Podcast appearances and mentions of Don Young

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Tonight on Apex Express, Host Miko Lee talk story with singer-songwriter Thao Nguyen.  Hear about her new album Fossil,  her short documentary, and about her artistic inspirations. Thao's tour starts this week in North Carolina, so listen in to hear from the brilliant Thao, and then check out her website to catch a live show.   SHOW TRANSCRIPT [00:00:00] Opening: Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express.   [00:00:35] Miko Lee: Tonight on Apex Express, we talk story with singer-songwriter Thao Nguyen. Join me, your host, Miko Lee, as I talk with this multi-hyphenated artist. We get to hear about her new album, chat about her short documentary, and hear about her artistic inspirations. Thao's tour starts this week in North Carolina, so listen in to hear from the brilliant Thao, and then check out her website to catch a live show.   [00:01:05] Ayame Keane-Lee: In today's show, you'll be listening to some songs from Thao & The Get Down Stay Down's 2020 album, Temple. First off, let's listen to “Pure Cinema.”   MUSIC     [00:05:44] That was “Pure Cinema” by today's guest, Thao Nguyen. Let's get to the interview.   [00:05:50] Miko Lee: Welcome  Thao Nguyen to Apex Express.    [00:05:54] Thao Nguyen: Thank you. I'm so happy to be here.    [00:05:57] Miko Lee: I love talking with creative people and you're such an amazingly talented singer and songwriter and imagination creator. I'm wanna start with the first question I ask all of my guests, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?   [00:06:16] Thao Nguyen: Who are my people? Some of them include the family I was born into. I'm from Virginia. I was born and raised in Virginia. but I'm the daughter of Vietnamese refugees of war. And, I moved out to the Bay in 2006 after my first US tour. And, I'm so fortunate to have such a robust community here in the bay and all of my chosen family here.   [00:06:40] Miko Lee: And what legacy do you carry with you?    [00:06:43] Thao Nguyen: What legacy? I think the legacy I prioritize. I think, you know, [laughs] we inherit a lot and as time goes on and we get older, we realize everything is finite and you have to choose which legacies you choose to continue, and perpetuate and honor and what you have to leave by the wayside. And so the things I choose to continue and celebrate are that of a real ability to be very present and in the moment and available to joy and I think the people I come from are really good at metabolizing joy because they know the flip side of it so well.    [00:07:23] Miko Lee: Ooh, that's so interesting. Can you speak more about what it means to metabolize joy?    [00:07:30] Thao Nguyen: [Laughs] uh, an ongoing practice? I think it is to be truly present and I believe, of course gratitude goes a long way, but I to fully metabolize it is to allow yourself to feel embodied in it. And, you know, there's more somatic practice I think that to actually feel it course through your body, you are allowing it, you're honoring it as completely as possible. And, do you have to acknowledge that it's happening as it's happening? You know, I think that's having true presence with it.   [00:08:08] Miko Lee: Can you roll back with me in time and talk about your earliest childhood memories of being a singer or songwriting? What came first?    [00:08:18] Thao Nguyen: I loved music from a very early age, but I didn't have a lot of access to it, to making it, it was more as a listener. The soundscape that I grew up with, there was a series called Paris by Night, which probably you've heard of within Vietnamese diaspora, uh, community and Culture. And it was this variety show that was, created by, people who had to flee Vietnam. And originally it was in Paris and it showcased A lot of singers and performers, who had fled, either before, during, or right after the fall of Saigon. And, it was this one gathering wherein. entertainers from the different generations, from my grandmother's generation, from my parents were able to coalesce and exist together. And there was just this sampler platter of a lot of different sonic influences. And then you had the younger generation, which was reinterpreting what American pop music was at the time. So you'd have my grandmother who [sang] cải lương which was this incredibly, it's like, almost like folk operatic, very dramatic, theatrical singing with a lot of pitch bending and, which I didn't understand that I was absorbing it in such a way that I would recreate it later on in my playing, but I would go on to credit it to being from Virginia and saying it was more of like an Appalachian influence, which it was as well. But the origins, the true origins were within my soundscape before I understood what that was. You know, so you have that and then you have, an artist named Lynette who's. basically in reinterpreting, like the latest Madonna song and has a cone bra on, so everyone's existing act after act in the same, um, sorry for that ramble. Did I answer that question?    [00:10:13] Miko Lee: Yeah. Uh, I, so what was, do you remember the age or you just grew up hearing all these different kinds of sounds?    [00:10:20] Thao Nguyen: I mean, that was from before I knew what age I was, you know, that was just like, and that was such, um. For the community and within my family it was such an event every time one of these, you know, double VHS things were issued that people would be making copies, someone would drop it off at the house. You know, there, there was always one or two in circulation, but it was this. Event that you'd,    [00:10:43] Miko Lee: are these like bootleg copies?    [00:10:45] Thao Nguyen: Yeah, there's like, wow, there's bootleg. There's also, there was one book in music store in Eden Shopping Center, which was like the hub of, of the Vietnamese community in, in, uh, Northern Virginia. And so someone would buy the original and then go and bootleg it. You don't know how you ended up with what, but just like they would drop off some citrus and and Hennessy or whatever, and then the Paris By Night thing. And um,    [00:11:11] Miko Lee: I love that the combo citrus, Hennessy and some music.   [00:11:16] Thao Nguyen: Everything is a digestif, you know? And, um, so I would have that. But then of course, I, you know, I, I listened to the radio. That was what, that was my main resource and I listened to the oldie station the most, and I loved Motown. And I remember, in this I was like five or six, we had these large speakers that's sat on the floor either side of, of this cassette deck, radio unit. And I would lay down and, every time Smokey Robinson came on, “You really got a hold of me” that was like my favorite song and I would tape it and then so either I would listen to it live or I would play the cassette and I would just lay down and get as close to the speakers as I could. But at that point, I hadn't seen who Smokey Robinson was, and I imagined, because I also am a child of eighties and nineties. I imagined it was Crystal who was Roseanne's best friend from the Roseanne show. You know, I didn't know anything, but I felt all of it.    [00:12:20] Miko Lee: Wow. Yeah. I love that. So, I love that. And I was really wondering, I heard this story about you, that you actually did a rap for on Charlotte's Web when you were in elementary school.   [00:12:33] Thao Nguyen: Okay. Okay. This is a deep cut. You've done some research.    [00:12:39] Miko Lee: Tell me about how that came to be. So you must have been introduced to rap pretty young to be doing that.    [00:12:44] Thao Nguyen: Oh, absolutely. This, so this was another, and this, I'm so glad you brought that up, because all of this is, every genre, every kind of music I, at this point is so vital to me, and it actually goes on to reflect the kind of music I make. And so I have an older brother who's almost eight years older, and around this same time, he's a huge hip hop fan, or that's one of the things he loves, he loves like Duran Duran and like the Fat Boys, you know? And , when I saved money, the first cassette I ever bought was Salt-n-Pepa. And I, yeah, so I was listento the Fat Boys and Queen Latifah. And I loved, I loved every, I loved to hear the flow, the different cadences and in third grade I was voted best rapper. This, and, you know, not coincidentally. This is the year I, I do the book report, the Charlotte's Web, you know, and they gave me the option. You can either write it or you can write a song or whatever. And so I wrote a rap about Charlotte's Web, but I was too shy. I had recorded it and just played it in my presentation. I didn't perform it live.    [00:13:51] Miko Lee: And how was it received?    [00:13:54] Thao Nguyen: I mean, I can still hear the roar. yeah, everyone, [laughs] I think the teachers    [00:14:01] Miko Lee: The crowd roared. The third graders roared.    [00:14:03] Thao Nguyen: Yeah. I mean, everyone's standing on their desks. It's rickety, you know, teachers are worried about child safety, it doesn't matter. They're like, Encore. I'm like, I don't have anything else. Uh, you know, uh,   [00:14:15] Miko Lee: Wait for real?   [00:14:17] Thao Nguyen: No, no. [laughs] the teachers thought it was cute. Probably the kids thought it was funny. I actually don't know because I was so nervous I even pressing play. I was so nervous. I don't know if I registered what, how it was received.    [00:14:34] Miko Lee: That's so sweet. Given your eclectic music knowledge and the music that was around you at the time as a musician, now you've been described with so many different categories, country tinge, indie folk, pop, blues. How would you describe your music?  [00:14:54] Thao Nguyen: I would describe it as. What's embarrassing is I've been doing this a long time now and I've never figured out a way to describe it. I would, I, I generally just say it's, you know, it's under the umbrella of indie rock, but influenced by jazz and hip hop. And because I learned to play guitar by picking out country blues songs. And because I grew up in Virginia, there, there are these, like old time, Country blues picking patterns that I've used. I, you know, it's, yeah. So that, I've never figured out a way to say it succinctly and I continue    [00:15:29] Miko Lee: and you don't need to. That's okay.    [00:15:31] Thao Nguyen: Thank you.    [00:15:31] Miko Lee: Is there a big Vietnamese population in Virginia?    [00:15:35] Thao Nguyen: Yeah, I, I think there is a very healthy population there. And it was one of the first places that people were settling when they were being resettled. And my parents met, in a refugee camp in Guam. And then they were sent to Arkansas. And then from there sponsored out to North Carolina. And then from there of a few friends that they had made, had found work with Metro, which is the public transportation train system in DC and found my dad work there. So that's why people resettle, that's why we ended up in Virginia.    [00:16:16] Miko Lee: So Thao & The Get Down Stay Down you released five studio albums and now you're working primarily as a solo artist. Right?    [00:16:25] Thao Nguyen: Yes. Yeah. I will say I still work record and perform with a band. And a lot of the people who worked and performed with me in that iteration are still with me. it was more I wanted to, just use my name and move beyond what the get down stay down was, which I was never really sure. With things that you choose when you're 22. As time goes, you know, it starts to, and you're lucky if you can kind of shed things and not, not stay beholden too much.   [00:16:57] Miko Lee: Ah, what have you learned to shed?   [00:17:02] Thao Nguyen: Oh my gosh. Thankfully a great deal and it's an ongoing exercise, but. I used to be so much heavier with the weight of what I thought a serious artist was what I thought a serious songwriter should be, who I thought, where I thought my, you know, different benchmarks of what success were. What I should be making versus what people wanted to hear versus what I wanted to hear. I actually never I wasn't always all the way sure about what I wanted. You know, I, I think a lot of people encounter that, but I've thankfully been able to shed as much as I can. It's an ongoing practice, but I, you know, one thing it. Is that I used to think, I can't believe I've been doing this this long. And it's, not necessarily, I didn't understand what I was working towards, but only that I had not gotten there yet. And then, you know, I think pandemic and on, I've been just so and as I get older, the transition into being so sincerely grateful that I'm still here and I get to do this. this is what my job is, and however I can, and whatever I can do to sustain, being able to, to do this for my livelihood and maintain my integrity within it is the greatest gift. So as when I made that switch a a lot of things, a lot of the darkness left me.    [00:18:39] Miko Lee: Oh, that's beautiful. Thank you for sharing.   [00:18:42] Ayame Keane-Lee: Next, let's listen to Temple, the first track off of Thao's album of the same name.   MUSIC   [00:22:56] That was Temple by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. Back to her interview with Miko.   [00:23:01] Miko Lee: I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit about the 2017 documentary Nobody Dies, a film about a musician, her mom in Vietnam. How did that, and that's a documentary that follows you and your mom as you go to Vietnam. I'm wondering how that project came about.  [00:23:17] Thao Nguyen: Yes, I'm happy to tell you about it. in 2015 I was invited by concert promoters in conjunction with the US Embassy based in Hanoi, to come perform for the, I guess at that point it was the 25th anniversary of the normalization of relations between the US and Vietnam, and I was able to bring my band and I was able to bring my mom, and she hadn't been back in 43 years, and she used to work for the South Vietnamese embassy and was stationed in Lao, when Saigon fell. So she actually left Vietnam in 73, assuming she would go back after her time abroad and then was never able to return. So I was able to bring her, the struggle was would she actually come, you know, and we had, I had, a bear of the time initially convincing her it would be okay. And, it was like, just begging her to come. She's like freaking out. She hangs up on me. I call back. She hangs up. You know, it was a back and forth that I'm trying to convince her of things that I'm not sure of where she's like, I'm still on a list. I'm like, no, you're not. But I don't know that, you know who, how would I know that? But I told her she wasn't on the list. Anyway, my, a friend of mine who's a filmmaker, as this all was happening, he asked if he could come along and document all of it. And he and, his DP traveled with us and it was an incredibly intense trip, and it was beautiful and I am so glad it was documented. And then somewhere along the way I had a performance and, this was all in editing. And then I ran into Don Young at CAAM Center for Asian American Media. Oh, I know what it was. It was something for Sundance and Don Young and I were just in the same shuttle going to the airport and we were talking and I told him a little bit about this and then I sent him some footage and you know, and then CAAM and PBS were gracious enough to co-produce and, Make it so it could be, you know, a a half hour documentary that aired on PBS. Um,    [00:25:21] Miko Lee: so that that was on a bus ride.    [00:25:23] Thao Nguyen: That was on an airport shuttle.    [00:25:25] Miko Lee: Airport shuttle. I love it.    [00:25:26] Thao Nguyen: Yeah [laughs].    [00:25:28] Miko Lee: So was it hard to convince your mom, I know it was hard to convince her to go to Vietnam. Was it hard to convince her also then to be on film? What was her response to that?    [00:25:37] Thao Nguyen: Well, luckily for all of us, my mom loves to be on film and is, um, a total flirt and ham and. Oh,    [00:25:48] Miko Lee: so that was a bonus. That was like a,    [00:25:49] Thao Nguyen: that was a bonus. The camera loves her. As did the film director, my friend Todd, she loved it. And she just, she comes alive and she's a true performer. And, it was really beautiful to see her in this element that I, I didn't know if I'd ever, I actually. Never thought I'd get to see her this way. You know, I grew up, both my brother and I grew up translating for her, it is sort of at every, at every level. And, we'd go out to restaurants and it's not that she, you know, it's like she would get shy and then it would just easier, it always just became easier if we just did it for her. But, so we'd order for restaurants and, and to see her. not to say that she doesn't I mean, she was a small business owner. She owned a laundromat, dry cleaners in Virginia and totally is the reason why everybody is alive, you know? But, to see her move so seamlessly and easily, I'm sorry, it's emotional in the world was this, such a gift I didn't know I'd get. And, You see her haggling with people, you know, and, and she's directing as she's pointing out. Yeah. It was just a really, no matter how long someone has been away from the place they were born, you know, to see them back there is, um, it was, yeah, it was just such a beautiful gift and I'm glad we have it on film.   [00:27:17] Miko Lee: Did you discuss that with your mom? How different that was for you to see her in a different way?    [00:27:22] Thao Nguyen: You know, not, not, um, not directly. I've written about it, but I've not, we don't have the kind of, Yeah. That, that's never come up in those ways. You know, we talk a lot. I basically, I try to call her at least, uh, almost every day, just 'cause she lives across the country. So I wanna just be sure that, you know, I'm just doing these like, casual wellness checks, but we don't often get into those more philosophical conversations. Um, but she did, you know, the, the song Temple, Which would become the lead single of the album Temple was, inspired by this moment of candor that I had never experienced before and I would never experience again. It happened one night when we were in Vietnam and she just said outta nowhere. You have to understand what freedom is and you have to understand why a million people would risk their lives at sea, and I can't. I can't teach you that. I can't help you with it. You have to know for yourself. And that's what became, the song Temple where wherein she's speaking to me about her life before, during, and after war.   [00:28:35] Miko Lee: That's so powerful. Thank you for sharing. I, I appreciate that about your music, the personal, visions and dreams and pain that you experience putting that in. Is there another song of yours that really stands out to you?    [00:28:51] Thao Nguyen: Another one. Aside from that?    [00:28:53] Miko Lee: Aside from that.    [00:28:54] Thao Nguyen: There's. You know, yes, there's a, there's definitely a few from this new album that is, that I just finished and it's releasing in September. From that same album Temple there's, the song Marrow. there's a few. That album is as much, it was, it was this, I just had this, I knew that I had to make it both about, what my Vietnamese identity is and what it is to be queer in Vietnamese and stay in the culture, which is not something that I thought I could do. So yeah, I would say both Temple and Marrow encapsulate, this effort to fully align myself in ways that I hadn't been able to.    [00:29:40] Miko Lee: And what is Marrow about?    [00:29:42] Thao Nguyen: Marrow is about what it means to fully accept yourself so that you could offer yourself to the rest of your life. You know, it's, it's like.   [00:29:54] Miko Lee: That's all.   [00:29:56] Thao Nguyen: That's all. And it's, and it was against the backdrop of getting married. but it was more about me coming to terms with not even coming to terms, like even that language is so, disparaging. It's, it was just about claiming myself and saying to my family, I need to be, you know, I, I need to be my full self and I believe I can be with you still. But you know, the lines are, It's so funny. I sing it all the time and I can't do that. The line I'm thinking of in particular is, at that point I'm apologizing to my partner at the time and saying, you know, I am basically, I couldn't claim us because of this barrier, but I'm sorry to you and I'm sorry to me, and the, you know. I have grief in my marrow. Will you marry me still? So is it, that's a roundabout way of explaining what that, what that song is.   [00:30:54] MUSIC    [00:34:24] Ayame Keane-Lee: You just listened to “Marrow” by tonight's guest, Thao Nguyen.    [00:34:28] Miko Lee: You talk about Temple and how that was based on this trip you took in 2015, right? 2016. How long does it generally take you for a song to germinate?    [00:34:41] Thao Nguyen: You know, that one, um, that's, that is an example of a, a longer, uh, gestation period because it was such an intense, because Vietnam was such an intense time. Uh, it was months, maybe it was two years before I could even think about it, honestly. And there are other things that happen. I wish things happened more instantaneously. It's very rare that a whole song will just present itself. You know, temple, that song in particular, when I started writing it, it took maybe two hours, but it took me two years to get to the point where I could    [00:35:20] Miko Lee: And it just came to you in two hours?   [00:35:22] Thao Nguyen: Yeah. It just came, just the vision. All those, the imagery, everything that I'd wanted to say. It just, I understood how. To present it. And I think I had tried in other forms over that time, but it just wasn't ready. Other songs, um, yeah, anywhere from it's, it's like the chorus or a hook or a verse will come very quickly, and then the time, the more arduous stuff is building around it to make sure that it, it, you know, it's properly bolstered. Like I, if I believe in a hook, then I'll, I'll try to build the house around it.    [00:36:02] Miko Lee: And how, what do you do? Do you just record it straight up right when you get the hook, like on a small device or what's your process?    [00:36:09] Thao Nguyen: It um, typically I'm playing an instrument, either guitar or piano or I've written, you know, sometimes I get bored, I write on other instruments, but primarily it's guitar, piano, and, um. It'll be the melodic hook only on the instrument, and then I'll put words. But yeah, it's, I, I just use voice memos and then as I'm building it, then I'll move into pro tools and, and, and record a more proper demo.    [00:36:40] Miko Lee: And do you have a set working process or you just vibe it whenever you're feeling it? And I ask because I always ask this of artists. Because I think it's so interesting, what is the discipline it takes for your art form? And I remember I interviewed Isabel Allende years ago and she said, yes, I make myself go in my studio at 8:00 AM every day. And even if I can't write, I sit there from this time to this time. So what, what is your process like? Or do you have a set process?    [00:37:05] Thao Nguyen: Yes. Absolutely. And it's taken me so many years to figure out what my set process is and to have the discipline to really, really, um, I do believe it is a daily practice and it is a daily discipline and I'm so afraid of what happens when I slip out of it because I know what happens. I've tumbled into this very dark, deep well of despair and I don't know. You, you start to question what your whole purpose is. It gets bad very quickly, right? So I'm always trying to stay on the side of not completely sliding down. Not to say it isn't very joyful and I mean this a very lucky position to be in. One of the things that's been going on for the last few years is I have multiple projects going on at once and I do have to figure out, I had an, um, the album is just finished thankfully, but I am developing a musical and I'm also writing a book. And so I have to figure out, I divvy out the days. I would like to say that I can work on all three in one day, not possible. So I have to choose, um. And it's always, the morning time is the best for generating something from nothing. And then I try not to edit or revise or question it until that afternoon or later. Actually, you don't question it within that same day. Like the main, I think the main priority for me is maintaining momentum and optimism. So I need to do whatever it is to thwart whatever part of me is trying to take it down. Um, so I'll work in the morning for a few hours and then leave it, you know, and as writers say, leave it no matter if it's songwriting or whatever, like leave it at a place where you, when you start again, you feel good about it and you know what the next step is.   [00:39:08] Miko Lee: Do you have a set time? It's like just the morning from this time to this time. And then do you say musical today? Book today. Album today. How do you do that?    [00:39:17] Thao Nguyen: Well, it depends on the deadlines.    [00:39:21] Miko Lee: Of course.    [00:39:22] Thao Nguyen: I, yeah, I, I work to the deadline. 'cause there's always, thankfully, there's always at least one happening and yeah, I. I love this by the way, because I actually, when I'm stuck, I just look up different routines for writers and artists. It's like my favorite thing to do. So I love to participate in this conversation. Um, but I wake up, I meditate, I try to do a little stretching, and then I do a walk. It depends on where I'm working. Okay? Here's the thing. If I'm working on music, I have to work at home. If I can write, then I'm gonna go to a coffee shop or the library or my friends just opened up local economy, uh, that, that, so I've been going there and because writing is so lonely and miserable that I cannot be in the house, I, I, there's no way I have to be in public. Um, and just at least feeling the energy of other life    [00:40:18] Miko Lee: With songwriting also?    [00:40:19] Thao Nguyen: With songwriting, I have to be home 'cause I'm making all this noise. So what? Yeah, with songwriting I'll be at home, but that's way less miserable 'cause I can just play guitar or piano or something and then, or I'll be in studio with my friends that I'm making the album with. Um, now that I've finished the album and I'm moving and I'm more squarely in the book writing, um, I try to do two hours. You know, not, not solid. I will try, like, for a while, um, I was doing the timer with the, you know, 25 minutes at a time. And then that wasn't, I wasn't getting enough done and then, yeah, and then more than two hours. I, I just can't, it's not sustainable. Um, for me, I feel like I get a solid hour to two. Or maybe you hit like a two page, two or three page, um, quota or something, and then just don't even look at it and then go, and then I go exercise and I need to be outside and, or go on a hike or something.    [00:41:34] Miko Lee: Okay. Tell us about this book. What is it about, what's the timeline? No pressure.    [00:41:41] Thao Nguyen: I would love to tell you what it was about, if I knew better. Um, what it was. It's, it's a collection of essays and I'm calling it, so it's, it's, uh, it'll be out on Gray Wolf, um, into, in spring of 27. And so it is due relatively soon 'cause they, it's a longer lead time. I'm calling it a community memoir, um, because it's a collection of essays from different, it's all through my lens, but it's to celebrate these characters that I grew up with in Foster Virginia, within my family, within the community that I, they're so vivid to me and. Their stories. The quieter sides, the quieter moments of what it means to live in diaspora or what I wanna capture. And also what, you know, part of it is what shaped my musical life. And, and there are all these influences and elements that I, that I just wanted to celebrate and honor and. These people that I remember, but I, I'm, we're all, you know, I'm, I'm turning 42. I'm like, I, we're close to lo I'm close to losing the Hi-Fi detail of them, you know, and, and I don't know who else, is in a position to capture it. You know, and, and also it's this amazing opportunity to talk to my mom's, brothers and sisters. You know, there are tales. There's, of course, you grow up with, I think it's really different to, I was raised, you know, in Virginia by my, primarily by my mom. My grandmother and my aunt didn't come till I was five, but the stories that I heard. Mostly were from my mom who fled in, who left in 73, and her experience is so different than my grandmother, my aunt, all of my mom's siblings who stayed, who had to stay through the fall and, and live in a different regime, you know?    And so to get to hear those stories of just like the more quotidian indignities of what is life after you've lost your. To them they've lost their country, but they're still in it. You know, like, what is it to, with what were the rice rations like? Yeah. So, 50 years on what stays with people, you know, against the backdrop of the most devastating thing that can happen is that like the rice was so broken and it was so rationed and the quality of it was so infuriating and that they and my uncle talks about just for the 50th anniversary, I went back, I had an event, um, I think at the Smithsonian, and I went and I was staying with my uncle, and so I was able to ask them questions and he remembers buying meat on the black market. But you, you'd go to this market, you'd make eye contact with the person. They, you follow them to a behind the stall. They give you this meat wrapped in newspaper. You don't even know what it is. You don't, you can't unwrap it till you get home, you know? Anyway, those are the things that I, I just am so fascinated by, and I, there's just this kind of humanity and life in them that I wanna help. Um, record and if nothing else, just so that I know that it gives me an opportunity to ask these questions. Um, there's stuff about, you know, I'm estranged from my father and I have a lot there, there are things that I, you know, it just, these essays are helping me, better understand and, and process. these open-ended. storylines that, that, have punctuated and haunted me.    [00:45:38] Miko Lee: And this is your first book, right?    [00:45:40] Thao Nguyen: It is, yes.    [00:45:42] Miko Lee: What made you decide to do a book format and also essays, I heard you say? Mm-hmm. Um, as opposed to another album or a series of songs.    [00:45:52] Thao Nguyen: Um, I've always wanted to be a writer. Bef I wanted to be a writer before I was a songwriter, before I wanted to do anything. And I think it scares me the most in my life. And, and it was time to, you know, the opportunity came up, um, very fortunately to get to write a book for Gray Wolf, which of which I'm a huge fan, you know, and, uh, it's a true honor to be affiliated with them. And. Uh, I wanted to do it because it's a lifelong goal and dream, that actually is way scarier to me than making music and performing music. So I, I kind of just needed to see that I, I needed to try.    [00:46:38] Miko Lee: And why an essay format?    [00:46:40] Thao Nguyen: Um, I think that's what naturally. For this, for the first go, it, it, it is what naturally I'm drawn to and what happens most easily. Uh, and I think they're similar to songs in that way. And I, I am very much as a writer, as a songwriter or any or prose writer, I want to try and just capture the, a moment and a feeling and I. Um, that's my main prerogative and my main compulsion when I write. And so for this first go, I'm hoping that there will be more, but this, yeah. Is, is just the, the easiest way to package it.    [00:47:28] Miko Lee: I'm absolutely looking forward to reading it. Now share about a musical. Tell me more    [00:47:34] Thao Nguyen: Musical. I don't know how much I can say besides, uh, it's not been announced yet, but I do, I have been in, I do spend a lot of time in New York, um, and it's an adaptation. Um, I. I shouldn't have. I, I just wanted to mention that it was happening, but I know now that I sh I can't actually say.    [00:47:56] Miko Lee: Okay. That's okay. It's secret, So how can our audiences find out more about you and your work? We'll put a link to your website absolutely. On their webs, on our, program page. But are there other ways that folks can find out more and keep up to date with what you're doing?   [00:48:11] Thao Nguyen: For sure there's, um, well, all the social media, um, outlets were on there @thaogetstaydown. And um, I have a substack called THAO For The Record, which actually was just me sort of documenting my process of making this next record. Um, but that is my preferred way to be in touch in a more long form, um, less harried way. And the new album is coming out in mid to late September. And so I'm really excited about that. And we're, we are gearing up for more touring, starting the summertime.    [00:48:54] Miko Lee: Excellent. Can't wait to listen to you more and hear the new, piece. And thank you so much for joining us on Apex Express.    [00:49:02] Thao Nguyen: Thank you so much for having me. It was such a joy to speak with you.   [00:49:05] Ayame Keane-Lee: The last song we're playing tonight is also the last on the album Temple. It's called “I've Got Something.”   MUSIC [00:53:51] That was “I've Got Something” by Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. [00:53:55] Miko Lee: Thank you so much for listening tonight. Remember to reconnect to your ancestral technologies and hold in the power of tenderness. Please check out our website, kpfa.org/program/apexexpress to find out more about our show and our guests tonight. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating, and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. Apex Express is produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Cheryl Truong, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Miata Tan, Preti Mangala-Shekar and Swati Rayasam. Tonight's show was produced by me Miko Lee, and edited by Ayame Keane-Lee. Have a great night.            The post APEX Express – 6.18.26 Talk Story with Thao Nguyen appeared first on KPFA.

