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ROMAN KINGSHIP: FROM CITIZEN SELECTION TO THE IDEAL OF SERVICE Colleague Professor Edward J. Watts. Early Roman kings were selected by citizens based on merit rather than heredity, but figures like Servius Tullius began bypassing this consent. Conversely, Cincinnatus exemplifies the Roman ideal of service; he accepted absolute dictatorial power to save the state during a crisis, then immediately resigned to return to his farm. NUMBER 9 1583 LIVY
SHOW 12-18-25 THE SHOW BEGINS IN DOUBTS ABOUT THE POTUS AT YEAR'S END... 1951 BALD EAGLE ALASKA CRUNCH EU SUMMIT DISCUSSES USING FROZEN RUSSIAN ASSETS FOR UKRAINE Colleague Anatol Lieven. The European Union is internally divided over seizing frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's war effort and reconstruction, a move requiring rule changes that some members resist. While the US proposes using these funds for post-war rebuilding, current plans risk spending the capital on immediate warfare, potentially undermining international financial trust. NUMBER 1 NATO AND EU SEEK DEFENSE FUNDS AMID FEARS OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION Colleague Anatol Lieven. European nations like Finland are demanding funds to counter perceived Russian threats, despite a lack of historical aggression toward them. Lieven argues that plans to spend billions on tanks are misguided, as the Ukraine war demonstrates that expensive armor is easily destroyed by cheaper drones and defensive lines. NUMBER 2 CALIFORNIA JOB LOSSES AND CHINA'S ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN AMID RETAIL SEASON Colleague Chris Riegel. California's new wage mandates have triggered significant job losses in the fast-food sector, forcing operators to move to lower-tax states. Internationally, while China boasts of leads in AI and EVs, these sectors rely on unsustainable subsidies, masking a deep consumer recession and deflation in the property market. NUMBER 3 SPAIN'S GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS TIES WITH VENEZUELA DESPITE OPPOSITION Colleague Mary Anastasia O'Grady. The Spanish government under Pedro Sanchez maintains ideological and economic alliances with the Maduro regime, prioritizing political agendas over democratic ideals. Opposition figure Cayetana Alvarez de Toledo accuses former Prime Minister Zapatero of acting as an international agent for Maduro, facilitating the dictatorship's survival despite mass migration. NUMBER 4 CHINA'S SURREPTITIOUS SUPPORT KEEPS THE MADURO REGIME AFLOAT Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. China sustains the Maduro regime through loans, surveillance technology, and military equipment while bypassing sanctions to import Venezuelan oil. The state oil company, PDVSA, collapsed due to the purging of technical experts and lack of investment, forcing Venezuela to rely on Iranian engineers to maintain minimal production. NUMBER 5 VENEZUELA'S TRAGIC DECLINE FROM PROSPERITY TO AUTHORITARIANISM Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. Historical imagery reveals Venezuela's transformation from a prosperous, modern nation in the 1950s to a ruined state today. Deep inequality and corruption in the pre-Chavez era alienated the poor, allowing Hugo Chavez to capitalize on their frustration and dismantle the free market system, leading to the current crisis. NUMBER 6 ELECTIONS IN CHILE, PERU, AND HONDURAS SIGNAL REGIONAL SHIFTS Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. In Chile, José Antonio Kast's rise reflects a rejection of progressive policies and crime, favoring order and investment. Meanwhile, Peru faces political fragmentation and violence, Honduras struggles with electoral disputes, and Costa Rica appears poised to elect a pro-US candidate who aims to limit Chinese influence. NUMBER 7 ARGENTINA'S CREDIT RATING RISES AS BRAZIL FACES POLITICAL POLARIZATION Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. S&P upgraded Argentina's credit rating following Javier Milei's austerity measures, which have stabilized the currency and reduced inflation despite social costs. In Brazil, the reduction of Jair Bolsonaro's prison sentence and his son Flavio's candidacy signal a continued, polarized struggle against Lula da Silva's agenda for the 2026 election. NUMBER 8 ROMAN KINGSHIP: FROM CITIZEN SELECTION TO THE IDEAL OF SERVICE Colleague Professor Edward J. Watts. Early Roman kings were selected by citizens based on merit rather than heredity, but figures like Servius Tullius began bypassing this consent. Conversely, Cincinnatus exemplifies the Roman ideal of service; he accepted absolute dictatorial power to save the state during a crisis, then immediately resigned to return to his farm. NUMBER 9 APPIUS CLAUDIUS CAECUS: INFRASTRUCTURE AND POLITICAL GENIUS Colleague Professor Edward J. Watts. Appius Claudius Caecus transformed the Roman censorship office into a power base by building the Appian Way and appointing wealthy Italians to the Senate. As a blind elder statesman, he shamed the Senate into rejecting peace with Pyrrhus, insisting Rome must fight to maintain its dominance and ancestral legacy. NUMBER 10 ROME VS. CARTHAGE: DESTINY, TRAGEDY, AND THE CONSENSUS FOR WAR Colleague Professor Edward J. Watts. The conflict between Rome and Carthage is symbolized by the tragedy of Dido, representing the incompatibility of their powers. Despite Hannibal's devastating victories, the Roman Republic prevailed through a political system that prioritized consensus and collective sacrifice, allowing them to endure immense losses without surrendering. NUMBER 11 THE GRACCHI BROTHERS AND THE RISE OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN ROME Colleague Professor Edward J. Watts. The Gracchi brothers introduced political violence to Rome, with Tiberius using populism to revive his career and Gaius acting as a true believer in reform. Their assassinations by the Senate marked a departure from peaceful republican norms, as the elite used violence to protect entrenched economic inequality. NUMBER 12 DISCOVERY OF GIANT RADIO GALAXIES AND SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES Colleague Dr. Sabayashi Pal. Astronomers have discovered 53 giant radio galaxies, some 75 times larger than the Milky Way, powered by active supermassive black holes emitting radio jets. These ancient objects offer insights into galactic evolution, contrasting sharply with the Milky Way's smaller, dormant black hole that allows life to exist safely. NUMBER 13 INVESTING IN HUMAN INTELLECT OVER ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Colleague Dr. Sabayashi Pal. Given an unlimited budget, Dr. Pal would prioritize human resource development over new telescopes, proposing a space study institute in Africa to train experts. He argues that while AI is a useful tool, education is essential for humans to interpret data and appreciate the machinery rather than being replaced by it. NUMBER 14 EUROPE SCROUNGES FOR FUNDS AMID RUSSIAN ASSET DISPUTES Colleague Michael Bernstam. The UK threatens to seize proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC for Ukraine aid, while the EU struggles to finance a $135 billion shortfall for Kyiv. European leaders propose leveraging frozen Russian assets for loans, but financial markets remain skeptical of the EU's ability to guarantee such debt. NUMBER 15 CONGRESSIONAL SPENDING AND THE REVERSE MIDAS TOUCH Colleagues Dave Hebert and Peter Earle. Hebert and Earle argue that Congressional spending exacerbates problems in education and healthcare by subsidizing demand while restricting supply through regulations. They contend politicians prefer "showy" supply-side interventions, like drug busts, over effective policies because the politics of appearing effective outweigh the economics of actual affordability. NUMBER 16
One of the amusing sides of Christmas is people shopping in departments they never otherwise shop in - generally clueless. Let me give you an example that I can relate to - men shopping in the ladies clothing department. Oh, we're a mess. Now, if you need a good laugh; you're feeling a little down, you ought to go to the ladies garment department somewhere; especially the more personal the item is, the funnier it is to watch men shopping. They're slightly embarrassed, generally incompetent at what they're doing, and it's very important if you're going to go shopping for a woman during the Christmas season that you get the woman's size: your wife, your mother, your sister, your girlfriend, or whatever. And you trust that the tags are right, of course, on the size. You know that a small had better be a small, because you don't know anything. A large had better be a large. Now, you want to know how to sow some confusion and have some fun? (Don't anybody do this, please.) Imagine if someone snuck into that store late one night and just changed the tags around. Well, people would make a lot of wrong choices, all because the sizes were wrong. Now, that doesn't happen to clothes, but it does happen to people, and it takes the Christmas Story to straighten out small and large. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "How Christmas Rightsizes the World." Our word for today from the Word of God is found in Luke 1:52-53. Mary is pregnant; she's carrying the baby Jesus, and we get a little idea of the insight God has given her as she prays this prayer, what is often called The Magnificat. She says, "God has brought down rulers from their thrones, but He has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, but He has sent the rich away empty." You know, Mary has the right sizes on the right people. She has the smalls on the small, and the bigs on the big. You see, the world would call these the big people - those people who are called rulers and rich. But she says, "the rulers have been brought down. The rich have been sent away empty." God's heroes - the people the world calls small. They're identified as the humble, who He lifts up, and the hungry, who He fills up. You see, what is a big deal to men is a little deal to God - big deal like money, gifts, title, fame. That's a little deal to God. Conversely, what's a little deal to men: "You don't have much money. You don't have much influence. Not many people know you. You're average." See, that's a big deal to God. You hear people say all the time, "Well, I'm just a... I'm just a student. I'm just a mother. I'm just a secretary. I'm just a helper. I'm just a Sunday school teacher. I'm just a laborer. It's just a small church. It's just a little class. I'm just a choir member." With God, there are no "just a's," not in God's value system. Bethlehem, we're told, was "little among the villages, but out of you (little village) will come the Prince," Mary, the peasant but the Mother of God's Son. Shepherds, the outcasts of their society, the first evangelists. I wonder if you have the two qualifications for God's heroes: humble, which means you are totally depending on the Lord, and hungry, restless to know and serve Him more. God likes to make folks like that big for Him - the humble and the hungry. Remember to give attention to the people others ignore. They're the big people to God - children, the poor, the powerless. Oh, by the way, don't ever call yourself "just a..." again. God does His biggest things through the smallest instruments. Call big what God calls big. Make sure you've got the right size.
Join an active community of RE investors here: https://linktr.ee/gabepetersenDISCOVERING THE PATH FROM MEDICINE TO REAL ESTATE
SHOW 12-17-25 THE SHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS ABOUT THE US CONFLICT WITH VENEZUELA... 1926 USS OMAHA IN THE PANAMA CANAL. Colonel Jeff McCausland discusses the US "blockade" of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers and the potential for escalation into a regional conflict involving Colombia. He also analyzes the Pentagon's refusal to release videos of destroyed drug boats, suggesting possible war crime concerns, and notes stalled Ukraine negotiations. Colonel McCausland reports on NATO's eastern flank "digging in," with Baltic states building defensive bunkers and Germany significantly increasing military spending. He highlights a divergence where European allies prepare for existential Russian threats while US leadership may prioritize "strategic stability" and economic cooperation with Moscow. General Blaine Holt warns that integrating Artificial Intelligence into military command increases the risks of deliberate, inadvertent, and accidental escalation. He argues that while AI accelerates decision-making, it lacks human judgment, potentially leading to catastrophic miscalculations if adversaries rely on algorithms during crises. General Holt explains that AI models in war games demonstrate a bias toward violent escalation, often prioritizing "winning" over negotiation, which leads to nuclear conflict. He emphasizes the necessity of keeping humans in the loop and maintaining direct communications between rival nations to prevent automated catastrophe. Simon Constable reports from France on high copper prices and slowing European energy demand. He describes protests by French farmers burning hay to oppose government orders to cull cattle exposed to disease and notes a significant rise in electric vehicle sales across the European Union. Simon Constable discusses the political troubles of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the suspension of a US-UK tech deal due to clashes over AI regulation. He explains that Britain's "Online Safety Act" aims to tax and regulate tech giants, which threatens to stifle American AI companies operating there. Bob Zimmerman highlights a record-breaking year with over 300 global rocket launches, driven largely by private enterprise competition. He notes that Amazon was forced to contract SpaceX for satellite launches due to delays from rivals like Blue Origin and reports on safety concerns involving Russian launch pad negligence. Bob Zimmerman reports on the success of commercial space station company Vast and orbital tug tests that outperformed government efforts. Conversely, he details problems with NASA's Maven orbiter at Mars, which has lost communication, potentially jeopardizing data relays for surface rovers. David Shedd critiques the bipartisan failure of allowing China into the World Trade Organization in 2001, which was based on the false assumption that economic engagement would lead to democratization. Instead, this decision facilitated a massive transfer of intellectual property, fueling China's rise as a predatory economic rival. David Shedd explains how China's Ministry of State Security operates as a massive intelligence entity combining the functions of the CIA, FBI, and NSA. He traces this economic espionage to Deng Xiaoping's 1984 strategy, noting that Chinese officers view theft as repayment for past Western oppression. David Shedd details espionage cases, including an Apple engineer stealing "Project Titan" car schematics for a Chinese competitor. He also describes a Google employee who stole AI data while secretly working for a Chinese firm, highlighting how corporate greed and weak internal security enable intellectual property theft. David Shedd outlines strategies to counter Chinese espionage, advocating for "partial decoupling" to protect critical technologies like semiconductors and AI. He argues for modernizing legal deterrence to prosecute theft effectively and warns that Chinese platforms like DeepSeek harvest user data to advance their "Great Heist" of American wealth. Nury Turkel discusses the plight of Guan Hang, a whistleblower facing deportation from the US despite documenting Uyghur concentration camps. Turkel criticizes the inconsistent enforcement of forced labor laws and highlights new evidence linking Uyghur slave labor to the excavation and processing of critical minerals. Rebecca Grant argues against the planned retirement of the USS Nimitz in 2026, suggesting it should be kept in reserve given delays in new Ford-class carriers. Despite the ship's age, Grant asserts that retaining the carrier offers crucial strategic depth against threats like China's PLA Navy. Rick Fisher analyzes the emerging race to build AI data centers in low Earth orbit, noting advantages like natural cooling and zero real estate costs. While Elon Musk's Starlink positions the US well, Fisher warns that China has detailed plans to use space-based data centers to support expansion into the solar system. Alan Tonelson evaluates China's economic strengths, acknowledging their dominance in rare earth processing and solar panels, often achieved through subsidies. He argues that China's heavy investment in industrial robots attempts to offset a looming demographic crash, while questioning the true market demand for their subsidized electric vehicles.
