Podcasts about ensuring

Welcome back to another episode of Data Driven! This time, hosts Andy Leonard and Frank La Vigne sit down with Jim Spignardo, Director of Cloud Strategy and AI Enablement at ProArch, to explore the transformative role of AI and data engineering in critical industries. From the challenges of bringing modern AI solutions into traditional sectors like power generation and manufacturing, to the real-world impact of tools like Copilot, this episode dives deep into automation, return on investment, and the importance of outcome-driven technology adoption.Along the way, Jim Spignardo shares hands-on stories and key lessons learned, such as how modernization happens gradually in high-stakes environments, and why ROI modeling and project management are crucial to successful innovation. Whether you're curious about Azure AI Foundry or the future of workplace automation, this is an episode packed with practical insights and tales from the cutting edge of AI implementation.LinksJim on LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/spignardo/Watch on YouTube -https://youtu.be/XBDpsi4f0YYTime Stamps00:00 ROI Journey with Copilot04:57 Building with Azure AI Foundry08:23 Implementing AI for Power Plants12:22 Discussing 19.2K networks in power plants14:00 Ensuring data security in devices17:59 Cloud integration for IT operations23:30 Discussing RPO, RTO, and ROI modeling24:48 Switching from hobbyist to manufacturing30:15 Introducing our AI platform Vector34:34 AI Spend and ROI Dashboard36:47 Improving meeting notes integration40:48 AI in Manufacturing for Troubleshooting45:41 Managing AI Tool Adoption47:51 Tracking ROI and user intensity52:03 Consulting firms spotting product chances55:17 Increasing delivery speed with AI56:55 Automating the house routine

Artificial Intelligence Governance, Risk, and Compliance: Ensuring Trust, Security, and Ethics in AI-Based System by Dr. Kellep A. Charles AIGP CISSP https://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Intelligence-Governance-Risk-Compliance/dp/B0GYJD5D6X Kellepcharles.com Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing many industries, but with its power comes responsibility. “AI Governance: Ensuring Trust, Security, and Ethics in AI-Based Systems” is your guide to navigating the challenges of responsible AI development and deployment. Written by cybersecurity expert Dr. Kellep A. Charles, this essential resource connects AI innovation with ethical practices. Whether you are a cybersecurity professional, data scientist, business leader, policymaker, or student, this book offers practical frameworks for managing AI risks, ensuring compliance, and creating trustworthy systems. Inside, you’ll find: Foundational AI concepts and the development of machine learning technologies Insights into agentic AI systems, including their benefits, risks, and governance needs Real-world applications of the NIST AI Risk Management Framework Strategies for managing the entire AI development lifecycle Practical threat modeling and security testing methods for AI systems Techniques for data governance, privacy protection, and reducing bias Current laws, standards, and regulations such as GDPR and the EU AI Act Step-by-step guidance for creating AI cybersecurity frameworks Protocols for incident response, monitoring, and maintaining deployed AI systems Tools, certifications, and organizational resources for AI security testing What makes this book unique? It includes real-world case studies, detailed checklists, sample governance policies, and templates for assessing AI impact. This book turns abstract AI ethics into concrete action plans. It addresses critical risks like model poisoning, adversarial attacks, data protection, and algorithmic fairness, providing practical strategies for mitigation. It is ideal for professionals seeking AIGP certification, organizations establishing AI governance programs, or anyone dedicated to responsible AI innovation. The book offers easy-to-understand explanations for non-technical readers while delivering the depth that practitioners need. Create AI systems that are powerful yet transparent, accountable, and aligned with human values. In a time when AI failures can have serious consequences, this book shows you how to ensure AI serves everyone safely and ethically. Learn to manage AI before it manages you.

Aug. 12, 2026- We explore legislation requiring homeless shelters provide access to high-speed wireless internet. Our guests are Daniel Schwarz, senior privacy and technology strategist for the New York Civil Liberties Union, and Milton Perez, a member of Vocal-NY's homelessness union.

Major Saud Al Shaiba, Head of Awareness Section at Sharjah Police, joins the Morning Majlis team to discuss the ongoing successful Sharjah Police Summer Campaign, that is in place to inform and educate the commuity about safety precautions they should take prior to leaving their house to go on holiday. Major Saud Al Shaiba also intently informs us on the importance of vehicle inspections upon returning from your holidays, especially when it comes to the tyre quality and condition. Listen in to gain a full understanding of the valuable and useful tips you and your family should be using in order to travel stress free. Listen to #Pulse95Radio in the UAE by tuning in on your radio (95.00 FM) or online on our website: www.pulse95radio.com ************************ Follow us on Social. www.facebook.com/pulse95radio www.twitter.com/pulse95radio www.instagram.com/pulse95radio

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Travis Arledge, Pioneer Veterinary Clinic, Drs. Val Baumgart and Boone Schmitz, United Veterinary Services, and Dr. Melissa Detwiler from Heritage Vet Partners. This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Heritage Vet Partners, the sponsors of the childcare room at the AABP Annual Conference. Find out more information about Heritage Vet Partners at this link.  Arledge discusses participation with the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine and their role in the distributive program. He was awarded the Excellence in Practice Partner Service from more than 150 participating clinics. Arledge discusses the benefits to his practice for finding associates from the students who complete their externships with him. Baumgart was recently highlighted in Bovine Veterinarian Magazine for being the first female veterinarian at United Veterinary Services. She discusses her experiences and how it has shaped current relationships with students and associates, as well as the benefits of having a multi-generational team of veterinarians. Schmitz joined United Veterinary Services after graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2026. He describes his experiences as a student and how that developed his interest in joining this practice after graduation. Detwiler discusses her experiences with students and the importance of identifying barriers for students in gaining rural practice experiences. Ensuring your practice is welcoming to all levels of backgrounds and experiences will improve recruitment and sustainability of rural veterinary medicine.  Our panel encourages veterinarians to welcome students to their practice, demonstrate rural practice as a career path, and use externships to develop relationships with students to recruit your next associate. Find out about the AABP externship grants here and list your practice on the AABP website by going to this page. AABP also asks members to serve as mentors in our mentorship program. You can sign up to serve as a mentor on this page. 

The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) writes (Parashat Vayeseh) that the modern practice of cleaning oneself after defecating with dry paper, without using water, is Halachically incorrect. Halacha forbids praying, reciting Berachot or earning if even a tiny amount of excrement is present on the body, and it is impossible to ensure the complete elimination of all traces of excrement from the surface of one's body without water. It is therefore strongly advisable when possible to have a bidet installed in one's restroom so he can clean himself with water. If one does not have a bidet, or uses a restroom that does not have a bidet, he must at least use moist toilet paper, or moisten the toilet paper before cleaning himself, so he ensures to clean himself properly. If one has no possibility of cleaning himself with water, then he must take the time to clean himself very well with paper. The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 3:11), based on the Gemara (Shabbat 82a), writes that one should not use a flammable material to clean himself after defecating, as this could pose danger. The Rama (Rav Moshe Isserles, Poland, 1530-1572) cites the Sefer Ha'aguda (Rav Alexander Suslin, Germany, d. 1349) as claiming that this applies only when one is outside a city, where there is a risk of evil spirits. Under normal circumstances, however, there is no concern when cleaning oneself with a flammable material. The Rama writes that he does not understand the rationale of this distinction, but he acknowledges that common practice is to disregard this warning and allow using flammable material for cleaning oneself. The Magen Abraham (Rav Avraham Gombiner, Poland, d. 1682) suggests that in open areas, outside the city, one is exposed to spells cast by magicians, and this is the reason for the distinction drawn by the Sefer Ha'aguda. In any event, the Aruch Ha'shulhan (Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein, 1829-1908) writes that as these magicians are no longer common in the modern world, we need not be concerned, and thus people do not hesitate to use flammable paper to clean themselves.

Pirasaanth Varatharajan (@thepvrajan) is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), real estate investor and co-founder of Foundation Capital. After starting his career at PwC and later becoming a Partner at Galleon CPA, he transitioned into building a real estate private equity firm focused on multifamily investing, asset management and helping investors create long-term wealth beyond traditional investing.He joins Ara on this episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss realizing that "the game" was played a certain way, why delaying gratification and avoiding lifestyle inflation changed his financial trajectory, lessons from investing in crypto before his exchange collapsed, why debt isn't as dangerous as many people believe, building wealth through real estate and the mindset shifts that separate financial freedom from time freedom.If you've ever wondered how financially successful people think differently about wealth, risk, debt and long-term investing, this episode is for you.Follow Pirasaanth:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pirasaanth/)    Timestamps00:19 — Ara introduces this week's guest, Pirasaanth Varatharajan (PV)01:18 — Growing up in Jane & Finch; building street smarts & hustling Pokemon cards03:59 — Realizing that trading time for money at PWC wasn't sustainable05:38 — Starting his real estate journey; seeing someone do it first07:20 — Knowing someone who knew someone who had retired at 3010:44 — From duplexes and triplexes to collecting as many properties as possible13:51 — The role discipline plays in PV structuring his deals16:43 — What is the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)?17:51 — Ensuring business transparency with investors through social stories, live streams, etc.19:47 — Some investment advice for high income earners21:41 — Financial learning lessons from early on his career24:21 — Shifting his mindset from financial freedom to time freedom26:11 — The need for mental stimulation seemingly never going away27:40 — Investment options Foundation Capital offers; private REIT and purpose built rentals30:21 — Fear of risk when expanding Foundation Capital's offering?33:40 — Why the market isn't being corrected despite rentals being more affordable?36:14 — Does PV feel connected to the Tamil community?37:09 — Wealth building myths the Tamil community should rethink39:36 — How he diversifies his wealth40:29 — Advice he would give his 16-year-old self; work on sales44:18 — Personal legacy, compound interest, and delayed gratification48:45 — Creator Confessions58:32 — The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan        Support the show

