Podcasts about Downton Abbey

I welcomed one of my hero authors, Michael Morpurgo, and his wife Clare, to Highclere Castle to talk about storytelling, history, the magic of reading, and the extraordinary charity they founded together — Farms for City Children.Michael shared how War Horse came to life and why understanding the First World War matters more than ever today. We recalled the unforgettable day Joey, the National Theatre's War Horse puppet, came to Highclere in 2014 — walking through the very library where Almina, my predecessor, had nursed soldiers back from the trenches a century before.Michael told the wonderful story behind Farms for City Children — how Clare, a childhood afternoon let loose near a Devon farm, courtesy of her father Allen Lane, founder of Penguin Books, sparked a lifetime's passion for the countryside, and how that passion became a charity that has given over 120,000 inner-city children a week of real farm life.We explored the importance of books and reading, handwriting, the friendship with Ted Hughes, the honest editorial partnership between Michael and Clare, and my own plans for a Highclere Literary Festival this October.We ended with Michael's dream summer evening guest: the radiant Audrey Hepburn.00:00 Welcome & Introduction02:10 War Horse & Joey Comes to Highclere06:30 History, World War I & Why It Still Matters13:15 The Origins of Farms for City Children21:45 A Real Farm — Not a Pretend Farm28:00 Highclere: Farm, History & the Fifth Earl33:20 The Power of Reading & the Literary Festival38:10 Writing by Hand, Ted Hughes & the iPad44:00 Editing, Marriage & Telling the Truth49:30 Dream Party Guest: Audrey HepburnTopics CoveredWar Horse & HighclereThe origins of War Horse and why Michael believes we must understand history to navigate the presentLady Carnarvon recalls the day Joey, the War Horse puppet from the National Theatre, came to Highclere in 2014 to mark the centenary of World War IHighclere Castle served as a real military hospital during World War I — Lady Carnarvon's predecessor, Almina, nursed soldiers back from the trenchesThe contrast with the fictional Downton Abbey and the very real human stories preserved in letters at HighclereHistory, War & ResponsibilityMichael reflects on why the First World War is so important — and how it directly caused the SecondThe role of individuals and political movements in triggering conflict, from Sarajevo to the rise of HitlerWhy Michael feels it is "timely" to revisit these lessons today, given the state of the worldSeeing War Horse in the theatre the night before recording — and what it still means to himFarms for City ChildrenClare's childhood inspiration: sent outside to explore as a young girl near a Devon farm, she fell in love with the countryside, animals, and the rhythm of rural lifeHer father, Allen Lane, founder of Penguin Books, instilled a love of the natural worldWhy Clare and Michael left teaching after realising they weren't reaching the children who needed them mostHow the charity started with one Victorian farmhouse in Devon and has since grown to multiple working farmsOver 120,000 children have now spent a week on a real farm — milking cows, feeding lambs, grooming horses, doing genuine workMeeting former "farm children" now aged 45 with families of their own, who say the experience never left themHighclere Today — A Living EstateFarming records at Highclere dating back to the 16th century; earliest written records from 749 ADLady Carnarvon's rare breed Cornish pigs, Belted Galloway cattle, 1,400 ewes, and 2,500 lambsThe Iron Age Fort and Bronze Age Tumuli on the estateWilliam of Wykeham (1324–1404) — bishop and founder of Winchester College and New College, Oxford — lived at Highclere; it was his palaceThe fifth Earl of Carnarvon, who discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun, was a voracious reader; his will, written at 21, listed his books as among his most prized possessionsThe Power of Reading & WritingWhy books matter: they let children ask questions, explore mortality, understand the world, and feel less aloneMichael's beach anecdote — watching his granddaughter's husband read to their one-year-old, with the baby turning the pages back — as a perfect image of how the love of books is passed onThe importance of parents reading aloud, good libraries, and physical booksLady Carnarvon's Highclere Literary Festival — launching this October, with:A children's trail through the gardens (including a wardrobe inspired by Narnia and an entrance to fairyland)The Curious Tent and Speaker's CornerWriting and reading competitions with cash prizesFree entry for under-16s who have read a book or written somethingLady Carnarvon's campaign for handwriting — the link between brain, hand, and penTed Hughes, Writing by Hand & TechnologyMichael's lifelong habit of writing by hand — and how arthritis in his finger has forced a reluctant move to an iPadNeighbour and friend Ted Hughes on why handwriting matters: it keeps the mind and the process in syncMichael's delight at discovering he can dictate to his iPad ("It prints it out magically")Editing, Marriage & HonestyClare as Michael's first editor — "quite unfairly truthful" — and why he always takes her notes even when he doesn't want toThe ongoing verdict: nothing he's written in the 65 books since War Horse has matched itLady Carnarvon's husband editing her first book and his well-meaning but devastating comment: "Don't worry if nobody reads it — you've still tried very hard"A Summer Evening QuestionIf you could take anyone to Lady Carnarvon's summer jazz evening, who would it be?Clare: Gregory PeckMichael: Audrey Hepburn (Roman Holiday)A discussion of Audrey Hepburn's extraordinary grace — and how grace itself is something both Michael and Lady Carnarvon seek in their work and livesMentioned in This EpisodeWar Horse — Michael Morpurgo (novel, stage production, Steven Spielberg film)Waiting for Anya — Michael MorpurgoThe History Boys — Alan BennettFarms for City Children — farmsforcitvchildren.orgHighclere Literary Festival — October 2025, Highclere CastleAllen Lane — founder of Penguin BooksAlmina, Countess of Carnarvon — WWI hospital at HighclereWilliam of Wykeham — founder of Winchester College and New College, OxfordThe fifth Earl of Carnarvon — discoverer of Tutankhamun's tombTed Hughes — poet, neighbour of the MorpurgosRoman Holiday (1953) — dir. William Wyler, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory PeckAbout Lady Carnarvon's PodcastLady Carnarvon records her podcast from Highclere Castle, home of the real family whose story inspired Downton Abbey. Episodes explore history, heritage, literature, and the people and ideas that have shaped Highclere and the wider world.You can hear more episodes of Lady Carnarvon's Official Podcasts at https://www.ladycarnarvon.com/podcast/New episodes are published on the first day of every month. 

RACCOON CITY WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING—NOW THE ENTIRE WORLD BELONGS TO THE INFECTED! Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/REJECTS #sponsored Tara Erickson & Roxy Striar continue their journey toward Zach Cregger's new Resident Evil movie with a first-time Resident Evil: Extinction reaction and review. Years after the T-virus escaped Raccoon City, Alice crosses a post-apocalyptic desert and reunites with Carlos Oliveira before joining Claire Redfield's convoy of survivors while Umbrella scientist Dr. Isaacs continues hunting her. From Alice's developing telekinetic powers and the terrifying infected-crow attack to the sand-covered ruins of Las Vegas, super zombies, Umbrella's underground laboratory, and the monstrous Tyrant, Tara & Roxy experience the biggest Resident Evil movie yet! Resident Evil: Extinction Full Movie Reaction Watch Along:   / thereelrejects   Directed by Russell Mulcahy (Highlander, Razorback) and written by Paul W. S. Anderson (Mortal Kombat, Event Horizon), Resident Evil: Extinction stars Milla Jovovich as Alice (The Fifth Element, Monster Hunter), Ali Larter as Claire Redfield (Final Destination, Heroes), Oded Fehr as Carlos Oliveira (The Mummy, Sleeper Cell), Iain Glen as Dr. Alexander Isaacs (Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey), Mike Epps as L.J. Wade (Next Friday, The Hangover), Ashanti as Nurse Betty (Coach Carter, John Tucker Must Die), Spencer Locke as K-Mart (Monster House, Cougar Town), and Jason O'Mara as Albert Wesker (Terra Nova, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). Tara & Roxy discuss Claire Redfield's live-action debut, Alice's evolving powers, the returning survivors, Umbrella's experiments, the infected-crow sequence, apocalyptic Las Vegas, Dr. Isaacs' transformation, connections to the Capcom games, and how Extinction compares with Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Apocalypse before Zach Cregger's new reinvention arrives. Follow Roxy Striar YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@TheWhirlGirls Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxystriar/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/roxystriar Follow Tara Erickson: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaraErickson Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/taraerickson/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thetaraerickson Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/reelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To mark 500 episodes of How to Fail! To we're re-releasing the first ever episode with Phoebe Waller Bridge, which originally went out in July 2018. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creator and star of Fleabag, writer of Killing Eve, superstar feminist and human embodiment of a Star Wars droid, joins How To Fail to talk about how she failed at her 20s (but got lots of brilliant material from the terrible dates she endured), failing at drama school, terrible auditions (including one for Downton Abbey) and how her female best friend is quite possibly the love of her life. She also talks about emotional vulnerability, why women fail at anger and about finding glory in one's mistakes. There's a great exchange about whether women should be open about whether or not they want children and a whole segue into the desirability of alabaster foreheads. Oh, and we cover the time Phoebe met Meryl Streep and embarrassed herself horribly, in what might be one of the greatest celebrity anecdotes of all time involving apple crumble. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Introduction 02:04 Sudden Fame Reality 04:33 RADA And Early Rejection 07:50 Emotional Acting Truth 08:41 Love Life Failures 13:14 Fleabag And Female Voice 18:05 Auditions Power And Ambition 25:37 Creative Lifeline Friendship 26:21 How They Met Vicky 27:40 Muses Not Mistresses 29:15 Women And Anger 30:55 Female Killers Fascination 33:20 The Babies Question 40:54 Feminism And Body Image 44:40 Celebrity Encounters Finale LINKS + MENTIONS: Join the How To Fail community: www.howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Elizabeth's Substack: www.theelizabethday.substack.com WANT MORE? Dolly Alderton - swap.fm/l/XM98joc3GFEMTsLfkEfR Miranda Hart - swap.fm/l/oTScN30b80GflJtO4rgu LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @elizabday TikTok: @howtofailpod Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Guest bookings for How To Fail only come from official @sonymusic.com emails Have a failure you're trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Shania Manderson Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Alex Lawless Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In episode 501, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb dig into the parable of the watchful doorkeeper in Mark 13:32–37 — four tightly packed verses that Jesus uses to call his servants to alertness before his return. But this isn't a passage about spiritual caffeine and white-knuckling your way through the Christian life. Tony and Jesse unpack what "stay awake" actually means through the lens of Reformed theology: active, differentiated stewardship in the ordinary means of grace, faithful vocation in every sphere of life, and a corporate ecclesial readiness that belongs to the whole church, not just the individual. This episode reorients the familiar language of watchfulness away from anxiety and date-setting toward the sturdy, quiet confidence of a believer who knows who they are, whose house they serve in, and why that identity drives everything. Key Takeaways "Stay awake" is a command about identity, not performance. The doorkeeper doesn't do what he does to become the doorkeeper — he's already the doorkeeper. Christians are watchful because of who they already are in Christ, not to earn or secure that status. Vocation is not optional waiting — it's active, differentiated stewardship. Christ's ascension corresponds to the master's departure, and the interim period is characterized by each servant being given his own work, reflecting Calvin's doctrine of vocation and the Reformed insistence that the Christian life between the ascension and the Parousia is not passive. Watchfulness is corporate, not merely individual. The church, as the pillar and buttress of truth, is called to a collective readiness. In Presbyterian polity, every act of a valid church jurisdiction is an act of the whole church — meaning each member has a genuine stake in the faithfulness of the whole body. The ordinary means of grace are the means of watchfulness. Prayer, the Word, the sacraments, fellowship, and sitting under preaching are not supplementary to vigilance — they are the very instruments by which God preserves and prepares his people. Two errors must be avoided: speculative date-setting and practical indifference. Uncertainty about the hour of Christ's return is neither an invitation to calculate nor an excuse for carelessness. It is the very grounds for sustained, ordinary faithfulness. The warnings of Scripture are themselves a means of grace. Following Westminster Confession of Faith 17, the sobering warning of verse 36 is not a threat to the elect's final security but a pastoral instrument by which God preserves his people in living, active faith. The rooster-crowing language of Mark 13 anticipates the Passion narrative. The clustering of watchfulness, the night watches, and the crowing rooster in this chapter echoes the Garden of Gethsemane and Peter's denial — a connection particularly resonant given Mark's traditional association with Peter's testimony. Explanatory Paragraphs Vocation and the Active Interim One of the most theologically rich observations in this episode is the way Jesse frames the master's departure as corresponding directly to the ascension of Christ. The key phrase in verse 34 — "each one his task" — is not incidental detail. It reflects the Reformed doctrine of vocation at full strength: every believer, in every sphere of influence, has been given particular work to do on behalf of the Lord during Christ's bodily absence. This is not a passive waiting room existence. It is an active, differentiated stewardship that is deeply personal and yet accountable to the master who owns the whole house. The ascension does not mean abandonment, and the parable makes that clear by the fact that the servants are left in charge — trusted, commissioned, and expected to be about their work when the master returns. The Church's Corporate Readiness A standout contribution of this episode is Tony's move from the individual to the ecclesial. Drawing directly from OPC Book of Church Order, Chapter 3, he argues that church power is not vested in officers alone but in the whole body of believers. This means that when any legitimate church jurisdiction acts — whether in discipline, instruction, or governance — it is the whole church acting. The parable's doorkeeper is therefore not just a figure for personal piety; he is a figure for the corporate watchfulness that belongs to every member of the household. Tony's point is that a Christian who is disconnected from his local church, indifferent to what is being taught and decided elsewhere in the visible church, is not simply failing at individual holiness — he is failing to be awake in the fullest sense the parable intends. The Ordinary Means of Grace as Watchfulness Itself Perhaps the most pastorally stabilizing insight of the episode is Jesse's observation that watchfulness is not some extraordinary spiritual heroism layered on top of normal Christian life — it is normal Christian life. The ordinary means of grace are ordinary precisely because they are the regular, appointed instruments through which God delivers his grace to his people. Prayer, the Word, the sacraments, and fellowship are not preparatory disciplines that get you ready for the real work of being watchful. They are the work. Tony reinforces this by noting that a person who persistently refuses the ordinary means of grace is not simply being unwise — they are declining the offer of God's grace, which is a far more serious matter than mere spiritual lethargy. Memorable Quotes The doorkeeper doesn't do what he does to become the doorkeeper in this parable. He's already the doorkeeper, and the fact that he's the doorkeeper explains why he's given certain responsibilities and certain commands. That's the way it is for us as Christians. - Tony Arsenal The warnings of Scripture are themselves among the ordinary means by which God preserves His people... the sobering possibility of being found asleep functions pastorally not to threaten the loss of the elect, but to press home the seriousness of watchfulness as the fruit and evidence of genuine faith." - Jesse Schwamb When I go into a patient encounter at the hospital, or when I pull up to a red light, or when I order a sandwich at McDonald's and they get it wrong — I bring with me the fact that I am a Christian, the fact that I am a servant of Christ, that I am a doorkeeper in the house of the living God. - Tony Arsenal Full Transcript Jesse Schwamb: [00:01:00] Welcome to episode 501 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony, and this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey, brother.  Jesse Schwamb: Hey, brother. Well, we've got some more kingdom teaching on tap right from the mouth of Jesus. We're going through all the parables, if you haven't been tracking with us so far, and we're finding ourselves in Mark chapter 13. And as J- only Jesus can do, packs four verses with all kinds of rich, robust theology, and it's all in this kind of strange setting, actually. A guy heads out of town. He hands his servants the keys. He tells the doorman, "Hey, watch the place," with the same kind of e- enigmatic and vague energy that I imagine, like, your cable internet provider gives you when they give you an arrival time between now and Friday. And then Jesus lists literally, like, every possible hour He might show up, evening, midnight, rooster clock, dawn. And all of this is for His glory and for our benefits. [00:02:00] And we're gonna somehow try to see if we can take all of these four verses, which are so jam-packed, and fit them into our conversation. That's our challenge, and it's gonna be yours to listen to. So welcome to this episode.  Affirm or Deny Segment Jesse Schwamb: But before we do all of that, it is everybody's favorite time. Well, except for Wicked Scriptures. That is really everybody's favorite time. Second favorite time is where we find something in our lives, Tony, that we either affirm with because it's awesome, it's exciting, want everybody to know about it, or conversely, we deny against something because it's just not that great. We don't like it. Don't waste your time with it. So everybody longs to know, in this conversation, are you affirming with or denying against?  Tony Affirms Psalm Music Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming something tonight. Uh, the listener might remember, I don't know, maybe a month and a half back, I affirmed a particular setting of Psalm 63 in the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. And as I was kind of, you know, looking around for, I wanted to find a track to sort of maybe add to the end of the episode just to sort of, [00:03:00] like, put a point on that. I stumbled on, um, a song, singer, I don't know if you'd call him a songwriter, 'cause he's mostly just writing song- psalms. But he's, he's arranging them. He's, you know, writing the guitar line for it or whatever. Uh, his name is Matthew David Montgomery. Uh, I don't know that you would know him from anywhere, but he's on, um- Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify, wherever. Uh, he does an arrangement of O God Show Mercy to Us, which is Psalm 63, uh, setting A, I believe, in the Trinity Psalter hymnal. But, um, it's, it's in other hymnals, other psalters, uh, under the same name with the same tune. Uh, he has a beautiful singing voice. He does a lot of, uh, what's typically called, like, finger style, uh, guitar picking, uh, which is just very melodious and very gentle and soft. Um, it would be a great addition to, like, your morning devotional time to just, like, pick a psalm that he sings, that he's, he's recorded. Um, you can get most of his stuff for free on, uh, YouTube, or again, if you have Apple [00:04:00] Music or Spotify, it's available there. Uh, again, his name is Matthew David Montgomery, and he's got several, uh, several albums. He has ones that specifically is psalms called Psalms for Singing. Um, and then he has a couple finger style hymn songs, uh, hymn albums that are like, you know, like I don't know, more modern hymns, He Will Hold Me Fast, Only Holy God- Right kinda like Getty, um, Getty-style and City Alight songs, those kinds of sort of that complex of modern hymnody. Um, but he's excellent, and it's excellent theologically rich sound music. Um, I haven't listened to everything, but he seems like he's in kind of that, uh, sort of vein of worship music production producer peoples, um, that are just putting out good, accessible music. I know, like, a lot of small churches, uh, have in the past have had to resort to using tracks like this actually to sort of lead their vocal music. Um, that would be something to think [00:05:00] about. It's simple. It's arranged in a straightforward fashion. Many times it's arranged according to the psalters, which are by, almost by definition are designed for congregational singing. So it's good. It's great. Use it for family worship, listen to in your car. I don't know, workout music. I don't know if you would work out to this, but I guess you could try. Um- I love it ... but yeah, I usually, I usually listen to, um, Oh God, Show Mercy To Us probably, like, once a day. I listen to it usually in the morning to kinda center my day and get my head in the right space. Um, but yeah, it's just good stuff. David, um, Mi- Matthew David Montgomery, uh, the specific one was Psalms for Singing, but, um, all of his stuff is really great.  Jesse Schwamb: All right.  Jesse Affirms Hymn Devotional Jesse Schwamb: People are gonna think we're totally conspiring now, but I promise we're not. This is just how our minds work in collective fashion, that we never speak about stuff together. So my affirmation is right in the same vein. So I'm actually excited about this one because it might just be the golden age of daily books about, like, theological meditation. It might be. And [00:06:00] so this one is really good, and I'm super stoked because I'm kind of on the cusp of this one because I got an advance copy of this book, and it's just out now. It's called Awake My Soul, and it's daily readings, 365 hymn texts taken throughout church history from the Middle Ages to 1900. And each hymn for the day includes s- a suggested tune and then, like, a short historical slash, like, theological meditation. The beauty of this- Wow One, I'm learning all kinds of new hymns that are not my favorite. Two, you can either read them or... There's no music included in this, except that in the back there's an index that will give you... There's, like, a little code every day. This is like a s- it's your own treasure hunt. There's a little code on each day, and if you take that code and go back to the end of the book, what you'll find there is names of popular hymns or songs that you do know the, the tune to, and then you can take that same tune and use the same poetic meter that the hymn is in that you don't know, and guess what? You can actually sing it. So you're prepared every day to sing [00:07:00] music and to sing brand-new music with great confidence and high conviction. So this is, like, the bridge here. Go listen to some good music. And I would say if you wanna buy this, because it is brand new, go to hymnworks.com. It's by P&R Publishing. That's where you'll find the best price. It's, like, 25 bucks. It's a beautiful clothbound, like, handsome two-color printing with a ribbon. And also Passion Week and Advent are clearly marked and can be adapted for use in any calendar year. So there you go. Like, it's the double-barreled affirmation for good singing, good hymns. By the way, for all the brothers and sisters of exclusive psalmody, we see you raising your hands in the back. Actually, if you're doing exclusive psalmody, you're in the front. So we see you in the front, and this- And you're  Tony Arsenal: probably not raising your hands.  Jesse Schwamb: You're definitely not raising your hand. We see your hands  Tony Arsenal: in your pockets. Jesse Schwamb: We see you standing there  Tony Arsenal: stoically.  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. We see your hands in your pockets, never coming out. That's fine. Yeah. Uh, this book also is for you because so much of it is actually just, uh, the psalms adapted for kind of [00:08:00] more, when I say contemporary, between the Middle Ages and 1900 worship. So, uh, there you go. I think this is lovely. Uh, we didn't plan it, but you've got two great resources for daily living and daily singing.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Building Daily Liturgy Tony Arsenal: And, you know, I think, um, there is sort of an element, and I'll be quick about this, where we are set up... We have such a, like, a dearth of riches in terms of accessibility to musical worship. And y- you know, used to think of it as, like, daily devotions, but I think the more, I think the more accurate and I think a, a more theologically rich term is a daily liturgy. Right. Um, you know, with books like Be Thou My Vision, um, by I think it's David Gibson, or, you know, he has, like, the Christmas version and the, um, I think there's an Easter version of it where it really walks you through a, a full daily liturg- liturgy with, like, a call to worship and a, a confession of sin. And, [00:09:00] um, and you could take these resources, whether it's an album like David, uh, or, like, um, David Michael Montgomery. That's a country singer, I think. Whatever the guy is that I recommend. I don't have his name in front of me. Uh, whether it's an album like that or whether it's- Right ... this resource Jesse's talking about, or like I've said before, like, just the trendy Psalter Hymnal app on your phone which will play the music for you and display the words. You can take this and there... I, I hate to say it this way because I know there's a lot of people that, that make good profitable use of sort of like evangelical, I would call it, like, fluffy devo kinda stuff. Uh, which ironically on my list of affirmations of things that are in the queue, there's, there's a devotional resource that even kinda falls into this category. Yeah, there is. But, um, there really is no good excuse for not having some sort of robust daily worship pattern. Right. Um, because you can, you can really make use of these resources to create a pretty cohesive, well put-together, pleasurable kind of [00:10:00] daily worship set or liturgy or experience, I don't know, whatever word you wanna slot in there. Um, a- and really get... Like, really just have an excellent experience out of it, really have good resources. So yeah, I'm, I'm on board. I think it's great. I would love to, I would love to be able to, uh, to take a look at that. So maybe next time we're in the same geographical location you'll have to show me. Jesse Schwamb: Oh, I'll bring it. We'll, we'll do it. It actually doubles as a hymnal because it's all indexed, so you can actually- Yeah ... just use it as a hymnal. I love books that give you two purposes. Oh, that's a double threat book right there. And that means, like, for the spaces taken up in your life and on your shelf it can do more than one thing. That's like having a kitchen appliance that, like, I don't know, is like an air fryer and it brews beer. Like, that's worth- Yeah ... the space all the time  Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I, I just recently found out that they make washers that are also dryers, and they're in the same machine, and- Wow.  Jesse Schwamb: That's transformative ... I  Tony Arsenal: would feel like a millionaire if I had one of those- Reading Mark 13 Parable Jesse Schwamb: 'cause- Well, speaking of [00:11:00] feeling like a millionaire, and I think what you challenge us with is settling in some patterns of daily worship and living for God, it just so happens that Jesus has some instruction for us in that same way- Nice ... in Mark chapter 13. So let me start beginning in verse 32. And if you're tracking along or keeping score at home and you've gone to this chapter, what you're probably gonna find is we're actually in the, the parable of the fig tree, or just at the end. But w- we're not gonna touch that one, not yet, so don't get too excited. We're actually coming right at the end of that. So picking up in verse 32: "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." Now, this is Jesus speaking: "See to it, keep on the alert, for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It's like a man away on a journey who, leaving his house and giving authority to his slaves, each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake – for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the [00:12:00] evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning – lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake." Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  What Stay Awake Means Tony Arsenal: Yeah, it's a good, uh, it's a good parable. And, you know, this is covering a lot of the same ground as other parables that we've, uh, approached. I think what's a little bit, uh, unique or different about this one is that some of the, some of the cautions that we, um, brought out with the other parables, because they were actually longer and had more details, um, some of those cautions don't necessarily apply the same way here. Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Right? We, we talked about the parable of the 10, of the 10 virgins, or the wise and foolish virgins, whatever you wanna call it, and we talked a lot about how this language of, like, stay awake seemed to be misapplied, uh, as, like, falling asleep is foolish. Because in that para- that particular parable, [00:13:00] um, both the wise and the foolish virgins fall asleep. It's not the falling asleep that was the problem, it was the being prepared, um, for the master's return. Uh, in that case, having the proper equipment, having your, you know, your lamps trimmed, your oil ready, all that stuff. In this parable, um, it really is about being awake. Like, being awake is the task. Yes. It's the specific command. That's right. And so our task tonight is to unpack a little bit about what it even means to be awake, what does this parable say to us about that. Um, but I, I think this one falls a little bit more in line with kind of what we maybe... I know this is weird to say. It falls a little bit more in line with what we've been talking about as a, sort of like a little bit of a legalistic approach to some of the parables. This one really does have, I th- I think, has more to do with, uh, the, the sort of production that Christians are expected to have.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: The, the, the holiness, the good works we're expected to have, and how [00:14:00] that plays into kind of our alertness, our, our fittedness for service, uh, and, and maybe ultimately even the way that we're rewarded in the last, the last times or in, in heaven. All of that kinda plays in here, and this is kind of like Mark's equivalent to sort of like the eschatological parables that we talked about at, at the end of Matthew in, you know, Matthew 25 and, and sort of that area  Jesse Schwamb: I totally agree.  Vocation and Stewardship Jesse Schwamb: I think this bad boy, even just the first verse, it's like a compact statement of the doctrine of vocation and providence all wrapped into one. And it's easy to read it and just kind of fly by that stuff and say, "Of course, I need to be aware of what's going on. I need to be aware of God's presence or seek Him in worship." All that's true, but there's a lot in this because, of course, the master's departure here corresponds clearly to Christ's ascension. There's like a real bodily absence that nonetheless does not amount to like abandonment. And then to your point, what I think starts to differentiate us from some of like the [00:15:00] other parables where we've been very careful about parsing this, has been this assignment, each his own work. It's reflecting like a really traditional like Reformed, I think, emphasis, even from like Calvin's doctrine of vocation, that the Christian life between the ascension and the Parousia is not one of like passive waiting, but there is like an active differentiated stewardship, and it's every believer. And even though it's just a sentence, there's like a lot of particularity in this to remind us that each one has a task, and that task is something that you should undertake on behalf and for the Lord  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, and this, um, the other element of this, um, that I think is interesting is, you know, we don't wanna, um We wanna be careful not to try to build entire theological, like edifices, edifices. I'm not sure which word is right. Edifice. We don't wanna build huge theological structures on top of like slight variations in words. And, and I know that, um, that can [00:16:00] sometimes be very popular in our circles and, and I'm, I s- absolutely support the grammatical historical interpretive method. I don't think it's the only el- only, you know, hermeneutic we should think about. But I definitely agree with the words matter and the meanings of the words matter. Right. But we can also go too far in, like, making an entire theological point hang on the particular choice of a verb pars- like a verb tense or mood or whatever. But I think it's interesting, um, w- the sort of what we might call the parable proper starts in verse 34, but in verse 33 it says, "Be on guard, keep awake, for you do not know when the time will come." That's not the parable. That's Christ giving a command to his immediate audience, and then I think vicariously therefore for us. When we get into the parable and it, and it says, uh, that the command for the doorkeeper, right? So the, he, he takes his servants, he puts his servants in charge, and I s- I take that to mean, [00:17:00] like, he leaves the house to them. Like, he leaves them to their task. They're, they're not, they're not having to report to anybody. They just manage the household- Right ... autonomously or independently. Um, each with his work, so there's this idea that, like, each of the servant has their own proper sort of realm of the house that they manage, right? The gardener's managing the garden, the, the house, you know, the, the, um, the, the person who's in charge of the money is managing that. And the doorkeeper, which is a particular role, his task, his charge, his, he is commanded to stay awake. Now, the phrase, the word for stay awake in verse 30, uh, 34 is not the same word that's used in verse 33. Now, I, I have not done the word study on this or, or the c- commentary work to know how significant that is, but we do affirm that the Holy Spirit inspires each individual word.  Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  Tony Arsenal: And I think we could make an argument that sometimes a word is just used, um, at least on a, on a [00:18:00] human level. It, it's just you don't wanna use the same word multiple times. Like, just like anyone writing any sort of pi- piece of work, you don't use the same word repetitively. You vary the words. You use, use synonyms to, to spice it up and to give it some variety. But also, I think there may be some significance in the fact that within the story, within the parable, the command to stay awake is a particular word, and then a different word to stay awake and to be watchful, and there's this repetition, "Be on guard. Keep awake." Like, those are parallel statements. Um, those, that's a significant thing that that word is different  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. It's a huge, I think, reminder that there's all... The- even, again, I can't believe how much is packed. Now that I think about this, we start talking about it into, like, a single sentence. But every believer, like every servant in this house, has been given some kind of task suited to his place. I believe that's what Jesus is trying to impress us with. And that idleness is not an option countenanced by the text because the doorkeeper's [00:19:00] particular charge to watch, like you were saying, functions to me, I think, almost like a synecdoche. Like, it's f- for the whole- Yeah ... household's duty. His vigilance stands for what is in fact required of every servant, since verse 37 will then extend this command to, like, everybody. So just- Yeah ... within, like, this little space of writing or this little space of teaching, I think what we have here is, like, it's realistic for us to say we've got the twin realities that ground really biblical ecclesiology in the interim period. We have Christ's real absence, but that's, like, against, I would say, any collapsing of the already into a fully realized eschatology. And then you have Christ's ongoing ownership and authority over his house, which is the church, against any notion that the church is left to autonomous self-governance. So the house, in other words, re- remains Christ's, and the servants remain accountable to him, not to themselves, like you've just said, and each one is accountable to God in a unique way according to the task that he's given them. So again, this beautiful marriage of [00:20:00] both the responsibility, the providence, and the responsibility that we have before God in being responsible to him, but also that he is governing all things for his good and for his glory.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Doorkeeper Role Explained Tony Arsenal: And you know, I think, um, the word doorkeeper here too, uh, you know, as I peek at the Greek a little bit, the word doorkeeper is also a much broader term than, uh, it might seem. You know, like I think, you know, one of my kid's favorite shows is like Curious George, and there's a character in the, the story that's literally named Doorman, and he's just the guy that like opens the door in the apartment that- Right ... Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat. But the word doorkeeper in, uh, in the Greek here, when applied to a, a female, is understood to be like the janitor. So the doorkeeper might even be considered something more like the master of the house. Like think of like, um-  Jesse Schwamb: Lady's ...  Tony Arsenal: uh, like the, the head butler, right? In like if you think of like Downton Abbey, right? Right. The, the guy who actually like takes care of and like [00:21:00] runs, the house manager or something like that might be a better way to look at it. And I think you're right that his charge to stay awake, to keep alert, it does extend to the entire household, but it also is a particular command for that figure.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Right? So yes, everybody is given their task. This, this person, this doorkeeper, he is, um, called out specifically, individually, right? It's not as though he's the only servant in the house. There's all these other servants, they each have their task, and they're all commanded to keep about their business. The doorkeeper, the master of the house, the, I don't know, head butler, the head ch- the chief janitor, I don't know what you would want, the head custodian of the house, um, and don't think of custodian or janitor in terms of like- Like the school janitor who like cleans the toilets and mops up after the kids throwing up and stuff. The, the janitor or the custodian of the house is really the person who kind of like runs the household, the sort of like head servant of the house. [00:22:00] His command to keep watchful, to be on guard or to be alert is because, um, the, the master's return is sudden and unexpected. Right. And so if the doorkeeper doesn't keep up with things, if he's not awake, if he's not running things, if he's not managing things, if he's not alert and awake, then not only does his task get, get, um, undone... And I think like we think of it like, "Oh yeah, be on guard." You sometimes hear this parable or, or variations of this parable taught as like you gotta keep the wolves out, like he's the guard at the door. Right. I don't think that's what this is getting at. It's really more like if this, if the doorkeeper s- falls asleep on the job, then the entire house falls into disarray, and you can't recover that when the master all of a sudden is at the gate. If you're just the guard, I guess you might be able to snap to attention and like, you know, pull your pole arm or whatever it is up. Like you might be able to snap to attention and kind of fake it. But if you're the guy who manages the entire household and the [00:23:00] whole household is in disarray because you've fallen asleep on the job, there's no recovering from that when the master taps you on the shoulder and says, "Please wake up, I'm home." You just can't recover from that. And so I think that's, that's the element of the story, the element of the parable that we probably need to think about a little bit more is, all right, w- no one of us is the doorkeeper of the church.  Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  Tony Arsenal: But also none of us are not the doorkeeper of the church. So like we all have a role and a responsibility in, in the church to sort of like be a part of, an active part of the church, an active part of God's kingdom, which is not, I'm not trying to say we're all gatekeepers, right? We're not all called to be r- to rule over the church. Like there's a particular office of ruling elder that I would say exists, uh, you know, that's codified in the OPC. But even within other kinds of s- setups, there's usually some sort of elder, you know, setup where there's elders that are not teaching elders. They're not there to like teach and minister and, and preach. They're there to [00:24:00] like govern the church and support the needs of the body spiritually. That's really, uh, you know, like a particular office, but that's also a task and a role that we all share as Christians is to, to sh- sort of, I almost said shepherd, but that doesn't feel right, but it also doesn't feel wrong. To sort of like manage the business of the congregation and the church- That's right ... and the, the invisible church as a whole. That's the task of every Christian, and that's really what this parable's getting at, I think.  Jesse Schwamb: I think so too. And I, I don't wanna, like, build too far a bridge away from that point. I think it's worth sitting there for a second because what occurs to me as you were saying that is I just happened to be reading Calvin's commentary this morning in 1 Corinthians 5, and he builds this whole theological argument around this idea that he, he basically is saying, "Why should the Corinthians mourn over one man's sin?" And he gives two reasons. First, as a consequence of the communion that exists among the members of the church, it's becoming that all should feel hurt at or so it's deadly if one of their members should fall. And the second is when such an erroneous sin is [00:25:00] perpetrated in a particular church, the perpetrator is an offender in such a manner that he pollutes the whole society. That is to say, I think it's kind of in line with what you're saying, that corruption in one place will affect the entire body. That is like falling asleep, pulling away from the mission Being found outside of the mission of God's, uh, for God's glory is something that hurts the church body. And we might ask, like if there is in our own lives a persistent sin, some kind of corruption, then we ought to ask, is there any form of corruption that we're contributing to the body of God? And I think those, these like real consequences of what it means to live in a way where we find ourselves, again, outside of what it means to worship whole heartedly, to worship with heart, soul, and mind, all of which we do imperfectly. Yet at the same time- Yeah ... are we being awake? Are we being made aware? Watchfulness and Rest Jesse Schwamb: I, I wonder if part of what's envisioned here and in view with Jesus' teaching is not just this idea... Almost like I think sometimes we, we say stay awake or we say be [00:26:00] watchful, and of course like I love that Jesus mentions like the four watches. Like that's, I think, like a distinctly kind of Roman division of the night into four three-hour segments. And of course it's gonna suggest to Mark's gentile audience that, and, and underscore this point, that it's not which watch, but that no watch may be presumed safe from the master's arrival. And so I think when we hear that stuff we think, "Well, this means like don't fall asleep." In other words, like there's going to be a test somewhere in your life or all of your life where you're going to be legitimately tempted to take a rest, and you can't take a rest. You gotta keep like just going thrust or no th- you, there's no other choice- Right ... but to give it your all. I think what's better here and what's in view is in all areas of life, are you awake to the reality that God has given you work to do in the spheres of influence that you have, in the particular place in which you live, among the church people whom He has given you to worship with? Are you aware that at all times you ought to be moving and working and for His glory, [00:27:00] even while you are literally sleeping in rest so that you might do those things for the next day? So I- Yeah ... I don't wanna get too hyped up on it's kind of like, again, what's the spiritual equivalent of always drinking Celsius and Red Bull and just like toughing it out- Yeah like with your eyes wide open. It's, it's way more than that.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, uh, this is gonna seem like a weird transition, but it's, it is but also isn't. Um, I, I saw an interesting video the other... I'm getting super nerdy here right now. But, um, I saw an interesting video on YouTube the other day that was talking about how strange it was that there is like a night shift on the Starship Enterprise on Star Trek Next Generation. But, but actually like- It, it demonstrated something to me that, like, even on a, you know, this is obviously a fictional television show, but, like, even on a spaceship where there is no sun, there is no actual reference- Right ... for what a day is, right? We think of a day, and, and rightfully so, it's locked into a 24-hour cycle because of the [00:28:00] way God has created the Earth to spin, and the sun, and the sunrise, sunset, et cetera. But in this fictionalized universe, in this fictionalized world, there's no sunset. There's no, uh, chronology, yet they still divide on, on this, they still divide the day into these three watches. And it's funny, 'cause they talk about how, like, well, there's, there's the day shift, there's the sort of like second shift, and there's the night shift. And they actually even, like, turn the lights down on the ship to simulate a day-night cycle. And, and what it got me thinking about, and I think in the parable, obviously, like, it's the four watches of the night. Um, I play a lot of Dungeons & Dragons, and, like, when you're gonna do what's called a long rest, you have to determine who's gonna set a watch. If you don't set a proper watch, then the dungeon master may make it so monsters show up and you don't get your long rest. This idea that- Even resting is an appropriate and necessary execution of- Right ... the task to be watchful. That's right. Like, I think that's important. If you are, um, i- if you think of like, uh, Lord of the [00:29:00] Rings, right? And they set a watch. Uh, the responsibility of the people who aren't on watch is to make every, every use of that time to sleep so that if something happens, they're alert. And then when also when it's time for them to take watch, they're able to be watchful. And, uh, the other thing I wanna, wanna just comment really quickly on, because I, I, I didn't do a lot of prep for this episode. Big shocker. We don't prep a lot for these episodes. And this is another Markan parable that I'm not super familiar with.  Church Alertness and Power Tony Arsenal: But one of the things that as we're talking through it I'm, I'm becoming more convinced of, is this really is about not just any one individual being alert, although there is implications for us. It's really about the whole church being alert.  Jesse Schwamb: That's  Tony Arsenal: right. Like, the church is the, uh... I, I think it's in, I wanna say it's in Timothy, I don't know where, but the Church is the buttress and pillar of truth, right? So that's not to say we're the, we're the arbiter of truth, but I wanna read this. The... I don't know any other podcasts, although in our circles there [00:30:00] probably are other podcasts that you might hear someone reading out of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church book of Church Order, Form of Government, chapter three, verse, uh, passage one here. Uh, but this is, this is, as I said, uh, BCO chapter three, Form of Government. Uh, and this is, the chapter is titled The Nature and Exercise of Church Power. And when I was coming into the OPC, I don't think I was surprised, uh, in terms of like I thought the theology was different. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was articulated and how clearly it was articulated. So I'm just gonna read the whole section here. It says, "The power which Christ has committed to His Church is not vested in special officers alone, but in the whole body. All believers are endued with the Spirit & called of Christ to join in the worship, edification, and the witness of the Church which grows as the body of Christ, fitly framed and knit together through, uh, that which every joint supplies according to the working and due measure of each part." Sidebar commentary. The BCO doesn't [00:31:00] have proof text, but if they did, they would just be citing to Ephesians 5 here. Um, back to what the text says. "The power of believers in their general office includes the right to acknowledge and desire the exercise of the gifts and calling of the special officers. The regular exercise of oversight in a particular congregation is discharged by those who have been called to such work by the vote of the people." So just to summarize that, officers, at least in the OPC Um, ruling elders are nominated and voted into, into office and essentially, uh, given their powers, their official powers, their official responsibilities, not by the presbytery, uh, and not by some hierarchy, but by the congregation. They call from within.  Church Authority From Congregation Tony Arsenal: But that, that means that the power of the ruling elders, the, the authority of the ruling elders, is not derived from some hierarchy. It's derived from the [00:32:00] authority and the exercise of power of the whole church. And the other thing, I won't read this, but the other thing that I found, um, really interesting that I really like is in Presbyterianism, and, and I, I believe Presbyterianism is what the Bible teaches positively as a command. I know there are other church polities, and I know everybody is trying to figure it out, and we don't all agree. I think Presbyterianism is the right way.  Jurisdictions And Whole Church Acts Tony Arsenal: But either way, um Presbyterianism works on a s- sort of an idea of, uh, jurisdictions, right? And they're kinda concentric circles. They're not necessarily hierarchical, but it's, it's narrow jurisdictions and then broader jurisdictions. And the most narrow jurisdiction is the session of a local church over that congregation. But what's really interesting is that the, the Book of Church Order calls out that when any valid jurisdiction of the church is exercising its authority, it's not just that jurisdiction that's [00:33:00] acting. That's an act of the whole church, the entire Orthodox Presbyterian Church. So in a congregation where someone is in unrepentant sin and that, uh, session makes a decision, votes a decision to excommunicate that person, to remove them from the rolls, consider them to be an unbeliever, that's not just an act of that jurisdiction. I- i- as a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, when some church in Sacramento, California, I don't know if there's an OPC in Sacramento, I assume there probably is, but some church in Sacramento, California, the presbytery or the session excommunicates someone, I am e- I'm engaged in that act. That's an act of the whole church.  Watchfulness Beyond Personal Piety Tony Arsenal: And this, the, the only reason I go there and I bring, I kind of dive into that level of granularity is I actually think that this is kind of what this parable is teaching, is that as individuals, we need to be alert because the whole church acting is the whole church acting. So whether this takes the [00:34:00] form of me just being really un- un- like, locked into my local church and making sure that I'm active in my local church, or whether... And I think there are some of us who are called to this, um, and I think our, our podcast in some levels sort of takes this shape a little bit, are watching what other people in the church are doing and sometimes are offering corrections, right? It is not the case that an average blogger has ecclesiastical authority in the strictest sense, but when I see, or, or anyone who is sort of involved in online commentary, podcast, blogging or otherwise, I see someone in the church teaching something elsewhere and I call that out, that's me sort of fulfilling this command of Mark 13. I'm being watchful Because what that Christian says or does, if they're truly a Christian, actually does have something to do with what I believe. It actually does have something to do with me as a believer. That doesn't mean that you should get up in everybody else's business. That's not what I'm saying. Like, sometimes- Right ... the thing [00:35:00] that's going on in the church over there is just that thing that's going on over at the church there. But for example, there was a pretty high-profile, um, uh, ecclesiastical, I don't know if it was a trial, but like an ecclesiastical deposition, I guess, um, for a presbytery down in the Southwest, um, about some pretty gnarly things that were being said by an elder in the OPC church, and I wrote to that presbytery. They haven't sent it to me yet, but I wrote to that presbytery and said, "Hey, what you did at that meeting is an act of the whole church that I'm a part of. Can you send me the minutes?" And I have a right to do that, because I wanna see what's going on. I wanna understand what statements they're making on behalf of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church of America. Or, I just combined like 1,000 different denominations- Yes, you did. ... into one sentence. But I, I think the point is clear, like the, the parable of the watchful doorkeeper or the porter is not about exclusively, I do think there's an element of it, but it's not about our individual piety. It's about the sort of readiness state of the entire church for [00:36:00] Christ's return, if you really boil it all down  Avoid Date Setting And Indifference Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, so we, I think before we leave verse 35, we, we are at least contractually obligated to say, though we've said it before, that there are two errors here that we should definitely seek to avoid. And because we're talking about, again, this idea that we do not know when the master of the house will come, that is the reason why we wait, and we are watchful, like you just said. But it means that the first is any kind of, like, speculative date setting, which is a fool's errand. We've talked about that at length. Yeah. The second one, again, I think we're contractually obligated to say, is a practical indifference, maybe sometimes dressed as, like, pious agnosticism, like treating the uncertainty of that hour as grounds for some kind of spiritual carelessness rather than heightened attentiveness. So I think where all this wraps up with what you said about one representing all, that, that is the church's responsibility. Yes, you're right. In Timothy we get the command that this is the center and the pillar. So I... That obviously all this coheres with just straight-up biblical [00:37:00] doctrine of assurance and perseverance, because the elect are kept by God's power through faith. So what that means is watchfulness is not some kind of, like, anxious uncertainty about final salvation, but instead it is, like, this disciplined fidelity in the means God has appointed. Ordinary Means Of Grace Jesse Schwamb: And what are those means? Like, I feel like this is where everybody just shouts back, "Ordinary means." You know what I mean? When I say means- ... you say ordinary. Means- Or I should, I should say it the other way around. Ordinary. But this idea that, like, what are those things God has put into our lives, has appointed for us to use, has commanded us to up- obtain for ourselves by his power? It's prayer, it's the word, it's the sacraments. It's a mutual watchfulness within that visible church like you were just describing, and it's precisely because the timing of Christ's return has been sovereignly withheld from creaturely knowledge. So there's actually a lot in this that I think assuages that, that really sensitive Christian conscience, which is like, "Well, are you telling me I have to do more?" That's not what we're saying at all. We're, we're saying, "Do the things which God has empowered you to do." And guess what? Those things [00:38:00] are just very chill, very ordinary things that take on extraordinary influence and power in our lives by the work of the Holy Spirit. So again, it's like this whole thing of saying, like, when we work, we work. When we pray, God works. It's the same kind of thing here. There is work to be done. There is a watchfulness to undertake in all the activities of our lives. But it is not like whatever the, again, the equivalent, like, is of, like, spiritual, I don't know, like shots of espresso and, and Celsius to just try to, like, by all accounts, by your own power, somehow just not sleep. Uh- Yeah ... not sleeping is not what this text is about. It's actually about being aware, worshiping in awareness around all the things, and then devoting ourselves to all the stuff that we keep talking about, to praying, to studies in the scripture, to having family devotions and time of worship, to baptism, and to the Lord's Supper. That's what watchfulness is all about.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:39:00] Yeah, and I, I think, um, you know, this is again I do think this parable has more to do with the idea of kinda getting after it. I, I think that's how we usually talk about it, like getting after holiness. Yeah, it is. Um, I, I think this parable has more to do with that than some of the other parables with similar language that we've talked about. But I, I also think, um, as Reformed Christians, uh, we get the, we get the cart before the horse if we think that even though that's what it's about, that that somehow places the onus on us to do the good works, right? Right. The good works are prepared for us in advance that we might walk in them. And, uh, i- it's not even right to say, like, our responsibility is to walk in them. That's not even quite right theologically. Like, we are going to walk in them. Like, that's, that's the thing, is the doorkeeper is given this charge. He's commanded to stay awake, and in good Augustinian fashion, it's really more along the [00:40:00] lines es- of the doorkeeper is made to stay awake because he's been commanded to. Jesse Schwamb: Yes, that's right.  Tony Arsenal: And I think that's, that's really key.  Fruit Checking And Assurance Tony Arsenal: And yes, there is some- something to say for, uh, fruit checking. And I, I know that there are probably some in our audience that just, like, threw up in their mouth a little bit when I said that. Um, but the, the reality is, a lack of fruit, uh, i- in our life, and by fruit I'm talking about good works. Primarily I'm talking about the ordinary means of grace, like you said. A, a person who is refusing to avail themselves of the ordinary means of grace, right? Right on. Regular church attendance, prayer- Right ... the sacraments, Bible reading, um, sitting under the preaching of the Word, fellowship with other believers. Um, I would even say to some extent regular s- regular financial support of the Church. Mm-hmm. Um, and, and I... There, there are times where that may not be, uh, the most feasible thing, and so that's a decision between you and the Holy Spirit and for you to discuss with your pastor. [00:41:00] But, but the reality is God has given us these ordinary means of grace as a gift and as a way to nourish and support us. When we refuse to take part in those, and I use the word refuse intentionally, when a person refuses to attend church, for the most part most of us who have had a season where we don't, don't attend church, and I, I had a long season when I was in college where I just didn't attend church. There was no good reason for it. I just didn't do it. And if I'm being really honest, it was 'cause at that time in my life I had some sinful patterns that I didn't wanna face up to, right? That's usually what it boils down to.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Um, but for those of us who d- who refuse to, uh, take part and to avail ourselves of the ordinary means of grace, that should really cause us to question our salvation. Not because the ordinary means of grace cause our salvation, but because the ordinary means of grace are exactly as they're called. Exactly. They're the ordinary means by which God delivers His grace to us. So if we're refusing to receive God's grace, it means we're refusing to receive God's grace. And the only people ultimately who are not forgiven are [00:42:00] those who receive to ref- you know, refuse to receive God's grace. So I think this, this passage has more to do with us in an indi- sort of on the individual level, us being actively engaged and partaking in the, uh, the administration of the covenant of grace, to use a more technical term, right? The administration of the covenant of the grace are the visible means of grace. If we refuse to be baptized, if we refuse to partake of the Lord's supper, if we refuse to attend church and to sit under the preaching of the word and to pray, then we are, we are turning down God's offer of grace. That's right. We're taking the gift that He desires to give us, and we're saying, "No thank you." Well, when we phrase it that way, it's a flat rejection of God's grace that we're engaged in.  Church Mission And Readiness Tony Arsenal: But on a, on a sort of like big picture scale I think it has to do also along with these lines that I'm talking about of the Church itself being ready. Well, how does the Church prepare itself for Christ's [00:43:00] return? Again, the ordinary means of grace, right? We prepare ourselves by teaching and ministering, right? C- I think it's Colossians 1:28. If I was on Reformed Forum, I'd have this memorized 'cause it's their, like, theme verse. But, like, equipping every person for the ministry of Christ, equipping every person, making sure every person is, uh, mature and ready. Like, all of those things come together as the primary mission of the Church. And I know this is gonna trigger some people, but, like, evangelism is not the primary mission of the Church. The primary mission of the Church is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, which takes place mostly on the Lord's day. I think all of that, the personal dimension, the corporate dimension, all of that coalesces in this command to be watchful, to stay awake, to be on guard, to s- be about the task, to be in charge of the commands you've been given. All of those different concepts come together in what Christ is talking about here in verse 37 when He says, "I say to you, I say to all, [00:44:00] stay awake." Like- Right ... that's what we're talking about. So it's not as simple as personal piety. It's probably not as complicated as some sort of, like, I don't know, least of these, feed-the-poor schema that happens sometimes. All of that happens. It really is just about the Church being the Church and doing the things the Church does, both on the individual level, but also on the corporate level. Perseverance And Scriptural Warnings Jesse Schwamb: And that's why, as loved ones of God, then we can come to verse 36, which is the full warning, and we actually read it as a great comfort. So it says, "Lest he come suddenly and find you asleep." And after all we're talking about here, the way I read this warning against complacency is entirely consistent with, instead of being contradictory to, the doctrine of perseverance of the saints. Because perseverance is not fatalism, and I'm just... I'm still learning this, loved ones. Like, and even here, what I marvel at is the warnings of scripture are themselves among the ordinary means by which God preserves His people. So I go back to the Westminster [00:45:00] Confession of Faith chapter 17, which notes that, "Believers may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, fall into grievous sins, and so incur God's displeasure, even while never finally falling from grace." So that sobering possibility of, of quote-unquote being found asleep I think functions pastorally not to threaten the loss of the election, of the elect, but to press home I think, like, the seriousness of watchfulness as the fruit and evidence of genuine faith, which is what you're talking about. That, that's kind of like the Reformed theological jam in a sense, and that's why, where I think we'd anchor like James 2, Hebrews 3 and 4. There is, like, a call of the necessity of perseverance in the means as the mark of the true as opposed to be merely, of course, like some kind of profession of discipleship. The visible church, and we talked about this too, mixed as it is, is here warned that the formal membership in the household is no substitute for actual wakefulness. And so I hope we see that warning as not something [00:46:00] that's like, "Well, you gotta, you gotta check yourself every day 'cause if you just step out of line once, if you fall asleep at any little thing, then it just goes to show you that you weren't serious enough." Instead, it's like you said, Tony, like even the warning itself is proof positive that God will save, that He arrests, that He holds everything firm and secure, and that even the setting of the table or the preparing of the good works and then the way in which you walk in them, we might ask, how is it that you are even walking? Yeah. And so even this is all an act of God, whether we speak about that, uh, that justification, that initial positional sanctification, and even the progressive frame as well is all f- happens here because God is in fact doing that good work. So it's a good warning because it reminds us that what's, I think, the particular and special dispensation of the Christian is that in this falling asleep, as the Westminster Confession says, it may mean that we fall even into grievous sins. We're incurring God's displeasure. We're not disrupting our [00:47:00] identity in Christ, but we are disrupting our harmony with Christ. Yes. And so we always want to seek and to live in that kind of beautiful harmony where there is, I think, obedience for a word. There is a special fellowship that comes from being close to God in this way. We should always strive after that and want that very thing, but at no point does the Christian who even falls into grievous sins, as the Confession reminds us, fall outside of God's mercy and grace. Merely we fall outside of God's pleasure, and we r- we're finally returned to grace by His power in our lives, whi- which He Himself affects so that even in our fall, even in our death every day, there is a little bit of resurrection that restores us. Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Rapture Ready Misreadings Tony Arsenal: Yeah, another way, um, another way to put this, um, and I, I don't mean to trugger, trig- to trigger, uh, our dispensationalist friends and family who are listening to the show, um, there are I will speak from my own experience coming out of a dispensationalist framework when I was in [00:48:00] high school and early college. Um, there was a lot of focus on being, quote, "Rapture ready." And I, I think sometimes we can read parables like this to think that stay awake means be Rapture ready. And what that means is, like, in some forms of dispensationalism, and I think probably many forms of dispensationalism, there's this idea that, like, if you're not right with God in, in this sense you're talking about, if, like, you're in disharmony with God when the Rapture comes, you may ultimately be saved, but you're not gonna be saved by the Rapture, which means you're gonna have to deal with the tribulation, and that's no good. So, like, if your piety's not on point when the Rapture happens, all your friends are gonna be taken away, and you're gonna be left behind, right? I don't think it's too much of a characteristic- a caricature to talk about Left Behind when there's an entire dispensational book series about this, right? Right. The whole concept behind the Left Behind novel is that it's populated by people who thought they were Christians who weren't. Uh, and some of [00:49:00] those are because they had a false profession of faith. Some of them were just back- what, what a lot of people would just call backslidden Baptists or backslidden Christians who, who had a genuine profession of faith but just weren't living in a holy fashion. I think we can sometimes read this, whether we're dispensationalists or not, we can read these kinds of parables in light of Rapture readiness. I think it's, it's both more assuring and also infinitely more severe than that. Right. It's not about Rapture ready. It's about whether you're saved or not. Right. Whether you are in the kingdom of God, whether you are among the household of believers. All of the people in view in this parable are members of the master's household, right? Uh, they're all his servants. So it's not as though there are some who are, um, outside of his family that are be given, being given a command to be watchful. There's also no consequence implied for the doorkeeper if somehow he's not watchful. It's more along the lines of if you're in the faith, if you are the doorkeeper or a [00:50:00] doorkeeper in the g- in the king's house, then you ought to be watchful because that's what you do. And so there's no, like, implied consequence. There's no assumption that the doorkeeper somehow won't be watchful. So I think if there's any sort of, like, gut check, status check that needs to happen, it's really more along the lines of are we in the Lord's household or are we not? That's right. That's right. And I think that's, that's what you're getting at. If we're in the Lord's household, if we're members of his house, if we're servants in his kingdom, then we will be awake when the time comes. We will be awake when he returns.  Rooster Crow And Passion Echoes Tony Arsenal: And the other thing, and I'll just throw this out there maybe as a tease. I don't, I don't think there's enough here for us to come back to it next week, uh, although I've been wrong before, and sometimes Jesse and I have conversations right after that turn into the next episode. I think it's really interesting- I don't know if you ran into this when you were reading it, but- Yeah ... verse 35: "Therefore stay awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at [00:51:00] midnight or when the rooster crows," that's a very interesting phrase to me- It is, yeah ... "or in the morning." It's just another chapter or two when- Yeah ... we see the disciples fall asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane, right? Gethsemane. Um, the disciples fall asleep. We see language of the watches, right? The, the hours that Christ is alive and dies on the cross are associated with the watches. Right. And then of course the rooster crowing. And it's a very well-known, um, uh, I, I don't wanna call it a fact 'cause that might be too strong, but it's a pretty accepted, uh, theory in, in the sort of, uh, academic understanding of the, the authors of the Gospels that Mark, uh, Mark actually represents Peter's testimony. That the sort of a- apostolic imprimatur of the Gospel of Mark is actually that M- John Mark, probably while he was ministering with Peter, was being told these, this account, and he's collecting Peter's, Peter's [00:52:00] statements on the events of the Gospel It is very interesting to me that this phrase about the rooster crowing associated with being watchful and ready in the service of the master- Yep would appear particularly in the gospel that's asso- associated with Peter. Right. And I'll throw that out there just as maybe food for a discussion- ... in our Telegram chat, but I do think e- even that is sort of for our benefit, right? Right. We're not talking about, uh, this isn't a parable about what happens when you betray Jesus and hang yourself with a rope, right? This isn't, this isn't Judas who never was a believer. If we're drawing this peril- parallel, this is a parable about Peter, or related to Peter's experience, uh, who was restored, who ultimately had a moment of sleepiness, I guess, both physically and, you know, spiritually here. Had a moment of, of sleepiness, but ultimately was awake when the master came. That's right. And I think, like, there's something there for us to tease out, and, and again, [00:53:00] maybe we'll leave that for the Telegram chat. Maybe that's just for your own personal study. I've done zero commentary work, so maybe this is a connection that I feel- ... is super novel, but actually everyone else makes. Um, but I just thought it was really interesting how closely that language, that sequence of the watchfulness, the watch, sleepiness, awakefulness, and the rooster crows, how closely that lines up to the events that w- would be if we were going through Mark sequentially- Yep ... we would be encountering in just a couple chapters, right? In just chapter 15. They're coming up. Um, we're talking about this exact thing. So it's very interesting to me, is it... The Holy Spirit is amazing in how He has put together this. Yes. Even if, even if that is a super tenuous connection, it's still a connection. And- Agreed ... I have a tough time thinking anyone who's familiar with the, the passion accounts would read this and not go, "Woo." That's a lot of language from the passion account. It's a lot of- Yes ... language related to what happened in just a few chapters.  Jesse Schwamb: Yes. I'm with you. Like we said, there's so much that's within these couple of verses, and you'd have to think if you were reading this with brand-new eyes, [00:54:00] with eyes that never seen this text before, and you were just going straight through, you'd come in just a few short chapters to that whole narrative in Gethsemane and be like, "What? Did he, didn't he just, didn't this guy Jesus just say to them- Like be watchful, stay awake. And here they're... Isn't that ironic? Here they are in the garden, and he said- Yeah ... to them again, "Stay awake." They fall asleep. He comes back, he's like, "Could you not watch for one

Fly fishing apps are for those lazy anglers who just want someone to tell them where to go, what flies to use, and how to fish. They're for people who prefer automatic transmissions, boneless chicken wings, and Downton Abbey.  Right?  Well, not exactly. That was my attitude for a LONG time, until this year. I started using one app, and it honestly made me change my tune. These apps can be really helpful, for anglers of all skill levels.  Today on Untangled, you'll learn why I changed my mind about fly fishing apps, the ones we recommend here at VFC, and how to get the most out of these tools.  You'll also learn about:  Tips for correcting a cast that always seem to land to the left or the right The gear Spencer recommends for backcountry fly fishing trips Etiquette for fishing with a larger group of anglers LINKS FROM THE SHOW Get TroutRoutes PRO Free For One Month - CHECK IT OUT Join the VFC Online Community - CHECK IT OUT QUESTIONS FOR THE SHOW - SUBMIT HERE #LIVEREELLIFE MOMENT - SUBMIT HERE Get the FREE Field Guide - CHECK IT OUT

Hey Streetwalkers. This is a throwback episode with guest Jeremy Swift. Jeremy first appeared on the show on 9.25.23.It was such a compelling & fun episode, l decided it needed to be re-visited!Enjoy this throwback episode, tell a friend, and thanks for listening!Jeremy SwiftTake a walk with me down Fascination Street as I get to know Jeremy Swift. You may know Jeremy from Downton Abbey, Apple TV's Ted Lasso, or the Wachowski Siblings' epic Jupiter Ascending. But you may not know that Jeremy is arguably a more talented musician, than he is an actor.Just kidding. He is superb in both endeavors!In this episode, we chat about how he came to be an actor, and some of his first roles. I mean he toured with a cabaret troupe that played shows in various prisons! Holy Moly! Of course, we discuss some of his experiences on the previously listed projects, and a couple of others. I ask him what it is like to work with his wife on set, and he spills the beans on Ted Lasso season 4!Jeremy also shares the story of why he chose to get his Sag / Aftra card, and his upcoming film: "Descendants 4: The Rise of Red". Next we get into music. Jeremy started playing music at a very early age, and we definitely dive into that aspect of his creativity. Jeremy shares stories of his punk phase, seeing The Sex Pistols live, and his thoughts on the "Oi!" movement of the late 70's. Jeremy has a new album out called "Songs of Escape and Endless Night", which is catchy as hell. We discuss a couple of the tracks from that album, and he lets me play my favorite song from it. Jeremy shares his love for David Bowie, building synthesizers with his dad, and Christo Fernandez working on Jeremy's new album.Follow Jeremy Swift everywhere.See Jeremy Swift in everything.Listen to Jeremy Swift on Spotify.

Today, I welcomed author Alex Norman to the podcast to talk about his book on De Havilland's Moth and the thrilling world of aviation in the 1920s and 30s, a period with such wonderful links to Highclere. Alex shared his own family's connections to early flying, including his grandfather's aircraft and involvement in the London Aeroplane Club and explained how Geoffrey de Havilland's ingenuity helped by Frank Halford's lightweight Cirrus engine made the DH60 Moth a breakthrough for private pilots. We explored how government-subsidised flying clubs, adventurous women and men and the freedom of the skies fuelled record-breaking journeys, from Lady Bailey and Amy Johnson to the Aga Khan Trophy winner Aspy Engineer. We ended with Alex's dream dance partner: the remarkable aviator Beryl Markham.00:56 The de Havilland Family Connection04:33 Building the First Aeroplane05:05 Post-War Aviation & The Birth of the Moth11:35 The Private Flying Movement & Aeroplane Clubs14:47 Women in Aviation & Record-Breaking Adventures16:47 The Aga Khan Trophy & Aspi Engineer21:03 The de Havilland Legacy & The Mosquito21:59 Dream Party Guest: Beryl MarkhamYou can hear more episodes of Lady Carnarvon's Official Podcasts at https://www.ladycarnarvon.com/podcast/New episodes are published on the first day of every month. 

Rich and Cowboys fan TJ react to Jerry Jones' comments about what Dallas is willing to do get back to the Super Bowl including a trade for Raiders DE Maxx Crosby. Actor Jeremy Swift joins Rich in-studio to promote the much-anticipated return of ‘Ted Lasso,' reveals his favorite episodes and moments from the beloved Apple TV series, shares what it was like appearing with the legendary Dame Maggie Smith in ‘Downton Abbey' and more. Rich plays the ‘NFL Win-Loss Game' with a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Four-time Gold Logie winner Lisa McCune joins Brett and Tim in the studio to chat about bringing the beloved Steel Magnolias to the stage and why this timeless story continues to resonate with audiences today. Lisa shares how the play’s powerful themes of friendship, chosen family, grief, resilience and women’s voices have made it a lasting classic, particularly within the LGBTQIA+ community. She also reflects on the joy of working alongside an all-star Australian cast, the unique magic (and unpredictability!) of live theatre, and why Robert Harling’s writing remains so emotionally powerful. Plus, Lisa gives us a sneak peek at her next exciting role opposite Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville in Noël Coward’s Private Lives, and reveals why she’s still just as passionate about storytelling after decades on stage and screen. It’s a warm, funny and heartfelt conversation celebrating theatre, connection and the stories that bring us together. The post Wednesday Breakfast: Lisa McCune Interview appeared first on JOY Breakfast.

Kulttuuriykkösen Perjantaistudiossa ruodimme ajankohtaisia kulttuurin ja median ilmiöitä, arvokysymyksiä sekä ajankuvaamme. Tällä kertaa raatilaisina ovat tieto- ja fiktiokirjailija Tiina Raevaara, toimittaja/tietokirjailija Jussi Ahlroth sekä elokuvatutkija Jari Sedergren. Perjantairaati pohtii: Mitä tapahtuu kun algoritmit eivät enää tarjoa vain sisältöä vaan kokonaisia elämäntapoja? Tradwife-sisältö, tunnelmamarkkinointi ja moodeihin perustuvat suositukset muokkaavat meitä huomaamatta. Opettavatko menestyssarjat kuten Downton Abbey, Succession ja The Crown meidät hyväksymään eriarvoisuuden? Garden Helsinki -kohu teki näkyväksi politiikan kulissit ja lobbauksen käytännöt. Syökö tapaus luottamusta päättäjiimme, vai paljastiko se vain sen miten politiikka aina on toiminut? Scifi-lehti Portti lopettaa 42 vuoden jälkeen. Mitä menetetään kun suomalaiselta tulevaisuusspekuloinnilta lähtee julkaisukanava - juuri nyt kun elämme keskellä scifi-todellisuutta? Kumpi on pahempi virhe – puhua englantia suomea osaavalle vai suomea sitä osaamattomalle? Helsingin Sanomien kolumni herätti keskustelun perisuomalaisesta tavasta vaihtaa automaattisesti englantiin, kun vastassa on ulkomaalaistaustaiselta vaikuttava henkilö. Samaan aikaan valitamme, kun emme saa palvelua suomeksi. Ohjelman juontaa Nicklas Wancke.

Jessica Fellowes discusses with Ivan six things which should be better known. Jessica Fellowes is an author, journalist and public speaker. The Mitford Murders is her debut series as a novelist and has been nominated for awards in Britain, France, Germany and Italy, and sold into eighteen territories. Jessica is also the author of five official companion books to ‘Downton Abbey,' various of which hit the New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller lists. Former columnist for the Mail on Sunday and deputy editor of Country Life, she has written business books with Sophie Cornish MBE, 'The Devil You Know' with forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes and short stories for Vogue Italia and L'Uomo Vogue. Jessica makes frequent appearances on radio, podcasts and television, has a Substack – ‘Your Fellowes Reader' – and lives in Oxfordshire with her family. The work of school governors https://boardsforeducation.org.uk/ Hitster https://hitstergame.com/en-gb/ The advantages of hearing aids https://www.outsideclinic.co.uk/blog/impact-of-hearing-aids Jessica Fellowes https://substack.com/@jessicafellowes The Sale Room https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb Singled Out by Virginia Nicholson https://www.virginianicholson.co.uk/singled-out This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

A giant peach, a British farce, a Christmas at Pemberley, a Berkeley PTA vaccine debate, a war photographer's homecoming, and a nun-choir tribute to Whoopi Goldberg. On this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael catches up with Tim Bambara from Winchester Little Theatre to preview the second WLT for Kids show of the summer AND the full 2026-2027 main-stage season — five main-stage productions spanning farce, Regency, contemporary satire, drama, and musical. Tim walks through the current run (James and the Giant Peach Jr. opens July 18 and runs through July 25, with weekday morning and afternoon options for the "kids at home in the rain" contingency), and previews the five main-stage shows opening in September: See How They Run (a WWII British farce), The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley (a Downton-Abbey-vibed sequel to Pride and Prejudice from a servants'-quarters perspective), Eureka Day (a sharp Berkeley PTA satire about a mumps outbreak), Time Stands Still (a Donald Margulies drama about a photojournalist returning from a war zone), and Sister Act the Musical to close out the season. Plus: the reserved-seat season subscription is live (five shows for $115 with your seats picked in advance), a critical PSA about the ticket-reseller scam problem (WLT has moved to receipt-only online sales — no printed or displayed tickets required) and a genuinely delightful reveal: WLT's own podcast, "Sight Lines," is launching this fall, funded by a Winchester-Frederick County CVB grant, and Tim credits Janet as the inspiration. HOW TO BUY TICKETS • PRIMARY: winchesterlittletheatre.org (season subscriptions live now; single-show tickets on sale August 1) • BOX OFFICE (starting August 31, 12 days before opening night): Mondays and Wednesdays 4:00-6:00 PM, and 90 minutes before each performance • DO NOT buy from third-party resellers. WLT tickets are always $25 or less. Any listing above that price is a scam. • Online sales are now RECEIPT ONLY — no printed or phone-displayed ticket needed. House managers check you in by name. • Exchanges: call the box office at least 24 hours before curtain, subject to availability • Passing a ticket to a friend: call the box office with the new name ABOUT THE RESERVED-SEAT SEASON SUBSCRIPTION Now available at winchesterlittletheatre.org. Pick all five main-stage shows AND your specific seats in advance for $115 — a genuine discount over single-ticket pricing, plus the peace of mind of having your seats already reserved. COMING SOON — SIGHT LINES PODCAST WLT is launching a monthly podcast during the season, funded through a Winchester-Frederick County Convention & Visitors Bureau grant. Backstage conversations with actors and artists across generations of WLT productions. First episodes coming this fall. THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday

House of the Dragon S3E3 Review: SPOILER ALERT Rhaenyra has King's Landing… but she might also be losing her mind. This week on Thumb War, we break down House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 3, aka what Rachel calls Rhaenyra's Unraveling. The Red Keep is haunted, the music is screaming, everyone is starving, Corlys is furious, Daemon wants to burn the world down, and Rhaenyra decides the best way to win over the nobles is to serve them a beautiful feast of rats. Rachel loved the episode's descent into Targaryen madness. Jason thinks the show keeps cutting away from the exact moments we need to see — especially when dragons are involved. We get into the Ormund Hightower standoff, Alicent and Rhaenyra's weird little soul connection, whether Team Black is falling apart, and why someone needs to make a Downton Abbey-style House of the Dragon episode set entirely in the Red Keep kitchen. Full spoiler recap is up now. Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts & Spotify Support the show on Patreon for ad-free episodes & bonus content : http://bit.ly/44Mo8xU Like & Subscribe Leave a 5-star review if you're enjoying Thumb War Email us: ThumbWarPod@gmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Robert Bathurst was our guest in episode 41 and he returns to have a chat about his old time capsule and let us know where he wants it buried! Robert Bathurst is best known for his roles in Cold Feet, Downton Abbey, Joking Apart, Toast of London and Wild at Heart. Also, Mike and his producer and son John chat about this weeks MTC guest Tony Cantwell and they interact with listeners via email and voice memos .Listen to Robert Bathurst's orignal episode - https://mytimecapsulepodcast.com/episodes?q=41 .Get involved! Send The Dig an email or voice memo and download John's jingle backing track to add your own lyrics, via - https://mytimecapsulepodcast.com/dig .Follow My Time Capsule on Instagram: @mytimecapsulepodcast & Twitter/X & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter/X: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Original Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people .To support this podcast and get all episodes ad-free, please sign up here - https://mytimecapsule.supercast.com. All money goes straight into the making of the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Við höldum áfram að rifja upp valin brot frá liðnum vetri og nú er komið að þeim sem fæðast með silfurskeið í munninum. Þó sum þeirra hafi þurft að skila henni. Það er allavega raunin með fyrra umfjöllunarefnið okkar í dag, manninn sem áður var kallaður Andrés prins, en nú Andrew Mountbatten Windsor eftir að hann var sviptur öllum sínum tiltlum og meðfæddri meðgjöf í lífinu. Anna Lilja Þórisdóttir segir okkur söguna alla. Svanasöngur Downton Abbey kom í kvikmyndahús fyrir áramót. Þetta var þriðja og síðasta rmyndin sem kom í kjölfar feykivinsælla sjónvarpsþáttaraða um Crowley fjölskylduna og aðra íbúa á öllum hæðum Downton Abbey. Þættirnir hafa unnið alþjóðleg verðlaun um allan heim, slegið áhorfsmet og persónurnar eiga sér margar fastan sess í hjörtum aðdáenda. Birta Björnsdóttir fjallar um þættina vinsælu.

Paul and Andrea are back, and after last week's devastating Battle of the Gullet, this episode opens with Baela, his betrothed, returning Prince Jacaerys's ("Jace") body to Dragonstone. Rhaenyra is consumed by grief, but when Daemon returns from Harrenhal with news that Vhagar has left King's Landing, she finally agrees to retake the capital.Discussion HighlightsThe Battle of the Gullet — Revisionist HistoryThe hosts note the show's "unreliable narrator" device: the dragonseeds arrived at the Gullet after the battle was largely won, yet Ulf later claims credit for having "been there." They speculate the in-world histories may write Baela (and Moondancer) out of the record entirely — mirroring the books' own unreliable-narrator conceit.Emma D'Arcy's PerformanceExtensive praise for D'Arcy's portrayal of Rhaenyra's grief, compared to a similar physical breakdown moment in Downton Abbey. Special attention paid to the scene where Rhaenyra rebuffs Ser Lorent's comfort.Rhaenyra's Shift to DecisivenessThe hosts track Rhaenyra's arc from "what good would killing him do" to ordering Lorent's death moments later, tying it to Daemon's "did the queen stutter" energy and the prophecy (the Prince/Princess That Was Promised) as a source of newfound resolve.Alys Rivers & the Ruby TheoryA deep-cut theory: when Alys tells Daemon "I'll ask for food and you offer me rubies," the hosts connect it to Rhaegar's ruby breastplate and the Trident — suggesting Alys may be cryptically referencing the eventual fall of House Targaryen, generations later.Daemon & MysariaThe hosts debate Mysaria's actual value to Rhaenyra's council beyond being a confidante/paramour, noting she's stopped functioning as a spymaster despite that being her narrative purpose. They also flag how strange Rhaenyra's inner circle (Mysaria, and eventually Alicent) will look to outside lords.The Alicent MVP DiscussionAlicent is credited as the true architect of King's Landing's bloodless surrender — minimizing violence more effectively than Rhaenyra ever managed, while letting history hand the credit to Daemon. The hosts are far more critical of the Ironrod assault scene, calling it an unnecessary and "despicable" use of the sexual-violence-to-build-sympathy trope, seemingly deployed just to justify the audience enjoying his death.Rhaena, Lady Jeyne & the "Nettles" TheoryThe hosts revisit a fan theory (credited to an unnamed Threads user) that Rhaena may take on the identity of Nettles later in the story. They also debate the parentage of Sheepstealer, guessing at Vhagar or Dreamfire as the likely mother.The Velaryons on the BeachThe "Corlys has more than Rhaenyra" line gets pushback (Rhaenyra still has three living sons). The hosts liken the beach scene to a "secret meeting" and mourn how much House Velaryon has sacrificed for a cause that cost them Laenor and Laena outside of direct battle.Dark Sister's SymbolismDaemon gives Rhaenyra Jace's sword — Dark Sister, historically Visenya Targaryen's blade — for the execution. The hosts read this as deliberate: Visenya is remembered (rightly or wrongly) as the warrior-queen of the Conquest era, foreshadowing Rhaenyra's own turn toward decisive violence.The Execution & the ThroneMixed feelings on how the final walk to the Iron Throne was shot — visually stunning (deliberately echoing Viserys's own labored walk) but "heavy-handed" in symbolism. The hosts push back on audience discomfort with Rhaenyra's visible grief while executing Otto, arguing it's a more honest portrayal than the "affectless" violence typically rewarded on this show.Historical Parallels — Who Is Rhaenyra?An extended comparison to real English queens: initially set up like Elizabeth I (diplomat, problem-solver, besieged claim), but the hosts argue the writing is now trending toward Mary I ("Bloody Mary") — a traumatized, zealous ruler shaped by grief and a singular obsessive belief (the prophecy standing in for Mary's Catholicism). Alicent is compared to Margaret Beaufort — a soft-power operator rather than a battlefield figure.Succession Planning CritiqueThe hosts argue Viserys's biggest leadership failure wasn't naming Rhaenyra heir — it was failing to rebuild his council around people who'd actually support her once he was gone, leaving Otto and Alicent in place far too long.

I'm delighted to welcome author and explorer Levison Wood to Highclere, where we talk about my great love; trees and his book, The Great Tree Story: how forests have shaped our world. Levison shares how studying the Grand Tour at university inspired his lifelong passion for travel and storytelling, from hitchhiking across Europe and Central Asia to serving as an officer in the Parachute Regiment and deploying to Afghanistan. He recalls founding a production company and undertaking extraordinary long-distance walks, including nine months walking the White Nile from its farthest source to the Mediterranean, followed by the length of the Himalayas and other epic routes. We explore what drew him to write about trees, especially an experience with the Asháninka in the Amazon and we discuss ancient yews, cedars, redwoods, Highclere's planting of 22,000 trees and his plans to adapt The Great Tree Story into a feature documentary.01:05 Grand Tour Roots03:26 Modern Travel Risks04:56 Army Years and Afghanistan05:49 From Soldier to Storyteller07:31 Walking the Nile09:06 More Epic Expeditions10:33 Planning and Logistics12:31 Highclere Explorer Heritage14:30 Why Trees Matter17:32 Ancient Trees and Estate Planting19:42 Redwoods and Tree Lore23:29 Trees in Culture and Craft24:33 Green Man and Next FilmYou can hear more episodes of Lady Carnarvon's Official Podcasts at https://www.ladycarnarvon.com/podcast/New episodes are published on the first day of every month. 

In this special on-location episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, recorded at the Chicago History Museum on the occasion of His Majesty the King's official birthday, Jonathan Thomas sits down with Richard Hyde — His Majesty's Consul General in Chicago and the senior British diplomatic representative across 14 states in the American Midwest. Speaking just before the British Consulate's King's Birthday Garden Party, Richard explains what a Consul General actually does, why Britain doesn't have a National Day, how he approaches representing modern Britain to the heartland of America, and what King Charles's address to a joint session of Congress meant for the Special Relationship. The conversation also uncovers a remarkable piece of Anglo-Chicago history: after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Queen Victoria and 8,000 British donors — including Disraeli, Tennyson, and John Stuart Mill — sent books to Chicago, directly founding the Chicago Public Library. Plus: the Beatles, Frank Lloyd Wright's Welsh roots, Abraham Lincoln's North Wales ancestry, and why Chicago is Richard's favorite city in the world. Note: We had originally planned to do a 100th Q&A for our 100th episode, but a much bigger opportunity arose last week, which we thought was more fitting. We'll do the Q&A soon! Links British Consulate General Chicago Website UK In Chicago on Instagram British Consulate General Chicago on X/Twitter British Embassy Washington DC UK Government in the USA Chicago History Museum Chicago Public Library Foundation Hawksmoor Chicago Celtic Crossings Chicago Chicago Shakespeare Theater America 250 Friends of Anglotopia Club Takeaways The United Kingdom is one of the only countries in the world without an official National Day — which is why British consulates abroad use the King's official birthday in June as their annual celebration, conveniently timed to coincide with Trooping the Colour. Richard Hyde covers 14 American states as Consul General — roughly 25% of the entire United States — including 105 members of the House of Representatives and 28 senators, making the Midwest a critical region for understanding where American politics is heading. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Queen Victoria personally led a donation drive that saw 8,000 British donors — including Benjamin Disraeli, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and John Stuart Mill — send books to Chicago, directly founding the Chicago Public Library. Victoria's personally signed copy of a biography of Prince Albert is still in the library's special collection. King Charles's address to a joint session of Congress during his America 250 visit was, in Richard's assessment, a masterclass in diplomatic communication — speaking to shared values rather than political divisions and reminding both nations of the deep historical thread connecting Magna Carta to the US Constitution. Frank Lloyd Wright's family were Welsh; Abraham Lincoln's great-great-grandfather came from a small village in North Wales just 40 miles from Richard's hometown of Liverpool; and Anish Kapoor — who designed Chicago's Cloud Gate Bean — is British. Britain's cultural fingerprints are everywhere in Chicago. The British Consulate deliberately chose the Chicago History Museum and the Chicago Public Library Foundation as partners for this year's King's Birthday event to honor the Victorian book donation story — and encouraged guests to donate to the Foundation in the spirit of Queen Victoria's original gesture. Richard argues that British culture in America is simultaneously everywhere and invisible — so deeply embedded in American music, film, language, and history that most Americans don't register it as foreign. The Beatles are the perfect example: four working-class kids from Liverpool whose music plays in every country in the world, including a Chinese restaurant in Somalia in 1998. The Special Relationship, Richard says, is ultimately about 80% agreement — both countries share fundamental values on democracy, freedom, and human rights, and the disagreements, while loud, are at the margins. King Charles's Congress speech focused on that 80%. Richard's most unexpected discovery in Chicago: Midwesterners are the most authentically friendly people he's encountered in 10 overseas postings. They follow up. They text you. They actually become your friends — not just professional contacts. Richard's message to young Americans: spend time abroad. Not a two-week vacation, but a semester, a few months, living in someone else's culture. It will change how you see America — and make you appreciate it far more deeply. Soundbites "I like to joke that Chicago is one of America's two great cities with proper downtowns. Everywhere else is sprawl. But the difference is — in Chicago, the people are nice, the streets are clean, and the food's better." — Richard on why Chicago stands apart. "We're celebrating America 250. We're celebrating the fact that this is the greatest startup in history. We argued a little bit and there was some spilled tea — and despite all of that, 250 years on, no two countries do more together in the world." — Richard on Britain's approach to America 250. "Queen Victoria and 8,000 British donors sent books to Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871 — and that donation directly led to the founding of the Chicago Public Library. Victoria's signed copy is still there. It's a gesture from 1871 that still resonates now." — Richard on the Anglo-Chicago library story. "The King rises above the moment. He was able to come at a challenging time in our relationship and remind Americans — and remind Brits — that there are fundamentally more important things than the moment we're in. And that is our shared values." — Richard on King Charles's Congress speech. "I've been all around the world. I've never really been a great theater-goer. But Ed Hall at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre has kind of infected me. I've become addicted to theater." — Richard on an unexpected Chicago conversion. "The flag in the United States is the symbol of their liberty. Our flag was created from existing countries we already had. So Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland — the Union flag is basically a combination of four different crosses. We didn't have to fight for it." — Richard on why Brits and Americans relate to their flags so differently. "I've lived here almost two years. Of all the places I've lived, this is the easiest place in the world to actually build a network of friends. You can stand in a bar and someone starts talking to you about the Cubs and fundamentally how terrible everyone is at the moment — and they actually follow up." — Richard on Midwestern friendliness. "The longer I stay away and the more I've represented my country overseas, the prouder I am of that country. Warts and all. I'm proud of the history — even the complicated history. You have to understand it, not erase it." — Richard on representing Britain from a distance. "I have to say — I saw Hamilton recently and the best character in Hamilton is the King. Everyone agrees. He has the best songs." — Richard on George III stealing the show. "If you ever get a chance to travel — and I say this to a lot of young Americans — don't mean a two-week vacation. Go spend a semester abroad. Go spend a few months in somebody else's culture. And you'll understand A, that the country you love isn't perfect. But the longer you think about it, the more you'll appreciate what your country does." — Richard's message to young Americans. Chapters 00:21 Introduction — Jonathan sets the scene at the Chicago History Museum on King's Birthday 01:36 Welcome from Richard Hyde — The occasion, Chicago, and what the day means 01:58 Richard's Background — Liverpool, an Indian father, and a career that took him to India, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Texas, and Chicago 02:47 What Surprised Richard Most About Chicago — Midwest vs. Texas, great food, accessibility, and why Chicago rivals New York 04:44 British Things in Chicago — Hawksmoor, Celtic Crossings, Irish pubs, and a Sunday roast worth traveling for 07:08 What Does a Consul General Actually Do? — The difference from an ambassador, 14 states, 25% of the US, and what the job really looks like day to day 10:25 Representing Modern Britain — Multicultural, proud, complicated history, and the gap between Downton Abbey and reality 11:30 The Scope of the Midwest Region — 105 House members, 28 senators, and listening to farmers in South Dakota 15:22 What Is the King's Official Birthday? — Why Britain has no National Day and how the official birthday fills that gap 17:42 The Anglo-Chicago Library Story — The Great Fire of 1871, Queen Victoria, 8,000 British donors, Disraeli, Tennyson, and the founding of the Chicago Public Library 19:49 Chicago's Literary Heritage — Hemingway, Carnegie libraries, and the bookishness of the Midwest 20:15 America 250 — Celebrating the greatest startup in history, spilled tea, and why Britain is all in 22:20 The Founding Fathers as British People — A nuance most Americans don't consider 22:33 King George III in Hamilton — Richard's verdict: the best character, the best songs 23:07 King Charles's Address to Congress — What it meant, how it landed, and the 80% agreement principle 26:02 Getting the King to Chicago — Deep dish dreams and the challenge of a royal itinerary 26:36 The Anglo-Chicago Connection — Frank Lloyd Wright's Welsh roots, Lincoln's North Wales ancestry, Anish Kapoor's Bean, and why British culture in America is invisible because it's everywhere 29:14 The Transatlantic Flow Goes Both Ways — Charles Yerkes and the London Underground, Gordon Selfridge, and Chicago's British legacy 29:46 Does Representing Britain Change How You See It? — Absence, appreciation, complicated history, and Churchill in Fulton, Missouri 33:08 What Richard Champions in the Midwest — The Beatles, Liverpool, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and British music's global reach 35:25 Chicago's Theater Scene — Shakespeare, Kinky Boots, Harry Potter, and how theater became Richard's unexpected passion 36:10 The Tea Question — Richard's honest answer, builder's tea, Yorkshire Tea, and the biscuit problem 37:06 Hadrian's Wall and Health Plans — Jonathan's August walk, no sugar in the tea, and necessity 37:37 Richard's Favorite Thing About Chicago — The people, authentic friendliness, and why this is his best posting in 10 assignments 39:39 The World Cup Question — England's chances, Richard's divided loyalties, Wales, Argentina, and playing in the heat 40:46 Wrap-Up — Thank you to the Chicago History Museum, how to follow the British Consulate General Chicago Video Version

Hi everyone! We have decided to give you all the gift of a free bonus episode of our brand new boco podcast "We Like Shows" where one of us will force the other two to watch a show they absolutely love. This month, producer Matt Lieb made Emily and Jordan watch the pilot to Downton Abbey, a British TV series about fancy people and their servants.  Tune in next week when our movie will be... Silent Hill. ----- Pre-order signed copies of Jordan's new comic book series "The Amazing Venom" here at bit.ly/goofriends Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinfreewithads

Below Stairs London: Tracing Victorian Servant Life in Belgravia and MayfairHazel Baker guides listeners through surviving street-level traces of Victorian servant London—area steps and railings, coal-hole covers, bell systems, mews alleys, and service districts—showing how London's architecture encoded a rigid “upstairs/downstairs” hierarchy and enforced servant invisibility. Using census figures, she explains domestic service as Britain's largest employer of women, driven by coal soot, class display, and tax incentives against male servants, then outlines household ranks from butler and housekeeper to scullery maid and mews staff. She describes the physical toll of long days, the servant supply chain at Shepherd Market, mews history and later gentrification, and surviving examples including Hyde Park Gardens Mews, Belgravia Mews West's Star Pub, Bathurst Mews stables, and 18 Stafford Terrace (Sambourne House). She critiques period dramas for softening labor and highlights servants' documented sexual vulnerability and limited protections.00:00 161: Life Below Stairs00:12 Introduction01:55 The Scale of Servant London14:20 The Architecture of Invisibility17:02 Coal Holes & Bell Systems22:38 The Mews28:50 Shepherd Market33:23 A Day in the Life37:00 Downton Abbey vs. Reality40:04 Sexual Vulnerability & Structural Silence44:47 Why Did Servants Stay?46:32 18 Stafford Terrace48:54 The Dual City51:43 Outro & Related Episodes

Al & Val strap on their glass Doc Martins and go down the rabbit hole for this time travel-y installment of the Descendents-verse.Also, don't miss us IN PERSON with Stu Krieger at iO Theater on June 17th, 2026. Get your Tickets Descendents: Rise of Red (July 12, 2024) IMDB WikipediaDirected by Jennifer Phang (tv credits - Rise of Red TV show)Written by Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott (Runaway Bride, Descendents 1-5) & Dan Frey (Rise of Red TV show)Starring: Kylie Cantrall as Red (Gabby Duran & The Unsittables, music videos, HSMTMTS, Rise of Red show)Malia Baker as Chloe Charming (Babysitters Club, Rise of Red show)China Anne McClain as Uma (A.N.T. Farm, How to Build a Better Boy, Descendants-verse, Black Lightening, House of Payne)Dara Reneé as Uliana (Freaky Friday, HSMTMTS, Rise of Red show)Rita Ora as the Queen of Hearts of Wonderland (music videos, Fifty Shades of Grey, Southpaw, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, Rise of Red show) Ruby Rose Turner as Bridget, the young Queen of Hearts (Coop and Cami Ask the World, Eden, Rise of Red show)Brandy as Cinderella (music videos, Cinderella, Moesha, The Game, Star, Rise of Red show, The Front Room, I Know What You Did Last Summer)Morgan Dudley as Ella, the young Cinderella (The Prom, Rise of Red show)Joshua Colley as the young Hook (Peter Rabbit, Dead Boy Detectives, Rise of Red show, Moonburn)Peder Lindell as Morgie (Rise of Red show, Hidden Falls)Paolo Montalban as King Charming (Cinderella, Mortal Combat: Conquest, Rise of Red show)Tristan Padil as young Prince Charming (Rise of Red show)Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother (Happy Family, Notes from the Underbelly, Saving Mr. Banks, Descendants 1-5)Grace Narducci as Fay, the young Fairy Godmother (character actor - Rise of Red show)Levin Valayil as Aladdin (Rise of Red show)Kabir Bery as young Aladdin (Rise of Red show)Shazia Pascal as Jasmine (music videos, Rise of Red show, Get Him Back for Christmas)Aiza Azaar as young Jasmine (Rise of Red show)Jeremy Swift as Merlin (The Smoking Room, Downton Abbey, Ted Lasso, Rise of Red show)Leonardo Nam as Maddox Hatter (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, FATF: Tokyo Drift, Westworld, Maggie, Rise of Red show)Mars as young Maleficent (Rise of Red show)Anthony Pyatt as young Hades (Rise of Red show)Julee Cerda as Evil Stepmother (character actor, Blindspot, Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Rise of Red show)Synopsis: After the Queen of Hearts incites a coup on Auradon, her rebellious daughter Red and Cinderella's perfectionist daughter Chloe join forces and travel back in time to try to undo the traumatic event that set Red's mother down her villainous path.Fun Facts: Brandy and Paolo Montalban reprised their roles from 1997's CinderellaNext Movie: Zombies 4: Rise of the VampiresCreators & Guests Allie Ring - Host Val Agnew - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week on Grumpy Old Geeks, Brian and Jason once again survey the smoldering wreckage of the tech industry and discover that the people building the future are increasingly being sued by governments, publishers, customers, employees, and occasionally reality itself. California is coming after 23andMe over its catastrophic data breach, Florida is taking a swing at OpenAI, CNN has joined the ever-growing conga line of companies suing Perplexity, and Meta somehow decided the solution to improving AI is recording employees' every mouse click while generously allowing them a whole 30-minute privacy break. Meanwhile, Google's own engineers are sharing memes about how much Google's AI tools suck, Microsoft apparently wants users addicted to its new AI assistant - first taste's free! - and Anthropic is preparing to go public with a valuation that makes even the most irrational dot-com era investor look financially responsible.The AI arms race continues producing exactly the kinds of outcomes you'd expect when venture capitalists start huffing their own press releases. Instagram's AI support bot reportedly helped hackers steal accounts because apparently "Are you sure you're the owner?" was considered an optional step. Suno raised another $400 million while fighting copyright lawsuits, Paramount+ seems to have let AI create the ugliest Star Trek thumbnail in Federation history, and Stan Lee has now been digitally resurrected because modern capitalism looked at death and said, "Nice try." Over in transportation, BYD is so confident in its self-driving technology that it's willing to pay for your accidents, while Tesla owners are discovering their old Full Self-Driving contracts may have quietly received software updates of the legal variety. Somewhere in a conference room, a lawyer just whispered, "Let's not put that in writing," ten years too late.Elsewhere, governments worldwide continue their ongoing experiment of raising children by confiscating smartphones. Malaysia has implemented a social media ban for kids under 16, Poland wants phones and smartwatches locked away at school, and Kentucky schools just collected $27 million from social media companies accused of building products as addictive as cigarettes.Dave Bittner drops by for a visit and we discuss Spotify listeners apparently preferring old music because new music keeps getting algorithmically focus-grouped into oblivion and a healthy dose of Star Wars, Downton Abbey, Derry Girls, Lego, books, gadgets, and AI-generated jazz. Add it all up and you've got another week where the only thing moving faster than technology is the legal department trying to keep up.Sponsors:DeleteMe - Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use promo code GOG at checkout.Shopify - Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at Shopify.com/grumpyPrivate Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/749Watch on YouTube at https://youtu.be/A1sv2BEzWBkShow NotesVibe Coders are Script KiddiesDestroy the BroligarchyColorado Governor Vetoes Surveillance Pricing Ban as Public Backlash Against the Tech GrowsCalifornia sues 23andMe over 2023 data breach that affected 7 million usersFlorida sues OpenAI, Sam Altman, in first-of-its-kind lawsuit over violent incidentsMeta will reportedly let employees take 30-minute breaks from its tracking programInstagram is alerting users who were targeted by hackers during AI chatbot attacksGoogle Employees Internally Share Memes About How Its AI SucksGoogle ordered to put clearer links in AI search and let UK publishers opt outMicrosoft Wants to 'Make People Addicted' to its New AI Assistant, Internal Documents RevealMeta, other social networks will pay $27 million to settle Kentucky school district lawsuitMalaysia's under-16 social media ban carries fines up to $2.5 millionPoland wants to ban phones and smartwatches in schoolsCNN is the latest media company to sue PerplexityStill facing copyright lawsuits, AI music generator Suno raises another $400MBYD is assuming financial liability if you crash while using its self-driving techAnthropic is set to go public after filing paperwork with the SECData Center Operators Are Trying to Fix Their Water Use ProblemsTesla Owners Say Their Old FSD Contracts Were Quietly ChangedStan Lee's voice and likeness have been resurrected, thanks to AIParamount+ used AI to make the ugliest Star Trek thumbnail ever2026 World Cup Wall ChartI Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything by Joanna SternCarl's Doomsday Scenario: Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 2 by Matt DinnimanWisdom Takes Work: Learn. Apply. Repeat. by Ryan HolidayBelkin Connect 4-Port USB-C Hub - USB C Hub Multiport Adapter Dongle with 4 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 Ports - High-Speed 10G Data Transfer for Laptop, MacBook, iPad, PC, and More - 100W PD - $32.24Dave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingThe Mandalorian Season 1Star Wars: RebelsWrapped up the Downton Abbey series rewatchBuffy and Ted Lasso star Anthony Head dies at 72Almost through the Derry Girls series.Lego Mando and Grogu set (mild spoiler)AI generated JazzThe Biggest Hits on Spotify Right Now Are a Blast From the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us Fan MailKate Ragsdale, 73, was killed on Feb. 24, 2013, in her home in The Highlands neighborhood, off University Boulevard and not far off the eastern edge of the UA campus. A neighbor checked on Ragsdale the night of Feb. 24, 2013. Ragsdale was last seen by friends on the Sunday night before she was found. She had been to a friend's home in the Forest Lake neighborhood to watch an episode of "Downton Abbey."Ragsdale was a well-known, well-liked member of the Tuscaloosa and University of Alabama communities. Friends have described her as having a giving nature and vivacious spirit.Investigators have interviewed more than 200 people about the Ragsdale case and they say it's very possible they've spoken to the killer. Everyone in the neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods was questioned, as well as friends, acquaintances, former colleagues and about 100 construction workers who were doing road work next to her house and at Bryce Hospital at the time.Merchhttps://jrlawman-shop.fourthwall.com/...https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/...https://www.wbrc.com/2026/01/10/inves... https://patch.com/alabama/tuscaloosa/... https://www.wvtm13.com/article/murder...    • 8 Years Later: Kate Ragsdale Case Remains ...   

A new week means new questions! Hope you have fun with these!What is the name of the body part that separates the left and right airways of the nasal cavity?Robert Crawley, the patriarch of the Crawley family played by Hugh Bonneville, in "Downton Abbey", is the earl of which English town?Which kind of fully-matured amphibian has a tail?Homer's Iliad is set toward the end of which war?A computer hacker intending to improve security is often called what good guy fashion accessory?Which English monarch was the last Emperor of India?The Maghreb, or the western part of the Arab world, is usually defined as encompassing much of what region?What's the first superhero movie to win an Academy Award?The shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils, characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation is known by what term, realted to a Moor?Which Shakespeare play was based on a legendary king of the Britons who reigned around the time of the founding of Rome?The first golf course built in the US, Oakhurst Links, is in what state?In astronomy, stars visible to the naked eye that appear not to move relative to each other against the dark background of the night sky are called what stars?MusicHot Swing, Fast Talkin, Bass Walker, Dances and Dames, Ambush by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Don't forget to follow us on social media:Patreon – patreon.com/quizbang – Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Check out our fun extras for patrons and help us keep this podcast going. We appreciate any level of support!Website – quizbangpod.com Check out our website, it will have all the links for social media that you need and while you're there, why not go to the contact us page and submit a question!Facebook – @quizbangpodcast – we post episode links and silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Instagram – Quiz Quiz Bang Bang (quizquizbangbang), we post silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Twitter – @quizbangpod We want to start a fun community for our fellow trivia lovers. If you hear/think of a fun or challenging trivia question, post it to our twitter feed and we will repost it so everyone can take a stab it. Come for the trivia – stay for the trivia.Ko-Fi – ko-fi.com/quizbangpod – Keep that sweet caffeine running through our body with a Ko-Fi, power us through a late night of fact checking and editing!

Tuppence Middleton is one of the most talented actors of her generation. Her work spans the intimate and the epic, from the haunting dystopias of Sense8 to the elegance of Downton Abbey. She brings a rare depth to every role she inhabits and her recent memoir Scorpions reveals a courageous and deeply personal side of her story. This podcast is a celebration of an impressive career to date, a tutorial in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and also serves as a reminder that we can look at someone, judge, think they have it all, perhaps allow a modicum of envy to creep in and yet we have absolutely no clue what challenges they are facing. I had such a wonderful time talking to Tuppence and you will love this podcast. Related links Follow Tuppence Buy her new book 'Scorpions' Tuppence IMDB Bandwidth Conversations is proudly sponsored by Klira.  Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant.

I welcome Dutch historian Rutger Bregman to the podcast after first messaging him on Instagram and we talk about what I took from his book Humankind and my own wish to bring people together to remember friendship and kindness. Rutger reflects on Dutch directness and equality shaped by living with water, from the 1953 flood to the Delta Works, and shares why he writes for a general audience about big questions of human nature. We discuss his challenge to the “veneer theory” and his belief in “survival of the friendlies,” alongside a real shipwreck story near Tonga where six boys survived 15 months through cooperation. Our conversation turns to bullying, family and attachment, the Second World War and Rutger's research for Moral Ambition on how resistance spreads simply by asking others to help.01:10 Dutch Culture and Directness04:01 Water Engineering and Delta Works05:41 Early Civilizations and Conflict06:58 Why Bregman Writes Big History08:12 Debunking Human Nature Myths10:07 Cooperation at Highclere Today12:49 Tempest and Amoral People13:55 Real Lord of the Flies Story19:00 Bullying Attachment and Family21:41 Victorian Fathers Revisited22:40 Reform Politics And Women23:28 Why Study War24:04 Resistance Myth Debunked25:24 Heroes Are Asked27:29 Unconventional Organizers30:25 Kindness After Loss32:19 Kindness Is Contagious35:03 Lessons From Animals36:18 Veneer Theory And Dickens37:59 British IndirectnessYou can hear more episodes of Lady Carnarvon's Official Podcasts at https://www.ladycarnarvon.com/podcast/New episodes are published on the first day of every month. 

Downton Abbey meets The Tudors - Dr Tracy Borman stops to discuss her new historical novel, "The House of Boleyn".

The Fat One is back to start to recap his Memorial Day Weekend but starts off with a new addition to the Ham Map, some gentleman caller reports, lots of nattering and some Downton Abbey thoughts. Happy National Carb Day.

Come down a rabbit hole with us and listen to the intriguing tale of the Rabbit Wars of St Andrews as told by Cheryl!  This story takes us all the way back to 1797 and includes no less than 900 rabbits and the selling of the famous St Andrews Golf Course.   Trigger warning - Rabbits will get hurt in this episode You might have guessed, but this is a slightly lighter episode than our recent episodes.   In the words of Cheryl "It's Downton Abbey with significantly more rabbits!"We also talk about what makes a great true crime podcast. We'd also love to hear your thoughts on this, if you'd like to let us know what you look for.And, we chat childhood traumas!And of course, there's also a lot of golf talk. Sources for this episode are:Golf History NutSTV NewsSearching for John Fraser Documentary on YouTube www.lyonandturnbull.com Hosted & Researched by Marti Jeremiah-Shelley & Cheryl LesselsEdited & Produced by Erin Ferguson https://www.instagram.com/erinfaudio/Since 2023 ( earlier episodes are badly edited by us!)Theme Music Vampire Strut by Joybean @AudioJungleFollow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mumsmysteriesandmurder/You can also support the pod and buy us a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/mumsmysteriesandmurderAnd we would love it if you could give us a cheeky review & subscribe to make sure you don't miss an episode. Send us a text - we'd love to hear your thoughts about this episode & if there are any cases youd like us to cover please get in touch

There is mayhem in the aristocratic Davenport family as a new servant (Ben Radcliffe) is bonding with their youngest daughter Rose (Thomasin McKenzie) in this cheeky and irreverent Downton Abbey-esque parody.

The Fat One is back with a recap of his day which included 60 minutes, “Heated Rivalry”, Downton Abbey, Hostensia, lunch with Brandon and Alex (driver) and several gas reports. Happy National Davil's Food Caaaaaaake Day.

The 8th Countess of Carnarvon wears many hats including author, chartered accountant, social media influencer, gin magnate, and impeccable hostess. Lady Carnarvon and her husband, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon, are the latest stewards of the historic Highclere Castle, which you may recognize as the primary filming location for Downton Abbey. In this episode, Lady Carnarvon discusses her new book, A Year At Highclere: Secrets and Stories from the Real Downton Abbey, and shares what it's like to call this piece of living history home, as well as all things ghosts, gardens, King Tutankhamun, Downton Abbey, and more.

Ben and Ione celebrate Ione's daughter graduating from Sydney Uni — the first in her family — and unpack what an Australian graduation ceremony actually looks like (part Downton Abbey, part casual). They dissect the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Part 3 reunion, debate the ethics of celebrity course-selling, and induct Mac DeMarco, Leonardo DiCaprio and Trent Reznor into the Ione Skye Hall of Fame Mispronunciations. Ben reflects on performing in Alice Springs the night after the vigil for Kumanjayi Little Baby, and why music is good medicine even when it feels trite. Plus: the Bluey/ABC rights debate, the expert economy, and divorce finances.Dive deeper into our world at https://weirdertogether.substack.com

It is time for LAST TIME ON! The podcast for everyone who wants to watch all those great television shows out there, but who has the time for that? Turns out we do, as we talk about Downton Abbey!This week on LTO: Benjamin gets told to start his life over, Victor once again get's fooled by a recruiter, and Xhafer isn't even supposed to be here today.Discord: https://discord.gg/MUHKDDk6TNMerch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WhatHappenedHerePods

It is time for LAST TIME ON! The podcast for everyone who wants to watch all those great television shows out there, but who has the time for that? Turns out we do, as we talk about Downton Abbey!This week on LTO: Victor helps a NIMBY but for good, Xhafer gets gin drunk, and Ben wants to take the staff to COSI.Discord: https://discord.gg/MUHKDDk6TNMerch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WhatHappenedHerePods

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) ends our era of Downton Abbey movies. Who'd have thought we'd all become so invested in the lives of the rich? A bit more happens in this one than in the others, but still, arguably, not a lot in comparison to the series. We do get some very messy choices and a lot of crying and stroking of brick-work so you have that to look forward to!Join us next week as we start another Carry On month!

I'm delighted to welcome historical novelist Caroline Montague to the castle, where we talk about how writing offers a refuge from everyday life and how she protects her creative time in her office with her dogs. Caroline shares the remarkable history of Burnt Norton, its links to T.S. Eliot's “Four Quartets,” and the dramatic tale of Sir William Kite, whose scandal, bankruptcy, and death by fire helped give the house its name, alongside stories of the “white lady” said to haunt the top floor. We discuss her path from law and interior design to writing, her planning process shaped by a firm agent, shifting titles and covers, and her current rewrite of a book about a famous royal swap. We also chat about spaniels, horses and the comfort animals bring.00:49 Writing Routine and Space01:35 Career Path to Author02:41 Burnt Norton and TS Eliot04:42 William Kite House Tragedy07:02 Ghost Stories White Lady09:51 House History and Hauntings11:25 Plotting Process and Ideas13:16 Deadlines Output and Titles15:18 Rewriting The Hook16:08 Jigsaw Writing Method17:17 Past Healing Present18:17 Woods And Creativity18:35 Spaniel Life And Social Media19:59 Dressage Highs And Loss21:09 New Horse Gio22:33 Italy And Spanish Stallions25:08 Books Animals And ImaginationYou can hear more episodes of Lady Carnarvon's Official Podcasts at https://www.ladycarnarvon.com/podcast/New episodes are published on the first day of every month. 

King Charles is stateside, and it had been such a fervent hope of ours that the NYTimes crossword theme would celebrate his arrival that we might have possibly, arguably, read a tad bit too much into today's grid. We'll let you, dear listeners, be the judge: did we stumble upon a very, very subtle "Welcome King Charles" theme, or do we have to stop watching reruns of Downton Abbey before doing the crossword? Let us know!Show note imagery: King Charles, getting ready to do battle with the Saturday NYTimes crossword!We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Jacob and Jessica are back to guess the murderer before the credits roll — this time on the new BritBox cozy crime drama “A Taste for Murder,” set on the stunning island of Capri. Between mispronounced Italian, a suspicious water pump, and debates about apps worth $20 million, will they somehow find the killer? In This Episode: Show Intro: A Taste for Murder – A British detective retreats to Capri after his wife's death and ends up, naturally, investigating murders with his teenager in tow. Jacob cannot stress enough how hard it is to feel sorry for someone whose tragedy-coping mechanism is Capri. The Cast Breakdown – Jessica runs through the credits, including a former two-time world Thai boxing champion turned actor, a young actress who played mini Harry Styles in a music video, and the beloved Mrs. Hughes from Downton Abbey (sorry, IMDB — everyone knows that's her biggest role) "Suck it, AI — get your head in the game." — Jessica, on IMDB's algorithm The Episode Recap: "Torta Della Nonna" – A British tourist in a fuchsia dress turns up dead on the rocks below Tiberius Leap. The clues: no shoes, a shredded prenup, a duplicitous boyfriend, a beauty therapist, and a cousin nobody knew existed. The Guesses – Jessica thinks: grifter, jealous boyfriend, push. Jacob thinks: influencer, depressed girlfriend, made to look like a mental health episode. Jacob wins. Jessica graciously concedes. "She said she'd give it to me. That means I win." — Jacob Funny Moments: Jacob's take on the dad dragging his teenage daughter off a date to go chase a murderer together: "What teenage daughter doesn't want to participate in police work?" The duo debating whether the Brit detective has earned the right to "retreat to Capri" after a tragedy, leading to: "My definition of tragedy changes drastically when Capri is an option." Jessica storming into the kitchen at 4 AM thinking Jacob was a burglar — he was feeding the cat. A plate broke. Chaos ensued. The coroner who doesn't want to share information with the police — a first in TV history according to Jacob and Jessica. The mysterious restaurant water pump that Joe keeps splashing his face with, now appearing in multiple episodes. Theories welcome. The Naples police station overrun with plants, many of which were not thriving. Jacob learning what "EVOO" means approximately 20 years after everyone else. The pronunciation gauntlet: Italian cast names, episode titles in Italian, and the word "Neapolitan." Fun History Fact – Tiberius Leap: Emperor Tiberius used that exact cliff to execute servants he didn't like. The Virgin Mary now watches over it. It's fine. Christie's Rating – Jessica gives it 3; Jacob argues for at least 5 (cahoot situation, multiple alibis, prenup shredded the wrong way). They meet somewhere in the middle. You can find us on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cluedunnit/id1582713330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1PLXRlrkJFBTE6eE97YPwQ Overcast: You'll need to login with your Overcast account, but once you do, we're at https://overcast.fm/itunes1582713330/cluedunnit YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cluedunnitpodcast   Follow us on the socials and let us know what you think!  Facebook: @cluedunnitpodcast   Instagram: @cluedunnitpodcast And don't forget to discover even more mysteries and community with us on Patreon! 

It is time for LAST TIME ON! The podcast for everyone who wants to watch all those great television shows out there, but who has the time for that? Turns out we do, as we talk about Downton Abbey!This week on LTO: Victor learns about three pepper sauce, Xhafer builds an ethical clankr, and Ben determines the finale is the finale. Discord: https://discord.gg/MUHKDDk6TNMerch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WhatHappenedHerePods

I'm particularly excited because today I welcome Moorea Coorigan to the show to chat about Downton Abbey Readalikes. Her book, Thistlemarsh, is a historical fantasy that takes place in the aftermath of WWI. She's really well read on this historical period, as you'll see in the show, and we had an absolute blast talking about how the books we picked connect to one of our favorite comfort shows. All links and show notes available at https://www.sheworeblackpodcast.com/

O que pensar antes de ser anfitriã de uma festa? Neste episódio, Gabi e Andreia caminham pelas ruas de Londres ao longo de um único dia, acompanhando memórias, escolhas e silêncios que ecoam no tempo. Sim, estamos falando de Mrs. Dalloway, de Virginia Woolf — um dos romances mais sensíveis e inovadores da literatura moderna — e de sua adaptação cinematográfica de 1997, dirigida por Marleen Gorris. Como o filme traduz a interioridade da escrita de Woolf e preserva a beleza fragmentada de seus personagens? Venha tentar descobrir! Comentados no episódio Mrs Dalloway, romance de Virginia Woolf Mrs Dalloway (1997 ‧ Romance/Drama ‧ 1h 37m) dirigido por Marleen Gorris Um Teto Todo Seu, ensaio de Virginia Woolf Profissões Para Mulheres e Outros Artigos Feministas, ensaios de Virginia Woolf Possessão, romance de A. S. Byatt Possessão (2002 ‧ Romance/Thriller ‧ 1h 43m), dirigido por Neil LaBute The Crown (2016 ‧ História ‧ 6 temporadas) Downton Abbey (2010 ‧ Drama ‧ 6 temporadas)

“I have the most ill-regulated memory. It does those things which it ought not to do and leaves undone the things it ought to have done. But it has not yet gone on strike altogether.” I've been reading Dorothy L Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey novels. Set in the 1920s and 30s, the stories feature an aristocratic private detective in a style similar to Sherlock Holmes. And that quote comes from Lord Peter Wimsey himself. In this week's episode, I share some of the productivity methods these fictional characters followed, as well as some from the biographies of these authors. Links: Email Me | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Linkedin Get the Designing The Perfect Retirement Programme Interview with Harvey Smith Get Your Copy Of Your Time, Your Way: Time Well Managed, Life Well Lived The Working With… Weekly Newsletter Carl Pullein Learning Centre Carl's YouTube Channel Carl Pullein Coaching Programmes Subscribe to my Substack  The Working With… Podcast Previous episodes page Script | 413 Hello, and welcome to episode 413 of the Your Time, Your Way Podcast. A podcast to answer all your questions about productivity, time management, self-development, and goal planning. My name is Carl Pullein, and I am your host of this show.  1920s and 30s England was an interesting time. The country was changing. The First World War broke down many of the class barriers that existed before the war, and while many manual labour jobs remained brutal, conditions were slowly improving.  The way people lived their lives was also changing. There was more leisure time, and cars were becoming more common, giving people more freedom to travel, certainly at weekends.  And yet, with all these changes, there were still some customs and habits people followed that gave them structure and balance. They also used nature far more than we do today. Lives were much simpler; heart attacks and cancer were rare; there was little waste; and recycling was part of life.  It could be asked, what went wrong? I began this episode with a quote from the character Lord Peter Wimsey.  Lord Peter was very much in the style of Sherlock Holmes, and throughout the novels, many of Lord Peter's friends would often accuse him of being “Sherlockian”.  What I noticed about these characters was that in the 1920s and 30s, some customs helped people avoid procrastination.  You can also see these in play in the Downton Abbey and Jeeves and Wooster TV series as well. The first productivity method you will see is that days were structured around meal times. Breakfast was informal, and people ate when they were ready. However, lunch was always a proper meal, not a quick snack taken at a desk. It would have been unthinkable not to take the one-hour lunch break.  Even manual workers would stop for lunch and eat together.  Taking a proper lunch break can do wonders for your productivity. First, it gives you a break from doing tasks, and it should always be eaten with other people.  But the biggest impact on your productivity was having a natural deadline. Because you were dining with others, you had to stop at the right time. No, “I'll just finish this and take a quick lunch break”.  It was down your tools and go out.  This gave you a hard deadline to finish what needed to be finished before lunch. And when you have a hard deadline, Parkinson's law comes in. This is “work fills the time available” If you have two hours to finish a task, it will take you two hours. If you only have an hour, it will take you an hour. What happens is that you enter a deeper state of focus when you are under time pressure. That's how Parkinson's law works. But it can have the reverse effect.  If an email would normally take you 30 minutes to respond to, but you have an hour before your next appointment, that email will take you the full hour to write.  This is why procrastination is now a thing; in the 1920s and 30s, it was rare. The natural mealtime deadlines prevented a lot of procrastination. Today, those mealtimes are woolly and ill-defined, removing a natural deadline, causing you to procrastinate.  What people ate also had an impact. It was largely fish or meat with vegetables. No HPFs (highly processed foods) or low-value carbs. It was foods that didn't mess with your blood sugar, which leads to the afternoon slump. Alcohol was often also included. How on earth deep focused work got done in the afternoons, I don't know.  Dinner was an altogether different affair. The time was set, and you dressed for dinner too. The ladies wore evening gowns, and the gentlemen wore dinner suits (tuxedo for those of you living on the other side of the Atlantic).  This meant if you did have a job and were not of “independent means”, you had to leave work on time to be home in time to dress for dinner.  After dinner was interesting. The ladies would gather together in the drawing room for music and conversation. The gentlemen would retire to the smoking room for brandy, coffee and cigars. There, the day's business was often discussed.  This was the aristocracy, not the middle or working classes. Although even the lower classes treated dinner more formally than we do today. It was the family meal of the day, and everyone was expected to be there.  After that, people often wrote letters, read books, or, in the case of people like Winston Churchill, went back to their studies and did some more work.  And that was something I have noticed. Because there were no fixed working hours for the upper classes, work occurred at all hours of the day. A lot of work happened after dinner, rarely in the early hours of the day.  This gave a lot more flexibility for things like admin and communications. Most letter writing was done late in the day. The founder of the British Intelligence Service (MI6), Sir Mansfield Cumming, would retire to his study after dinner to read through all the papers he'd received that day and send out letters to his agents around the world, often until 2 in the morning.  Yet Cumming was famous for two to three-hour lunches and late starts to the day.  The problems we have today are caused by on-demand entertainment. There's always something to watch on YouTube or Netflix. And our sofas are very tempting after a nice dinner.  Once there, it's a real challenge to get up. Take those temptations away, and what else will you do?  If you think about that for a moment. If a family had dinner together at 7:00 pm, discussed the day, and afterwards joined in an activity, they would be spending quality time together every day.  Then at 9:00 pm, you could go back and clean up your messages, clear any admin tasks for an hour or so and still have time for reading or a hobby.  It's often our fixation with work-life balance that puts unnecessary barriers in our day. No personal stuff during office hours and no work stuff in our personal time.  And yet, what do we do in our personal time? Spend hours in front of a screen, not talking with our family or friends, instead sending WhatsApp messages and commenting on social media posts.  Cal Newport and Tim Ferriss write their books late in the evening. In Cal Newport's case, he spends time with his young family until they go to bed, and then goes to his home office and writes for two or three hours.  Cal Newport is a good example because he's completely rejected social media, so he has time to write after his kids have gone to bed.  Rest was taken very seriously in the 1920s and 30s. A lot of it was social. Parties and weekend getaways.  I've spoken about Ian Fleming's work habits before, particularly when he was in Jamaica writing the next James Bond book. But when he was back in London, he still worked in very much the same way.  Mornings were intensely focused work, followed by a long lunch, then letters, and then home for dinner, or out with a friend. Afterwards, he would go to his study and edit a manuscript or read through the papers he'd received from his foreign correspondents around the world. (He was the foreign news editor at The Sunday Times Newspaper) The most noticeable thing I learned from this era has been to structure your days around meal times. I now do intense creative work in the mornings, followed by more leisurely afternoons, and then, after dinner, go back to doing some work for an hour or two.  I still work for around eight to ten hours a day, but I find that my energy levels remain strong whenever I am working. There are plenty of breaks throughout the day where I can socialise, spend time with my family and still get a lot of work done.  And then there was movement. A lot of movement.  The 1920s and 30s were a lot less convenient than they are today. This meant we had to walk a lot more than we do now.  Weirdly, people have become obsessed with their step count today. They struggle to get even 8,000 steps in. And gyms are everywhere. There were no gyms, and nobody was counting steps back then. They didn't have to. It was natural to walk 10,000+ steps every day. If you wanted food, you had to prepare it; there was no app to order it.  Although the upper classes did have servants who could produce it for them when necessary. But given that refrigerators and microwaves were not a thing then, a sudden order of food would have resulted in a cold meat salad and not much else. As an aside, just do a search for 1950s New York or London and look at the images. There's a significant difference between the size of people then and people today. Yet, no gyms, no smartwatches calculating steps, sleep cycles, or anything else.  It was purely natural. Real food, not processed rubbish, plenty of natural movement, and no gyms.  If you want to be more productive every day, move more. This is really what balance is all about. The so-called work-life balance is a modern concept, but what really matters at life level is the movement-rest balance.  With the right movement-rest balance, your productivity will naturally increase. You will be a lot less mentally tired, and when you do move, you can map out what you will do next.  I find that the biggest benefit of working from home has been that I can get up between work sessions to do the laundry or take Louis out for his walk. It gives me a natural mental break, and I do something physical. That refreshes my brain, and I can come back and do some more mental work feeling energised.  I know it will be impossible to turn back the clock and go back to living the way people did in the 1920s. Technology and cultural changes would make that impossible.  However, there are things we can do, as people did back then, that will naturally increase our productivity.  First, focus on the rest-movement balance. If you're mentally tired, do something physical instead of collapsing on the sofa. If you're physically tired, do something mental.  And move more than you currently do. We have become alarmingly sedate today. Dance while you're cooking or making tea or coffee (I do that hahaha) Eat real food, not processed rubbish, and take proper lunch breaks. Get out, move and socialise if you can. Treat them as a non-negotiable.  Be relaxed about work-life balance. It's not natural. There will be times when the best thing you can do is to clear some backlogs in the evening, and equally, there are times when the best thing you can do at 3:00 pm is go out for a walk or hang out the washing.  Another aside. The worst invention has been the tumble dryer. Before we had them, we had to hang out the washing. This involved bending down to pick up clothes from the washing basket and then reaching up to hang them on the line. Possible one of the best workouts you would ever get.  I know today's episode has been different. I hope you've found it interesting. It's well worth reading some of these older novels to learn how people used to live their lives.  Thank you for listening, and it just remains for me now to wish you all a very, very active, yet productive week.   

On the Overthinking It Podcast, we tackle Fackham Hall, the aristocrat-skewering romp inspired by Downton Abbey, now streaming on HBO Max. Episode 926: Historical Society for the Re-Enactment of “Who's On First” originally appeared on Overthinking It, the site subjecting the popular culture to a level of scrutiny it probably doesn't deserve. [Latest Posts | Podcast (iTunes Link)]

Welcome to Grumpy Old Geeks, where we're starting to notice a patience epidemic! As people get used to barking orders at their AI, they're starting to talk to other humans with the same terse impatience. We discuss the enshittification of social media like Threads, which are now completely overrun with AI-generated slop.This week, we dive into the corporate shenanigans of the tech world. OpenAI was caught secretly funding an advocacy group to push for age verification laws that just so happen to benefit Sam Altman's other company. We also cover Elon Musk's troubles, including all of xAI's co-founders quitting, a SpaceX satellite exploding, and Tesla's "fully autonomous" robotaxis being revealed to have remote human drivers.Plus, we celebrate NASA's successful Artemis II launch, review a fantastic Premiere Pro plugin for multicam editing, and give our thoughts on shows like "The Pit" and "Downton Abbey."Sponsors:SquareSpace - go to squarespace.com/GRUMPY for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, use code GRUMPY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/740Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IpzOakbBftYFOLLOW UPAustria is pursuing a social media ban for kids under 14Group Pushing Age Verification Requirements for AI Turns Out to Be Sneakily Backed by OpenAIOpenAI takes on another “side quest,” buys tech-focused talk show TBPNIN THE NEWSElon Musk's last co-founder reportedly leaves xAISpaceX loses contact with one of its Starlink satellitesSpaceX has reportedly filed for the biggest IPO in historyOpenAI Is Falling Out of Favor With Secondary BuyersOracle Lays Off Thousands to Offset AI SpendingAnthropic leaks part of Claude Code's internal source codeAnthropic is having a monthWikipedia Just Drew the Line on A.I.-Written ContentTesla Admits Its Robotaxis Are Being Driven RemotelyGetting Stuck Inside a Glitching Robotaxi Is a Whole New Thing to Be Scared ofWhite House App Found Tracking Users' Exact Location Every 4.5 Minutes via Third-Party ServerKash Patel's personal email account was accessed by hackers linked to IranNASA's Artemis II Live Mission Coverage (Official Broadcast)MEDIA CANDYThe Hobbit: The Tolkien EditThe PittDTF St. LouisProject Hail MarySUPERGIRL | Official TrailerDownton AbbeyDarker Waves FestivalAPPS & DOODADSBluesky's next product is an AI assistant that helps build custom social media feedsChatGPT app launches for CarPlay on iOS 26.4Apple Removes iPhone Vibe Coding App from App StoreMeta is testing an Instagram Plus subscription service with exclusive featuresWraith Multi-Cam EditorTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingCurrent ReaderJournalist Sues FAA Over Drone No Fly Zone Designed to Prevent Filming ICENicholas Carlini - Black-hat LLMs | [un]prompted 2026See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 I'm delighted to welcome the novelist Emily Howes to the castle to talk about her book The Painter's Daughters, inspired by Gainsborough's portraits of his two girls and the striking shift from their lively childhood images to a stiffer, unhappier adulthood. Emily shares how she researched 18th-century Bath, its muddy, smelly, party-like medical culture, through visits and sources such as James Hamilton's biography, Letters from Bath, and books on travel, while noting how little survives from the daughters' own voices. We discuss Molly's documented illness and Emily's discovery of a possible porphyria link to the Prince of Wales, as well as Gainsborough's finances, his wife's hidden savings, and the sisters' relationship, which Emily likens to Downton Abbey's sister dynamics. Emily also previews her next novel, Mrs Dickens, exploring Catherine Dickens's erasure after Dickens left her for Ellen Turner and the fate of their children.00:46 Why the Daughters03:20 Bath After Covid05:57 Money and Marriage08:18 Research and Sources09:27 Molly Illness Mystery12:21 Sisters and Downton16:05 Blue Boy and Imagination17:25 Gainsborough at Highclere22:23 Next Book Mrs Dickens24:35 Dickens Family Fallout27:53 Catherine After SeparationYou can hear more episodes of Lady Carnarvon's Official Podcasts at https://www.ladycarnarvon.com/podcast/New episodes are published on the first day of every month. 

Fuel your nocturnal healing with a crispy bok choy and ginger-chicken stir-fry, designed to stabilize blood sugar and lock in a day of anti-inflammatory success. #AgeOfAquarius #BodyTemple #AntiInflammatoryDinner #GardenToTable #MetabolicHarmony Pivot Before the Punch   Combating members of the Churches of Hypocrisy and Janky-A** Saints and Micro-Aggressions of Envy.  Remember that "No" is a complete sentence. You are engineering your environment for low inflammation. You are literally building a sanctuary where your nervous system can reset. Peace Vampires hate improvements on your real property and other ways you enhance your own life, because you've created a world where you don't need to complain to feel significant. If anyone asks why you're "hiding" your joy, tell them: "I'm on a strictly anti-inflammatory diet. That includes my social media and my phone calls." Above is Dealing with Professional Martyrs and  Coin-Counting Architects of Envy --> The Rule: If they didn't finance it, they don't get to "feature" in it. The Practice: Stop giving people access to  "Line Items."For example, if you ask about my RV trip or any other vacation/Staycation: "It's just a little road trip for my mental health. How's your garden?" The Strategy: When you withhold the "Details," you withhold the "Daggers." How to Say "Mind Your Business" (The Felicia MD Way) The "Boundary Bump": When they make a slick comment about the pool deck or any other renovation, hit them with,  "I'm really grateful I could stabilize my property. I'm sure you'd do the same! So, what's the news at the church?"(As if you give a damn.) Stay in your resort. Drive your RV. Protect. That. Peace. Stay in your resort. Drive your RV. Protect. That. Peace Are you tired of the static? In a world full of 'ghosts in the machine' and stories that just don't add up, it's time to flip the script. Today on the podcast, we're diving into two anthems of pure empowerment. First, we're hitting 'The Higher Road'—a journey from the bottom to the crown, breaking every chain along the way. Then, we're cutting through the noise with 'Lies are Just Lies', because when the truth is the truth, that's all you really need to move on to better things. Whether you're the architect of your own flavor or the main character of your own story, this episode is your soundtrack for standing tall. Tune in now. Rise up, walk in victory, and leave the lies behind. "In 1936, the only thing more dangerous than a secret downstairs was a Nazi in the drawing room." The Gilded & The Gritty-Breaking down 2010 Upstairs Downstairs Episode: 165 Eaton Place – New Money, Nazi Sisters, and Forbidden Desires The "New" Hollands: Meet Sir Hallam and Lady Agnes. He's the diplomat with the checkbook; she's the "land-poor" aristocrat with the title. Together, they're trying to polish a mothballed legacy while the world outside begins to burn. The "Persie" Problem: Lady Persephone Towyn isn't just a rebellious debutante—she's a cautionary tale. Inspired by the real-life Mitford Sisters, Persie trades tea parties for Blackshirt rallies and high-stakes affairs with Nazi diplomats. The Irony of the Elite: We dive into the staggering hypocrisy of Persie's "illegal" abortion. While the Fascist rhetoric she spews celebrates "pure motherhood," her own life is a masterclass in using upper-class privilege to bypass the laws of the land. Downstairs Dangers: It's 1939, and the servants aren't just polishing silver. We discuss the "Lavender Danger"—the criminal risks for gay staff like Johnny Proude—and how the BUF used populist rhetoric to radicalize the working class. The "Downton" Death Blow: Why did the 2010 reboot vanish after two seasons? Between the exit of original icons Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins and the sunnier, soapier juggernaut of Downton Abbey, 165 Eaton Place simply ran out of time. 1970s vs. 2010: A look at how "taboos" evolved from the whispered library scandals of the original series to the visceral, political grenades of the reboot. The Architecture of Truth In this episode of TNFRO is Reading, we're stripping away the "static" and the mental noise. We dive deep into two powerful anthems that serve as blueprints for resilience and integrity. Whether you're building your own staircase or flipping the script on a "glitch in the screen," today is about reclaiming your frequency and walking in victory. What's In This Episode: The Higher Road: An anthem of personal evolution and breaking every chain. Lies are Just Lies: A bold confrontation about choosing the truth over the distortion. The Architect Mindset: Why the stones they throw are exactly what you need to build your staircase. Clearing the Smoke: How to stop engaging with the "static" and move on to better things.   Check out my music on Spotify and Apple or wherever you listen to music! The official videos are on YouTube. Stream and stream often! Navigate to https://linktr.ee/tnfroisreading to check out all coffee and book options. Seasonal Affective Disorder Is Treatable and all of us should be about fixing our mental health always.... If you are searching for help and direction in your struggles with depression and addiction Call 1-800-273-8255 Available 24 hours everyday   There is also an online chat feature https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/   And if Vodka is the problem, call  1-800-662-HELP (4357) for 24/7 help. Please reach out to find joy in this season!    

Prince Andrew's decision to host a party for Ghislaine Maxwell at Sandringham—where sex drugs like poppers were reportedly found—reads less like royal history and more like a bad dark comedy. The idea of a Queen's residence being turned into something resembling a low-rent Sopranos episode is almost surreal. The whole scene feels like parody: the Duke of York, standing beneath portraits of British monarchs, presiding over a soirée that sounds like Downton Abbey crashing headfirst into Trainspotting. It's especially grotesque given Epstein's reputation for avoiding drugs himself—he didn't need them, he used them on others. The thought of those same tools of control and exploitation making their way into a royal estate is equal parts absurd and revolting.What makes it worse is the total lack of accountability. The Palace still tries to frame these scandals as “private matters,” as though international sex trafficking and narcotics at royal residences can be brushed under the Windsor rug. Every new revelation cements Andrew as a man incapable of understanding—or even pretending to care about—the damage he's done to the Crown's image. Once considered a symbol of British decorum, Sandringham now sits as a monument to how far the monarchy has fallen, its history tainted by the stench of scandal and the arrogance of a prince who believed himself untouchable. In the end, Prince Andrew didn't just disgrace himself—he made royal scandal feel like a recurring sketch in a show that refuses to end.to contact me:source:Sex drugs 'found at party' disgraced Andrew hosted for Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in Sandringham, new Royal book claims | Daily Mail Online

Tyler and Konnery are joined by friendly neighborhood Spider-fan to cover the first official MCU Spider-film with "Spider-Man: Homecoming"! Together they discuss how the humor, energy, and casting contribute heavily to this successful Spider-romp, analyze Tony's surrogate parenting, question if Happy is getting enough Downton Abbey into his weekly schedule, Michael Keaton's effortlessly complex villainy, and so much more on this web-slinging episode of The Friendchise Podcast!   TikTok Threads Instagram What's New: Kon: Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBOMax) Tyler: The Wrecking Crew (Prime Video), Aliens vs Avengers by Jonathan Hickman Sebastian: My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen (Crunchyroll) Have a message for The Friendchise? Send an under-3 minute voice memo to: thefriendchisepodcast@gmail.com

Everyone is back in London, and what happened at the cottage has to stay at the cottage. Sophie takes a position below stairs at Bridgerton House, placing her firmly within the family orbit but very much outside its privileges. Benedict struggles with the distance that uniform creates, and when he makes what he believes is a generous offer, it lands as something else entirely. Meanwhile, Lady Danbury nudges Alice into a public role she never asked for, Francesca says the quiet part out loud, and Violet redefines ‘the tea'. Featuring: - Capital-p Plot - Snack wars - The rules of society - Visual metaphors - The importance of good sex education - Lack of Stakes - Buttons…and buttons - Alternative History - The importance of good communication - Sapphic panic - Tea as a sex drink - The Bridgerton Brother (Finger) Bang Here are is the media we talk about in this episode: - Bridgerton, a television series - An Offer from a Gentleman, a book by Julia Quinn - Cinderella, a fairytale - Downton Abbey, a television series - Queen Charlotte, a mini-series - It's in His Kiss by Julia Quinn - RuPaul's Drag Race, a television series - To Sir Phillip, With Love, a book by Julia Quinn - Lady Chatterley's Lover, a book by DH Lawrence - Pretty Little Liars, a television series - Younger, a television series - North and South, a television mini-series - Les Misérables, a film by Tom Hooper - Notting Hill, a film by Roger Michell - Romancing Mr Bridgerton, a book by Julia Quinn - ‘bad idea right?', a song by Olivia Rodrigo - Heartbreak High, a television show - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a television show Some extra notes: - Benedict's lover in season 3 is named Tilly - Sutton Foster's character in Younger is named Liza Our guest host this episode is friend of the podcast Patrick Lenton. You can hear more from Patrick on instagram, his fantastic newsletter Nonsense or read his fabulous debut novel, In Spite of You. For your TBR, Patrick brought Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson. Don't forget you can find us on facebook @bridgertonpod and instagram and bluesky @wwddpod and join the conversation using the hashtag #WWDDpod. Please follow us on your favourite podcast provider! Leaving a 5-star rating and a review will not only help us find more listeners, but also help you achieve real pinnacles. This episode was recorded on the traditional and unceded land of the Kaurna, Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung people. Our editor is Ben McKenzie of Splendid Chaps Productions. If you need production work completed, you can find them here: splendidchaps.com