Bob Zimmerman reports on the success of commercial space station company Vast and orbital tug tests that outperformed government efforts. Conversely, he details problems with NASA's Maven orbiter at Mars, which has lost communication, potentially jeopardizing data relays for surface rovers. Q963
In this episode of the Leading Voices in Food podcast, Norbert Wilson of Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy speaks with researchers Jean Adams from the University of Cambridge and Mike Essman from Duke's World Food Policy Center. They discuss the mandatory calorie labeling policy introduced in England in April 2022 for large food-away-from-home outlets. The conversation covers the study recently published in the British Medical Journal, exploring its results, strengths, limitations, and implications within the broader context of food labeling and public health policies. Key findings include a slight overall reduction in calorie content offered by food outlets, driven by the removal of higher-calorie items rather than reformulation. The discussion also touches on the potential impacts on different consumer groups, the challenges of policy enforcement, and how such policies could be improved to more effectively support public health goals. Interview Summary Now everyone knows eating out is just part of life. For many, it's a place to make connections, can be a guilty pleasure, and sometimes it's just an outright necessity for busy folks. But it is also linked to poor dietary quality, weight gain, and even obesity. For policymakers, the challenge is identifying what policy changes can help improve population health. Jean, let's begin with you. Can you tell our listeners about the UK's menu labeling intervention and what change did you hope to see? Jean - Yes, so this was a policy that was actually a really long time in coming and came in and out of favor with a number of different governments. So maybe over the last 10 years we've had various different suggestions to have voluntary and/or mandatory calorie labeling in the out-of-home sector. Eventually in April, 2022, we did have new mandatory regulations that came into a force that required large businesses just in England - so not across the whole of the UK, just in England - if they sold food and non-alcoholic drinks and they had to display the calories per portion of every item that they were selling. And then have alongside that somewhere on their menu, a statement that said that adults need around 2000 calories per day. The policy applied just to large businesses, and the definition of that was that those businesses have 250 or more employees, but the employees didn't all have to be involved in serving food and drinks. This might apply also to a large hotel chain who just have some bars or something in their hotels. And the food and drinks covered were things that were available for immediate consumption. Not prepackaged. And then there was also this proviso to allow high-end restaurants to be changing their menus regularly. So, it was only for things that were on the menu for at least 30 days. You mentioned that this policy or a menu labeling might have at least two potential modes of impacts. There's first this idea that providing calories or any sort of labeling on food can somehow provide information for consumers to make what we might hope would be better choices. Might help them choose lower calorie options or healthier options. And then the second potential impact is that businesses might also use the information to change what sort of foods they're serving. It might be that they didn't realize how many calories were in the foods and they're suddenly embarrassed about it. Or as soon as their customers realize, they start to put a little bit of pressure on, you know, we want something a little bit lower calorie. So, there's this potential mechanism that operates at the demand side of how consumers might make choices. And another one at the supply side of what might be available to consumers. And we knew from previous evaluations of these sorts of interventions that there was some evidence that both could occur. Generally, it seems to be that findings from other places and countries are maybe null to small. So, we were thinking that maybe we might see something similar in England. Thank you for sharing that background. I do have a question about the length of time it took to get this menu labeling law in place. Before we get into the results, do you have a sense of why did it take so long? Was it industry pushback? Was it just change of governments? Do you have a sense of that? Jean - Yes, so I think it's probably a bit of both. To begin with, it was first proposed as a voluntary measure actually by industry. So, we had this kind of big public-private partnership. What can industry do to support health? And that was one of the things they proposed. And then they didn't really do it very well. So, there was this idea that everybody would do it. And in fact, we found maybe only about 20% of outlets did it. And then definitely we have had government churn in the UK over the last five years or so. So, every new prime minister really came in and wanted to have their own obesity policy threw out the last one started over. And every policy needs consulted on with the public and then with industry. And that whole process just kind of got derailed over and over again. Thank you. That is really helpful to understand that development of the policy and why it took time. Industry regulated policy can be a tricky one to actually see the results that we would hope. You've already given us a sort of insight into what you thought the results may be from previous studies - null to relatively small. So, Mike, I want to turn to you. Can you tell us what came out of the data? Mike - Thank you, yes. So, we found a small overall drop in average calories offered per item. That amounts to a total of nine calories per item reduction in our post policy period relative to pre policy. And this is about a 2% reduction. It was statistically significant and we do in public health talk about how small effects can still have big impacts. So, I do want to sort of put that out there, but also recognize that it was a small overall drop in calories. And then what we did is we looked at how different food groups changed, and also how calories changed at different types of restaurants, whether it was fast food, restaurants, sit downs that we call pubs, bars, and inns. And then also other different types of takeaways like cafes and things like that where you might get a coffee or a cappuccino or something like that. What we found was driving the overall reduction in calories was a reduction in higher calorie items. So, as Jean mentioned at the outset, one of the things we were trying to identify in this analysis was whether we saw any evidence of reformulation. And we defined reformulation as whether specific products were reduced in their calories so that the same products were lower calories in the post period. We define that as reformulation. And that would be different from, say, a change in menu offering where you might identify a high calorie item and take it off the menu so that then the overall calories offered goes down on average. We found more evidence for the latter. Higher calorie items were removed. We separated into categories of removed items, items that were present in both periods, and new items added in the post period. There were higher calorie items in the removed group. The items that were present in both periods did not change. The new items were lower calorie items. What this says overall is this average reduction is driven by taking off high calorie items, adding some slightly lower calorie items. But we did not find evidence for reformulation, which is a crucial finding as well. We saw that the largest reductions occurred in burgers, beverages and a rather large mixed group called Mains. So, burgers reduced by 103 calories per item. That's pretty substantial. One of the reasons that's so large is that burgers, particularly if they're offered at a pub and might even come with fries or chips, as they say in the UK. And because they have such a high baseline calorie level, there's more opportunity to reduce. So, whether it's making it slightly smaller patty or reducing the cheese or something like that, that's where we saw larger reductions among the burgers. With beverages, typically, this involved the addition of lower calorie options, which is important if it gives an opportunity for lower calorie selections. And that was the main driver of reduction there. And then also we saw in Mains a reduction of 30 calories per item. A couple of the other things we wanted to identify is whether there was a change in the number of items that were considered over England's recommended calories per meal. The recommended calories per meal is 600 calories or less for lunch and dinner. And we saw no statistical change in that group. So overall, we do see a slight reduction in average calories. But this study did not examine changes in consumer behavior. I do want to just briefly touch on that because this was part of a larger evaluation. Another study that was published using customer surveys that was published in Nature Human Behavior found no change in the average calories purchased or consumed after the policy. This evaluation was looking at both the supply and the demand side changes as a result of this policy. Thanks, Mike and I've got lots of questions to follow up, but I'll try to control myself. The first one I'm interested to understand is you talk about the importance of the really calorie-heavy items being removed and the introduction of newer, lower calorie items. And you said that this is not a study of the demand, but I'm interested to know, do you have a sense that the higher calorie items may not have been high or top sellers. It could be easy for a restaurant to get rid of those. Do you have any sense of, you know, the types of items that were removed and of the consumer demand for those items? Mike - Yes. So, as I mentioned, given that the largest changes were occurring among burgers, we're sort of doing this triangulation attempt to examine all of the different potential impacts we can with the study tools we have. We did not see those changes reflected in consumer purchases. So, I think sticking with the evidence, the best thing we could say is that the most frequently purchased items were not the ones that were being pulled off of menus. I think that would be the closest to the evidence. Now, no study is perfect and we did in that customer survey examine the purchases and consumption of about 3000 individuals before and after the policy. It's relatively large, but certainly not fully comprehensive. But based on what we were able to find, it would seem that those reductions in large calorie items, it's probably fair to say, were sort of marginal choices. So, we see some reduction in calories at the margins. That's why the overall is down, but we don't see at the most commonly sold. I should also mention in response to that, a lot of times when we think about eating out of home, we often think about fast food. We did not see reductions in fast food chains at all, essentially. And so really the largest reductions we found were in what would be considered more sit-down dining establishment. For example, sit-down restaurants or even pubs, bars and ends was one of our other categories. We did see average reductions in those chains. The areas you kind of think about for people grabbing food quickly on the go, we did not see reductions there. And we think some of this is a function of the data itself, which is pubs, bars and inns, because they offer larger plates, there's a little bit more space for them to reduce. And so those are where we saw the reductions. But in what we might typically think is sort of the grab and go type of food, we did not see reductions in those items. And so when we did our customer surveys, we saw that those did not lead to reductions in calories consumed. Ahh, I see this and thank you for this. It sounds like the portfolio adjusted: getting rid of those heavy calorie items, adding more of the lower calorie items that may not have actually changed what consumers actually eat. Because the ones that they typically eat didn't change at all. And I would imagine from what you've said that large global brands may not have made many changes, but more local brands have more flexibility is my assumption of that. So that, that's really helpful to see. As you all looked at the literature, you had the knowledge that previous studies have found relatively small changes. Could you tell us about what this work looks like globally? There are other countries that have tried policy similar to this. What did you learn from those other countries about menu labeling? Jean - Well, I mean, I'm tempted to say that we maybe should have learned that this wasn't the sort of policy that we could expect to make a big change. To me one of the really attractive features of a labeling policy is it kind of reflects back those two mechanisms we've talked about - information and reformulation or changing menus. Because we can talk about it in those two different ways of changing the environment and also helping consumers make better choices, then it can be very attractive across the political landscape. And I suspect that that is one of the things that the UK or England learned. And that's reflected in the fact that it took a little while to get it over the line, but that lots of different governments came back to it. That it's attractive to people thinking about food and thinking about how we can support people to eat better in kind of a range of different ways. I think what we learned, like putting the literature all together, is this sort of policy might have some small effects. It's not going to be the thing that kind of changes the dial on diet related diseases. But that it might well be part of an integrated strategy of many different tools together. I think we can also learn from the literature on labeling in the grocery sector where there's been much more exploration of different types of labeling. Whether colors work, whether black stop signs are more effective. And that leads us to conclusions that these more interpretive labels can lead to bigger impacts and consumer choices than just a number, right? A number is quite difficult to make some sense of. And I think that there are some ways that we could think about optimizing the policy in England before kind of writing it off as not effective. Thank you. I think what you're saying is it worked, but it works maybe in the context of other policies, is that a fair assessment? Jean - Well, I mean, the summary of our findings, Mike's touched on quite a lot of it. We found that there was an increase in outlets adhering to the policy. That went from about 20% offered any labeling to about 80%. So, there were still some places that were not doing what they were expected to do. But there was big changes in actual labeling practice. People also told us that they noticed the labels more and they said that they used them much more than they were previously. Like there was some labeling before. We had some big increases in noticing and using. But it's... we found this no change in calories purchased or calories consumed. Which leads to kind of interesting questions. Okay, so what were they doing with it when they were using it? And maybe some people were using it to help them make lower calorie choices, but other people were trying to optimize calories for money spent? We saw these very small changes in the mean calorie of items available that Mike's described in lots of detail. And then we also did some work kind of exploring with restaurants, people who worked in the restaurant chains and also people responsible for enforcement, kind of exploring their experiences with the policy. And one of the big conclusions from that was that local government were tasked with enforcement, but they weren't provided with any additional resources to make that happen. And for various reasons, it essentially didn't happen. And we've seen that with a number of different policies in the food space in