Don Young and Andrew Stevens from the Cathedral Village Arts Festival visit the subbasement to talk about this year's event (May 18 to 23). Music by Ryan Hill (aka Guidewire). Originally broadcast on 91.3FM CJTR AccessNow community radio.

Send us a textFormer Alaska State Senator and Iraq war veteran Josh Revak was born and raised in Minnesota. While serving in the Army in the early 2000s, a mortar blast in Iraq blew a quarter-sized hole through the back of his foot. He then got his first job in politics back in Minnesota working on John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. Then, while visiting the Alaska family of a fellow soldier who had been killed in Iraq, Revak met Congressman Don Young's staff who suggested he apply for a job in the congressman's office. After 8 years working for Don Young and Senator Dan Sullivan, Revak ran for the Alaska State House in 2018 defeating incumbent Charisse Millett in the Republican primary and was elected to represent the Abbott Loop Area of Anchorage. When State Senator Chris Birch suddenly passed away, Revak was appointed to that seat by Governor Dunleavy. In 2022 with the sudden death of Don Young, Revak ran for that seat with the endorsement of Don Young's widow. After Mary Peltola ultimately won the seat, Revak went to work for Peltola's office. He is now lobbying for the drone program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.Watch Josh Revak perform on Governor Mike Huckabee's Fox talk show in 2010 here.

"Every time we give an award to someone, there is one of our six values that's tied in with the citation."Don YoungIn this episode of the Zweig Letter Podcast, we share a panel session from the Zweig Group's 2024 ElevateAEC event. We delve into the evolving landscape of modern work environments and the importance of maintaining a thriving culture in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Host Chad Coldiron is joined by industry leaders Joseph Campos, Don Young, and Shelby Harvey, who share their insights on what it means to be recognized as one of the Best Firms to Work For.The panel discusses their unique journeys into the AEC industry, the significance of employee engagement surveys, and how to turn feedback into actionable change. Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on fostering a positive workplace culture, tackling challenges in remote work, and the essential qualities of effective leadership. This episode is a must-listen for professionals looking to enhance their firms and create an environment where employees thrive.Key Takeaways:Employee Engagement: Regular surveys and feedback mechanisms are vital for understanding employee needs and improving workplace culture.Celebrating Success: Acknowledging achievements, both big and small, fosters a sense of belonging and motivates teams.Flexibility in Work: Balancing remote work with in-office presence is crucial for maintaining team dynamics and productivity.Leadership Qualities: Effective leaders embody humility, vulnerability, and a positive mindset, which are essential for building trust and collaboration within teams.Cultural ROI: Investing in professional development and creating clear career paths can significantly improve employee retention and satisfaction.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(01:30) Panelist Introductions(05:00) Discovering a Career in AEC(15:00) Importance of Employee Engagement(25:00) Insights from the Best Firms to Work For(35:00) Maintaining Company Culture(45:00) Q&A Session(55:00) ConclusionAll this and more on this episode of the Zweig Letter podcast.Links referenced in this episode:Connect with Chad Coldiron on LinkedInConnect with Joseph Campos on LinkedInConnect with Don Young on LinkedInConnect with Shelby Harvey on LinkedInGet your FREE Subscription to the Zweig Letter Newsletter.We highly encourage you to listen to the full episode to gain deeper insights into how AI is poised to revolutionize the design industry. Stay tuned for more enlightening content from the Zweig Letter podcast, and make sure to subscribe for regular updates!Other episodes you'll enjoy:Elevate AEC Keynote - Empowering AEC Professionals: Trends and Strategies for Success with Chad Clinehens and...

In 1961, Chuck Dressen told Bob Uecker that there was no place in baseball for a clown. But Uecker proved him wrong over the next 64 years, becoming a beloved backup catcher, World Champion, scout, broadcaster, actor, raconteur and, eventually, Hall of Famer. He became the very manifestation of the American Dream, the son of an immigrant and high school dropout who found success through hard work, talent, good humor, and kindness. He turned being the butt of a joke into an art form over 90 years. This week, as Mike and Bill mourn his passing, they celebrate one of the great lives and people in baseball history. Plus, happy birthday to Jon Matlack and Chick Gandil! And farewell to Don Ferrarese, Al Ferrara, Don Young and Tommy Smith.

A successful business leader, Don Young lived the American Dream, but he was a very unhappy person. There was something fundamentally missing from his life, so Don chased stuff. Reputation, physical desires, and everything the material world had to offer. Don reduced himself and everyone in the world to objects. Things whose only purpose was to support his desires and an unjust system, but Don remained a very unhappy person.Ryan and Don talk about his story of faith which is unique and universal. Don's desire to write and tell his story. It's also a story of God's love for a nation and a world that's spiritually famished. Welcome to Don Young's story, and welcome to the Art of Paying Attention. Mentioned on the Show:* Don Young's website. * Don's writings on Substack. * Check out the Merch Store. All the proceeds go to support the podcast, and my work. * Want to be a guest? Need to get unstuck? Contact Ryan. Get full access to The Art of Paying Attention at ryanjpelton.substack.com/subscribe

Michelle Macuar Sparck is the director of strategic initiatives of the organization Get out the Native Vote. Get out the Native Vote is a non-partisan effort in Alaska to mobilize Alaska Native and American Indian Voters. Michelle Sparck is a member of the Qissunamiut Tribe of Chevak but grew up in Bethel. After graduating from Bethel High School, she moved to DC to attend American University. While there she worked for Senator Ted Stevens and later Congressman Don Young. After her work in DC she returned to Alaska to work with Tribes and subsistence activities with the Association of Village Council Presidents. She has been the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Get out the native vote since 2022.Visit Get out the Native Vote, here.