In this episode of The Private Equity Podcast, Alex Rawlings is joined by Adrian Siew, Managing Director at Rothschild & Co and co-leader of its GP Solutions practice.Adrian explains why continuation vehicles have become an increasingly important part of the private equity market and how firms can use them to generate liquidity, retain high-performing assets and strengthen relationships with investors.The conversation explores the rapid growth of the secondaries market, the pressure created by longer hold periods and slower exit activity, and why continuation vehicles should be considered alongside traditional exit routes rather than treated as a last resort.Adrian also outlines the characteristics of a strong continuation vehicle, including a compelling investment narrative, attractive return potential, meaningful GP alignment, LPAC support and a clear path to exit.Key HighlightsWhy continuation vehicles have experienced significant growthHow dedicated secondary capital has accelerated adoptionWhy many leading private equity firms have completed multiple CV transactionsThe benefits of providing liquidity while retaining high-conviction assetsWhy a continuation vehicle should not be the option of last resortHow slower distributions have affected LP investment programmesThe role of secondaries in portfolio optimisation and capital recyclingHow CVs can strengthen sponsor and LP relationshipsThe importance of transparency, optionality and LPAC engagementThe key indicators of a high-quality continuation vehicleCareer opportunities within the expanding secondaries marketTimestamps00:00 – Introduction to Adrian Siew and Rothschild & Co's GP Solutions practice00:59 – Why continuation vehicles are growing so quickly01:29 – The evolution of fund restructurings into continuation vehicles01:58 – Growth in dedicated secondary-market capital02:25 – Increasing adoption among leading private equity firms02:53 – Benefits for GPs, LPs and management teams03:39 – The biggest mistake firms make when considering a CV04:46 – Longer hold periods, slower exits and fundraising pressure05:16 – Why LPs are manufacturing their own liquidity06:14 – Restarting the private markets capital flywheel06:43 – The contribution of CVs to LP distributions07:12 – Secondaries as a strategic portfolio-management tool08:39 – Portfolio optimisation and greater flexibility for LPs09:37 – How continuation vehicles affect sponsor-LP relationships10:05 – Giving existing LPs liquidity and rollover optionality11:03 – What separates a good CV from a bad transaction11:23 – Building a credible investment narrative11:52 – Ensuring sufficient upside remains in the asset12:21 – GP alignment and commitment to the next phase13:18 – LPAC support and establishing a clear exit strategy14:10 – Adrian's recommended reading14:39 – Careers in secondaries and how to contact Adrian15:35 – Closing remarksRaw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.Upcoming Webinar:Join Alex Rawlings on 18 August at 3:30 PM BST for How Top Private Equity Firms Run Their Executive Hiring Process.Discover how leading firms define roles, assess candidates and build a more effective executive hiring process.Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/650UiYAJQ9CWzPkIUGXmrg#/registration

In Episode 74 of the State of the Market for Law Firm Sales in 11 Minutes, Senior Attorney Match's Jeremy E. Poock, Esq. addresses the following: The 2 Reasons Why Senior Attorney Sellers Want Purchasing Law Firms to Win Reason #1 for why Senior Attorney sellers want purchasing law firms to win:   Financial   Considering that most sales of Senior Attorney-led law firms involve earnout payment terms, selling attorneys want a purchasing firm to win because:   The more clients from a selling law firm's Book of Business that a purchasing firm represents means the greater amount paid to a selling attorney(s) via earnout terms that typically include negotiated fee sharing terms paid during a negotiated number of years.   Reason #2 for why Senior Attorney sellers want purchasing law firms to win:   Legacy   As Poock explains, Sellers want purchasers to win for the following 3 legacy related reasons:   1. Ensuring that clients of a selling law firm will continue to benefit from ongoing, competent and zealous representation.   2. Making sure that the staff of a selling law firm continue to have ongoing employment with a purchasing law firm.   3. The satisfaction of helping a purchasing firm succeed post-sale in terms of:   (i) Adding new clients;   (ii) Welcoming the talented and experienced lawyer and non-lawyer staff of a selling law firm; and   (iii) Benefiting from the subject matter knowledge that a selling attorney(s) has developed over the course of decades.

Peter Huessy explains the foundation of U.S. nuclear strategy is the triad, ensuring launch capabilities from land, sea, and air. Developed after the 1957 Sputnik launch, this framework replaced "massive retaliation" with "flexible response." Huessy explains that this survivable deterrent prevents adversaries from achieving a total victory with a single strike. Despite calls for unilateral disarmament, the triad remains essential for holding at risk what adversaries value most. (7)1953 ATOMIC CANNON LAS VEGAS