the UK. That there's this kind of presumption of compliance. Most people are doing it all right. We're not doing it a hundred percent and that's probably because it's not being checked and there's no sanction for not following the letter of the law. One of the reasons that local authorities are not doing enforcement, apart from that they don't have resources or additional resources for it, is that they have lots of other things to do in the food space, and they see those things as like higher risk. And so more important to do. One of those things is inspecting for hygiene, making sure that the going out is not poisonous or adulterated or anything like that. And you can absolutely understand that. These things that might cause acute sickness, or even death in the case of allergies, are much more important for them to be keeping an eye on than labeling. One of the other things that emerged through the process of implementation, and during our evaluation, was a big concern from communities with experience of eating disorders around kind of a greater focus on calorie counting. And lots of people recounting their experience that they just find that very difficult to be facing in a space where they're maybe not trying to think about their eating disorder or health. And then they're suddenly confronted with it. And when we've gone back and looked at the literature, there's just not very much literature on the impact of calorie labeling on people with eating disorders. And so we're a little bit uncertain still about whether that is a problem, but it's certainly perceived to be a problem. And lots of people find the policy difficult for that reason because they know someone in their family or one of their friends with an eating disorder. And they're very alert to that potential harm. I think this is a really important point to raise that the law, the menu labeling, could have differential effects on different consumers. I'm not versed in this literature on the triggering effects of seeing menu labeling for people with disordered eating. But then I'm also thinking about a different group of consumers. Consumers who are already struggling with obesity, and whether or not this policy is more effective for those individuals versus folks who are not. In the work that you all did, did you have any sense of are there heterogeneous effects of the labeling? Did different consumers respond differentially to seeing the menu label? Not just, for example, individuals maybe with disordered eating? Mike - In this work, we mostly focused on compliance, customer responses in terms of consumption and purchases, changes in menus, and customers reporting whether or not they increase noticing and using. When we looked at the heterogeneous effects, some of these questions are what led us to propose a new project where we interviewed people and tried to understand their responses to calorie labeling. And there we get a lot of heterogenous groups. In those studies, and this work has not actually been published, but should be in the new year, we found that there's a wide range of different types of responses to the policy. For example, there may be some people who recently started going to the gym and maybe they're trying to actually bulk up. And so, they'll actually choose higher calorie items. Conversely, there may be people who have a fitness routine or a dieting lifestyle that involves calorie tracking. And they might be using an app in order to enter the calories into that. And those people who are interested in calorie counting, they really loved the policy. They really wanted the policy. And it gave them a sense of control over their diet. And they felt comfortable and were really worried that if there was evidence that it wouldn't work, that would be taken away. Then you have a whole different group of people who are living with eating disorders who don't want to interact with those numbers when they are eating out of home. They would rather eat socially and not have to think about those challenges. There's really vast diversity in terms of the responses to the policy. And that does present a challenge. And I think what it also does is cause us just to question what is the intended mechanism of action of this policy? Because when the policy was implemented, there's an idea of a relatively narrow set of effects. If customers don't understand the number of calories that are in their items, you just provide them with the calories that are in those items, they will then make better choices as rational actors. But we know that eating out of home is far more complex. It's social. There are issues related to value for money. So maybe people want to make sure they're purchasing food that hasn't been so reduced in portions that now they don't get the value for money when they eat out. There are all sorts of body image related challenges when people may eat out. We didn't find a lot of evidence of this in our particular sample, but also in some of our consultation with the public in developing the interview, there's concern about judgment from peers when eating out. So, it's a very sensitive topic. Some of the implications of that are we do probably need more communication strategies that can come alongside these policies and sort of explain the intended mechanism impact to the public. We can't expect to simply add numbers to items and then expect that people are going to make the exact choices that are sort of in the best interest of public health. And that sort of brings us on to some potential alternative mechanisms of impact and other modes of labeling, and those sorts of things. Mike, this has been really helpful because you've also hinted at some of the ways that this policy as implemented, could have been improved. And I wonder, do you have any other thoughts to add to how to make a policy like this have a bigger impact. Mike - Absolutely. One of the things that was really helpful when Jean laid out her framing of the policy was there's multiple potential mechanisms of action. One of those is the potential reformulation in menu change. We talked about those results. Another intended mechanism of action is through consumer choice. So, if items have fewer calories on average, then that could reduce ultimately calories consumed. Or if people make choices of lower calorie items, that could also be a way to reduce the overall calories consumed. And I would say this calorie labeling policy, it is a step because the calories were not previously available. People did not know what they were eating. And if you provide that, that fulfills the duty of transparency by businesses. When we spoke to people who worked in enforcement, they did support the policy simply on the basis of transparency because it's important for people to understand what they're consuming. And so that's sort of a generally acceptable principle. However, if we want to actually have stronger population health impact, then we do need to have stronger mechanisms of action. One of the ways that can reduce calories consumed by the consumers, so the sort of demand side, would be some of the interpretive labels. Jean mentioned them earlier. There's now a growing body of evidence of across, particularly in Latin America. I would say some of the strongest evidence began in Chile, but also in Mexico and in other Latin American countries where they've put warning labels on items in order to reduce their consumption. These are typically related to packaged foods is where most of the work has been done. But in order to reduce consumer demand, what it does is rather than expecting people to be sort of doing math problems on the fly, as they go around and make their choices, you're actually just letting them know, well, by the way, this is an item that's very high in calories or saturated fat, or sodium or sugars. Or some combination of those. What that does is you've already helped make that decision for the consumers. You've at least let them know this item has a high level of nutrients of concern. And you can take that away. Conversely, if you have an item that's 487 calories, do you really know what you're going to do with that information? So that's one way to have stronger impact. The other way that that type of policy can have stronger impact is it sets clear thresholds for those warnings. And so, when you have clear thresholds for warnings, you can have a stronger mechanism for reformulation. And what companies may want to do is they may not want to display those warning labels, maybe because it's embarrassing. It makes their candy or whatever the unhealthy food look bad. Sort of an eyesore, which is the point. And what they'll do is they can reformulate those nutrients to lower levels so that they no longer qualify for that regulation. And so there are ways to essentially strengthen both of those mechanisms of action. Whereas when it's simply on the basis of transparency, then what that does is leave all of the decision making and work on the consumer. Mike, this is great because I've worked with colleagues like Gabby Fretes and Sean Cash and others on some menu labeling out of Chile. And we're currently doing some work within the center on food nutrition labels to see how different consumers are responding. There's a lot more work to be done in this space. And, of course, our colleagues at UNC (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill) have also been doing this work. So, this work is really important because it tells us how it can help consumers make different choices, and how it can affect how companies behave. My final question to the two of you is simply, what would you like policymakers to learn from this study? Or maybe not just this study alone, but this body of work. What should they take away? Jean - Well, I think there's lots of information out there on how to do food labeling well, and we can certainly learn from that. And Mike talks about the work from South America particularly where they're helping people identify the least healthy products. And they're also providing messaging around what you should do with that - like choose a product with fewer of these black symbols. But I think even if labeling is optimized, it's not really going to solve our problem of dietary related diseases. And I think I always want policymakers to know, and I think many of them do understand this, that there is no one magic solution and we need to be thinking about labeling as part of a strategy that addresses marketing in its entirety, right? Companies are using all sorts of strategies to encourage us to buy products. We need to be thinking of all sorts of strategies to support people to buy different products and to eat better. And I think that focuses on things like rebalancing price, supporting people to afford healthier food, focusing advertising and price promotions on healthier products. And I also think we need to be looking even further upstream though, right? That we need to be thinking about the incentives that are driving companies to make and sell less healthy products. Because I don't think that they particularly want to be selling less healthy products or causing lots of illness. It's those products are helping them achieve their aims of creating profit and growth for their shareholders. And I think we need to find creative ways to support companies to experiment with healthier products that either help them simultaneously achieve those demands of profit or growth. Or somehow allow them to step away from those demands either for a short period or for a longer period. I think that that requires us to kind of relook at how we do business in economics in our countries. Mike? Yes, I think that was a really thorough answer by Jean. So, I'll just add a couple points. I think most fundamentally what we need to think about when we're doing policy making to improve diet is we need to always think about are we helping to make the healthier choice the easier choice? And what that means is we're not implementing policies that merely provide information that then require individuals to do the rest of the work. We need to have a food environment that includes healthier options that are easily accessible, but also affordable. That's one thing that's come through in quite a lot of the work we've done. There are a lot of concerns about the high cost of food. If people feel like the healthier choices are also affordable choices, that's one of many ways to support the easier choice. And I really just want to reiterate what Jean said in terms of the economics of unhealthy food. In many ways, these large multinational corporations are from their perspective, doing right by their shareholders by producing a profitable product. Now there are debates on whether or not that's a good thing, of course. There's quite a lot of evidence for the negative health impacts of ultra-processed (UPF) products, and those are getting a lot more attention these days and that's a good thing. What we do need to think about is why is it that UPFs are so widely consumed. In many ways they are optimized to be over consumed. They're optimized to be highly profitable. Because the ingredients that are involved in their production means that they can add a lot of salt, sugar, and fat. And what that does is lead to overconsumption. We need to think about that there's something fundamentally broken about this incentive structure. That is incentivizing businesses to sell unhealthy food products with these food additives that lead to over consumption, obesity, and the associated comorbidities. And if we can start to make a little progress and think creatively about how could we incentivize a different incentive structure. One where actually it would be in a food business's best interest to be much more innovative and bolder and produce healthier products for everyone. That's something that I think we will have to contend with because if we are thinking that we are only going to be able to restrict our way out of this, then that's very difficult. Because people still need to have healthy alternatives, and so we can't merely think about restricting. We also have to think about how do we promote access to healthier foods. This is great insight. I appreciate the phrasing of making the healthy choice the easy choice, and I also heard a version of this making the healthy choice the affordable choice. But it also seems like we need to find ways to make the healthy choice the profitable choice as well. Bios: Jean Adams is a Professor of Dietary Public Health and leads the Population Health Interventions Programme at the University of Cambridge MRC Epidemiology Unit. Adams trained in medicine before completing a PhD on socio-economic inequalities in health. This was followed by an MRC Health of the Population fellowship and an NIHR Career Development Fellowship both exploring influences on health behaviours and socio-economic inequalities in these. During these fellowships Jean was appointed Lecturer, then Senior Lecturer, in Public Health at Newcastle University. Jean moved to Cambridge University to join the MRC Epidemiology Unit and CEDAR in 2014 where she helped establish the Dietary Public Health group. She became Programme Leader in the newly formed Population Health Interventions programme in 2020, and was appointed Professor of Dietary Public Health in 2022. Mike Essman is a Research Scientist at Duke University's World Food Policy Center. His background is in evaluating nutrition and food policies aimed at improving diets and preventing cardiometabolic diseases. His work employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore drivers of dietary behavior, particularly ultra-processed food consumption, across diverse environments and countries. Mike earned his PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where his research focused on evaluating the impacts of a sugary beverage tax in South Africa. He completed MSc degrees in Medical Anthropology and Global Health Science at the University of Oxford through a fellowship. Prior to joining Duke, he conducted research at the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, where he evaluated the impacts of calorie labeling policies in England and led a study examining public perceptions of ultra-processed foods.