In this heartfelt episode of Warriors Unmasked, Chuck Thuss welcomes Don Young, a former pharmaceutical marketing executive whose life transformation is a profound tale of rediscovery and spiritual awakening. Don shares his journey from achieving material success and seemingly living the American dream to facing an emptiness that wealth and status could not fill. His story is a vivid illustration of the profound impact that a shift in values from materialism to spirituality can have on personal well-being and happiness. Don's candid discussion about his struggles with identity, the pressures of corporate life, and his subsequent spiritual awakening offers listeners a window into the transformative power of faith and the quest for authenticity. He talks about his upcoming memoir, "Finding God in Vegas," his website where he shares daily devotions and personal insights, and how these platforms have become a conduit for expressing his newfound purpose. Listeners will find inspiration in Don's narrative, from his challenging moments to his ultimate realization of what truly matters—love, authenticity, and spiritual fulfillment. This episode is not just Don's story; it's a call to anyone feeling lost or disconnected from their true selves to reconsider what brings genuine contentment and joy to their lives. Join Chuck and Don as they explore a journey from the superficial highs of success to the deeper, more sustaining joys of spiritual and emotional rebirth. For those moved by Don's story and interested in learning more about his writings or seeking guidance on embracing their own spiritual journeys, visit his website and follow his contributions to personal and spiritual growth. This episode is a powerful reminder of the enduring human capacity for change and the infinite possibilities that open up when we align our lives with our deepest values and beliefs. Hit play now! GUEST LINKS: https://donaldharoldyoung.com donaldharoldyoung.com | Substack: https://donaldharoldyoungcom.substack.com LINKS: www.thecompassionateconnection.com www.warriorsunmasked.com  Join Chuck's Text Community: 251-418-7966 Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Subscribe To Our YouTube My Community Contact   Episode Minute By Minute: 0:03 - Introduction and welcome to Don Young, former pharmaceutical marketing executive turned spiritual mentor. 3:08 - Don discusses his successful yet unfulfilling career in pharmaceutical marketing and the luxurious yet empty lifestyle it afforded. 7:04 - Exploring the deep void and unhappiness behind the facade of success and the high cost of living the "American Dream." 10:17 - Don shares the turning point at age 55, leading to his profound spiritual awakening and the dramatic shift in his life's focus. 18:20 - Discussion on the impact of societal expectations on personal identity and the struggle with coming out as gay in a conservative environment.  22:34 - How a career loss at 52 and personal losses transformed Don's perspective on life, leading to rejection of materialism. 27:49 - Don describes the significant moments of realization during the COVID-19 pandemic and reassessing his life's work in pharma marketing. 34:16 - The role of Johnny Cash's music in catalyzing Don's spiritual reawakening and embracing a life centered on love and authenticity. 37:49 - Insights into the daily practices that nurture self-love, connection with others, and spiritual fulfillment. 42:14 - Don reflects on how volunteering and writing helped him reconnect with his true self and the community. 47:48 - Closing thoughts on living a love-centered life free from fear and filled with gratitude and joy. 51:13 - Don answers questions on living authentically and the continuous journey towards self-discovery and creating love in the world.  

Join host John Quick on the Must Read Alaska Show as he connects with Founder, Suzanne Downing to unpack the compelling story behind Must Read Alaska. In this episode, Suzanne shares her vision in founding a leading conservative news platform in Alaska.    Together, they recount the evolution of this podcast, highlighting memorable episodes like their impactful election night coverage featuring the legendary Congressman Don Young. Special mentions to fellow co-hosts James Baisden and Scott Levesque, who've been integral in bringing diverse perspectives to the show.    They talk about some of their favorite guests such as Mayor Charlie Pierce of the KPB and President Whipps of Palau, to cherished off-air moments, this episode is a celebration of Must Read Alaska's journey and its HUGE impact. Tune in for a deep dive into the stories that have defined the heart and soul of conservative media in Alaska.

Join us on a profound exploration of The Divine within as we delve into the transformative power of love, miracles, and blessings. In this captivating episode, Don Young shares his heartfelt journey of spiritual awakening, guided by the belief that The Divine is love itself.Don's passion for sharing his experiences stems from his deep-rooted belief in the interconnectedness of all beings and the importance of giving and receiving love. He emphasizes the significance of vulnerability and gratitude in fostering authentic connections and living a life filled with abundance.We explore the concept of abundance, not merely in material possessions, but in the richness of life's experiences and the miracles that surround us. Discover the shift in perspective that allows one to perceive abundance in the simplest of moments, from the beauty of a sunset to the presence of loved ones.Don shares the challenges he faced in letting go of societal expectations and embracing his imperfections as gifts bestowed by The Divine. Elaine shares her own journey of self-acceptance and the realization that perfection lies in embracing one's uniqueness and interconnectedness with the universe.Together, we explore the profound impact of connecting with one's higher self and responding to life's challenges with love and compassion. Through personal anecdotes and spiritual insights, they illuminate the path towards living a life guided by the divine love within. About the Guest: (bio, personal links, resource links)Don Young was a successful business leader as a pharmaceutical marketing executive, living the American Dream as it relates to fame and fortune, but he was a very unhappy person. There was something fundamentally missing from his life. After spending his entire adult life trying to find happiness through the stuff of this world, he finally surrendered his heart to God, to Love.Experiencing a spiritual awakening, Don completed his to be published memoir, “Finding God in Vegas.” He also began sharing his spiritual journey through his website,donaldharoldyoung.com, posting daily devotions, short stories and blog posts that are deeply personal and universally relatable.Free Gift: Sharing my daily devotions. I love to hear your stories too!How to Show Support: Take time to see if any of my stories resonate with you and find ways to create more love in your life.Social Media Links:X: @DHYVegasLinkedIn and Facebook: Donald YoungInstagram: @donaldharoldyoungAbout the Host, Elaine Starling: (bio, personal links, resource links)An international TEDx speaker, bestselling author, coach and mentor, Elaine Starling is recognized for her video show and podcast, The Abundance Journey.After a comprehensive conversation with our higher power during a stroke, Elaine created The Abundance Journey 6 week course to share what she learned. As the Abundance Ambassador, Elaine mentors spiritual, growth-oriented women to align with Divine guidance to achieve their dreams. Elaine's clients experience more clarity, confidence, and commit to action that achieves their goals.Elaine Starling Social Media Links:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elaine.abundance Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainestarling/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3eXgwdMYYzLicCEcB1DdrgTEDx Talk, “Abundance Is a Choice” https://youtu.be/tMQ0D4sfEysWebsite: www.TheAbundanceJourney.com5 Steps to Activate Your Abundance Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/3kD9ARThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode...

Air Date - 27 March 2024Join Inspired Living Host Marc Lainhart - The Intuitive Prospector™ this "Wisdom Wednesday" as we welcome to the show for the first time, former business leader and author Don Young. "I'm humbled to share my spiritual journey with you through a series of short stories, blog posts, and daily devotions. These narratives and words are deeply personal, but I believe they resonate universally. Reflecting moments of vulnerability, humor, and insight on our shared human experience." -Don YoungJOIN US for another inspiring, educational, healing, and transformative show! Let us go “PROSPECTING!”MORE INFORMATION:Don Young was a successful business leader as a pharmaceutical marketing executive, living the American Dream regarding fame and fortune, but he was very unhappy. There was something fundamentally missing from his life. After spending his entire adult life trying to find happiness through the stuff of this world, he finally surrendered his heart to God, to Love. Experiencing a spiritual awakening, he completed his to-be-published memoir, Finding God in Vegas. Posting daily devotions, short stories, and blog posts that are deeply personal but universally relatable. He currently lives in Paradise (Las Vegas) with his partner of 15 years and their cat Harry California. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in history, religion, and philosophy and a Master of Arts in theology. He also volunteers for the Boy Scouts of America and Las Vegas Area Council and is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for the Eighth District Judicial Court of Nevada."Transcending worldly labels or religious divisions. My aim is to share stories of faith, hope, and love. Nurturing connections among all people of goodwill and fostering unity among everyone who joins me on this remarkable voyage called life. 100% human-created content." -Don YoungConnect with Don at https://donaldharoldyoung.com/#DonYoung #InspiredLiving #MarcLainhart #Death #LifeAfterDeathVisit the Inspired Living show page https://omtimes.com/iom/shows/inspired-living-radio/Connect with Marc Lainhart at http://www.marclainhart.com/Subscribe to our Newsletter https://omtimes.com/subscribe-omtimes-magazineConnect with OMTimes on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Omtimes.Magazine/ and OMTimes Radio https://www.facebook.com/ConsciousRadiowebtv.OMTimes/Twitter: https://twitter.com/OmTimes/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omtimes/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2798417/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/omtimes/

In this transformative episode of 'The Queer Quest Podcast,' we journey alongside Don Young, whose path from a high-powered pharmaceutical rep to a beacon of spiritual enlightenment and authorship captures the essence of rebirth and acceptance.