We continue to look at the life and times of Uno no Sarara, aka Jito Tenno, female sovereign ruling in her own right.  We look at some of the places she traveled to as sovereign and, ultimately, what she did to ensure that her grandson would succeed her. For more, check our podcast blog page:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-154 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 154: Queen Uno no Sarara, Part II   Light drifted in from outside the grand audience hall.  It filtered through barred windows and screens, and glinted off of bright gold and bronze accents, as well as the polished stone floor.  Upon a raised dais, surrounded by curtains, sat the tennou, arrayed in all of his youthful majesty.  Before him were princes and high ranking nobles, dressed in their finest court clothing.  Rich brocades of silk and black gauze hats only added to the pomp and circumstance of the moment. The nobles bowed and brought out a small tray.  Upon it were seventeen scrolls, freshly made, representing the latest updates to the laws and punishments of the land.  The nobles presented the work they had overseen, the culmination of a year's effort to further bring into line the organization of the state.  Off to the side, behind a screen of her own, Uno no Sarara watched the proceedings.  She thought back on all that had happened to bring them to this point.  This glittering hall was a far cry from the plain wooden structures of the old Kiyomihara palace.  And while she had never visited them, she could only imagine that this must rival the courts on the continent.  Everything that she and her husband had worked and fought for—all of the battles  they had fought, and all of the friends and children they had lost—she watched as it all came to fruition. The court was never going to be entirely peaceful—there would always be those striving for wealth and power, however they could attain it—but at this moment she no doubt felt as confident as she ever had that her efforts hadn't been for naught.  No matter what happened from here, the State, and her line, would continue.   So let's recap: We started with Part I of Uno no Sarara's reign back in episode 152, and then last episode we took a bit of a detour to go more in depth on the history of Ise and of the worship of Amaterasu more generally.  We talked about how there is good reason to believe that Ise shrine's prominence—and even many of the stories about Amaterasu and her importance in the story of the royal family—were either created or at least emphasized during the reigns of Ohoama and Uno no Sarara.  We ended with a discussion of the Jingikan, the newly created government organization developed to deal with so-called "Kami Matters", formally bringing the administration various shrines under the administration of the State.  Specifically it seems to have focused on State sponsored rituals.  I have no doubt that they took charge of the rituals at court itself, and they were likely involved in the worship at Ise Shrine, as well as the shrines of Tatsuta and Hirose.  On the other hand, as with the spread of Buddhist temples, direct State control was likely limited, at least at this stage, likely focused on the most influential institutions. This episode I want to continue with Uno no Sarara's reign.  She continued to make her mark on the court, tweaking how things worked, especially around the concept of rank.  And then there were her various travels.  These were mostly to her palace in Yoshino, but several other journeys, including a tour of the land of Kii—modern Wakayama prefecture—as well as a visit to her half-sister, Royal Princess Asuka. For all of that, however, the entry in the Nihon Shoki ends with what was perhaps one of the most direct and unique things she did:  Ensuring a smooth transition of power to her grandchild, Prince Karu. And while in this episode we'll (spoiler alert) cover both this power transition and Uno no Sarara's eventual death, we won't be done with her reign and its impact after this episode.  After all, there is still a lot going on around this time, and multiple different threads to pull on.  I expect several more episodes to cover things, such as the creation of hunting and fishing preserves, Buddhist merit-making, crime and punishment, and more.  There are also a few more people to talk about, such as Kakinomoto no Hitormaro, the court poet, and Fujiwara no Fubito and the establishment of the Fujiwara family as we know it.    So let's take a look at Uno no Sarara and what she was up to. She was still very much putting her stamp on things, tweaking the codes and making edicts.  One of the more impactful edicts would seem to be one where she had the government officials and people of the Home provinces all divided into nine classes.  This seems to be introducing yet another rank system, though this one is a bit more technical than the ones that came before. For one thing, it divided everyone up into nine ranks.  To do this, the court were going to take a look at a period of up to 6 years for those who already had rank and up to 7 years for those who did not.  The court—presumably court appointed judges—would use that period to evaluate individuals and slot them into a new system of nine classes.  Those in the first four classes would be given cap-rank based on their individual merits, the services that they had performed, and the importance of their house.  There isn't really a mention about the other five classes, but as they were theoretically the lower classes of society, it may not have been quite so pertinent.  BTW, of the three things that they were using to determine cap-rank, that last one, the importance of the individual's house, strikes me as the nod to the fact that the Japanese had not yet gotten away from the idea of "kabane" type hierarchy.  Granted, it isn't like family was unimportant in the Tang court, the Japanese were just being much more blatant and direct about it. Once everyone was properly sorted into the appropriate cap-rank, new edicts were issued on the official court clothing, which we discussed in Episode 150, and if you check out the blogpost you should be able to see what that looked like. I would note that the cap-rank system would eventually go away and be replaced by a rank system also based on 9 ranks, which then were broken up into upper and lower and junior and senior, so very similar to what we see with cap-rank, with some slight changes.  Uno no Sarara continued to make tweaks to the system, while working on the various large scale projects of the reign.  She wasn't exactly a homebody, however.  As she did all of this, she was regularly taking trips away from the capital. For example, between 689 and 697 she took at least 30 trips to visit Yoshino, sometimes taking as many as five trips in a year.  These were often short—a couple of days and then back to the grind of the court.  However, that's all that we get.  Based on the dates, we can at least make a few inferences.  For one, she was going down in all seasons, so she really must have enjoyed it, and it doesn't seem like it was attached to any particular official date or ritual.  Perhaps it just got her away from the pressure of official life. Some of her travel appear to have been work trips.  Her travel to Ise, which we talked about in the previous episodes, as well as things like traveling to visit the Castle of Takayasu and also to inspect horses at the embankment of Wani-no-kami.  Those appear to have been both trips where she was keeping an eye on things. Other trips, however, provide fewer details.  Mostly we know where she went.  This included trips to Hatsuse, Kii, Takamiya, and Yonabari, in Uda.  We are also told she ascended the Peak of Tou no Mine and later that she made another journey out to the Futatsuki Palace—presumably at the same place.  And we also have a trip out to the country-house of Royal Princess Asuka. Now Hatsuse, Kii, and Uda are all places we've previously talked about.  They are all on the Kii peninsula.  Hatsuse—or Hase—and Yonabari, in Uda, are both due east of modern Sakurai, following the Yamato upriver and then branching off to the aptly named Yonabari river.  These areas are well-referenced in the rest of the Nihon Shoki.  "Kii" is a bit more ambiguous.  Kii refers to the entire land of Kii, or Kii no Kuni—by the way, if you are familiar with the Japanese bookseller "Ki-no-kuni-ya", that name directly references the land of Kii as the family who started it were from Wakayama in Kii, where they served under the Kishu—or Kii—branch of the Tokugawa family during the Edo period.  That said, there were others who also used the name "Kinokuni" as a locative name as well, and you will occasionally see it here or there, even outside of the famous bookstore. The land of Kii is basically all of the southern Kii peninsula.  On the west side, it starts at roughly Wakayama, and includes the mountainous regions south of the Nara basin, wrapping around to the east side of the peninsula, to just south of Ise.  Today it is split between Wakayama prefecture and parts of Mie prefecture, including the towns of Kihoku—literally "Northern Kii"—and Taiki—"Big Kii".  Today, "Taiki" is part of the Watarai district, Watarai being the name of the location where Ise shrine was located.  So you can see that Kii basically included everything from one side of the peninsula to the other. Most of the time, though, I would generally assume that travel to Kii is a reference to the nearby area of Wakayama, especially as there are other references to that area in the form of hunting and fishing restrictions, which we'll discuss more fully in a later episode. This particular trip to Kii sounds like it was a bit of a longer trip, incorporating several locations.  We know that it took roughly eleven days—about a week and a half.  That's enough time to do quite a bit of sightseeing.  In fact, shortly before leaving, Uno no Sarara says that she is going on a "tour" of the land of Kii, and as such the land-tax and poll-tax for Kii would not be collected for a year, since, instead, they were expected to support her visit so that she could travel in appropriate style and so that temporary palaces could be made available for her use.  Kii is an interesting place for Uno no Sarara to visit.  It is mentioned occasionally throughout the chronicles, and its position puts it squarely in Yamato's sphere of influence.  At the same time, its mountainous nature means that it was never quite as populated as regions like the Nara basin or the Kawachi plains, where the large, flat areas were better suited to wet rice paddy agriculture.  In Kii, there are only a few areas really suitable for supporting large populations through agriculture alone, and even today the mountains make travel and construction in the area more difficult, so you don't have the highly concentrated population centers as in other regions.  The area around modern Wakayama city provides some of the best land for agriculture, with some other coastal regions as well. But it is mountains that Kii is known for, and the mountains often have spiritual significance.  Mt. Koya, or Koyasan, would be found in 805 as the center of Shingon Buddhism, but well before that you have the Kumano shrines, also known as the Kumano Sanzan—the three mountains of Kumano. There is a lot of evidence that worship at the three mountains of Kumano was heavily influenced by Buddhism and Buddhist traditions, but that this was a later influence on areas that were already important spiritual sites well before Buddhism arrived in the archipelago.  The exact nature of worship is debated, but the area was important, with "Kumano" once treated as its own land, overseen by the Kumano Kuni no Miyatsuko.  The deities of Kumano and the area more generally features in the Nihon Shoki in the legendary stories of Iware Biko, aka Jimmu Tenno. The Kumano shrines are, ultimately, a series of shrines in the Kumano region, roughly 20-40 kilometers from each other.  There are three main shrines—Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and Kumano Nachi Taisha—known as the three mountains.  There are numerous other shrines as well.  There are three main deities worshipped, but then also another nine that are considered important as well, for at least twelve kami.  The three main kami – Kumano Musubi no Ohokami, Hayatama no Ohokami, and Ketsumi Mikoto Ohokami – are also considered to be manifestations of Izanami, Izanagi, and Susano'o.  Izanami and Izanagi are famously the progenitor kami of the archipelago, while Susano'o is the storm and ocean deity said to be the rambunctious and troublesome brother to Amaterasu Ohokami.   It is quite likely that the connection with these other kami—who feature prominently in the later stories, was actually a later addition.  Similarly, around the 9th century, the Kumano shrines were heavily influenced by Buddhism, which often co-opted indigenous kami worship by associating the native kami with incarnations of Buddhist figures.  In this case:  Thousand-armed Kannon, Yakushi—or the Medicine—Buddha, and Amithabha.  I must say that associating Amithaba—or Amida—with Susano'o seems like a bold move.  The deity who tossed a backwards flayed colt into Amaterasu's weaving hut is also the Buddha who made the promise that all who call on his name would find their way to the western pure land? I guess. Together, the kami of Kumano are known as the Kumano Gongen, and there is a pilgrimage trail, even today, that leads between the various shrines and peaks, as well as various temple complexes in the area. There is one other interesting connection with Kumano shrines, and that is the fact that there is a Kumano Taisha up in the Izumo region.  Today, they claim that despite the names being identical, there are no actual ties between Kumano Taisha and the Kumano Sanzan.  The Kumano Taisha of Izumo is actually considered the Ichinomiya, or most important shrine, of Izumo—even more important than the famous Izumo shrine, itself.  It lies 30 minutes south of modern Matsue, and enshrines a kami known as Kushi-mikenu-no-Mikoto, said to be another name for none other than the famous Susano'o. Kumano Taisha claims to have been first mentioned in the Nihon Shoki back in the time of Takara Hime, aka Saimei Tennou, in an entry from 659, though that entry simply states that the Izumo no Miyatsuko was to repair the shrine of the "Itsuki" kami, and doesn't specifically mention Kumano Taisha by name.  There is an entry attributed to the Izumo fudoki, which claims a shrine was located on Mt. Kumano, identified with modern day Tenguyama.  And then, Kumano Taisha appears in the Engi Shiki in the 10th century.  Suffice it to say, there are many different ways that this can be interpreted. Scholars have attempted to look into the potential connections between Kumano Taisha in Izumo and the Kumano Gongen of Wakayama, but it does not appear that there is a fully formed consensus.  I would note that we certainly see various important worship centers branching out throughout the archipelago, setting up branches elsewhere, and we also see the association of various local kami with other, more famous kami, making the claim that they are simply another name for the same entity.  This would appear to be one way to bring different groups into communion with each other, as it were, and helping to gloss over the potential difficulties found in diverse belief and worship practices. As a side note, there is at least one other Kumano Taisha of note, found up in the Tohoku region.  It claims to be the "Ise of Tohoku", with a focus on Izanami and Izanagi.  It seems to claim a founding around the early 9th century at the Tenno's request.  Given that, I think we can ignore it for our current discussion. To bring this all back around, it is unclear if Uno no Sarara's tour of Wakayama included the Kumano shrines at this time.  Certainly Kumano would play an important role in the legends and stories that the court was putting together, but what structures were in place at this point in the story are unclear.  Her tour may have focused much more on the area around modern Wakayama.  Her tour of the area took a total of eleven days, which is more than enough time to have seen a fair bit of the area, and certainly would have been enough time to get down to the Kumano region, but we don't have any clear details that I see to say exactly what happened. Still, I do find it interesting to look at the juxtaposition of the Kumano shrine story with that of Ise.  Both took on some aspects of the official stories of the founding of Japan and appear to have been important shrines for the court to some extent, and both the trip to Ise and the trip to Kumano were events such that local taxes were commuted for a time to help pay for the royal visit. But whereas Ise would go on to reject the merging of Buddhism with local kami worship, Kumano appears to have embraced it.  Kumano worship took on a highly syncretic character, with Buddhism and Kami worship becoming inextricably intertwined, maintaining that character even today, despite numerous historical attempts to extricate the two from each other. Ultimately, Ise shrine would take pride of place as the national shrine of the royal family, but I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Kumano had been more ascendant. Getting back to our discussion of Uno no Sarara's various peregrinations:  we also have what appear to be two trips up to Tou-no-mine—the modern pronunciation for the name which Aston transliterates as "Tamu no Mine".  This is the peak where, about forty years earlier, Takara Hime is said to have built a circular enclosure and called "Futa-tsuki" or two "Tsuki" trees palace.  It was also known as "Ama-tsu-miya", the Heavenly Palace.  The modern Tou-no-mine is a mountain to the southeast of Asuka, however, there is also a theory that the Tou-no-mine and Futa-tsuki palace were actually on a small hill just due east of the Kiyomihara palace site.  This is where we find walls, the Sakafune-ishi stone, and other examples of work from the time when the Futa-tsuki palace would have been built. That said, to get to Tou-no-mine, we are told it was a two day trip—one day out and one day back.  That said, it wouldn't have all been spent traveling.  In fact, Tou-no-mine, today, is under two hours walking distance.  The site by the palace is much closer, and the entry for going to the Futatsuski is only mentioned on a single day.  So none of that is particularly helpful, in my opinion.  Ultimately, we know that it was a location near Asuka and that it was associated with Takara Hime, the last female sovereign in her own right—even though her reign was arguably run largely by her son, Crown Prince Naka no Oe. Speaking of whom, Naka no Oe was not only the father of Uno no Sarara, but also of Royal Princess Asuka.  So when Uno no Sarara went to Asuka's country house, also known as the Denso or Tadokoro, she was actually going to pay a visit on her own half-sister.  By the way, "country-house" is the Aston translation.  A more direct translation might be something like "Field Place".  It was a private estate belonging to powerful families, such as the local elites—or in this case the royal family.  It is a rare glimpse into the living conditions of those royal princes and princesses who were not resident in the palace itself.  I do find it interesting that it specifically identifies the royal princess and not some male relative or husband—and Uno no Sarara isn't really noted as visiting a lot of family members all over the place.  