In a culture that prizes gifts, decorations, and “holiday magic,” it’s easy to let Christmas focus more on stuff than on Christ. Romans 1:25 warns against exchanging the truth of God for a lie—worshiping created things instead of the Creator. True celebration of the Savior comes not from what we buy or wrap, but from hearts aligned with God. This season invites us to pause, examine our motives, and ensure that every tradition, gift, and gathering points back to Jesus. Highlights The culture of consumerism can distract us from celebrating Christ. Romans 1:25 reminds us that worship belongs to God alone, not created things. Idolatry isn’t always obvious; anything that fills a void meant for God can become an idol. Practical approaches, like Scripture-focused family time, help center Christmas on Jesus. Gifts and celebrations are not inherently wrong but should reflect stewardship of God’s blessings. Examining the “why” behind our holiday choices ensures our hearts remain aligned with God. Thoughtful reflection and prayer can guide families in meaningful, Christ-centered celebrations. Gift Inspiration: Crosswalk's Holiday Gift Guide Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate the season? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide—from beautifully illustrated Bibles and devotionals to novels, greeting cards, and picture books, there’s something for everyone on your list. Wrap up stories for loved ones, tuck a book into your own nightstand, and join us in celebrating the wonder of giving this Christmas! Full Transcript Below: Celebrating the Savior in a Culture That Celebrates Stuff By: Laura Bailey Bible Reading: “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:25 NIV How to celebrate holidays is always a difficult decision in our household. My husband and I both grew up in a home where Christ was at the center, with loving parents and a godly extended family. In general, our families, at their core, shared the same values, but their approach to life, and specifically holidays, was quite different. One of the most significant discrepancies is that I didn’t grow up believing in Santa Claus. In an attempt to keep the holiday focused on the birth of Jesus, my parents made it clear there was no big jolly man in a red suit bringing gifts. God gave us centuries ago the only gift we need, in the form of a baby in a manger. And, any other material presents we received are as a result of God’s providence ( as stewarded by parents). Conversely, my husband’s family celebrated Santa Claus, the “magic of Christmas,” and played St. Nick on Christmas morning. Neither way to celebrate Christmas is wrong; both can promote the message of the gospel and provide a fun seasonal experience. However, it created a bit of a dilemma when we had our own children and were deciding how to approach the holiday.Through much deliberation, we reached a compromise that worked well for our family, allowing our children to believe in Santa while also engaging in Scripture daily that focused on the birth of Christ. And, just when we thought we had it down, God blessed us with our third child on Christmas Day! I share this detail because, while we tried to mitigate the focus of Christmas being on presents, it became increasingly complex when we had a child who shared a birthday (which naturally receives gifts) with a culturally commercial holiday. And so, if your family, like mine, is trying to keep the Christ in Christmas, as well as engage in celebrations with family members that involve gifts, let me offer the “solution” that the Lord laid on my heart a few years ago.Romans is a book filled with profound theology and an abundance of practical wisdom for living a godly life. Paul begins his letter to the Christians in the Roman church by calling out the ways that they have allowed the culture to distract them from worshiping God. Specifically, they were worshiping the created over the Creator. God hates idolatry to the extent that the first and second commandments focus on the concept that God is the only one deserving of our worship. He tells us that we should have no other God before Him, and we shouldn’t make idols. What’s an idol? Tim Keller explains it well in his book Counterfeit Gods, “An idol is anything more important to you than God. Anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God. Anything you seek to give you what only God can give. Anything so central and essential to your life that you should lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living.”Paul tells us that the early church “exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” We do the same thing today; the culture tells us that the answer to our problems is one click away. Yet, once we get the shiny new toy, it’s not long before that emptiness is felt again. The creation can’t give us what only the Creator can. This holiday season, think less about how you celebrate and more about the why. What is your heart’s posture? Are you using stuff to fill a void, to mask your emptiness? Or, are you stewarding God’s blessings over your life well? As we approach this season, may we be mindful that, no matter how we choose to celebrate, we always place God first.Intersecting Faith & Life:Take a moment today to ask the Lord to search your heart and give you clarity and guidance on how your family should celebrate the holidays, so that you may avoid worshiping the creation over the Creator. Further Reading:Exodus 203 Ways to Keep Christ at the Center of Christmas Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
There's a reason why only 1% of money managers can beat the S&P 500 every year. And the reason is probably not what you expect. Truth is, these things are valuable, and not only should we be grateful they exist, but we should be setting ourselves up to benefit from them for the next three decades of our existence. But as always, with us Contrarians, there are ways to make them even more lucrative. Lots more. Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/ For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/ Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/ Get a Discount On Any Trading View Package - https://www.tradingview.com/?aff_id=159841 The Blog Has Moved to My New Free Substack - https://thecontrarianinvestorblog.substack.com/p/what-to-expect-and-what-not-to?r=16orow Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/ The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice. Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone. The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates. Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time. Thank you for understanding.
What's up, dudes? Alamo City Santa Jeremy Phelps joins me to dive into the 1986 made-for-tv movie “Christmas Eve!” Starring Loretta Young and Rachel's dad from “Friends,” this melodrama has charm! Although Amanda Kingsley is now extremely wealthy, she remembers her hardscrabble upbringing. She now spends her time trying to help the less fortunate around her. Conversely, her business-minded son, Andrew, has never wanted for anything, and has become hardhearted. Upon receiving bad medical news, Amanda engages down-at-heel private investigator Morris Huffner to track down Andrew's three estranged children. She desperately longs for one final family Christmas.Huffner tracks down the youngest first. He is now a country singer, and vaguely knows the whereabouts of his sister. Of course, Huffner uses the lead to track down the young lady, and seemingly falls for her. Finally, Huffner finds the oldest son, who had dodged the draft by fleeing to Canada. They all come together and force a change of heart on Andrew.A philanthropic protagonist? Check. A miserly antagonist? Got it. An Alfred Pennyworth-like butler? Definitely! So grab your notebook and track down this episode on “Christmas Eve!”Alamo City Santa IG: @alamocitysanta Etsy: North Pole General StoreFB: @northpolegeneralstore IG: @northpole_generalstoreGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!
We have a special tool for you to use now and for the rest of your trading career. It's your very own personal trading psychologist! Robb developed the prompt for it, and we're here to tell you all about it, here in Episode 98. #TradingPsychology Prompt Can Be Found Here: https://nononsenseforex.com/trading-psychology-ai-prompt/ Maverick Links Click Here To Learn More about Maverick Forex Trading: URL: https://maverickfx.com/application-3-a/?utm_source=vpyt Click Here To Learn More about Maverick Currencies: URL: https://maverickcurrencies.com/application-3-a/?utm_source=VPPodPsych Click Here To Learn More about Maverick Trading's Stock/Options Division: URL: https://mavericktrading.com/application-3-a/?utm_source=VPPodPsych Maverick Trading YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mavericktrading Robb's Flat Earth Trading Society https://www.youtube.com/@FlatEarthTradingSociety No Nonsense Forex Links VP's Trading Psychology Book https://nononsenseforex.com/forex-psychology-book/ Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (Bonus and Contest Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/ Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/ Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X The hosts of this podcast are not licensed financial advisors, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice. Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone. The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates. Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading anything involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits.
Welcome to Paranormal Spectrum, where we illuminate the enigmatic corners of the supernatural world. I'm your host, Barnaby Jones, and today we have a very special guest joining us:Deidre Sanford has always had a natural sensitivity to the energies and experiences others might overlook. Over time and through training in Reiki, Pranic Healing, psychic, and mediumship development, she came to understand that intuitive perception isn't rare; it's simply under-recognized. We all have the ability to sense more than we've been taught to believe.Today, Deidre uses her intuitive gifts both in everyday life and in her work as a paranormal investigator. Her passion is helping others realize that these abilities aren't just for a select few—we're all born with them. Most of us just need a little encouragement to start noticing, trusting, and exploring them.Deidre also utilizes her abilities and lived experience in her practice as a certified trauma informed coach and holistic therapy practitioner. Conversely these modalities also come into play during paranormal investigations where she has been referred to as the "Paranormal Therapist."Deidre's Websitehttps://www.deidrelsanford.com/www.VioletFlameHealingArts.comFacebook links:https://www.facebook.com/deidre.sanford/ (personal page)https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090570304874 (business page)https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17qm714Wxq/ (private group)Click that play button, and let's unravel the mysteries of the UNTOLD! Remember to like, share, and subscribe to our channel to stay updated on all the latest discoveries and adventures. See you there!Join Barnaby Jones on the Paranormal Spectrum every Thursday on the Untold Radio Network Live at 12pm Central – 10am Pacific and 1pm Eastern. Come and Join the live discussion next week. Please subscribe.We have twelve different Professional Podcasts on all the things you like. New favorite shows drop each day only on the UNTOLD RADIO NETWORK.To find out more about Barnaby Jones and his team, (Cryptids, Anomalies, and the Paranormal Society) visit their website www.WisconsinCAPS.comMake sure you share and Subscribe to the CAPS YouTube Channel as wellhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs7ifB9Ur7x2C3VqTzVmjNQ
In this profoundly moving and honest conversation, we sit down with Jeff Loving, a NICU dad, husband, and now an author, who shares the intimate and often unspoken grief experienced by fathers after pregnancy loss. Jeff walks us through the heartbreaking loss of his two sons, Davian and Jadon, the struggle to find empathy and appropriate medical care, and how these experiences ultimately led him and his wife, Cassie, to become fierce advocates for their future family. This episode is a raw look at marriage under immense stress, the importance of empathetic medical staff, and the redemptive joy of welcoming their "double rainbow" daughter, Isla Grace. Jeff also discusses his mission to help other men through their grief by writing his book, Holding Onto the Light. Key Discussion Points & Timestamps Time Topic Key Takeaway 00:06 Meet Jeff Loving: Husband, NICU Dad, and Author Jeff introduces his family, including his dog, Sage, his wife, Cassie, and their NICU "double rainbow" baby girl, Isla Grace, reflecting on five years of marriage and three pregnancies. 01:08 The Loss of Davian (First Pregnancy) Jeff describes the initial shock and excitement of their first pregnancy, the sudden onset of symptoms at 19 weeks, and the devastating choice they faced in the hospital due to an infection: lose the baby, or risk losing both the baby and his wife. 04:55 The Cruel Disconnect of Grief Jeff recounts the soul-crushing moment of holding his son, Davian, as his heartbeat stopped. He shares the struggle of navigating intense grief while the world—and Thanksgiving—kept moving around them. 07:58 Finding Support: The Power of Presence The discussion turns to how his family supported them by simply being present, rather than offering platitudes like "it's God's plan." The importance of showing up for grieving parents is highlighted. 11:21 Empathetic vs. Detached Care Jeff praises the nurses who were a "calming presence in the chaos" and later attended Davian's service. Conversely, he shares a painful anecdote about a male doctor's detached and jovial demeanor, asking if he wanted to cut the cord after the loss. 15:51 What Compassion Looks Like in Care Jeff shares what he wished the doctor had said: "I know this is very hard... just know that my heart breaks for you, and I'm so sorry that you guys are going through this." This is a vital lesson for medical professionals. 16:55 Marriage Under Stress After moving to North Carolina for a fresh start, Jeff discusses how the loss put their marriage under extreme stress—it would either break them or bond them deeper. They emerged stronger. 23:13 The Loss of Jadon (The Second Pregnancy) The traumatic situation repeats almost day-for-day with their second son, Jadon. Jeff details the medical system's failure to provide a cerclage procedure, despite repeated requests, and the resulting emergency. 26:45 The Audacity of Poor Communication Jeff recounts being livid when the doctor who denied them the preventive cerclage entered the room without him present to tell his wife they were losing their baby, and then left without speaking to Jeff. 34:20 The Blessing of Angel the Bereavement Coordinator Jeff shares the incredible support they received from their bereavement coordinator, Angel, who handled every detail from handprints to selecting clothes, even providing a moment of much-needed humor when she accidentally gave Jadon a hilarious nickname. 36:02 Remembrance Toys: Dino Dave and Jucletus The significance of tangible remembrance items, like a weighted dinosaur (Dino Dave) and a heartbeat bear (Jucletus), that allow Isla to connect with her "big brothers." 39:18 "This is Our Double Rainbow Child" Jeff discusses the difficulty of answering "Is this your first?" as a parent of loss, and how he now confidently speaks of Isla as their "double rainbow child." 42:03 A Resource for Fathers of Loss Jeff explains his motivation for writing his book, Holding Onto the Light: A Father's Journey Through Loss and Healing. He notes the lack of resources for grieving men and how he encapsulated real stories into a fictional narrative to help them feel seen and heard. 46:05 The Defining Moment The most powerful feedback: a man who hadn't read a book in a decade finally read Jeff's book after losing his son. 48:52 Where to Find the Book and Connect Jeff shares his book title, where to buy it, and the dedicated email address to build a community of grieving fathers. Action Items & Connect with Jeff Read Jeff's Book: Title: Holding Onto the Light: A Father's Journey Through Loss and Healing Author: J. S. Loving Available: On Amazon (print and Kindle Unlimited). Connect & Share Your Story: Fathers of Loss Email: holdingontothelightbook@gmail.com (Jeff's goal is to connect with other fathers and collect stories for a future project). Instagram: @L-O-V-I-J-E-F (L-O-V-I-J-E-F) When parents feel empowered, everyone wins – kids thrive and the care team excels! Links and Resources: SupportSpot Website Download SupportSpot iOS or Android 85% of users report high satisfaction, appreciating the SupportSpot app's comprehensive resources and user-friendly interface. 92% of parent users say the SupportSpot app's helped them understand medical procedures and treatment better. 80% of parents believe the SupportSpot app's has contributed to better health outcomes for their child. 73% of parent users believe the SupportSpot app's has made them feel more empowered to advocate for their child in healthcare Learn more here. Meet the host: Katie Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Child Life On Call, a digital platform designed to provide parents, kids, and the care team with access to child life services tools and resources. She is a certified child life specialist with over 13 years of experience working in various pediatric healthcare settings. Katie is the author of the children's book, and has presented on the topics of child life and entrepreneurship, psychosocial care in the hospital, and supporting caregivers in the NICU setting both nationally and internationally. She is also the host of the Child Life On Call Podcast which features interviews with parents discussing their experiences throughout their child's medical journey. The podcast emphasizes the crucial role of child life services in enabling caregivers both at and beyond the bedside. Instagram.com/childlifeoncall The Child Life On Call Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. The content shared in each episode, including stories, discussions, and interviews, is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Child Life On Call Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Child Life On Call. Child Life On Call does not endorse any specific medical treatments, procedures, or opinions shared in the podcast. If you or your child are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or seek immediate medical attention. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that Child Life On Call and its affiliates are not responsible for any decisions made based on the information provided. Facebook.com/childlifeoncall linkedin.com/in/kfdonovan
Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann has been suspended for 1 game for high sticking Tampa Bay Lighting forward Oliver Bjorkstrand. Conversely, Gage Goncalves received no supplemental discipline for kneeing Toronto's Dakota Mermis. Visit https://www.skyscanner.ca/ to book your next trip today! Skyscanner connects millions of travellers, in 52 countries and 37 languages, to more than 1200 trusted travel partners so they can find the best flight, hotel or car hire options.Subscribe to The Jesse Blake Sports Report YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JesseBlakeTV?sub_confirmation=1Follow Jesse on Twitter at @JesseBlakeFollow Jesse on Instagram @Jesse.BlakeVisit https://sdpn.ca for more.Join us on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/MtTmw9rrz7For general inquiries email: info@sdpn.caReach out to https://www.sdpn.ca/sales to connect with our sales team and discuss the opportunity to integrate your brand within our content!Join SDP VIP:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0a0z05HiddEn7k6OGnDprg/joinApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/thestevedanglepodcastSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sdpvip/subscribeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
With beef prices climbing — up nearly 60% in the last decade, according to industry veterans —fast casual operators are facing a margin squeeze. The solution to stabilizing food costs while meeting consumer demand for variety may lie in an under-leveraged protein: pork. In this episode of the "Restaurant Operator Podcast," host Cherryh Cansler sits down with Dr. Kristin Hicks-Roof of the National Pork Board and Eddie Flores Jr., co-founder of the 235-unit franchise L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. Together, they explore why pork is emerging as a strategic pivot for brands looking to differentiate their menus and protect their bottom lines. Flores shares real-world insights on how items like Kalua pork and Spam have acted as economic stabilizers for his franchise system amidst market volatility. Conversely, Hicks-Roof breaks down the nutritional science, explaining how operators can market pork to health-conscious consumers looking for nutrient-dense options. What listeners can learn:The Margin Opportunity: How substituting or blending pork can alleviate the pressure of rising beef and chicken costs.Global Flavor Trends: How to leverage pork's versatility to tap into popular international cuisines, from Hawaiian "Lau Lau" (pork wrapped in taro leaves) to Filipino "Pork Tocino."The "Carrier" Concept: Strategies for using pork—like bacon or crumbles—as a flavor driver to increase sales of high-margin vegetable sides.Combating Menu Monotony: How introducing new cuts helps operators avoid "protein fatigue" among regular customers. “Pork fits smack dab in the middle,” Hicks-Roof said during the episode. “It not only provides that nutrition, but it also provides that traditional deliciousness.” Click here to listen to the full episode and learn how to rethink the center of the plate.
