate in Benghazi. Islamic terrorists attacked the US Consulate in Benghazi on September 11, 2012, eleven years after the attacks on the World Trade Center. As noted previously, the Libyan nightmare was the result of a war that President Obama and Hillary Clinton started.  They never should have started the war in Libya, never should have placed Americans there unprotected, and when the Americans in Benghazi were under attack on 9-11, 2012 they should have provided help.  Instead, four Americans died in Benghazi as was famously portrayed in the movie 13 Hours. For days after the attack on Benghazi, President Obama and Hillary Clinton blamed the attack in Benghazi on a made up story about a US citizen who incited protests in Benghazi from a YouTube video about Islam. They continued with the story as the caskets of the four dead Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, were shipped back to the US. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton left the Consulate to fend for itself and never sent military support to rescue the men trapped at the Consulate. Attorney General Pam Bondi: On September 11th, 2012, Americans watched horrified as our embassy in Bengasi came under a vicious terror attack. We lost four American lives that day: Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith with the State Department, and two CIA contractors, Glenn Dordy and Tyrone Woods. We have never forgotten those heroes, and we have never stopped seeking justice for that crime against our nation. In fact, from day one, Cash and Dan would sit in meetings and say, We're going to get them, and they did. Today, I'm proud to announce that the FBI has arrested one of the key participants behind the Bengasi attack. Zubar Albaqash landed at Andrews Air Force Base at 03: 00 AM this morning. He is in our custody. He was greeted by Director Director Patel and US attorney Jeanine Piero. Source: thegatewaypundit.com   DOGE Geopolitical https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/2020137645339226362?s=20   supposed to GUARANTEE freedom, not RESTRICT it!” Poland standing tall against Brussels' Big Brother nonsense. This is what real leadership looks like. No bowing to globalist overlords. Poland remains a STRONG ally of the USA and a fighter for liberty.   Illegal Migrants and Gang Members out of the United States. We discussed many other issues, including Investment and Trade between our two Countries. He loves the people of Honduras, and is focused on their Health, Well-being, Education, and Economic Prosperity. I look forward to welcoming President Asfura back to the United States. Tito: Congratulations on your Great Victory! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP War/Peace https://twitter.com/BuzzPatterson/status/2020388749834965399?s=20 https://twitter.com/Osint613/status/2020238386108543128?s=20 Security Alert: Land Border Crossings (February 5, 2026) Location:  Iran, countrywide Event:  Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing. The Government of Iran continues to restrict access to mobile, landline, and national internet networks. Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran. U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye. Actions to Take: Leave Iran now. Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government help. Flight cancellations and disruptions are possible with little warning. Check directly with your airlines for updates. If you cannot leave, find a secure location within your residence or another safe building. Have a supply of food, water, medications, and other essential items. Avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile, and stay aware of your surroundings. Monitor local media for breaking news. Be prepared to adjust your plans. Keep your phone charged and maintain communication with family and friends to inform them of your status. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive the latest updates on security in Iran. If You Plan to Leave Iran:  U.S.-Iranian dual nationals must exit Iran on Iranian passports.  The Iranian government does not recognize dual nationality  and will treat U.S.-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens. U.S. nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran. Showing a U.S. passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.  U.S. citizens who do not have a valid U.S. passport in their possession should apply for one at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate after departing Iran. The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety if you choose to depart using the following options. You should leave only if you believe it is safe to do so. As of Thursday, February 5:   Source:    Medical/False Flags China Bombshell: Patel says Biden-era FBI ‘buried' truth about CCP's ties to biolab on US soil  FBI Director Kash Patel says his agency has resumed an aggressive counterintelligence offensive against China and its Communist Party (CCP) that had been sidelined during the Biden presidency but is concerned the prior administration may have “buried” the truth about dangerous biolabs on U.S. soil tied to Beijing. The FBI boss said the renewed efforts have already resulted in a 40% increase in Chinese espionage arrests in the first year of the second Trump administration. Source: justthenews.com  [DS] Agenda ICE Humilates Far-Left Boston Mayor Michelle Wu in EPIC Fashion After She Signs Executive Order Barring Agency from Conducting “Unconstitutional and Violent” Operations ICE agents delivered a humiliating and richly deserved blow to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's ego on Friday, one day after she tried to hamstring them for doing their jobs. As WHDH reported, Wu signed an “An Executive Order To Protect Bostonians From Unconstitutional and Violent Federal Operations.” Specifically, the order bans federal officials, including ICE, from using city property for immigration enforcement operations. Wu's office says the order is designed to “protect residents from illegal federal overreach, prioritizing de-escalation, and reaffirms that Boston will hold anyone accountable who commits violence, property damage, or any criminal conduct in the City, including federal officials.” Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2020487139377443327?s=20 https://twitter.com/WallStreetApes/status/2019900883082031120?s=20   https://twitter.com/Badhombre/status/2019488291263823960?s=20    “People for the American Way” and Brian Tyler Cohen's “Chorus.” People for the American Way receives most of its funding from George Soros' Open Society Foundations. Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen was recently exposed in a scandal for receiving dark money from the Sixteen Thirty Fund and paying up to $8,000 a month to influencers like Olivia Julianna, David Pakman, JoJo From Jerz, and Leigh “Politics Girl” McGowan to amplify coordinated content. The Sixteen Thirty Fund, managed by Arabella Advisors, receives its funding from three major sources: – Berger Action Fund (Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss) – Open Society Policy Center (Hungarian Billionaire George Soros) – Democracy Fund Voice (French-born eBay founder Pierre Omidyar). Twelve people run the “HQ” account full-time. This is yet another coordinated propaganda campaign funded by leftist billionaires attempting to push their globalist agenda and sow division. Nothing organic or truly Gen-Z about it beyond the faces used to represent it. https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2020289816882024790?s=20 President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/Rightanglenews/status/2020293934413680968?s=20 NBC CAUGHT IN ANOTHER LIE: VP Vance and Wife Were Not Booed at Olympics – It Was Quite the Opposite Vice President J.D. Vance, his with Usha and three children are representing the United States this week at the Winter Olympics.   J.D. was a hit at the Olympics venue.  On Friday night during the opening ceremonies NBC claimed the crowd was booing when J.D. Vance and his wife were pictured on the big screen. What disgusting people. Of course, this lie was quickly exposed by several fact-checkers online. Ovation Eddie 2 caught the media in their latest disgusting lie: https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2020155556158136778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2020155556158136778%7Ctwgr%5Ed35db378d07d7f30cba1d9449c0da87c52040e2a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F02%2Fnbc-caught-another-lie-vp-vance-wife-were%2F   Remember: You can never trust a single word coming from the anti-Trump, Anti-American legacy media. Source: thegatewaypundit.com   https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2020310461267202235?s=20   https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2020285717713453058?s=20   that out. Democrats Cry As Trump Makes It Easier to Fire Federal Workers The Trump administration is planning to make it easier to discipline—and potentially fire—career officials in senior positions across the government, a move that would affect roughly 50,000 federal workers. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which oversees the federal workforce, issued a final rule on Thursday that creates a category of worker for high-ranking career employees whose work focuses on executing the administration's policies. Workers who fall into that category would no longer be subject to rules that for decades have set a high bar for firing federal employees.  The Trump team, however, characterizes the move as one that gives the executive branch the ability to better shape the bureaucracy to help serve its agenda, instead of allowing it to clandestinely thwart it: The administration has been clear that the goal of the rule is to more easily fire workers they argue are hindering Trump policies — a nod to the president's claims of a “Deep State” within the federal government trying to undermine him. “This is not about people's views or ideas. This is about whether they are refusing to actually affect their duties on behalf of the American people consistent with the objectives of this administration,” said Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which promulgated the rule.   Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/drawandstrike/status/2020298873923567783?s=20   doesn’t agree with the 5th Circuit’s ruling. How in the world would you REINSTATE a policy where an illegal who successfully evaded detection at a port of entry has legal recourse to bond when those illegals detected at a port of entry do not? The 5th just rightfully found that NEITHER kind of illegal should have recourse to bond – whether they are detected at a port of entry or they successfully sneak into the country and are here for months/years before being caught. The fact this absurd situation persisted for decades shows you the system was rigged to allow human trafficking and to create a literal legal industry to facilitate it.      Trump can “legally” mass deport ALL illegals, whether they have committed a crime or not. “A federal appeals court ruled that Trump administration can lock up the vast majority of people it is seeking to deport without offering a chance for bond, even if they have no criminal records and have resided in the country for decades.        https://twitter.com/alexahenning/status/2020196173663867144?s=20 https://twitter.com/HansMahncke/status/2020253940374245522?s=20   https://twitter.com/DNIGabbard/status/2020227805976678574?s=20  control of the Whistleblower's complaint, so I obviously could not have “hidden” it in a safe. Biden-era IC Inspector General Tamara Johnson was in possession of and responsible for securing the complaint for months. – The first time I saw the whistleblower complaint was 2 weeks ago when I had to review it to provide guidance on how it should be securely shared with Congress. – As Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Warner knows very well that whistleblower complaints that contain highly classified and compartmented intelligence—even if they contain baseless allegations like this one—must be secured in a safe, which the Biden-era Inspector General Tamara Johnson did and her successor, Inspector General Chris Fox, continued to do. After IC Inspector General Fox hand-delivered the complaint to the Gang of 8, the complaint was returned to a safe where it remains, consistent with any information of such sensitivity. – Either Senator Warner knows these facts and is intentionally lying to the American people, or he doesn't have a clue how these things work and is therefore not qualified to be in the U.S. Senate—and certainly not the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Here is a detailed chronology of the situation: – June 2025, I became aware that a whistleblower made a complaint against me that after further investigation, neither Biden-era IC Inspector General Tamara Johnson nor current IC Inspector General Chris Fox found the complaint to be credible. – The complaint required special handling and storage in a safe because the complainant chose to include highly sensitive information within the complaint itself rather than referencing the sensitive reporting and leaving the complaint at a lower level of classification. – Security standards for complaints that include such sensitive intelligence required the Inspector General to keep the complaint and the intelligence referenced secured in a safe from the time the complaint was made, until now. – In June 2025 after Biden-era Inspector General Tamara Johnson completed her review of the complaint, no further oversight or investigative activity took place. – Biden-era Inspector General Johnson had communicated with me directly throughout the course of her investigation into this complaint, yet neither she nor anyone from her office informed me that the Whistleblower chose to send the complaint to Congress which would require me to issue security instructions. – When a complaint is not found to be credible, there is no timeline under the law for the provision of security guidance. The “21 day” requirement that Senator Warner alleges I did not comply with, only applies when a complaint is determined by the Inspector General to be both urgent AND apparently credible. That was NOT the case here. – I was made aware of the need to provide security guidance by IC Inspector General Chris Fox on December 4, 2025, which he detailed in his letter to Congress. – I took immediate action to provide the security guidance to the Intelligence Community Inspector General who then shared the complaint and referenced intelligence with relevant members of Congress last week. Senator Warner’s decision to spread lies and baseless accusations over the months for political gain, undermines our national security and is a disservice to the American people and the Intelligence Community. https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/2020151219210137711?s=20   https://twitter.com/AlecLace/status/2019802427487027667?s=20 https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/2020150184374681890?s=20 https://twitter.com/AlecLace/status/2019849309148311983?s=20 https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/2019941561367191842?s=20 https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/status/2020183096667128211?s=20  2. ALL VOTERS MUST SHOW PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP TO REGISTER FOR VOTING.   3. NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS (EXCEPT FOR ILLNESS, DISABILITY, MILITARY, OR TRAVEL!). https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2020314452483342609?s=20     (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Guests: Ernesto Araujo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa. Conservatives gathered in Brussels to champion freedom of speech and consolidate the "Foro Madrid," a transatlantic alliance uniting Latin American and European leaders against socialism.1810 BRUSSELS