I've seen a suggestion that Asuka may have been married to Prince Osakabe, one of Temmu's sons, but if so it is interesting that Uno no Sarara goes to visit *her* house and not *his* house. Princess Asuka is not mentioned much, but given this and a few other things—including being mentioned in the Man'yoshu in connection with a poem by the famous Kakinomoto no Hitomaro—she seemed to be someone important, even though we don't have a lot of information on what that looked like at the time. And with that, we've covered most of Uno no Sarara's travels.  We discussed her near-constant trips to Yoshino, then there were official visits to inspect the fortifications and horses.  Granted, that latter duty was also done just at the palace, in Asuka, so it wasn't necessarily terribly special.  There was her expedition to Ise, which we discussed in a previous episode, and then down to tour the land of Kii.  There were short jaunts out to Hatsuse and Yonabari.  And the largely unexplained visits to Tou-no-mine and the enigmatic Futa-tsuki palace.  Finally, there was a note about her calling on her half-sister, Princess Asuka. So that was what Uno no Sarara was doing when she wasn't at the court.  Otherwise, whether it was in the Asuka Kiyomihara palace or in the new Fujiwara Palace, she was dealing with the business of the state.  Much of what is recorded are fairly common things—banquets, archery competitions, and similar events that are interesting in aggregate, perhaps, but maybe not so helpful in figuring out the larger trends that were occurring at the time.  There were edicts and changes, but we can talk about those separately.  There were natural disasters, as well. Overall, she spent eleven years on the throne, from 686 to 697.  In that time, she finished much of the work started by her husband, put her own stamp on the new government, and, perhaps most importantly, she set up her grandson for success.  It is worth nothing that Uno no Sarara's posthumous regnal name is Jitou Tennou, and while that was probably not something she chose for herself, it may give us some insight into how the Chroniclers viewed her.  Remember that the brothers, Naka no Oe and Ohoama, were given the names "Tenji" and "Temmu", respectively.  Tenji is "Heavenly Wisdom", and he is counted as the brains behind the Great Change, the Taika reforms, and much of the shape that the state took from 645 onwards.  Temmu is something like "Heavenly Warrior".  The victor of the Jinshin no Ran was remembered for his military strategy, even though that was really only a small part of his overall reign.  The characters of Jitou's posthumous title are two characters.  The first, "Ji", means "to hold" or "to have".  The other character is "tou" and generally means "relationship" or "to control".  It can also refer to unification. This is often considered to mean that her role was seen as continuing to hold the throne and continue the work of her husband and his line, his progeny.  In this case, that means strengthening the state that Ohoama had built, following through on his national projects, and ultimately ensuring that the throne passed seamlessly to Ohoama's grandson, ensuring that his line would continue.  Of course, it probably should be noted that of course it was also her own bloodline that she was continuing as well, something that would become important in later years. And it is easy for us to look at this as simply editorializing by the Chroniclers, who were, after all, trying to craft a national narrative as well as record the history.  In many ways the use of these posthumous titles allowed them to do that—to summarize an entire reign into something that could be easily remembered.  And yet, based on the actions that she has taken, there certainly seems to be something to this description of Uno no Sarara and her motivations. We saw, early on, how she cleared the way for her own son, Crown Prince Kusakabe, getting rid of his potential rival for the throne, Prince Ohotsu, and thus potentially averting another conflict at the start of the reign.  But then Kusakabe died, leaving her with his young son, and while placing a young infant on the throne might have become a thing in later centuries, that precedent had not quite been set just yet.  Even as it was, Uno no Sarara likely had some concept that she could not know how many years she would get.  A decade on the throne was nothing to sneeze at, and many sovereigns had much less.  And so, beyond setting up the structure of government that her grandson would inherit, she also had a few more things to ensure.  She would want him to be old enough to be taken seriously, and she would need to make sure that there were no other claimants that could complicate matters.  There was only one other serious candidate that fit that description, and that was Prince Takechi. Remember, Prince Takechi was Ohoama's eldest son.  He was also a maternal descendant of the Munakata, meaning that he didn't have the double-royal imprimatur that was presumably required to take the throne as the sovereign.  And yet, Uno no Sarara was no doubt savvy enough to understand that those kinds of traditions changed quickly and easily in the past, as long as one had the right political backing. At the same time, Uno no Sarara appears to have leaned heavily on Prince Takechi's support.  It was a risk, but his support for her efforts would help her do what she needed to do.  Not only that, but if anything did happen to the young Prince Karu, Prince Takechi was the next in line.  He was also the Dajou Daijin—the most powerful court position short of Uno no Sarara herself.  For many reasons, it would have been difficult if the Queen felt she needed to take him out of the picture. Perhaps then it was fortuitous that in 696 the issue resolved itself, when Royal Prince Takechi passed away. This was no doubt a sad event, and yet it also may have set things in motion.  Prince Karu had been born in 683, so he was fourteen years old—still quite young, but old enough.  He was also surrounded by supporters, including his own mother, widow to the late Prince Kusakabe, Royal Princess Abe. While it isn't mentioned in the Nihon Shoki, we get a glimpse of how all this was planned in the Kaifuso, published in 751.  There, in an entry for Prince Kadono, a son of Prince Ohotomo, we are told that after Prince Takechi's death, Prince Kadono met with Uno no Sarara and others and suggested a course of action.  He encourage Uno no Sarara to pass on the kingdom to Prince Karu, despite his youth.  If true, this is quite the statement from someone whose own father was killed in the Jinshin no Ran, which brought Ohoama and Uno no Sarara to power in the first place.  It appears as though she heeded his advice, setting up what would come next over the following year. And so it is from the year after Prince Takechi's death that we start to really see entries focused on Prince Karu.  In the second month of 697, for instance, we see that Tahema no Mabito no Kunimi was appointed to be Prince Karu's tutor.  Likewise we see Michi no Mabito no Atomi and Kose no Ason no Ahamochi appointed as director and assistant director of the Spring Palace—the palace for the Crown Prince, the Heir Apparent.  Interestingly, Aston notes that the Nihon Shoki never actually gives an entry for when Prince Karu was named Heir Apparent—it just seems to be assumed. Ten days after the new directors were appointed, a public great-congregation was held at the Crown Prince's palace—here called the Eastern Palace, and I'll admit I'm not sure if "Eastern Palace" and "Spring Palace" were different names for the same place or what.  I assume these were all part of the newly built Fujiwara Palace, though the most important part is the implications for Prince Karu.  He was being introduced to the court, it seems, with a large congregation at his residence where the court would be expected to acknowledge his position as the crown prince and heir apparent. Three months later, we are told that Uno no Sarara grew ill.  The Ministers and various government officials made votive images of the Buddha in an attempt to make merit and help her to recover.  While she would recover from whatever illness she experienced, I suspect that this was something of a wake-up call.  Uno no Sarara was in her early 50s, and she wasn't getting any younger.  She also lived at a time where she had to realize that many others hadn't made it as far, and perhaps her illness made her realize that if she was going to do something, she had better do it sooner, rather than later.  And so, just a little more than a month later, on the first day of the 8th month, Uno no Sarara abdicated the throne in favor of her grandchild, Prince Karu, soon to become the next Tennou. This isn't the first time we've seen an abdication in the history of Yamato, but it is perhaps the first time we've seen it quite like this.  When Takara Hime abdicated, I think we can agree that it was largely under duress.  She had just seen her son lead a bloody coup against the most powerful court nobles, and that really does seem to have shaken her.  No such bloody struggle was happening here, however.  In fact, there is plenty to suggest that avoiding a bloody struggle was exactly Uno no Sarara's point.  By overseeing Prince Karu's ascension while she was still around, Queen Uno no Sarara maintained significant control over the process. Part of this rested on the fact that when she retired from the position of Tennou she didn't just become some commoner or retreat to the position of Queen Mother or Dowager Queen or something similar.  Instead, she took on a new titled:  Retired Sovereign, or Dajou-Tennou.  Technically this means that her own title was something like "Greater Sovereign", compared to Karu's "sovereign".  This position was new, and may not have even been fully formed at the time of the initial abdication.  Unlike when Takara Hime abdicated, effectively acknowledging that she wasn't actually in charge, Uno no Sarara was planning to remain an active force in government.  Her grandson would be set up as the formal sovereign, or Tennou.  He would be responsible for the rituals and ensuring everything was properly carried out, but his mother, the Dajou-Tennou, would have a tremendous amount of clout and control. By all accounts, this abdication and creation of the "Dajou-Tennou" position really does seem to have been specifically set up for this occasion, to ensure the smooth transition of power.  This way, when Uno no Sarara eventually did pass away, there would be no question about who was seated on the throne.  Given everything she had witnessed—from stories about her how her own father had come to power as well as the events of the Jinshin no Ran and then everything that happened in the aftermath of her own husband's death—I can understand why Uno no Sarara would have been pre-occupied with the idea of ensuring a smooth transition to the next sovereign.  She likely could not foresee how this new position would be used in the future, and yet it would become something of a staple in the politics of the Japanese court. Initially, retired sovereigns were typically doing so for reasons similar to Uno no Sarara—to ensure a smooth transition of power from one to the other and to ensure that the next tennou could be established to avoid instability.  However, it would become something even more.  After all, why wait until your heir is actually ready?  If you are going to be running things, anyway, why not remove yourself from the tedium of ritual while retaining your authority?  And in later centuries we see the tennou retiring younger, leaving younger and younger heirs to hold the actual throne.  There would also be a certain Buddhist aspect to it as well, allowing the retired tennou to be seen as a kind of Golden Wheel Turning Sovereign who was theoretically beyond the material cares of the day to day.  The retired sovereigns would be referred to as "In", which is likely a reference to the suffix given to their compounds, rather than the common "Miya" or "Gu".  And so the government under these retired sovereigns would become known as the Insei, or government by cloistered sovereigns, but that system was still in the future.  For now, we are just seeing the seeds of what was to come, eventually. To understand this later phase of Uno no Sarara's life, we need to take our first few steps into a new source:  The Shoku Nihongi.  The Nihon Shoki ceases to describe anything after Uno no Sarara's abdication, and the official history of Prince Karu's reign—known to us as Monmu Tennou—is taken up by the Shoku Nihongi.  This is literally the continued Japanese history, and we'll talk about it in depth at some point.  For now, I would note that it was compiled in 797 – so literally a century after the last entry in the Nihon Shoki.  That said, it likely had much better records to go off of compared to the Nihon Shoki, though it was still likely compiled with a view that was still quite friendly towards the royal family and the position of the Tennou. And so, when Uno no Sarara largely disappears from the narrative, I don't know that we should assume that she had truly gone completely hands off.  After all, with everything we've seen, do we think that this is a woman who would just hand the reins over to a fourteen or fifteen year old boy?  And yet the first time she appears is in 701, when she is making a trip to her favorite vacation spot:  the Palace at Yoshino.  That said, there were some pretty big events that happened during this period, after her abdication and assumption of the title of Dajou-Tennou.  The biggest was the creation of the Taihou Code.  Once again, this will need a fuller treatment, but the Taihou Code was an update to the Kiyomihara code.  The Asuka-Kiyomihara code was 22 volumes, and focused on  the laws, the "ryou", but not necessarily the punishments, or "ritsu".  In contrast the Taihou code was 6 volumes of "ritsu" and 11 volumes of "ryou", for 17 volumes in total.  Unfortunately, we mostly have scraps of indications here and there, and the codes that came afterwards, which were each based on what came before.  For instance, we do know that they completely overhauled the rank system yet again.  Unlike the Kiyomihara  code, which took years to develop, the compilation of the Taiho code is ordered in 700 and completed by 701—likely because it was really more of an update and a compilation of what was already on the books. This was perhaps the most significant thing that happened while Uno no Sarara was still available to exert her influence.  Karu was still only about 19 years old at this point.  He would turn 20 the following year, 702.  That same year, Uno no Sarara would travel all the way out to Mikawa no Kuni, which is the eastern half of the modern prefecture of Aichi.  The royal procession, which started in the 10th month of 702, then made its way back through Owari a month later, and from there up to Mino, and then down to Ise and back through Iga.  The royal procession is first recorded on the 10th day of the 10th month and returned on the 25th day of the 11th month—a round-trip time of roughly 45 days.  Throughout we are told that various ranks and awards were given out to important individuals at each stop. Unfortunately, that trip may have taken a toll.  A few weeks later, on the 13th day of the 12th month, Uno no Sarara grew ill.  There was a great amnesty pronounced throughout the realm, and one hundred men took Buddhist vows on her behalf.  They even read the Sutra of Golden Light in the Home Provinces.  Alas, it was all to no avail.  Uno no Sarara passed away on the 22nd day of the 12th month—or January 13th in 703.  It was roughly six years from her abdication.  She would have died with at least some knowledge that the realm was largely in order.  Her grandson was on the  throne and had been ruling for the past six years.  He had attained the age of majority, and things seemed relatively stable.  There was even a new, grand, permanent capital city, just like on the continent. But that closes out the life of Uno no Sarara.  She lived in interesting times, experienced tremendous fortune and misfortune, and she put her indelible stamp on the state of Yamato and thus the future of Japan.  There is still more to go over in this period—we have interactions with the Emishi, updates to society, and various impacts to Buddhism.  We'll also take a look at some more important people from this period, including Kakinomoto no Hitomaru, the famous poet, and the poems of the Man'yoshu, and Fujiwara no Fubito, the son of Nakatomi no Kamatari and the one largely responsible for making the Fujiwara house the most influential house in the entire court. Until then if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Agents are getting more powerful by the day. And most workflows, outputs and human capabilities can't keep up. Is that a problem or opportunity? Before you answer that question, though, keep this in mind. Agents are *literally* about to become 20X faster overnight. Let's unpack what that means. Faster AI Agents, Fewer Human Coworkers: The Overly Productive Future of Managing Agents? -- An Everyday AI Chat with Jordan WilsonNewsletter: Sign up for our free daily newsletterMore on this Episode: Episode PageToday's Episode on LinkedIn: Thoughts on this? Join the convo on LinkedIn and connect with other AI leaders.Upcoming Episodes: Check out the upcoming Everyday AI Livestream lineupWebsite: YourEverydayAI.comEmail The Show: info@youreverydayai.comConnect with Jordan on LinkedInTopics Covered in This Episode:Managing Dozens of Productive AI AgentsOpenAI Cerebras: 20x Faster Agent ModelsImpact of AI Agents on Human CoworkersAgent-Driven Workflows vs. Human CollaborationIncreasing Agent Reliance and Fading MentorshipAccidental Deskilling and Compression TaxProtecting Human Judgment and Learning HandoffsExpert-Driven Loops in AI WorkflowsMonthly Rebuilding of AI Strategies and ProcessesMiddle Management Evolution in AI Native CompaniesTimestamps:00:00 Future of AI and Work Dynamics05:25 Advancements in AI and productivity tools09:51 Growing your business with AI13:52 AI productivity and collaboration shifts15:08 Improving AI processing speed18:53 Using AI agents for delegation24:46 Discussing AI-related work challenges28:16 Ensuring accountability and communication30:39 Adapting to rapid digital change32:35 Show outro and newsletter sign-upKeywords: AI agents, faster AI models, OpenAI, Cerebras chip, 20x speed increase, automated workflows, agent management, solo agent supervisor, generative AI, knowledge work automation, agent-powered productivity, parallel machine teams, inference speed, productivity acceleration, Codex, Cloud Code, Google Gemini, Cloud Cowork, Copilot, recursive self improvement, expert-driven loops, human handoffs, deskilling, mentorship loss, AI native workplace, workplace automation, transactional work, productivity roadblocks, accidental deskilling, agent bun sandwich, compression tax, human in the loop, expert collaboration, agent trust, AI decision making, domain expertise, rapid workflow rebuilding, unlearning processes, organizational adaptation, enterprise AI adoption, future of work, middle management AI, AI-powered teamwork, human-agent collaboration, manager-agent ratios, personalized agent output, multi-agent coordination, skillset sharing, intentional automation, productivity strategySend Everyday AI and Jordan a text message. (We can't reply back unless you leave contact info) Ready for ROI on GenAI? Go to youreverydayai.com/partner 

In episode 17 of Voice of the Harvest, Kasey Sees and Bro. Chapman explore the biblical and spiritual significance of baggage, talents, and testimonies in the church, emphasizing the importance of making room for people's past struggles and gifts in God's house. 00:00 Introduction and personal updates 01:33 The story of Jacob and the well as a metaphor for church 02:30 God's house has room for baggage and talents 03:24 The purpose of pain and overcoming through testimony 04:47 The significance of scars versus scabs in healing 06:14 Revival among the homeless and the power of testimony 07:27 Testimonies as a reflection of God's healing 08:49 Making room for baggage and talents in church 10:17 The evidence of God's healing in scars 11:46 The power of a life of obedience versus crisis 12:44 The importance of both overcoming and sustaining power 14:00 Room for talents and giftings in the church 15:36 Balancing acceptance of baggage and giftings 16:23 Ensuring utilization of giftings without threat

Are you truly ready for the People Domain on the 2026 PMP Exam—or are you still relying on memorized definitions that collapse under pressure?In this intensive 2.5-hour PMP Mock Exam Masterclass, Phill Akinwale walks you through challenging, exam-style scenarios based on the 2026 PMP Exam Content Outline. You will answer each question, examine the mindset behind the best response, and learn why the other options fail.This is not a passive lecture. It is a complete question-and-answer workout designed to strengthen your judgment across the entire People Domain, including:✅ Developing a common vision✅ Managing conflict✅ Leading and empowering project teams✅ Engaging stakeholders✅ Aligning stakeholder expectations✅ Managing customer and stakeholder expectations✅ Ensuring effective knowledge transfer✅ Planning and managing communication✅ Predictive, agile, and hybrid scenarios✅ Single-answer and multiple-response questionsEvery question includes a detailed rationale so you can recognize PMI patterns, eliminate believable distractors, and choose the best next action—even when two answers appear correct.By the end of this session, you will have:Tested your readiness under realistic exam conditionsIdentified weak areas within the People DomainImproved your situational decision-makingStrengthened your PMP exam mindsetBuilt greater confidence for exam dayTake the questions seriously. Pause before each answer. Record your score. Study every explanation.Can you survive 2.5 hours of tough PMP People Domain questions? Press play and prove it.#PMP2026 #PMPExam #PMPMockExam #PeopleDomain #PMPMasterclass #ProjectManagement #PMPTraining #PMPCertification #PMI

Connecting Strategy to Results with Simon NorieJames and Roger explore how organisations can align their purpose, strategy, and customer experience to drive meaningful results. Simon Norie of Custerian shares insights on navigating organisational change, fostering alignment, and the role of leadership in achieving sustainable success.Key TopicsThe importance of understanding and articulating your organization's unique value propositionHow clear purpose and strategy enable effective alignment across teamsThe critical role of leadership in setting conditions for successful changeTechniques for engaging detractors and building organizational buy-inThe impact of technology, including AI, on strategic alignment and decision-makingPractical frameworks like journey mapping, force field analysis, and process mappingEarly signs of organizational transformation and metrics that indicate progressThe necessity of doing change with organizations, not to themCultivating curiosity and creating an enduring business for long-term sustainabilityTimestamps00:00 - Introduction to connecting strategy with results00:31 - Simon Norrie's background and organizational interest01:28 - Using data to understand and influence customer behavior02:13 - Translating propositions into customer value and the role of purpose03:34 - The importance of clarity in organizational strategy and customer experience04:27 - Building alignment through purpose and leadership05:20 - The chain of strategy to customer experience and the baton analogy06:12 - The significance of understanding roles and value in the organizational chain07:43 - Engaging detractors as a strategy for organizational health08:52 - The role of strategic understanding in customer journey transitions09:45 - How different strategies enable or hinder operational effectiveness11:11 - Leadership's responsibility in setting organizational purpose12:26 - Recognizing symptoms of misalignment and strategies for recovery13:52 - Early indicators of organizational change and success metrics16:31 - Common misconceptions about buy-in and leadership confidence18:39 - The importance of engagement, ownership, and shared solutions19:48 - Managing change resistance through genuine involvement21:18 - Tools like force field analysis and process mapping for change management22:58 - Human motivation drivers and understanding "why" in change initiatives23:37 - The potential and limits of AI in strategy and alignment25:09 - Risks of over-reliance on AI for strategic objectives26:33 - The necessity of human judgment and leadership in AI-enhanced processes29:17 - The first steps in organizational assessment and understanding30:44 - Techniques for deconstructing problems and fostering ownership32:28 - Ensuring sustainability and self-reliance post-engagement34:21 - When organizations face problems worth diagnosing and fixing36:50 - Scaling challenges in high-growth businesses38:15 - The power of clarity in purpose and simple value propositions40:01 - Reflecting on lessons learned and organizational curiosity42:48 - Connecting with Simon and key takeawaysResources & LinksCusterian WebsiteSimon Norie - LinkedIn

Kausik Ray, MD, MPhil (Cantab), FMedSci - Altering the Disease Trajectory in Patients With and at High Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Ensuring Best Practices for Identification and Management

Kausik Ray, MD, MPhil (Cantab), FMedSci - Altering the Disease Trajectory in Patients With and at High Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Ensuring Best Practices for Identification and Management

Kausik Ray, MD, MPhil (Cantab), FMedSci - Altering the Disease Trajectory in Patients With and at High Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Ensuring Best Practices for Identification and Management

There can be no health care system without an adequate supply of well-educated nurses. Linda H. Aiken, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania joins JAMA Health Forum Editor in Chief Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, to discuss the distinction between a supply problem and a deployment and retention problem and their direct policy implications. Related Content: Policy Approaches to Ensuring an Adequate Nursing Workforce in Coming Decades

In this episode, Amas Tenumah and Bob Furniss explore the evolving landscape of customer service, tiered service models, and the role of technology in delivering personalized experiences. They discuss how companies can strategically implement paid and differentiated service levels to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. takeawaysCompanies should consider tiered service models to meet diverse customer needs.Charging for premium support can recoup costs and improve service quality.Operational execution of tiered support requires careful planning and training.Technology enables effective routing and personalized service levels.Customer expectations vary based on loyalty and payment for support.Chapters00:00 Introduction and casual chat about sports4222:10:50 Pivot to service: Should companies charge for attended support?6972:11:09 Examples of tiered service in airlines and hospitality9388:51:23 Consumer perspective on paying for better service11916:38:11 Operational challenges of implementing tiered support15472:11:43 Technology solutions for differentiated customer routing215277:45:28 Historical context of tiered service in business227499:58:49 Recommendations for adopting tiered service models279166:39:06 Operational considerations and workforce planning353611:06:28 Ensuring customer satisfaction and avoiding queue degradation375277:46:37 Closing remarks and World Cup discussion

Kate Leschyshyn is an international partnerships and defense support specialist who serves as Head of International Partnerships at the Come Back Alive Foundation, one of Ukraine's largest and most prominent organizations supporting the country's defense forces. In this role, she develops relationships with international donors, civil-society organizations, businesses and institutional partners, helping turn foreign financial support into practical capabilities for Ukrainian service personnel. Before joining Come Back Alive, she worked in the technology sector, including at Lemon.io, before moving into Ukraine's wartime civil-society and defense support ecosystem. ----------Come Back Alive (Повернись живим) was established in 2014, following Russia's initial aggression against Ukraine. The organization supplies military units with equipment, training and other capabilities designed to improve effectiveness while protecting the lives of Ukrainian service personnel. Its work extends considerably beyond conventional humanitarian aid. Come Back Alive provides Ukrainian forces with specialist equipment and capabilities including communications systems, vehicles, reconnaissance equipment and technologies related to drone warfare and counter-drone defense. It also supports training programs and increasingly works on the longer-term institutional development of Ukraine's defense ecosystem. Recent projects have included the Dronefall counter-drone initiative, substantial fundraising campaigns to equip Ukrainian army corps, and the creation of the CBA Academy for specialized military training. ----------LINKS:https://savelife.in.ua/en/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-leschyshyn/https://www.instagram.com/savelife.in.ua/https://savelife.in.ua/en/materials/news-en/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

July 10, 2026- Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, a Queens Democrat, makes the case for legislation ensuring that people giving statements to the police are translated accurately when they aren't proficient in English.