Join host John Quick on the Must Read Alaska Show for a riveting episode with Nick Begich, a determined candidate aiming for Alaska's sole congressional seat. Begich shares invaluable insights from his experience as the campaign chair for Congressman Don Young, highlighting the lessons learned and how they've shaped his political vision. With a critical view of the current congresswoman, Mary Peltola, Begich outlines why he believes Alaska is in dire need of change. He discusses his commitment to smaller government, less regulation, and increased oil production as foundational pillars of his campaign. This episode is a deep dive into Begich's aspirations for Alaska, reflecting on the past and looking forward to a brighter future.   For more details on Nick Begich and to follow his campaign, visit https://www.alaskansfornickbegich.com.   Stay connected with his journey and get involved in shaping Alaska's future by following his social media channels.

Tom Steigleman hosts today's show.Tom talks about the retirement of Alabama head coach Nick Saben and Bill Belichick moving on from the New England Patriots.   Tom also talks about the Anchorage public restroom issue, Iran seizing an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, the MIA Defense Secretary, and Donald Trump's potential VP picks.Mayor Dave Bronson calls in to talk about the renaming of the Port of Anchorage in honor of Don Young, the Alaska Airlines door blowout, the public restroom issue, and the city-wide job fair. Jesse James representing New Season Church calls in about their Reboot Combat Recovery program that starts in January.   Reboot Combat Recovery helps active duty and military veterans recover from the trauma they've experienced.  Find more information and register at RebootRecovery.com.

 Tom Steigleman hosts today's program. Tom talks about the warnings from the muni to remove snow off of buildings, pre-filed State bills, and how you can track via text messages when you text 559-245-2529 and enter the bill number. Dalton calls in to talk about the Alaska Airline jet that had the blowout. Randy Sulte from the Anchorage Assembly calls in the port being named after Don Young, the public restroom issue, and upcoming bonds that will be on April's ballot. Jared Goecker from the Municipality of Anchorage Employment office calls in to talk about Friday's Job Fair at the Dena'ina Center from 10AM to 5PM. Get more information by emailing HREmployment@AnchorageAK.com

In this episode we take a look back at one of the biggest environmental disasters of all time. The Exxon Valdez oil tanker hit the Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound on March 24, 1989 and dumped 10.8 million gallons of oil into the water.   Prince William Sound was so remote that it could only be gotten too by boat or air, and that made getting to it in order to clean the spill up nearly impossible for Exxon and the Government.  The result was that the oil drifted everywhere, eventually covering 1300 miles of the coast affecting dramatically a habitat for salmon, sea otters, seals , and various bird, and other wildlife. President Bush was forced to act as fast as possible to reverse the damage before it laid waste many of the natural resources Alaska needed to survive.  All of this tragedy was blamed on Captain Joseph Hazelwood who was accused of being drunk at the time of the accident. That proved to be untrue, and Hazelwood won a criminal case in 1990 ending that widely believed mythology. He was , in fact , not even on the bridge at the time of the accident.  He had not been drinking while on the job and the accusations stemmed from a DUI arrest he had received some 6 months earlier while off from work. Years later , Exxon was found to have been negligent in how it operated its supertankers.  Three factors would eventually be listed as the cause. They were :  (from Wikipedia) Exxon Shipping Company failed to supervise the master (ship's captain) and provide a rested and sufficient crew for Exxon Valdez. The NTSB found this practice was widespread throughout the industry, prompting a safety recommendation to Exxon and to the industry.[13]The third mate failed to properly maneuver the vessel, possibly due to fatigue or excessive workload.[13]Exxon Shipping Company failed to properly maintain the Raytheon Collision Avoidance System (RAYCAS) radar, which, if functional, would have indicated to the third mate an impending collision with the Bligh Reef by detecting the radar reflector placed on the next rock inland from Bligh Reef for the purpose of keeping ships on course. This cause was brought forward by Greg Palast and is not presented in the official accident report.[14]It would be the Bush Administration that would supervise the clean up of the Sound, and implemented the reforms that helped make the oil industry far safer after the spill. This is that story, and the story of the nearly two decades of struggle for the Alaskans who had to try and pick up the pieces after the spill was over and the attention of the world had moved on. This show also discusses our host , Randal Wallace's own involvement in the debate over offshore drilling in the Carolinas, where he supported drilling for Natural Gas in an era before electric cars had so transformed the energy market in America.   Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcastsThanks for listening!!

Over the course of a career focused on political media, Ed Blakely helped innovate within Republican politics that led to the modernization of the media arms of campaign committees of both parties. After a stint in US Amry intelligence, Ed spent nearly 20 years at the NRCC before joining the GOP media firm of Smith & Harroff. In this conversation, Ed talks his efforts to modernize political media at the NRCC, his favorite story of filming President Reagan in the Oval Office, memories from John McCain's first US Senate race in 1986, and much more across an incredibly interesting and influential career in politics. IN THIS EPISODEEd grows up in Hawaii after his father dies in WWII…The somewhat famous (if confidential) film that Ed produced after being drafted into the US Army…Ed's brush with fame as the youngest disc jockey in Hawaii…How Ed's path led to political media at the NRCC…Some of Ed's favorite stories of filming ads with President Reagan in the Oval Office…Ed talks the media innovations he brought to the NRCC that ultimately helped modernize the operations of both parties…Why Ed came back to the NRCC after being at a private agency for over a decade…Ed's memories of Newt Gingrich's ascent in the House GOP…Why Ed left the NRCC after more than a decade in the mid 80s & where he landed…Ed helps elect John McCain in 1986 in his first race for US Senate…Ed gives an impromptu history lesson of jingles in political TV ads…Ed talks his approach to fostering new Republican media talent that paid dividends…Ed's stints in the public sector…  AND Creighton Abrams, Roger Ailes, Army Intelligence, Bailey-Deardorff, Baltimore, Katja Bullock, Jay Bryant, Edward Butler, Tom Delay, Bob Ehrlich, the fickle finger of fate, Gerald Ford, Barry Goldwater, Bobby Goodman, Peter Hannaford, Denny Hastert, Humphrey Browning MacDougall, Jim Innocenzi, LBJ, JFK, kinescope, The Lincoln Memorial, Bob Livingston, Robin Luke, Robert McNamara, Morning in America, Chris Mottola, Oahu, the Pentagon, Chip Pickering, radio actualities, Hal Riney, Santa Monica, slow boats, Smith & Harroff,  Olympia Snowe, The Sound of Music, speech modules, Steven Spielberg, John Sununu, The Tuesday Team, USC, Guy Vander Jagt, The Washington Post, Watergate, Henry Waxman, whistlestops, Don Young … & more!

Optimism Wednesday with a bonus 11th reason to feel good about the Colts - and his name is not Anthony Richardson! Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan volunteered their services to the NY Jets, and "Trevor Simien is our choice" was their answer. Brooks Robinson died yesterday at 86. Suzuki's boner joins Don Young and Brant Brown's miscues as hideous and unforgettable errors in the history of Cubs baseball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House Committee on Natural Resources observes a moment of silence for Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr., on September 20, 2023. Peltola passed away following a plane crash in Alaska on September 12. He was the spouse of Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), a member of the committee. “She and her family are in my prayers,” Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas), the chairman of the committee, said at the opening of a markup session in the nation's capital. “I'm sure they're in the prayers of many of you as well.” After the moment of silence, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Arizona) offered his condolences as well. He is the ranking member on the committee. “Thank you for the acknowledgement of the tragedy that our colleague from Alaska, her and her family, are going through,” Grijalva said. Peltola was Yup'ik and Tlingit. He worked for Alaska Native entities, for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and for other federal agencies in Alaska. He leaves behind his wife and seven children. He was 57 years old. Rep. Peltola is the first Alaska Native and the first Alaska Native woman to serve in the U.S. Congress. She is serving out the remainder of the term of the late Don Young, a Republican who passed in March 2022.