Dreams were crushed in Week 14. The Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts and hell, even the Cincinnati Bengals suffered losses that greatly compromised their respective seasons. Conversely, teams like the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars positioned themselves to continue their campaign into January. Gregg Rosenthal, Jourdan Rodrigue, Patrick Claybon and Nick Shook join forces to provide recap, analysis and discussion of a pivotal week of football in the NFL. Game recaps in order: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Miami Dolphins at New York Jets Washington Commanders at Minnesota Vikings Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns Houston Texans at Kansas City ChiefsNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feeling Stressed & Anxious? Get our FREE 3 Day Stress & Anxiety Detox here -> https://womensmeditationnetwork.com Book your FREE 30 Minute Clarity Call with Jody now! https://jody.as.me/womensmeditationnetworkclaritysession What is a Clarity Call? This is the first step to giving you the IMMEDIATE relief you crave and will help you to become "unstuck" as you walk the path towards a life of happiness, inner peace and fulfillment. During this call, we're going to explore your ideal life and vision for living the life that you desire. We'll talk about some of the challenges that are getting in your way, and I'll provide you with some practical tools to help you close the gap from where you are now, to your desired destination. Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player. Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium The people in our lives directly impact our life experiences. If we are surrounded by people who are nay-sayers, doubt us, or demean us, it's easy for us to shrink. Conversely, if we're surrounded by people who believe in us, cheer us on and even challenge us to grow, we can thrive beyond our own imaginations. PAUSE (20 SEC)... So relax deeply into comfort, And settle into the rhythms of your breathing. PAUSE (10 SEC)… Let the thoughts go. Let your mind clear. And come into this present moment. Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen Join our Premium Meditation for Kids Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Kids podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here → https://bit.ly/meditationforkidsapple Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life. If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want! Namaste, Beautiful,
How would you like to get in early to the future of BANKING at an early stage? This opportunity wasn't available to our parents, grandparents, or even our great-grandparents, but not only is it available to us -- it's on sale! I think if more people knew what Coinbase actually does and where it already sits on the global scale after only 12 years of existence, they would hesitate to grab as much as they can now. Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/ For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/ Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/ Get a Discount On Any Trading View Package - https://www.tradingview.com/black-friday/?aff_id=159841 The Blog Has Moved to My New Free Substack - https://thecontrarianinvestorblog.substack.com/p/what-to-expect-and-what-not-to?r=16orow Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/ The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice. Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone. The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates. Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time. Thank you for understanding.
🧭 REBEL Rundown 📝 Introduction Welcome to the Rebel Core Content Blog, where we delve into crucial knowledge for emergency medicine. Today, we share insightful tips from PEM specialist Dr. Elise Perelman, shedding light on respiratory challenges in infants, toddlers, and young children during the viral season. Understanding that most cases involve typical viruses, we aim to equip you with diagnostic pearls to identify more serious pathologies. Click here for Direct Download of the Podcast. 🔍 Recognizing Respiratory Patterns Pearl #1: Look at Your PatientBegin exams from the doorway. Observing patterns such as accessory muscle usage can reveal a patient’s respiratory effort. Specify whether the work of breathing occurs during inspiration, expiration, or both. Inspiratory work indicates difficulty getting air in, while expiratory work suggests trouble pushing air out. Silent tachypnea may point to other issues, like acidemia or pneumothorax. 🩺 Localizing Sounds for Accurate Diagnosis Pearl #2: Localize the SoundBreathing noises signal varied respiratory issues. Stridor, often heard on inspiration, results from obstructions above the thoracic inlet. Conversely, wheezing, generally linked to exhalation, indicates obstructions in the lower airways. Watch for signs like ‘silent chest’—a dangerous, severe obstruction, and distinguish grunting as a bodily mechanism to prevent alveolar collapse. Correctly identifying the sound assists in determining the appropriate intervention. 💉 Tailoring Treatment for Effective Results Once a sound is localized, treatments vary. We explore Soder from nasal congestion, typically needing supportive care and suctioning. Stridor from conditions like croup is eased with interventions to reduce airway swelling, such as steroids or inhaled epinephrine. Conversely, wheezing in infants is often due to bronchiolitis—not bronchospasms—and over-treatment is to be avoided. Supportive measures including suction, hydration, and oxygen are preferred unless improvement warrants bronchodilators. 🌬️ Intervening with Severe Asthma In severe cases of asthma or bronchiolitis, where standard at-home treatments fail, immediate adjunct therapies like intramuscular epinephrine become essential. Administering this quickly can alleviate obstruction when inhalants aren’t effective due to low air movement. 🦓 Navigating the Zebras of Respiratory Cases When recognizing Zebras—uncommon cases overshadowed by routine diagnoses—remain vigilant for histories or presentations that don’t conform. Conditions like pneumonia, bacterial tracheitis, and even myocarditis may mimic more common issues. 📌 Conclusion As attending physicians, our role extends beyond conventional treatment—it’s about discerning the atypical from the typical. Dr. Perelman urges continual reassessment, emphasizing reliance on observational skills as much as technological aid. Keeping keen on respiratory nuances ensures we catch those outlier cases, paving the way for adept medical care despite the overwhelming prevalence of viral infections.Stay tuned for more pearls and insights in our future posts, as Dr. Perelman shares further strategies for effective pediatric emergency care. For more resources, continue exploring our faculty’s valuable contributions on our site. Until then, stay safe and perceptive in your practice. Post Peer Reviewed By: Mark Ramzy, DO (X: @MRamzyDO), and Marco Propersi, DO (X: @Marco_Propersi) 👤 Guest Elise Perlman MD Pediatric Emergency Medicine Assistant Professor, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Meet The Team 🔎 Your Deep-Dive Starts Here REBEL Core Cast – Pediatric Respiratory Emergencies: Beyond Viral Season Welcome to the Rebel Core Content Blog, where we delve ... Pediatrics Read More REBEL CAST – IncrEMentuM26 Speaker Spotlight : Drs. Tarlan Hedayati, Jess Mason and Simon Carley Host Dr. Mark Ramzy shines a spotlight on three distinguished ... Resuscitation Read More REBEL Core Cast 145.0: Understanding QTc Prolongation: Causes, Risks, and Management The QT interval is a vital part of ECG interpretation, ... Procedures and Skills Read More REBEL Core Cast 144.0: Tourniquet Tips In this episode of the Rebel Core Content podcast, Swami ... Procedures and Skills Read More REBEL CAST – IncrEMentuM26 Speaker Spotlight : George Willis and Mark Ramzy 🧭 REBEL Rundown 📝Introduction In this exciting episode of REBEL ... Endocrine, Metabolic, Fluid, and Electrolytes Read More REBEL Core Cast – DKA: Beyond the Basics Part 2 – SCOPE DKA-Trial Managing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) requires careful consideration of fluid therapy, ... Endocrine, Metabolic, Fluid, and Electrolytes Read More The post REBEL Core Cast – Pediatric Respiratory Emergencies: Beyond Viral Season appeared first on REBEL EM - Emergency Medicine Blog.
We just lowered the prices on all of our packages, and promo code 'GURU' gets you an extra 15% off to make a Fantasy Points Premium sub only $134 for the rest of the year. https://www.fantasypoints.com/plans#/ Week 14 features one of the most critical fantasy matchups of the season. With four teams on bye, Matchup Points focuses on the matchups that truly matter. Detroit and Dallas lead the week with the highest totals, keeping Jared Goff as a viable QB1 even if Amon-Ra St. Brown is out. Conversely, Seattle and Atlanta show a decline due to Ken Walker's decreasing role and Drake London's injury, making both offenses less appealing outside of DK Metcalf. Cincinnati and Buffalo present highly playable environments, with James Cook and Dalton Kincaid poised to exploit the Bengals' defensive weaknesses, while Tee Higgins' health will determine if it turns into a shootout. The mid-slate games are more volatile, especially Tennessee vs. Cleveland, where inconsistent quarterback play and depth issues limit fantasy value. Jacksonville and Indianapolis are more promising, with Trevor Lawrence facing a soft zone defense and Travis Etienne expected to rebound. Late-slate matches are unpredictable; Austin Ekeler and Gerald Everett face tough coverage from Philadelphia, while Joe Burrow's return boosts all Bengals and suggests a YAC-focused approach for Buffalo, benefiting Khalil Shakir. The main takeaway: Week 14 is about analyzing matchups, avoiding fragile roles, and making decisive, playoff-oriented lineup decisions. Where to find us: http//twitter.com/Fantasy_Guru http://twitter.com/Grahambarfield http://twitter.com/BGWhitefield Podcast Transcription Here: https://podsqueeze.com/embedded/transcript/978VYi5FVhHq7MFCqwMU8R Join our Discord here: https://www.fantasypoints.com/media/discord#/ Listen to the podcast here: https://www.fantasypoints.com/media/podcasts #FantasyFootball #FantasyFootballAdvice #FantasyFootballTips #FantasyFootballRankings #FantasyFootball2025 #FantasyFootballDraft #FantasyFootballLeague #FantasyFootballStrategy #FantasyFootballPodcast #FantasyFootballContent #MustDraft #LeagueWinner #BreakoutPlayer #SleeperPick #FantasyBust #ADPRiser #TargetShare #HighUpside #VolumeMatters #TouchdownRegression Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10 Roads Express will shut down operations and end its USPS contracts. This wind-down represents the largest trucking failure since Yellow, removing thousands of trucks from the road following severe revenue losses. We also examine the stark divergence in global shipping, where Asia-US container rates fell 32% in a single week due to overcapacity. Conversely, Asia-Europe rates have surged effectively by 40% as carriers navigate complex security issues in the Red Sea. On the regulatory front, the DOT is cracking down on safety standards by kicking 3,000 truck driver trainers off its registry for failing to meet new federal requirements. Additionally, the FMCSA has introduced a new ELD approval overhaul to combat the "ghost driver" fraud that contributed to fatal crashes. Finally, we discuss the confusion surrounding commercial licensing after a federal court intervened in the legal battle regarding non-domiciled CDLs. While the court stayed the FMCSA's emergency rule, uncertainty remains as many states are reluctant to issue credentials to the 200,000 affected drivers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The source material is a review, or part one of a review, of a documentary titled Climate Trails, which the reviewer was watching on November 26, 2025. The reviewer characterizes the documentary as "pretty low effort" and "mostly filler," suggesting it may be a "mockumentary". The overall analysis is highly critical, framing the documentary and the core belief in chemtrails as a politically charged psychological operation (psyop).The reviewer analyzes Climate Trails as a documentary that attempts to rebrand the existing chemtrail conspiracy theory. This rebranding is seen as an attempt to leverage the concept of "climate change". The reviewer asserts that the debate over climate change and chemtrails is a perfect example of a controlled dialectic designed to bifurcate the population along political lines. The political left generally believes in climate change, blaming the right (capitalism/fossil fuels) for destroying the planet. Conversely, the political right, including "red pill" conspiracy theorists, laughs at climate change and instead believes in chemtrails, viewing them as secret government geoengineering projects carried out by the left or "globalists". Although they blame different entities, both sides agree on the key premise that "Gaia is dying" and that "man is screwing up the planet," thus creating a pathway for imposed regulation or centralized control.The reviewer vehemently argues that chemtrails do not exist. The trails observed behind airplanes are condensation trails (contrails), which are well understood and predictable. Contrails are explained as frozen condensation (ice/cirrus clouds) resulting from hot, moist jet exhaust interacting with the freezing, rarefied air above 30,000 feet.Proponents of chemtrails, often referred to as "chemtrail Grettas" by the reviewer, are described as relying on a variety of logical fallacies, including loaded questions (e.g., "what are they spraying?"), faulty causality, appeal to motive, appeal to ignorance, and shifting the burden of proof. The reviewer suggests that those who believe in chemtrails are vulnerable to "mind viruses" and are susceptible to low-effort propaganda. Belief in these conspiracies is associated with the "woke right" and often leads to fear, paranoia, and a sense of being perpetually oppressed (such as feeling unable to go outside).The documentary Climate Trails is identified as a rebranding of the chemtrail conspiracy theory aimed at co-opting language from the climate change debate.The chemtrail belief is positioned as the right-wing counter-narrative to the left's climate change narrative, forming a perfectly bifurcated psychological operation (psyop) where both sides are confined to a "controlled dialectic".The phenomena attributed to chemtrails are explained scientifically as contrails, which are modelable and predictable lines of ice formed by jet exhaust in cold upper altitudes, contrasting with the unsubstantiated claims of an unpredictable "spray".Chemtrail proponents rely on specific rhetorical strategies and logical fallacies, such as the loaded question "what are they spraying?" (which assumes the conclusion of a spray) and faulty causality (assuming trails cause overcast weather).
066 Buts of Steel: The Small Words That Quietly Shape Every Conversation The Influence Every Day Show with Dr. Ed Tori In the 1980s, there was a workout show called Buns of Steel—but today's episode isn't about glutes. It's about something far more important to your influence, your relationships, and your leadership: your “Buts of Steel.” Not the muscles - the frames your language creates. Two tiny one-syllable words—and and but—decide what the brain focuses on, how people interpret your message, and whether a conversation opens up…or shuts down. These words can: shift emotional tone, start or stop arguments, open or close partnerships, encourage honesty or shut it down, help a leader receive information—or block it out. This episode dives into how “but” acts like a spotlight + eraser in neurolinguistic programming and why “and” allows two truths to coexist. More importantly, it shows how using “but” repeatedly can harden into a pattern—a pattern that becomes a habit— and that habit becomes how people experience you. That's what Dr. Tori calls A “But of Steel.
NIO founder, chairman and CEO William Li held a private media briefing on November 27, 2025 at NIO headquarters in Shanghai where he made a bold statement about Q4 profitability targets. When asked if there's a backup plan in case profitability targets aren't met on schedule, Li responded there is no Plan BThis statement comes two days after NIO reported Q3 2025 earnings showing net loss of 3.48 billion REN, the lowest since Q3 2022, and adjusted non-GAAP net loss of 2.74 billion REN, down 38.0 percent year-over-year. During the November 25 earnings call, management reiterated confidence in achieving the company's first quarterly profit in Q4 2025 with the goal of reaching full-year breakeven in 2026.But, NIO revised Q4 delivery guidance downward from the previously stated 150,000 unit target to 120,000-125,000 vehicles, a reduction of approximately 25,000 units. This means NIO is attempting to achieve profitability with lower deliveries than originally planned, making the margin of error extremely tight.Analysts are divided on whether NIO can achieve Q4 profitability. CMB International projects NIO will likely miss the Q4 breakeven target, estimating a net loss of 1.6 billion REN with non-GAAP adjusted net loss of 700 million REN, citing challenges in controlling sales and administrative expenses. Conversely, JP Morgan believes NIO is poised to turn profitable in Q4 and reach a profitability inflection point in 2026.Li addressed several challenges during the media briefing. He stated the abrupt withdrawal of trade-in subsidies significantly impacted the market in ways the industry hadn't anticipated, leading to a sharp decline in new orders across the sector. Multiple Chinese provinces and cities phased out vehicle trade-in subsidies over recent months, and starting January 1, 2026, new energy vehicle purchases will face a 5 percent purchase tax instead of full exemption.Li's strategy is to maintain price stability because NIO still has backlog orders for the all-new ES8 which performs well in its segment. He acknowledged that all other models except the NIO ES8, Firefly, and upcoming ET9 have been affected by market conditions. The ES8 is critical to Q4 profitability as it's NIO's highest-margin vehicle with management targeting 40,000 ES8 deliveries for full-year 2025, the majority coming in Q4 with margins exceeding 20 percent.Li also revealed a significant strategic shift in NIO's business philosophy, stating the company is no longer solely pursuing sales volume but focusing more on operational quality with the core goal being annual profitability. He noted NIO has invested heavily in foundational R&D over recent years including chips, operating systems, and the 900-volt high-voltage platform, and this foundational work is now complete with subsequent efforts requiring less substantial investment. Quarterly R&D spending of 2 billion REN remains sufficient to maintain competitiveness.Importantly, Li acknowledged that with just over 1 percent market share in China's 30 million-unit annual vehicle market, NIO lacks the standing to consider ventures beyond automobiles, stating for a considerable period the company will remain focused on refining automotive products, working hard to build them and sell them.Li acknowledged Q1 2026 will be traditionally challenging for the auto industry but noted NIO still holds a backlog of ES8 orders to help cushion the impact. He expressed confidence in achieving the full-year 2026 profitability target despite market uncertainties.This episode analyzes what no Plan B actually means across three layers: organizational focus, all-in mentality, and market messaging. It examines whether this bold public commitment is confident leadership or sets up potential credibility damage if targets are missed. Key metrics to watch include December delivery numbers announced January 1st, ES8 delivery volumes, price stability versus promotional activity, and Q1 2026 guidance during Q4 earnings.
10 Roads Express will shut down operations and end its USPS contracts. This wind-down represents the largest trucking failure since Yellow, removing thousands of trucks from the road following severe revenue losses. We also examine the stark divergence in global shipping, where Asia-US container rates fell 32% in a single week due to overcapacity. Conversely, Asia-Europe rates have surged effectively by 40% as carriers navigate complex security issues in the Red Sea. On the regulatory front, the DOT is cracking down on safety standards by kicking 3,000 truck driver trainers off its registry for failing to meet new federal requirements. Additionally, the FMCSA has introduced a new ELD approval overhaul to combat the "ghost driver" fraud that contributed to fatal crashes. Finally, we discuss the confusion surrounding commercial licensing after a federal court intervened in the legal battle regarding non-domiciled CDLs. While the court stayed the FMCSA's emergency rule, uncertainty remains as many states are reluctant to issue credentials to the 200,000 affected drivers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Small businesses in the U.S. are facing rising costs and job losses, with 70% of owners citing inflation as their primary concern, according to a recent Bank of America study. Despite this, 75% of small business owners remain optimistic about revenue growth in the coming year. However, the disparity in employment trends is stark, as small firms shed 88,000 jobs while larger companies gained 151,000. This economic environment is leading to a reduction in discretionary tech spending, as small businesses prioritize survival and cost control over technology investments.The global tech consulting market is projected to exceed $400 billion in revenue by 2026, driven by a surge in technology upgrades. A report indicates that 84% of buyers plan to upgrade their technology within the next year, with a notable increase in demand for consulting services. However, a significant number of personal computers are delaying upgrades to Windows 11, indicating a gap between modernization goals and actual implementation. This presents an opportunity for IT providers to position Windows 11 migration not merely as an OS upgrade but as essential for achieving desired business outcomes.In the hardware sector, Dell reported record revenues of $27 billion for the quarter ending October 31, 2025, largely attributed to its AI infrastructure business. Conversely, HP announced plans to cut 4,000 to 6,000 jobs as part of a restructuring initiative aimed at enhancing productivity through AI. Both companies are navigating challenges, including a projected memory shortage that could lead to increased prices in the second half of the fiscal year. These developments highlight the shifting dynamics in the tech industry, where AI is reshaping hardware strategies and vendor support is expected to diminish.For Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IT decision-makers, the current economic landscape necessitates a strategic approach to technology investments. As small businesses tighten their budgets, IT providers must focus on demonstrating the financial impact of their solutions and offering flexible purchasing options. The convergence of rising consulting demand, hardware inflation, and vendor financial repositioning underscores the importance of aligning technology refresh cycles with business outcomes. By proactively addressing these challenges, MSPs can position themselves as essential partners in navigating the complexities of modernization and economic pressure. Four things to know today 00:00 SMB Costs Surge, Hiring Drops, and Confidence Splits—Forcing IT Providers to Tie Tech Directly to Business Value05:19 Everyone Says They Want Digital Transformation, but a Billion PCs Say Otherwise08:29 AI Server Demand Boosts Dell While HP Restructures and Warns of Memory Shortages, Pressuring SMB Refresh Cycles12:52 N-able Takes On More Debt — Here's Why MSPs Should Pay Attention This is the Business of Tech. Supported by: https://saasalerts.com/mspradio/
The furniture industry is currently witnessing transformative developments, notably exemplified by Ashley Furniture's introduction of an AI-powered shopping experience integrated within the Perplexity answer engine. This innovative system facilitates a more fluid and conversational interface for consumers, thereby significantly enhancing the efficiency of the shopping process during a critical holiday season. Furthermore, the integration of automated technologies promises to streamline the planning of room layouts and personalize recommendations, thus potentially altering the consumer engagement landscape in the furniture sector.Conversely, Somnigroup International is actively reshaping its market presence through aggressive consolidation strategies, including its recent acquisition of Mattress Firm and a proposed purchase of Leggett and Platt Inc. This approach aims to fortify its manufacturing capabilities and optimize control over cost margins, although it follows a turbulent financial quarter post-acquisition. In the backdrop of these significant corporate maneuvers, the furniture market is characterized by a cautious consumer sentiment, as evidenced by stagnant sales and declining in-store traffic during the Black Friday shopping period.In synthesizing these trends, it becomes apparent that the future of the furniture market hinges not only on technological advancements and strategic consolidations but also on the ability of retailers, both large and small, to adapt to evolving consumer behaviors and maintain robust community connections. As we navigate this complex landscape, the imperative for execution and the alignment of value propositions with customer expectations have never been more critical.The latest developments within the furniture industry reveal a transformative shift as major players embrace innovative technologies to enhance the consumer shopping experience. Ashley Furniture, a prominent entity in the sector, has recently unveiled a groundbreaking AI-powered shopping interface integrated with the Perplexity answer engine. This initiative, launched strategically ahead of the holiday season, allows customers to engage in a conversational interface that simplifies the shopping process, eliminating cumbersome checkout procedures and facilitating seamless transactions via PayPal. The allure of this offering is further amplified by an enticing promotion for early adopters, who can receive 50% back on their first purchase, capped at $50. However, it is imperative to recognize that this advancement extends beyond mere marketing gimmickry; it embodies Ashley's commitment to leveraging 'agentic AI'—a technology that not only suggests products but also assists consumers in visualizing their spaces through tailored recommendations and room layout planning. Such automation is poised to significantly streamline the decision-making process in a traditionally cumbersome purchasing journey, particularly in a sector characterized by bulky goods and intricate logistics.Simultaneously, the episode sheds light on the aggressive consolidation strategy of Somnigroup International, which has undergone significant changes following its acquisition of Mattress Firm, the leading mattress specialty retailer in the United States. This acquisition is not merely a numerical expansion; it represents a strategic maneuver to enhance manufacturing capabilities and supply chain management within the bedding sector. Recent proposals for acquiring Leggett and Platt Inc., a well-respected supplier of bedding components, indicate Somnigroup's ambition to consolidate its position in the market further. While this strategy aims to fortify cost margins and operational flexibility, it occurs amidst a backdrop of operational challenges that the company has faced post-acquisition, including a substantial net loss attributed to integration costs. This juxtaposition of ambitious growth against the
I almost don't want to give these strategies away. But if you're okay slowing things down for an episode while crypto and commodities go crazy, I will show you a few really great things you can do with SPDR ETFs to give yourself an even BIGGER edge in investing than you already have by listening to this fine podcast. Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/ For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/ Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/ Get a Discount On Any Trading View Package - https://www.tradingview.com/black-friday/?aff_id=159841 The Blog Has Moved to My New Free Substack - https://thecontrarianinvestorblog.substack.com/p/what-to-expect-and-what-not-to?r=16orow Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/ The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice. Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone. The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates. Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time. Thank you for understanding.
https://teachhoops.com/ Why Is There No Such Thing as "Staying the Same" in Basketball? In the world of competitive sports, the concept of "maintaining" is a myth; you are either growing or you are dying. There is no neutral ground. A team that tries to "hold the line" and rely on past successes or current talent levels is already in decline because their competition is actively working to overtake them. "Dying" doesn't always look like a losing streak; often, it looks like complacency. It's the silent belief that "we are good enough," which leads to a subtle drop in practice intensity, a lack of focus on details, and a resistance to new challenges. To grow, a coach must instill the mindset that today's success is just the baseline for tomorrow's effort, and that comfort is the enemy of progress. A "dying" team often displays symptoms long before they show up in the loss column. The most dangerous sign is artificial harmony—when players stop holding each other accountable because they don't want to deal with conflict. You will see players prioritizing personal stats over team success, eye-rolling when teammates make mistakes, and a locker room fractured into cliques. Communication becomes transactional rather than transformational; players talk at each other, not with each other. When the collective hunger to improve is replaced by a sense of entitlement or "just getting through" the season, the culture has begun to rot from the inside out. Conversely, a "growing" team embraces discomfort. These teams actively seek out their weaknesses so they can fix them. In a growing culture, conflict is welcomed because it shows players care enough to correct a standard that isn't being met. You see bench players just as engaged as starters, veterans mentoring rookies without being asked, and a collective resilience that views failure as data for improvement, not a reason to quit. Growth requires a daily recommitment to the process. It means the coach and the players are constantly asking, "How can we be 1% better than we were yesterday?" effectively engaging in a perpetual race against their own potential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
PREVIEW — Elizabeth Peek — The Two-Track American Economy: Retail Gains vs. Job Anxiety. Peakcharacterizes the American economy as a bifurcated system with starkly divergent outcomes. Upper-income earners express confidence regarding net worth and stock market performance. Conversely, substantial cohorts remain anxious about labor market conditions, evidenced by negative ADP private sector employment gains and college graduates facing difficulty securing positions. Positive retail indicators, notably Kohl's raising earnings guidance, provide counterbalancing economic optimism. 1885 Ohio River
Study Guide After comparing the Mishna in Zevachim with a parallel Mishna in Temurah, the Gemara explains that the Mishna in Zevachim was included to emphasize that even an item prohibited outside the Temple — since it is forbidden for benefit altogether — will not be nullified and must be left to die. This, however, raises a difficulty, as such a principle could seemingly be derived from a Mishna in Avodah Zarah. The resolution is that the Mishna in Avodah Zarah does not deal with items designated for the altar. Therefore, if only that Mishna existed, one might assume that for sacrificial purposes, the laws of nullification would apply, so as not to destroy offerings. Conversely, if only the Mishna in Zevachim were taught, one might think the stringency applies specifically because these items are inherently despicable and unfit for the altar, whereas in non-Temple contexts, nullification might still be valid. According to Torah law, when permitted and forbidden items are intermingled, the forbidden items are nullified if the permitted ones form the majority. Yet there are exceptions to this rule. Why, then, is an animal not nullified in the majority here? The Gemara first suggests that animals fall into the category of items sold individually, which are not nullified according to Rabbi Meir. This explanation aligns with Reish Lakish's reading of Rabbi Meir's position in Mishna Orlah 3:6–7, which includes items usually sold individually but occasionally sold otherwise. However, it does not fit Rabbi Yochanan's interpretation of Rabbi Meir, which applies only to items sold exclusively as individuals — a category that does not include animals, since they are sometimes sold in flocks.
We explore why BNSF Railway opposes the proposed UP-NS mega-merger, arguing it would eliminate competitive options for shippers and fail the strict Surface Transportation Board standard requiring mergers to actively enhance competition. The air freight sector faces an immediate capacity crisis due to two simultaneous events hitting just before peak season. Learn how the extended grounding of MD-11 freighters—following the discovery of fatigue cracks after a fatal UPS crash—has led to indefinite pilot furloughs at Western Global Airlines, while a BP pipeline leak near Everett, Washington, forced United Airlines to place a temporary embargo on most narrowbody cargo shipments at Sea-Tac airport. Financial pressure continues in the trucking sector, exemplified by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of P. Judge & Sons, a legacy firm whose high vehicle out-of-service rate (46.2%) stood out as significantly worse than the national average. Conversely, bipartisan regulatory relief may be coming for drivers in cold climates through the "Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act of 2025," which aims to prevent automatic engine shutdowns in extreme cold (below 12° F) by requiring the EPA to authorize the suspension of derate functions. Finally, we examine the intense cross-border risk in Mexico, where massive highway blockades across more than 20 states are snarling major corridors, causing anticipated transit and customs delays. These widespread protests, driven by truckers demanding action against rampant cargo theft and police extortion, underscore the critical necessity for supply chain professionals to diversify planning and build resilience against simultaneous regulatory, financial, and physical threats across all transportation modes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
BT and Sal dive into a heated ranking of New York sports owners, judging them not just by success, but by passion versus pure business. Sal argues that John Mara is the most passionate, putting him at number one because he "bleeds blue" and is destroyed by losses. They place Steve Cohen (Mets) and Jon Ledecky (Islanders) high on the "passion" list, calling them hands-on and emotional. Conversely, they brand Hal Steinbrenner (Yankees) and James Dolan (Knicks/Rangers) as the "bottom-line bosses," prioritizing business over fanatical winning. Woody Johnson (Jets) is acknowledged for his passion and major facility investment, but his lack of a "know-how" strategy keeps him out of the top tier. The debate ultimately pits the caring owners against the calculating ones in a fiery New York sports hierarchy.
Study Guide After comparing the Mishna in Zevachim with a parallel Mishna in Temurah, the Gemara explains that the Mishna in Zevachim was included to emphasize that even an item prohibited outside the Temple — since it is forbidden for benefit altogether — will not be nullified and must be left to die. This, however, raises a difficulty, as such a principle could seemingly be derived from a Mishna in Avodah Zarah. The resolution is that the Mishna in Avodah Zarah does not deal with items designated for the altar. Therefore, if only that Mishna existed, one might assume that for sacrificial purposes, the laws of nullification would apply, so as not to destroy offerings. Conversely, if only the Mishna in Zevachim were taught, one might think the stringency applies specifically because these items are inherently despicable and unfit for the altar, whereas in non-Temple contexts, nullification might still be valid. According to Torah law, when permitted and forbidden items are intermingled, the forbidden items are nullified if the permitted ones form the majority. Yet there are exceptions to this rule. Why, then, is an animal not nullified in the majority here? The Gemara first suggests that animals fall into the category of items sold individually, which are not nullified according to Rabbi Meir. This explanation aligns with Reish Lakish's reading of Rabbi Meir's position in Mishna Orlah 3:6–7, which includes items usually sold individually but occasionally sold otherwise. However, it does not fit Rabbi Yochanan's interpretation of Rabbi Meir, which applies only to items sold exclusively as individuals — a category that does not include animals, since they are sometimes sold in flocks.
We explore why BNSF Railway opposes the proposed UP-NS mega-merger, arguing it would eliminate competitive options for shippers and fail the strict Surface Transportation Board standard requiring mergers to actively enhance competition. The air freight sector faces an immediate capacity crisis due to two simultaneous events hitting just before peak season. Learn how the extended grounding of MD-11 freighters—following the discovery of fatigue cracks after a fatal UPS crash—has led to indefinite pilot furloughs at Western Global Airlines, while a BP pipeline leak near Everett, Washington, forced United Airlines to place a temporary embargo on most narrowbody cargo shipments at Sea-Tac airport. Financial pressure continues in the trucking sector, exemplified by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of P. Judge & Sons, a legacy firm whose high vehicle out-of-service rate (46.2%) stood out as significantly worse than the national average. Conversely, bipartisan regulatory relief may be coming for drivers in cold climates through the "Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act of 2025," which aims to prevent automatic engine shutdowns in extreme cold (below 12° F) by requiring the EPA to authorize the suspension of derate functions. Finally, we examine the intense cross-border risk in Mexico, where massive highway blockades across more than 20 states are snarling major corridors, causing anticipated transit and customs delays. These widespread protests, driven by truckers demanding action against rampant cargo theft and police extortion, underscore the critical necessity for supply chain professionals to diversify planning and build resilience against simultaneous regulatory, financial, and physical threats across all transportation modes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Raj Oza is no stranger to OGI's Life of the Mind Podcast. However, this time in a twist, we are interviewing Raj on the occasion of the launch of his debut novel- Double Play on the Red Line. This work of "auto"-fiction captures many of the themes from Podcast Episodes 3-5, also with Raj, around race and identity. However, this is fiction about baseball interleaved with profound race, identity and justice issues.The most apt comments on this podcast as well as the book come from listeners and readers who say, "I really don't like baseball, but I couldn't stop reading because of the powerful identity and justice themes." Conversely, others will read the book just for the baseball history and lore while "tolerating" the bigger themes. A few like the interviewer are captivated by both aspects as well as Raj's love for Chicago!The interview also delves into the craft of writing fiction. Raj, in his parting comments, beautifully captures the purpose and spirit of the Oak Guild Institute.Reference: Double Play on the Red Line. Copyright 2025 Rajesh C Oza. Third World Press
Spoiler Alert: It's Bitcoin Treasury Companies. If you're laughing, just know it's the Big Banks who are making you laugh, this is not good. If you invest in these at depressed prices and you lose, you lose, so what? If you win, you just invested in the next BlackRock at a penny on the dollar. VP explains. My New Substack! - https://thecontrarianinvestorblog.substack.com/p/what-to-expect-and-what-not-to?r=16orow Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/ For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/ Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/ Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/ The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice. Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone. The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates. Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time. Thank you for understanding.
Of course. Here is a 550-word review of the provided transcript, crafted into a compelling podcast description.***### Podcast Description: Mapping the Afterlife - A Journey into the Life Between LivesWhat happens the moment we die? Is there a purpose to our existence that extends beyond our current life? For millennia, these questions have been confined to the realms of faith and philosophy. But what if there was a method—a repeatable, systematic process—to access our own memories of the spiritual realm? This is the profound and groundbreaking territory explored in this episode, as we dive deep into the work of Dr. Michael Newton and his hypnotic mapping of the "Life Between Lives" (LBL).Dr. Newton, a staunchly skeptical clinical psychologist, accidentally stumbled upon this discovery not while seeking the afterlife, but while treating patients for issues like chronic pain and depression. What he found was not a collection of vague, subjective visions, but a remarkably consistent spiritual geography described by thousands of individuals. This consistency—the same spirit guides, the same Council of Elders, the same process of planning a new incarnation—suggests a shared, verifiable experience of the interlife.In this episode, we unpack the meticulous hypnotic methodology required to reach the "superconscious state" and journey beyond past lives into this spiritual home. Through two powerful and contrasting case studies, we witness the transformative insights this journey reveals. We follow the soul of Joseph, a boy who perished in the Holocaust, and explore the astonishing reason a soul would choose such a brief, traumatic life. His story reveals that our most difficult relationships are often pre-planned "soul contracts" designed for mutual growth and profound healing across lifetimes—hinting that a difficult person in your life today may have been a loved one, or even your child, in a past existence.Conversely, we examine the life of an ancient Buddhist monk, an advanced soul who discovered that his greatest accomplishment wasn't his spiritual powers, but his simple, selfless acts of kindness performed with zero expectation of reward. This insight, described as an "exchange of oneness," provides a stunning clarity on what truly matters in our soul's evolution.This journey is more than an exploration; it's a tool for profound therapeutic healing. It fosters radical self-acceptance, dissolves the fear of death by reframing it as a joyful return home, and offers practical guidance on how to access our spirit guides' wisdom in daily life through our deepest feelings and intuitions.Join us as we explore the ultimate goal of all our incarnations: to achieve a state of unconditional love and forgiveness so complete that it transcends human understanding. If you've ever wondered about your life's purpose, the nature of your relationships, or what awaits beyond, this map of the afterlife, compiled from over 70,000 sessions, offers not just answers, but a revolutionary lens through which to view your existence here and now.Grant Cameron's Books https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00EFGCJRC
HOST: Mark Longo, The Options Insider In this episode, host Mark Longo delves into the latest trends and activities in the futures markets. The discussion starts with a review of the week's top performers, including Midwest Steel, oats, and heating oil, and highlights the significant gains in lithium and VIX futures. Conversely, it also covers the major downturns, with lumber, cocoa, and Bitcoin experiencing notable declines. The episode features an in-depth look at trading volumes, revealing a busy day in the trading pits with the Ultra T-Bond, NASDAQ 100, and three-month SOFR among the top traded assets. The show also addresses broader market trends, year-to-date performances, and engages with audience questions about the potential impact of binary options on intraday futures volume.
Burt Flickinger offers a bleak outlook for retail this holiday season, noting that most consumers are financially stretched. He points to a significant divergence in performance, with retailers like Walmart (WMT), TJX Companies (TJX), BJ's Wholesale (BJ), and Costco (COST) thriving. Conversely, full-price department stores generally struggle, with Dillard's (DDS) being a notable exception. He predicts strong performance for Ross Stores (ROST), but notes the superior productivity and inventory management at TJX give it a significant edge. Flickinger views Gap Inc. (GAP) as a "rudderless" retailer attempting strategies that have previously failed. He suggests that while beauty sales might offer a temporary boost, they won't be enough to salvage the company's broader brands like Old Navy and Banana Republic. ======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – / schwabnetwork Follow us on Facebook – / schwabnetwork Follow us on LinkedIn - / schwab-network About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about
This episode elucidates the current financial landscape of the furniture industry, revealing a spectrum of performance among prominent retailers. Notably, Williams Sonoma reported a decline in net revenues by 9.9% compared to the previous year, despite achieving an operating margin of 16.5%. Conversely, the TJX Companies demonstrated resilience with a commendable 9% increase in overall net sales, propelled by a significant rise in home goods sales. The episode further delves into the mixed results from La Z Boy and Target, the latter of which is embarking on a comprehensive overhaul of its home division to rejuvenate its product offerings. Additionally, we explore the burgeoning role of artificial intelligence within interior design, highlighting its dual capacity to enhance creativity while also provoking concerns regarding the preservation of originality in design work.The podcast episode under review offers a meticulous examination of the financial health and strategic positioning of leading furniture retailers as of November 20, 2025. Notably, Williams Sonoma has disclosed its third-quarter results, reporting net revenues of $1.95 billion, which signifies a decline of 9.9% in comparison to the prior year. Nevertheless, the company has managed to uphold an operating margin of 16.5%, indicative of a resilient operational framework. Within its diverse brand portfolio, Pottery Barn and West Elm faced considerable revenue declines, whereas the Pottery Barn Kids and Teen division demonstrated a remarkable ability to sustain a 1.2% increase in comparable brand revenue. This analysis underscores the complexities of consumer behavior and brand performance that are pivotal to the company's long-term growth strategy, particularly as it approaches the holiday season with a renewed focus on consumer engagement.In juxtaposition, the TJX Companies have reported robust third-quarter results, with net sales escalating to $13.3 billion, reflecting a 9% increase. The home goods sector, in particular, has shown exceptional strength with an 8% rise in comparable store sales, an achievement attributed to the company's strategic emphasis on value. The CEO's remarks highlight the efficacy of their multi-faceted approach, which aims to bolster overall profitability heading into the fourth quarter. Conversely, La Z Boy's financial report reveals a challenging landscape, with consolidated sales diminishing by 16%. However, the company has noted stability in same-store sales within its core Furniture Galleries, suggesting a potential pivot point for continued brand loyalty amidst broader market fluctuations.The discourse further expands to encompass the impact of technological advancements on the industry, particularly the burgeoning role of artificial intelligence in interior design. A survey conducted by the Home Furnishings Association indicates that 78% of interior designers now incorporate AI into their workflows, primarily for ideation and client communication. While many perceive AI as an invaluable asset to enhance creativity, there remains a significant apprehension regarding its potential to undermine originality. As Generation X, now commanding a substantial share of U.S. household wealth, emerges as a key demographic in the furniture market, understanding their purchasing patterns is crucial for retailers aiming to capitalize on their spending power. The episode concludes with a call to action for industry stakeholders to remain vigilant and adaptable in the face of these rapidly evolving market dynamics.Takeaways: The financial performance of Williams Sonoma indicates a notable decline, yet the company retains a commendable operating margin that showcases its resilience amidst adversity. La Z Boy's strategic direction reflects an imperative to streamline operations, particularly through the reduction of non-core upholstery lines, indicative of adaptive market strategies....
2025 will go down as the biggest year in Bitcoin's history since its inception. "But how can this be? Price has basically broken even!!" It's because you don't look at things the right way. I will explain. You're going to want to hear this, even if you were already aware. Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/ For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/ Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/ Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/ The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice. Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone. The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates. Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time. Thank you for understanding.
On the show today, we speak with a board member of the Buffalo Jills Alumni Association, Lori Ann Marino to talk about her time as a Jill, and we here from numerous other former Jills. Should the Jills be brought back? Also, with Paul McCartney performing in the Key Bank Center, are you going to the show? Also, is there an artist you wish you saw in concert but never did and you kick yourself to this day? Conversely, is there an artist still touring you'd like to see?
Today, we'll help you pick your startup's first customer segment. This decision dooms a huge percentage of first time entrepreneurs - if you don't understand what the job of your first customer segment is, you'll likely pick a customer incapable of doing it. Your first customer has a unique responsibility that no other customer will have - you need to choose them carefully.Conversely, if you choose the right first customer, you'll set yourself up for serious growth. We go through the five characteristics your first customer needs, give a preview of what your successful startup will look like, and help a listener find the first customer for their Myers Briggs startup. TackleboxGetting Real (museum curator reference)Everyman Espresso (☕️
In this episode, Julie tells Savannah all about the fallacies of women's fashion and how the sizing conventions between all the various online, retail, and high-end fashion designers seldom have a universal standard. Trying on a LARGE for one designer may seem like a size 10, but can also be an ego killer. Conversely, our existing women's fashion sizing ego can also cause us emotional stress. Find out how to leave the ego at the dressing room doors and find success in the dress that fits!-----SAVANNAH HAUK is the author of “Living with Crossdressing: Defining a New Normal” and “Living with Crossdressing: Discovering your True Identity“. While both focus on the male-to-female (mtf) crossdresser, “Defining a New Normal” delves into crossdressing and relationships and “Discovering Your True Identity” looks at the individual crossdressing journey. Her latest achievements are two TEDx Talks, one entitled "Demystifying the Crossdressing Experience" and the other "13 Milliseconds: First Impressions of Gender Expression". Savannah is a male-to-female dual-gender crossdresser who is visible in the Upstate of South Carolina, active in local groups and advocating as a public speaker at LGBTQ+ conferences and workshops across the United States. At the moment, Savannah is working on more books, blogs, and projects focused on letting every crossdresser–young and mature–find their own confidence, expression, identity and voice.IG @savannahhauk | FB @savannahhauk | FB @livingwithcrossdressing | web @livingwithcrossdressing.com------JULIE RUBENSTEIN is a dedicated ally to transgender community and the certified image consultant and co-owner of Fox and Hanger. F&H is a unique service for transgender women and male-to-female crossdressers that creates customized virtual fashion and style “lookbooks”. Julie intuitively connects with each client to find them appropriate clothes, makeup, hair, and shape wear all in alignment with their budget, body type, authentic style and unique personality. Julie also provides enfemme coaching and wardrobe support. Julie has made it her life's work to help MTF individuals feel safe and confident when it comes to their female persona, expression and identity.IG @Juliemtfstyle | FB @foxandhanger | web @FoxandHanger.com
In this episode of "Leaders Transform," we dive into Chapter Five of our book, "Orchestrating High-Performing Teams," focusing on the crucial theme of motivating the ensemble by tuning into individual skills and purpose. We explore how great teams thrive when each member plays to their strengths, much like a conductor harmonizes the unique tones of various instruments in an orchestra. We discuss the importance of aligning individual skills and passions with the team's shared mission, which leads to increased engagement, enhanced collaboration, and higher performance. When team members are in roles that suit their abilities, they feel valued and empowered, resulting in a more cohesive and effective team. Conversely, misalignment can lead to frustration and burnout, highlighting the leader's role in orchestrating a team where each person's skills complement one another. To help leaders motivate their teams, we introduce a five-step skill alignment framework: conducting a skills inventory, delegating strategically, ensuring role clarity, establishing recognition rituals, and providing continuous coaching. We also address common barriers to skill alignment, such as biases toward uniformity and fears of gaps, offering solutions to overcome these challenges. Throughout the episode, we share practical tools and exercises, including creating a team skills map and hosting a purpose alignment workshop, to help leaders connect individual contributions to the team's mission. We emphasize that motivation is an ongoing process, requiring regular check-ins and recognition to sustain engagement. As we wrap up, we preview the next chapter, which will focus on handling team challenges and turning discord into alignment, reinforcing the idea that motivated teams are resilient and capable of navigating conflicts constructively. Join us as we continue to explore the art of transformational leadership! Based on "Leaders Transform: Mastering the Art of Influence, Book 2: Orchestrating High-Performing Teams” by Hugh Ballou Hugh Ballou is The Transformational Leadership Strategist, author, and founder of SynerVision International, Inc. and SynerVision Leadership Foundation. He empowers leaders across sectors to transform vision into high-performing results. Article is based on my new series, “Leaders Transform: Mastering the Art of Influence” - http://LeadersTransform.info For a list of resources go to – http://AboutHugh.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The crypto market took a dump this week, and it got a lot of people talking about an impending recession in the overall markets. Does this make any sense? Is there any point in even talking about it? In Episode 229, we talk about both sides of the argument, and exactly what we should be doing about it all, should the market doomers actually be right for once. Recommended Crypto Trading Platform (And Bonus Eligibility) - https://nononsenseforex.com/cryptocurrencies/best-crypto-trading-platform/ For Decentralized Crypto Trading (US Citizens Can Join) - https://nononsenseforex.com/decentralized-trading-platform/ Blueberry Markets Blog (Top FX Broker) - https://nononsenseforex.com/uncategorized/blueberry-markets-review-my-top-broker-for-2019/ Follow VP on Twitter https://twitter.com/This_Is_VP4X Check out my Forex trading material too! https://nononsenseforex.com/ The host of this podcast is not a licensed financial advisor, and nothing heard on this podcast should be taken as financial advice. Do your own research and understand all financial decisions and the results therein are yours and yours alone. The host is not responsible for the actions of their sponsors and/or affiliates. Conversely, views expressed on this podcast are that of the host only and may not reflect the views of any companies mentioned. Trading Forex involves risk. Losses can exceed deposits. We are not taking requests for episode topics at this time. Thank you for understanding.
Cockatoos Confirmed as Structural Vandals; Magpie Invites Itself Inside. Jeremy Zakis discusses how the destructive behavior of cockatoos is confirmed as they pulled so many nails from a neighbor's iron roof that the structure is now drooping, necessitating expensive, specialized repairs. Cockatoos are described as "pure evil with wings" and are known for tearing up building structures. Conversely, Dallas the poodle's friends, the magpies, are growing bolder. One teenage magpie walked four feet into Jeremy's kitchen and calmly listened to him before eventually walking back out. Australian magpies are even said to have a unique, twangy "Australian accent."
PREVIEW: The U.S.-Japan Alliance in the Pacific Guest: Grant Newsham Grant Newsham assesses the critical U.S.-Japan alliance in the Pacific as indispensable for regional stability. Japan relies on the U.S. military presence for defense protection, primarily against the threatening rise of China. Conversely, the U.S. needs Japan to maintain its own regional strength and capability. Furthermore, Japan is a top investor in the United States, supporting numerous well-paying jobs and emphasizing the depth of this multifaceted partnership. The alliance extends beyond defense to encompass significant economic interdependence, making the relationship essential for both nations' security and prosperity.
2. Demographics and Despair: The Activities of Men Not in the Labor Force Nicholas Eberstadt Book: Men Without Work (Post-Pandemic Edition) Eberstadt investigates the characteristics of the 7.2 million men "not in the labor force" (NILF) as of 2015. Foreign-born men and married men with children are highly likely to be at work, regardless of educational background. Conversely, those who are neither employed nor in education or training (NEET) report engaging in remarkably little civic life, charity, or household help. Time use surveys suggest these NEET men spend the equivalent of a full-time job—around 2,000 hours a year—watching screens. This inactivity is linked to profound misery, as almost half of these men report taking pain medication daily, contributing to rising "deaths of despair" (suicide, overdoses, cirrhosis). 1927 NYSE
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