Why does life-saving insulin cost hundreds of dollars a month for patients, when manufacturing costs are just a fraction of that price? What if the nonprofit model could change everything for affordable access?In the pharmaceutical industry, affordability and access remain two of the biggest hurdles for patients, especially when the economics of essential medicines seem stacked against them.Eric Moyal, founder of Project Insulin, is rewriting the rules of biosimilar development. Coming from a fundraising and nonprofit background rather than the pharma inside track, Eric built Project Insulin not to chase profits, but to deliver an essential therapy at a price real people can afford.Topics covered:Key differences between nonprofit and for-profit models in biotech, especially around fundraising, incentives, and revenue (00:02)The intricate balance between development costs, operating expenses, and setting an affordable price point (00:06)Innovative distribution models to eliminate price inflation by middlemen, including direct-to-patient and clinic partnerships (00:08)Major roadblocks in reinventing drug distribution and the importance of building the right partnerships early on (00:10)Advice for founders and scientists exploring solutions to drug affordability, including corporate structure, fundraising, and perseverance (00:12)Lessons learned after five years building Project Insulin, emphasizing the value of assembling the right team and listening to feedback (00:13)Realistic expectations for Project Insulin's next five years and the primary goals on the horizon (00:16)The broader need for affordable generic drugs and the broken promise of the current patent system (00:17)How to connect with Project Insulin and support its mission (00:18)Smart insight: Generic medicines should be affordable. Ensuring low-cost, accessible generics is essential to restoring the original balance between pharmaceutical innovation and public access, and it requires collective effort beyond any single player.If you enjoyed this episode, you might want to listen to these within a broader set of discussions on biologics affordability, CMC strategy, and bioprocessing realities — from the economic barriers blocking patient access and regulatory decision-making for biosimilars, to CDMO selection for resource-constrained teams:Episode 136: 5 Roadblocks to Affordable Biologics (And How to Overcome Them)Episodes 57 - 58: Crafting a Solid CMC Strategy: Key Factors and Common Pitfalls with Matthias MüllnerEpisodes 103 - 104: One-Stop Shop vs. Specialist CDMO: A Scientist's Guide to CDMO Selection with Sigma MostafaConnect with Eric Moyal:Email: emoyal@projectinsulin.orgWebsite: www.projectinsulin.orgInstagram: www.instagram.com/projectinsulinLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/82500193TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@project.insulinYouTube: www.youtube.com/@ProjectInsulinNext step: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform. By doing so, we can empower more scientists like you. Stay tuned for more inspiring biotech insights in our next episode.Support the show

Ensuring ballots are as private as private can be might prove disruptive to November's election; Big-box bookstores are back; and a conversation with the iconic Harry Connick, Jr., who performs this weekend in Atlanta. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine a world where AI is not just a tool but a partner that elevates human judgment, responsibility, and ethics. That's exactly what Helena Almeida, VP of Ethics at ADP, reveals in this electrifying episode, a true call to action for every HR leader and business executive. Dive into the real talk about AI governance, responsible use, and how to stay human in a tech-driven world. Your organization's future depends on it.  In This Episode:  Helena Almeida's journey from litigator to AI ethics pioneer.  The human side of AI: trust, hallucinations, and accountability.  How responsible AI standards are shaped by legal and ethical boundaries.  Practical advice for HR leaders: leveraging AI without losing the human touch.  The critical role of friction in HR processes to ensure fairness and accuracy.  Why AI isn't a replacement but an enhancer — and the importance of smart design.  Navigating complex legal landscapes: pay transparency, union rules, and cross-state regulations.  How business leaders without tech backgrounds can champion responsible AI.  The future of HR workflows with AI: rethinking old processes and embracing healthy friction.  What “responsible AI” really looks like for your organization.  Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome to the bold new era of AI in HR 02:00 - Helena's transition from litigation to AI ethics leadership 04:00 - The myth of AI without human oversight 07:00 - Hallucinations in AI and how to manage trust 09:30 - Balancing AI accuracy with human judgment 12:00 - Ensuring data integrity in AI-driven HR systems 15:00 - Managing variations in employment law with AI 18:00 - The challenge of complex, multi-layered HR rules 21:00 - Standards for responsible AI: high stakes decisions 24:00 - The importance of skilled designers and human oversight 27:00 - The impact of automation on HR talent and friction 30:00 - How business leaders can lead AI governance without technical expertise 33:00 - Rethinking HR workflows for AI integration 36:00 - Healthy friction: the secret to responsible AI in HR 38:00 - Final thoughts: humans and AI working together for better workplaces Resources & Links:  ADP  Helena Almeida - LinkedIn  Responsible AI Guidelines  Book: "Human + Machine" by H. Simmons  Connect with Helena Almeida:  LinkedIn  Twitter  Final Call: The future of HR is human. The future of AI is responsible. You have the power to shape both. Listen now — and be bold enough to lead with integrity, insight, and purpose. 

David Daoud. Daoud argues the Lebanese Armed Forces are unlikely to confront Hezbollah, potentially facilitating performative security checks. He stresses that Israel's primary objective in Lebanon is ensuring long-term security for its northern citizens. (7)1862 CRICKET MELBOURNE

With a strong Alzheimer's history in the family, how can I ensure that my wife will be taken care of should it become necessary?Have a money question? Email us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jill on Money LIVE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jill on Money Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jillonmoney⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@jillonmoney⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.joelgoodman.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Prices for products displayed on websites are a topic we frequently discuss both internally and with Workstand website users. Rather than a deep dive into advanced troubleshooting methods, today, we will point out the main sources of the prices displayed and the easy solutions to explore. Beyond that, our Client Success Team is always ready to help.Point of Sale dataCustom Prices toolWorkstand product librarySupplier dataMAP Pricinghttps://workstand.com/help/pricing-troubleshootinghttps://workstand.com/help/custom-priceshttps://workstand.com/help/pos-syncBe sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.Find Us on LinkedInMark Still, Senior Business DevelopmentDavid Martinez, Key Accounts AdvisorWe also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@workstand.com.

US Navy Control and the Opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Guest: Rebecca Grant and Gordon Chang. Despite Iranian claims of closure, the US Navy maintains tactical control over the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring sea lanes remain open for international shipping. Advanced mine-clearing technology and persistent patrols have neutralized threats, though economic signals like the Jones Act waiver remain points of discussion. 21919 PARIS

The Gemara (Shabbat 114a) teaches that one of the qualities of a Talmid Hacham (Torah scholar) is that if he notices that one of his garments is inside-out, he immediately turns it around so the stitches will not be visible. It seems that long ago, the interior of garments looked very much like the exterior, except that the stitching was visible on the inside, and so it would be common to mistakenly wear a garment inside-out. A Torah scholar is obligated to ensure to wear his garments the right way, and not inside-out. The Tur writes that with respect to this Halacha, all observant Jews must consider themselves "Torah scholars." All those who observe the Torah effectively function as the "ambassadors" of Torah, since people who see us and watch how we conduct ourselves naturally interpret our behavior as reflective of the Torah's values. Therefore, all observant Jews must dress respectably, and this includes ensuring that clothing is not worn inside-out. However, if the concern was only about appearance, then this Halacha would not apply to undergarments, which are not seen. We would assume that one may wear an undershirt, for example, inside-out, since it is not visible. In truth, though, several sources teach that this Halacha is based also on Kabbalistic concepts, and it therefore applies to all garments. Even if, for example, nobody would notice if one's socks are worn inside-out, or if his Sisit are worn inside-out, nevertheless, they must not be worn this way. Beyond the need to appear presentable, clothes must be worn the right way because of Kabbalistic reasons, and so this applies to all garments. If, however, a garment is made from the outset to be reversible, and worn both ways, then one may wear it either way.

In this episode, Kevin Kane, CEO of American Binary, a pioneer in the field of enterprise post-quantum network security joins us to talk about the looming threat of Q-Day. Together, we tackle urgent questions surrounding the looming quantum threat, the vulnerabilities in our global financial systems, and how quantum computing could reshape cybersecurity as we know it.Kevin dives deep into why his company was founded to protect critical infrastructure from future quantum attacks and explains their journey in developing NSA-standard post-quantum encryption. From the psychology of innovation to the global stakes of unpreparedness, Kevin shares thought-provoking insights on courage, resilience, and the human side of tech entrepreneurship.Get ready for a conversation that spans from cutting-edge cryptography to geopolitics, the nature of leadership, and the importance of family—while reminding us all why the race for secure networks is about more than technology; it's about civilization's survival.LinksKevin's LinkedIn Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamkevinpkane/Watch on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYLaWYyh37wTime Stamps00:00 American Binary's founding and cryptography focus04:27 Post quantum encryption explained09:16 Tim Ferriss immersion strategy12:46 Talking about financial success13:36 Hypothetical security breach scenario16:57 Market chaos and trading shifts21:27 Ensuring safe tech development27:21 Driven by long-term passion31:03 Military experience and personal resolve32:48 Enterprise VPN with quantum encryption36:34 Impact of Parenthood on Perspective38:21 Understanding motives of leadership

The Federal Reserve's latest policy shift under new governor chair Kevin Warsh marks a significant regime change for global markets. With the dot plot revealing two potential rate hikes and a shift away from forward-looking guidance, investors face heightened market uncertainty across stocks, crypto, and real estate. This discussion cuts through the media noise to analyze macro data points, including the geopolitical resolution with Iran, falling energy prices, and the approaching $930 billion commercial debt maturity wall. While mainstream capital retreats to the stock market, sophisticated investors recognize that slow, stale, and sideways markets offer generational opportunities. This episode explains the math behind negative leverage, the critical role of the 10-year Treasury note, and why the absolute best real estate deals are historically secured before rate cuts occur, not after. Discover how to build defensive buffers into your underwriting parameters to transform macroeconomic headwinds into asymmetric long-term wealth. KEY TOPICS DISCUSSEDMacroeconomic analysis of Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's first FOMC meeting and monetary policy adjustments Geopolitical implications of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding and its impact on global crude oil volatility Understanding the "Fed Trap" and balancing the risks of reigniting inflation versus fracturing economic growth Technical evaluation of the 10-year Treasury note as the foundational gravitational force for commercial lending benchmarks Financial underwriting frameworks for identifying and avoiding negative leverage in a 6% to 7% interest rate environment Strategic management of the upcoming $930 billion maturing commercial real estate debt wall Asset allocation rotation from overvalued equity sectors into distressed, undervalued real estate opportunities KEY TAKEAWAYSLock in your real estate opportunities before the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. Historically, the most profitable assets are acquired when market sentiment is deeply depressed and capital sits passively on the sidelines. Treat the Federal Reserve's policy decisions as macroeconomic weather rather than an absolute indicator of deal viability. Successful investing relies on strict individual deal underwriting rather than relying on central bank rescue parameters. Address floating-rate debt maturities 12 to 18 months in advance. Initiating proactive refinancing and restructuring conversations with lenders prevents forced liquidations when interest rate environments shift. Implement structural buffers of 50 to 100 basis points above current market rates when modeling new investments. Ensuring a deal cash-flows under restrictive conditions turns future monetary easing into pure financial upside. Monitor the 10-year Treasury note on a weekly basis to filter out short-term market noise. A sustained technical break below the 4% threshold serves as the primary signal that institutional debt conditions are turning positive. CONNECT & TAKE ACTIONSchedule a professional portfolio review with Ryan's team: Text "X-ray" to 844-447-1555 Build steady mailbox money with the Imagos Income Fund: Text "income" to 844-447-1555 Join the exclusive newsletter for unfiltered market insights: Text "WIB" to 844-447-1555 Access institutional investor resources and trackers: thewiseinvestorvault.com Gain direct access to accredited private placement deal flow: Text "deals" to 844-447-1555 Review comprehensive media notes and digital resources: millionairemindcast.com Connect directly with Matty A on corporate social channels: @officialmattya

Women Leaders Career Advancement: The 4-Relationship Framework and Personal Success Plan (2026) Executive Summary: Women leaders career advancement stalls most often at the relationship level, not the skill level. Women hold only 29% of C-suite roles despite representing nearly half the workforce. Former IBM VP Shelmina Babai Abji reveals the four strategic relationships that accelerate promotion and the Personal Success Plan that keeps you on track week after week. Quick Takeaways: Women leaders career advancement remains stalled at every pipeline level for the 11th consecutive year (McKinsey, 2025). The four relationships that accelerate promotion are: boss, peers, mentors, and sponsors — and all four must be intentionally built. Only 31% of entry-level women have a sponsor, vs. 45% of men — closing this gap is one of the highest-ROI actions you can take. Responding to bias with proof, not reaction, protects your power and changes minds more effectively than confrontation. A Personal Success Plan reviewed weekly keeps your business results, relationships, competencies, and leadership brand advancing together. Key 2025–2026 statistics on women leaders career advancement: the C-suite gap, the broken rung, and the sponsorship deficit. Women leaders career advancement has a number that should stop you: for every 100 men promoted to their first manager role, only 81 women make the same leap. That gap — what McKinsey researchers call the "broken rung" — has barely moved in years. And it is not primarily a skills gap. It is a visibility gap, a relationship gap, and a strategy gap. I'm Sabrina Braham, MA, MFT, PCC — executive leadership coach with over 30 years of experience and host of the Women's Leadership Success Podcast, ranked in the top 1.5% globally with over 950,000 downloads. In Part II of my interview with Shelmina Babai Abji — TEDx speaker, former IBM Vice President, and author of Show Your Worth — we go deep on the practical mechanics that drive women leaders career advancement forward. If you caught Part I, you already have Shelmina's Power Quotient framework for silencing self-doubt. This episode is what comes next: the external strategy. How do you intentionally build the four relationships that move careers forward? How do you handle a boss who doesn't see your value? How do you navigate workplace bias without giving your power away? And what is the weekly planning practice that keeps even the most overwhelmed leader — including single mothers carrying impossible loads — on a clear path to the C-suite? This is one of the most actionable episodes I have recorded in 19 years of podcasting. Let's get into it. Why Women Leaders Career Advancement Stalls: The Strategy Gap The McKinsey Women in the Workplace 2025 report — which surveyed approximately 10,000 employees across 124 organizations — found that women hold only 29% of C-suite roles, unchanged from 2024, and that women remain underrepresented at every level of the corporate pipeline for the eleventh consecutive year. Women of color face a steeper drop-off at every rung. The same research surfaces a critical sponsorship gap that most women don't know exists: only 31% of entry-level women have a sponsor, compared to 45% of men at the same level. Sponsorship — not mentorship — is the relationship that most reliably unlocks promotions, stretch assignments, and visibility with senior leaders. And women are starting from a 14-point deficit. Shelmina's response to this data is direct: "The reason the numbers are as bad as they are is we cannot wait for organizations to change, or for people to change. We have to be the change we want to see." That is not resignation to an unfair system. It is a strategic recognition that women leaders career advancement is not waiting for institutions to fix the pipeline — it is built deliberately, relationship by relationship, decision by decision, week by week. The Four Relationships That Accelerate Women Leaders Career Advancement Shelmina's book Show Your Worth dedicates an entire chapter to what she calls "intentional relationships" — the four categories of professional connection that, when built strategically, become the scaffolding of a senior career. She credits them with her own advancement from immigrant engineer to IBM Vice President. Relationship 1: Your Boss This is the most high-leverage relationship in your career, and the one most women invest in least strategically. "At the end of the day, you work for your boss, not an organization," Shelmina says. "It is up to you to build that relationship." The mechanism is not flattery or politics. It is a deliberate daily practice of contributing value that advances your boss's success — specifically, unique value that makes you essential. Shelmina describes this as "leaning into your authenticity and your uniqueness until you become essential to your boss's success." When you are essential to your boss's success, you are in a position of power to negotiate what you want — flexible boundaries, stretch assignments, sponsorship, promotion recommendations. Power in a workplace relationship is not seized; it is earned through indispensability. Practically, this means: Understanding your boss's most critical success metrics and aligning your work visibly to them Ensuring your boss has a "front-row seat" to your contributions — proactively, not passively Asking for help on stretch assignments (which demonstrates self-awareness, not weakness) Preparing thoroughly for performance reviews with documented, outcome-quantified contributions Relationship 2: Peers Peer relationships are the often-overlooked engine of influence. In 2026's increasingly matrixed organizations, influence flows horizontally as much as it flows vertically. Peers who trust you, advocate for you in rooms you're not in, and co-create solutions with you are a form of organizational capital that compounds over time. Shelmina notes that the same principle applies here as with the boss relationship: the foundation is contribution, not connection for its own sake. Peers who see you as someone who makes their work better — not someone who competes with them for credit — become your most organic advocates. Relationship 3: Mentors — The Right Ones, Not Just Any Here Shelmina offers a counterintuitive observation that stopped me when I heard it. She regularly asks women at conferences: "How many of you have mentors?" Almost every hand goes up. Then she asks: "How many of those mentors have pushed you, accelerated your success, made you significantly better personally or professionally?" Most hands go down. "We need to be intentional and strategic even when we look for mentors," she says. "We must know: why is this person the right mentor for me, at this point in time?" A mentor who is a perfect match for where you are today may be misaligned with where you need to go next. Great mentors: Have navigated the specific transition you are facing Will push you, not just validate you Are willing to give you honest, sometimes uncomfortable feedback Have relationships and visibility at levels above your current role Shelmina's own pivotal mentor was Susan Whitney — an IBM General Manager who, in the two minutes it took to walk from a roundtable back to an office, changed the entire direction of Shelmina's career by asking one question: "Where do you want to be in five years?" That question planted a seed. Shelmina did not have the answer — but she pursued Susan as a mentor, did whatever it took to get noticed and earn time with her, and eventually built the relationship that shifted her from "doing a great job in my current role" to "thinking strategically about what I want to do next, and next, and next." Relationship 4: Sponsors — Your Most Powerful Accelerant A mentor gives advice. A sponsor gives opportunity. This distinction is critical and widely misunderstood. Sponsors use their own political capital to advocate for you — in the rooms where promotions are decided, on the committees where assignments are distributed, in the conversations where names are put forward. A sponsor says your name when you are not in the room. A mentor helps you prepare for the room. Both matter. But only one moves the needle on the broken rung. Given that women enter careers with a 14-point sponsorship deficit compared to men, closing this gap is one of the highest-ROI investments you can make in your own career advancement. You earn a sponsor the same way you earn every other relationship: by making yourself visible, demonstrating your capability in high-stakes situations, and becoming someone whose success the sponsor wants to be associated with. Shelmina's guidance: identify one person at two levels above you who has both visibility with senior leadership and the willingness to advocate. Do the work to get in their orbit. When you are there, make their decision to sponsor you easy — by showing up with the kind of work that reflects well on anyone who recommends you. The four relationships that drive women leaders career advancement: boss, peers, mentors, and sponsors How to Navigate Workplace Bias Without Losing Your Power As a woman of color scaling the corporate ladder, Shelmina encountered both internal barriers — the self-doubt and fear of belonging described in Part I — and external barriers: leaders who did not automatically see her as a candidate for leadership roles, colleagues who underestimated her capabilities, and structural biases that filtered opportunity away from people who didn't fit the existing template. Her framework for navigating bias is one of the most strategically intelligent approaches I have encountered in 30 years of coaching. It has three operating principles: Principle 1: Don't React — Prove "When you react, you give your power away to them....

Researchers and practitioners are shaping the future of education and social policy by putting data and research evidence at the center of their decisions.    In this episode, Leigh Parise talks with John B. King, Jr., chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), which is the largest comprehensive system of public higher education in the country. King previously served as the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education under President Obama, led the nonprofit organization EdTrust, and was education commissioner for the state of New York. King also serves on MDRC's Board of Directors.  King and Parise discuss the role of evidence in ensuring student success and the top challenges facing higher education today.

Most real estate investors are stuck choosing between flipping for income and holding for wealth but 30-year industry veteran Aaron Chapman says you don't have to choose. In this episode of The M.O.R.E. Show, Justin Colby sits down with Aaron Chapman, mortgage expert, real estate investor, and author, to break down how to run a flipping business and a holding portfolio simultaneously without coming out of pocket, how to use family trusts to protect and pass down real estate wealth across generations, and why the foundation you build your business on matters more than how fast you grow it. KEY TOPICS COVERED: How to flip houses and hold assets at the same time using the right entity structure. Family trust strategy explained: grantor, trustee, and beneficiary roles. How Aaron structured his children's homes inside a trust to build generational wealth. Why growing too fast without a strong foundation will eventually collapse your business. The legacy mindset: ensuring every bloodline never wonders where they will live. How to use life insurance and compounding inside a trust to create unstoppable family wealth. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Aaron's daughter calls him landlord instead of dad — the trust conversation 01:21 — Introduction: Aaron Chapman, 30-year real estate professional and author 02:07 — Why building fast without a foundation is the most dangerous move in real estate 03:48 — Aaron's background: in the game since 1997 07:00 — Entity structure and financing: how to flip and hold simultaneously 15:00 — Family trust breakdown: grantor, trustee, and beneficiary explained 25:00 — How Aaron built homes for his children inside a trust 35:00 — Legacy, faith, and centering a family around shared values 47:00 — Using business enterprise structures for tax deductions and family benefit 49:00 — Ensuring your bloodline never lacks for housing 49:53 — Aaron's book: Redneck — available on Amazon Connect with Aaron Chapman: Book: Redneckonomics — https://www.amazon.com/Redneckonomics... Youtube - @AaronChapmanSGOC About The M.O.R.E. Show: The M.O.R.E. Show is hosted by Justin Colby and is dedicated to helping real estate professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs maximize opportunity in any market. New episodes every week. Learn more: www.timeformore.com Invest with Elevest Capital: www.elevestcapital.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every now and then, I like to hop into the wayback machine and share a fresh listen to conversations that influenced our current times. The one you are going to register to today was recorded live in 2014 from DIEM, Design Intersects Everything Made symposium presented by the West Hollywood Design District featuring Frances Anderton, then with KCRW ad Jeff Denby, co-founder and then with Pact. A clothing brand you will be hearing more about.  The following conversation was focused on values based capitalism, an economic model with which places value on profit generation that also generates positive social impact. Designer Resources Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise. TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep Shelter Republic – Request your membership invitation As you listen to this chat between Frances and Jeff, you might notice the “feel-good” vibes and high ideals that come from a focus on values based consumerism patterns. Buy well-made products that come from sustainably based materials and made by people who are valued to those producing the products and then by those who buy the product. At the time of this recording, this idea was catching on and even now, companies that have a value-system connected directly to products speak openly about the social capital being generated. I would argue we hear far less now because sustainability has been linked politically to DEI, and there is a group of people who see that has more of a social ill, than a societal benefit. I'm not here to change any minds, only share different perspectives. And this is one worth sharing with the hope that it will make a return, not just in fashion or consumer packaged goods, but in the home decor and architectural materials sectors. Consumer Awareness Evolution How Whole Foods and the food industry educated consumers about product origins. Extension of that curiosity to body care and apparel: understanding what goes on the skin and into daily wear. The role of design in making sustainable products attractive and desirable. Philanthropy and Social Impact Early collaborations with nonprofits through limited-edition collections and direct aid. Shift toward improving the lives of workers within the supply chain. Emphasis on economic, environmental, and social impact as part of the business model. Challenges of Domestic Manufacturing Difficulties of reviving large-scale apparel production domestically, including labor costs, fractured supply chains, and compliance issues. Comparison with global supply chains and the decision to work where systems already exist. Insights from attempts at localized production and the challenges of sustainable sourcing. Product Expansion and Market Strategy Focus on apparel basics for the emerging generation of socially conscious consumers. Building a generational brand by appealing to evolving values. Commitment to price accessibility while maintaining sustainability and ethical production. Supply Chain Ethics and Certification Working exclusively with certified factories and farms to ensure fair labor practices. Ensuring worker protections and representation, including female supervisors. Direct engagement with farmers and supply chain partners to secure market access and stability. Sustainability and Waste Management Recycling factory scraps and leftover materials into new products. Finding secondary uses for garment remnants, including mattress filling. Factories incentivized to reduce waste as part of both economic and environmental sustainability. Consumer Education and Transparency Educating customers about the human and environmental story behind clothing. Leveraging social media, coalition branding, and events to communicate supply chain practices. Positioning Pact as a non-toxic apparel brand with safe-for-skin products. Research and Industry Collaboration Participation in textile and sustainability coalitions with like-minded brands. Supporting the growth of organic cotton farming and sustainable supply chains. Promoting transparency in manufacturing practices and educating the public on chemical exposure in conventional apparel. Ethical apparel requires intentional design, transparent supply chains, and collaboration across the industry. Consumers increasingly demand products that are safe, well-designed, and socially responsible. Philanthropy is most effective when integrated into the core business, benefiting both workers and communities. Scaling sustainability in mass-market apparel is challenging but possible with careful planning, partnerships, and public education. Conscious Basics: How Textiles Can Be Ethical, Sustainable, and Stylish In an era when consumers increasingly demand transparency and ethical responsibility, Pact is reshaping the apparel industry by marrying sustainability, social impact, and thoughtful design. Co-founder Jeff Denby spoke with Frances Anderton in 2014 about the philosophy behind the brand, tracing a journey from organic cotton farms in India to certified factories in Turkey, all with the goal of delivering high-quality, accessible clothing that respects both people and the planet. Denby notes that consumer awareness has evolved in stages. Shoppers first became curious about food origins, learning that groceries come from farms, not just shelves. This consciousness extended to body care products, as people began asking what they were putting on their skin. Apparel is the next frontier. “People want to know what they're wearing every day,” Denby explains. “They want products that are beautifully designed, sustainable, and safe, without having to reinvent what underwear or socks should look like.” Early in Pact's history, the company experimented with philanthropic partnerships, designing collections that supported nonprofit causes. These initiatives provided aid to communities abroad, from distributing lanterns in Haiti to rebuilding community centers in Japan. However, Denby realized the brand could make a deeper impact by focusing inward—supporting the lives of the workers who create the products. By investing in stable, ethical supply chains, Pact achieves a triple bottom line: economic, social, and environmental benefits. Reviving large-scale apparel manufacturing in the United States proved impractical for Pact. Labor costs, fractured supply chains, and limited domestic processing infrastructure made it impossible to produce affordable basics at scale. Instead, the brand partnered with existing factories abroad, ensuring they meet strict certifications such as the Global Organic Textile Standard. Denby emphasizes that these certifications guarantee fair labor practices, gender equity, and safe working conditions—factors often overlooked in conventional apparel production. Beyond ethical sourcing, Pact prioritizes product safety and environmental responsibility. Cotton cultivation and traditional textile processing can involve significant pesticide use and harmful chemicals. Pact works with organic cotton farmers and certified dye houses, eliminating heavy metals and carcinogens from their products. Waste management is also integral; leftover yarn and fabrics are recycled into new garments or repurposed for other industries, demonstrating that sustainability extends from field to factory to finished product. Denby envisions Pact as the “basics brand for the change generation,” appealing to consumers who value ethics, transparency, and design. The brand is part of a coalition with other sustainable apparel companies, collaborating to secure fair market access for farmers, grow organic cotton production, and educate the public on the human stories behind clothing. Social media and events provide direct channels to communicate these values, allowing consumers to engage with the brand and understand the people and processes behind the garments they wear. For Pact, the mission goes beyond selling clothing. It is about proving that everyday apparel can be ethical, well-designed, and accessible, while creating meaningful social impact. By integrating philanthropy, sustainability, and consumer education into the business model, Pact is showing that the basics—underwear, socks, and t-shirts—can carry a powerful message: that fashion can be responsible, thoughtful, and inclusive.

Dry eye disease (DED) impacts countless individuals, and while therapies like Xiidra® (lifitegrast ophthalmic solution) 5% have proven effective,1 ensuring consistent patient compliance remains a challenge for eye care professionals. Xiidra, which can improve signs and symptoms as early as two weeks,1* is most effective when used consistently. Based on insights shared in the Defocus […]

Send us Fan MailIt's not every day that a bestselling author invites you into the secret world behind their creative process. In this episode, I sit down with April Henry, acclaimed writer of thirty-two mysteries and thrillers, to discuss how she crafts her gripping stories—making them both intricately plotted and beautifully accessible. Here, we dive into the wisdom and practical strategies April shared about writing, resilience, and reaching all readers.Timestamp:00:00 Finding Inspiration for Story Ideas03:34 Blending Plotting with Pantsing09:12 Tessa's DNA discovery and implications12:56 Ensuring accuracy in medical details15:20 Overcoming writing roadblocks20:04 Persistence leads to publishing success23:10 Writing books with teen protagonists24:43 Making books exciting for readers30:18 Starting a New Book33:05 Writing through challenges and goals37:03 Editing and revising chapters40:21 Collaborating with an editor43:23 Finding writing community and resources47:44 Concerns about book censorship48:55 Where to find April's workFull show notesCOMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Stalin strategically delayed Operation Bagration until two weeks after D-Day, ensuring that the Western Allies would exhaust German forces first. Using American steel, fuel, and Studebaker trucks, the Red Army emerged as a massive, mechanized force capable of expanding Soviet dominance from Berlin to Beijing. Sean McMeekin explains that after the war, the U.S. facilitated this rise by arming Stalin's far eastern armies while cutting off aid to the Chinese Nationalists in 1946. Ultimately, Lend-Lease provided the mobility and resources—including butter and sugar—that created the conditions for the Soviet Union to emerge as a global superpower. (8/8)1900

2/3: Preview for Later Today: Burnham explains how China's Ministry of State Security employs private hackers and front companies for cyber operations, ensuring the government always maintains plausible deniability.

1. Strategic Importance of the Strait of Hormuz The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most critical maritime choke points in the world. Over 20% of the global oil supply passes through it daily, not including broader commercial shipping. Although often perceived as narrow and easily controlled, the strait is ~21 miles wide at its narrowest, making comprehensive surveillance extremely difficult. Large commercial vessels are confined to two-mile-wide shipping lanes due to depth requirements, making them predictable and vulnerable. 2. Vulnerability of Commercial and Naval Shipping Massive oil tankers and cargo ships: Cannot maneuver quickly or stop. Take miles to change course. Become “sitting ducks” within narrow sea lanes. The remaining waters outside the main lanes provide cover for hostile actors. 3. Iranian Asymmetric Naval Strategy Iran avoids direct, conventional naval confrontation with the U.S., which it previously lost decisively. Instead, it relies on small, fast, low-profile attack boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These boats: Are often smaller than recreational boats. Use multiple engines for high speed. Are armed with heavy machine guns, rockets, and anti-ship missiles. Operate in swarms from multiple directions. 4. Concealment and Tactical Advantage Iranian fast boats: Operate in shallow waters close to shore. Blend in with fishing vessels and heavy commercial traffic. Remain difficult to detect by radar until moments before attack. The Persian Gulf’s dense maritime traffic makes threat identification even harder. 5. Recent Military Developments The U.S. reportedly sank six Iranian fast attack boats attempting to harass vessels. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated: Iran typically deploys 20–40 such boats, but only six were observed in this clash. U.S. naval and air assets (Apache and Seahawk helicopters) are heavily positioned in the area. Iran’s naval capabilities have been significantly degraded. 6. U.S. Position and Policy The U.S. frames its role as defensive, focused on: Protecting commercial shipping. Ensuring freedom of navigation. Hundreds of ships from 87 different countries are currently backed up in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. has offered escorted passage through the strait. 7. Escalation Risks and Political Messaging President Trump issued strong warnings to Iran, threatening overwhelming retaliation if U.S.-flagged or escorted ships are attacked. Iran insists ships must coordinate with Tehran before transiting the strait. Recent incidents include: A South Korean vessel explosion and fire. A Panama-flag cargo ship engine fire. A UAE oil tanker reportedly targeted by an Iranian drone. These events raise questions about: The durability of a fragile ceasefire. Whether strikes could expand to Iranian territory or leadership targets. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast and Verdict with Ted Cruz Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.