[Originally released October 2021]Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has a truly American story: born in Cuba, emigrates to Miami with her family at age 8, works as a teacher before being elected to the Florida legislature - and then makes history as the first Hispanic woman in American history to be elected to Congress. This is a great conversation about her one-of-a-kind life, history-making career, great political stories, and advice & insight to candidates, elected officials, lobbyists, and staffers after serving nearly 30 years in the U.S. House.IN THIS EPISODECongresswoman Ros-Lehtinen's early memories growing up in Cuba and her sudden emigration to Miami…She breaks down why Cuban Americans started to align with the Republican Party…The conversation that got her involved in politics for the first time…She talks about her House predecessor, the legendary Congressman Claude Pepper…How she overcame racist tactics to become the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress…The surprising way she learned she made history on Election Night…What surprised her as she got her feet wet in Congress…She remembers how Newt Gingrich changed the Republican Party and transformed Congress…Why she didn't sign the 1994 Republican “Contract with America”…The House Democrat she remembers for brass-knuckle tactics…She remembers times she was “in the dog house” for breaking with GOP party leadership…Her signature accomplishments after 30 years in the house…She remembers the intensity around the Elian Gonzalez custody case, occurring right in her district…She weighs in on if the Elian Gonzalez case cost Al Gore Florida in 2000 and ultimately the presidency…Her memories of the impeachment of Bill Clinton…Why she never ran statewide and didn't run for re-election in 2018…Her take on what makes a good lobbyist…Her tips on running on a congressional office…She remembers Marco Rubio as a young intern in her office…What does she miss about being in Congress…Her take on why there are so many Florida politicians on the national scene…She weighs in on whether Florida remains a “swing state”…Her advice on what people should do when visiting Miami…AND…537 Votes, The Bay of Pigs, Beltway Fever, Brigade 2506, Jeb Bush, Kathy Castor, Fidel Castro, Liz Cheney, Shirley Chisholm, Bill Clinton, Billy Corben, Katie Couric, Cuba Libres, the Defense of Marriage Act, Tom DeLay, Val Demings, Ron DeSantis, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart, Bob Dole, Dante Fascell, first airplane rides, Tom Foley, get-along and go-along Republicans, Newt Gingrich, Elian Gonzalez, Homestead Air Force Base, Steny Hoyer, Sam Johnson, JFK, Bill Lehman, David Leahy, Dexter Lehtinen, John Lewis, La Loba Feroz, John McCain, Bob Michel, a minority mentality, Stephanie Murphy, Obamacare, olive-green military attire, Red Pepper, Robert Redford, Janet Reno, Steve Schale, snowbirds, South Beach, SWAT teams, the University of Havana, Versailles, Don Young, & more!

Jeff was joined by Republican U.S. House candidate Nick Begich. They discuss last year's packed special election after Don Young passed way, the main race with fellow Republican Sarah Palin and now-Representative Mary Peltola (D - Alaska), U.S monetary policy, how inflation is affecting working people, next year's presidential election, why he thinks next year's House race for Alaska's sole congressional seat will be different, and other issues currently facing the country. 

Representative Alyse Galvin  represents Midtown Anchorage in the Alaska State House, but she is most well known for her two runs for the US House in 2018 and 2020 against long-term Congressman Don Young. Earning 46.7% of the vote, she came closer to defeating him than any other challenger in his 49-year tenure. A third generation Alaska, Alyse's childhood was difficult. So difficult that some will find it unbelievably hard, while for too many Alaskans, it will sound all too familiar. We talk about how her challenges as a youth inspire her indefatigable work to strengthen families and improve Alaska's public education system.

Jeff was joined by Congresswoman Mary Peltola (D - Alaska) and her chief of staff, Anton McParland. They discuss how she briefly occupied the late Don Young's office after she won the special election last summer, her general election win, the drawn out process to elect a Speaker of the House in January, how she helped get ConocoPhillips' Willow project approved, why she thinks she was able to defeat the huge field to become Alaska's sole representative, and what its been like serving in Congress. 

Jeff was joined by political consultant Art Hackney. They talk about his history working in Alaska politics, his dad's time serving in the Alaska Legislature, past campaigns he's worked on including the late Ted Stevens and the late Don Young, the cultural shift in politics, Alaska's political history, the inner workings of the Legislature, and the art of reaching voters with campaign messaging. 

In 2014, just before his 30th birthday, Alaska State Senator Forrest Dunbar made a name for himself when he attempted to unseat Alaska's long-term lone Congressman Don Young. Although he ultimately failed, with just a shoestring budget Dunbar upended expectations earning 41% of the vote and establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with. We discuss his childhood in rural Alaska, his decision to become a lawyer, and how he ended up in the Alaska State Senate. But we begin by talking about the most recent US Supreme Court decisions that had just been released when we recorded this interview on the morning of Friday, June 30, 2023.

Don Young, executive director of the Cathedral Village Arts Festival, visits the sub-basement to give us a preview of this year's festival. Plus, more cringe at council as there's been an integrity complaint against councillors Dan LeBlanc and Andrew Stevens over their court action against the city manager. Music by Ryan Hill (aka Guidewire). Originally broadcast on 91.3FM CJTR.

The founder of Alaskans for Honest Elections is speaking out against ranked choice voting, which he says is "spreading like poison.""Ranked choice voting is a whole way that certain people want to redefine how we vote. It's no longer one person, one vote. It's a very complicated system where everybody's thrown into a jungle primary," Art Mathias, president and founder of Wellsprings Ministry in Anchorage, Alaska, tells The Daily Signal. "Our House race to replace [Rep.] Don Young was 48 people trying to make it through that to become the top four. Then the top four go through a campaign to a runoff. So, if you're not extremely well-known, if you don't have a lot of money, you're not going to go any place in the race," Mathias says.Young, a Republican who held Alaska's sole at-large House seat from 1973 until 2022, was the longest-serving Republican in congressional history. He died a year ago this week on March 18, 2022. The ranked choice election for the seat was won by a Democrat, Mary Peltola.Mathias adds: So, you end up with somebody that had only 10% in the primary actually winning at the other end. It's very complicated. People don't like it. Very expensive. It discourages voter turnout. It's not a good deal, and it's spreading like poison.Mathias joins today's episode of "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss the importance of election integrity, how big the movement around ranked choice voting is, and what's at stake if Alaska continues to use ranked choice voting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twenty years on, there are now new searches for Lisa Marie Young. The fresh attention is reopening old wounds and bringing unwanted attention to some.  You'll hear from a man who had a relationship with Lisa the year before she vanished. & William Curry, a former criminal who once approached Lisa's father Don Young with an offer to help, shares his perspective on Lisa's disappearance.

Haters came out a-hatin' after the Alaska election results for Congress were revealed. Thrilled that the Ranked Choice Voting system rendered a Democrat instead of Sarah Palin the winner of the race to determine who would complete the late Rep. Don Young's term, which ends in January, I became a target of insults and harassment--Exhibit A of how off the wall people are and how much of a battle the country is in. But if haters think I can be bullied into sitting down and shutting up, they're even more clueless than they appear. Listen to "Haters Thinking Their Attacks After Alaska Election Will Muzzle Me Are Majorly Mistaken" here or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UrO3lpE_qLA

On this episode, host Elizabeth Harball is joined by Mary Peltola, recently elected as Alaska's lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives.Peltola talked from her hometown of Bethel, during a brief visit before heading to Washington, D.C. to be sworn in to fill the term of the late Rep. Don Young.In this interview, Peltola discusses her background, bipartisanship, issues including abortion, gun control and resource development, and what lies ahead for her in Washington during the coming months. For more local and state news, subscribe to the Anchorage Daily News today.This episode of ADN Politics is sponsored by SteamDot Coffee.

A major political upset in Alaska as a Democrat won the state's only seat in the U.S. House. Former state lawmaker Mary Peltola defeated former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in a special election to replace former Congressman Don Young, who died earlier this year. Rep.-elect Peltola joined Judy Woodruff to discuss her victory. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

It's a distinction that matters more than many realize. Peltola is currently leading Sarah Palin in a special election for Don Young's seat.

Liz Cheney lost her seat in Wyoming, and Sarah Palin returned to fill the late Don Young's congressional seat in Alaska in the special election. We speak with national correspondent for the New York Times, Trip Gabriel, about the these primaries and next week's races in Florida and New York.

This episode features one of Alaska's 2022 Congressional Candidates (D) Mary Peltola and focuses on her campaign for Alaska's At-Large Congressional District position which was vacated with the passing of Congressman Don Young. We get to know Mary a little more, what motivates her to run for office, and why more and more millennials are feeling the call to action.Be sure to tune into the next episode of C&Q episode featuring Michelle Sparck, Director of Strategic Initiatives who shares more about the Get Out the Native Vote movement. Happy researching and happy voting Quaqtis.

This episode features one of Alaska's 2022 Congressional Candidate Tara Katuk Sweeney (R) and focuses on her campaign for Alaska's At-Large Congressional District which was vacated with the passing of Congressman Don Young. We get to know Tara a little more, what seat she is running for and how Alaska got here.Be sure to tune into future episodes of C&Q episode featuring Congressional candidate Mary Pelota (D) and an informational C&Q episode featuring Michelle Spark, Director of Strategic Initiatives who gives us a deep dive into Get Out the Native Vote. Happy voting, Quaqtis.Rock The Vote - 1996https://vimeo.com/100458497

Jeff was joined by Republican U.S. House candidate Nick Begich. They discuss the upcoming special general election for Alaska's sole House seat, why he decided to run for Congress, how his grandfather was Alaska's last congressman before Don Young prior to his plane mysteriously disappearing in 1972, his business background, the homelessness problem in Anchorage, inflation and how it's impacting working people, foreign policy issues including what is happening between China and Taiwan, and the political division in our country. 

Don Young from the North Queensland Offroad Racing Association discusses the excitement of the club hosting a round of the Australian Off Road Championship in 2023, and preparations for this weekends 3rd round of the North Queensland Offroad Super Series.

“Don't get into a vehicle with a driver you don't know.” This was the golden rule Don Young taught his daughter, Lisa Marie Young. But twenty years ago, on June 29th 2002, Lisa broke her father's rule. She got into a red Jaguar driven by a charming young man and was never seen alive again.Where is Lisa?: Red Jag Guy marks the 20th anniversary of Young's disappearance with a two-part story of the man behind the wheel. The man is Christopher William Adair, and the myth in Lisa's story is that the driver of the vehicle is a young man of considerable wealth and privilege. But as usual, the truth is more complicated. In part one, host Laura Palmer focuses on Chris's world before he met Lisa in 2002. She examines what is known about the last person to see Lisa alive, and asks what more might he know about what happened the night she vanished?Some voices you will hear are altered to protect the identity of sources. The sources are confidential, but they are not anonymous. They are known to the producer.End of episode song 'Softly'  by Kyla Lee music by Tim Hearsey  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRaryWrgOgA

The crew discusses how a bipartisan gun control deal was reached and if this unwritten legislation could be passed by the end of the year. They also previewed and caught up on some elections, including Alaska's special election to replace longtime Alaska congressman Don Young that took place this past weekend.

It's a busy Thursday on the show.... I had taped a segment with Lisa Graves, legal expert for the Nicole Sandler Show (with credentials that make her the only person for that job!), expecting to run it yesterday. But the phones were on fire, and I wanted to take your calls as long as you wanted to talk. So today, we'll begin with Lisa Graves, who shares her legal expertise with us whenever I need an expert. And, as you'd expect, she has lots to say about Brett Kavanaugh (with whose confirmation hearings she was involved) and the other members of this illegitimate court and they control that they're planning to take over our bodies. Then, as it's Thursday, it's time for our weekly get-together with Howie Klein of Down with Tyranny and the Blue America PAC. Since we're now in primary season, today he brings us a candidate running in the special election to fill the House seat from Alaska that opened when Don Young died. And believe it or not, that candidate is Santa Claus. Seriously. I'm not kidding, and neither is he. Who better to take on Sarah Palin, eh?

But Why? I announce I am running to fill the remainder of Don Young's term and so we talk longshots. The Alaska Supreme Court rules redistricting is just a whole lot unconstitutional. Governor Dunleavy is alarmed at transgender athletes but not sexual harassment. Mayor Bronsons takes credit where credit ain't due. Maia Nolan Partnow on replacing Don Young.

It's headlines to start this morning and then we leap into it with GOP US Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka. We'll talk about the latest including the SCOTUS confirmations, the loss of Don Young and the war in Ukraine. Then in hour two, we wind up to the Shower Hour of Power with our friend State Senator Mike Shower.

The two sides are meeting face-to-face in Turkey today. Plus, national correspondent Bill Keveney reports on access for electric vehicles in lower income areas, parts of I-81 remain closed in Pennsylvania after a 50-car crash, Supreme Court correspondent John Fritze talks about the court agreeing to hear a copyright case involving Andy Warhol and Prince and Rep. Don Young lies in state.(Audio: Associated Press, Scott L. Hall/USA TODAY)Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's program looks at Russia's claiming it is pulling back military forces from Ukraine's capital and another city, OMB Director before the House Budget and late Rep. Don Young lies in state. Interview with Military Times' Leo Shane (13). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of the Must Read Alaska Show host James Baisden discusses the passing of Congressman Don Young, the required special election to fill the vacancy, the confusion of rank choice voting, the process of a mail-in election, and the influence of unlimited campaign contributions. We close the show discussing the crazy changes to the ongoing mask and vaccine mandates throughout the country, and an update on 2nd amendment issues concerning canceled carry in the lower 48.   MRAK Show is sponsored by 'Paid for by Charlie Pierce for Governor P.O Box 408 Soldotna, Alaska, 99669'

Congressman Don Young's 1984 Campaign manager Frank Bickford, is in the house!  We are sharing memories and good times of the LEGEND Congressman Don Young. You won't want to miss out on hearing first-hand accounts of what it was like managing Congressman Don Youngs' successful campaign in 1984. 

We start today's show with updates on Russia-Ukraine. Next, we cover the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, Justice Clarence Thomas' hospitalization, and two states that are taking action to protect reproductive rights. Finally, we close with the death of the longest serving member of Congress, Alaska Rep. Don Young. Resources/Articles mentioned this episode: Axios: "Researchers say Russia's invasion reaching deadly stalemate" Washington Post: "Russia's war for Ukraine could be headed toward stalemate" Aljazeera: "Russia, Ukraine ‘close to agreement' in negotiations, says Turkey" Independent: "Russian spy chiefs ‘under house arrest' as Putin turns on his security chiefs over invasion setback" Guardian: "Ukraine: US condemns ‘unconscionable' forced deportations of civilians from Mariupol" MSBNC: "House strips Russia of trade status, despite some GOP opposition" NPR: "Australia bans the export of aluminum ores to Russia" ABC News: "Justice Clarence Thomas hospitalized with infection, Supreme Court says" AP News: "Washington state prohibits Texas-style abortion lawsuits" US News: "Maryland House Passes Abortion Rights Constitution Amendment" Axios: "Alaska Rep. Don Young, longest-serving member of Congress, dies at 88"

In Episode 261 of District of Conservation, Gabriella publishes her interview with her friend and SPYPOINT Influencer Market Specialist and North Dakota native/outdoor communicator, Tanner Cherney. She also discusses the conservation legacy Congressman Don Young (R-AK), 88, left behind following his passing last week. Tune in. SHOW NOTES Blood Origins Support Hunting Fool: Hunters on the Hill (Don Young) Don Young's Congressional Record SCI Tribute to Rep. Young ADN: Gruff, warm, combustible, shrewd: For 49 years, Don Young's ideology was ‘Alaska' E&E News: Don Young leaves outsize natural resources legacy Congressman Don Young Honored as Safari Club International's Legislator of the Year Tweet from Rep. Young's Comms Director Follow Tanner Cherney on Facebook and Instagram and see his past work with Peak Productions LLC. Learn more about SPYPOINT Trail Cameras. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/district-of-conservation/support

In a rare host-only episode, Paul and Matt dive into what's going on with Dem's maneuvers to boot Iowa from the early presidential nominating process, and whether the entire system should be blown up. Also, are we fighting a war against autocrats both abroad and at home? Remembering colorful Congressman Don Young. And should we make Daylight Savings Time permanent?

Don hosts live from Bulgaria, bringing you his exclusive interview with Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin. The two discuss opposition to President Zelensky's request for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, concerns that China will aid Putin's war, and the threat of Russian forces using chemical weapons. In historical echoes of Nazism, Putin tries to hide the truth from his own people, ordering Russian school teachers and students to attend a massive rally in Moscow to prop up support for his invasion of Ukraine. Plus, Russia intensifies indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian civilians, President Biden warns China not to help Russia and Rep. Don Young dies at the age of 88. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy