Podcasts about for american

Queensland: Beautiful one day, deadly the next! For American drifter Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) the gorgeous Gold Coast supplies her with great surfing and anonymity where she can leave her dark past behind. For psychopathic fisherman Tucker (Jai Courtney) the ocean provides him with a living, but his real interest lie in dying: the death of those he reels on to his boat to feed the sharks.Sean Byrne's Dangerous Animals harkens back to Ozsploiation in the best way. It's brutal, quick paced, and one hell of a survival horror. Sharks plus serial killer – the perfect bait for Aussie entertainment.Nadine Whitney spoke with Jai Courtney, Sean Byrne, and Hassie Harrison about dipping their toes into shark infested waters.Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @thecurbau. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit Patreon.com/thecurbau, where you can support our work from as little as $1 a month. If you are unable to financially support us, then please consider sharing this interview with your podcast loving friends.We'd also love it if you could rate and review us on the podcast player of your choice. Every review helps amplify the interviews and stories from storytellers to a wider audience.Dangerous Animals screens at the Sydney Film Festival on 6 June 2025. Tickets are available via SFF.org.au. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

【欢迎订阅】每天早上5:30，准时更新。【阅读原文】标题:Shein and Temu are in Donald Trump's cross-hairsn end to the de minimis exemption will hurt Chinese e-commerce firms—andenrage American consumers正文：For American consumers, online shopping has just got dearer. On February 1st DT did away with a decades-old provision, known as the de minimis waiver, that exempted goods under a certain value (lately $800) from customs duties. With the same stroke he raised tariffs on Chinese goods by 10%. Then on February 5th the United States Postal Service announced that it had temporarily suspended inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong, before abruptly reversing, causing all manner of confusion.知识点：dear adj. /dɪr/expensive; costing a lot of money昂贵；价格⾼• Everything's so dear now, isn't it?现在什么东西都那么贵，是不是？获取外刊的完整原文以及精讲笔记，请关注微信公众号「早安英文」，回复“外刊”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你！【节目介绍】《早安英文-每日外刊精读》，带你精读最新外刊，了解国际最热事件：分析语法结构，拆解长难句，最接地气的翻译，还有重点词汇讲解。所有选题均来自于《经济学人》《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《华盛顿邮报》《大西洋月刊》《科学杂志》《国家地理》等国际一线外刊。【适合谁听】1、关注时事热点新闻，想要学习最新最潮流英文表达的英文学习者2、任何想通过地道英文提高听、说、读、写能力的英文学习者3、想快速掌握表达，有出国学习和旅游计划的英语爱好者4、参加各类英语考试的应试者（如大学英语四六级、托福雅思、考研等）【你将获得】1、超过1000篇外刊精读课程，拓展丰富语言表达和文化背景2、逐词、逐句精确讲解，系统掌握英语词汇、听力、阅读和语法3、每期内附学习笔记，包含全文注释、长难句解析、疑难语法点等，帮助扫除阅读障碍。

One of the complexities of Angel Island by Huang Ruo is that vocal parts are alternately in English and Chinese. For American choral groups, who are familiar with practicing Italian, German, French, and Latin diction, Chinese is not a common language with which they often have experience. And for this project, it was important to get it right. This bonus is an excerpt of Charlton's interview with Sidney Chen of Volti. Volti is the vocal ensemble that was instrumental in the development and world premiere of Angel Island. In this clip, they are discussing the nuances of Chinese language, phonetics, and coaching the ensemble through the oratorio's text.  They also share stories about both Charlton's and Sid's personal relationship to learning Mandarin Chinese. Volti has an exciting calendar of music events planned for 2025, including a new commission from LJ White with Left Coast Chamber Ensemble in January and February and a program dedicated to “environmentalism in music” in June. Learn more at www.voltisf.org. And see what Sid Chen is up to at sidneychenarts.com. Featured music from The Angel Island Oratorio composed by Huang Ruo. Performed by Del Sol Quartet & United States Air Force Band's Singing Sergeants / National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, recorded and edited by Suraya Mohamed. Connect with Del Sol Quartet DelSolQuartet.com Del Sol Quartet on Spotify Facebook Instagram YouTube This episode is a bonus from the "Angel Island" season of Sounds Current. If you haven't already, we encourage you to go back to "Part 1: A Haunting History" and listen to the full 4-part story. Sounds Current is produced and edited by The Creative Impostor Studios and hosted by Charlton Lee.  

For American writers, there is something of a quest in American literature to write the great American novel. Such a work would typify the American experience in the same way Homer's epics or Virgil's "Aeneid" did for ancient Greece and Rome, respectively. And while there are many great American novels, there is not one unquestioned work that earns this distinguished honor. Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and more have written works commonly lauded as the "great American novel," but have they gotten there? Is the issue settled? What is the great American novel? For English teachers, we have the same quest to, at least, identify such a work. In this episode of DCT, Winston Brady speaks with literature teachers Ali Graziosi, Christina Salinas, and Chelsea Wagenaar, and head of classical education Matt Ogle. Each participant makes a pitch for the book they think is the "Great American novel" and why, along with the criteria as to why they picked that work and not others. What do you think of our criteria? Or of our picks? Did we leave any works out? Be sure to let us in the comments section on your favorite podcasting platform. 

Getting ready for GlassBuild?  I am too!  This special edition hits it all... from the show side to great exhibitors who will be exhibiting the latest and greatest.Katy Devlin of NGA kicks it off, followed by Alan Kinder of Guardian Glass.  Then the duo of Art Huard and Shawn McHale of NVOY Fire Rated join and we wrap up with an update from Kyle Lindersmith of Burkle.  Thanks for checking it out!  SEE YOU AT GLASSBUILD!Thank you to the episode sponsor FHC!FHC is Dallas-bound for GlassBuild!Visit FHC in booth 45012 to see the award-winning glazing systems, tools and supplies that are changing the game for glaziers… and to meet the team of technical experts that are redefining the definition of customer service and project support. For American-made, designed, engineered and tested glass railing and entrance systems… The FHC booth is the place to be. Giddy Up!From the Fabricator- #Glass and #Glazing hosted by Max Perilstein, Managing Partner of Sole Source Consultants. Connect with Max on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-perilstein-409ba111/

In this episode, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of Reach Out and Read and an uplifting new book collection. Marty Martinez, the nonprofit's CEO, and Judy Newman, Chief Impact Officer at Scholastic, talk with host Suzanne McCabe about 35 for 35—a new, curated collection of titles for young children. A joint venture between Reach Out and Read and Scholastic, with help from several other publishers, the 35 for 35 project will distribute 350,000 free books to children ages five and under during their well-child visits. The books celebrate the vibrant neighborhoods and diverse cultures of the children who are served by Reach Out and Read. Kids will be introduced to titles by acclaimed and emerging authors and illustrators, including poet Nikki Giovanni, basketball great LeBron James, and writer and educator Joanna Ho. “Evidence shows that if children are exposed to books and reading through their pediatric well-child visits,” Marty says, “they're more likely to get read to at home. They're more likely to spend time with their parents or caregivers connecting over a book.” As Chief Executive Officer of Reach Out and Read, Marty leads the Boston-based nonprofit's vast network, which includes more than 6,000 program sites in all 50 states and nearly 30 regional, state, and local affiliates. He has spent decades working on behalf of young people and families in underserved communities across the Boston area. Most recently, as the city's Chief of Health and Human Services, Marty led Boston through some of the most acute challenges posed by the pandemic. In her role as Chief Impact Officer at Scholastic, Judy helps to ensure equal access to books and literacy for all children through partnerships with nonprofits and other organizations. She currently serves on several boards, including at Reach Out and Read and the Ruby Bridges Foundation, where she is Board President. For many years, Judy led the iconic Scholastic Reading Club, aka the Book Clubs. She is known fondly in the office as our Reader-in-Chief. During the pandemic, Judy went back to school, earning a master's degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. → Resources Reach Out and Read: For 35 years, the Boston-based nonprofit has helped millions of young families across the country access literacy through well-child visits. 35 for 35: Learn more about this free, curated book collection, a collaboration between Reach Out and Read and Scholastic. → Highlights Marty Martinez, CEO, Reach Out and Read “The mission of Reach Out and Read is to provide opportunities and moments for children and their parents to have shared moments of connection and bonding through reading.” “We're a very simple model that integrates early literacy and books into well-child visits for our children five and under all across the United States.” “A child learns to read and then reads to learn.” “It opens doors not only for a child but for a whole family when you focus on early literacy.” Judy Newman, Chief Impact Officer, Scholastic “Programs like these don't happen unless someone leads the charge.” “Twelve publishers from across the publishing industry contributed titles to [35 for 35].” “For American democracy to continue, we have to have literacy.” → Special Thanks Producer: Maxine Osa Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl → Coming Soon Bad Guys Author Aaron Blabey Talks About Cat on the Run When We Flew Away: Author Alice Hoffman Discusses Her New Novel About Anne Frank Before the Diary

Paul Lane and Marc Fandetti break down why the economy is doing well and pushback against those who think the economy is terrible right now. Housing sector slump persists, with little relief in sight. For American brands worried about China is India the future? Vanguard sees more 401(k) hardship withdrawals. That may not be a bad thing. YouTube dominates streaming, forcing media companies to decide whether it is friend of foe.

Some days are hard. The world feels like it's falling apart, forests are burning, ecosystems are breaking down, and hope can be a long, long way away. But you're not alone in this feeling – and there are ways to manage and cope that not only support you but can make for a healthier community and planet. Climate Grief, From Coping to Resilience and Action is a new book from Dr. Shawna Weaver that dives into the realities of climate change, the grief so many of us are experiencing, and how that impacts our day-to-day lives. Importantly, Dr. Weaver shows how facing our grief is the first step toward making change for ourselves and for the planet. An experienced eco-therapist with advanced degrees, Dr. Weaver joins Defender Radio to share what led to this book, how grief is unique to everyone, and what tools we have to ensure we not only cope but become resilient and lead fulfilling lives. SHOW NOTES: Cover photo by Peter Kolejak / Getty Images Dr. Shawna Weaver's website: https://www.shawnajweaver.com/ Climate Grief on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Climate-Grief-Coping-Resilience-Action/dp/1590567161/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DCSKZH51R3K8&keywords=climate%20grief%20weaver&qid=1687959054&s=books&sprefix=climate%20grief%20weaver%2Cstripbooks%2C78&sr=1-1), Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/p/books/climate-grief-from-coping-to-resilience-and-action-shawna-weaver/19810317?ean=9781590567166), Indigo (https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/climate-grief-from-coping-to-resilience-and-action/9781590567166.html) Follow Dr. Shawna Weaver on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/drshawnajweaver/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/shawnajweaver?lang=en). Mental Health Resources Talk Suicide Canada: https://talksuicide.ca/ 1-833-456-4566 (toll free, 24/7) Text 45645 (4 pm to midnight ET) Government of Canada resource list: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html Wellness Together Canada: https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-ca/ Canadian Mental Health Association: https://cmha.ca/find-help/ In case of emergency, call 9-1-1.  For American listeners: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention https://afsp.org/ Crisis interventions https://afsp.org/im-having-thoughts-of-suicide/

Are you an American married to a non-U.S. citizen? If so, understanding the complexities of cross-border financial planning could save you and your heirs millions of dollars in estate tax (depending on how much money you have).  When it comes to financial planning for cross-border families, especially those with substantial assets, it's crucial to plan ahead of time how the family wealth will be passed on. One of the first things to consider is your estate plan. Determine how you want your assets to be distributed in the event of your death, whether to your non-resident alien (NRA) spouse, your kids, or to charity. For American couples, leaving the entire estate to the second American spouse comes with no estate tax. However, if you're married to a non-resident alien (a non-U.S. citizen), there are tax considerations to address during your lifetime and potential estate tax implications afterward. To mitigate these tax payments, gifting assets to your spouse up to the allowable limit during your lifetime, and planning with a tax professional and financial advisor how to pass your money to your kids, can help to lower the estate tax. It's essential to be mindful of the potential tax implications for your non-resident alien spouse and ensure they understand the tax obligations they may face in the event of your passing, particularly if they will inherit and hold assets in the U.S. Seeking the guidance of a cross-border financial advisor who can help structure your portfolio in a fashion that will minimize the estate tax will greatly help your spouse. In other cases, the use of a qualified domestic trust (QDOT) may be considered as a means of deferring estate tax in the case of the American spouse passing. Collaborating with a legal professional to set up a QDOT to match your family situation. When planning intergenerational transfers, balancing the financial security of your spouse and the desire to help your children, while handling taxes, is essential. Working with professionals who specialize in building tailored financial plans, can help you find the balance between all parties in the family.  Remember, proactive and comprehensive planning could be the key to protecting your wealth and ensuring your family's financial well-being across generations. The Goldstein On Gelt Show and its host, Douglas Goldstein, are not tax advisors. Consult with your own tax professionals before making any changes. If you're not already receiving updates on new episodes, sign up now, and as a special bonus, receive Doug's free ebook The Retirement Planning Book.

Have you thought of creating videos to market your books, writing, and other products and services? If so, here are a few statistics that should encourage you to do more with video in the coming year.Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% in text.More businesses are now using video than ever before. 90% of businesses plan to use video for marketing in 2024.85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound.66% of people will watch the full video if it's less than 60 seconds.1 in 4 consumers have made a purchase after seeing a video story on Instagram.The sweet spot for video ad length is 6-10 seconds. Short-form videos offer a great return on investment.80% of consumers want to see more short-form videos this year.For American adults, the average daily social media time for video is plateauing. Still, video consists of 60% of social media time among American adults.84% of people claim to have visited a website after watching a video promoting a product or service.Video production is often outsourced. Many marketers also use AI to create marketing videos.Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe

Subscriber-only episodeThe Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and one of Australia's most famous tourist attractions. Clear waters and tropical marine life make it popular with scuba divers from around the world.For American newlyweds Gabe and Tina Watson, a visit to the Great Barrier Reef was part of their dream honeymoon. But when their scuba diving trip ended in tragedy, a question quickly emerged: was it an accident or was it murder?As investigators delved deeper into the case, conflicting accounts and suspicious behavior began to surface, casting a shadow of doubt over what was initially deemed a tragic accident.Sources available upon request. Thanks for listening! Subscribe here: For Bonus Friday Episodes! (You'll also get a shout out on the show, a handwritten thank you from your ladies, and 20% off our merch! Follow us on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.

For American sports lovers, the Super Bowl is a bettor's dream. This weekend it's estimated that a record 68 million Americans will be placing wagers on the big game. As legal online gambling grows in reach and accessibility, what impact does that play on the landscape of sports and fan participation? Richard Morin, Editor of Sports Betting Partnerships at USA TODAY, joins The Exceprt to talk about the opportunities as professional sports continues to embrace gambling.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can we handle the truth?History's most heinous dictators have long relied on disinformation to destroy free societies and claim absolute power over nations. Today's agents of chaos tend to be regular citizens, using social and traditional media as well as artificial intelligence to pollute the information ecosystem with lies and conspiracy theories. And in a sinister twist, modern-day extremists living in the U.S. are taking cues from history's worst offenders – Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini – to wreak havoc here at home, says Barbara McQuade, BA ‘87/JD '91"For American democracy to survive, U.S. citizens need to make truth our national purpose," says the professor of practice at Michigan Law. McQuade also is an MSNBC legal analyst and the author of the new book Attack from Within (Seven Stories Press, 2024). She hopes to spark a national, bipartisan discourse about how to combat disinformation amid the exponential dangers posed by the Internet, partisan media, artificial intelligence, and more.“We can't be a democracy of self-governance if we cede all our power to those who are trying to manipulate us,” McQuade says. “These almost-simplistic tools and tactics that worked in the past are still working today. But now you can spread the word with the touch of a button and reach millions of people. Not only that, you can also adopt a false persona online and use bots to amplify your message.”The author reflects on her freshman year as a sports reporter at The Michigan Daily where she learned the “most important component in news is accuracy.” That simple tenet still shapes her career, from the courtroom to the classroom.“Truth matters,” McQuade says. “And yet we live in a world where truth is treated as this almost cosmic, religious concept -- as though truth is unknowable. Maybe so. But facts are knowable. Facts are black or white. And you have to accept the facts even when they are not to your liking.”From outrage to apathyPropaganda is no stranger to politics, but the forces at play today are more dangerous ever, McQuade says. Research shows that humans are wired with the compulsion to be right -- and to win, sometimes at all costs – even when irrefutable evidence negates one's argument. In the political arena, one may be tempted to “go along with the con,” just to see the preferred candidate or party prevail. “We want to believe,” McQuade notes, which seems less painful than admitting an error in judgment or risking “cancelation” by one's peers. And while human minds are adept at identifying patterns, making connections, and simplifying complexity, these traits also make us vulnerable to conspiracy theories and “big lies” about everything from COVID to climate change, McQuade says. Consider the myriad interpretations of the First and Second Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, often invoked to justify the actions of armed people who breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The stated goal by many who have since been incarcerated was to take back a “stolen election” in response to lies propagated by partisan players. “There's a quote from Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson [1941-54],” McQuade says, “that we have to use practical wisdom to make sure we don't convert the Bill of Rights into a suicide pact. And it seems like we are on a collision course with that.”The repetitive and relentless assault on truth is designed to leave us paralyzed and passive, she says.“It's this abuse of our rights through disinformation that will lead us over the abyss.”On the edgeAll hope is not lost, McQuade says in Attack from Within. Research indicates when people are presented with opposing views and more information about a scenario, they can shift their position and moderate their views. The former U.S. attorney uses the book to deliver pragmatic solutions to defeat disinformation, noting “a little regulation could go a long way.”“This is not a partisan argument; it's about the essential need for truth. Most of America is really quite moderate and we have the capacity to appreciate nuance,” McQuade says. “But I think in our complex world, we rely too much on proxies to tell us what to think about things instead of learning all those facts for ourselves.”Regulation could force transparency online – from exposing the true identities of internet actors to revealing what entity is paying for which campaign ad. Artificial intelligence could be used to detect/debunk fake news. It could identify bots and expose fake accounts on social media. To combat the algorithms that reinforce personal bias in one's customized “news bubble,” AI could be used to flag counterprogramming, opposing arguments, and ads with a position contrary to the content one usually receives. Regulators could require websites to disclose the methodology behind their algorithms, which are often designed to push outrageous content that keeps users engaged on their platform. Such disclosure would mean users could knowingly visit a site created to “gin up” their grievances or opt for a more measured editorial experience.“Democracy is all about an informed electorate,” McQuade says. “And if we're not just an uninformed but a disinformed electorate, it becomes very difficult to make important decisions for self-governance.”McQuade says some experts even suggest media outlets eliminate paywalls and replace them with a system of user credits as a way to keep the marketplace of ideas open for low-income consumers and avoid a society of informed versus uninformed citizens. This could offset one of modern media's biggest challenges: monetizing and subsidizing robust news organizations, especially at the local level.  Perhaps the most effective strategy to combat disinformation is to focus more on the actual “town square” than the virtual one.“One of the things we need to do is invest in social capital by getting out of our little bubbles and embracing our shared humanity,” McQuade says. “It happens in faith communities, labor unions, sports leagues. Whenever we can see people from across the political aisle with whom we have more in common than we have difference, it makes it much harder for authoritarians to demonize us. The more we can get away from a world of ‘us and them' and focus on the ‘we,' the better off we'll be.”

Some days are hard. The world feels like it's falling apart, forests are burning, ecosystems are breaking down, and hope can be a long, long way away. But you're not alone in this feeling – and there are ways to manage and cope that not only support you but can make for a healthier community and planet. Climate Grief, From Coping to Resilience and Action is a new book from Dr. Shawna Weaver that dives into the realities of climate change, the grief so many of us are experiencing, and how that impacts our day-to-day lives. Importantly, Dr. Weaver shows how facing our grief is the first step toward making change for ourselves and for the planet. An experienced eco-therapist with advanced degrees, Dr. Weaver joins Defender Radio to share what led to this book, how grief is unique to everyone, and what tools we have to ensure we not only cope but become resilient and lead fulfilling lives. SHOW NOTES: Cover photo by Peter Kolejak / Getty Images Dr. Shawna Weaver's website: https://www.shawnajweaver.com/ Climate Grief on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Climate-Grief-Coping-Resilience-Action/dp/1590567161/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DCSKZH51R3K8&keywords=climate%20grief%20weaver&qid=1687959054&s=books&sprefix=climate%20grief%20weaver%2Cstripbooks%2C78&sr=1-1), Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/p/books/climate-grief-from-coping-to-resilience-and-action-shawna-weaver/19810317?ean=9781590567166), Indigo (https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/climate-grief-from-coping-to-resilience-and-action/9781590567166.html) Follow Dr. Shawna Weaver on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/drshawnajweaver/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/shawnajweaver?lang=en). Mental Health Resources Talk Suicide Canada: https://talksuicide.ca/ 1-833-456-4566 (toll free, 24/7) Text 45645 (4 pm to midnight ET) Government of Canada resource list: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html Wellness Together Canada: https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-ca/ Canadian Mental Health Association: https://cmha.ca/find-help/ In case of emergency, call 9-1-1.  For American listeners: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention https://afsp.org/ Crisis interventions https://afsp.org/im-having-thoughts-of-suicide/    

For American mixed martial artist Lyman Good, the path to UFC fame was hardly paved with gold. Despite his challenging upbringing, marked by poverty and the absence of a father figure, martial arts became an extraordinary lifeline. Now, as the founder of Good Theory, he is a mental health advocate fighting for a new future. Known as “American Cyborg,” Lyman opens up about the darkest chapter in his life, the profound struggles he faced after his father's passing, and the depths of depression that led him to contemplate suicide. But out of the darkness came a glimmer of hope. Resilience and redemption led to the creation of the "Good Theory" project, aimed at raising awareness about mental health issues.Discover the profound importance of vulnerability, self-awareness, and the power of surrounding oneself with positive influences on the road to mental wellness. This episode is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the transformative potential of confronting one's demons to emerge stronger and more compassionate. To join the fight with Good Theory, follow them on Instagram.Lyman Good Instagram Good Theory  Instagram- - - - - - - - - - -Support Consequence of HabitSubscribe: Apple Podcast | SpotifyCheck us out: Instagram | Twitter | WebsiteThe show is Produced and Edited by Palm Tree Pod Co.

  In this episode, Patrick reviews a few vintage books on parapsychology and Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP), shares the spooky family stories inspired by a recent mediumship reading, and interviews longtime listener/friend/librarian Susan Davy on why you need to check out Uncanny. Uncanny, produced by Danny Robins, is an incredibly popular podcast/book/TV series from the BBC. Visit BigSeance.com/234 for more info. Other Listening Options Direct Download Link   In this episode: Intro :00 About today's episode! :51 Inspired by past guest and parapsychologist, Dr. Callum Cooper, Patrick recently read two books on parapsychology, and wanted to share his thoughts. The two books are Parapsychology: The Controversial Science (1991) by Richard S. Broughton, Ph. D. and Extra-Sensory Perception After Sixty Years: A Critical Appraisal of the Research in Extra-Sensory Perception (1940) by J.G. Pratt, J.B. Rhine, Burke M. Smith, and Charles E. Stuart. Next up is the even earlier groundbreaking book, Extra-Sensory Perception (1934) by J.B. Rhine. 1:43 Patrick recently had a mediumship reading from Jen Piwowarski, a listener who is also a budding new medium. This reading inspired some interesting stories that Patrick wanted to share with you. 6:44 The cake stand and a shattered glass: The poltergeist activity that Patrick's Great Aunt remembers from a time when he was still in the womb. 7:37 A spooky and sad story from Patrick's Great Grandma's old farmhouse. True? Embellished? The tale has passed through the family over the years. 9:02 Pour the tea for Patrick's conversation with longtime listener, librarian, and friend of the podcast, Susan Davy! 12:23 Susan was one of the very first listeners to call in and use the show's hotline! Did you know the show has a hotline? It's 1-775-583-5563. 13:23 Susan recently introduced Patrick to Danny Robins and the Uncanny. It's a book (Into the Uncanny: A Real-Life Investigation Into the Paranormal), a  podcast (Uncanny), and as of this week, if you live in the UK, a new television show (Uncanny). 15:32 Susan Davy is a librarian by trade, and here's her pitch as to why Danny's work and the Uncanny is something you need to check out! 17:06 The audience is allowed to contribute to the cases in the Uncanny. Plus Room 611 and #BloodyHellKen. 21:00 For American's in particular, you'll be excited to learn that these stories aren't from the same old haunted locations. They're all new to us! 23:43 Danny Robins, a writer by trade, isn't afraid to be funny, and he podcasts from a shed. 25:55 There are two years of episodes to binge if you're just getting started! 28:26 In most episodes, Danny features at least two experts to discuss the week's story. One is usually more on the skeptic side (often Ciarán O'Keeffe), and the other tends to be more open to believing. Evelyn Hollow is one of the experts often featured, and Patrick has reached out to her for an interview. By the way, he's reached out to Danny Robins' team as well. He's gotten a response and hopes to be able to schedule an interview soon! 28:50 The Uncanny TV series just dropped on BBC Two in the UK! 31:30 UncannyCon! 33:01 Next up! Susan shares several of her own paranormal experiences, beginning with a frightening McDonalds trip that has caused her to avoid a particular bend in the road ever since! She later did research and found that reports of seeing that same apparition go back to at least 1878! 34:25 Susan describes the apparition, which reminds Patrick of an incredibly real dream from several years ago, in which he was gifted the experience of seeing a glowing apparition. 39:02 “Your Highness”, a funny paranormal experience. 45:30 What's your favorite dessert? (Shoutout to Anne and Renata!) 47:40 When you're having a GREAT hair day! “I just heard, in my right ear, a mixture of what I will say is ‘ha ha ha' and a belch.” 51:33 A bowing, servant ghost. 54:15 Go to the library! Read a book such as This House is Haunted: The True Story of the Enfield Poltergeist by Guy Lyon Playfair, Is There An Afterlife?: A Comprehensive Overview of the Evidence by David Fontana, or The Scole Experiment: Scientific Evidence for Life After Death by Grant and Jane Solomon. 56:12 Outro 59:28 A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 1:00:46   The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, and iHeart Radio. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at Patrick@BigSeance.com. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the séance!        

Early October 1993, as Americans went about their daily business, many were stunned to hear of the dramatic events that had taken place thousands of miles away in the impoverished, war-torn country of Somalia involving their own troops in a city few of them had ever heard of. Fought on the streets of the Somali capital, the Battle of Mogadishu, as American history books refer to it, took place on the afternoon of October 3rd 1993, through the night and into the next morning. For American forces, it would prove one of the most intense urban battles since the Vietnam War two decades earlier. Consequently, they suffered more dead and wounded in a matter of hours than in recent years of operations combined, culminating in the shootdown of two US Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. Yet, despite these factors, the battle itself is considered a tactical success for the US forces involved, for despite daunting odds, political restrictions in the planning stage, and unforeseen mishaps, a force of less than 100 US troops held off more than 10 times their own number of heavily armed hostiles who poured streams of bullets and rocket-propelled grenades at their positions in an intense, coordinated ambush. In today's episode, we will examine the events leading up to the battle, the battle itself and the fallout from the whole affair, known around the world as the Black Hawk Down Incident.Support the show

This is a LIVE replay of A Trauma Survivor Thriver's Podcast which aired Wednesday, March 15th, 2023 at 1130am ET on Fireside Chat. ***Trigger Warning: This podcast contains discussions of suicidal ideation and the use of psychedelics to heal postpartum psychosis. We are not doctors in the medical field and are only speaking in the nature of our own experiences. If you are experiencing postpartum depression or psychosis, please reach out to your physician. If you would like to support or donate to the movement for psychedelic advocacy, check out the psychedelic medicine coalition ***  Today's guest is Melissa Lavasani, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Washington, DC-based Psychedelic Medicine Coalition, the first and only member association focusing on advocating for psychedelics at the Federal, State, and local levels of government. Prior to founding Psychedelic Medicine Coalition, Melissa was Chairwoman of Decriminalize Nature DC and proposer of Washington DC's successful 2020 ballot measure Initiative 81: the Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act. Inspired by her own experience of using psychedelics to heal her severe postpartum depression, Melissa led the Decriminalize Nature DC campaign to the largest ballot initiative victory in the history of our nation's capital.     Lorilee Binstock  00:00:32  Welcome. I'm Lorilee Binstock, and this is A Trauma Survivor Thriver's Podcast.. Thank you so much for joining me live On Fire side chat, where you can be a part of the conversation as my virtual audience. I'm your host, Lorilee Binstock. Everyone has an opportunity to ask me or our guess questions by requesting to hop on stage. You're sending a message in the chat box. I will try to get to you, but I do ask that everybody be respectful. Today's guest is Melissa Lavasani, founder and chief executive officer of Washington Dc based psychedelic Medicine coalition. The first and only member association focusing on advocating for psychedelic psychedelics at the federal state and local levels of government. Prior to founding psychedelic medicine coalition Melissa was chair women of nature Dc and composer of Washington Dc successful twenty twenty ballot measure initiative eighty one then plant and fungus policy act, inspired by your own experience of using psychedelics to heal her severe post depression, Melissa led the criminal nature Dc campaign to the largest vaglio initiative victory in the history of our nation's capitals. Melissa, thank you so much for joining me today. Thanks for having me. You know, this is the first time I've actually ever had someone in my studio, which Now, you know, is a closet. I feel so on her. You you should be. I would not let a lot of people into my closet, but I do consider you a friend I met you through the whole movement, the psychedelic movement. And, actually, you have some news to share today.  Melissa Lavasani: Yeah. we are launching a pack a political action committee. It's called Psychedelic medicine talk, and is a way to engage with everyday noncitizens on this issue. You know, the coalition is really focused on specifically the ecosystem and bringing the industry that is coming out of that ecosystem to the capitol hill and getting them to advocate for changes in laws. But we found that it was it's really important to engage American people on this issue. There's regularly their stories in the media talking about and shaping up medicine, but, you know, getting people are interested in this issue and getting them involved in the political process. To put leaders in place that will, you know, get behind this issue and congress and then and in state legislatures, is really important. That's how, you know, elections is one way to exercise our voice in this country, and that is how we can really create change as if the current leadership is not supporting Psychedelic medicine, healing Americans, and just like have giving Americans a choice in the matter, you know, our with our mental health care system being so in in this this situation of it's end, you know, getting people involved in the political process is just really important, and I think it's gonna help us shift the stigma around he's medicine to his government. Lorilee Binstock Well, you yourself was not someone who was someone who did poking unquote drugs right. And so this is kind of a surprising term for you. This was what twenty twenty, twenty, Yeah. Twenty nineteen my, twenty nineteen is when I... Like, really found the solutions and, like, stepped into this political process. Prior to that I was a Dc government employee. I was working in policy and budget. And know, working at a a hyper local level was super gratifying. It's like the things that I was working on and I could and touch and feel in my everyday life being a Dc resident, And that was great. And I thought well, this is, you know, I got my master's degree and policy. A few years before that, I wanted to do something that made Americans lives better. I didn't know what it was specifically. I thought I would really go into foreign policy. And that's why my entire master's degree was about is foreign policy, but you know, I think she... There's a saying you plan in god, a master plan and to just be, like a really solid public servant her the city of Dc was it wasn't my destiny at all? Yeah. I got... I was pregnant with my second child working and our version of City Hall and Dc. It's called the Wilson building. Man having oversight of various distributions is I was pregnant with my second child. I was dealing with a really difficult pregnancy. I've been an athlete my whole life I've always been active my first pregnancy had no issues. But my second one I I felt it was like, my she was like, to sucking my soul in a way. It was like, I it was a very hard process. Like, my body was just not working the same way that it did. I was, of course, a little bit older too having children in my late thirties, and I had really terrible. So, you know, being active was kinda taken out of the equation completely. I wasn't working out regularly because that, I wasn't really engaged with my health in general. I wasn't eating properly. You know, I was just kind of there's franchise from the process and you're dealing with. And I had a little taste of what people who deal with chronic pain, know, you was on a daily basis and that I see like that has a direct result on your mental health. And I was... If it got so bad that I was like, crawling up the stairs at the end of the night, when I couldn't stand off properly, I just could've... I was not comfortable. And it I had what they call anti part of depression. And it's not a very well known term. I never even heard of it before this. Yeah. I've never heard of that. Yeah. There's time I'm hearing about it. Yeah. I was going in for a regular checkup And my regular physician was on vacation, so I was seeing somebody else. And she walked in the door and she just like, hey are you doing? I don't know what it was. Maybe it was, like a female voice that, you know, it was just comforting or something. But, like, I immediately started crying, And like I couldn't even articulate a word, and she immediately picked up her prescription time started writing me a prescription engine process. And she's, like, just take this. You'll feel better, immediately. You'll get off of this after you deliver the baby. Everything will be fine and they're so healthy soon. Process. Now I knew that that most likely, wasn't gonna be the case. I've had two friends now, take their own lives, while they were all depression. Yeah I've seen other friends who have been on depression of various kinds for twenty years. You know, I I've seen them a struggle with tapering off of one and trying another one and just the uncertainty that goes along with that. So And mind, I was getting prescribed this job, it supposed to help me, but I knew that it could have potentially harmed me even further. So, guys. So I just... I talked to the prescription and I went home, and I was just... It did it wow with me and I was talking to my husband Daniel about it, and he was like, well, if you're not comfortable taking it, like, don't take it, we'll just try and figure this out another way. But there's... Really... When depression, kinda takes over, it's there's you you lose the range of your ship and she... You know, something else takes you takes you over. And no matter what I did, nothing was fixing this and it was just getting worse and worse. But I made it through the pregnancy, delivered the baby. He's healthy, happy. That's I kid alive. But after, and I felt okay for, like, a week or two, and then after two weeks, my health just like, completely declined. I was in the most severe depression that I've ever been, and I've never had any mental health issues prior to this experience. I had a little bit of part with my first daughter, but that went away as soon as I could, you know, get my bearings and get in their routine again and I started going back to work and working out and to fixing a diet. So I had assumed that this would just naturally go away, like, my other experience did or how that other kids happen. But this just progressively got worse. I was also dealing with paralyzing anxiety. I was having panic attacks on a regular basis. I had extreme paranoia. I never, like, let my husband drive the kids around. Like, if the kids were in the car, I was driving I was convinced that, like, he was, you know, gonna bake a bad judgment call. Like, it was very strange, the places that my mind went. And then the at the very worst part of my depression I was hearing voices and it experiencing to the idea. So And I believe that term, you know, there's, like, a term for a push part of psychologists. Right? Nothing nothing is very little data supports this, and, you know, we're we're not really given any resources. You know, You know, this your mom after you a kid. You your baby has, like, twenty checkup, but you have your one checkup. Your doctor tells you you're clear to have sex and that you're on your way. And, like, that's the milestone for you. No one is regularly checking in on you and I and for me, like, I don't have any family in the city. I have, like, extended family out in the suburbs, that, like, they're old and they can't really be his hands on, like, without somebody coming in and helping. It was really hard to kind of manage all this. And in so and I was trying everything. And except you're were into depression. Okay. Yeah. That's I I was very the paranoid I had about antidepressants before this experience was just, like, completely... It completely exaggerated during my depression. Like guy was convinced at that point if I had gotten on these drugs if that would be my permanent doom, I would take my life, like, that would be the end of me. Mhmm Wow, if I was just dealing one my depression without ancient depression, like, I I was experiencing I idea, but I felt like I was in control of that decision. You know? And whenever I was ready to do that, I would go ahead and do that. And it wasn't a medication that was altering my mind and, you know, making me worse. Right. Right. So they can... It can. Yeah. I mean, and they can work for people as well. I've seen success stories out of this. But if there is another medication we can take and another therapeutic experience we can have, that's extremely effective. So far is what we're learning. Like, why not explore this idea? Like, in real life application? For American people. You know, it can't be... It's already proven that's not worse than what we currently have the on. So So I stumbled up on a podcast and actually a friend of mine who said and he listened to this podcast with Paul Stamets, and we didn't talk to anybody really about our depression, our kids. Our friends were having kids at the same time. Everyone was, like, truly enjoying the experience of what it seemed, like, And and I felt like, I'm really struggling right now. And I life, why I have everything I wanna. I got an amazing husband. I've got two beautiful healthy children. I I've gotta roof over my head. Everyone's fed and clean, and we've got two stable jobs, like, what more could a oppression lot. Alright? So there were these also extreme feelings of guilt, like, there there's something inherently flawed in me that can appreciate all the guests that I've been given. And it... It of course, it wasn't that it's very little to do with that. I mean, you can be surrounded by I mean, my my last frontier took life, she was surrounded by amazing people an amazing group of women a community of women that supported her and helped her try to navigate through her depression. She had a husband who is awesome. A beautiful daughter, you know, if a job she worked for the Smithsonian, and she had all the support systems in place that you think would keep a person alive, but she still decided to take her life. So that's how, like, dire this disease is you you can be in a amazing situation in this phase of your life, but if you are dealing with this illness, you're convinced the exact opposite everything and that you're worthless lesson and nobody loves you, and it's it's extremely debilitating, and it's it's now we are learning it's impacting many more Americans and we thought it was. Yeah. I mean, the woman in Massachusetts right. The woman who was dealing with post part and the psychosis, and she took, you know, murdered her three kids. Right. And she tried to take her own life. Yeah. And it doesn't sound like she didn't have the support that she needed. You know, her husband came out not long after. And was like, please forgive her. This is not who she was. Right? And and, you know, that's pretty. Right? Like, like up million about to cry right now. But, yeah, as you you think about, like, they... She was on antidepressants. She was on multiple anti antidepressants. I was reading about that. And, again, like, I'm not saying that antidepressants are bad because they... You know, for me, they were helpful for me to kinda put out the fire, but that wasn't something that I needed to stay audio. But like you said, like, for her, she was on antidepressants, andthe event that happened happened still, You know? Yeah. No one. It's it's very unclear. What to do in the situation, obviously, I feel like doctors are still not. They still have no idea. Yeah. But you found a way, Yeah, which I think we really need to explore more. Can you talk about how you... Because you started micro designing from podcast the the Joe. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The false Damn. Mhmm. Can you talk about a how you decided? How did how was that decision making you heard this podcast? Academy. And what was your next thought? Like, I'm gonna do it or where you really had tip. The next thought was more like exploratory. Like, okay. I I've heard... And I did my own one of the deep dive into the Internet about psychedelics in general, especially psilocybin because that's what Paul was talking about in that podcast. And I was like, well, how can I do this illegally? You know, like, let's explore what the real options are here. I could apply for a clinical trial, which I did and eventually, didn't qualify for those are very hard to get into very few spots available for people to get into that. And once you're into them, mean still might be given a placebo. But then I looked at there's retreats in other countries. And at the time, like, we have a growing family, we're too nice government employees like, I didn't have, like, five grand to blow on a wellness retreat. But you know, that sounded so despite the dire situation that I was in to get on a flight away from my new fan my menu baby, my other child, my husband, and like, go with to Jamaica. It it it seemed like, surely there must be another way. You know? Right. Let's do illegally. Yeah. We had to do it illegally, fortunately you want, and we figured it out. So my husband went on reddit in Youtube and wants videos. I think he I can he grew up around mushrooms. I this was not a new concept for him. Right? He is from Northeastern, Alabama. He was taught at fourteen years old, which mushrooms to pick off the cow patty. Yeah. Women his friends would go listen to music. It was a part of their culture there. So he was listening to that podcast being like this it... Like, confirming everything is like, yeah, everything that he's saying is true you're never hung over. You feel amazing. You don't wanna do it very much. It's not like you're gonna have, like, seven days in a row, a lot of the mushroom bend, you do it once, maybe twice and you're good for a long time. So he's at this point in time, we were in couples counseling because I was the only way I would go to therapy is if he was literally dragging me there, our marriage was suffering. I was a completely at mother, like, totally disengage with my children, not knowing what even going on at school. My nanny was full blown, raising my son. They thank God for her because she really filled in and was that emotional support for him that I really credit her for him being such a great kid. And because when I went there, those years zero to three are super informative, and they say, like, the more effects you give your child, the better you are, the better off of Ar are the our adults they're more functional they're more balance. And I was just... I was doing this very, very minimum. I was feeding. I was just change diapers, but there was not a lot of love that they were getting for me. So I had... And and my husband filled in when he used kind of social work background, he understands the system. So he filled in and where he could where I was absent. So I had at least my children were taken care of in that way, but at this point, we were so desperate for a solution that we were like, let's just figure this out from the underground. You know She can buy spores online legally. So we bought the spores and we bought rest of supplies that like lowe's or Amazon. It was not very difficult to finals. Size. And we just experimented our first time, and it was super successful. We had amazing they're color flesh. We had his amazing flush. And it was cool to have this like science experience. So like oh, okay. We are growing medicine. This is awesome. So we did in our bedroom. It took a long time to, like, have mushrooms that we could eat. But how long would it take? Oh, man. At least, it was, like, three to six months. Oh my goodness. I have, like, memory issues from this period of time in that race? And as do most people who deal with true. It's it that was, like, the... I feel like the saddest thing is like, oh, there's parts of my kids lives, but like, I just don't remember. So I'll go through my especially my husband's camera role and seeing and he'll be like, do you remember this? So be like, I don't what were we doing? I don't I really don't recall certain things with them. But the... I remember the mushrooms taking a little while to pick up because it it's in multiple phases. So it was a a good three to six months before we had any. So during this time, did you what was your... What was your mental state like? Were you like, okay? Well, there is a way. So I'm I'm just gonna get through each day or was their days that you were just like, fucking I'm gonna kill myself. Yeah. Definitely. Yeah. Because at this point in time, no alternative therapy had really worked for me. Mhmm like I said, before, I wasn't going to talk Therapy. I was getting dragged to couples therapy. So, like, I hated that process and it's just miserable doing that.  So I was like, well, this is just gonna be another thing and if it works, consider me lucky, and then as it doesn't, like, either I get on the depression or I kill myself. And if I get on the depression, I show my kale myself. So there was really one option and one way out of this terrain, like, this I was convinced this was my life now, and this is just how I am and I'm forever changed. But I started micro, and, you know, there isn't a lot of data about micro producing, but I was really uncomfortable having a full blown psychology experience. These are not drugs I ever tried in my party days. I know it's never curious about My none of it. I thought I thought these were drugs were burnout out and, like, loser. And and like I I I had in my mind, the picture of somebody who takes a psychedelics and it's so funny that I'm doing this now because I'm I'm was so far off. Right now. Right. And so I was like, well, I'll just start with micro. Let me build up some confidence in in this process and dip my toes in first. And don't need to go all in. And was in a matter of of, like, three days. I was on the floor playing with my son, and that was the first time my husband had ever seen now. Yeah. So he was like, for his my he's like be shit. Like, my wife is back The person I married, you know, And he always jokes around that he married me because I was quote unquote the normal you know, I was... I was a steady girlfriend that was just, like, always there. Never, you know, we never fought, and we had the most normal healthy relationship. I ever had. And so for him to see there's, like, tiny glimmer hope, he got really excited for it. So but I was still going do this process very cautious and not... Getting my hopes up too high because, you know, that disappointment I knew it was coming for me, but I continued with the micro and was getting into a rhythm with life, and was starting to feel good again. And then we run out of mushrooms. And I was like, okay. Well, maybe I just don't need to do this anymore. Mhmm. But my depression started to creep back. And we tried to grow another slash mushrooms, and it got contaminated. They're they can it terminated very easily. Obviously, we're not doing this in a lab. Right we're doing it in our bedroom. So we tried to create sterile environment as my can make skin control matters, And how does it can become contaminated? Just something in the area that wrote like he would whenever he was and not them, I think... You have you ain't knock. You said it's like a real different process. Oh you were sure. You can fringe. She was just gone to a farm. I know. I know. But that like we... I've got two kids in the job. I have time to go, like, Peru fires to the girl, Virginia, You know? Can I just check out your cal? Sorry. They know what we're looking for too. I'm sure they're you. Yeah. So this was like... And this was a way to do it in into us, it wasn't a controlled environment. No one knew we were doing this. We were two public servants, like, my husband has worked in Dc politics and she has a lot of of very great hours of people here locally. And we didn't want anyone to know we were doing this. So it wasn't a situation where, like, we were asking our friends around who had mushrooms. I'm sure somebody did we looked hard enough, but we were was very hush. She was... First of, no one really understood the gravity of what we were dealing with with my depression. And then second, like, how do you ask your friends if they have the schedule one substance? I it like, send them to federal prison for decades. Do you know like, it is just That's a question that not a lot of people wanna ask and So growing them was really the only option for us, and it was working for a really long time, but when we click grow anymore, it became obvious. I needed to have, like, a a true intervention, and that's when I just got referred it. Alaska, and that was through one of our friends who one of, like, the three friends that knew when we were struggling and I say we were struggling. Was like, I was suffering from depression, but my husband was definitely struggling with keeping our life together. Right? You know, I have a lot of pressures. Yeah. I'm gonna hub for the family. And if if I'm not functioning properly, everything kind falls apart, and that's just... The roles that we play. And, you know, it it was it was very hard on him, and I think that he is just now, like, getting out of, like, the post depression spells, and she blow back. That happens when somebody goes through something. In in a couple. But one of our friendswho Daniel talked to frequently about what we were going through  was like, she had her own experience with Iowa, and I in my own deep dive of looking our develops and what the landscape was I Can let why are they illegal, what's the history? Why are policies the where they are? What is the cultural history of this? I was somewhat familiar with alaska, and I knew that it was something that people were doing in South America and they're having amazing, like, benefits from it. People would eventually just go down to South America have a a week long experience and come back and feel like themselves again, and but my friend was like, that this like, you don't need to go to soften america like he... There's a guy. I know he travels around, and I only by word of mouth, he's coming to New York City in two months, just take a train and get up here. And I think that, like, I wouldn't have even been gone on a train if it wasn't for the mushrooms getting me out of the very doable bowl. But at least like, I was in a place I felt okay to partnership it and like you get on a trains in New York City and go through this, like, extremely sensory experience of just like getting through New York City to Brooklyn where this guy was host this ceremony. And, you know, looking back, That was so incredibly brave of me or like dumb. I don't really know. I that. I no. I need to be a little dumb to be brave. But I went to the strangers apartment and with twenty people that I had never met before, including the the healer, and drinking or drink that he he made himself, and I have no idea what's in it. I have no idea what if it would test positive for anything. Like we are in, like, the fentanyl days of already writing, we only need to be really careful what we put in our bodies. Especially with illicit of substances. But at that point, again, I've had a little taste of relief from depression and I was... So I was hopeful that this could be the thing. Right? Like, with mushrooms, I'm like, I don't know if this was gonna work. We'll try But I've... In mushrooms and Are very different to totally different chemical structures. But I knew that they were the similar class of drugs. So I I was very hopeful that Ayahuasca was gonna be what helped me. So I had a few ceremonies with that And that completely transformed my world and allowed me to start building my life back and I don't think without Or without that very big experience was like could alex I would have gotten there. But, yeah. That's kind of what started this whole entirely trajectory in my life with what I'm doing right now. It was an it... And it was a miserable experience it not a recreational drug by any means they don't rely anyone with just wouldn't wanna take that to get like, to party. It's it's maybe it was, like, physically extremely painful. And you get... You vomit, you get diarrhea. You cry uncontrollably. You laugh on control. They there's moments when, like you just you just don't know, but it's it's doing something in your body. It's moving your energy around. It's all that stress and trauma that we store in our body and we don't know how. But like we store in places, like, and in some people, it's different in me was my gut, like, it was it all came out of my system, and I I woke up the next morning, and it wasn't like I woke being like, I am healed. Know. Like... But as time went on and those days went on, I started to observe in, like, things with shift. Like my perspective would shift on things, and I would be like, well, well, this is something that's not good for me and I need to change that. So I slowly started to change the things in my life that we're not working for me and until this day, still changing things in my life that are not working for me. And I really do credit dialogue for that. Yeah. I feel like for from... I haven't tried I I feel like it is in my near future, but I did... I have heard that, you know, it gave them the opportunity to make some changes that they were scared to make previously in their and, you know, yeah life prior. Yeah. I mean, you... People that deal with depression, you gets stuck in these loops in these trains of thoughts where you're you're... Keep telling yourself the same story over and over. It's like, you for everyone's different, but for me, is it's like, you're not worthy of any of this. You don't appreciate the like you are... You've been given every single gift in the world and you're just sq it. You you don't love your children. Your children will end up presenting you. So that you get stuck in these loops, and I found that dialogue alaska broke me of that of that line of thinking and, like, it cleared the deck so that I can create new narratives about myself. See that's what I need to do. Yeah. Yeah. It's just really powerful and if you if you do the diet beforehand, and you're really take seriously, you go in there with an open mind and you're willing... You you understand that this is not gonna be the magic tool for you that it it is on you to fix your life. And you can go into that experience of the open mind. It can be an extremely effective tool. I have heard people with crazy stories of walking into an ayahuasca ceremony and, you know, dealing with debilitating arthritis and their hands are all cramped up on the like, the fingers all granted up other actually like, they can spread their hands open, like, they're arthritis. And, like, that doesn't like the exception here. Right? Like, we still have so much to learn about these medicines, but also, the culturally people in south America Have been doing this for centuries. So there's something to this. Right if it wasn't working, this wouldn't be a practice that's currently hell today. Yeah. And and that's pretty much with after that I ayahuasca gun ceremony, that you decided, I'm going to work on de decreasing plant medicine in Dc. I remember when that was on the ballot? Yes. Yeah. Is definitely not my first spot at all. But I was watching One Denver, and that was the campaign two mushrooms for the city of denver. And that was going on wow we were going through this process with, like, trying to grow our mushrooms and sixteen succeeding and then failing and then finding How I walked. And so being kinda experiencing in politics, my husband's worked on a few campaigns as well. We were like, let's... You know, let's call up the campaign. Like, you could find anybody on the Internet now. So we connected to with him over Facebook, and we had a a really good call with him. And just asking like, what are the noncitizens of Denver saying? About this, like, what is law enforcement saying about this? When, you know, what what are what are your marketing materials? How are you talking about this in general public? And, you know, for us, we were just, like, curious about what our impact could be. I think initially, we were thinking of just utilizing the our network of political people to just educate, I guess, you know, we never... I've never wanted to be a front person for anything I was always really uncomfortable with attention. I assumed that my husband would be the one that has, like, this amazing career and, like, things would take off for him because I mean, he was perfectly positioned to do that. He's worked for a politician for So it it it wasn't like, oh, I'm gonna be the spokesperson for women everywhere who healed us themselves It was more like Okay. We have we had this conversation in this conversation led to a connection with other people, and let's let's go have conversations with them too. And see how we can help. So it was really just like connecting the dots as you go, like, driving and pitch black and, like, all you can see is, like, the next step. Yeah. But we kept taking more meetings, and then eventually, We got connected to Doctor Bronzer folks in Dc. And so Doctor Bronzer is this hippie show company that has all natural ingredients say I use work. Oh, yeah. Please use it for like, probably years. Yeah. Yeah that's. Amazing. I love the peppermint. My favorite in the cherry blossom there my jam. Yeah. Yeah. So I was like, oh, I know Doctor Bronzer, but like I didn't realize that they ran to this. Oh, no. Yeah. Like, so they were... They've been really pivotal pivotal and getting cannabis reform through. They were very active in Have form. They... You know, David Bronzer puts a lot of money into causes that he really cares about. A lot of that is regenerative farming and drug laws. They were the ones sponsoring the Denver campaign. And David is is pretty politically sorry he's got a team of people here that he pays to be their, like, social activation team, like, they will put together a protest or they will try to engage Dc council on this shoes that are important to them. Anyway, they they were talking to dave the team here and David were talking and they were, like, we if we could do this in Dc Dc is was it the forefront of canada your reform? Why wouldn't it we be at the forefront front of Second reform. Mhmm. But they knew that the campaign couldn't be run by Cannabis folks. Because it's a very different kind of subject matter. And I go at the time, carried ton stigma I think cannabis is rich away a few of those fears already. But they were talking to Kevin Matthew is the guy in Denver who we who got us or start, and Kevin was like, you need to talk to a couple that morris and daniel Excuse me. They... You just need to chat with them. So like you didn't say much about us. But then the team here started to go on Facebook and look us up and turns out they had already... They already knew my husband through his time at Stacy Council, and when they were working on cannabis reform for the city, So they had my husband's cell phone number already, which was extremely fortunate. And at this point in time, we've connected enough dots and I like, I had identified key people in the city that, you know, if we were to do something, This is her who you'll do work with And one of those guys of adam manager. Who is the Cannabis guy in Dc, So my husband sends me tax message, and he's like, I guess who I just talked to. Could. You should be anyone. He's like I'm a manager. They wanna take a dinner white talk about I know. I was like, let's interesting. So, again, not really thinking that I would be running a campaign, but we we went out to dinner. I shared the experience that we went through and what we did, and they were like you are the perfect person to, like, spear a campaign. And just be the face of healing in Psychedelics through City, Dc. And I was like, you were in shade not never that campaign pain and I dana it. I know It was they was true I was convinced that, like, they had taken crazy pills because like, I was... I was never that person. Even speaking in public was terrifying to me. I was so cool with just being in the background. No That's crazy. Yeah. But so we had a back of we year a few months back and forth about doing this campaign. And I was like, or... You know, they got to a point where, like, we wanted to get on the general election ballot, like, the big presidential ballot you can get way more of voter turnout out. Which increases your likelihood success, And they tied time debt where they were, like, December of twenty nineteen was, like, the last opportunity to get the paperwork to the border of election so that everything can get approved in time and that we have time to get signatures and submit everything to get on the general election about it. So we have been going back and forth with them and it was then, like, trying to convince just do this, and we're, like, no No. No. Will help in the background. So I like, we're not gonna do this. So then Adam calls me and he's like, you know, I like, you know where I stand on this? I think you should do this, but I completely understand if you don't wanna do this. And I was just like, I can't. I can't guarantee my children's safety in this situation, like, at the time, nobody was talking about mental health. Nobody was talking Psychedelics. I didn't know what was going to be said about me, or was gonna be sent about us. I didn't know if they were gonna not get invited to kids parties from school anymore, like, with all the moms of school, like, just completely turn away from me and, like, think I'm some weirdo like drug person that is just you know, abusing my children and, like, having drugs in our house and feeling dangerous. I I had to like, go through that process. Like, figure out what was a worst case scenario. And I don't know this phone when it we went to bed and I was waiting and pen out she should so upset, and I like, you should feel good about the sister. You know? Like, you got the thing of the hanging over your head for a few months, like, you don't wanna do it. We we can't guarantee what's gonna happen to our family. But, like why you upset I was like, I feel like this is opportunity. The the last thing that Adam said, he was like, if you don't do this queue, if you don't wanna submit this paperwork like, we're gonna go ahead and do it anyway. So I knew that if I wasn't involved in the campaign that it would look drastically different than what the campaign that would be run by me would look like. And the messaging would be different. And I don't know if it would worked. The cannabis activist god bless them or are loud and, you know, very open about their use cannabis and that is that ten. That strategy can be really divisive with certain corners of politics. And I knew that you get one shot at a first impression and it's same with this issue. Same with anything. You have one shot to make your big sl on public, Did I want it to be a big loud campaign that was really colorful and, like, you know, in your face or with a campaign that was run by a working mother that was blood with compassion and with back and science and experience and experience and personal experience with, you know, and and extending compassion to others and being open and honest about what I have gone through and what is wrong with our system. How would that look? And I just had a feeling in my gut that if I was running this campaign that it would be successful because people would hear me. And in my mind just like, well, if I a person who, you know, how to support a family had, you know, no trauma in my life that was my truly super notable. If if I was that close to taking my life being the well resource person that I am Being a very privileged person that I am very fortunate to have the life that I had. If I was that close to suicide, how what is this experience like, for other people, you know, that don't have the resources that I have. That, you know, don't have a spouse so that's really supportive or, you know, have parents that they can fall back on. So I knew that I had a feeling that this issue was much bigger than than what it what we were hearing from society. And I knew that if I was... I took a chance And I said, if I'm just opening and honest, hopefully, people will be receptive to that. And understand why I took the rest that I did, and maybe they will that make them feel compelled to take action and you know, demand that our governments take this issue seriously and past laws that support people that are dealing with these kind of issues. So the very next morning, I woke up I call it and I said, okay. I'm gonna do this campaign. He got so excited. So I'm calling the attorneys right now. We're gonna draft up all the paperwork. And we're gonna go board elections today the last day. Oh my gosh. So we submitted it on the very last day, and it was... I remember just seeing, like, my address on official, like vaglio initiative paperwork, and I was, like, holy shit. This is very real like this could totally blow up in my face. But in my mind, like, I went through what the worst case scenario is, Like, we're banished from society. We are marked as the weird people. We have our scarlet letters on us. And, you know, and I told my husband are was, like, if that happens, we can just pick up in move if we've been in Dc for twenty years. We've navigated through, you know, two recessions now, you know, we've we've had really... We have really great work experience that we could just take somewhere else and no one will know who we are, and we can just start over. So that was my compilation prize like, okay. There's... It's not the been of the world. If this doesn't work out, at least I have my house. You know? At least I feel like I've got my life back I can go and take what I've learned from this experience. Just so not gonna live some tomorrow and let peacefully, But, again, you plan and God. Yeah So we... After we submitted the paperwork, we were about to get on a road trip to south where our families live. We were going to Alabama for Christmas. And I think that whole right home we're were just kind of like, oh, shit. What did we just do? Like what what is our life, like, we we were like, because as soon as we got back from the holidays, I was kicking off the camp officially. So I knew and after the holidays was through our life was forever change in one way or another. And like, we they didn't really talk about it with his parents. I never talked about this with my parents, they are not, like, they were... My parents are very cool in many regards, especially from, like, their immigrants. So, usually, parents or immigrants are, like, super duper abstract and I'm very protective of their children, like, they risk so much to create a new life in the Us for their children. And my parents are pretty cool about things, but this No. No. It. They would have been like, most you can't do this campaign and I really think this will be a career or career killer for you. And, you know, you've got two graduate degrees and you you're wasting your career on something like this. And what's the point of doing this? Like, they wouldn't have understood this and no. So I didn't talk to anybody about it. I only talked to my husband about it. I talked to a few people that worked at Dc council off the record, and, you know, some them, like, this could be successful, but I don't know. You know, it depends on how the campaign goes. You know? But it was It was definitely like, we we were walking into the unknown when we were getting back from the holidays. And but it was... It was it was a crazy experience. You know? Like, twenty twenty was a crazy year for me. I mean, for everyone but I yeah how did I sign up? For. Yeah. But also, probably one of the of the best year of my life. Like, I will never forget that because it shifted everything for me in a completely new direction. And I I do feel like I found my voice, and a lot of these things that you just scare me, like, public speaking and you know, being on camera, you know, having, like, fifteen minutes the same. It was just like, having the spotlight on me was okay suddenly because it was so above and beyond any hang I have, You know, like Oh, I hate some my voice or. I I hate the how I look on Camera. Like, I I overcame all of that because I knew this issue is far too important than to be concerned with something so trivial. Yeah. My voice or how I look in. Right now. So I got over a a lot of things and I got a lot of confidence back in twenty twenty because, you know, recovering from depression is process. There's not, like, one moment in time. You're like, oh, I'm not depressed anymore. It's like, very long artist's process. Like, I'd still something I work on to this day. It's a daily practice for me. It it involves, like, being active and and having my diet in track. I definitely, like, don't do it perfectly all the time it took you a while to get to this point even just because a lot of my time post depression has been in campaign you're running a a very new organization in a an marketing industry. And now it's it's like this is my next phase of healing really is putting in into a daily practice and creating a system that works for me so that I'm never in that situation again. Because, like, one thing that has linger is is anxiety, but I was managing it through, like, completely diving into my work. But then, like, in my idle times, it's like, I would sit my brain, would she'll be running, like, a hundred and miles hour because when... I was writing a campaign while working full time too. So that was like a crazy. What did they think about you doing this? You know, how does it was it's Dc government? Yeah. Yeah using our very small. So at the time, that all this is happening Also changed jobs, and I went from being at The Hobbit city Hall. To being in in an agency. So I was... I was protected by a few layers of people and also I wasn't going to the office every day. When I wasn't seeing right having. I I had this amazing cover where, like, we I wasn't going to office. We're all behind Zoom and teams and you know, it it never... I made sure that it never deserved my work, which means I was working around the clock. I never missed a deadline. I... You know, I I ensure that my day job was good, and everything was taken care of. Before I did anything with the campaign. So because I knew that if the moment that I would slip up at work, that would be... Then it would be a problem, but if I don't give them it excuse to, you know, call me out something. And on my work product is good. Like, I that gives me good enough cover. So I was really fortunate with the timing of all this, even though running a campaign with not having, especially a vaglio campaign where you need to get physical signatures by people. Yeah. Like, that one of money in twenty twenty right. And that was sticky waters navigate through for sure. And we had to change Dc laws so that we didn't have to collection signature you're in person. That you could send the balance to people's homes. So we had to... We have to kinda like, weather a period of time that we didn't know if the campaign was gonna continue. Like, we kicked it off and it was going amazing and well, we even shifted it online started doing whatever we need to do Facebook ads, Instagram, town halls. We did it all online. And the campaign was going well, but then we had this issue of actually getting signatures that we didn't know how removed get through it. So I had to very patiently wait while Dc council was putting together multiple emergency legislation packages to make sure, like, things don't just explain completely explode in the city. So, like, you know, protecting health care workers and making sure there's supplies. Like, I remember, like, I felt like, I had to wait for my right time to make our ask because, like, we're just so a bow initiative of campaign about psychedelic drugs. Like, it's... I I knew that it was not a top priority for Dc to change their laws to adapt to our campaign. But we got some laws changes in the third round of emergency legislation on the last by basic council that allowed us for somebody to self certify. So when you have... When you're doing a about of campaign, you get signatures and you have somebody that gather or signatures, and they witness the person signing that it's actually them and not fraud as somebody just signing names for people. So there's a, like, Affidavit and everything. So we to change laws so that a person can self certify that they've witness their own signature. So it's like kind of crazy, if we to change the form, and and my argument was, like, we can't let our democracy die in the middle of a public health emergency. Like, this is the foundation of everything that we're doing right, You know, the government unless continue. And, you know, there's elements of our democracy that must continue, otherwise we're not a free country and it actually works. So I, it was like the the argument made sense to does they again. Yeah. Yeah. So Yeah. After that, we were off the races. Yeah. And you led the most successful vaglio initiative. Yeah. In the history of Dc, Yeah. I mean, you know, seventy six percent, that's crazy. Yeah. And now you are the political face at Seasons. Right? Yeah. In front of psychedelic you are just... Yeah. Yeah. So we won the campaign by seventy six percent. I truly think it was because I'm not too my own horn here, but, like, what it was take your horn. It was very much like a regular person's story. You know? And I could I am a regular for some story. It's funny as like the... At one point, I would have, like, news crews at our house and, like, this entire crazy set with cameras lights and all this. And then Netflix was obviously filming parts in our campaign for I was in how to change your mind. Yeah. I watched that like I knew. And I did read. You had a a a wonderful piece. There is wonderful piece written about you in the watch Tony and too. I really enjoyed reading that. Yeah. That was probably one of my the most favorite things out the campaign paint was the most normal psychedelic metallic ask ever. Yeah. Like it it was funny to me. It's like I can't play it. And it's weird because on one hand, I would have a I remember it the day after the campaign, I was written up in high time magazine in the Wall Street Journal. And I was like, This is such a strange dichotomy right where, like, I'm my name is in the Street journal, but also in high times, which is like an iconic cannabis magazine. But, yeah, it was a weird moment like, what is my life. Like, what am I doing? What am I gonna do with us? Like... I got... I accomplice this major thing, and we educated so many Dc evidence about checking all drugs and you know, what's wrong with our health care system and what's happening with these medicines. And, you know, I wanted to do something with the I felt like this is an opportunity. And like I just couldn't go back to my old job. You know? I know you eat I mean, you are now the say of a movement. And, you know, that you you now are connected to... With, you know, you just had a briefing last week. Yeah. Wow. It's just with the things that you're doing. Mhmm. It's just amazing. Yeah. You. That's really, like,all that is very much not about, like, what I personally want to accomplice. But is very much like, what is the need for this... These medicines to get into the hands of American people and the safest way possible in the most affordable way possible. And I truly think that this federal advocacy piece has been the one piece that was missing prior to me. Creating second Medicine coalition. There was no organizing body kind of creating the strategic pathway forward for Psychedelic federal policy. I had watched cannabis reform just having the policy background that I have and just seeing how that distorted effort was like, the states were progressing, like, rapid fire, and then the federal government was you know, left behind. I mean, they're they were really left behind, but I think that Canvas industry was so, excited about the progress of was b managed shaped I a lot of focus went there, And then there wasn't an effort to organize the voices and cannabis reform for the federal government. And like I said, you get one shot to make it for suppression. So the first impression with cannabis was that there the the obvious flooded the gates and the the quote industry didn't come together and have consensus building. It was very throat, and a lot of what could have been amazing small businesses or small growers, you know, thrive. It was kinda just like corporate cannabis to Them and left the little main behind. And also, there's this huge criminal justice issue that continues to go undergrad. With the disproportionate amount of black man that are still in prison for cannabis events as well. People can run to a dispensary and writing, get their cannabis so, like there's a lot of holes in the in the policy space that that never were really addressed so now. You know, in congress and mind like, well, we're gonna states do what they want. And we're we're not gonna... I'm not gonna hang my hat. There's not a very few... Until recently, there's been very few senators and representatives I've willing to hang their head on Cannabis. So seeing that, and then knowing what the space like, a lot of the culture is like, addition to the West Coast, and it's very much like a West Coast cultural thing. Which is why I think there was a lot of excitement about the Dc campaign doing so. Well. Mhmm. But I knew that for this issue to be can have an impact on congress and actually, like, change laws that supported people having safe to affordable access. I knew that I needed to create an association that represents the entire movement because the sensations are really powerful. This like, yeah That there here you go. There's one association that's been extremely effective in getting laws that benefit their members. Right? There's a reason why they have offices over on the capital, and they're very they work side by side. They are the go between switching industry and lawmakers, and they do kind of synthesize his eyes what what really needs to make it through and what doesn't it? And really strategize on on on the path forward. So I created Check medicine coalition, and we launched it in January twenty twenty one. And we immediately realized that, like, before we ask for anything, like, we need to educate members of congress. There is very little knowledge about the potential psychedelic could medicine on a federal level. So since then, we have... I created over two hundred and fifty offices on the hill. We've done two briefings now. Our most recent one was last week, where we had Tim Far zooming in with Rick Wo who's executive director maps who's taking Md through clinical trial Fda. Yeah. Who's been who's been up pioneer and doing this for, like, thirty seven years. Doing it all with answering, no investors. He's got a public benefit corporation that's doing it because he really does want this to be something that the public can benefit from and not an investment play. So, you know, we are here to really be a conduit for the psychedelic space. To speak to their federal government and work with them. On addressing a lot of the issues that will need to be addressed. So we have multiple and clinical trial right now. We have May that's not to be approved psilocybin compass path just city you so excited through Fda clinical trial, though they will be approved probably a year or two after I'm the is approved. This is going to be a part of our system. Absolutely. But what will just look like and it's not a drug that you can just say this is approved, let's send it to offices so that doctors can give it to their patients. It's not a traditional pharmaceutical point. This requires, at least a protocol for Md requires to two practitioners in the room at the same time. Sixteen hours prior to your first treatment with, I believe that there's three that you get, and then there's sixty hours after So this is a huge time commitment to just get one patient through one session with. And our system quite frankly can't handle that. Like, we barely have enough therapist for people a lot of this work is is not reversible, so people don't wanna do it. You have to pay on a pocket for it. Yeah. Problem. There's a huge lot in therapist color that can speak to different demographics of people if we've got people that are dealing with racial trauma, they do not wanna go to a therapist that looks like somebody that happens like did in racial terms then, like, it has it, it's you're so vulnerable in these moments and the things that you're dealing with are so deep, that, you know, you you you gotta ensure that somebody's comfortable or otherwise, it gonna be a really bad experience it can like, negative effects on somebody so and even be handled with care. Yeah. Well... Absolutely. This is a completely different paradigm that we're trying to insert in our very rigid health care system. That does not have a mind body connection angle to it at all. Yeah. It is it's there's a lot that we need to address and, you know, our coalition can be really effective in doing that with bringing people together and getting getting the policymakers makers to understand that this is not a political bomb that you're taking on. This isn't gonna be brought up in your reelection campaign because that's really what they care about when they're name congress, But ultimately, they're a politician and they you know. They have to cater to their voters. Yeah. So they are very concerned with getting behind issues that would impact them negatively. And you know, it's just figuring out what they care about and what they've got through in life and, like, finding a way to wedge a story related to In there, you know? And the the first, like, crew to lead the charge in this our veteran. Mhmm. And I think everyone is kind of understanding that, you know, if we could bring to pull our opposite on a political structure together on this issue. This can be really effective and powerful. Like, the one thing that people on the hill have been bipartisan about is Psychedelic medicine. So veterans are a very specific demographic. They garner a lot of compassion. They've sacrificed a lot for our country, and they've really been dealing with like, a terrible situation with the Mental health swore. Right? not even in more times, but, like, there's issues that people in the military deal with, like, we had Whiz Buckley who is exactly director of a foundation called No Fallen heroes. Use was a top gun pilot, and he was at the briefing last week. And he was sharing that, like, his issues didn't come from Combat. None of them did. It was just the nature of the work, and trying to be in a plane where you're dealing with like multiple g forces and then landing the plane and the noise and the fact that he he constantly hears a noise in his ear to this day, You know, there's the the nature of the workers is so different. So intense that if we're not addressing any of these issues, Like, I think the military gonna have, like, a... I mean, I think they do have a recruitment problem. But, you know, how effective can they be as an organization if the soldiers aren't well. And that that's that brings together two different angles with the political spectrum. Absolutely. Lorilee Binstock: Well, I think your story is also something that's extremely important because you are completely fine isn't before you became a mother they're... And and for women, and I think it's also hard for them to really want to dive into psychedelics. I know that there are a lot of articles now coming out that, like, a long mushrooms Yeah. Or, you know, which I think is great. Because I I also micro and it very effective for me, but I think your story

Description Returning guest Norman Mitchell joins Joe to talk about the Japanese television show Jetman. A super sentai series, Jetman features a team of humans who can power up and drive robots to fight various monsters. For American audiences, this … Continue reading →

For American novelist Andrew Sean Greer, the search for joy is a continued source of creative inspiration – as evidenced in his international bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less, and now again in its humorously honest new sequel, Less is Lost. Warm, witty and profound, Less is Lost sees the lovable Arthur Less return for an unforgettable road trip across America as he confronts his personal demons and attempts to decipher the riddle of love. As part of the Wheeler Centre's 2022 Spring Fling program, Andrew Sean Greer made his own journey to Australia to join writer and broadcaster Benjamin Law in-conversation. Together they waded through ageing, grief and unavoidable change to find creativity, friendship and love. This event was recorded on Wednesday 9 November 2022 at The Capitol as part of the Wheeler Centre's Spring Fling: A Short Series of Big Ideas program. Presented in partnership with RMIT Culture. Andrew Sean Greer's appearance was made possible with the generous support of Hachette Australia. Featured music is Tape Machines, Le June, Nbhd Nick - Br1ghter (Instrumental Version)Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For American women today, working out is as accepted as it is expected, fueling a multibillion-dollar industry. But it wasn't always this way. For much of the 20th century, sweating was considered unladylike, and girls grew up believing physical exertion would cause their uterus to literally fall out. Danielle's book, digs deep into the history of women's fitness and how it has evolved from a beauty tool promoted to “reduce” towards a path of promoting mental, emotional and physical well-being. You can find Danielle at https://www.instagram.com/daniellefriedmanwrites/ ___________________________________________________________ Do you want all your menopause resources in one place? To pick up your free copy, simply head to amandathebe.com/meno-resource/ PS don't forget to leave me a nice, juicy review! It really helps support this podcast. Much Love, Amanda x

For American adults, over 70 percent of time awake is spent in the workplace. That means the workplace is our greatest mission field. In the message "Get to Work!" Nate shares how you can work with purpose in your job.

on Connect with Skip Heitzig, Skip's son, Nate Heitzig, continues the series Hustle and Grind. For American adults, over 70 percent of time awake is spent in the workplace. That means the workplace is our greatest mission field. In the message "Get to Work!" Nate shares how you can work with purpose in your job. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/104/29

S.5 E.21 For American citizens, voting is a right as well as a responsibility. In this podcast episode, I discuss why we must vote and make our voices heard.

Millennials and Gen Z increasingly reject biblical sexuality, and they aren't shy about saying why. For American evangelical millennials (ages 26 to 41), specifically, the shift happened at least in part with ‘90s purity culture, which shouldn't be a shock. Many were blindsided by tyrannical youth pastors wielding half-eaten lollipops, chewed gum, flowers without petals — symbolic, they said, of budding sexuality gone awry. These metaphors devaluing the human body while seemingly idolizing virginity were originally intended to exemplify our need for the redemptive work of Christ, but too often overly-zealous church leaders made them their primary focus. Girls had their developing bodies reduced to stumbling blocks and traps, waiting to ensnare their brothers in Christ hopelessly enslaved to their hormones. The fallout has deeply affected evangelical Gen Z's perception of sex and the church. They have parents who are just now shedding the weight of shame placed upon their teenage shoulders. Parents who refused to make their own children walk through the same sexual minefield. As a result, they have largely kept silent. They believed that their children wouldn't listen to their beliefs about sex, let alone wish to discuss it. Within progressive sexuality, purity rings have been exchanged for how-to classes on bondage. Condoms, not Christ, protect the heart. Teens, who not long ago would have had to sneak into the darkened back room of a video store to glimpse an adult film, can access the darkest pornography with a few clicks on their smartphone. If they aren't watching porn, celebrities encourage them to make it. Why wouldn't they? They are sexual beings after all, and sex, not some patriarchal religion, is the path to empowerment, liberation, even the American dream. Without biblical morality, design, and truth, our bodies lose all value. It isn't until children encounter the biblical worldview that they see themselves and sexuality for what they truly are, precious creations worthy of protection. Our children have to feel welcome to discussing sex and their sexuality with us, even if they choose not to sometimes. If our children have the maturity to ask the question, we have the God-ordained responsibility to give them an answer, no flinching allowed.This Postmodern Realities episode is a conversation with Journal author Amy Davison about her article, “Youth are Walking Away from Biblical Sexuality: What Parents Can Do About It” in the forthcoming 45:2-3 (Fall 2022) edition of the Christian Research Journal.To subscribe and make sure you get this issue when released, please click here. https://www.equip.org/product/crj-subscription/When you to subscribe to the Journal, you join the team of print subscribers whose paid subscriptions help provide the resources at equip.org that minister to people worldwide. These resources include our ever growing database of over 1,500 articles, as well as our free Postmodern Realities podcast.Another way you can support our online articles is by leaving us a tip. A tip is just a small amount, like $3, $5, or $10 which is the cost for some of a latte, lunch out, or coffee drink. To leave a tip, click here https://www.equip.org/product/pmr-jnl-tip/

A new law, known as the CHIPS Act, provides over $50 billion to existing, profitable companies to fund new semiconductor production facilities in the United States. In this episode, we examine why Congress decided to gift these companies our tax money now and explore the geopolitical implications of this funding decision. Beyond semiconductors, the law provides further corporate welfare for the creation of things that many of us tax payers likely support. This law is complicated; let's get nuanced. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://www.congressionaldish.com/cd259-chips-a-state-subsidization-of-industry Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD230: Pacific Deterrence Initiative CD218: Minerals are the New Oil CD215: COVID-19 Testimony CD205: Nuclear Waste Storage CD187: Combating China CD186: National Endowment for Democracy CD128: Crisis in Puerto Rico Semiconductor Industry “Pass the CHIPS Act of 2022 Fact Sheet.” July 2022. Semiconductor Industry Association. “Global Semiconductor Incentives.” February 2022. Semiconductor Industry Association. “2021 State of the U.S. Semiconductor Industry.” September 2021. Semiconductor Industry Association. Taiwan Bansari Mayur Kamdar and Medha Singh. Aug 2, 2022. “Chip stocks slip as Taiwan tensions mount.” Reuters. Karen M. Sutter. Mar 7, 2022. “U.S.-Taiwan Trade Relations” [IF10256]. Congressional Research Service. Yimou Lee, Norihiko Shirouzu and David Lague. Dec 27, 2021. “T-DAY: The Battle for Taiwan.” Reuters. PRISM Program Derek B. Johnson. Aug 27, 2018. “Court case puts PRISM back in the spotlight.” FCW. Wealthy Shareholders Juliana Kaplan and Andy Kiersz. Oct 19, 2021. “The wealthiest Americans now own almost all of the stock market — 89% to be exact.” Insider. National Endowment for Democracy “Board of Directors.” National Endowment for Democracy. National Science Foundation Directorate Mitch Ambrose. Mar 17, 2022. “NSF Stands Up Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships.” American Institute of Physics. “Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas Welcome NSF Director Panchanathan's Announcement of New Directorate Aligned with Bipartisan Committee Proposal.” Mar 17, 2022. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Fusion Research “Nuclear Fission and Fusion.” Diffen. “Client Profile: Commonwealth Fusion Systems: Summary.” Open Secrets. “Client Profile: Commonwealth Fusion Systems: Lobbyists.” Open Secrets. “Barton Gordon: Partner. K&L Gates. American Exception Book Aaron Good. 2022. American Exception: Empire and the Deep State. Skyhorse Publishing. The Law H.R. 4346: CHIPS Act of 2022 / Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act / Supreme Court Security Funding Act of 2022 GovTrack Overview Congressional Budget Office: Estimated Budgetary Effects of H.R. 4346 Bills Later Added to the CHIPS Act S. 3740: Micro Act of 2022 The one hearing H.R. 4863: Partnerships for Energy Security and Innovation Act S. 1359: Partnerships for Energy Security and Innovation Act of 2021 Audio Sources President Biden on Taiwan Sept 18, 2022 60 Minutes Scott Pelley: What should Chinese President Xi know about your commitment to Taiwan? President Joe Biden: We agree with what we signed on to a long time ago, that there's a One China policy and Taiwan makes their own judgments about their independence. We are not moving, we're not encouraging their being independent. That's their decision. Scott Pelley: But would US forces defend the island? President Joe Biden: Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack. Scott Pelley: [overdub] After our interview, a White House official told us US policy has not changed. Officially, the US will not say whether American forces would defend Taiwan. But the Commander in Chief had a view of his own. [interview] So unlike Ukraine, to be clear, sir, US forces, US men and women would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion? President Joe Biden: Yes. Senator Bernie Sanders' Senate Session Speech Jul 27, 2022 Jen's Highlighted PDF The Future of U.S. Policy on Taiwan Dec 8, 2021 Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs 30:45 Sen. James Risch (R-ID): A unilateral change in the status quo regarding Taiwan would not only threaten the security and liberty of 23 million Taiwanese, but also significantly damage vital US interests and alliances in the Indo Pacific. We would lose a model of democracy at a time of creeping authoritarianism. It would give China a platform in the first island chain to dominate the Western Pacific and threaten, indeed, US homeland. The consequences for Japan security, and therefore, the US-Japan alliance, are hard to overstate. Semiconductor supply chains would fall into China's hands, and it would emboldened China in other territorial disputes, including with India, and in the South China Sea. Fostering a New Era of Fusion Energy Research and Technology Development November 17, 2021 House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Subcommittee on Energy Witnesses: Dr. Troy Carter, Director, Plasma Science and Technology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles and Chair, Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee Long Range Planning Subcommittee Dr. Tammy Ma, Program Element Leader for High Energy Density Science, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Dr. Robert Mumgaard, CEO, Commonwealth Fusion Systems Dr. Kathryn McCarthy, Director, U.S. ITER Project Office Dr. Steven Cowley, Director, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Clips Robert Mumgaard: However, from where I sit, I see three reasons why I'm very optimistic the US can create a definitive lead in this new industry. First, the growth of the private sector. Over $2.4 billion in private capital has been invested in the fusion companies that now number nearly 30. This is a similar amount of capital as in all the nuclear fission small modular reactor companies. This is coming from a large range of investors across venture capitalists, to university endowments, to large energy companies. And they're putting capital at risk in fusion because they understand that the world needs a fundamentally new source of clean energy if we are going to meet our decarbonization goals. And these companies are highly ambitious, with a recent survey stating that 84% of them believe that fusion will be on the grid in the 2030s or earlier. Robert Mumgaard: We will proceed with the commercialization of our first fusion pilot plant called ARC. We hope to have that online in the early 2030s. Robert Mumgaard: The second reason I'm optimistic is that the public program has produced a consensus plan. Detailed in the National Academies and FESAC (Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee) Recommendations is a transition of the public funded program towards the US developing commercial energy. We need to stop some activities and transition to others. But the researchers are enthusiastic and they are ready. We have a new generation of leaders at national laboratories and universities hungry to develop that technology. And that plan has been authorized but has not yet been implemented. Robert Mumgaard: And we're not alone. The other companies like TAE and General Fusion, Helion, Tokamak Energy, are looking at similar timeframes and experiencing similar growth. All these companies are looking to see which governments are going to be the best partners. And unfortunately, we are already seeing defections, with a major facility that could have been built in the US, instead being built in the UK. It'd be much better if the US public program leveraged the private sector, aligning with the technical goals and timelines to keep it happening here. Robert Mumgaard: The third reason I'm hopeful is the movement towards public private partnerships and we know that when the public and private sectors work together and recognize what each side is good at, we create vibrant ecosystems. We saw this in commercial space, with NASA and SpaceX. We saw it even more recently with the COVID-19 vaccine Supply Chain Integrity October 1, 2020 Senate Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support Watch on CSPAN Witness: Ellen M. Lord, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment 1:22:10 Ellen Lord: I believe there may well be a lot of this, frankly: not continuing to engage with these Chinese companies on sensitive issues, but in turn, developing industrial bases here that makes us not reliant on that back and forth. There's quite a bit of discussion within the inner agency right now about constraining Chinese involvement from everything from investments to specific commodities. But again, I think one of the areas where we could have the most impact on China broadly, is reshoring microelectronics. And right now, my team is working very closely across DOD, as well as the inner agency to come up with a very specific recommendation for some public-private partnerships in order to develop the capability here domestically. We at DOD are only about 1% of the overall microelectronics market, however, we have some critical needs. Attorney General Barr's Remarks on China Policy at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum July 16, 2020 15:20 Attorney General Bill Barr: “Made in China 2025” is the latest iteration of the PRC's state-led, mercantilist economic model. For American companies in the global marketplace, free and fair competition with China has long been a fantasy. To tilt the playing field to its advantage, China's communist government has perfected a wide array of predatory and often unlawful tactics: currency manipulation, tariffs, quotas, state-led strategic investment and acquisitions, theft and forced transfer of intellectual property, state subsidies, dumping, cyberattacks, and industrial espionage. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

The CHIPS Act More Billions to China? What's the Best Private Search Engine? Private Messengers Well, they did it. Yeah, it's no longer called "Build Back Better," but it's now the "Inflation Reduction Act." Imagine that. Reducing inflation by causing more inflation through massive spending. And then there's the the "CHIPS" act and, uh, yeah, government's coming for our wallets again. Oh, and this is bound to make things worse.  [Following is an automated transcript.] The semiconductor industry has been hit hard by the lockdown. [00:00:21] Of course, it just totally destroyed supply chains all over the world. Makes me wonder if this wasn't intentional, but we are dependent on not just us manufacturers for things like our cars, through our computers, through harvesting machines that farmers need. We are dependent on foreign. Nations to make our chips, our chip sets that that's kind of a bad thing. [00:00:47] When you consider right now, there is a whole lot of stuff going on over there in the south China sea, which of course is where, what is made. You've probably heard about this before, where in fact, most of our chips are made at least a higher catchups that's a bad. because that means that a place like Taiwan, which has had serious problems with water shortages, and you need a lot of water in order to make chips, it has had all kinds of political instability. [00:01:21] Of course, they had the same locked. Down messes that the rest of the world had, and that just really messed them up. And then you look at what we did and you had the companies like Ford and GM. These are, I'm mentioning these guys, cuz they're the obvious ones, right? Chrysler, who all said, oh, people aren't gonna buy cars. [00:01:40] So we're going to cut back our orders. And remember the whole, just in time thing back in the seventies, I remember. Ever so well, it was like, wow, Japan. They are the model of world economies. We've got a. Everything that they do over there in Japan. And the big thing that we took from that was just in time inventory. [00:02:03] Oh my gosh. I mean, I don't have to have a warehouse with parts and order a train load at a time. I can just order as many as I need and have them arrive just in time. I was watching a documentary on Volkswagen who has, I guess it's the biggest factory in the world. This thing's absolutely amazing. And while they're assembling the cars, the parts that are needed show up just in time, there will be parts that show up that morning from subcontractors, and then they move through their systems there at the factory. [00:02:39] And then they end up right there at the person who needs to install. Minutes before it's needed. Now that's kind of cool. Cuz it cuts down in your costs. It lets you change a vendor. If you need to change a vendor, if you don't like some parts, you don't have to, you know, get rid of a whole train load or return them all. [00:02:56] You just have to return that days, but it introduces some very. Serious problems, especially when there are supply chain problems, you know, we've been living in a world that that has just been very, very easy. I'm not gonna say it's too easy, but it's been very easy. We don't have so many of the problems that we used to have way back when, like what 50 years ago really. [00:03:23] We have these problems where we do a lockdown where a country locks down, let's say Taiwan lockdown, and, and we didn't, and we tried to manufacture things you wouldn't be able to. And part of the theory behind the way we interact with other countries is that it will prevent war. You see if we're a completely separate country and we decide, uh, that, uh, you know, just leave us alone. [00:03:50] And let's say China decided that they wanted some of our territories or some of their neighbors over there in the south China sea, et cetera. China could just go in and do it. But if we're trading partners, if they rely on us in order to keep their economy going, then we're not going to go to war with them. [00:04:12] And they're not gonna go to war with us because we both need each other. That's been a, a mantra now for quite a few decades with countries worldwide. Of course, Ukraine and Russia are an interesting combination because Russia needs Ukraine. For quite a number of different supplies, food, and, and other things. [00:04:32] And Ukraine needs to a lesser extent, Russia, as well as a market, but it, it provides food for a worldwide market. It it's kind of crazy, but that's been the theory. The theory is, well, let's bring. everyone close together. We'll put our hands together, we'll lock them and, and we'll sing, uh, I want the world to buy a Coke, right. [00:04:56] Or whatever that song was. You you'll probably remember that song, everyone standing around in the circles or whole all the way around the world. Now it's a nice theory. And, and I like it. I like the fact we haven't gone to war, even though we've got a, I guess you could definitely call it a European war going on, but in, in fact, It does cause these types of problem problems, we're seen, we copied the Japanese just in time inventory and that messed things up because those parts are not arriving when they're supposed to be arriving and you no longer have a warehouse full of parts. [00:05:33] So now you just can't. Can't do anything right now. Now you're in really ultimately big trouble. So what's happening now is Congress decided to pass a, um, I think they're calling it. What was it? A deficit reduction act or something instead of build back better. Because, uh, or no inflation. That's what it was. [00:05:54] Yeah. This is gonna get rid of inflation because we're increasing taxes and , I, I don't get it. Why would Congress think that increasing taxes would bring more money into their coffers every time it's been done? Yeah. There's a little bit of a bump initially, but. It drops off dramatically. If you want to increase revenue to the federal government, you lower taxes. [00:06:19] Every time that's been tried pretty much. It's absolutely worked by lowering taxes because now people aren't trying to hide the money. They aren't do doing things. Uh, like moving their businesses out of the country, even Canada and the rest of Europe has lower corporate tax rates and that's part of what they're going for. [00:06:42] But the manipulation that appears to have happened here is that they wanted to pass this chips act. And the chips act is another example of the federal government helping special interest groups at the expense of you and I, the expense of the taxpayers. So this special interest group came to them and, and they carved out some 50 something dollars. [00:07:08] I think it was yeah, 52 billion in grant and 24 billion in tax credit. To the us semiconductor industry now at, at first glance, you look at that and say, well, okay, that's, that's actually really good because what can happen here is the semiconductor industry can use that money to build plants here in the us to build fabs chip Fabrica fabrication plants. [00:07:33] I know I can talk and, and yeah, they probably could. And that could be a very, very good. But the devil is in the details. Yes. What else is new here? Right. So this, uh, last minute by partisan agreement that they agreed, they weren't gonna do build back better because of what mansion had said. Right. I, I'm not gonna support that cuz it's just going to increase inflation and increase our debt. [00:08:00] And by the way, our federal government. Is barely gonna be enough to discover the interest payments on the debt. You know, no principle at all, which is an incentive for the federal government to cause inflation because then the federal government can pay back that debt with inflated dollars that cost them less. [00:08:20] And then, uh, there goes the debt, right. And they can talk about how great it was. But if you are retired, if you're looking at your retirement account, With the type of inflation we have, which isn't the nine point, whatever that they've claimed in reality, if you use the same methods and metrics that were used in the 1980s where they're saying, oh, it's been 50 years, 40 years since we had this type of inflation. [00:08:46] No, no, no. We have never ever had this type of inflation in modern America. Because in fact, the inflation rate of use, again, those same net metrics is supposedly in the 20% range. So what that means is the federal government's able to pay you back 20% less. Then they actually borrowed from you because of that inflation. [00:09:12] It's it's just incredible. So here we go. Some $77 billion going to the us semiconductor industry, but, um, there's another little trick here that they played on all of us and that is. The lobbyist from the semiconductor industry who, by the way, themselves are spending tens of billions of dollars to build new fabs new plants. [00:09:35] They're spending it out of their own pockets, not out of our pockets already. Okay. But they lobbied and Chuck Schumer introduced, uh, uh, cute little thing. Cute little thing. It, the bill had said, yeah, we have to use this. For American interest basically. Uh, so he removed that. So now yeah, those tax dollars that are supposed to rebuild our chip industry, they can be used to help China. [00:10:01] Yes, indeed. They have already penciled in some of that 77 ish billion dollars to go to China. Yeah. Yeah. Isn't that great. I, I thought China was part of what we're trying to protect ourselves from here. Certainly. not, not as a, you know, a hot war sort of a thing, but frankly, as our biggest competitor in the world, it is incredible. [00:10:29] The us share of chip manufacturing globally has dropped from 12%. From 37%, just 30 years ago. Okay. So we've lost two thirds of our pros. If you will, on the world market in making chips, Hey, you should have received this, uh, on when was it this week? Uh, Wednesday, Tuesday, uh, my weekly insider show notes. [00:10:56] There's links to a great article in here. From the semiconductor industry, themselves talking about what is going on, what really happened. And, uh, don't worry. It's only more than a trillion dollars. And then this on top of it, it's only another 250 billion. Don't worry about it. You'll be able to pay it back. [00:11:18] Yeah. Yeah. stick around. We'll be right back. [00:11:25] I don't know if you've heard of digital exhaust, it's kind of a new term. And it's talking about the things we leave behind the cookie crumbs, if you will, not cookies and browsers, but that's part of it. We're gonna talk about the browser you're using and the search engine. [00:11:42] We have a lot of choices when it comes to browsers. We've talked about it before, and if you'd like a copy of my browser, special report, of course, this it's free. [00:11:52] I wouldn't mention it. If it wasn't here and you can just get it by, go by emailing me, me@craigpeterson.com. You actually can't just get it, but I'll be glad to email it to you or we'll have Mary or. Send it on off to you? Me M E Craig peterson.com. Well, people have been worried about their data. Many of us have been worried a very long time, and then remember the whole Cambridge Analytica scandal. [00:12:23] It's amazing to me, how stuff gets politicized. I'm shaking my head. I just can't. People because bronch Obama got everything on everyone, on Facebook for his campaign. Not, not a beep, nothing. I, nothing. He had everything on everybody and Cambridge Analytica and there was just given to him by the way. And then Cambridge Analytica, uh, decided, okay, well here's what we're gonna do. [00:12:47] We're gonna make. This little program, people can play it. We'll we will, uh, advertise on Facebook and then we'll gather data on people who are there on Facebook and we'll use it for orange man. Bad Trump. Yeah, this will be great. And so the the exact opposite of what they did with president Obama. When he got all this information on tens of millions, I think it was actually hundreds of million. [00:13:15] People, uh, they decided this was bad. and they started making a big deal about it. And so a lot of people at that point decided, Hey, uh, what's happening here? What, what is going on? Should, would they have my information? Because remember this is an old adage. You've heard it a million times by now, but it bears repeating. [00:13:39] If you are not paying for something you or your information are the product. And that's exactly true. Exactly. True. If you are using Google maps, for instance, to get around, to do your GPS navigation, you are the product cuz Google is selling information. They collect information, right? That's what they. Do and you might have noticed recently you probably got an email from Google saying, uh, we're gonna be flushing, uh, your location, or at least some of your location information soon. [00:14:13] Did you, did you get that email from Google? I, I got it right. And I don't use Google very much, but I, I obviously I need to, I need to know about Google. Google's good for certain things, and I understand what it's doing. But it decided all of a sudden after the, again, left stuff, right. People were all worried that because there was no longer a national law on abortion, uh, by the way, there never has been a national. [00:14:46] Law on abortion. And in fact, that's what the Supreme court said. You can't make up a law in the court. You can rule on the application of the law in the court. They've gone, they've stepped over that boundary and decided they can rule on whether or not there should be a law. And so the court said, Hey, listen, this is a, at this point, a state's rights issue, right? [00:15:11] The 10th amendment to the us constitution, uh, the state should decide this. And the Congress didn't act there. There's no federal law about this. So the, these rulings were bad and people say, oh no, that's terrible. It was the first time it's ever no, there've been over 200 times where the Supreme court changed its mind. [00:15:34] Think of the dread Scott decision. If, if you even know what that is, well, you guys do cuz you're the best and brightest, but these people complaining probably have no clue about any of this stuff, right? None at all. So they're all upset because now, oh my gosh, my golly, um, because Roe V Wade, et cetera, was overturned. [00:15:55] Now they're going to be tracking me. Because my data is being sold. Cuz you remember that's how they came after these January six protestors, right. That were down in, in Washington, DC by using the GPS data that came from the apps that were there on their phones. Yeah. And, uh, that's also how it was proven that the election. [00:16:19] Uh, may have been stolen, but certainly had substantial fraud because they were able to buy the data. Look at the data show. What was pretty, obviously the, uh, acts of at least a thousand people that were completely illegal in ballot harvesting and. Box stuffing. Right? So again, GPS data, you can buy it. The federal, government's not allowed to keep data on us. [00:16:49] It's not allowed to spy on the citizens at all. Right. So what do they do? They go to these same data brokers and they buy the data. I sold it now. Well, we're not tracking, but people are you kidding me? We would never do that. But they're buying the tracking data from third parties. So they are tracking. Oh no, no, it's not us. [00:17:11] It's it's other people. So now they're worried. Well, if I go to an abortion clinic, are the state's attorneys general. That do not allow abortions in their states where the law does not allow it. Are they going to buy data and see that I went to an abortion clinic, even if I went to an abortion clinic out of state. [00:17:35] Now you can see their concern on that one. Right? So a again, now all of a sudden they're worried about tracking data. I, I just don't understand why they trust the government on one hand and don't trust it on another hand, I guess, that. People say right. The ability to hold two conflicting thoughts has truth in your mind at the same time, but they're concerned and it's legitimate. [00:18:00] So what happens. Google decides we're not going to, uh, keep location data on you. And that way none of the attorneys general can ask us forward or subpoena it cuz we just don't have it. And that was all because of the overturn of the court ruling on abortion, the federal court. So it, it, to me, it it's just so disingenuous for these people to only care about privacy when it's about them. [00:18:36] And I, I, I, again, I, I just don't understand it. My mother is that same way. I know she doesn't listen to this, so , I can say that, but it it's, uh, absolutely absolutely incredible to me that, uh, that, that happens. So what do you use. There there's a number of major search engines, real in the, in the world. [00:18:59] Really what you're looking at is Google. It's like the, the 800 pound gorilla out there. And then you also have Bing Microsoft search engine. There have been a few that have come and gone. There's some that I liked better. Like I loved Alta Vista much better. Because it had ING algebra operations that you could do much better than Google. [00:19:23] So I've ended up with Devon, think that I use now for searching if I need to, uh, to get real fancy searches going on, but I gotta mention duck dot go. Now it got a bit of a black eye recently, but the reality is if you want to keep your searches, private duck dot go is a way to go. Well, we talked about the top 100 hospitals in the country and how they were tracking you using Facebook or Google, uh, trackers cookies. [00:19:59] And they would know, oh, you just registered an appointment with an oncologist or, or whatever it might. B right. Which is private information, duck dot go does not have any tractors on it. They do not keep a history of what you've been searching for and they do not sell that stuff to advertisers. Now behind duck dot go is Bing. [00:20:23] But Bing does not get access to you. Only duck dot go does, and they don't keep any of that. So check it out online that kid's game used to play duck dot, go.com. Obviously I don't, uh, don't make any money off of that. Oh. And by the way, they have apps for Android and iOS and browser extensions stick around will be right back and visit me online. [00:20:49] Craig peterson.com. [00:20:52] I got a question from a parent whose son was serving over in the middle east and they were asking what was a safe messaging app to use. And they asked about what's app. So we're gonna talk about that right now. [00:21:08] There are a lot of different messaging apps that people are using and they all have different features, right? [00:21:17] Uh, there have different ways of doing things and the top are WhatsApp. Facebook messenger. Why would anyone use that? Uh, we chat again. Why would anyone use that vibe line telegram and IMO, which I'm not familiar with? This is according to ink magazine, the top seven messenger apps in the world. So why would people use those? [00:21:47] Okay. So let's, let's just talk about them very briefly. The, the two top ones in my mind that I want to talk about, but WhatsApp has 2 billion active users. It's the number one messaging app followed by WeChat, which is a Chinese messaging app with 1.2 billion. Users and WeChat is also used to make payments. [00:22:12] And they've got this whole social, social credit system in China, where they are tracking you deciding whether or not you posted something or said something in a chat that, uh, they don't like. And so you, you just, you can't get on the train to get to work and you lose your job, right. Yeah, they, they do that regularly. [00:22:32] And there are people in the us here that are trying to do very similar things. This Congress has, uh, not been the best. Let me put it that way. So should you use that of. We chat now, obviously, no, the next one is Facebook messenger also called messenger by meta. And it has close to a billion users. And again, they are watching you. [00:23:01] They are spying on you. They are tracking what you do, WhatsApp. I I use for, uh, one of my masterminds. The whole group is in on what's happened. I'm okay with that. Nothing terribly private that I'm worried about. There, there are things that are said or discussed that, that I'm not, uh, Perhaps happy that they're privy to, but in, in reality, WhatsApp is pretty good. [00:23:29] Now you have to make sure that when you're using something, something like WhatsApp that you have to turn on their privacy features. For end to end security because that's been a, a historical problem with WhatsApp. Yeah. They can have end to end encryption, but you have to turn it on. So what is end to end encryption and why does it matter? [00:23:57] Well, end to end encryption means if you are sending a message to someone or someones. They have, obviously have to have the same app that you do. And when it gets to the other side, uh, they can decrypt. So anyone in the middle. We'll just see a whole bunch of encrypted data, which just looks like trash. If, if it's encrypted properly, there's no real distinguishing, uh, portions to it. [00:24:30] If you will, or identifying factors that it's anything other than just random data, really good, uh, encryption does that, right? It does a, and. compression first and, and then messes with, we're not gonna get into how all of that works. I helped way back when to put PGP together at, uh, Phil. Zimmerman's pretty good privacy. [00:24:55] I actually still used some of that stuff today. And then PGP became G G, which is the GNU privacy, uh, G G and is well worth it as well. But that. Um, exactly what we're talking about. We're talking about regular messaging apps that regular people can use. I do use G G by the way, those of you who email me@craigpeterson.com, if it's actually me responding to you, it will be. [00:25:26] A message. That's cryptographically signed by G G so that you can verify that it was me and it wasn't Mary, or it wasn't Karen. So I, I do that on purpose as well. All right. I'm sorry, wander around a little bit here. WhatsApp is pretty commonplace. And is pretty good. Well, WhatsApp, as I mentioned, end end encryption. [00:25:50] But it's using the encryption from another project that's out there. And this is an open source project called signal. If you want to be secure. End to end if you don't want to leave any digital exhaust around use signal. It's very, very good. Um, Mo what is his name? Um, Moxi Marlin spike is the guy that founded it. [00:26:15] He ran that company for quite a while. It's a foundation. And, uh, as I recall, early 20, 22, he stepped down as the head of that foundation and other people have taken over, but he's even threatened to, and I assume he actually did build in some things into signal. That will make some of these Israeli programs that are used to crack into cell phones. [00:26:43] It'll make them fail. They'll crash because of bugs in their it's. Well, again, that's not what we're talking about right now, but signal. Again, if you're gonna send a message just like with WhatsApp, the other person, the receiver has to have signal on their device signals available for smartphones again, Android and iOS, you know? [00:27:07] What I feel about Android, which is don't use it. You're much better off. If you don't have much of a budget buying an older model iPhone, they're gonna be a lot safer for you. So signal, it will also run on your windows, computer, or your Mac, the same thing with WhatsApp, by the way. So WhatsApp more common, not the worst thing in the world for privacy signal, less common and definitely very good for privacy. [00:27:37] Now I mentioned apple here. I use max and I have ever, since they switched over to a Unix base, they actually put a mock microkernel and a free BSD user land, if and kernel on top of them. Um, the mock microkernel. So if, if you're total geek, you know what I'm talking about? It's designed to be safe and secure from the beginning. [00:28:02] Whereas with windows and with Android, it was shoehorned in the security, the privacy, right. It just wasn't there. So what should you do? Well, I, I, as I mentioned, you should be. Apple iOS devices. I'm not the world's apple fan. Okay. Don't get me wrong, but they are a lot more secure and the max are also very secure again. [00:28:32] Nothing's perfect. Uh, they have not been attacked as much as windows computers because of course, windows is more common, but having worked in the kernel and the network stack on both windows. Uh, the actual kernel, the actual source code of windows and Linux and BSD and system five. So all of the major core, uh, Linux distributions over the decades, I can tell you that. [00:29:05] The Unix world is far, far more secure. Now you don't have to worry about it. People look at it and say, well, what should I use? Well, if you are a geek, you should probably be using Linux. I do use Linux, but I, I will admit my main workstation is a 10 year old Mac. 10 years old. Uh, how long do your windows machines last? [00:29:31] Right. And, and it's still working great for me very fast. Still. It's a great little machine and we still have Mac laptops that are, uh, 20 years old. So they, they are designed and made to last same thing with the phones, but they can be more expensive. So look at refurbed, look at older models because it will save you. [00:29:55] You can be in the same price range as windows. You can be in the same price range as Android, and you can have much, much better privacy and security stick around, cuz we'll be right back. And if you sign up for my email list, you'll get my free insider show notes every Tuesday or Wednesday morning. [00:30:17] We're gonna talk about electric vehicles right now and what the wall street journal is calling the upside down logic of electric SUVs. And you know what? I agree with them here, but where are electric vehicles today and where are they going? [00:30:34] Electric vehicles are an interesting topic because in reality, we're not ready for them. [00:30:43] Our grid is not set up to handle electric vehicles. We are crazy what we're doing right now. Shutting down power plants. Germany is bringing nuclear plants that they had. Down back online. They're not fools. Nuclear is the cleanest right now, uh, source that we can possibly get don't fool yourselves by listening to people that tell you that, for instance, the solar cells you put on your roof are green because they are. [00:31:14] Not highly toxic, the manufacturing, distribution, and disposal of those things, California, we talked about this a couple of weeks ago has a huge problem now because 90% of those solar panels on people's roofs are ending up in landfills and are leaking toxic metal. into what little, uh, underground water supply California still has left. [00:31:42] And that's not just true of California. That's everywhere. So we are depending on more electricity, when we actually have less electricity, we're shutting things down. Look at Texas, right? They're oh, we're we're trying to be green, green, green, green, green, and people complain about Texas being conservative. [00:32:01] It's not, it's just very independent. They have their own electric grid. The only state in the nation that has its own electric grid. That's not tied in. To anybody else. The whole rest of the country is composed of two grids. So if one state isn't producing quite enough, they can potentially buy it from another one here in the Northeast. [00:32:24] We bring some of the power down from RI Quebec LAA, Leno. Over there in the north, right from the LG projects that they have up there. Of course it's from hydroelectric dams, but we, we exchange it all. We move it back and forth. But we're shutting down some of these relatively clean sources of energy, even cold now with all, all of the scrubbers and stuff. [00:32:54] But if you look at nuclear, particularly the new nuclear, it is as safe. It's far safer than burning, uh, natural gas that so many grids burn look in New Hampshire, doubling doubled. It doubled the cost of electricity in new H. because we didn't bring on the second nuclear reactor in Seabrook. Right. And we're burning natural gas to generate most of our electricity. [00:33:27] It doubled, it? It's absolutely crazy. The cost, the things that are happening in Washington and locally, like in New Hampshire, like in Texas, like in so many other states are making our lives much worse and. To top it all off. Now they're pushing electric vehicles, which again are not green. They are not safe. [00:33:53] They are hazardous to the environment in so many ways, but particularly. By their manufacturing. So if consumers and businesses really cared about the carbon dioxide that they're emitting, right. That greenhouse gas that's, uh, you know, just absolutely terrible. Uh, they might buy what what's selling right now. [00:34:19] Hmm. Not me. Look. Yeah, EVs electric vehicles like Ford Mustangs, mock E Hummers, EV that's from GM. The, uh, the wonderful new electric pickup. From Ford. Now these are huge vehicles. They are long range electric vehicles, which is what we want. Right. And they can be driven tens of thousands of miles before they rack up enough miles and save enough gasoline to compensate for the emissions created just to produce their batteries. [00:34:56] And that's according to their fans. And when we're talking about the fans, their, their, uh, predictions, their estimates, their statistics typically are what? A little tainted. Right? We talked about that earlier. Yeah. So it, it, it gets to be a problem doesn't it gets to be real problem. So what are they doing in, instead of making the small electric vehicles, like the Nissan leaf? [00:35:25] Which was a great little car. I've told the story of my neighbor, who has the, the leaves. He has a couple of them, and he installed a bunch of solar panels and he uses those to charge his leaves and to run around. Cuz most of what driving he does most driving, I do most of the driving, most people do is just short range, right? [00:35:45] It's less than 30 miles. He just, he loves it. Right, but he's not doing it because it's green. He realizes that it harms the environment to have those solar cells and it harms the environment to drive those electric cars that were very harmful to be made the batteries right now from these electric cars, the outtakes they are storing just like nuclear waste, although there's far more of it than there is. [00:36:15] The nuclear waste, a separate topic entirely, really? I guess there isn't a whole lot of correlation there, but they, they're not able to recycle so many of these batteries. We just don't have the technology for it. So why would you make these big electric vehicles, these sports utility vehicles, these trucks that have the long ranges. [00:36:42] And not something that's nice and small th think European, right? Think of the stupid car from Merc. I mean the smart car from Mercedes, uh, that little tiny car that works great in European cities. Where you don't have a lot of space to park the roads. Aren't very wide. You can kind of zoom around zip in and out fine parking. [00:37:02] And you're not going fast. Not going far makes sense. Right? Same thing with like a Prius with the smaller engines. And yet you see people whipping down the highway passing me. Doing the exact opposite thing that you'd think they'd wanna do. You're driving a small car with a small engine. Maybe it's a hybrid electric gas. [00:37:24] Maybe it's a plug-in hybrid. To do what to stop CO2, supposedly to save the environment. And yet at the exact same time, you are causing more harm than you need to, to the environment by zooming down the highway. That's not what these things are made for, not what they're designed for, but that is what most people could use. [00:37:45] And yet G. Ford Chrysler, none of them are making the vehicles that fit into that part of the marketplace. The other nice thing about the smaller vehicles is they don't require as long to charge cuz they don't have to charge up these big battery packs because you're not going that far. So it's less of a demand potentially on the grid. [00:38:12] Because again, even if you drive that big electric SUV, 30 miles. You are hauling around a thousand pounds, maybe more of batteries that you don't actually need to haul around. See again, it goes back to how so many of us are looking at this stuff. Just like the original Prius poll that I've talked about. [00:38:39] So many times where the number one reason people said that they drove a Prius. This was some 70% of the people was because of what they thought the purchaser of the Prius thought other people would think about them. , this is, this is a real, real problem. You know, the assumption that electric vehicle stops oil from coming out of the ground stops natural gas from coming out of the ground, stops coal from being mined. [00:39:08] That assumption is problematic because it is not true. And when it comes to the carbon footprint, again, I obvious. Obviously the, the environment is changing. The temperatures are changing. It it's obvious, right? Climate denier, some might call me, but it's obvious that climate's changing. It has always been changing Mount Saint Helen's eruption, put more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than mankind has since the beginning of. [00:39:46] So look at these volcanic eruptions and say, oh, okay. So we've barely scratched the surface as humankind, far less than 1% of global warming is actually caused by humans. but it it's about control, but this isn't a political show. Uh okay. Uh, I guess I am. So let's talk about the next article I had in my newsletter that came out this week again, Tuesday or Wednesday, you can sign up for it. [00:40:17] It's absolutely free. This is my free newsletter@craigpetersondotcomorjustsendmeanemailmeatcraigpeterson.com and ask to be signed up. It looks like president Biden is maybe thinking about going nuclear. I talked about this on the air earlier this week, cuz there's a couple of really interesting things happening. [00:40:41] One is the federal government has authorized some of these new nuclear technologies. To go online. So they've got these different plants. There's a number of different types of plants that are out there and different technologies, but all of them hyper safe and they are actually in small production. [00:41:07] Pretty darn cool. The second thing which I found particularly interesting is that at least. Three times over the last few weeks, president Biden has talked about nuclear power just in passing, right? He, I think he's trying to get his base to get used to the idea because he's been trying to eliminate all forms of energy consumption, but he does seem to maybe favor development of nuclear power or whoever is writing his speeches for him, you know, nuclear. [00:41:41] Is carbon friendly, very carbon friendly, friendlier than windmills or solar parks. And it's a lot more reliable. So I'm, I'm happy about that new plants coming online, just small ones. And that frankly is the future of nuclear, not these huge, huge, and they, he he's talking about it. We'll see, it's absolutely green. [00:42:07] Even as I mentioned, Germany is bringing nuclear plants back online and the European union has declared that nuclear is green technology. And. I'm shocked here because apparently I'm agreeing with the European parliament. Oh wow. What's going on? Hey, visit me online. Craig peterson.com. Make sure you get my insider show notes and the trainings that come out. [00:42:39] Craig peterson.com. [00:42:41] Hey, it looks like if you did not invest in crypto, you were making a smart move and not moving. Wow. We got a lot to talk about here. Crypto has dived big time. It's incredible. What's happened. We get into that more. [00:42:58] Crypto currencies. It, it it's a term for all kinds of these basically non-government sanctioned currencies. [00:43:08] And the idea behind it was I should be able to trade with you and you should be able to trade with me. We should be able to verify the transactions and it's kind of nobody's business as to what's happening behind the scenes. And yet in reality, Everybody's business because all of those transactions are recorded in a very public way. [00:43:33] So crypto in this case does not mean secret or cryptography. It's actually referring to the way the ledgers work and your wallets and, and fact, the actual coins themselves, a lot of people have bought. I was talking with my friend, Matt earlier this week and Matt was saying, Hey, listen, uh, I made a lot of money off of crypto. [00:43:59] He's basically a day trader. He watches it. Is it going up? Is it going down? Which coin is doge coin? The way to go? Cuz Elon must just mentioned it. Is it something else? What should I do? And he buys and sell and has made money off of it. However, a lot of people have. And held onto various cryptocurrencies. [00:44:21] Of course, the most popular one. The one everybody knows about is Bitcoin and Bitcoin is pretty good stuff, you know, kind of bottom line, but 40% right now of Bitcoin investors are underwater. Isn't that incredible because of the major dropoff from the November peak. And this was all started by a problem that was over at something called Tara Luna, which is another cryptocurrency now. [00:44:53] You know, already that there is a ton of vol a ton of, uh, changes in price in various cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin being of course a real big one where, you know, we've seen 5,000, $10,000 per Bitcoin drops. It, it really is an amazingly, uh, fluid if you will coined. So there's a number of different people that have come out with some plans. [00:45:21] How about if we do kinda like what the us dollar used to do, which is it's tied to a specific amount of gold or tied to a specific amount of silver. Of course, it's been a while since that was the case. Uh, president Nixon is the one that got us off of those standards, but. Having gold, for instance, back in your currency means that there is going to be far less fluctuation and your currency means something. [00:45:51] See, the whole idea behind currency markets for government is yeah, you do print money and you do continue to increase the amount of money you print every year. Because what you're trying to do is create money for the. Goods product services that are created as well. So if, if we create another million dollars worth of services in the economy, there should be another million dollars in circulation that that's the basic theory. [00:46:22] Monetary theory really boiling it. Right. Down now of course, you know, already our government has printed way more than it. Maybe should have. It is certainly causing inflation. There's no doubt about that one. So they're looking at these various cryptocurrencies and saying, well, what can we do? How can we have like a gold standard where the us dollar was the currency of the world used and it all its value was known. [00:46:48] You see, having a stable currency is incredibly important for consumers and businesses. A business needs to know, Hey, listen, like we sign a three year contract with our vendors and with our customers. And so we need a stable price. So we know what's our cost going to be, what can we charge our customer here? [00:47:08] Can the customer bear the price increases, et cetera. The answer to most of those questions of course is no, they really, they really can't is particularly in this day and age. So having. Fixed currency. We know how much it's worth. I know in two years from now, I'm not gonna be completely upside down with this customer because I'm having to eat some major increases in prices. [00:47:33] And as a consumer, you wanna look at it and say, wow, I've got a variable rate interest rate on my mortgage. And man, I remember friends of mine back in the eighties, early eighties, late seventies, who just got nailed by this. They had variable rate interest loan on their home because that's all they could get. [00:47:52] That's all they could afford. So the variable rate just kept going up. It was higher than credit cards are nowadays. And I remember a friend of mine complaining, they had 25% interest and that's when they lost a house because 25% interest means if you have a a hundred thousand dollars loan, you got $25,000 in interest that year, you know, let alone principal payments. [00:48:16] So it, it was a really. Thing. It was really hard for people to, to deal with. And I, I can understand that. So the cryptocurrency guys. I said, okay, well let's tie it to something else. So the value has a value and part of what they were trying to tie it to is the us dollar. That's some currencies decided to do that. [00:48:41] And there were others that tried to tie it to. Assets. So it wasn't just tied to the dollar. It was okay. We have X dollars in this bank account and that's, what's backing the value of our currency, which is quite amazing, right. To think about that. Some of them are backed by gold or other precious metals. [00:49:04] Nowadays that includes a lot of different metals. Well, this one coin called Tara Luna dropped almost a hundred percent last. Isn't that amazing. And it had a sister token called Tara us D which Tara Luna was tied to. Now, this is all called stablecoin. Right? The idea is the prices will be stable. and in the case of Tara and Tara S D the stability was provided by a computer program. [00:49:39] So there's nothing really behind it, other than it can be backed by the community currencies themselves. So that'ss something like inter coined, for instance, this is another one of the, there are hundreds of them out there of these, uh, cryptocurrencies. The community backs it. So the goods and services that you can get in some of these communities is what gives value to inter Pointe money system. [00:50:05] Now that makes sense too, right? Because the dollar is only worth something to you. If it's worth something to someone else, right. If you were the only person in the world that had us dollars, who, who would want. Like, obviously the economy is working without us dollars. So why would they try and trade with you? [00:50:27] If you had something called a us dollar that nobody else had, or you came up with something, you made something up out of thin air and said, okay, well this is now worth this much. Or it's backed by that et. Because if again, if you can't spend it, it's not worth anything. Anyhow, this is a very, very big deal because on top of these various cryptocurrencies losing incredible amounts of money over the last couple of weeks, We have another problem with cryptocurrencies. [00:51:01] If you own cryptocurrencies, you have, what's called a wallet and that wallet has a transaction number that's used for you to track and, and others to track the money that you have in the cryptocurrencies. And it it's, um, pretty good. Fun function or feature. It's kind of hard for a lot of people to do so they have these kind of crypto banks. [00:51:23] So if you have one of these currencies, you can just have your currency on deposit at this bank because there's, there's a whole bunch of reasons, but one of the reasons is if. There is a, a run on a bank, or if there's a run on a cryptocurrency, currencies have built into them incredibly expensive penalties. [00:51:47] If you try and liquidate that cryptocurrency quickly. And also if there are a lot of people trying to liquidate it. So you had kind of a double whammy and people were paying more than three. Coin in order to sell Bitcoin. And so think about that. Think about much of Bitcoin's worth, which is tens of thousands of dollars. [00:52:07] So it's overall, this is a problem. It's been a very big problem. So people put it into a bank. So coin base is one of the big one coin coin base had its first quarter Ernie's report. Now, this is the us' largest cryptocurrency exchange and they had a quarterly loss for the first quarter of 2022 of 430 million. [00:52:37] That's their loss. And they had an almost 20% drop in monthly users of coin. So that's something right. And they put it in their statement, their quarterly statement here as to, you know, what's up. Well, here's the real scary part Coinbase said in its earning earnings report. Last Tuesday that it holds the. [00:53:03] 256 billion in both Fiat currencies and crypto currencies on behalf of its customers. So Fiat currencies are, are things like the federal reserve notes, our us dollar. Okay. A quarter of a trillion dollars that it's holding for other people kind of think of it like a bank. However, they said in the event, Coinbase we ever declare bankruptcy, quote, the crypto assets. [00:53:33] We hold in custody on behalf of our customers could be subject to bankruptcy proceedings. Coinbase users would become general unsecured creditors, meaning they have no right to claim any specific property from the exchange in proceedings people's funds would become inaccessible. Very big deal. Very scary for a very, very good reason. [00:54:00] Hey, when we come back, uh, websites, you know, you go, you type stuff in email address, do you know? You don't even have to hit submit. In most cases, they're stealing it. [00:54:12] I'm sure you've heard of JavaScript in your browser. This is a programming language that actually runs programs right there in your web browser, whether you like it or not. And we just had a study on this. A hundred thousand websites are collecting your. Information up-front. [00:54:29] I have a, in my web browser, I have JavaScript turned off for most websites that I go to now, JavaScript is a programming language and it lets them do some pretty cool things on a webpage. [00:54:43] In fact, that's the whole idea behind Java. Uh, just like cookies on a web browser where they have a great use, which is to help keep track of what you're doing on the website, where you're going, pulling up other information that you care about, right? Part of your navigation can be done with cookies. They go on and on in their usefulness, but. [00:55:06] Part of the problem is that people are using them to track you online. So like Facebook and many others will go ahead and have their cookies on other websites. So they know where you're going, what you're doing, even when you're not on Facebook, that's by the way, part of. The Firefox browser's been trying to overcome here. [00:55:30] They have a special fenced in mode that happens automatically when you're using Firefox on Facebook. Pretty good. Pretty cool. The apple iOS devices. Use a different mechanism. And in fact, they're already saying that Facebook and some of these others who sell advertiser, Infor advertisers information about you have really had some major losses in revenue because apple is blocking their access to certain information about you back to Javas. [00:56:07] It's a programming language that they can use to do almost anything on your web browser. Bad guys have figured out that if they can get you to go to a website or if they can insert and add onto a page that you're visiting, they can then use. Your web browser, because it's basically just a computer to do what well, to mind Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. [00:56:33] So you are paying for the electricity for them as your computer is sitting there crunching on, uh, these algorithms that they need to use to figure out how to find the next Bitcoin or whatever. Be, and you are only noticing that your device is slowing down. For instance, our friends over on the Android platform have found before that sometimes their phones are getting extremely hot, even when they're not using them. [00:57:00] And we've found that yeah, many times that's just a. Bitcoin minor who has kind of taken over partial control of your phone just enough to mind Bitcoin. And they did that through your web browser and JavaScript. So you can now see some of the reasons that I go ahead and disable JavaScript on most websites I go to now, some websites aren't gonna work. [00:57:23] I wanna warn you up front. If you go into your browser settings and turn off JavaScript, you are going. Break a number of websites, in fact, many, many websites that are out there. So you gotta kind of figure out which sites you want it on, which sites don't you want it on. But there's another problem that we have found just this week. [00:57:44] And it is based on a study that was done. It's reported in ours Technica, but they found. A hundred thousand top websites, a hundred thousand top websites. These include signing up for a newsletter making hotel reservation, checking out online. Uh, you, you probably take for granted that you nothing happens until you hit submit, right? [00:58:10] That used to be the case in web 1.0 days. It isn't anymore. Now I wanna point out we, I have thousands of people who are on my email list. So every week they get my, my, uh, insider show notes. So these are the top articles of the week. They are, you know, usually six to 10 articles, usually eight of them that are talking about cybersecurity, things of importance in. [00:58:38] The whole radio show and podcast are based on those insider show notes that I also share with the host of all of the different radio shows and television shows that I appear on. Right. It's pretty, pretty cool. So they get that, but I do not use this type of technology. Yeah. There's some JavaScript that'll make a little sign up thing, come up at the top of the screen, but I am not using technology that is in your face or doing. [00:59:07] What these people are doing, right? So you start filling out a form. You haven't hit cement. And have you noticed all of a sudden you're getting emails from. Right. It's happened to me before. Well, your assumption about hitting submit, isn't always the case. Some researchers from KU LUN university and university of Lue crawled and analyzed the top 100,000 websites. [00:59:37] So crawling means they have a little robot that goes to visit the webpage, downloads all of the code that's on the page. And then. Analyzed it all right. So what they found was that a user visiting a site, if the, the user is in the European union is treated differently than someone who visits the site from the United States. [01:00:00] Now there's a good reason for this. We've helped companies with complying with the GDPR, which are these protection rules that are in place in the European union. And that's why you're seeing so many websites. Mine included that say, Hey, listen, we do collect some information on you. You can click here to find out more and some websites let just say no, I don't want you to have any information about me. [01:00:25] We collect information just so that you can navigate the site properly. Okay. Very basic, but that's why European union users are treated differently than those coming from the United States. So this new research found that over 1800 websites gathered an EU user's email address without their consent. So it's almost 2000 websites out of the top 100,000. [01:00:54] If you're in the EU and they found. About well, 3000 websites logged a us user's email in some form. Now that's, before you hit submit. So you start typing in your email, you type in your name and you don't hit submit. Many of the sites are apparently grabbing that information, putting it into the database and maybe even starting using it before you gave them explicit permission to do. [01:01:27] Isn't that a fascinating and the 1800 sites that gathered information on European news union users without their consent are breaking the law. That's why so many us companies decided they had to comply with the GDPR because it's a real big problem. So these guys also crawled websites for password leaks and May, 2021. [01:01:54] And they found 52 websites where third parties, including Yex Yex is. Big Russian search engine a and more were collecting password data before submission. So since then the group went ahead and let the websites know what was happening, what they found, uh, because it's not necessarily intentional by the website itself. [01:02:20] It might be a third party, a third party piece of software. That's doing it. They, they informed those sites. Hey, listen, you're collecting user data before there's been explicit consent to collect it. In other words, you, before you hit the submit button and they thought, wow, this is a very surprising, they thought they might find a few hundred website, but. [01:02:44] Course of a year now they found that there were over 3000 websites really that were doing this stuff. So they presented their findings at Usenet. Well, actually they haven't presented 'em yet. Cuz it's gonna be at use N's. In August and these are what they call leaky forums. So yet another reason to turn off JavaScript when you can. [01:03:08] But I also gotta add a lot of the forums do not work if JavaScript's not enabled. So we gotta do something about it. Uh, maybe complain, make sure they aren't collecting your. Maybe I should do a little course on that one so you can figure out are they doing it before even giving permission? Anyhow, this is Craig Peter son. [01:03:29] Visit me online. Craig Peter son.com and sign up for that. No obligation inside your show notes. [01:03:35] We are shipping all kinds of military equipment over to Ukraine. And right now they're talking about another $30 billion worth of equipment being shipped to what was the world's number one arms dealer Ukraine. [01:03:52] I'm looking right now at an article that was in the Washington post. And you know, some of their stuff is good. [01:04:00] Some of their stuff is bad, I guess, kinda like pretty much any media outlet, but they're raising some really good points here. One of them is that we are shipping some pretty advanced equipment and some not so advanced equipment to Ukraine. To help them fight in this war to protect themselves from Russia. [01:04:24] Now, you know, all of that, that's, that's pretty common. Ultimately looking back in history, there have been a lot of people who've made a lot of money off of wars. Many of the big banks financing, both sides of wars. Going way, way back and coming all the way up through the 20th century. And part of the way people make money in war time is obviously making the equipment, the, and supplies and stuff that the armies need. [01:04:57] The other way that they do it is by trading in arms. So not just the supplies. The bullets all the way through the advanced missile systems. Now there's been some concerns because of what we have been seen online. We've talked about telegram here before, not the safest web, you know, app to use in order to keep in touch. [01:05:23] It's really an app for your phone and it's being used. Ukraine to really coordinate some of their hacker activities against Russia. They've also been using it in Russia, te telegram that is in order to kind of communicate with each other. Ukraine has posted pictures of some of the killed soldiers from Russia and people have been reaching out to their mothers in Russia. [01:05:53] They've done a lot of stuff with telegram it's interest. And hopefully eventually we'll find out what the real truth is, right? Because all sides in the military use a lot of propaganda, right? The first casualty in war is the truth. It always has been. So we're selling to a country, Ukraine that has made a lot of money off of selling. [01:06:18] Been systems being an inter intermediary. So you're not buying the system from Russia? No, no. You're buying it from Ukraine and it has been of course, just as deadly, but now we are sending. Equipment military great equipment to Ukraine. We could talk about just that a lot. I, I mentioned the whole lend lease program many months ago. [01:06:44] Now it seems to be in the news. Now takes a while for the mainstream media to catch up with us. I'm usually about six to 12 weeks ahead of what they're talking about. And so when we're talking about Lynn Le, it means. We're not giving it to them. We're not selling it to them. We're just lending them the equipment or perhaps leasing it just like we did for the United Kingdom back in world. [01:07:10] Wari, not a bad idea. If you want to get weapons into the hands of an adversary and not really, or not an adversary, but an ally or potential ally against an adversary that you have, and they have. But part of the problem is we're talking about Ukraine here. Ukraine was not invited in NATO because it was so corrupt. [01:07:33] You might remember. they elected a new president over there that president started investigating, hired a prosecutor to go after the corruption in Ukraine. And then you heard president Joe Biden, vice president at the time bragging about how he got this guy shut down. Uh, yeah, he, he got the prosecutor shut down the prosecutor that had his sights on, of course hunter Biden as well as other people. [01:08:00] So it it's a real problem, but. Let's set that aside for now, we're talking about Ukraine and the weapon systems we've been sending over there. There have been rumors out there. I haven't seen hard evidence, but I have seen things in various papers worldwide talking about telegrams, saying. That the Ukrainians have somehow gotten their hands on these weapons and are selling them on telegram. [01:08:29] Imagine that, uh, effectively kind of a dark web thing, I guess. So we're, we're saying, well, you know, Biden administration, uh, you know, yeah. Okay. Uh, that, that none of this is going to happen. Why? Well, because we went ahead and we put into the contracts that they could not sell or share or give any of this equipment away without the explicit permission of the United States go. [01:09:00] Well, okay. That, that kind of sounds like it's not a bad idea. I would certainly put it into any contract like this, no question, but what could happen here? If this equipment falls into the hands of our adversaries or, or other Western countries, NATO countries, how do you keep track of them? It it's very hard to do. [01:09:22] How do you know who's actually using. Very hard to do so enforcing these types of contracts is very difficult, which makes a contract pretty weak, frankly. And then let's look at Washington DC, the United States, according to the Washington post in mid April, gave Ukraine a fleet of I 17 helicopter. Now these MI 17 helicopters are Russian, originally Soviet designs. [01:09:55] Okay. And they were bought by the United States. About 10 years ago, we bought them for Afghan's government, which of course now has been deposed, but we still have our hands on some of these helicopters. And when we bought them from Russia, We signed a contract. The United States signed a contract promising not to transfer the helicopters to any third country quote without the approval of the Russian Federation. [01:10:27] Now that's according to a copy of the certificate that's posted on the website of Russia's federal service on military technical cooperation. So there you. Russia's come out and said that our transfer, those helicopters has grossly violated the foundations of international law. And, and you know, what they, it has, right. [01:10:48] Arms experts are saying that Russia's aggression Ukraine more than justifies us support, but the violations of the weapons contracts, man, that really hurts our credibility and the, our we're not honoring these contract. How can we expect Ukraine to honor those contracts? That's where the problem really comes in. [01:11:13] And it's ultimately a very, very big problem. So this emergency spending bill that it, you know, the $30 billion. Makes Ukraine, the world's single largest recipient of us security assistance ever. They've received more in 2022 than United States ever provided to Afghanistan, Iraq, or Israel in a single year. [01:11:40] So they're adding to the stockpiles of weapons that we've already committed. We've got 1400 stinger anti-aircraft systems, 5,500 anti tank, Mitch missiles, 700 switch blade drones, nine 90. Excuse me, long range Howards. That's our Tillery 7,000 small arms. 50 million rounds of ammunition and other minds, explosives and laser guided rocket systems, according to the Washington post. [01:12:09] So it's fascinating to look. It's a real problem. And now that we've got the bad guys who are using the dark web, remember the dark web system that we set up, the onion network. Yeah. That one, uh, they can take these, they can sell them, they can move them around. It is a real problem. A very big problem. What are we gonna do when all of those weapons systems come back aimed at us this time? [01:12:40] You know, it's one thing to leave billions of dollars worth of helicopters, et cetera, back in Afghanistan is the Biden administration did with their crazy withdrawal tactic. Um, but at least those will wear out the bullets, missile systems, Howard, yours, huh? Different deal. [01:13:00] It seems like the government calls war on everything, the war against drugs or against poverty. Well, now we are looking at a war against end to end encryption by government's worldwide, including our own. [01:13:17] The European union is following in America's footstep steps, again, only a few years behind this time. [01:13:26] Uh, but it's not a good thing. In this case, you might remember a few have been following cybersecurity. Like I have back in the Clinton administration, there was a very heavy push for something called the clipper chip. And I think that whole clipper chip. Actually started with the Bush administration and it was a bad, bad thing, uh, because what they were trying to do is force all businesses to use this encryption chip set that was developed and promoted by the national security agency. [01:14:04] And it was supposed to be an encryption device that is used to secure, uh, voice and data messages. And it had a built in. Back door that allowed federal state, local law enforcement, anybody that had the key, the ability to decode any intercepted voice or data transmissions. It was introduced in 93 and was thank goodness. [01:14:32] Defunct by 1996. So it used something called skip Jack man. I remember that a lot and it used it to transfer dilly or Diffy excuse me, Hellman key exchange. I've worked with that before crypto keys. It used, it used the, uh, Des algorithm, the data encryption standard, which is still used today. And the Clinton administration argued that the clipper chip. [01:14:59] Absolutely essential for law enforcement to keep up with a constantly progressing technology in the United States. And a lot of people believe that using this would act as frankly, an additional way for terrorists to receive information and to break into encrypted information. And the Clinton administration argued that it, it would increase national security because terrorists would have to use it to communicate with outsiders, bank, suppliers, contacts, and the government could listen in on those calls. [01:15:33] Right. Aren't we supposed to in United States have have a right to be secure in our papers and other things, right? The, the federal government has no right to come into any of that stuff unless they get a court order. So they were saying, well, we would take this key. We'll make sure that it's in a, a lock box, just like Al gore social security money. [01:15:55] And no one would be able to get their hands on it, except anyone that wanted to, unless there was a court order and you know how this stuff goes, right. It, it just continues to progress. And. A lot worse. Well, there was a lot of backlash by it. The electronic privacy information center, electronic frontier foundation boast, both pushed back saying that it would not. [01:16:20] Only have the effect of, of not, excuse me, have the effect of this is a quote, not only subjecting citizens to increased impossibly illegal government surveillance, but that the strength of the clipper trips encryption could not be evaluated by the public as its design. Was classified secret and that therefore individuals and businesses might be hobbled with an insecure communication system, which is absolutely true. [01:16:48] And the NSA went on to do some things like pollute, random number generators and other things to make it so that it was almost impossible to have end-to-end encrypted data. So we were able to kill. Many years ago. Now what about 30 years ago? Uh, when they introduced this thing? Well, it took a few years to get rid of it, but now the EU is out there saying they want to stop end, end encryption. [01:17:15] The United States has already said that, or the new director of Homeland security has, and as well as Trump's, uh, again, Homeland security people said we need to be able to break the. And, and we've talked about some of the stories, real world stories of things that have happened because of the encryption. [01:17:36] So the EU has now got a proposal forward that would force tech companies to scan private messages for child sexual abuse material called CSAM and evidence of grooming. Even when those messages are, are supposed to be protected by end to end encrypt. So we know how this goes, right? It, it sta

*audio is not great, we are a work in progress!! Thank you for listening and your support as we continue along this journey with y'all :) * We hate everyone besides Jan basically. In this episode, we hear a soapbox moment from both Elena and Katy, and every emotion is felt. Mentioned in the episode is the Netflix Documentary "Abducted in Plain Sight". Also Katy yells a lot. Love youuuu! For American listeners: The American Psychological Association crisis page - https://www.apa.org/topics/crisis-hotlines National Sexual Assault Hotline (800) 656-4673 CONTACT INFO: email: thesmokinggunpod@gmail.com twitter: @smokinggunpod instagram and tiktok: @thesmokinggunpodcast

For American beer lovers, the years of 1920 to 1933 were very sad and difficult times. This period of Prohibition in the United States where all forms of alcohol were illegal and forbidden. Thankfully the cups in the Pub runneth over. Tune into Dick in Dayton's declaration of love for Amy Schumer. Happy Beers Day everybody!

Show #1400 Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily, you trusted source of information. It's Thursday 10th March, it's Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to. 2024 CHEVY BLAZER EV WILL HAVE AN SS PERFORMANCE VARIANT - Chevrolet's Blazer crossover is going electric for the 2024 model year with the launch of the Blazer EV and a teaser video released today indicates a performance-oriented SS trim will be part of the lineup - The Blazer follows an onslaught of other electric vehicle announcements from General Motors, including the GMC Hummer EV and Chevy Silverado EV pickup trucks, all of which use the company's Ultium battery technology. - Earlier this year, Chevrolet revealed the first images of the Equinox EV, an electric SUV sharing the name of the company's popular compact crossover. - Chevy says that the Blazer will be the company's first EV to gain a performance SS badge when it debuts later this year. - The Blazer SS will go on sale in spring of 2023 Original Source : https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39384135/2024-chevy-blazer-ev-ss-performance-variant/ CHEVY TEASES ITS FIRST PERFORMANCE ELECTRIC VEHICLE, THE 2024 BLAZER EV SS - The automaker revealed little about the Blazer at CES, though, preferring instead to share details about the Equinox. Set to go on sale with an MSRP of around $30,000, the compact Equinox SUV will be a bargain by EV standards. Despite that, big screens and fancy technology will still be present, suggesting that Chevrolet is taking its transition to electric vehicles seriously. Original Source : https://www.carscoops.com/2022/03/chevy-teases-its-first-performance-electric-vehicle-the-2024-blazer-ev-ss GENERAL MOTORS PARTNERING WITH CALIFORNIA UTILITY PROVIDER PG&E FOR V2H PILOT - General Motors announced a new partnership with California utility provider Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) that will allow GM customers to use their electric vehicles as backup power sources for their homes. - As part of the pilot, PG&E and GM will test vehicles with bidirectional charging technology that can help safely power the essential needs of a properly equipped home. Bidirectional charging capabilities offer a higher level of electric resiliency and less reliability on the grid, especially during peak times. - The pilot includes the use of bidirectional hardware that's paired with software-defined communications protocols that will enable power to flow from a charged EV battery into a customer's home. The software will automatically coordinate between the EV, home and PG&E's electric supply from the street. - The pilot will test bidirectional power technology with multiple GM EVs. - Last month, Ford announced a partnership with San Francisco-based Sunrun, a provider of residential solar panels and home batteries that allows Ford F-150 Lightning owners to use their truck's substantial battery reserves as a home's emergency power source. - To use Ford's Intelligent Backup Power, customers will need to install the Ford Charge Station Pro and Home Integration System, which includes a power inverter plus a dark start battery and transfer switch, enabling two-way power flow between the home and vehicle. Original Source : https://www.futurecar.com/5254/General-Motors-Partnering-With-California-Utility-Provider-PG&E-in-a-Pilot-That-Will-Allow-its-EVs-to-Power-Homes TESLA DEPLOYS EMERGENCY SOFTWARE UPDATE 2022.4.5.12 TO CALIBRATE LFP BATTERIES - Tesla appears to be taking a more serious step to fix the issue of the new 12V Li-Ion batteries failing in Model 3s equipped with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. - An emergency software update was deployed today, 2022.4.5.12, which can be downloaded and installed over the vehicle's LTE connection - Tesla says the range indicator in the vehicle is being calibrated, without providing further details on how exactly that is being accomplished. - Last week we reported how LFP batteries in recently delivered Model 3s that had not been charged to 100% were over or underestimating the vehicle's range. This caused the computer to think the car still had 10% of range left when in reality the main battery was already at 0%. - When the main battery died, the 12V Li-Ion battery was also dying Original Source : https://driveteslacanada.ca/software-updates/tesla-deploys-emergency-software-update-2022-4-5-12-to-calibrate-lfp-batteries TESLA CONFIRMS DELIVERIES OF GERMAN-BUILT MODEL YS ARE STARTING ON MARCH 22 - Tesla has confirmed that deliveries of Model Y vehicles built at Gigafactory Berlin in Germany are starting on March 22. - Last week, after months of delays, Tesla finally received its official building permit following the environmental approval of its Gigafactory Berlin project. - However, the approval was conditional on about 400 different conditions that the automaker needed to confirm. Surprisingly, German officials said at the time that they expected Tesla to fulfill all those conditions within the next two weeks. - March 22 will mark an important step for Tesla by starting deliveries of European-made vehicles and putting it on a path of better logistical efficiency. Original Source : https://electrek.co/2022/03/09/tesla-confirms-deliveries-german-built-model-y-starting-march-22/ BRANDENBURG TO MAKE WATER EXTRACTION ALLOWANCES FOR GIGAFACTORY  - After the permit for water extraction, which was found to be illegal and also affects the Tesla factory, Brandenburg wants to tolerate partial extraction. This would allow the public water supply to be maintained, the Ministry of the Environment told the DPA. - On Friday evening, the Administrative Court of Frankfurt (Oder) had declared the water permit issued in 2020 “unlawful and unenforceable”. - In a first reaction, the Straußberg-Erkner Water Association (WSE) had demanded that the state tolerate the water pumping until the procedure was made up for. - However, the 1.4 million cubic metres of water actually contractually guaranteed by the WSE for Tesla would only be needed when the carmaker in Grünheide has actually reached its full capacity of 500,000 cars per year. When that will be the case is still unclear. Original Source : https://www.electrive.com/2022/03/08/brandenburg-to-make-water-extraction-allowances-for-gigafactory TESLA MODEL 3 PRODUCTION ALLOCATION TO EUROPE FROM GIGA SHANGHAI IS SOLD OUT FOR 2022 - Tesla can't produce the Model 3 and Model Y fast enough to meet the huge demand. The situation is worst in Europe, where the customers rely on Giga Shanghai production allocation. In the case of Model 3 RWD and LR AWD, the estimated delivery time to Germany has jumped to February 2023. This is just shy of a full year away. - This is true for the customers in Germany, France, and United Kingdom. The waiting time is significantly longer than what people in the North American market are facing. For American customers, the same vehicles are promised to be delivered in May 2022, while the Canadians have to wait until August 2022. Original Source : https://www.autoevolution.com/news/tesla-model-3-production-allocation-to-europe-from-giga-shanghai-is-sold-out-for-2022-183497.html PORSCHE AND MERCEDES-BENZ HALT PRODUCTION LINES - Both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, among other automakers, are once more faced with parts and component shortages. This time, the Ukraine war is cited as the root cause for production pauses. - The two premium German brands are joining BMW, Mini, and Volkswagen, all of which have been forced to idle plants across Europe. At the moment, March 18th is the project date for a return to normal activities however that could change at any moment. - One of the main missing parts of wiring harnesses which were made in Ukraine. Part production was halted once Russia invaded the country according to Automotive News Europe. - Mercedes-Benz has halted S-Class and EQS production at its Sindelfingen plant near Stuttgart. Benz's neighbours, Porsche, deferred Taycan output at its Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen factory. - Porsche specified that about 200 Taycans will not be built. Over at Mercedes, no such detail has been disclosed. Original Source : https://motorillustrated.com/porsche-and-mercedes-benz-halt-production-lines/95500/ ELECTRIC VEHICLE BOSSES PROPOSE TWO DIFFERENT CHARGING SOLUTIONS Original Source : https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3169724/two-sessions-2022-electric-vehicle-bosses-propose-two-different MOST VOLKSWAGEN PLUG-IN HYBRIDS CAN'T BE ORDERED ANYMORE Original Source : https://www.motor1.com/news/572319/vw-plug-in-hybrids-stopped/ RENTAL CAR GIANTS EMBARK ON ELECTRIC AFTER PANDEMIC BONANZA Original Source : https://www.reuters.com/technology/rental-car-giants-embark-electric-after-pandemic-bonanza-2022-03-09/ QUESTION OF THE WEEK WITH EMOBILITYNORWAY.COM Do you think rising fuel prices at the pumps will have a direct impact on EV sales? Email me any feedback to: hello@evnewsdaily.com It would mean a lot if you could take 2mins to leave a quick review on whichever platform you download the podcast. And  if you have an Amazon Echo, download our Alexa Skill, search for EV News Daily and add it as a flash briefing. Come and say hi on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter just search EV News Daily, have a wonderful day, I'll catch you tomorrow and remember…there's no such thing as a self-charging hybrid. PREMIUM PARTNERS PHIL ROBERTS / ELECTRIC FUTURE BRAD CROSBY PORSCHE OF THE VILLAGE CINCINNATI AUDI CINCINNATI EAST VOLVO CARS CINCINNATI EAST NATIONAL CAR CHARGING ON THE US MAINLAND AND ALOHA CHARGE IN HAWAII DEREK REILLY FROM THE EV REVIEW IRELAND YOUTUBE CHANNEL RICHARD AT RSEV.CO.UK – FOR BUYING AND SELLING EVS IN THE UK EMOBILITYNORWAY.COM/ 

For American opponents of Joe Biden, the previous praise by Donald Trump for Vladimir Putin makes things complicated

For American artist @nick-klein, music is a gateway deep into our collective and individual psyches. He explores loudness as a form and "the sociology and ideology that presents in self-identifying music subcultures." He does this with his own @psychicliberation label, we all as with music on the likes of L.I.E.s and Viewlaxx. Next up for this prolific producer is a forthcoming double album - roughly his 15th overall - on IDEAL that will continue to explore the fringes of electronic sound with a bank of trusted modulated synths. Of this week's mix, Nick says, "Happy Valentine's Day! The hour of material here is a collage of releases that have come out in the previous three years on my label Psychic Liberation, or the collaborative installment of releases between Enmossed and Psychic Liberation known as ENXPL. Here you have layers of material that map the cloud of my music listening consciousness. The interior includes artists who have participated on PL since the 2013 inception. Artists like Berlin's Wilted Woman, ENXPL artists Bridget Ferrill or Rene Nunez's Horoscope project, the PL Seoul based crew of Yeong Die, Jiyoung Wi, and Joyul, prolific Iranian brother band powerhouse of Saint Abdullah, and founder of the Enmossed label Glyn Maier are found braided through each other sonically. "While a lot of the work here isn't directly oriented towards the club setting, it could be congruous as an epilogue to an evening's more psychedelic potential. It is interesting to see how broadly sonic aesthetics in electronic music have shifted in the absence of major clubs operating at capacity, if at all. I am pleased to share pieces of what has been in my head as an obsessive listening journey and the process of documentation throughout that time. Thanks to Dekmantel.”

In this Episode of The GRID, host Chris Kuhlmann examines the Supreme Court decision to prevent implementation and enforcement of the OSHA Emergency Vaccine Mandate for private employers with 100 or more employees. The decision issued by the court this week does not to rule on the case itself, but determined that the plaintiffs have a high likelihood of success and therefore granted relief via an injunction while the case continues through the courts. Included in the notes here is a link to the 30 page decision. CREDITS Host: Chris Kuhlmann Written by: Chris Kuhlmann Produced by: Shaun Griffin Music composed by JD Kuhlmann Art: Shaun Griffin Sound: Chris Kuhlmann and Shaun Griffin Sponsor: Mercantile Mountain Visit MercantileMountain.com today   Visit us at www.kingdompatriot.us and check out our Vision Video     Supply Chain Crisis explained When I can't get what I want, when I want, where I want, for the price I want…that's a serious crisis! And a crisis we have indeed! However, first a word from our sponsor   Ok, I jest a bit, supply chain as I defined it a minute ago is selfish and all about me. When I can't get the part for my dishwasher, that's a first world problem. A pastor I was speaking with shared with me the difficulties in explaining a washing machine to folks in Africa because they don't even have the concept of not washing their clothes by hand. So tongue and cheek, that is truly a first world problem and most of our supply chain issues fall into that category. It gravitates more into the “need” category when we start talking about food and medicine because most Americans don't grow their food, nor know how to do so effectively and efficiently, so they truly do rely on “supply chain” to eat and live.   However, what I want to talk about today, is to dive a bit deeper into the policies that have led to this supply chain crisis so that we can have a bit of “Econ 101” so to speak. I want to talk about a couple categories. 1) the law of supply and demand in regards to how the market will behave. 2) how government policy affects supply and demand, 3) why we are so dependent on foreign goods, and 4) what we can do about it.   And by the way, if you want to listen to a fantastic interview with a business owner of a trucking company who can give you real, front-line experiences in regards to this crisis, click on the link in the transcript of this podcast. Perry Stone interviews the CEO of Covenant Transport and he explains in detail many of the issues in regards to the LA Port and the supply chain impacts of years of bad policy and regulations. https://youtu.be/S3U1nlJ6jvU   The Law of Supply and Demand So first the law of supply and demand. Folks, supply and demand is basic economics 101…it's predictable, repeatable, and has proven to be true especially in free market, or somewhat free market conditions. What does this law state? According to Investopedia, the law of supply and demand   “is a theory that explains the interaction between the sellers of a resource and the buyers for that resource. The theory defines the relationship between the price of a given good or product and the willingness of people to either buy or sell it.”   Generally, as price increases, people are willing to supply more and demand less and vice versa when the price falls. The theory is based on two separate "laws," the law of demand and the law of supply. The two laws interact to determine the actual market price and volume of goods on the market.   KEY TAKEAWAYS from this Theory The law of demand says that as prices rise, buyers' demand of product will decrease. The law of supply says that as prices rise, sellers will supply more of a product. These two laws interact to determine the actual market prices and volume of goods that are traded on a market. Several independent factors can affect the shape of market supply and demand, influencing both the prices and quantities that we observe in markets.   So let's put this in real terms. I'm a manufacturer and I make hunting equipment and I have 100 units. But because the market is good and demand goes up, I have 300 buyers who want to buy 1 unit each, the demand is 300 units even though I only have 100 units at the current price. So what do I do? I raise the price because even if I alienate 150-200 buyers at my higher price, I'm still going to sell all 100 units and make a ton of money. However, let's say the opposite happens. I have 100 units of hunting equipment and at my current price, I only have 50 buyers who want to buy 1 unit a piece. What am I going to do? Well I've spent the money to make 100 units and I can't have 50 excessive units sitting on the shelf. That costs me money and I need to sell those units, so I lower the price, run ads, creating discounts, etc… whatever it takes to move those last 50 units.   That in a nutshell is how the law of supply and demand works in a free market, or a somewhat free market economy. There's no way around it; I have seen it over and over again. As demand increases, prices rise, as demand falls, prices decrease and there is a highly correlated relationship between the two. Now, I'm not really getting into government price controls or other outside interventions at this point, but I think you get the point.   Impact of Government Policy So the second point, how does government policy impact the law of supply and demand? I'm so glad you asked. It's simple, yet complicated; there are short-term impacts and long-term impacts. Remember what I said about the law of supply and demand, it rings true in a free-market system, wages go up, people buy more, wages go down people buy less. This impacts price. Conversely, the availability of product in relation to demand also impacts price, supply, and demand. But what happens when the government floods the market with money? Oh, you don't think that happens? In 2020, the government started sending $1,400 stimulus checks to families? Why because of lockdowns and people couldn't go to work. And I don't have the patient to go back research all the stimulus checks, but the US Government was borrowing money at a prodigious rate to transfer via stimulus checks to millions of Americans.   So all of a sudden, billions of dollars are now available to spend on product. But is that real demand? It certainly was not demand created by job wages, it was demand created by available cash. So let's look at government policy decisions in relation to current state and you tell me what impact it will have on a free-market economy.   Here's the real scenario: COVID19 is portrayed as a once-in-a-lifetime disaster in early 2020. States begin to lockdown their population in varying degrees. Red-states tended to be more relaxed, blue states tended to be more like a vice. Businesses, especially entertainment, restaurants, etc., were locked down. The federal government began printing stimulus checks under the auspices of helping those families who were stuck at home so they could buy food and pay rent. In reality, the stimulus checks would not be adequate to support a family with children. Furthermore, I know the lockdowns hit many families hard, but other families the adults did not lose their jobs and now had extra stimulus checks to spend. This is a fundamental problem with government, the problem was primarily with families who lost their livelihoods, but the stimulus checks went to anyone who qualified by income. In addition, student loan repayments were suspended, unemployment was extended to over a year, additional unemployment income was created on top of normal unemployment, and renters didn't have to pay rent.   The ripple effects go on and on and on. Now with just those few policy changes that I mentioned, what would the normal person think would happen? Of course, people used those stimulus checks to buy. Millions of Americans with billions of extra dollars they didn't previously have. In addition, many Americans did not lose their jobs, but rather learned to work remotely or in other means, so in reality, the stimulus checks overall did NOT replace lost wages, but rather created additional buying power.   So how did this impact supply chain? In short, it created demand that could not be filled. Worse, because as we just covered in the law of supply and demand, when demand outpaces supply, prices rise. What did you pay lately at the gas pump? Have you compared that to the summer of 2020? I paid $1.95/gallon in the summer of 2020. Yesterday, I paid $3.15/gallon of gas. That's a 62% increase. Give me any item, and I will tell you a similar story. Eggs, paper, utilities…we see this everywhere. My gosh, I compared my electricity bill per kilowatt hour to 2018? It's up 28%. I bought a used car at the end of 2020. I put 30,000 miles on it and it's worth 10% more today being a year older and 30k additional miles. Have you looked at the price of housing? To describe it as insane would be a gross understatement. It goes on and on. In short, when you create artificial demand and there's neither the labor or supply resources to meet that demand, prices will skyrocket. That's why the report just came out that said year of year, our inflation is at 7%, the highest in 40 years. When inflation is being used in the same breath as Jimmy Carter, you should have significant reason to be concerned.   What was your last wage increase? Was it 7%? Yeah, I think not. For most, the average wage increase each year is 1.5%-3%. Oh, and by the way, the inflation number of 7% is grossly understated because many things such as energy, utilities, and food are not included…. Is this sustainable? No way, impossible.   Our Dependence on Foreign Goods So the third point to discuss is our dependence on foreign goods. Look at anything that is not food and tell me what the sticker says? Yep, exactly “made in China” or “made in Taiwan” or if clothing, “made in Bangladesh.” As Americans, we buy a ton of product from cheap labor countries that in the past could make product so much less expensive that we can here in the US where we have laws and ethics to actually protect workers. In 2020 alone, the US market sold $165 billion of product to China, but we bought $451billion of product from China, creating a trade deficit of $286 billion. You hear terms like “trade deficit” all the time, but please understand, that's just economic terms for “I bought more from you than I sold you”.   I will say, that isn't all bad. When you buy product from a country like China and there is a significant trade deficit, historically, that's been very good for the American Consumer? Why? Because it means we have very inexpensive product and a plethora of choices. In many ways, it does reflect the free-market because we allow China to sell their product in the US without imposing massive tariffs to level the playing field. Again, this is great for the American consumer who wants choice and cheap. For American business, it's a different story. Many of you may remember the mantra from President Trump “Make America Great Again.” This is what he was referring to. He recognized that buying cheap from China was great for the American consumer, but it was horrible for American business because American businesses like steel could not sell their product competitively in China, and also had to compete against China domestically. He sought to level the playing field by threatening tariffs and other penalties that in essence would help American businesses, but hurt the consumer. There's a balance there and I'm not here to debate the pros and cons of each, but rather to make sure you understand the relationship.   But back to my point; American consumers have become accustomed to cheap and choice from China, thus the massive trade deficits every year. Remember our earlier point; artificial demand has been created by government policy, and now China can't keep up. There's just not enough labor to meet the US and global demand for cheap product. So that has led to massive delays for parts, product, and goods. In addition, there are policies that are making it difficult to get the product to market, even when the product does arrive. Again, listen to that interview by Perry Stone, and you will learn a lot about the port of LA and the trucking industry. So what you have is prices are rising exponentially, for a source, aka China, that historically has been very cheap.   What Can We Do? So that brings me to my 4th point, what can we do? Well I was speaking to someone last night and they very much understand supply, demand, product movement, and logistics. I loved what they said “There is a unique opportunity for American businesses that source locally, because the prices are rising so fast and there are so many delays to get product from overseas, that local American businesses have a chance to compete in a way they haven't been able to for years.” What can you do? So, the answer is very simple. Buy American. Especially buy American in which a business does not source it's product or service from overseas.   Now part of why I share this is because that is something we are aiming to do here at the Kingdom Patriot Group. We are building a network of American businesses who have a love for God and country. As we build this small business list of American businesses, we challenge you to relearn your buying habits to support these businesses. First, you will be helping all Americans, but secondly, as persecution increases, by doing commerce together, we are creating an alternative economy for Christians to buy and sell with one another during the dark times ahead. We must support each other, and I'm as guilty as the next person of always looking for a “great deal”, but maybe the best deal is buy American, support businesses that have a similar love for God and country, and to truly, through your money and purchases, support one another.   Hopefully today, this gives you a better understanding of the supply chain crisis, what contributes to it, and what we are called to do about it. When artificial demand is created, prices go up, and when stimulus money floods the market, it creates havoc in a free-market economy. We didn't really spend a ton of time on inflation, and ultimately where this is going to lead, which is a world-wide market crash. I don't believe this artificial demand is sustainable, so at some point, it will come crashing down. Businesses will have massive inventories they will have to discount heavily or go bankrupt. The housing market bubble will be something akin to 2008 or worse. There's no way people will survive in a $200k home they paid ½ million for when they or their spouse loses their job. I'm not being doom and gloom, it's just reality. Again economics 101.   Let's make a habit of supporting American businesses, our faith family, and create good habits of doing commerce together.

This week's guest, Gail Muller, is another of those unlikely adventurers, whose story is a breathless tale of triumph against a debilitating illness and chronic pain. Gail reveled in the "normal" cuts, scrapes, bumps, and bruises of the Appalachian Trail, precisely because they weren't the chronic pain she'd been experiencing for 15 years.  Returning home and basically housebound because of Covid, Gail wrote an inspiring tale about her journey to and on the trail. It is a love letter to the healing power of the wild outdoors and an incredible testament to the strength of the human spirit. You can follow Gail in multiple places, listed below, as well as buy her book, "Unlost" on Amazon. For American residents, go to https://www.amazon.com/Unlost-journey-self-discovery-healing-outdoors-ebook/dp/B094Y95W4B/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=unlost&qid=1637782248&sr=8-1 For our British friends, go to https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlost-journey-self-discovery-healing-outdoors/dp/1909770671/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=unlost+gail+muller&qid=1632942605&sr=8-1. Gail's links: Website and blog: https://gailmuller.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegailmuller and https://www.facebook.com/groups/260115428930125/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegailmuller/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GailMuller This week's middle section starts a new season of aspiring thru-hikers. Each week, we'll chat with somebody who has chosen 2022 as the year that they will put their life on hold and head to that winding footpath along America's Appalachian Mountains. We'll meet them over the next few months, then follow them–in whichever direction they are heading–and hopefully meet them again at the end of their 2200-mile journey. This week's guest is Chuck Hayes, who is planning an extremely early start! Finally, we have the first part of Chapter 15 in Winton Porter's "Passin Thru," where Winton feels the power of an earthquake before trying to set a personal best in a run up Blood Mountain. If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing to us at PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received. If you'd like to take advantage of Steve's Trail Days book offer (all three of his printed hiking books for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

https://vaccine-police.com/https://www.facebook.com/christopher.key.35/https://twitter.com/VaccinePolice11https://www.instagram.com/key_christopher/ 11 Undeniable Facts Concerning Vaccination:1. The U.S. Supreme Court rules all vaccines unavoidably unsafe.https://www.aap.org/en-us/documents/immunization_refusaltovaccinate.pdf 2. None of the vaccines on the U.S. CDC-recommended childhood vaccine schedule weretested against an inert saline placebo in clinical trials.The Facts About the FDA's Questionable Practices • Children's Health Defense 3. This HHS lawsuit shows that no safety studies have been conducted on vaccines forthirty-three years.https://www.worldhealth.net/news/rfk-jr-wins-case-against-government-vaccine-safety-violations 4. Compensation for vaccine injury to date: 4.4 billion and counting.https://www.hrsa.gov/vaccine-compensation/data/index.htmlDescription of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) • Children'sHealth Defense 5. The CDC, frankly, is a vaccine company; it owns at least fifty vaccine patents and buys anddistributes $4.6 billion in vaccines annually through the Vaccines for Children program.Examining RFK Jr.'s claim that the CDC “Owns over 20 vaccine (greenmedinfo.com)FY 2018 Budget in Brief - CDC | HHS.gov 6. In 1986, Congress passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act freeing companiesfrom liability for injuries resulting from childhood vaccines no matter how toxic the ingredients,how negligent the manufacturer, or how grievous the harm.H.R.5546 - 99th Congress (1985-1986): National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 |Congress.gov | Library of Congress NCVIA: The Legislation that Changed Everything—Conflicts of Interest Undermine Children'sHealth: Part II • Children's Health Defense 7. There are two Hepatitis B vaccines licensed for one day old babies in the United States-onemanufactured by Merck and the other by GlaxoSmith Kline. Merck's Hepatitis B was licensedby the FDA after trials which solicited adverse reactions for only five days after vaccination.Similarly, GlaxoSmithKline's Hepatitis B Vaccine was licensed by the FDA after trials whichsolicited adverse reactions for only four days after vaccination.recombivax_pi (merck.com) 8. In 1965, 4% of the US population had a chronic disease.For American kids born in 1986,only12.8% had chronic disease. That number has grown to 54% among the vaccine generationaccording to a 2011 survey funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)Dynamics of obesity and chronic health conditions among children and youthhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20159870/ A National and State Profile of Leading Health Problems and Health Care Quality for USChildren: Key Insurance Disparities and Across-State Variations -ScienceDirecthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876285910002500 9. Vaccines CAN and DO cause injuries. The message that vaccine injuries are rare is notsupported by facts and anecdotal evidence. An HHS-sponsored study by the Agency forHealthcare Research and Quality found that vaccine injuries, when tracked using electronicmedical records, occur in one in thirty-nine vaccines given.Electronic Support for Public Health - Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (ESP:VAERS)(Massachusetts) | AHRQ Digital Healthcare Research: Informing Improvement in Care Quality,Safety, and Efficiency Vaccine Injuries Ratio: One for Every 39 Vaccines Administered • Children's Health Defense 10. Post-licensure vaccine safety surveillance is failing the American people and childrenaround the world. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System(VAERS), where doctors andpatients voluntarily report adverse vaccine events, received 58,381 reports in 2018. including412 deaths,1,237 permanent disabilities, and 4, 217 hospitalizations. An HHS-funded review ofVAERS concluded that "fewer than one per cent of vaccine adverse events are reported " toVAERS. The CDC has refused to mandate or automate VAERS reporting.Electronic Support for Public Health–Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (ESP:VAERS)(ahrq.gov) ican-reply-december-31-2018.pdf (childrenshealthdefense.org) 11. The CDC vaccine researcher-turned whistleblower, Dr. William Thompson, Ph. D. wasdenied the ability to testify regarding scientific fraud and destruction of evidence by senior CDCofficials in critical CDC vaccine safety studies regarding an association between childhoodvaccines and autism. Thompson invoked federal whistleblower status and alleges that the CDCdestroyed evidence that black boys are 3.36 times more likely to develop autism if they receivethe MMR vaccine before age three.CDC Blocks Testimony by Vaccine Whistleblower in Medical Malpractice Case • Children'sHealth Defense The Statement of William W. Thompson • Children's Health Defense 

For American adults, over 70 percent of time awake is spent in the workplace. That means the workplace is the greatest mission field of our day. But for some, a wall exists between Sunday and Monday separating their spiritual life from their work life. In this message, Nate Heitzig teaches from Nehemiah 2-3 and gleans biblical principles on how to work with purpose, people, and passion. Nate Heitzig - Guest Speaker at Calvary Albuquerque.

https://vaccine-police.com/https://www.facebook.com/christopher.key.35/https://twitter.com/VaccinePolice11https://www.instagram.com/key_christopher/ 11 Undeniable Facts Concerning Vaccination:1. The U.S. Supreme Court rules all vaccines unavoidably unsafe.https://www.aap.org/en-us/documents/immunization_refusaltovaccinate.pdf 2. None of the vaccines on the U.S. CDC-recommended childhood vaccine schedule weretested against an inert saline placebo in clinical trials.The Facts About the FDA's Questionable Practices • Children's Health Defense 3. This HHS lawsuit shows that no safety studies have been conducted on vaccines forthirty-three years.https://www.worldhealth.net/news/rfk-jr-wins-case-against-government-vaccine-safety-violations 4. Compensation for vaccine injury to date: 4.4 billion and counting.https://www.hrsa.gov/vaccine-compensation/data/index.htmlDescription of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) • Children'sHealth Defense 5. The CDC, frankly, is a vaccine company; it owns at least fifty vaccine patents and buys anddistributes $4.6 billion in vaccines annually through the Vaccines for Children program.Examining RFK Jr.'s claim that the CDC “Owns over 20 vaccine (greenmedinfo.com)FY 2018 Budget in Brief - CDC | HHS.gov 6. In 1986, Congress passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act freeing companiesfrom liability for injuries resulting from childhood vaccines no matter how toxic the ingredients,how negligent the manufacturer, or how grievous the harm.H.R.5546 - 99th Congress (1985-1986): National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 |Congress.gov | Library of Congress NCVIA: The Legislation that Changed Everything—Conflicts of Interest Undermine Children'sHealth: Part II • Children's Health Defense 7. There are two Hepatitis B vaccines licensed for one day old babies in the United States-onemanufactured by Merck and the other by GlaxoSmith Kline. Merck's Hepatitis B was licensedby the FDA after trials which solicited adverse reactions for only five days after vaccination.Similarly, GlaxoSmithKline's Hepatitis B Vaccine was licensed by the FDA after trials whichsolicited adverse reactions for only four days after vaccination.recombivax_pi (merck.com) 8. In 1965, 4% of the US population had a chronic disease.For American kids born in 1986,only12.8% had chronic disease. That number has grown to 54% among the vaccine generationaccording to a 2011 survey funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)Dynamics of obesity and chronic health conditions among children and youthhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20159870/ A National and State Profile of Leading Health Problems and Health Care Quality for USChildren: Key Insurance Disparities and Across-State Variations -ScienceDirecthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876285910002500 9. Vaccines CAN and DO cause injuries. The message that vaccine injuries are rare is notsupported by facts and anecdotal evidence. An HHS-sponsored study by the Agency forHealthcare Research and Quality found that vaccine injuries, when tracked using electronicmedical records, occur in one in thirty-nine vaccines given.Electronic Support for Public Health - Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (ESP:VAERS)(Massachusetts) | AHRQ Digital Healthcare Research: Informing Improvement in Care Quality,Safety, and Efficiency Vaccine Injuries Ratio: One for Every 39 Vaccines Administered • Children's Health Defense 10. Post-licensure vaccine safety surveillance is failing the American people and childrenaround the world. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System(VAERS), where doctors andpatients voluntarily report adverse vaccine events, received 58,381 reports in 2018. including412 deaths,1,237 permanent disabilities, and 4, 217 hospitalizations. An HHS-funded review ofVAERS concluded that "fewer than one per cent of vaccine adverse events are reported " toVAERS. The CDC has refused to mandate or automate VAERS reporting.Electronic Support for Public Health–Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (ESP:VAERS)(ahrq.gov) ican-reply-december-31-2018.pdf (childrenshealthdefense.org) 11. The CDC vaccine researcher-turned whistleblower, Dr. William Thompson, Ph. D. wasdenied the ability to testify regarding scientific fraud and destruction of evidence by senior CDCofficials in critical CDC vaccine safety studies regarding an association between childhoodvaccines and autism. Thompson invoked federal whistleblower status and alleges that the CDCdestroyed evidence that black boys are 3.36 times more likely to develop autism if they receivethe MMR vaccine before age three.CDC Blocks Testimony by Vaccine Whistleblower in Medical Malpractice Case • Children'sHealth Defense The Statement of William W. Thompson • Children's Health Defense 

Show #1154.   If you get any value from this podcast please consider supporting my work on Patreon. Plus all Patreon supporters get their own unique ad-free podcast feed.   Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Monday 26thJuly. It's  Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to.   Thank you to MYEV.com for helping make this show, they've built the first marketplace specifically for Electric Vehicles. It's a totally free marketplace that simplifies the buying and selling process, and help you learn about EVs along the way too.   THE SENATE'S E-BIKE ACT COULD MAKE ELECTRIC BIKES A LOT CHEAPER   - A bill that would offer Americans a refundable tax credit on the purchase of a new electric bicycle was just introduced in the Senate by Ed Markey (D-MA) and Brian Schatz (D-HI). The bill is called the Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment, or E-BIKE Act for short, and it's the companion bill to one introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year.   - More people should be riding e-bikes than just those who can afford them. Driving is already highly subsidized across the country. We build cheap — often free — areas for parking, we invest in highways, drivers don't pay for congestion or CO2 emissions, and zoning laws and taxes favor sprawl. We need to start accommodating bikes — and especially e-bikes — if we want more people to switch to greener forms of transportation.   - legislation would offer Americans a refundable tax credit worth 30 percent of a new e-bike's purchase price, capped at $1,500   Original Source : https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/24/22590792/ebike-act-senate-brian-schatz-tax-credit-infrastructure   TESLA REPORTEDLY RESUMES MODEL S PLAID AND LONG RANGE DELIVERIES   - Tesla has reportedly resumed deliveries of the Model S Plaid and Long Range variants just days after reports of a hold were rumored to be delaying customer deliveries of the automaker's flagship sedan. Several days ago, numerous Model S reservation holders were told Tesla would deliver their vehicles at a later time.   - Several sources indicate that Tesla has lifted the ban in Fremont, with reports of firmware issues being the culprit for the delayed deliveries. Teslarati contacted Tesla showrooms, and employees were unable to confirm nor deny whether the company did lift the hold, but did indicate there was a hold on the deliveries. The employees just didn't indicate whether the hold was still active or not.   Original Source : https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-s-plaid-long-range-deliveries-resume-hold-lifted/   TESLA SOLAR TEAM SCOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT ELON MUSK   - Tesla's solar-power unit, Tesla Energy, asks a team of more than 20 employees to scour social media and reviews sites for customer complaints, a former employee told Insider.The person, who left the company this year and asked not to be named, said that as well as solving customers' issues, the team tried to get customers to delete their posts.   - A separate team of nine people looked specifically for posts aimed at CEO Elon Musk, the ex-employee said. This chimes with a job ad Tesla Energy put out in January for a "Customer Support Specialist" — the advert said applicants would address "social media escalations" aimed at Musk.   - On top of resolving the customer's issue, both employees said staff were instructed to politely ask customers to delete their social media complaints. Insider verified the identities and employment of both former employees.   Original Source : https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-solar-energy-elon-musk-complaints-social-media-panels-roof-2021-7   VW ID BUZZ GETTING THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS   - VW wants to make sure there is an ID Buzz for everyone. The aspiring EV automaker explained that there will be three initial versions of the upcoming ID Buzz EV van targeting a host of different markets.   - The VW ID Buzz is first and foremost a spacious people mover. In Europe, VW plans to see a six-seat passenger version of the ID Buzz specifically targeting rideshare services.   - For American customers, the ID Buzz will arrive in 2024. The American ID Buzz will be a more traditional family van with seating for four passengers in the rear. Two of the rear seats will face forward while the other two will face the rear of the vehicle. Hopefully, your children or passengers are not prone to motion sickness.   -VW plans to build an ID Buzz specifically made to deliver all of the packages you keep ordering online.   Original Source : https://www.motor1.com/news/522257/vw-id-buzz-van/   CHINA: PLUG-IN ELECTRIC CAR SALES REACH NEW RECORD IN JUNE 2021   - Plug-in electric car sales surge in China to new record levels as multiple models are selling better than ever In June, some 235,000 passenger plug-in cars were registered (new all-time record), which is probably close to 160% more than a year ago. Moreover, the market share increased to 15% and 12% are BEVs.   - So far this year, about 1.1 million passenger plug-in cars were sold, which is 11% of the total market. BEV share stands at 9%.   Original Source : https://insideevs.com/news/522274/china-plugin-car-sales-june2021/   DETHLEFFS & ZF SET RECORD CROSSING THE ALPS WITH ELECTRIC CARAVAN   - Dethleffs had already presented the prototype of a caravan with its own electric drive in 2018, which was developed together with the Erwin Hymer Group and ZF Friedrichshafen. Now, the project partners have demonstrated the practical readiness of the concept in a challenging caravan tour across the Alps.   - From Isny, the Audi e-tron Sportback pulled the electrically powered caravan E-Home Coco all the way to Lake Garda – without a charging stop. Normally, the additional weight of the trailer and especially the increased air resistance drive up the consumption of the towing vehicle (regardless of the drive technology).   - For this journey at an average speed of 62.4 km/h, the e-tron Sportback consumed 62 kWh of energy (i.e. 21.2 kWh/100km), the e-home Coco 74 kWh (19.2 kWh/100km).   - A towing force sensor is installed in the towing device itself. This is supposed to detect whether the towing vehicle is accelerating, decelerating or rolling.   - The E-Home Coco also has a recuperation system   Original Source : https://www.electrive.com/2021/07/25/dethleffs-zf-set-record-crossing-the-alps-with-electric-caravan   IRISH ‘LEADING THE CHARGE' IN PUSH FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES   - Ireland is in first place in Europe in providing charging points in service stations for electric vehicles (EVs).  A survey of 19 European countries showed Ireland has the highest proportion of filling station forecourts with EV charging points – 7.46pc of the country's filling stations have charging points installed. Denmark is in second on 5.37pc. The figure for the United Kingdom is 1.76pc, while Germany is at 1.04pc.   Original Source : https://www.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-news/irish-leading-the-charge-in-push-for-electric-vehicles-40687106.html   IN VANCOUVER, EVERY CAR SPACE IN NEW HOTELS MUST HAVE AN EV CHARGER   - The Vancouver City Council has approved new regulations that would require EV charging infrastructure be installed in all new non-residential buildings in an effort to expand access to the ever-growing population of EV drivers.   - Additionally, 100% of new car-share stalls and 100% of parking stalls in new hotels must also have EV charging infrastructure.   - Vancouver City expects the new regulations will have minimal increase on new construction costs while significantly reducing or eliminating future costs of retrofitting buildings for EV charging infrastructure.   Original Source : https://thedriven.io/2021/07/23/in-vancouver-every-car-space-in-new-hotels-must-have-an-ev-charger   TESLA MODEL S PLAID IMPRESSIONS: RE-INVENTING THE WHEEL!   - PLAID Model S is stupid fast. And is better built than ever. But that yoke tho   Original Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyKQ7qtTJag   SVOLT LAUNCHES PRODUCTION OF COBALT-FREE BATTERY CELLS - ELECTRIVE.COM   - SVOLT has started series production of its novel cobalt-free nickel-manganese battery cells (NMX) in Jintan, China.   - Cobalt, which is normally used in NCM cells for thermal stabilisation, is not used in the new cells. Instead, the cathode is stabilised by “specially developed doping and coating processes”. Thus, the NMX cells – even without cobalt – are said to offer a “higher thermal stability as well as overall safety than NCM811 cells”.   - From the end of 2023, the novel batteries can also be produced at the planned plant in Saarland for the European market.   Original Source : https://www.electrive.com/2021/07/23/svolt-launches-production-of-cobalt-free-battery-cells   QUESTION OF THE WEEK WITH EMOBILITYNORWAY.COM   With 2877 Superchargers globally and 25000 stalls, what do you think about Tesla's plan to open up the network to everyone?   Email me your thoughts and I'll read them out on Sunday – hello@evnewsdaily.com   It would mean a lot if you could take 2mins to leave a quick review on whichever platform you download the podcast.   And  if you have an Amazon Echo, download our Alexa Skill, search for EV News Daily and add it as a flash briefing.   Come and say hi on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter just search EV News Daily, have a wonderful day, I'll catch you tomorrow and remember…there's no such thing as a self-charging hybrid.   PREMIUM PARTNERS PHIL ROBERTS / ELECTRIC FUTURE BRAD CROSBY PORSCHE OF THE VILLAGE CINCINNATI AUDI CINCINNATI EAST VOLVO CARS CINCINNATI EAST NATIONALCARCHARGING.COM and ALOHACHARGE.COM DEREK REILLY FROM THE EV REVIEW IRELAND YOUTUBE CHANNEL RICHARD AT RSEV.CO.UK – FOR BUYING AND SELLING EVS IN THE UK EMOBILITYNORWAY.COM/

Parker Molloy: Welcome to the first episode of the Present Age Podcast. I am your host Parker Molloy.Comic book fans may know today’s guest from his work writing The Amazing Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Silver Surfer, Iron Man, and most recently, the Fantastic Four. His name is Dan Slott, and our conversation starts right now.Dan Slott, thank you so much for talking to me. I appreciate it. Thank you!Dan Slott: Oh, thanks for having me on, Parker!…One of the things I'm trying to do with this new venture of mine, this new newsletter/podcast/whatever is this idea that ... Just looking at communication. The various ways we communicate with each other, and I've really been enjoying being able to talk to a wide variety of people, doing different things, and especially coming out of the pandemic, it's just been really interesting.One of my previous interviews was with Will Butler, who plays in the band Arcade Fire, and it's been really interesting. They're used to playing in front of tens of thousands of people and then suddenly the pandemic hits and it's like, "Oh, yeah, it's a bad idea to get in a room with more than five people." Which is fewer than are in their band. I wanted to talk to you because you have a really interesting career that I've appreciated from both afar and up close.For people who didn't bother to listen to my intro on this, Dan writes comics. You've written a ton of stuff, but it's probably safe to say that for most people who are familiar with your work, they're probably most familiar with your decade-long run of Amazing Spider-Man. Would you say that's correct?Yeah. Most people who know me ... It's weird because I've had a career that's had ... I've had the benefit of having multiple runs at this where people forget what I did before. Then I come in all fresh-faced. For a long time, I used to be the Ren and Stimpy guy, then I became the She-Hulk guy. Now people still think of me as the Spider-Man guy because once I got that, that was my dream gig, whenever ... It's kind of neat. Once you become a Spider-Man writer, all the other Spider-Man writers, it's almost like a fraternity. They'll reach out and they'll talk to you, like, "How are you doing? Are you doing okay?" I killed Peter Parker and replaced his brain with Doc Oc's is one of the ways most people know me.For better or for worse people had very, very strong opinions about that.Yes. To the point where Marvel literally hired bodyguards.Seriously?Yeah. For one signing and another signing the NYPD provided them.That is nuts.Yeah. I was brought into a meeting with the NYPD, the DA's office, the NYPD cybercrime division just for all the death threats that we got once we killed Peter Parker.Wow. That-Yeah. It was on the crawl on CNN and I had to tell my dad to make sure my mom didn't watch CNN that day.Oh, man. That's wild and that's ... Geez. I had no idea it got that bad, but I'm glad that that seems to have mostly passed.It dissipated like within two weeks once the next issue came out. The first issue of Superior Spider-Man with Doc Oc in Spidey's brain, and at the end of the issue, spoilers, you see that Peter Parker's ghost is there. All the readers went, "Ah." They could see there was some kind of connected bridge, some way back that maybe Peter Parker could get his body back. Then they were like, "Okay. Okay. We're ..." Once people could see the puzzle pieces in place. For them, grown men were like, "You killed Peter Parker."How could you?That's when the nice ... One of the nice things that came out of that, like I said before, is Gerry Conway, a long-time writer of Spider-Man, reached out to me when all that was going down and he was all ... He's the one who killed Gwen Stacy, Spider-man's long-time girlfriend at the hands of the Green Goblin. It was the first major death since Captain Stacy and Uncle Ben. Gerry said to me ... And it was the first time we'd met, was him reaching out to go like, "Are you okayHe said, "You know what makes you different from every other Spider-Man writer?" I'm like, "No, Gerry Conway."Do tell.This is the guy who was writing Spider-man when I was growing up. I was like, "Oh my God." He went, "You're the writer of Spider-Man during the age of social media." You're like, "Aha." He's like, "If I had killed Gwen Stacy and there had been Twitter and Facebook around, I would have been killed."Oh, I can't even imagine. That would just be ridiculous. That I think is one of the things that has really interested me about talking to you on this, is that yes, it is the age of social media. It is the age where people have direct access to pretty much anyone on the planet. I mean, I try to think about what it would be like growing up and being in my teens and being able to just connect with literally any person on the planet, favorite musicians, least favorite musicians, politicians, and anything. It's fantastic, but it's also terrifying at the same time. I think that when it comes to higher-profile people, especially when you're making these decisions that ... Obviously you can't please everyone with every issue of every story that you write. Obviously, they're going to voice their opinions back to you. What is one thing you love about social media and what is one thing you hate about social media? That's the question.I'm sure you do this too. You throw out some kind of thing to a celebrity you like, and then they like it, or they answer it or they retweet it and then you get that rush, that sugar rush and oh my God. Admit it. You've screencapped it, haven't you?Oh, yeah. Absolutely.You go, "Oh my God, this famous director answered my tweet in real time or this celebrity that I care about." I am huge Whovian. I am a Dr. Who nerd to the nth degree. One of the bizarro things that happened because you and I, we're those awful human beings who have blue checks.Oh, the dreaded blue checks.The blue check. Something happens when you're a blue check and you throw a comment to another blue check. It almost gives you a little bit of validity and they'll look at it. You're like, "Ah." Also, other people will start watching this conversation you're having in real-time. Karen Gillan, who is Amy Pond and Nebula, and in Jumanji too, she was mentioning how she couldn't wait to get back to Scotland and have chips with chippy sauce.I wrote, "For American fans, what's chippy sauce?" Then she started describing it. We were having a brief conversation about chippy sauce, and suddenly it's in the newspaper the next day in British media, "American fans confused by chippy sauce." There is suddenly my tweet in an actual newspaper talking, "What is going on?"Yeah. It's always funny when something I tweet ends up in ... If a reporter calls me and says, "Hey, can I get a comment on whatever?" I'll sit there and I'll think it through and then I'll be like, "Okay. Yes, here's my statement." A lot of times it's just something I tweeted not really thinking about anything and it'll just be in the paper. The way that it's worded a lot of times will just be pretty much the same. It'll still be like-Horrible.... like it's just a quote from me, you know? It's usually fine, but sometimes it's a little embarrassing.I have to be super careful. I praised the Shazam movie and then suddenly Shazam social media is reaching out like, "We would like to use this on a poster." I'm like, "No." I'm a Marvel exclusive guy. I can't have someone at Marvel see my tweet praising Shazam on a poster for God's sake. That'll bring trouble.See, that's the thing. It takes something that should be no big deal to just be like, "Hey, I really like this thing, or I didn't care for this thing." Either way, it should just be something that's small, but social media has this weird way of flattening everything to the point where, whether it was a big comment, little comment, something you thought about for weeks or something that just popped into your head, it's all treated the same and we're in this world where everyone is.You know the Plinko game?Yeah. Where the ball goes down [inaudible], whatever your comment is, however nuanced it is, wherever it dropped on the Plinko, at the end of the day, there's black and white, there's yes and no. Someone will take your very nuanced threading a concept tweet and make it into, "You believe this or you support that." When you're like, "I was threading this." To this day, this is a decades-old problem. Or you could have a situation where there was a writer, Nick Spencer who did a controversial story where Captain America, Steve Rogers, was revealed to be an agent of Hydra through comic book machinations that Cosmic Cube had rewritten it so he was now always a Hydra agent. There were two Captain America comic books coming out at that time, both written by Nick Spencer. The Present Age is a reader-supported newsletter. While a free version of the newsletter exists, paid subscriptions make this work possible.One featured a blonde-haired blue-eyed, Steve Rogers, who is now secretly an agent of Hydra. The other featured Sam Wilson, an African-American superhero, who was also calling himself Captain America. These were clearly two books of one piece taking on two different sides of arguments and everything boiled down to everyone wouldn't even talk about the Sam Wilson Captain America comic. These were sister comics.They would only talk about that and how dare you turn Captain America into something that looks and feels like a Nazi? How dare you? That became the conversation. That's the conversation Twitter wanted and that's the conversation it got. It will always go to the thing that is the most hot-button, the most reactionary. No one wants a well-thought-out nuanced conversation. That's not what social media is for.Yeah. Well, exactly. I mean, that's one thing that I always find really interesting in the way that social media, which is this very instant gratification kind of setup, will respond to things as far as comics are concerned, because in that case you had Twitter freaking out and it turned into, "Oh, well, Nick Spencer's trying to turn Captain America into a Nazi and all this."I mean, have people read comics before? I mean, if all of these characters are around for decades and decades and decades, you need to have some kind of out-there storylines to keep it going in different directions. Generally speaking, you're not going to ... How weird would that have been, had it been like, "Yes. No. Captain America is a Nazi. That's how it is now going forward." It's like, that is not ... Anyone who's paid attention to comics should know what's happening.What it is, is everyone wants the theater of it. Everyone wants to be part of the conversation and things like trending topics mean that suddenly if you're having an argument and things are boiling down to black and white and things are boiling down to ... then it means all these people that aren't familiar, let's say with comics, suddenly jump into the conversation as well, because all they're hearing, like if we use that example, is Captain America's a Nazi.What was Marvel thinking? Now someone's jumping in with that and we get to see over time that someone who's got skin in the game where you see a Russian troll farm will gin up a topic in the middle of ... 3:00 in the morning suddenly everyone cares about Hunter Biden's laptop at 3:00 in the morning.Just like, "Oh." Yeah.Or everyone cares about this, that, or the other at 3:00 AM and it's because people now found a way to manipulate the game.Yeah. Right now there's this push in some states to fight back against what the people fighting are calling critical race theory. It's just this culture war nonsense basically that is being waged by some extremely online figures. There's this guy named James Lindsay, who's one of the big anti-critical race theory dudes. He tweeted, he posted a link to a headline that said, "Marvel reveals Steve Rogers no longer believes in the American dream in first issue of whatever."What?He responds, "Abolish Marvel." That was sent yesterday. Then all the other replies to his are, "Steve Rogers standing for nothing but nihilism is a sad commentary on the woke movement. The left went after entertainment so they could pervert your children's thoughts and destroy your childhood heroes. We are in the propaganda phase of a war. Pay attention and confront this before it's too late.Then ... Yeah. That's it, I'm done with woke Marvel, only the old stuff for me from now on. Everything they've put out post-awokening can go straight in the trash as far as I'm concerned." Now, that is a very tell me you've never read a Captain America comic without telling-Ever.... me you've never read a Captain America comic, you know? It's like-Yeah. We can point to everything from the whole Nomad era of Cap, which was the Captain America books that came shortly after Watergate, where he refused to wear the flag. He did it again for a while when the character that a lot of people have now met through Falcon Winter Soldier U.S. Agent became Captain America. Once again, Captain America threw off the costume and wore this black costume to show that he wasn't supporting certain beliefs.You can look at comic book writers that are very right-wing, like Frank Miller. When he did Daredevil Born Again with Captain America in it, you clearly saw that was a Captain America that stands more for the dream and the ideology than the flag. A lot of this is something will boil up in comic Twitter and it'll make it over to regular Twitter where someone can take it and grab it and run with it. Like when they said Ta-Nehisi Coates is going to write the Superman movie. Suddenly everyone's looking for a fight and it's got to boil down to good or bad. It's got to boil down to I'm against it or I'm for it and there's really no room for conversation. You're going to have a far more fun time on Twitter if you just watch the funny animal videos.Yeah. One thing I've tried to do more of is knowing what I don't know. That is an important skill I think, is to know when you don't know enough to weigh in. That's something that it's like ... I struggled with for a while. It was, I would be like, "No, I think I should give my opinion on this." Then whatever it is, and you see that happen every day. A story will come out about wildlife and suddenly everyone's like, "Well, when an animal is cornered, it does this." Everyone becomes an expert in every single issue that happens. Yeah.Oh, God. I love how much legal expertise everyone has online. Everyone online has gone to law school. In the same way that everyone's a doctor because they can go to WebMD. It's kind of scary. One of the things that's happening a lot in my industry is NFTs and whenever someone comes to me and goes, "What's your opinion?" I'm like Marvin in the back of the car Pulp Fiction. I am like, "I know nothing of this subject. I am not even going to research it. I'm not even going to look into it. It can be all the way over there and I'm out. I am not for or against. All I know is my ignorance."Yeah. I mean, the internet makes it so much easier to connect with others, but one thing I've been thinking about is just that maybe we're not meant to be so connected with others. I'm not meant to know the opinion of a hundred thousand people all at once.You can't unring the bell, but if you say something wrong in a newspaper, your newspaper can get sued. There are certain guard rails, there're certain things that are out there and the internet feels far more Wild Wild West. It also feels far more vigilante where you get that case where this woman, before she goes on a plane, makes a terrible racist joke and by the time the plane lands, that joke has trended. She's been fired from her job. People are waiting to see her as she comes off the plane with signs mocking her.Did she deserve it? I don't know. Probably yes, but then it's also weird. It's all so Wild Wild West. Like Chris Cooper and that woman in the park with the bird. Comics Twitter is way more into that because a lot of us know Chris Cooper because he started off in comics. He's edited comics I wrote in the '90s. We were horrified, and then he didn't press charges and no charges were pressed. Now suddenly she was doing that thing again and we're all like, "Oh, there should have been consequences." During when it was happening, everyone was ready to find this woman and burn her at the stake. Then there were people being all, "Let's not be a mob." Now she's out doing the same thing again with no repercussions. We're like, "Oh, we should have." I don't know.That's kind of ... The issue is that I don't think that there are clear correct answers to how to respond to things happening in the world. One thing that I've been finding extremely odd, especially from the world of news media, is this idea that the HR decisions of every company should be up to a public vote, which it's like someone gets pushed out at a company because they wrote some bad columns or something and then you have half the internet going, "How do they justify this?" That sort of thing, but when you think about it, it's like people get fired every day for no reason at all. Sometimes it's just, "Hey, we're tired of you." That sort of thing. I mean, I've been laid off from jobs before, and that seems to be something that people insert themselves into on this really wide scale when it comes to social media.Yeah. We just saw like four years of an administration where if certain people in certain positions acted that way at a company, they would be fired. They were able to use social media as a way to bolster their power and to go, "We are untouchable because look at all these Twitter followers we have. Look at this public opinion." You'd have people on the news talking about the reaction on Twitter, which is something that can't be regulated, which is something that can be abused, which is something that can have a troll farm in Russia create 80 million tweets overnight or people ... You know what I mean?Yeah.Yet there're some people like that guy who created the whole Pizzagate scandal, he's still online. He's still someone that people retweet and talk about and use as a source. I'm like, "Shouldn't that guy have been ridden out of town on a rail? Shouldn't have no soapbox for the rest of his life? You created and propagated Pizzagate, and yet you still have a platform. How does that work?"It's just so, so bizarre to watch that happen. A month or two ago, I was speaking with Michael Hobbes. He hosts a podcast called You're Wrong About. I love that podcast. It's great and highly recommended. He was talking to me about how some of the most popular episodes of that podcast have gotten a million downloads, which is great. He was trying to think of this. Like if you get a thousand emails all at once, it's going to feel like the world is crashing down on you.It's going to feel like everyone on the planet is laser-focused on you. You might be trending or something like that even, but he put it this way. He's like, "Okay. Imagine one of those episodes that got a million downloads, if a thousand people are extremely angry and they all email you about it and they all start yelling at you online about it, that's 1%. That's not a majority."It's not a ... Or actually, no, that's one-10th of 1% now that I think about it. It's important to put these things in perspective. I think that one thing that social media does is it really flattens that perspective, which is very unfortunate. It makes taking risks and being creative and all of that more difficult. I'm curious. Have you ever pulled punches in your writing? Have you ever held back because you're like, "I don't want to deal with whatever the fallout from this idea that I have in my head is."Like on a tweet?No. No. Like in your work?In my work?Yeah.Yeah. No. Of course.Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we all self-censor in various ways, but-I also have the benefit of having an editor-Yes. Editors are important.... who will go, "You are not doing that. You are not telling that story." One of the issues of Spider-Man that I pitched ... And I wrote like over 200 issues of Spider-Man so you're always throwing out ideas. One of them, there's a Spider-Man villain, Swarm, who was this Nazi scientist, von Meyer, who he had done stuff with killer bees and they became a part of him. He became a living swarm of killer bees with his skeletal remains in the middle, but that's it.He's like a walking pile of killer bees. He would always attack Spider-Man fireman by firing killer bees at him, or turning the killer bees into a giant hammer and hitting him with a hammer made of killer bees. Every swarm story was the same swarm story. He fires bees at you. I go, "I have an idea. I want to do a Swarm story. I know a new way of doing a Swarm story." The editor is like, "What is it?" I go, "We've never seen what's happened to the honey." He goes, "What?" I'm like, "Yeah. He'd be selling the honey at farmer's market and stuff in disguise in a beekeeper suit or something. Everyone who eats the honey, since they're honey made of Nazi bees, become Nazis." They're like, "You want to tell a story about Nazi honey?" I'm like, "Yes. I think this will be really interesting." I'm like, "We'd call it Nazi gold." They're like, "You are never telling that story. You are never telling the story of Nazi honey. We will stop you."It's nice to have someone to tell you no.Yeah. I mean, that's the thing. It's one of those things that, would it have been interesting? Absolutely. Would people have been like, "Oh, look at this. He's writing a story where they're making Nazi ... where honey turns people into Nazis. What does he have against honey? What does he have against-Yeah. That and a story where Spider-Man was fighting Yakuza or the mob or somebody in a hotel where there was a drop for drugs or blood diamonds or whatever, the Pulp Fiction briefcase. Elsewhere in the hotel was a furry convention. This guy was going to his first furry convention and he was hiding the fact that he was a furry from his family. At one point the police and all these people burst in because they're going after the mob and the guys that Spider-Man are fighting.The guy from the furry convention go, "Oh, my God, I don't want to get caught." He goes running and he ends up in the room with all the mobsters, but it's the Marvel Universe and it's a guy in a giant animal suit so they assume he's a super villain. They go, "Oh, are you the super villain we sent for?" He goes, "Yes, I am." He ends up dragged along in the story as the weasel, and by the end of the story, he has unintentionally become Spider-Man's worst enemy through no means of his own, where he'll have his hand on the giant lever that's going to lower Spider-Man into the pit and Spider-Man's like, "You'll never get away with this, weasel." He's like, "I know. I don't want to be doing this." I thought it was this really funny story. My editor goes, "You're pitching us a Spider-Man story with furries?" I'm like, "Yeah." They're like, "You are never telling that story. We will stop you. You can't tell that story." When you wake up in the morning and you go, "Thank you, Marvel. Thank you for not letting me ... I have now slept on it and yeah, that ... No, no. I shouldn't. No, thank you for stopping me."See, I think that would be interesting.This is what people say!I mean, for some reason, I don't know why, but that reminded me of ... There's ... What's that character who was an old human torch villain who was ... Asbestos Man. That was it.Asbestos Man.He made a comeback decades after he was first written. That was basically he shows up and he's just like, "I'm Asbestos Man." Everyone's like, "No, stay back, stay back." They're afraid of him but for the wrong reasons, because he's-When I was writing She-Hulk, it was all like her as a lawyer dealing with superhero problems. I so wanted to do the Asbestos Man case, where, you know, like ... Yeah.Yeah. Asbestos Man lawsuits?Yeah. Exactly. I wanted to do Asbestos Man lawsuits. Yeah. There was stuff I didn't do in She-Hulk for that same reason that people are like "Don't go near there." I was going to do a story of one of the ... She works in a law firm and they deal with superhero cases, like can a ghost testify at their own murder trial? Things that would only happen in a superhero world. I had a story where one of the lawyers in her firm, their high school biology teacher was getting fired for teaching Marvel creationism. Everything he was teaching his students is stuff that you can see in Marvel comics, like Odin coming down from the world tree and the Eternals and the aliens creating the Inhumans and the Deviants. You're like, "We've been having this stuff, this mythology in our comics for years, and to have someone get fired because they were teaching it in a science class." I thought this was really funny. They're like, "Oh, let's not go near this. Let's not. No. Let's not poke that bear with a stick."Dan Slott supports creationism. That's the takeaway.You know the Watcher, right?Yeah.Yeah. They were going to bring the Watcher on the stand in that case and the Watcher was going to go, "Everything he said is true."Well, Dan, thank you so much for talking to me. This has been a lot of fun. What can people check out that you're working on right now?Any issue of the Fantastic Four that's on the stands.Please check out the FF. We're in the 60th anniversary year, we're telling big stories. We're taking big swings to honor the legacy of Stan and Jack, who would tell the craziest stories in the Marvel Universe in the FF. Get full access to The Present Age at www.readthepresentage.com/subscribe

Big thank you to Death by Incarceration for letting this sample drop hijack the feed!  Crawlspace Media is proud to welcome the newest member of the CSM community, BIGGER FISH TO FRY!!  The following audio is an intro by the creator, Carolyn Mason, an eight minute sample episode, and a trailer for you to enjoy! Produced and hosted by Carolyn Mason, Bigger Fish To Fry is a limited podcast series with three episodes focusing on the food history of enslaved people, the nutrition of enslaved people, and the legacy that slavery, health, and diet have on modern populations. Carolyn's project illuminates the connection between these subjects by answering the following question: How did the foodways of enslaved people, including their diet and nutrition, affect their health? For American black people, the history of our ancestors is often limited to the struggles and suffering that they endured. This podcast is meant to bridge the gap between academic research and non-collegiate audiences, who deserve to understand the lives of their ancestors. By doing so as a country, we can begin to correct the legacies of slavery and racism. If you like what you hear in this sample, please listen to all three episodes - 1. ENSLAVED FOODWAYS 2. NUTRITION AND ENSLAVED PEOPLE 3. LEGACY OF ENSLAVED FOODWAYS Apple Spotify Or wherever you get your shows. Find out more about the creator and host, Carolyn Mason, as well as transcripts and sources at BiggerFishtoFryPodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crawlspace Media is proud to welcome the newest member of the CSM community, BIGGER FISH TO FRY!! The following audio is an intro by the creator, Carolyn Mason, an eight minute sample episode, and a trailer for you to enjoy! Produced and hosted by Carolyn Mason, Bigger Fish To Fry is a limited podcast series with three episodes focusing on the food history of enslaved people, the nutrition of enslaved people, and the legacy that slavery, health, and diet have on modern populations. Carolyn's project illuminates the connection between these subjects by answering the following question: How did the foodways of enslaved people, including their diet and nutrition, affect their health? For American black people, the history of our ancestors is often limited to the struggles and suffering that they endured. This podcast is meant to bridge the gap between academic research and non-collegiate audiences, who deserve to understand the lives of their ancestors. By doing so as a country, we can begin to correct the legacies of slavery and racism. If you like what you hear in this sample, please listen to all three episodes - 1. ENSLAVED FOODWAYS 2. NUTRITION AND ENSLAVED PEOPLE 3. LEGACY OF ENSLAVED FOODWAYS - on Apple (Link https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-3-legacy-of-enslaved-foodways/id1544013029?i=1000502206055) Spotify (Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/1IvY56S9xTGFlDRuaApc5M?si=xZ-oynKARXqrzkN3b6BCbQ&dl_branch=1) or wherever you get your shows. Find out more about the creator and host, Carolyn Mason, as well as transcripts and sources at BiggerFishtoFryPodcast.com

You can order The Wolf Den in the U.K. and Australia wherever books are sold! For American listeners, Blackwell's in the U.K. is offering 100% FREE shipping to readers in the USA. All you need to do is create a free account with them when you order The Wolf Den online. They're also selling the book at a discount. U.K. listeners should know that Waterstones is selling a limited, signed edition with exclusive content on the real women and the lupanar of Pompeii. To find out more about Elodie, The Wolf Den, and her other work, make sure to visit her website, ElodieHarper.com. 

We've been told for years that vaccines were safe. That it was here to help our body fight off germs and viruses. But what happen when the vaccines do more damage than good. What if I told that since these high intake of vaccines more children has been diagnosed with autism and other sorts of diseases. For the last 10years more people has been dying from cancer, Alzheimer's, leukemia and etc. These things aren't a secret nor a conspiracy anymore. Top doctors and scientists has come out and told us about the scary truth about taken vaccines. Now with this so called Covid plandemic taken place, a huge campaign has done. For American to take these vaccines. Mainly the blacks, Latinos, and native Americans. Which leads me to ask what's in those vaccines and why do they care now? Soon, we will need to be vaccinated to work,travel, even go to restaurants. What will you do? This is something our people need to know about. So join me as I give you true rundown. This is Repent or Die Podcast, where you should know the truth and the truth will set you free. website Repentordiepodcast.net ig repent_or_die_podcast1 twitter REPENtordie_pod merchandise soon come REPENT OR DIE PODCAST IS THE WAVE

Warning: This episode contains spoilers for Episode One of Atlantic Crossing. For American viewers, the story of Norway's Crown Princess Märtha is likely mostly unknown. But the Crown Princess' World War II influence was a surprise even for Atlantic Crossing co-writer and director Alexander Eik, who spent almost seven years researching his miniseries. Eik explains how he found the key to Märtha's story, and what viewers should anticipate in the next seven episodes, in a new interview.

On this episode of the Resistance Library Podcast Sam and Dave discuss the prison industrial complex in the United States.  "Where you find the laws most numerous, there you will find also the greatest injustice." - Arcesilaus, Greek philosopher and student of Plato on power and personal sovereignty There's no two ways about it: The United States of America and its 50 state governments love putting people in prison.   The U.S. has both the highest number of prisoners and the highest per capita incarceration rate in the modern world at 655 adults per 100,000. (It's worth noting that China's incarceration statistics are dubious, and they execute far more people than the United States. Indeed, the so-called People's Republic executes more people annually than the rest of the world combined.)  Still, that's more than 2.2 million Americans in state and federal prisons as well as county jails.   On top of those currently serving time, 4.7 million Americans were on parole in 2016, or about one in 56. These numbers do not include people on probation, which raises the number to one in 35. Nor does it include all of the Americans who have been arrested at one time or another, which is over 70 million – more than the population of France.   For firearm owners in particular, the growth in this “prison-industrial complex” is troubling because felons are forbidden from owning firearms and ammunition under the 1968 Gun Control Act. As the number of laws has grown and the cultural shift for police has gone from a focus on keeping the peace to enforcing the law, more and more Americans are being stripped of their 2nd Amendment rights (not to mention other civil rights like voting – as of 2017, 6.1 million Americans cannot vote because of their criminal records). All told, eight percent of all Americans cannot own firearms because of a felony conviction.   For American society as a whole, the prison-industrial complex has created a perverse incentive structure. Bad laws drive out respect for good laws because there are just so many laws (not to mention rules, regulations, and other prohibitions used by federal prosecutors to pin crimes on just about anyone). How did we get here?   You can read the full article “Locked Up: How the Modern Prison-Industrial Complex Puts So Many Americans in Jail” at Ammo.com.   For $20 off your $200 purchase, go to https://ammo.com/podcast (a special deal for our listeners).   Follow Sam Jacobs on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamJacobs1776   And check out our sponsor, Libertas Bella, for all of your favorite Libertarian shirts at LibertasBella.com.   Helpful Links:  Locked Up: How the Modern Prison-Industrial Complex Puts So Many Americans in Jail Weapons of War On Our Streets: A Guide to the Militarization of America's Police The USA PATRIOT Act: The Story of an Impulsive Bill that Eviscerated America's Civil Liberties Protection or Pain Treatment: Choosing Between Your Gun and Medical Marijuana Resistance Library  Sam Jacobs

WILMINGTON, NC, USA, December 11, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- One element that makes music so powerful is its ability to heal. For American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Davy Williamson, music has helped him fight off his own personal demons. Now, Williamson aims to utilize his platform to assist others with the same struggles. Today, he sets off to launch his solo career, waving the flag for hard rock, while exploring themes of broken homes, love lost, betrayal and overcoming adversity. Working with fellow musicians, Shawn Adkins, Steve Hardy and Andy Vandette, Davy Williamson has released his debut single, "Thin Disguise." A national radio campaign is about to get underway, followed by the release of Davy's first EP. Williamsonwrites, records and performs all vocals and instruments on his tracks.ABOUT DAVY WILLIAMSON: Born in Plant City, Florida and raised in his hometown, Wilmington, North Carolina, Davy Williamson began his solo career in 2020. He co-founded modern rock band, Third Class Passenger and punk rock band, Ma-Shot-Pa.http://www.davywilliamson.com/https://www.facebook.com/davywilliamsonmusichttps://open.spotify.com/artist/1cDMjTuUkUebZsXvK811bP?si=3u8WCWxLS0Co8QIG2fm6hgDavy WilliamsonDavy Williamson+1 910-384-6072davyrockband@gmail.com

The first meteor shower of the year doesn’t waste time. It comes early, flares quickly, and disappears in a hurry. And it’s at its peak late tonight. The Quadrantid shower gets its name from an old constellation. Quadrans Muralis represented an astronomical instrument used in the 18th century. When astronomers reworked the list of constellations in the 1920s, though, they dropped Quadrans Muralis. Most of its stars were incorporated into Boötes the herdsman. By then, the shower had already taken the constellation’s name. That’s because if you trace its meteors, they all appear to “rain” into the sky from that region. So even though the constellation vanished, the meteor shower kept the name. The Quadrantids form one of the best showers of the year. At their peak, you might see several dozen “shooting stars” per hour. Yet that rate lasts only a short time. That’s because the trail of “comet dust” that spawns the meteors isn’t very wide. So Earth plunges right through it — limiting the Quadrantids to a busy but quick showing. For American skywatchers, this year’s Quadrantids should be at their best before dawn tomorrow. Unfortunately, the gibbous Moon will be shining brightly — overpowering all but the brightest meteors. Even though it spoils the shower, the Moon does offer up a bit of a consolation. It’s close to Regulus, the heart of Leo, the lion — forming a beautiful pairing in the early morning sky. Script by Damond Benningfield Support McDonald Observatory

The first meteor shower of the year doesn’t waste time. It comes early, flares quickly, and disappears in a hurry. And it’s at its peak late tonight. The Quadrantid shower gets its name from an old constellation. Quadrans Muralis represented an astronomical instrument used in the 18th century. When astronomers reworked the list of constellations in the 1920s, though, they dropped Quadrans Muralis. Most of its stars were incorporated into Boötes the herdsman. By then, the shower had already taken the constellation’s name. That’s because if you trace its meteors, they all appear to “rain” into the sky from that region. So even though the constellation vanished, the meteor shower kept the name. The Quadrantids form one of the best showers of the year. At their peak, you might see several dozen “shooting stars” per hour. Yet that rate lasts only a short time. That’s because the trail of “comet dust” that spawns the meteors isn’t very wide. So Earth plunges right through it — limiting the Quadrantids to a busy but quick showing. For American skywatchers, this year’s Quadrantids should be at their best before dawn tomorrow. Unfortunately, the gibbous Moon will be shining brightly — overpowering all but the brightest meteors. Even though it spoils the shower, the Moon does offer up a bit of a consolation. It’s close to Regulus, the heart of Leo, the lion — forming a beautiful pairing in the early morning sky. Script by Damond Benningfield Support McDonald Observatory

The idea to build a marvel like that was suggested by the US Navy’s Bureau of Ships as far back as in 1940. For American admirals, this was a dream: a carrier that would be robust as a battleship and have at least 120 aircraft on board. As a result, Midway was so much better than all other US Navy attack carriers, that it was distinguished as a new type — battlecarriers. Midway turned out to be a truly unsinkable ship.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)   We've been talking in these devotions about prayers of intercession and we've been hearing election news dribbling out of the States at the same time.  It's an excellent opportunity to step into Paul's invitation to Timothy and the church he served to offer prayers of various types for all those in authority then, in Canada, in the US, and abroad.  I'm writing this devotion mid-day on Wednesday, so perhaps by the time you read or hear it, more clarity will have come as to who the next President and Congress of the United States will be.  But in the time I'm living in, here on Wednesday afternoon, no such clarity has yet emerged.  It's no secret that top of mind in Canada and in the US, security has been a concern given the uncertainty of this particular election cycle.  Canada has been quietly making contingency plans for any outcome.  And in the US, militias have been arming, businesses have been boarding up, and the candidates have been lawyering up.  We may, or may not, be in for some choppy waters ahead. So it's a good time to be interceding as God's people for those in authority.  For leaders at local, state, and federal levels in the US, and in countries the world around, to have patience, grace, and sobriety in their judgements and in their statements at this time.  For American judges and justices to have wisdom in the thorny questions of weighty importance that will be laid out before them in the hours and days to come.  For the candidates themselves in all the races up and down the ballot to have patience and humility to journey wisely and morally in these waters ripe for the creation of strife.  These are indeed the sorts of prayers that have an urgency and an obvious importance to them at this point in time, but these are the prayers we are invited to be praying at all times as God's people.  The reason, Paul says, is that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  The administration of true justice that can create a true peace in any given land is indeed one of the works entrusted to government.  All governments.  And it is within that just peace that we are able to worship God freely, to live morally, and to spread the Gospel more freely as well.  Government's administration of just peace, and our prayers for it, are good and pleasing to God our Saviour who has concern not only for us, His Church, but for all people.  Those who govern and those who are governed.  Paul seems to imply that within a peaceful land—prayerfully lifted up to God and governed justly—the Gospel finds fruitful soil to spread its seeds of salvation and a knowledge of the truth through God's people. In these times of more tumultuous stability and fractious peace, we have found the truth in question, and as the institutional expressions of church have gotten dragged into the fray by choosing sides, the Gospel has also been hindered, hitched to some of the baggage of political opinions of the moment that it was perhaps not intended to carry.  The baggage we are intended to carry as church, is the burden of prayer for those in authority. To be clear, in a democracy, we also play our own civic role when election time comes, and as individual Christians, we do pick sides and candidates to fulfill that civic role.  But when we come together corporately as The Church, our role changes from that of picking sides, to that of prayerfully attending to the business of the Kingdom of God where our other, truer citizenship lies.  And that business is to pray for all those in authority, here and abroad, that there might be peace where all people might flourish, where God might be worshiped freely and openly, where there might be justice and morality, and where all people might catch a true and saving glimpse of God's Kingdom come.  As Canadians with no vote in the current contest, but who feel the weight of the outcome none-the-less, this is an excellent time to practice our God-given ministry of intercession for those in authority.  May there be peace.  

Special guest Elestora joins us to discuss one of the most unusual, yet imaginative offshoots of otaku culture: Vocaloid! From the aesthetic aspects of music production to the digital celebrity of figures like Hatsune Miku, we cover it all. For American movie news and reviews, check out Movie Time! with Ang and Ari: https://anchor.fm/angelo-lang SPOILER ALERT! In this episode, we spoil Kakegurui, Perfect Blue, and Doki Doki Literature Club Content Warning: Sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, murder, pedophilia, and psychological trauma --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/applied-anime/support

In this episode, Middle East expert Phyllis Bennis joins us once again, this time to discuss why the situation in Israel/Palestine matters. We ask, "How does militarism in Israel/Palestine impact the rest of the Middle East and the rest of the world?" For American listeners we ask, "Does violence and injustice in Israel/Palestine provoke violence and injustice here in America (and vis versa)?" Finally, "What kind of positive impact can someone have on this situation, even from far away?"

Today I am chatting with Maggi Thorne. Maggi is an American Ninja Warrior 5X competitor who was the 2nd Mom up the warped wall and first to beat the salmon ladder, NBC Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge 2X championship competitor, and a previous Mrs. International 2014. In 2013 she placed 2nd at The World’s Toughest Mudder running 75 miles and completing 330 obstacles in 24 hours. Maggi served as a Global Ambassador for feedONE traveling the world in an effort to further feedONE's mission of helping others with the gift of a nutritious meal. Recently she created a BOW patch with the Girl Scouts to inspire female entrepreneurship, empowerment and community engagement, which thousands of scouts have earned since 2019.   This podcast series is hosted by Patricia Kathleen and Wilde Agency Media. This series is a platform for women, female-identified, & non-binary individuals to share their professional stories and personal narrative as it relates to their story. This podcast is designed to hold a space for all individuals to learn from their counterparts regardless of age, status, or industry.    TRANSCRIPTION *Please note, this is an automated transcription please excuse any typos or errors   [00:00:00] In this episode, I speak with elite athlete and motivational speaker Maggi Thorne. Key points addressed were Maggi's history as a track and field college athlete and the subsequent career that followed it at the University of Nebraska. Maggi explains how both of these opportunities led up to her becoming one of the most famous American ninja warriors to date. We also unpack the ethos behind Maggi's brand and how her phrase never give up serves not only as a guiding light for her present and future endeavors, but also remains a constant theme throughout her past, which was riddled with obstacles itself. Stay tuned for my fascinating talk with Maggi Thorne.   [00:00:42] Hi, my name is Patricia Kathleen. And this podcast series contains interviews I conduct with women. Female identified and non binary individuals regarding their professional stories and personal narrative. This podcast is designed to hold a space for all individuals to learn from their counterparts regardless of age status for industry. We aim to contribute to the evolving global dialog surrounding underrepresented figures in all industries across the USA and abroad. If you're enjoying this podcast, be sure to check out our subsequent series that dove deep into specific areas such as Vegan life, fasting and roundtable topics. They can be found via our Web site. Patricia Kathleen .COM. You can also join our newsletter. You can also subscribe to all of our series on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Pod Bean and YouTube. Thanks for listening. Now let's start the conversation.   [00:01:39] Hi, everyone. Welcome back. I am your host, Patricia. And today I'm elated to be sitting down with Maggi Thorne. Maggi is an athlete and motivational speaker. You can find out more regarding her, her services and all the information we talk about today on her website. W w w dot. Maggi Thorne dot com. That's w w w . m a g g i t h o r n e . com. Welcome, Maggi.   [00:02:05] Hello. Thank you so much.   [00:02:07] Hi. I'm excited to unpack everything through. We're talking off the record and I have your famous in my household. I have four children that worship American Ninja Warrior as well as all of the other games that you've been involved in with your story. And so I can't wait to kind of unpack that. You're there, our first ninja warrior on the show. So I'm excited to kind of climb through everything with you.   [00:02:25] Oh, I love that you just climb through everything, because we are certainly going to unpack some obstacles today. So thank you for the opportunity.   [00:02:31] You bet. For everyone listening who might be new to our podcast, I will read a bio on Maggi to give you a brief background before I start asking her to unpack her history with us herself. But prior to doing that, a roadmap for today's podcast and the trajectory of inquiry that we'll be following. We'll first look at Maggi's academic and professional background as it pertains to where she is right now. And then we'll look at unpacking all of her endeavors. We'll look at. I'm packing her athletic endeavors with American Ninja Warrior, Spartan race, things of that nature, as well as her professional life and getting into motivational speaking, some of the ethos and philosophy that motivates both of those things that she's kind of known for. And then we'll look towards goals that Maggi has for the next one to three years. This is an area that's changed for everyone. Given the pandemic climate that is upon us, as well as for Maggi herself, given her history with them competing and all of her activities, we're up everything up with advice that Maggi has for those of you who are looking to get involved or emulate some of her dynamic success. So, as promised, a quick bio on Maggi before I start peppering her with questions. Maggi Thornee is an American ninja warrior, five time competitor. She was the second mom of the Warped Wall and the first to be to beat the Salman letter, MBC Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge, two time champion competitor and a previous misses International 2014. In 2013, she placed second at the world's toughest mud rent motor running seventy five mile, completing three hundred and thirty obstacles in twenty four hours. Maggi served as a global ambassador for Feed One, Traveling the world in an effort to further feed one's mission of helping others with the gift of a nutritious meal. Recently, she created a BO patch with the Girl Scouts to inspire female entrepreneurship, empowerment and community engagement, which thousands of scouts have earned since 2019. Maggi is a previous Governors Award winner for inspiring community engagement and her American Association Heart of Gold Award recipient. Professionally, she speaks to hundreds of thousands on inspiration and never giving up. In addition to engaging volunteers globally, a mother of three, she and her kids love serving, being active, traveling together and in her spare time, she loves to eat chips and salsa. So I have to say, as possibly one of the most fantastic things to just kind of put out there about yourself. Thank you. I love for your career and everything that you've done and a lot of the particulars that I have to inquire with you about. I'm wondering if you can kind of give us a general background of your academic and professional history prior to becoming the American ninja warrior that kind of propelled you into this.   [00:05:12] One of the biggest misnomers about myself and any success is people say, oh, man, anything you do, you're successful at and you have the golden touch. But they don't really realize is where I started at. And to jump back to the good old days of the 1980s that we all love to be nostalgic. I was born in San Diego and grew up in a low income home. We lived with another family and I actually never played sports growing up at all. I wasn't an evolved child. I did Girl Scouts. I was a Girl Scout and loved that time as a Girl Scout. But it wasn't until a teacher in high school at the age of 14 who thought I looked fast in PE and gave me an opportunity to become a California state champion. I became one of the top runners in California. Or that ties in for me academically is both of my brothers were high school dropouts, the highest grade completed, and my family was high school. So college wasn't something immediately on the radar for me as a kid. And I thought I was going to enlist in the military and become some kind of Air Force person who would serve our country. And it turns out I got to be a professional athlete later in my life who ended up having a college degree. And that was the first person in my family who ever had a college degree, which was just of all the accomplishments, if I look back. A school was a huge challenge for me. I really struggled with it. I didn't have a lot of academic support, support and really looking at the academic history of my family around me. It was a little hard to be motivated when you think, well, both my brothers dropped out. There wasn't a huge push for me to go further academically. So it started to be a series of choices that I really had to realize. I'm going to write my own story that I'm going to have to choose where I end up. There's nothing else around me that is going to determine my path but me, I decide. And so that played a huge role into a lot of decisions I made going forward.   [00:07:12] Yeah. I mean, being a trailblazer that early on was something is, I think, college. You know, for those that don't come from a family of it is daunting, you know, that the prospect of anything at that level without having someone to kind of refer you as to, you know, the process, even silly things, financial aid forms, you know, those used in the day. Things have gone electronically. But it was that kind of thing. When you don't have anyone who's done it before, it can seem almost intermountain insurmountable. What did you end up majoring in?   [00:07:45] Well, I wanted to be a PE teacher, and two weeks after I got to the University of Nebraska, they unfortunately dropped that major. And the only other thing I could do was get a bachelors degree in community health without entirely starting over my academic career. I had a huge support system at Nebraska that was actually one of the top reasons that I chose Nebraska. It wasn't just that I got a full ride or they had a great check her room, which they absolutely did. But I had to take a step back and look at the academic support that they had. And it was off the charts. They have more academic all Americans than any school in the country. And that's even over Ivy League schools. And, you know, you're surrounded by cornfields and counselors. So they really help set the table for that. And then being able to decide that degree.   [00:08:29] What was that experience like as a college athlete? I haven't spoken to too many, particularly guests on this show that speak to the experience. We've heard stories in the news where things, you know, on Olympic teams and things like that can be horrific. And I've also heard stories of camaraderie. But for you, what was that experience like?   [00:08:47] Number one, I love my experience in Nebraska from the moment I stepped on campus for my recruiting trip. It was so welcoming. I do remember I'm a pretty sharp, quick, funny story. They got me a sandwich after I got off the airplane. And unfortunately, there had been a hair in my sandwich. And I think they thought I was never going to sign as a recruit. After that, they were mortified. When this big, long hair came out of their mouth.   [00:09:11] But from day one, they're like, we're so sorry. We'll make you right.   [00:09:14] And I remember walking around, everybody said, how are you? But then they stopped. They keep moving past you to mention it. They were really invested in your life. They knew. How's your family doing? Whereas when I was a student athlete, my brother had died by suicide. And the support I got from people, everyone writing personal notes, you know, not just a group card, but. Other people were on academic staff pulling me and my coaches. Do you need any support? Are you OK? So I really had an amazing experience there. There were things that were hard. Absolutely. There's things that we did as an athlete that we got push. But I think that it's shaped part of who I am. I had a coach that was from Russia. And at the time, I got so hard on me because there are other athletes. If it was snowing or raining, you know, we're in Nebraska. And I would see them not having to practice inside or outdoors. When we were or, you know, they would get some back out of the meat if it was snowing. But one day, because I was complaining I was being such a big baby. He goes, Maggi Easterday was big truck championship was run. Yes, Vector's absolutely. I'd run. If today was a national championship. Would you run? Yes, that was. He goes then today you run and every day you run like a champion regardless. I was like, OK, I think I just like five accents. He's Russian and he was fantastic. But I remember that because I think one of the reasons I've become successful is it wasn't deciding to be my best when it was always convenient or it was the most opportune time. It was learning to be my best when I was at my worst consistently, and that some people might have to wrap their head around that for a little bit. But my time at Nebraska shaped me for ever. It launched me into careers and what I did next, which will probably talk about in a second. But I love Venus student athlete, the discipline. That was a part of it. I was in the weight room by five thirty in the morning that I was in class and I took a power nap for 30 minutes every day and then I was practicing again. So I spent six to seven hours or whatever. Was NCW allowed? I don't want to. I'm sure we stuck to that. But I spent you know, I was a part time, full time job, if you really want to say it, being a student athlete and then working and then doing your academics. And then I also served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. So there was there was a lot involved that it taught me how to have practical life skills that really applied to the real world.   [00:11:45] Yeah. And for the real world, you encountered, particularly right in your future to come, this one can be taken on a lot of levels. I think there are a lot of people that it's a it's an interpersonal dialog. That word conjures up different things for anyone that it's asked to, you know, and for athletes, it's a very special relationship with the word discipline. So I'm wondering, after you came out of college, what did you go into next? What was your first kind of professional encounter?   [00:12:13] When I was a student athlete, I had one class left before I graduated. And at that time, I actually thought I was going to end up being a personal trainer. And I was going to enroll in graduate school to get a graduate degree in nutrition and health science. I wanted to do nutrition counseling at the time, but I had that one class and then I had free time. And even as a student athlete or, you know, a college senior, I was so uncomfortable having so much free time, I thought I should really get a job. So I asked my coaches if they knew anybody on campus that needed worker. And it turns out the facilities and construction crew needed a worker. So I started as a student worker for Nebraska athletic department, picking up trash. I used to vacuum suites.   [00:12:57] I'd set up tables. And this turns out 10 years later, I ended up managing 340 million dollars in projects and designing and managing the facilities I used to clean. So that's in a scope of it. So I'm going to go back to literally no. How did that really happen? I was this do when I was a student worker on the grounds crew. They had a secretary that was gone one day and I was the only female. So they brought me in to answer phones. Yet we can all chuckle at that one. Only girls can answer phones, which isn't true. One of her puts, but there was a group of guys talking about projects and I had an idea. And so I spoke up. And I think it's so important for people to do that, to not think that you're not qualified enough, you're not good enough, your ideas aren't good just because you're not a person standing in the room with the suit. I mean, I had a T-shirt and jeans on and they all looked at me and then one of the persons who was in charge of that department said, I want you to start coming and bringing a suit and still bring your grounds to float, browse through clothes. And he would just give me projects, no instruction on the projects. You just tell me something to do and see where I would take it. And that's how it really started. It was because someone missed a day of work, which I'll say to this day, I can't transfer a phone call. There are so many notes that we could people they were out. They were busy like too many buttons. But eventually he asked me, said, what do you want to do with your life? I said, well, I'm not I'm not super sure, but I know I will never spend every day in an office wearing a suit. And I spent the next 10 years in an office wearing a suit. So I learned never say never. You have to open yourself up for opportunity because that could change the world literally can't count ourselves out. But it came down to. There was a one day when I think this is the day that I really got hired. We were working on the Nebraska football lounge. We were redesigning it. And it was a meeting that I wasn't even invited to. I'll see it right now. But I was hungry for it. And so what I did and keep in mind, you heard what my degree is. I had a bachelor's degree in community health. I never had any experience in construction, architectural design, engineering. But every day when they left office, I sat down and I taught myself how to use every single program that they used AutoCAD, 3D design, Photoshop, all of the Microsoft programs. And then I taught myself how to read for plants. And so it came down to that meeting. And my boss and they had a intern get a master's degree in architectural design. And I walked into his office with the floor plans and I said, are you ready to go? And he he didn't want to tell me no. So he's a. Yeah, sure. Come to the meeting. He was being so kind. And when we showed up, the thing that happened is I was prepared. No one had asked me to be prepared. No one told me what to do. If you want something, you've got a deal to figure it out. You can't sell yourself short. I didn't have the degree. So that was the day I think I got hired because the there is the principal of a firm who said, does anyone else have any other comments on the drawings? And no one expected me to say a thing. And I pulled up my floor plans and I said, I actually have some comments. And everybody, again, they looked at me. And after the meeting, they came up to me and said, I have to tell you. Nobody ever catches things like that except me. And he's a senior principal of a firm. And so my boss looks and eventually, six months later, I had to compete for that job against that intern that had a master's degree in architectural design. And I had a bachelors degree in community health and I got hired. So I spent my next 10 years doing that. And it was amazing. All the cities that got to use this student athlete, I got to create awesome environments, build an arena, expand a football stadium, build a volleyball arena. So if anybody ever wants to tell me, I can't I'm not equipped. I don't have the degree. My family was too poor and really the wrong person to say that, too.   [00:16:59] Yeah. Absolutely stacked against you. And those software, not for nothing but AutoCAD.   [00:17:04] I mean, when my partner in life is, you know, one of the original Silicon Valley computer nerds and I feel like I've touched almost every software piece out there. AutoCAD is my least favorite. It's not friendly. It is like in the arts. It is like too much there, too much utility. So teaching that to yourself is I mean, the grit that is required with that alone is is astounding. So you you went onto it. You were you were an employee through this department of the University of Nebraska for ten years. Yes. And universities are an interesting umbrella to work under because they're kind of their own microclimate. But they have a lot of the similarities as far as the aspects and the software and things like that. But they have their own hierarchy. I think, you know, I worked for the University of Utah for a spell and it's just its own microclimate. I tried to explain it to people like, you know, there's it's you have the professional industry and then you have the university bubble as well. And everything functions under boards and committees. And this and there's a lot of different boxes that get checked for things.   [00:18:04] So it's it's it's a lesson, I think, in patients as well as process. Right. They sometimes when I think about universities. So what happened? What caused you to leave the job?   [00:18:16] I love that job and I actually loved it so much that sometimes I would really choose it over friends or family in gatherings and there's a lot of things that got pushed aside. And I started to have this whole of every day. You know, we're building the east stadium expansion. And I watched it go up from the first piece of steel that went in. And I love something being built from the ground up. My heart space is on a job site. But as I watched it construct, I'd walk over this bridge every day from where I parked. And it's like that start to say, don't just build buildings, build people. And every single day I was on a job site and I felt it. And eventually, unfortunately, my best friend in the world, she was the maid of honor at my wedding when I had got married. She died by suicide. And she was the second person who in my life, my brother had in 2005. And then she died in 2011. So within 10 years, I lost two people to suicide. And the day of her funeral, I was standing over her casket. And I thought, I can have all the success in the world. But what if I lose people, I get. It just doesn't matter. I could put my name on every building in the city of Lincoln, Nebraska, on. I've been a part of so many, quote unquote, important projects, but when you're a part of building someone's life. That's it's amazing, there's nothing that compares to being able to just share love and empower someone. So I made a commitment that day that I was going to love people. So I thought about three years we were in the middle of the biggest capital campaign that had ever existed for Nebraska athletics. And I wanted to be committed to what I was assigned. I was at the helm of a lot of the projects with my boss, John Ingram, who's fantastic and definitely inspired me in so many ways as a male leader supporting a female in a male dominated industry. But I had told him, I said, I think I'm going to leave eventually. And it's really my passion to go love people and build people and not buildings. And he knew that. So I started getting involved outside of work in Mrs. International. I wanted to take the skills that I had.   [00:20:34] And I learned over time because as a part of Nebraska athletics, that role grew a lot, whereas a part of hiring committee is a part of the rebrand for the entire athletic department. When we made our move to from the big twelve to the Big Ten contracts, you know, I ended up leading our recycling initiatives as a university. So there's a lot of things that I'd never had experience with. Yet there I play and I bet you these are skills that can translate and impacting lives. And how do we do that? And so I wanted to find platforms. I had a marketing background. Now there are things I knew how to do. You didn't know how to do makeup to save my life. I used to call eye shadow I powder. I mean, it took me like an hour in several minutes of tears to, like, not get my eyes glued together, putting my lashes. So patents was a great platform. But then I also felt like it was going to teach me how to speak well from that platform. And if you really want to impact lives, you need to sharpen those skills in 30 seconds. You should be able to tell anybody what you want to do with your life and how you're going to do it quickly and concisely. I think that's important for people to know that to always have an elevator speech because you need to live ready if you want to live with purpose. So I ended up competing for Mrs. International. I got top 10 my first year. And what I did was I stood back as I watched the other girl get crowned, because at that time I thought, well, I'm ready. You know, that was the athlete in me. I'm ready. I'm going to win.   [00:22:06] I didn't realize how ready I wasn't. So I just stood back and I was watching everything unfold on stage. And that's kind of how I learned. If you'll hear this theme over time, as I just learned and invested. So the next year I came back and I won. I wasn't a pageant girl. It had been about 15 years since I had done was as a teenager. And I'd also spent the last decade having babies. I have three children. So I decided to become a professional runner that time, too, because that makes sense. Let's do that. It really set the stage. This is all before American Ninja Warrior. They started to tie in together, but I really wanted to broaden myself to be able to have a broader audience and a broad impact and see how it could uniquely and creatively impact lives. Yeah.   [00:22:59] And it sounds like it. It all sounds very like a path that makes sense, you know, now that you're kind of unpacking it as to what you became, even the public health aspect of it, because, you know, I mean, what you went on to do, which is kind of affect public health. How did you first come into contact or how did American Ninja Warrior enter your radar zone?   [00:23:22] In college, I was roommates with Jesse Graff, which for you as a Ninja Warrior fan and for your kids. She is one of the top female. She she's absolutely amazing. And so people don't really realize we've actually been friends for 17, 18 years now. So we were roommates. I knew she had competed on American inj work. And I had someone tell me all you should do that. So I talked to Jesse and I applied. And the first year I really thought I was going to go out and crush it. Jesse was by my side. She helped me train. She flew out to Nebraska. She was trying to make sure I got ready and she had not competed. That year is actually an off year for her. But I went out and I fell on the very first step. My very first year. And they aired it. Luckily, the girl at this planet. Yep, yep. Yep. Little did we know five years later happened again, but in a much more traumatic way. But I applied the next year for Ninja Warrior and I actually got rejected. And then I applied the next year for Ninja Warrior and I got rejected again. So I was three years into it. And I can't tell you how many people at this point. My journey on the outside. It wasn't making sense to anybody. You're doing pageants for your in races now you're doing American means where and you're getting rejected and yet you're still going for it. Clearly, they don't want you.   [00:24:36] You should give up. And if anybody knows me, they think about my brand. It's never give up. And I believe that with every part of my fiber and my being and my soul and I believe that for people, if you have to know who you are and your passion so much that it's such a part of you that you can tell people, I'm going to continue it. I was not supported at that time. I will just say that it was a really challenging journey to keep going. So four years into it and came back as the top female. So I went from one of the worst to one of the best and the only one who had beat crank it up. And all those people who said you shouldn't do this shit is not right. How did you do it? And so it was just it was really important, as I learned, started to learn as a teenager, that I had to make a choice for my own journey and and also for me, knowing what God wanted for my life and that path and where it was going to go. So Ninja Warrior has been such an amazing platform to reach families, empower women. Bill, people in a real way of overcoming obstacles above and beyond.   [00:25:47] Of course, I remember when you were first the first time I saw you on, and I'm not sure which year it was for you, but I remember when I first saw you on watching it with my little girls. They were we were talking about. They had mentioned your story and they were talking about how you had three young children and you were a single mom. And. And I kind of paused. And the only thing that really big I've I've just met so many prolific, wonderful, amazing women in my life. It wasn't shocking. I just thought, I wonder when she sleeps, because if she's training for this and working and I'm a full time parent as a single parent would be. It seems to me like you would need some kind of help with some of it. What kind of aid did you have during that time period? And can you kind of describe your training routine? Was it similar to training in college? I mean, you have to do kind of design your own training. I would think the circuit, even if they're shared, prolific, you know, passes and things like that on line between the different ninjas, you're designing your your schedule, your training time, your routine. What did life look like during that time period when you went from, you know, unknown to the top female ninja warrior?   [00:26:57] It was really challenging. I, living in Nebraska, do not have any family here. So it was really hard to do it. I mean, there's there's no way to put it. And one time I actually got asked an interview. What do you like about being a single parent? And I didn't realize I was going to react this way, but I about had it like a nervous breakdown in front of them, like no one had ever asked me not. It hit me in such a way that I just I started sobbing. And I looked at them and I said, I hate it. I don't like this like it's not what life's supposed to be like. And they're like, just once you take a second, what's different, Krista? Because it was it was an in-person interview, actually, by the TV show. And I don't think they realize, you know, the number one I told the show, I never want to promote divorce. It was the hardest decision I ever had made. And I can't express enough the amount of counsel that I had surrounding that. If you can really work it out, why in both parties are willing. I want to encourage. I just need to say that now. And number two, it wasn't training like an athlete because I it was really hard to have set schedules. You know, my kids came first. So if I'm dropping off or someone says, hey, we've come have lunch with me today, mom, I forgot my bag. We bring it to school, you know. And then I freelanced for work doing what I could and find sponsorships. And so for me, really, it was the minute they went to bed is when I got to train. You know, if I could fit in an hour during the day or 30 minutes during the day, no one else will. Maybe I can give the rest of it. And tonight. So I didn't have these dedicated training sessions and then tried. The most difficult part for me was I. There is no ninja gym here.   [00:28:44] The entire time time I competed on American injured warrior. So all the equipment I trained on, I got from thrift stores attire I found on the side of a road, a truck tire. Really, if someone wants it, you can make it work. I just had to figure out how to adapt once again and thankfully my kids all of being active. So when I did travel, people notice like I'm a package deal. There's a really hard line in the sand. And if my kids can't be involved, I won't do it. And I have to trust God to, like, say no to some really hard thing sometimes that given the wow, that would be so financially good for the guy. It just might not be the best with your kids around him, like. Well, then it's a. because we are. I mean, you know, as a parent, you get such a short window of time and I'm just not willing to trade that.   [00:29:39] Absolutely. I wonder, though, when you talk about doing it on your own there, not being an engine there, the micro muscles, did you have to learn more?   [00:29:48] Did you study more about getting into because it feels like so looking at some of the obstacles over the years, especially how they've changed and things like that, it feels like you have to kind of fine tune in different regions. Jesse Graf is talking about it. I think a shoulder injury or something, or maybe it was someone else and they were talking about like slowing down their reps of their pull up so that they could get an absolutely perfect form so that the micro muscles and all that whole area would rehab correctly. And I think of in terms of the different obstacles, how would you get your body ready for the task at hand and get to the place that you did so prolifically without testing any of the courses or the activities themselves out? Did you find yourself studying anatomy or were you just doing what you could and hoping that there would be some kind of cross pollination effect?   [00:30:34] There's probably a mix of it. Jesse's always been a huge influence. And even to the point of what you just said, she's actually the one who taught me, hey, this is how you really do a pull up focus on these mechanics. So she's just always been a huge influence and have competed as a ninja.   [00:30:51] But also I think that's where being a track happily came in. I was a hurdler, which is a really it's a technical event. You have to even as you warm up, what's your mechanics go slow. Repetition, repetition, repetition. So repetition was very important for me. And what I learned to do was say flexible, build the muscle groups, especially I'm an older athlete. I mean, people to remember, both ninjas are in their early 20s. I am now thirty nine years old. So I had to make sure I don't want to throw myself eight feet in the air and catch something and rip both of my shoulders up. So that was something that was so important for me to make sure to build all of those groups, the dynamics, the functions. I didn't have a warped wall. Well, what muscle groups am I gonna use in a worthwhile what will most replicate it? And then absolutely, we spent a ton of time on playgrounds. I mean, people want to ninja Werdum, go swing around in a playground. So that was always super fun for us. And then I did have lots of opportunities to get out to ninja gyms as I was starting to speak. My kids will come with me. And so I would train on the road and try to get in some time in competitions. I will say, yeah, there's ways where I could see where it affected me, where I wasn't as fluid or I couldn't be able to cast myself as well on a laschet. And those are just things that eventually an owner of a gymnastics gym here in Lincoln, Nebraska, gave me a key to his gym just so I could try to practice Lachaise. And you can get creative. Yeah, yeah.   [00:32:20] And you have to. And it sounds like you've honed in on that skill your entire life. I'm wondering, you're starting to speak. You know, you're you're starting to compete. You didn't get in then you are. You got in on the walk on line for Ninja Warrior. This is prior to you taking the title. I'm wondering.   [00:32:39] You're starting to do public speaking and things like that. Recovery wise, like I think a lot of ninjas are starting to speak more about this. But in the past, I had a friend who is an Olympic hopeful in gymnastics, and she talked a lot about like the devoutness of her gym, about recovery after meats. And it's the reason why she thinks she went so far and a lot of fellow athletes that didn't have the same focus on that. And I'm wondering, how do you personally come at recovery? Because it kind of plays into your story as it lies now. But back then, when you were just beginning this first few years in seasons and things like that, what was recovery like for you? Like you trained nonstop? And then how long did you spend in recovery? Was there rehabilitation that had to take place? How did that all work for you?   [00:33:25] As a student athlete, it was a high priority. I will say I had to learn for ninja word because I was doing different muscles in different groups. I mean, I spent 10 years turning left and jumping over sticks. So there's a little bit of a different dynamic. But after practice and I think it's one of the reasons when I was a Division one athlete is I was an ice bath. Every day I made sure to do my cool down a stretch to eat right. I hydrated. I got sleep. So translate you had to binge warrior. I struggled to learn what to do, what was right or what my shoulders needed. And there were points where I didn't know when to stop. And now I've learned to listen to my body. But I did get to the points where I hurt my shoulder so that I put on or take off a sports bra was just about excruciating for me. And some days even just lifting my shoulder up. And that's when I started to make sure, as you mentioned earlier, building the muscle groups around, like it's basically building a body of armor around you for when you compete. And then I have to know when to say no on things. You know what? I did just spend eight hours in a car, and this course looks fun. And I want to play with all my friends, but I think I need to say no right now unless I'm dedicated to spending the next forty five minutes to warm up. So you learn. Sometimes the hard way.   [00:34:45] That rotator sounds bad. Not for arms up like that. That's a no. There are a lot of activities that would be limited with that. So I want to get into your kind of the pinnacle of the American ninja where as where as well as the Spartan Games. So for people who are listening that maybe haven't seen the show or been living in a cave somewhere. American Ninja Warrior is this multiple obstacle course. How would you define it if someone was like, I've never heard about what it do? What is that? Whatever you want.   [00:35:17] For American, each word and the one thing I'd say, it's a family friendly show, that is stories of people who are not only overcoming obstacles in their life, but they have an opportunity to do it on a global platform to overcome obstacles, literally physically in person as people cheer them on. And that's what it is. A who we all debate about. This is an injustice for it. Yes, I do believe it is a sport, but it's also also this blend of it's something that you can turn on and, you know, you never have to worry about it with your family. And I've appreciated that as more. But there's these feats of physical strength that you can tell.   [00:36:01] You see it in my eyes when I compete like my knuckles are white. And I'm holding on with everything I have. And you feel it. I think you feel it as the audience member where you're like, oh, just hold on.   [00:36:12] Oh, you can oh, you can do this.   [00:36:15] And then they make it through. And that's like everybody's chairman of the Libyans are with you. And you know that as an athlete, you know that you're part of something that's so much bigger than stepping onto a TV show. And that's such a core responsibility. I think I just took it long there. But when people ask you to talk about it and nerd out a little bit because I love it so much.   [00:36:34] Absolutely. And from that, your family, you're kind of ninja warrior family spilled over into the Spartan Games, right? You were on a team of people that was formerly ninja's.   [00:36:44] Yes, we were Team Ninja for the Spartans show competed for two seasons. It was such a cool experience and I will say things like Spartan or I haven't competed on Titan games. But those are actually more up my alley. I love brute strength, mud, grit. Not that you don't have great ninja. But it's definitely different with Spartan or something like a Titan games. It was more suitable to my comfort zone. Believe it or not, too. Yes. I want to have six people stand on my shoulders and a tilted wall.   [00:37:19] So it's fantastic. It really actually does. I loved it.   [00:37:24] Yeah. It's it's I think it defines a personality type. For sure. You know, and it's it is uniquely different hormones. Like it's the same thing right there. UPS, of course is another very, very different Rehov.   [00:37:34] So different. Yeah. Spartan it was brutal. We were just exhausted. And I think people saw that in our last race. We actually competed back to back nights and got home at seven a.m. and had to be back on set at four p.m. after we competed night after night and then compete again. And yeah, it's we were tired.   [00:37:58] Yeah. It's an indoor as it looks like an endurance game. You know, Ninja Warrior feels like there's a lot of technicalities that can go wrong and and your your run early. But the Spartans, it seems to just leave it all out there on the course, as they say. I'm wondering if so, let's Kleman to you had kind of this now very famous moment in you finished. You know, you became this this titleholder for how far you went up until that point. Can you kind of describe the run? Is it Oklahoma City that that run happened in?   [00:38:30] Oklahoma City in 2019 for American Ninja Warrior.   [00:38:35] It was my fifth year competing in the show officially and I was excited, but I'd also say I was probably the most relax I had ever been. I was really, really intense there before from Minneapolis and my training to the point that maybe overly intense. So going into this year, I thought, you know, I'm just going to really. Soak this in news in God's hands. But on the prelims night had actually fallen and saved myself by like two pinky fingers or I mean something ridiculous. And I didn't realize I could he'll hook my leg up to pull myself up up on the diving boards. But then what happened? Actually, the next night and finals going into it on the same obstacle, the diving boards, I tripped and I face planted. And with the diving boards are is there pieces of steel that are covered for traction, traction, not padding. And what that caused was a brain injury. So we didn't know it at the time. And I don't remember most of my run. I've tried to get parts and pieces of it and I got to experience it with the rest of the world. So I didn't see it before it aired. No one had video of it. The producers, you know, they don't share film with us. We don't get to see our runs or how they edited it.   [00:39:57] So watching it was really emotional. I watched it first in public. There was a watch party and I tried to actually not really watch it. And then immediately after I was in Virginia, I went to my hotel room and I watched it.   [00:40:10] I just cried because, as I said, I had spent the last oh, it was four or five months as an outpatient at a brain trauma hospital in about 20 hours a week of rehab, doing speech and cognitive physical PTO t. I ended up having a psychologist or a therapist and then vision. So pretty much almost everything that they had in the unit was a part of my life. And so those emotions were just felt so strongly because not only did I go to the E.R. that night from set, but I went to the E.R.. That's. Oh, Thursday, I had a friend come and check on me because I don't even remember driving home for no Oklahoma City, one of my friends found someone else to drive. Me and my kids got us home. I was another person we had been training with. And there was this terror van and the leg. The last thing I remember is being on stage for the starting line. And then I was standing in my kitchen in Lincoln, Nebraska. So it was so surreal and confusing. And I finally got to see why I had been so miserable, so to speak, for so many months and. Then just started to talk about it because I didn't realize how many people are actually affected by being in by brain injuries, but the number two, it also forced me to stop in such a real way and think about how fast I was going in every area of my life. And I can say right now, I think it's actually a gift. I had a brain injury because I didn't prioritize self care. You asked me about that. How how were you a single mom? I was training 40 hours a week, working for an hour as weak as parenting, you know, 40 hours a week. I, I did. I was living in a constant state of survival mode. And I think it was such mercy and grace that God's like, I love you too much to let you keep living like this. So it's it's such a gift for me today to slow down and make sure. I continue to build in arrests and slowing down and say no to something so I can allow for other yesses in my life.   [00:42:28] And I think that sometimes as simple or maybe even trite as it sounds, slowing down can require more discipline. You know, for someone who is prolifically moving through life, young parents, people who just are constantly juggling things, actually taking space and holding still and really continuing thought through, thinking about things like self care can be much more nerve wrenching, you know, than running a marathon because it's, you know, motion stays in motion is constant and things like that.   [00:43:01] But when you stop and you question can be a daunting place, even if you're doing well, you know perfectly well with all of these wonderful titles and this incredible career to sit and actually really question yourself and re identify and revisit those conversations. Is it can be a lot, you know, to handle brain injuries. I just spoke off the record. I do have a colleague and friend who suffered from one. And I think you mentioned in a prior interview that I read of yours that it's incredibly painful because it's not seen on the outside frequently that the individual looks incredibly normal. But the suffering on the inside and the therapy is particularly with my colleague and friend. She post and recovery from the actual therapies themselves sometimes would take her a day and a half, you know, just to kind of reorient it was a very painful recovery process. It wasn't just laying in bed, taking time, getting well. You know, all of that was amazing. Has have you incorporated that kind of dialog and conversation into your public speaking now? Do you think it will change how you go on to relate to your audiences and what you do?   [00:44:17] It absolutely has impacted it in a great way were a lot of people. They want to know how can I survive something traumatic? There's a lot more to my story.   [00:44:29] People want to dig deeper. It's probably on some interview somewhere. But I had a history of trauma from the time I was like five years until adulthood of different things that happened from rape, assault, abuse. And so that brain injury. It really literally forced me to sit still in the very first day I ever had and sit still, which I can't tell you the time I remember doing it before, that I legitimately can't tell you what I told you. I rested before that I screamed and it was so scary. And the next day I went into the hospital and told them, I think I'm on the verge of an emotional breakdown. But I said it in such a casual way they didn't know what to do. And I was like, listen, I'm not vulnerable. I'm an athlete. I'm trying to tell you I need help. And I will absolutely advocate for that in such a real way to not burn both candlesticks, you know, from both ends, I guess. Success is success. But if you can't have peace in your life, it's really all for naught. Kind of is what I believe. And I echo with what your friend said. For me, my vision was the hardest hit. I hit on the right side of my face. It affected some of my nerves and my eyes didn't communicate with each other. So it forced me to not be on my phone. I couldn't even answer an email. I couldn't look at technology. I physically couldn't handle the scroll of a screen. I had to reach out and ask for help. Being away from my technology. Yes, away from my emails. Gifts in it. It really restructured my entire life. And I know I still do have effects. I talk about it a lot less because I get that people say, Oh, you're so strong.   [00:46:13] Can you come back?   [00:46:14] You look amazing. And I just want to be healthy. I can't focus on that. I called the producers before I told anyone else I was going to announce. I said, you know, this is what I'm going to say. I'm so grateful for American injurious. But like, I'm I can't even think about anything beyond recovery right now because I was at the point where I was literally losing my vision. I wasn't having double vision, but my eye therapy was so aggressive I would go home and not be able to see for forty five minutes. And that was Harry. So I, I want to make sure that first and foremost, I'm the most physically healthy mom I can be because I can go out and train like I know to train. Know how to do well. But if I do that and then get hurt again, then. So my health is such a Purdie and I want to advocate for that for all people to build that in behalf phones. It's great. So, um.   [00:47:12] Yeah. And it's honorable. I think that, you know, this is the athletic spirit is celebrated, but sometimes I think just one piece of it celebrated just that moment on top of the mountain. You know, sometimes maybe the training and the climb up. But there's another piece of that.   [00:47:28] You know, there's another there's always growth. And I think that the story of the athlete that has for any reason, injury or not, kind of hit the the moment where they're they're moving on to something else. It's another pivot, you know, that that's equally as as celebratory. The story is, you know, continuing. You're not ceasing to exist because you're not on American Ninja Warrior 20, 21 or whatever. And to that end, I want to ask you, what is your your future? Have you thought about the next one to three years? I know a lot of times in recovery, even a therapist will encourage you to just keep your sights on this one goal. And so if if it isn't out there, I don't want to encourage you to not to have one. But have you thought about, professionally speaking, more any of those types of things for the next one to three years for yourself? What do you see?   [00:48:16] Within the last couple weeks, I've definitely set goals for what the next one to three years look like. I will say before that. That's the number one question I got from everybody when I spoke. What's next? What's next? What's next? And I had to be OK telling everybody. I don't know yet. And that was my answer for awhile. My next thing is to not have a next thing. And I think that's actually what is going to set me up best for what will eventually be a next. And that sounds like a big tongue twister riddle, but it was so important to not have a nexus for a little bit and be OK with that. Well, now. Yes. I want to continue and I will continue to speak and engage with people on a global scale, including Girl Scout partnerships. Empowering youth to be healthy. Goal setting individuals. Writing a book is on the table for me. Has been for a long time. I know God told me that for a while that I just need to be able to focus enough to get something specific. But most immediately, I'm actually applying for a master's degree in biblical studies with Colorado, Christian University. I want to know why not get a brain injury and go back to school? That sounds about right. So that's it. I am going to be focusing on is I'm going to be searching for scholarships to go back to school as a single mom and get a master's degree. I think it will be important for my kids to be a part of that process as well. And then I think it will honestly help me as a TBI survivor. It is going to be challenging. I do still have cognitive challenges, but I think it's going to be healthy to face them. I don't want to live in fear of them or worry or or be scared. I think that I'll continue to need the right people to support me as I try to get a masters degree. And it's going to be exciting. And then I'll have something I'll be launching in the next couple months. I'm partnering with some media teams. So I think ultimately my goal this is going to sound weird is to like a race myself and not have Maggi Thorne be the brand. But something else exists that last beyond me that can pass on as a legacy for other people where it becomes their own thing. And they're not just how I go to your page and it's so inspiring. Yes, I love it and I appreciate it. What can I help other people make their own? And that becomes their legacy within themselves. So that's a goal.   [00:50:44] That's a beautiful thing. I love that. And I love legacy. And I think it's I think as parents, you get to a point where you start to actually think about it. You know, you have this this breath. And I say the second, you know, you come up as a parent. You know, when you the toddlers are sleeping through the night. You have like a year. And you start saying, what am I going to do with my life? And then you immediately become enveloped with, like, what's my legacy? What am I leaving on Earth? There's never, ever an expectation or break for me anyway. And so I. Yours is beautiful. I love that. We're running out of time. But I do want to ask you, Maggi. What do you if if you ran up to someone next tomorrow and safe social distance at a Gardiner Park. And it was a young woman and she said, listen, we have a friend in common.   [00:51:33] And they said, I've got to come talk to you. I've had this wonderful career as a student athlete. I then spent the next decade involved in this area that at the beginning I didn't necessarily have the training for became prolific at. And I was very proud of all of those things. But I'm going to actually pivot now and do this wonderful, you know, obstacle course slash television show and hope for the best. What are the top three pieces of advice you would give that individual knowing what you know now?   [00:51:58] I would ask her or him what, number one? Why do you want to do it? What's your purpose behind it? Because the training and commitment for it is so hard. If that is it behind it, it's gonna make it all that more difficult. So I'd really want to know that first and have a compass of Wohlsen here. Here's where you go from there. And being able to make it, it's 24/7 training. And what I mean with that is your rest is training your waters, training your nutrition. The people you surround yourself with is training. It's a full time commitment. It's not something you turn on and off during the day to the point that I stop wearing high heels for a while because it was to impact like my legs couldn't handle it. And again, I'm older. But there's those three things. Why do you want to do it? Letting them know it's a full time commitment and then building a really solid foundations are able to get the experience and have the best experience possible. As if if I think if you go into it and I'll say this for anybody, anything you go into. If your expectation is is just to win, I think you walk away with a loss. You have to walk into it with purpose and passion, because if you don't win, but you still know, you give everything you've got. That's a victory. Absolutely.   [00:53:31] Yeah. A thousand percent, I think with everything in life, two measurements are, you know, first of all, usually not constructed by the person competing in them. So developing your own son's very solid. So loosely, I have no one know your purpose in why training is hard. So you need to know where all of your passion and purpose is coming from and what they are identified. Number two, training is 24/7, 365, encompassing all aspects of your life. Remember that. And number three, build a solid foundation for the best experience possible. And the goal isn't just to win. I love. That's why you're the pro. Good job. Thank you very much.   [00:54:08] I'm so thankful that you spoke with us today. Maggi, we're out of time. But I just wanted to say again, I really appreciate everything that you've you've given us today. And I know that there's a lot of personal narrative tied into your professional story. And I really do appreciate your candor and honesty.   [00:54:23] Thanks, Patricia. I appreciate what you're doing to educate, empower and equip people across the nation and globally.   [00:54:29] Absolutely. For everyone listening, we've been speaking with Maggi Thorne. She's an athlete, motivational speaker. You can find out more regarding everything that she is doing on her Web site. W w w dot. Maggi Thorne, dot com. That's m a g.g i t h o r and e dot com.   [00:54:48] Thank you for giving us your time today and until we speak again next time. Remember to stay healthy, stay safe and honest. But yourself. Slainte.  

From GlobalNews: WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday issued an emergency airworthiness directive for 2,000 U.S.-registered Boeing 737 NG and Classic aircraft that have been in storage, warning they could have corrosion that could lead to a dual-engine failure. The directive covers planes not operated for seven or more consecutive days. The FAA issued the directive after inspectors found compromised air check valves when bringing aircraft out of storage. From CNET.com: Craig Barton may have the most difficult parking valet job in history. As airlines around the world have grounded substantial numbers of their planes after the coronavirus pandemic decimated travel, the head of technical operations for American Airlines has spent the past two months trying to figure out where to park hundreds of planes. We’re talking aircraft like the $375 million Boeing 777-300ER, a wide-body that’s 242 feet long, with a wingspan of 212 feet. “It’s not the same as just putting your car in your garage and walking away for a month,” Barton said. “There’s not one place in the world where we could stick a few hundred airplanes.” Since January, as COVID-19 has spread across the globe and governments have ordered stay-at-home lockdowns, people have stopped flying and bookings have vanished. By the second week in May, the Federal Aviation Administration was reporting that the number of commercial flights operating in the US, both domestic and international, had dropped 71% from the same period last year. Airlines, many of which had been on years-long aircraft buying sprees, suddenly found themselves with more planes than they needed. That left them with only one option: Keep the extra planes grounded until demand for air travel returns. According to Cirium, a data and analytics firm that focuses on the travel industry, about 17,000 jets are now parked worldwide, representing about two-thirds of all commercial airliners. It’s not just a terrible financial prospect for an airline — an airplane not carrying paying passengers is a depreciating asset — it’s also billions of dollars of highly sophisticated aircraft, all needing parking spots. And it’s about more than just finding a place to wait out the pandemic, says Barton, who’s responsible for overseeing American’s fleet of 950 planes. Every airliner also needs constant attention so it’s ready to return to the sky. “We have almost daily tasks that we have to do on each one,” he said.   LOOKING FOR A PARKING SPACE What does a parking lot of planes look like? I went out to Oakland International Airport, across the bay from San Francisco, to see for myself. Out in the distant reaches of the airport, far from the terminals where they might receive fresh loads of passengers, about a dozen Alaska Airlines Boeing 737s sat silently in the spot where they’ve been parked since March. Lit by a setting sun that gave their shiny white fuselages a warm glow, the planes rested close together near a disused hangar, the Eskimo face on every tail smiling over a chain-link fence into an empty employee car park. Further out, near the bay’s shore, a dozen more 737s in the bright blue, red and yellow livery of Southwest Airlines also shimmered in the fading light. It was clear none of these airliners were going to be taking off anytime soon. The wheels on the landing gear were secured with bright yellow chocks, and the engine intakes were covered by what looked like plastic wrap. Overhead, where normally a plane would be taking off every few minutes, the sky was eerily quiet. If the fur-hooded man whose face is the logo for the 88-year-old Alaska really knew what was going on, his broad smile surely would’ve faded.   The scene at Oakland is just a small slice of the new reality being played out around the world because of COVID-19. At major hubs like Dallas-Fort Worth and Hong Kong and at sprawling airports in the deserts of the southwest specifically designed for storing aircraft, commercial planes crowd aprons and taxiways, sometimes even spilling onto runways that’ve been closed to fit them. In some places, they’re lined in neat rows. In others, they’re packed in formations so tight they look like they’d need an army to untangle. American, the largest airline in the world, is parking aircraft not just at its DFW home base, but also at airports in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Pittsburgh, where it operates large maintenance bases, and at facilities in Mobile, Alabama; San Antonio; and Greensboro, North Carolina. Other airlines are also parking their planes in multiple locations, but with carriers everywhere the goal is to use whatever space is available. Teruel, Spain, is a popular choice for many European airlines, and faced with little room in the city-state of Singapore, the country’s flagship carrier has flown its giant Airbus A380s to remote Alice Springs, Australia. The engine inlets of the parked aircraft are covered to, among other things, prevent birds from nesting inside.Kent German/CNET Though American had monitored possible effects from the coronavirus since the first reports of the pathogen began to surface, the plane-parking efforts didn’t begin in earnest until the second week of March. “It became clear that our flying operation was going to be much smaller than the number of aircraft that we have,” Barton told me in a Zoom interview from American’s headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. “Everything has been changing so dynamically, even within a week.” Using its network operations team, American reduced its schedule from more than 3,300 flights per day at the end of February to less than 1,000 by May. The airline has now parked 460 aircraft, which represents almost half its fleet. And for some of the planes still in service, they might be “lazy flying,” which means they make one or two trips a day, instead of a normal schedule of four or five. This level of storing airplanes is unprecedented, said Barton, who recalls when American had to park some aircraft after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks (when US airspace was closed for two days) and during the subsequent air travel slowdown. But the airline’s effort over the last year to park its fleet of 24 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, which are still grounded worldwide following two crashes that killed 346 people, gave it a place to start. “We had some experience over the past year in what it takes to keep aircraft down for extended periods of time,” he said. “And that’s honestly helped us.”   READY TO FLY Most of American’s parked aircraft are in an “active parked state,” which means the airline can call them back into service at any time. Barton explains: “We know we’re not gonna fly for a few days, but we still have to look after it.” These are typically newer aircraft, like American’s Boeing 777s and 737s and its Airbus A319s, A320s and A321s (American is the largest operator of the narrow-body A321, which costs about $118 million). No matter how long an active parked state lasts, from a few days to several months, the process starts when a flight crew ferries the aircraft to its parking location. For two to three days after it arrives, mechanics walk around it to check the interior, pull off any catering, drain the water and seal up the engines, pitot tubes (small tubes near an aircraft’s nose that measure airspeed) and any other access points to prevent animals and anything else from getting inside. After that prep work is completed, the plane enters a short-term storage program where maintenance workers must perform set tasks every 10 days. The list includes running the engines (with the coverings off, of course), rotating the tires, running the Auxiliary Power Unit (these power an aircraft’s electrical system when the engines aren’t running), turning on the air conditioner, running the flaps systems to exercise the hydraulics, and either keeping the batteries charged or unhooking them completely. (Extra care is necessary on a Boeing 787 to keep its batteries from draining — an expensive repair.) And during this time, the plane’s existing maintenance calendar doesn’t stop, even when it’s sitting on the ground. Much like a tune-up for your car, these routine checks keep an airplane in service for decades. Every 30 days, an aircraft gets a little more care, but the schedule mostly repeats on the 10-day cycle. It’s a lot of work, but Barton said the goal is to protect American’s multimillion-dollar investment by making sure the aircraft still function. “Touching an aircraft every 10 days — you have to put about eight hours of work into it every 10 days,” he said. “So it’s more or less a person a day per airplane we park to try to manage the storage program.” Reactivating a plane for service, which takes about three days, basically reverses the storage intake process. Mechanics take off the coverings; restore and purify the water systems; check the fuel tanks and lines to clear any algae; and finish any maintenance checks still on the aircraft’s calendar. “If you’ve stored it properly, you’ve validated throughout the whole process that the aircraft systems still work,” Barton said. “So it’s not like you’re going out and hoping that the airplane will start back up.”   INTO RETIREMENT If they expect that an airplane will be parked for a year or so, airlines prefer to store it in a desert location where drier air results in less corrosion. Barton says keeping an aircraft’s cabin free of humidity is key. “[That way] it won’t start to smell. That’s what we worry about the most.” Long-term storage locations in the US include Pinal Airpark in Marana, Arizona; Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California; and Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico. These are also aviation “boneyards,” where airplanes long out of service waste away under the hot sun. All have arid climates and plenty of room to fit hundreds of aircraft (Roswell is more than 4,000 acres), from Boeing 747s to small regional jets. Mark Bleth, the manager and deputy director in Roswell, said demand for space from airlines ramped up quickly in March. “We could see it was inevitable planes would be coming here, ” he said. “We didn’t know the scale of it, no one did.” By the first week of May, Roswell had taken about 300 aircraft, on top of 160 that were already there. The airport has room for about 300 more, but if new planes continue to arrive at their current pace of about five per day, Roswell will run out of room by the end of June. And at Pittsburgh, a long line of Embrarer regional jets look like they’re waiting for takeoff.American Airlines The daily parking fee — between $10 and $14, depending on the aircraft’s size — is cheaper than parking in downtown San Francisco. Much higher costs come from the necessary maintenance, which involves onsite MROs, or maintenance, repair and overhaul providers. Bleth estimates it takes about 200 hours to get an aircraft into long-term storage, plus the time needed to handle any regular checks after that. The tasks here are similar to those for a plane in active storage but include installing window coverings to protect cockpits and passenger cabins from the sun and paying extra attention to the engines so they don’t corrode. I talked to Bleth via Zoom as he stood on the edge of a taxiway under a bright blue sky. Behind him, a line of United Airlines Boeing 757s stretched far into the distance. It looks like the airport could span all the way to Texas, but Bleth said they still had to close a runway temporarily to store new arrivals and move aircraft already there to remote areas. “There was quite a bit of restructuring just to start intaking the planes,” he said. “Now we’re reshuffling again to optimize everything they have.” Most of the planes arriving at facilities like Roswell are those that airlines don’t plan to use again. For American, that includes its Boeing 767s and 757s and the Embraer E190s and Airbus A330s it inherited from its 2014 acquisition of USAirways. Those aircraft were already on the books to be retired over the next couple of years, but the travel slowdown accelerated that schedule. (Roswell is also storing American’s 737 Max fleet until the planes can be recertified by the FAA to carry passengers again). Aircraft set for retirement face a variety of futures. They can be sold to other airlines, converted to freighters, an especially busy market right now, Bleth said. Or they may be scrapped completely for parts. American’s McDonnell Douglas MD-80s, which retired to Roswell last year, will most likely meet the latter fate. But with air travel nowhere close to rebounding, Bleth expects a full house in New Mexico for a long time. “We’re thinking this inventory will be here for a while, whether it’s resold or it’s still part of the airline.”   BACK TO THE SKIES Barton doesn’t know when air travel might return to “normal” — the TSA is screening about 95% fewer passengers in May than the same month last year — though he hopes July could show some improvement. When and if that point comes, American, like most other airlines, will have a leaner fleet, but the goal is to keep all parked aircraft feeling as if they’ve never stopped flying. As he put it, “the whole process is designed around ensuring that when the aircraft comes back into the operation it’s as safe and reliable as it was when it entered into that storage program.” Barton said American is putting together what it believes to be the safest way to run an operation in the postcoronavirus world. Like all major US airlines, it’s reducing onboard service, regularly “fogging” cabins with disinfectant between flights, limiting the number of seats sold and requiring the cabin crew and passengers to wear masks. Like all other airlines, its aircraft also use High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters that completely change the cabin air every two minutes while filtering out 99% of viruses and bacteria. The biggest question, of course, isn’t just when passengers will feel safe traveling again. Rather, with large-scale events like conferences, festivals and sport tournaments canceled for the rest of the year, will there be anything to travel for? Ryan Ewing, an aviation journalist and founder of AirlineGeeks.com, said the industry’s return will depend on when those business and leisure opportunities open up again. “It’s very bizarre and it’s very bleak for the outlook in the long term,” he said. “But it’s hard to predict this kinda stuff, because you never know when people might want to fly again. … People may be so tired of being in their houses, that they’ll wanna get out and travel.”

Rare earth minerals are essential ingredients for many of the technologies that are important today and will be key in the future. In this episode, we learn about a new global economy being created around rare minerals and how the United States can catch up to the commanding lead that China has established in dominating the mineral dependent industries. Executive Producer: Coffee Infused Nerd  Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank’s online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Episodes CD215: COVID-19 Testimony, Listen on Spotify CD208: The Brink of the Iran War, Listen on Spotify CD201: WTF is the Federal Reserve? Listen on Spotify CD191: The Democracies of Elliott Abrams, Listen on Spotify CD190: A Coup for Capitalism, Listen on Spotify CD187: Combating China, Listen on Spotify CD186: National Endowment for Democracy, Listen on Spotify CD176: Target Venezuela: Regime Change, Listen on Spotify CD175: State of War, Listen on Spotify  CD167: Combatting Russia (NDAA 2018), Listen on Spotify CD156: Sanctions: Russia, North Korea, and Iran, Listen on Spotify CD131: Bombing Libya, Listen on Spotify CD102: The World Trade Organization: COOL? Listen on Spotify CD095: Secret International Regulations, Listen on Spotify CD067: What Do We Want In Ukraine?, Listen on Spotify  CD003: The Free Market vs. US, Listen on Spotify Bill Outline S. 1317: American Mineral Security Act Text as of July 27, 2020 TITLE I - American Mineral Security Sec. 102: Policy We will analyze supply and demand of minerals to avoid supply shortages, mitigate price volatility, and prepare for demand growth We will map and develop domestic resources of minerals Speed up the permitting process for mineral mining and new mineral manufacturing facilities Invest in workforce training for mineral exploration and development Transfer technology and information in international cooperation agreements Recycle critical minerals Develop alternatives to critical minerals Sec. 104: Resource Assessment Within 4 years of the date the bill is signed into law, a “comprehensive national assessment of each critical mineral” must be completed which identifies known quantities of each mineral using public and private information and an assessment of undiscovered mineral resources in the U.S. The information will be given to the public electronically Sec. 105: Permitting Orders reports to be done on expediting permitting Sec. 107: Recycling, Efficiency, and Alternatives The Secretary of Energy would be required to conduct a research and development program to promote production, use, and recycling of critical minerals and to develop alternatives to critical minerals that are not found in abundance in the United States. Sec. 109: Education and Workforce The Secretary of Labor will be given almost two years to complete an assessment of the Untied States workforce capable of operating a critical minerals management industry Creates a grant program where the Secretary of Labor will give “institutions of higher eduction” money for up to 10 years to create critical minerals management programs, and to help pay for student enrolled in those programs. Sec. 110: National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program Authorizes, but does not appropriate, $5 million per year from 2020-2019 for the program created in 2005 that catalogs geologic and engineering data, maps, logs, and samples. This program was authorized at $30 million from 2006-2010. Sec. 112: Authorization of Appropriations Authorizes, but does not appropriate, $50 million for fiscal years 2020-2019. TITLE II: Rare Earth Element Advanced Coal Technologies Sec. 201: Program for Extraction and Recovery of Rare Earth Elements and Minerals from Coal and Coal Byproducts Requires the Secretary of Energy to create a program for developing “advanced separation technologies” for the extraction and recovery of rare earth elements and minerals from coal. Authorizes, but does not appropriate, $23 million per year for 2020-2027. Articles/Documents Article: Unsanitized: The HEALS Act Emerges By David Dayen, The American Prospect, July 28, 2020 Article: Pompeo’s Surreal Speech on China By Ernest Scheyder, The Atlantic, July 25, 2020 Article: Trump wants an ‘alliance of democracies’ to oppose China. It’s starting to take shape By By Shashank Bengali, Los Angeles Times, July 24, 2020 Article: Pentagon resumes rare earths funding program after review By Ernest Scheyder, Reuters, July 21, 2020 Article: Quantitative Easing vs. Currency Manipulation By Matthew Johnston, Investopedia, June 25, 2019 Article: China hands out more grain import quotas to increase purchases - sources by Hallie Gu and Dominique Patton, Reuters, May 13, 2020 Article: Trump’s tariffs on China could cost the US in its fight against the coronavirus by Audrey Cher, CNBC, April 13, 2020 Article: Mining the moon: Trump backs new space race by James Marshall, E&E News, April 27, 2020 Article: Trump wants more countries to join US policy approach to space resources, lunar mining by Michael Sheetz, CNBC, April 6, 2020 Article: Executive Order on Encouraging International Support for the Recovery and Use of Space Resources, White House, April 6, 2020 Article: As copper recovery declines, so does the tellurium supply for thin-film solar panels By Kelly Pickerel, Solar Power World, July 3, 2018 Article: Drone video shows blindfolded, handcuffed prisoners in China's Xinjiang Uyghur region By Liselotte Mas, The Observers, September 25, 2019 Article: China footage reveals hundreds of blindfolded and shackled prisoners By Lily Kuo, The Guardian, September 23, 2019 Document: Rare Earth Elements in National Defense: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress By Valerie Bailey Grasso, Specialist in Defense Acquisition, Congressional Research Service, December 23, 2013 Article: U.S. imposes quotas on some Chinese textiles By Keith Bradsher, The New York Times, Sept. 2, 2005 Additional Resources Bill: H.R.2262 - U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act, Congress.gov, November 25, 2015 Sound Clip Sources Speech: Communist China and the Free World’s Future, Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary Of State, Yorba Linda, California, The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, U.S. Department of State, July 23, 2020 Transcript: 14:00 Mike Pompeo: The Department of Justice and other agencies have vigorously pursued punishment for these crimes….And so our Department of Defense has ramped up its efforts, freedom of navigation operations out and throughout the East and South China Seas, and in the Taiwan Strait as well. And we’ve created a Space Force to help deter China from aggression on that final frontier. And so too, frankly, we’ve built out a new set of policies at the State Department dealing with China, pushing President Trump’s goals for fairness and reciprocity, to rewrite the imbalances that have grown over decades. 18:35 Mike Pompeo: It’s true, there are differences. Unlike the Soviet Union, China is deeply integrated into the global economy. But Beijing is more dependent on us than we are on them. 21:30 Mike Pompeo: The challenge of China demands exertion, energy from democracies – those in Europe, those in Africa, those in South America, and especially those in the Indo-Pacific region. And if we don’t act now, ultimately the CCP will erode our freedoms and subvert the rules-based order that our societies have worked so hard to build. 22:20 Mike Pompeo: So we can’t face this challenge alone. The United Nations, NATO, the G7 countries, the G20, our combined economic, diplomatic, and military power is surely enough to meet this challenge if we direct it clearly and with great courage. Maybe it’s time for a new grouping of like-minded nations, a new alliance of democracies. We have the tools. I know we can do it. Now we need the will. Speech: Attorney General Barr’s Remarks on China Policy at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, U.S. Department of Justice, July 16, 2020 Read Transcript Transcript: 13:50: The People’s Republic of China is now engaged in an economic blitzkrieg—an aggressive, orchestrated, whole-of-government (indeed, whole-of-society) campaign to seize the commanding heights of the global economy and to surpass the United States as the world’s preeminent technological superpower. 14:15: A centerpiece of this effort is the Communist Party’s “Made in China 2025” initiative, a plan for PRC domination of high-tech industries like robotics, advanced information technology, aviation, and electric vehicles, and many other technologies . Backed by hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies, this initiative poses a real threat to U.S. technological leadership. 15:20 “Made in China 2025” is the latest iteration of the PRC’s state-led, mercantilist economic model. For American companies in the global marketplace, free and fair competition with China has long been a fantasy. To tilt the playing field to its advantage, China’s communist government has perfected a wide array of predatory and often unlawful tactics: currency manipulation, tariffs, quotas, state-led strategic investment and acquisitions, theft and forced transfer of intellectual property, state subsidies, dumping, cyberattacks, and industrial espionage. 16:30: The PRC also seeks to dominate key trade routes and infrastructure in Eurasia, Africa, and the Pacific. In the South China Sea, for example, through which about one-third of the world’s maritime trade passes, the PRC has asserted expansive and historically dubious claims to nearly the entire waterway, flouted the rulings of international courts, built artificial islands and placed military outposts on them, and harassed its neighbors’ ships and fishing boats. 17:00: Another ambitious project to spread its power and influence is the PRC’s “Belt and Road” infrastructure initiative. Although billed as “foreign aid,” in fact these investments appear designed to serve the PRC’s strategic interests and domestic economic needs. For example, the PRC has been criticized for loading poor countries up with debt, refusing to renegotiate terms, and then taking control of the infrastructure itself, as it did with the Sri Lankan port of Hambantota in 2017. This is little more than a form of modern-day colonialism. 19:20: The PRC’s drive for technological supremacy is complemented by its plan to monopolize rare earth materials, which play a vital role in industries such as consumer electronics, electric vehicles, medical devices, and military hardware. According to the Congressional Research Service, from the 1960s to the 1980s, the United States led the world in rare earth production.[6] “Since then, production has shifted almost entirely to China,” in large part due to lower labor costs and lighter environmental regulation. The United States is now dangerously dependent on the PRC for these materials. Overall, China is America’s top supplier, accounting for about 80 percent of our imports. The risks of dependence are real. In 2010, for example, Beijing cut exports of rare earth materials to Japan after an incident involving disputed islands in the East China Sea. The PRC could do the same to us. 41:00: In a globalized world, American corporations and universities alike may view themselves as global citizens, rather than American institutions. But they should remember that what allowed them to succeed in the first place was the American free enterprise system, the rule of law, and the security afforded by America’s economic, technological, and military strength. Globalization does not always point in the direction of greater freedom. A world marching to the beat of Communist China’s drums will not be a hospitable one for institutions that depend on free markets, free trade, or the free exchange of ideas. There was a time American companies understood that. They saw themselves as American and proudly defended American values. Hearing: U.S.-China Relations and its Impact on National Security and Intelligence in a Post-COVID World, U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, July 1, 2020 Read Transcript Witnesess: Dr. Tanvi Madan – Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, The Brookings Institution Dr. Evan Medeiros – Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies and Cling Family Distinguished Fellow, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University Mr. Orville Schell – Arthur Ross Director, Center on US-China Relations, Asia Society Ms. Meredith Sumpter – Head of Research Strategy and Operations, Eurasia Group Transcript: 21:15 Mr. Orville Schell: We were accustomed for many, many decades. And I've written this along. piece that's in the in the record, I think is my testimony. But engagement was the kind of center of how we related to China. And what were the presumptions of that? Well, the presumption was that this began in 1972, with Kissinger and Nixon going to China, that if we simply engage China across the board, that slowly, we would have a greater likelihood of more convergence rather than divergence that we would slowly morph out of the Cold War. And what is so extraordinary about the policy of engagement and I'm not one of the people who believes it was an erroneous policy. I do, however, believe it is a failed policy. But it was not erroneous, precisely because for eight presidential administrations United States government sought, and I think this is the height of leadership, to slowly bend the metal of China, to help China in to assist China, to morph out of its Maoist revolutionary period into something that was more soluble and convergent with the world as it existed outside, of the marketplace, international order, etc, etc. And I think if you look at all of these different administrations and go through them one by one, as I've done in the piece that's in your record, it is so striking to see how one president, Republican and Democrat came in after another, usually with a rather jaundiced view of China. Ultimately, they embraced the notion that we should try to engage China. So what happened? Well, I think just to cut to the chase here, what happened was that we have a regime in China now that's very different in its set of presumptions than that pathway that was laid out by Deng Xiaoping in 1978-79 of reform and opening. Without reform, without the presumption that China will both reform economically and politically to some degree, engagement has no basis. Because if you're not converging, then you're diverging. And if China actually is not trying to slowly evolve out of its own old Leninist, Maoist mold, sort of form of government, then it is in a sense, deciding that that is what it is and that is what its model is and that is what it's going to be projecting around the world. 55:45 Ms. Meredith Sumpter: Beijing decision makers believe that their state directed economic system is the foundation of the livelihood of their political system. In other words, we have been spending our energies trying to force China to change and China is not willing to change an economic model that it believes underpins its political longevity. 56:15 Ms. Meredith Sumpter: There are limits to how much we can force China to not be China. And China is working to try to create space for its own unique model within what has been up until just now with this competition, a largely Western based market consensus of how economic systems should work. 56:40 Rep. Jim Himes (CT): Do we care if they have a more state directed model? I mean, what we care about is that like, This room is full of stuff that has Chinese inputs in it. What we really care about is do they send us stuff that is of high quality and cheap. Do we really care? You know, I mean, the Swedes have a much more state directed model than we do. So do we really care? Ms. Meredith Sumpter: We care so long as we don't see China's model as impairing our own ability to viably compete fairly. And so this gets to that level playing field. And ultimately, this is not about the political ideology driven Cold War of the past. But it's really a competition over which economic model will deliver greater prosperity and more opportunity to more people in the years ahead. So in the short term, there's all this focus on China's incredible rise and the success of its economic model. And it's not trying to export that model per se. It wants to create space for its model to coexist in this market led global economic system. Hearing: China’s Maritime Ambitions, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee: Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation, June 30, 2020 Watch on YouTube Witnesses: Gregory Poling - Senior Fellow for Southeast Asia, Director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Dr. Oriana Sklylar Mastro: Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and Assistant Professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University Dr. Andrew Erickson: Professor of Strategy, China Maritime Studies Institute at the Naval War College and Visiting Scholar at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University Transcript: 21:45 Gregory Poling: Chinese interest and Chinese claims have expanded considerably over the decades. Prior to the 1990s, the South China Sea featured a dispute over islands. And then Beijing decided to declare straight baselines and internal waters around the paracels and more worryingly historic rights throughout the entirety of the South China Sea, claiming in some form all waters, all airspace, all seabed, in contravention of international law. Over the last decade, Beijing has become far more aggressive in pursuing that illegal claim. At the end of 2013, China embarked on a unprecedented campaign of artificial island building and military nation, which today allows China to deploy a 24/7 presence of naval Coast Guard and paramilitary forces throughout every inch of the nine dash line, slowly pushing its neighbors away from their legal rights, out of the waters guaranteed to them by international law. 26:00 Gregory Poling: The United States must have rotational forces deployed along the so called first island chain that rings China. And there is no place south of Japan that that can happen other than the Philippines, Admiral Davidson has recognized this. The United States might not be able to do that under Duterte, but we must prevent further erosion of the Alliance and we must prepare a plan for a post 2022, post-Duterte Philippines that will allow us to reengage. 37:00 Dr. Andrew Erickson: Here's where China's overwhelming and still rapidly growing numbers are posing very significant challenges for our efforts to keep the peace and stability in the region. In the naval dimension for example, while many advocate a US Navy of 355 plus ships, both manned and unmanned, China already has its own fully manned Navy of 360 warships according to data recently released by the Office of Naval Intelligence. 48:30 Dr. Oriana Sklylar Mastro: So the number of Chinese nationals overseas, for example, is a relatively new phenomenon. I wrote a paper about it maybe about eight years ago and you have 10s of thousands of Chinese companies operating now in the Indian Ocean region that weren't there before. That we have seen an uptick because of One Belt, One Road as well. And also China used to not be so reliant on oil and energy from outside and now they are one of the top importers and they rely on the Malacca straits for that. 1:00:00 Dr. Andrew Erickson: We see concretely already a naval base in Djibouti. And as you rightly pointed out, there are a series of other ports, where sometimes it's unclear what the ultimate purpose is. But clearly there's extensive Chinese involvement and ample potential for upgrading. 1:03:00 Dr. Andrew Erickson: China's Coast Guard really, in many ways is almost like a second Navy. It's by far the largest in the world in terms of numbers of ships, and while many of them are capable of far ranging operations, the vast majority of China's more than 1,000 coast guard ships are deployed generally near to China. Unlike Coast Guard, such as the US Coast Guard, China's Coast Guard has a very important sovereignty advancement mission. And China's coast guard by recent organizational changes is now formally part of one of China's armed forces, as I mentioned before. 1:08:45 Connolly: And meanwhile China is the title of this hearing is maritime ambitions. It's not just in the South China Sea. The fact that the Chinese built and now are operating the Hambantota port facility, which could easily become a military base because of the indebtedness of the Sri Lankan government and its inability to finance and serve the debt on that finance, has given China a strategic location, through which passes, I'm told, about 30% of all the word shipping, and it's a real nice reminder to India, that now China has that strategic location. Hearing: Impact of COVID-19 on Mineral Supply Chains, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, June 24, 2020 Witnesses: Nedal T. Nassar, Section Chief, National Minerals Information Center, Geological Survey, Department of the Interior; Joe Bryan, Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, Hyattsville, Maryland; Mark Caffarey, Umicore USA, Raleigh, North Carolina; Thomas J. Duesterberg, Hudson Institute, Aspen, Colorado; Simon Moores, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, London, United Kingdom. Transcript: 22:00 Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK): Border closures in Africa have impacted the export of cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and platinum from South Africa. Mines in Argentina, Peru and Brazil have temporarily shut down restricting supplies of lithium, copper and iron. 25:00 Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK): The World Bank released a report last month estimating that demand for lithium, graphite and cobalt will increase 500% by 2050 to meet clean energy demand. 37:00 Nedal T. Nassar: Mineral commodities are the foundation of modern society. Smartphones would have more dropped calls and shorter battery lives without tantalum capacitors and cobalt based cathodes and their lithium ion batteries. Bridges, buildings and pipelines would not be as strong without vanadium and other alloying elements and their Steel's medical MRI machines would use more energy and produce lower quality images without helium cooled niobium based superconducting magnets. 38:45 Nedal T. Nassar: Tantalum and cobalt in smartphones for example, are now predominantly mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and refined in China. 39:00 Nedal T. Nassar: Concurrently, developed countries such as the United States have become increasingly import reliant for their mineral commodity needs, thereby increasing their exposure to foreign supply disruptions. 39:30 Nedal T. Nassar: Many high supply risk commodities are recovered as byproducts. The supply of byproducts has the additional challenge of potentially being unresponsive to demand signals, given their relatively minimal contribution to produce those revenues. 40:00 Nedal T. Nassar: Once a mineral supply chain is identified as high risk, the next step is to determine the best way to reduce that risk. Various strategies can be pursued including diversification of supply, identification and potential expansion of domestic mineral resources, increasing recycling, developing substitutes, maintaining strategic inventories and bolstering trade relations. 43:00 Joe Bryan: From communications gear that keeps our troops connected on the battlefield, to unmanned aerial and subsurface platforms to tactical ground vehicles, transitioning away from lead acid, lithium ion batteries are everywhere. That is not surprising. Energy storage can not only increased capability, but by reducing fuel use can also help take convoys off the road and our troops out of harm's way. 44:15 Joe Bryan: COVID-19 severely impacted the supply of cobalt, a key mineral in the production of lithium ion batteries. 44:30 Joe Bryan: But the lithium ion market also represents an opportunity. Tesla's Nevada Gigafactory is one example. The state of Ohio recently landed a $2.3 billion investment from General Motors and Korea's LG Chem to build a battery plant in Lordstown, Ohio. That facility will bring more than 1000 jobs to the Mahoning Valley. 45:00 Joe Bryan: Now we can't change geology and create resources where they don't exist. But we can change direction and compete for supply chains jobs in minerals extraction, processing, anode and cathode production and cell production. 45:15 Joe Bryan: The scale of global investment in the lithium ion supply chain is massive and investment patterns will have geopolitical impacts. Right now, commercial relationships are being forged and trade alliances hammered out. Decisions made over the next few years will define the global transportation industry for decades to come and plant the seeds of future political alliances. Maintaining our global influence and diplomatic leverage depends on us, not just getting in the race, but setting the pace. From establishing priorities for research and development, to setting conditions for attracting investment to most importantly, hitting the accelerator on transportation electrification. There are things we can do. But to date, our actions have matched neither the scale of the opportunity, the efforts of our competitors, nor the risk we accept, should we remain on the sidelines. 46:30 Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK): Thank you, Mr. Bryan, appreciate you pointing out the importance of mineral security for our military. Some of us think that our American Mineral Security Initiative would be a good fit within the NDAA that will be coming before us for floor action in these next few days. So thank you for that reminder. 55:45 Thomas J. Duesterberg: Let me now turn to the auto industry. Other witnesses have noted the importance of lithium ion batteries in the control of China over the major mineral resources that go into those batteries. This is incredibly important to the future of the auto industry. China has clearly targeted this industry. It has control of the resources, has a goal of producing for its own domestic market, which is the largest market in the world, 80% of electric vehicles domestically by 2025. 56:30 Thomas J. Duesterberg: China is a major producer of manganese and magnesium minerals which are associated - controls of over 80% of those magnesium resources - which is incredibly important to the future of light vehicles. Substituting alloys with magnesium products is one key to reducing the weight of all kinds of transportation vehicles and construction equipment. 57:30 Thomas J. Duesterberg: Other witnesses have also mentioned rare earths, and other important minerals for which we are dependent on China, such as just tantalum to a certain extent cadmium, these are all important to the $500 billion semiconductor industry, where the United States holds a technological lead and produces over 45% of the chips that it produces here in the United States. 59:00 Thomas J. Duesterberg: I will finally note that the solar power industry also depends on rare earths like cadmium and tellurium. And the leading producer in the United States for solar as a thin film technology that depends greatly on these minerals and gives it an cost advantage over the related products that are being subsidized heavily by China. 39:30 Simon Moores: China is building the equivalent of one battery mega factory a week. United States one every four months. 40:00 Simon Moores: Since 2017, China's battery manufacturing pipeline has increased from nine to 107, which 53 are now active and in production. Meanwhile, the United States has gone from three to nine battery plants, of which still only three are active, the same number as just under three years ago. 1:02:30 Simon Moores: Lithium ion batteries are a core platform technology for the 21st century, they allow energy to be stored on a widespread basis in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. And they sparked the demand for the critical raw materials and candidates. A new global lithium ion economy is being created. Yet any ambitions for the United States to be a leader in this lithium ion economy continues to only creep forward and be outstripped by China and Europe. 1:03:00 Simon Moores: The rise of these battery mega factories will require demand for raw materials to increase significantly. By 2029, so 10 years from now, demand for nickel double, cobalt growth three times, graphite and manganese by four times, lithium by more than six times. 1:03:30 Simon Moores: The United States progress is far too slow on building out a domestic lithium ion economy. For the opportunities that remain are vast and the pioneers have emerged. Tesla has continued to lead the industry and build on its Nevada Gigafactory by announcing supersize battery plants in Germany and China and is expected to announce a fourth in Texas which will give you the United States as first ever 100% own MMA lithium ion battery cells. Ohio has recognized the scaling opportunity and attracted $2.3 billion from General Motors and LG Chem, a joint venture. You can also turn to Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee for electric vehicle and battery cell investment success. Yet, these developments are more of a standalone achievement in a coherent US plan. 1:04:20 Simon Moores: ...Imported raw materials and chemicals are the two main components that make a lithium ion battery - the cathodes and the anodes. America is some of the best cathode know how in the business, yet only three capital plants producing under one percent of global output, while China produces over two thirds of global supply from over 100 cathode [inaudible.] 1:04:45 Simon Moores: For graphite anodes, the United States has zero manufacturing plants while China has 48 plants and controls 84% total global anode supply. 1:05:00 Simon Moores: Developing this midstream of the supply chain will create a domestic ecosystem engine, more battery plants to be built, more electric vehicles to be made, more energy storage systems to be installed, animal spark with the betterment domestic mining and chemical processing. However, be under no illusions that the United States needs to build this 21st century industry from scratch. FDR's New deal for example, built core infrastructure that the United States still relies on today. Nearly 100 years later in similar economic and industrial circumstances your country has to do this all over again. Yet, instead of dams, you need to build battery mega factories in their tenant. Instead of highways and bridges and tunnels you need to build the supply chains to enable these mega factories to operate securely and consistent. These include cathode and anode plants and the lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel and manganese sources to feed them. This has to be done at a speed scale and quality that will make most US corporations feel uncomfortable. Even more, the supply chain needs to be underpinned by bigger sized battery recycling facilities to match the scale of these operations and close the loop. One can also look to the creation of a battery creation - widespread US semiconductor industry back in the 1980s believe that the United States built in semiconductors and computing power has sustained your country's dominance in this space for over five decades. Those who invest in battery capacity and supply chains today will hold the sway of industrial power for generations to come. 1:06:30 Rep. Joe Manchin (WV): Yet here in United States, we have the General Mining Law of 1872, which frankly is nothing short of an embarrassment to our country. In 1872, Ulysses S. Grant was elected president and Susan B. Anthony was served an arrest warrant for voting. Tells you how antiquated our laws are for the hardrock mining, if we're serious about reducing our import reliance for critical minerals, our mining goals need to be updated. We need to improve the regulatory scheme for mines and low ratio at high grade areas and the claim patent system and help the mining industry put themselves in a better light in the public by establishing a royalty to share the profits with the American people. 1:09:15 Rep. Joe Manchin (WV): What portion of the supply chain either upstream or downstream needs the most attention in terms of our national security? Nedal T. Nassar: Thank you, Ranking Member Manchin. So it really the the answer depends on the commodity. So different commodities will have different bottlenecks in their supply chains. In some cases, there's a highly concentrated production on the mining stage. In other cases, it might be further downstream. So for example, for niobium, an element that's produced in only a handful of mines worldwide. And so there are very few mines that are producing it and a single mine might be producing somewhere on the order of two thirds of the world's supply. On the other hand, there might be commodities where it's really not about mining, and it's the there's enough concentrate being produced, but we're simply not recovering it further downstream, such as many of the byproducts. So, earlier, one of the other witnesses mentioned tellurium. There's a lot of tellurium in some of the concentrate that we're mining with copper. Once it gets to the our copper electrolytic refineries, it's simply not recovered for economic reasons. So there there are different stages for different commodities. And that's why I mentioned in my testimony that we do need to look at these supply chains individually to figure out what really is the bottleneck and what strategy would be most effective at reducing that bone. 1:17:45 Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK): I recall a hearing here in the Energy Committee and one of our witnesses made the comment when it came to recycling that the first place we should look to mine is within our own economy not in the earth but what we have already produced and and basically, remind, repurpose, reuse that so thank you for that comment. 1:19:20 Thomas J. Duesterberg: As Senator Manchin alluded to, we need to revise our mining laws to speed up the permitting process. And perhaps put some time limit on the impact environmental reviews and mining permitting for critical materials. 1:41:30 Joe Bryan: At the same time, from a national security perspective, we may not have minerals but we in some segment segments of the supply chain, but we do have allies and people we can work with and we need to really reach out to those folks like Australia is a perfect example. How are we working with Australia to diversify our supply chain to support our own needs and also perhaps to hedge against China? 2:01:00 Joe Bryan: As a point of reference, note the scale of the Europeans investment, just one of the tranches of funding that came out of the EU. Last December, they put three and a half billion dollars into supply chain investments. Three and a half billion dollars. That's one tranche. I think the European Investment Bank has said that something like 100 billion dollars has been channeled to the battery supply chain. So the scale of their effort is, we sort of pale in comparison to that, notwithstanding your efforts, Madam Chairman, the other thing I would say is post-COVID, it's interesting, I think Europeans have seen support for electrification and the supply chain in their stimulus packages. I know Germany and France have both targeted those industries as part of their stimulus. And I think the reason for that is, we obviously, countries are going to want to recover what they have lost, but they also are seeing this as an inflection point for them to decide where they want to be in the future. And so I think they've taken advantage of that opportunity and have have sort of doubled down on it. And I think we're in the same position as we assess where we are and where we're going. But the scale of their commitment has been, I'll say impressive. 2:11:00 Joe Bryan: Our weakness is throughout the supply chain. So if we have a stockpile of minerals, but they're not processed and usable, then I'm not sure how much good it does. If we have to ship the stockpiled minerals to China for processing, that's probably not the most ideal scenario. So I think we have to look again holistically at the supply chain, look at what we need, and figure out how we position ourselves to attract the kind of massive massive economy changing, transforming levels of investment that are happening globally to the United States. Hearing: Minerals and Clean Energy Technologies, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, September 17, 2019 Witnesses: The Honorable Daniel Simmons - Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy, Simmons Testimony Dr. Morgan Bazilian - Director of the Payne Institute and Professor of Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines, Bazilian Testimony Ms. Allison Carlson - Senior Vice President, Foreign Policy Analytics, Carlson Testimony Mr. Robert Kang - CEO, Blue Whale Materials, LLC, Kang Testimony Mr. Mark Mills - Senior Fellow Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Inc., Mills Testimony Transcript: 40:45 Daniel Simmons: Material intensity and potential global demand is illustrated by a recent report, by a recent analysis by the head of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum in the UK, using the most current technologies, for the UK to meet their 2050 electric car targets, it would require just under two times the current annual world cobalt production, nearly the entire world production of neodymium, three quarters of the world's lithium production and at least half of the world's copper production. And to put that in perspective, the UK the population of the UK is only 66 million currently, while the population in the United States is 327 million. 41:40 Daniel Simmons: Cobalt makes up 20% of the weight of the cathode of lithium ion electric vehicle batteries. Today, cobalt is considered one of the the highest material supply risks for electric vehicles in the short and medium term. Cobalt is mined as a secondary material from mixed nickel and copper ore. With the majority of the global supply mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as Senator Manchin mentioned. 52:15 Robert Kang: We need to collect far more of the spent batteries for recycling. The US currently collects less than 5%, while Europe collects approximately 40% or more. Secondly, we need to expand the United States capacity to process batteries. Today, we shipped most of our collected lithium ion batteries for recycling to China, South Korea and Europe. Increasing us processing capacity will allow us businesses to control the flow of these metals earlier in the supply chain. Lastly, we should encourage refining capabilities here in the US. A market for recycled metals will support investments to strengthen the entire lithium ion battery industry in the US. 1:17:45 Robert Kang: I've heard estimates that anywhere from about 20-30% of the world's mineral needs can be met by recycling. Sen. Angus King (ME): Well, that's not insignificant. That's a big number. Robert Kang: And actually it's reclaiming value from our waste stream. Sen. Angus King (ME): Right. Robert Kang: One way to think about this is if you could change your perspective, I believe one of the next new minds of the future, our urban cities, our homes, we have these, this material locked away in our drawers and inboxes that we don't look at too often. So if we can promote collection, if we can take these kind of, spent batteries away from, or bring them back to this industry, I think we can claim a significant amount of minerals. 1:19:00 Robert Kang: We are well aware of foreign entities now that are coming into the US and setting up recycling facilities here because they see these minerals and it's widely known that the US is one of the largest producers of spent lithium ion batteries. Sen. Angus King (ME): They're mining under our very noses. Robert Kang: Yes, sir. Sen. Angus King (ME): In a domestic resource. Robert Kang: Yes, sir. Sen. Angus King (ME): Ridiculous. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK): Who is it? Robert Kang: Well, I do know that there is a Korean company that is coming in. There is a Canadian company that's setting up facilities here, as well as we are aware of conversations and research by Chinese firms recyclers who are coming into this market. 1:42:30 Sen. Martin Heinrich (NM): My constituents, is the incredible legacy of uncleaned up mines across the west. There are thousands of them. A few years ago during the gold King mine spill, irrigators had to close off their ditches not water their crops, not water their livestock. There were municipal and tribal impacts as huge amounts of released heavy metals came downstream because of the uncleaned up legacy of 150 years of abandoned mines all across the Mountain West. So I think if we're going to, you know, create a path forward, one of the things we need to do is really think about reforming the 1872 mining act if we're going to create the the environment where some of these other things can move forward in a first world country. Hearing: Mineral Security and Related Legislation, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, May 14, 2020 Witnesses: The Honorable Joe Balash - Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, U.S. Department of the Interior, Balalsh Testimony Dr. David Solan - Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy Mr. Jonathan Evans - President and COO, Lithium Americas, Evans Testimony Dr. John Warner - Chairman, National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Batteries, Chief Customer Officer, American Battery Solutions, Warner Testimony Dr. Paul Ziemkiewicz - Director, West Virginia Water Research Institute, West Virginia University Transcript: 36:00 David Solan: Critical minerals are used in many products important to the US economy and national security, and they are particularly important to the most innovative clean energy technologies. For example, some of the minerals DOE considers the most critical in terms of supply risk include gallium for LEDs, the rare earths dysprosium in neodymium for permanent magnets and wind turbines and electric vehicles, and cobalt and lithium for electric vehicle and grid batteries. The US is dependent on foreign sources of many critical minerals. And we also currently lack the domestic capability for downstream processing and materials as well as the manufacturing of some products made from them. 41:10 Jonathan Evans: Lithium Nevada Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lithium Americas. It is headquartered in Reno, Nevada and is developing a project called Factor Pass, which is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Factor Pass will profoundly improve the supply of lithium chemicals by producing 25% of today's global lithium demand when in full production. Currently, the US produces just 1% of lithium minerals and 7% of lithium chemicals. 49:15 John Warner: Chinese companies are buying up energy materials supply sources around the globe in order to ensure that battery manufacturers based in China have access to reasonably stable supplies of low cost materials. 1:04:30 Paul Ziemkiewicz: Some price support, if not, market support is needed in the early stages, because the first thing that Chinese will do and they've done it before, is drop the price on the market because it has its monopoly. And that'll drive anyone out of business. Mountain Pass was our only active mine right now in United States sends all of its oxide product to China for refining. Sen. Joe Manchin (WV): Is that because environmental laws in America we were making it very difficult for us to do that process. Paul Ziemkiewicz: I think, and I'm not an economist, but I think it's just because they have the supply chain. 1:16:15 Joe Balash: At the Department of the Interior, we're seeing a graying of our own staff in terms of the the expertise for mining in general and that is something that we see nationwide. 1:17:45 John Warner: There's very few universities today that actually do focus on a program to develop battery engineers, which is one of the most unique engineering fields because it does compromise and come compose of all of the engineering facets from thermodynamics to electronics and software to the chemistry of it. 1:21:20 Jonathan Evans: There are ways to do this. And I think it will be done very, very safely. If you look at traditional sources at least at lithium, but also known cobalt and others, I think projects can do good and do well. Even under the current environmental laws that we have or what's being promulgated in the future, it's possible I think to live in both worlds. 1:22:50 Jonathan Evans: You go next across the border to Canada or Australia, they still have strict environmental standards as well, but they accomplish what Senator Murkowski said. It's seven to 10 years to get approvals here in the United States. There's lots of mineral resources in those countries, it's usually about two years, because there's very strict process, agencies work together and they have, they have to get back and close the process out where things can drag. Sen. Angus King (ME): One of the things we did in Maine that was helpful, might be useful is one stop shopping. In other words, you don't have to go serially to five agencies, you have one lead agency and everybody else works through that process and that we found that to be very effective. 1:25:15 Paul Ziemkiewicz: The Japanese had a territorial dispute on some islands between Japan and China. And it was few years ago, 2010 maybe, the Chinese simply restricted the ability for the Japanese to get their rare earth supply. And the Japanese caved within something like three or four months. Sen. Angus King (ME): Because of the Japanese manufacturer of these high tech devices that needed that supply? Paul Ziemkiewicz: That's correct Senator. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

For American universities, catering to international students is big business. Each year, more than 1 million come here to study. About a third are from China.But come fall, many may be absent. This week, the Trump administration announced that international students would not be allowed to enter or remain in the US if their colleges and universities are online-only this fall. The move drew swift backlash from higher education administrators and advocates. Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a lawsuit against the government Wednesday to block the measure.Unlike domestic students, international students often pay full tuition — which helps universities to fund scholarships and their general operations. International students injected nearly $45 billion into the US economy in 2018. For some international students, remote learning could mean attending classes in the middle of the night, dealing with spotty or no internet access, losing funding contingent on teaching, or having to stop participating in research. Some are considering taking time off or leaving their programs entirely.Frank Wu, president of Queens College in New York, has written about the US government's complicated relationship with students from China. He joined The World's host Carol Hills for a conversation on the Trump administration's new guidance and its impact on international students in the US. Related: Universities scramble to help international universities stay in US after new visa restrictions Carol Hills: Frank, how do you interpret this move by the Trump administration? Is it about politics or public health? Frank Wu: It's about everything. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Even before this, there was suspicion and statements, including by the president himself, that almost all students coming from China are spies. That was said by the president at a private dinner. And it made the news, but the story didn't stick, which was just one of many things that are said along similar lines. About 350,000 students per year have been coming from China. That's pre-pandemic. So they're the biggest part of the international student population. But there is a public health piece to this. I mean, one could say that you're working on the basis of public health if you're restricting students from overseas from coming to the US.  What's your sense of that? Oh, absolutely. That probably isn't the reason, because at the same time this ban on foreign students was announced, the president said he would pressure states to pressure schools, including colleges, to reopen. So, it doesn't make sense to say, well, let's have everyone reopen, but then let's keep out people from places with lower rates of the coronavirus. Do you think many Chinese students enrolled at American universities will just say, "Forget it, I'll enroll in a university in Asia or Europe instead"? That's already happened. For many international students, the United Kingdom looks very popular, or just staying home. We face a real risk of a reverse brain drain. So, I'm an American. I was born here in the United States, grew up in Detroit. My parents, they were born in China. They grew up in Taiwan, and they came to the United States in the 1960s, that bygone era when America was welcoming people. And America invested in them. They didn't just come. They came as scholarship students. America wanted to recruit them. It was a good investment because my parents became citizens, taxpayers, contributors. My family has staked its fortunes on this side of the Pacific Ocean. It's pretty clear you interpret this move by the Trump administration as a move against China and Chinese students. What does the US lose if many of these students decide to go to another university and not wait it out for trying to finish at a US university? America risks losing its competitive advantage. What we have is freedom and opportunity — and that attracts the most talented from everywhere else. Imagine if everyone of Chinese descent just vanished overnight. What would happen to the physics department at most universities? What would happen in Silicon Valley? What we risk losing is the talent that we've been able to recruit that has driven American entrepreneurial activity, scientific research and progress. As president of Queens College in New York, how are you responding to these new guidelines on international students? The chancellor [Félix V. Matos Rodríguez] of the CUNY system — we're part of a system — issued a powerful statement as soon as the guidelines came out saying that this is bad, not just for our students, it's bad for our institution. And I stand with him. We want to support all of our students regardless of their identity. We want to provide a high-quality, affordable education. Do you have students who are directly affected by these new guidelines? We're taking a look. I am sure we have students who could be affected. We're looking at everything that we can do to support them, to keep them in the system and to ensure that they're educated and that they value what America has offered. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Reuters contributed to this report. 

For American universities, catering to international students is big business. Each year, more than 1 million come here to study. About a third are from China.But come fall, many may be absent. This week, the Trump administration announced that international students would not be allowed to enter or remain in the US if their colleges and universities are online-only this fall. The move drew swift backlash from higher education administrators and advocates. Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a lawsuit against the government Wednesday to block the measure.Unlike domestic students, international students often pay full tuition — which helps universities to fund scholarships and their general operations. International students injected nearly $45 billion into the US economy in 2018. For some international students, remote learning could mean attending classes in the middle of the night, dealing with spotty or no internet access, losing funding contingent on teaching, or having to stop participating in research. Some are considering taking time off or leaving their programs entirely.Frank Wu, president of Queens College in New York, has written about the US government's complicated relationship with students from China. He joined The World's host Carol Hills for a conversation on the Trump administration's new guidance and its impact on international students in the US. Related: Universities scramble to help international universities stay in US after new visa restrictions Carol Hills: Frank, how do you interpret this move by the Trump administration? Is it about politics or public health? Frank Wu: It's about everything. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Even before this, there was suspicion and statements, including by the president himself, that almost all students coming from China are spies. That was said by the president at a private dinner. And it made the news, but the story didn't stick, which was just one of many things that are said along similar lines. About 350,000 students per year have been coming from China. That's pre-pandemic. So they're the biggest part of the international student population. But there is a public health piece to this. I mean, one could say that you're working on the basis of public health if you're restricting students from overseas from coming to the US.  What's your sense of that? Oh, absolutely. That probably isn't the reason, because at the same time this ban on foreign students was announced, the president said he would pressure states to pressure schools, including colleges, to reopen. So, it doesn't make sense to say, well, let's have everyone reopen, but then let's keep out people from places with lower rates of the coronavirus. Do you think many Chinese students enrolled at American universities will just say, "Forget it, I'll enroll in a university in Asia or Europe instead"? That's already happened. For many international students, the United Kingdom looks very popular, or just staying home. We face a real risk of a reverse brain drain. So, I'm an American. I was born here in the United States, grew up in Detroit. My parents, they were born in China. They grew up in Taiwan, and they came to the United States in the 1960s, that bygone era when America was welcoming people. And America invested in them. They didn't just come. They came as scholarship students. America wanted to recruit them. It was a good investment because my parents became citizens, taxpayers, contributors. My family has staked its fortunes on this side of the Pacific Ocean. It's pretty clear you interpret this move by the Trump administration as a move against China and Chinese students. What does the US lose if many of these students decide to go to another university and not wait it out for trying to finish at a US university? America risks losing its competitive advantage. What we have is freedom and opportunity — and that attracts the most talented from everywhere else. Imagine if everyone of Chinese descent just vanished overnight. What would happen to the physics department at most universities? What would happen in Silicon Valley? What we risk losing is the talent that we've been able to recruit that has driven American entrepreneurial activity, scientific research and progress. As president of Queens College in New York, how are you responding to these new guidelines on international students? The chancellor [Félix V. Matos Rodríguez] of the CUNY system — we're part of a system — issued a powerful statement as soon as the guidelines came out saying that this is bad, not just for our students, it's bad for our institution. And I stand with him. We want to support all of our students regardless of their identity. We want to provide a high-quality, affordable education. Do you have students who are directly affected by these new guidelines? We're taking a look. I am sure we have students who could be affected. We're looking at everything that we can do to support them, to keep them in the system and to ensure that they're educated and that they value what America has offered. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Reuters contributed to this report. 

Readers in other countries read American books. American readers also read books by authors from other countries. For American authors, the most important country to think about and write for is Canada.  Our guest today is the author of multiple books, including The Herringford and Watts Mysteries, and is a senior associate agent at the […] The post Writing for a Canadian Market appeared first on Christian Publishing Show.

Readers in other countries read American books. American readers also read books by authors from other countries. For American authors, the most important country to think about and write for is Canada.  Our guest today is the author of multiple books, including The Herringford and Watts Mysteries, and is a senior associate agent at the […] The post Writing for a Canadian Market appeared first on Christian Publishing Show.

Andrew and Lucy take a look at the unfolding protests in America, Australia's own problems with police brutality and deaths in custody, Riot Control Bees and Coronavirus Monkey Squads. We usually ask listeners to support our Patreon, but this week we're asking you to support a more worthy cause, like any of the following. For Australian listeners - Justice for David Dungay Junior: https://www.gofundme.com/f/d9qkb6-justice-for-david - Sisters Inside (https://sistersinside.com.au/about/support-us/) - ANTaR (https://antar.org.au/donate-antar) - Practical ways you can support Aboriginal Lives Matter (https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/practical-ways-you-can-support-aboriginal-lives-matter/12308386) For American listeners - Support orgs fighting against racism and police brutality (https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ab_mn)

Homeschooling. Social distancing. Sheltering in place. Working from home. Fear & anxiety...and kids eating you out of the house. For American families, this is the new reality as the COVID-19 spreads. How can we, as parents, make our time in quarantine count? How can we keep a positive outlook when life is fluid and uncertain? Join Kari as she explores these questions and more. Episode Notes:o   Kari's new book, coming Aug. 2020: Love Her Well: 10 Ways to Find Joy and Connection with Your Teenage Daughtero   Kari's 1st book for teen girls: 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Knowo   Kari's 2nd book for teen girls: Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For?o   Contact Kari at kari@karikampakis.com and follow her on Instagram and Facebook

Homeschooling. Social distancing. Sheltering in place. Working from home. Fear & anxiety...and kids eating you out of the house. For American families, this is the new reality as the COVID-19 spreads. How can we, as parents, make our time in quarantine count? How can we keep a positive outlook when life is fluid and uncertain? Join Kari as she explores these questions and more. Episode Notes:o Kari’s new book, coming Aug. 2020: Love Her Well: 10 Ways to Find Joy and Connection with Your Teenage Daughtero Kari’s 1st book for teen girls: 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Knowo Kari’s 2nd book for teen girls: Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For?o Contact Kari at kari@karikampakis.com and follow her on Instagram and Facebook

For the last several years, China has emerged as a great exporter of students to the U.S. Nowhere is this more evident than at fashion schools, where Chinese students often make up 50% of a student cohort. Luckily, most Chinese students arrived in the U.S. for the spring semester before travel sanctions were put in place, due to the coronavirus, but are now facing uncertainty about their ability to return home. For seniors, this is especially acute, as families cannot plan to attend graduation ceremonies, typically held in May. Additionally, many fashion schools offer spring learning sessions and study abroad opportunities in China during the spring. These have all been cancelled, leaving students and schools in a lurch. For American students, studying in China is a chance to see the heart of the manufacturing industry firsthand. Finally, there has been an uptick in violence against Chinese students that school administrators must grapple with. Recently, a student at The New School was hit over the head at a local restaurant in New York City. The assailant shouted an epitaph about the coronavirus and China. While these attacks are largely due to fear and misinformation, the coronavirus can add another level of stress on Chinese students studying in the US.  UPDATE: Universities are now largely closed in the US, including The New School. Most students have returned home. Classes will be finished online and plans are underway for summer and fall terms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are certain images which stay with you forever.  Paintings and photographs which you can’t get out of your mind. For American author Sarah Sentilles it was the image of the hooded prisoner tortured at Abu Ghraib. She changed the direction of her life to study photography and art as a way to change the world.

There are certain images which stay with you forever.  Paintings and photographs which you can’t get out of your mind. For American author Sarah Sentilles it was the image of the hooded prisoner tortured at Abu Ghraib. She changed the direction of her life to study photography and art as a way to change the world.

For American players, the road to the CFL isn't generally a straight line. New Stampeder Azeem Victor knows this only too well, taking an extra step to get here via the late, unlamented Alliance of American Football. We talk to Azeem about that experience, and what life is like trying to make ends meet as a CFL practice roster player.

For American’s economy to continue to flourish, Dan Griswold, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and Co-Director of its Trade and Immigration Project, suggests a market-based immigration system. This would shift the focus from citizenship to permanent legal status and allow U.S. companies to fill open positions with willing and able immigrants.

For American women, getting caught in the vicious pattern of obsessive, unbalanced diet and exercise is all too real. If we personally haven’t experienced an unhealthy relationship with our food, then we probably know someone who has. Today’s conversation is with Katie Vail, a West Point graduate, Army Captain, blogger, and mom. For over a decade Katie struggled with dieting and binge eating, but after experiencing tragic loss, she discovered how to be healthy and love again. She shares her incredible story and how she maintains a healthy lifestyle. Katie Vail is the creator of the lifestyle blog Stripes and Whimsy, a place where she shares a little bit of everything: personal and interior style, motherhood, and health and fitness.  Before her blog, she served as an Active Duty Army Captain at the Pentagon and in Afghanistan.  She now lives in Hawaii with her husband and two children. For show notes and more information on our guest, please visit whyshouldipodcast.com Don't forget to follow along on Instagram @whyshouldipodcast

For American sports fans, this time of year is a great one. All 3 major sports are in action. The Knicks & Nets begin their pre-seasons, the Jets & Giants continue to stink up the joint during the NFL regular season, and the Yankees look forward to the Wild Card game and hopefully move forward in their post-season endeavors. Of course, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. To show support for the cause, Lloyd has shaved his head and will wear pink for the entire month. New episodes drop every Monday - http://smarturl.it/LloydAThompsonShow

Since the early 1980s, the number of vaccines given to children has nearly quadrupled, and the autism rate has gone up more than 30,000 percent during the same period. For American children, the current autism rate is 1 in 36. JB Handley challenges the common framing that vaccines are “safe and effective” and that the “science is settled. He discusses the emerging scientific evidence linking vaccines to immune activation in the brain. He calls for the American public health to acknowledge the adverse effects associated with vaccines and advocates for screening vulnerable children so that the children with the greatest risk for vaccine associated harm can be excused from taking the vaccine

Since the early 1980s, the number of vaccines given to children has nearly quadrupled, and the autism rate has gone up more than 30,000 percent during the same period. For American children, the current autism rate is 1 in 36. JB Handley challenges the common framing that vaccines are “safe and effective” and that the “science is settled. He discusses the emerging scientific evidence linking vaccines to immune activation in the brain. He calls for the American public health to acknowledge the adverse effects associated with vaccines and advocates for screening vulnerable children so that the children with the greatest risk for vaccine associated harm can be excused from taking the vaccine

Every author has something that fuels them. For American crime writer James Ellroy, it was the murder of his mother in 1958, when he was a boy. For years, he wondered what happened. In his adult years, he went back to research her death and possible rape. This week, I discuss what he found out. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For American history buffs, the Civil War can feel like covered ground. But if you put aside the big battles and turning points, there are still so many smaller, fascinating stories deserving to be told. And there truly is no one better to dig into those lesser-known stories than my guest, CEO of Atlas Obscura David Plotz, whom you may also know as the co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest. In this episode, we talk about how the city of Washington D.C. defended itself during the Civil War, why it built dozens of forts around its perimeter, and why those forts are now in ruins. It's a huge honor to have David on the show today, and I can't wait for you to hear it. The hidden history of Washington D.C.'s forts David told me he first got interested in the forts the capital when he went on a bike ride with his daughter down a path he'd never gone down before. And while pedaling around, he noticed that all of the areas they were biking through were named “Fort” something. And when he looked at a map, he realized that all of the areas arranged in a circle around the capital were named for Civil War defenses. And then later, on a hike with his family, he discovered the remains of Fort Derussy out in the middle of the woods. You can still see it today, the moat, the high earthen walls (David mentioned he and his family played capture the flag there for his wife's birthday). As David says it's a magical place now, but we dig into why Fort Derussy was built in the first place, and how it and the other forts came to be forgotten. Defending the capital The union built 68 forts in Washington, D.C., most of them between 1860 and 1863. As David points out, the capital of the union was actually in the heart of Confederate territory, so the fortification had to be extensive. And of course, while D.C. had to be defended, as David highlights, there is “strong evidence” that the building of so many forts was an attempt by the Army Corps of Engineers to show Congress how important it was and to boost its funding. It was a huge effort, considering that before the war, there was only one fort in D.C., Fort Washington, which stood fairly ineffectually in the War of 1812. As David says, D.C. was an important location not so much for military strategy, but for morale. The South didn't want to win the North, they just wanted to force a settlement. So the Union “defended the heck out of it,” to prevent its capital from falling, and allowing the South to claim that leverage point. The battle for Abraham Lincoln's seat Nothing much happened in Washington, D.C. for the first four years of the war. In fact, D.C. was set up largely as a hospital city to treat the Union's wounded (and it's where Clara Barton set up shop). In fact, David says, the forts of Washington had begun to atrophy by 1864, because there weren't any attacks. And the soldiers stationed there weren't the best because those were off fighting the major battles. But that year, General Robert E. Lee decides the Confederacy should take Washington, D.C., forcing out Lincoln and sweeping the presidential election to the Democrats. And so in July of that year, 15,000 cavalry came to D.C., but when confronted by the high walls of Fort Reno, decided to go a different way. Little did they know, Fort Reno was abandoned. That was just the first of a few tactical mistakes that made the next day's battle at Fort Stevens a historic victory for the Union, but that's not even the craziest part. You'll want to listen to find out who made a surprise cameo. The ruins of D.C.'s forts, and David's favorite spots Many of the Washington forts were on private land, so after the war was over, the owners of that land tore them down. Some ended up on public parkland, which is why David and his family could play Capture the Flag on the ruins of Fort Derussy. But as David says, though the defenses were important to protect the Union, they weren't consecrated ground. Not a lot of people died there, there wasn't a lot of revered battles. But these forts still clearly have a place in D.C.'s history, and along with the remaining sites, David provides a Washingtonian's guide to the unknown history of the city. You're not going to want to miss this. Outline of This Episode [2:24] How David got interested in D.C.'s Civil War defense [7:30] The building of the forts [11:27] Notable Civil War events at the forts [17:50] How the forts fell into ruins [21:29] David's D.C. must-sees [27:58] The mission of Atlas Obscura Resources & People Mentioned David Plotz Atlas Obscura David Plotz on Twitter Slate's Political Gabfest How to Tour the White House Visiting Hallowed Ground on Halloween: My Trip to Gettysburg Connect With Stephanie stephanie@historyfangirl.com https://historyfangirl.com Support Stephanie on Patreon Featuring the song “Places Unseen” by Lee Rosevere For more information and photos, check out my blog post.  

For Hillary Clinton, that private email server was an Achilles heel. For Donald Trump, late night tweet-storms and the echo chamber of the so-called alt-right were rocket fuel. For American voters, the power of technology was inescapable. We've seen the good, bad and ugly of tech this election cycle. And we all have big feelings about it. So Manoush hosted a good old-fashioned call-in, for listeners to share their thoughts and fears about our digital lives under a Trump administration.  Joining Manoush was Farhad Manjoo, New York Times technology columnist, and Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.  They looked back at how social media shaped the Presidential race, and forward at privacy in the Trump era. We wish we could tell you it's uplifting. But we don't like to lie.  The call-in show was part of the United States of Anxiety, a series from WNYC Studios. If you're having big feelings about what the new administration means for the arts, women, the economy or just in general, they've got you covered.  Support Note to Self by becoming a member today at NotetoSelfRadio.org/donate.    

Jason Hartman discusses the destruction of America's great middle class and how to avoid it. Let's not let the USA become a banana republic. Jason recommends the book War on the Middle Class by Lou Dobbs and his interviews with Rich Dad author Garrett Sutton and Jim Rogers and then he talks about and article received from Chris McLaughlin: Middle class down this decade. The first decade of the 21st century will go down in the history books as a step back for the American middle class. Last week, the government made gloomy headlines when it released the latest census report showing the poverty rate rose to a 17-year high. A whopping 46.2 million people (or 15.1% of the US population) live in poverty and 49.9 million live without health insurance. But the data also gave the first glimpse of what happened to middle-class incomes in the first decade of the millennium. While the earnings of middle-income Americans have barely budged since the mid 1970s, the new data showed that from 2000 to 2010, they actually regressed. For American households in the middle of the pay scale, income fell to $49,445 last year, when adjusted for inflation, a level not seen since 1996. And over the 10-year period, their income is down 7%. Unlike the richest Americans, middle class families have most of their wealth tied up in the equity of their homes, which took a beating in the recession. And high unemployment has left many people with little or no other income at all. At the same time that Americans had less cash to spend, they were also being hit with rising prices for some crucial items. Even accounting for inflation, it still costs more to buy a home, fill your gas tank, go to the doctor and put food on the table than it did only 10 years ago. And not only is it more expensive to live a middle-class life, it costs more to get there too. The price of a college education — still considered the ticket to higherwages and a better lifestyle — has surged over the last decade, even in spite of the recession. Facing these burdens, the American Dream is undergoing stark changes, with fewer people choosing to buy homes and more young people postponing their own independent lives. The census data showed about 14.2% of all young people ages 25 to 34 are still living in their parents' homes this year, compared to about 11.8% before the recession began in 2007. Next Jason and Sara answer audience questions. Be sure enter sweepstakes for free tickets to “Meet The Masters of Income Property Investing at:https://www.facebook.com/jasonhartman.com

For American audiences the 80s band Spandau Ballet seemingly came out of nowhere, but in the U.K. they had achieved a reputation for marrying soulful, beat-driven music with a sense of fashion and style as part of the New Romantics scene. Thanks largely to MTV, American audiences - and the rest of the world - embraced their massive hits "True" and "Gold" which sent them on tour around the world, including a high-profile spot on stage at Live Aid in 1985.  But tension began to creep in. Their 1989 album Heart Like A Sky was a disappointment. Chief songwriter/guitarist Gary Kemp and his brother, bass player Martin Kemp, went off to shoot a high-profile film based on the real-life British gangsters The Krays. The band called it quits. Chatting with Gary Kemp, John Keeble Years later a court case over royalties drove an even bigger wedge between them.  But in 2009 all five members put aside their differences and, after almost twenty years, re-formed to make new music and go on tour. with John Keeble, Steve Norman Their fascinating journey from the earliest days coming out of a punk and disco club scene in London in the late 70s to feeling stronger than ever about their music as they each reach their mid-50s is documented in the fascinating film Soul Boys Of The Western World. Here, Gary Kemp, drummer John Keeble and multi-instrumentalist Steve Norman (the man responsible for that sweet sax solo in "True") sit down to reminisce and look forward.  Enjoy! -LM Go to SpandauBallet.com - follow them on Twitter @SpandauBallet - Like 'em on Facebook Above, trailer for the excellent doc about the band Soul Boys of the Western World and, below, my personal fave Spandau song... "Gold" We reference in the podcast a new film starring Tom Hardy as the infamous British gangsters, but in 1991 it was Gary and Martin Kemp who portrayed The Krays in this excellent film...

For American audiences the 80s band Spandau Ballet seemingly came out of nowhere, but in the U.K. they had achieved a reputation for marrying soulful, beat-driven music with a sense of fashion and style as part of the New Romantics scene. Thanks largely to MTV, American audiences - and the rest of the world - embraced their massive hits "True" and "Gold" which sent them on tour around the world, including a high-profile spot on stage at Live Aid in 1985.  But tension began to creep in. Their 1989 album Heart Like A Sky was a disappointment. Chief songwriter/guitarist Gary Kemp and his brother, bass player Martin Kemp, went off to shoot a high-profile film based on the real-life British gangsters The Krays. The band called it quits. Chatting with Gary Kemp, John Keeble Years later a court case over royalties drove an even bigger wedge between them.  But in 2009 all five members put aside their differences and, after almost twenty years, re-formed to make new music and go on tour. with John Keeble, Steve Norman Their fascinating journey from the earliest days coming out of a punk and disco club scene in London in the late 70s to feeling stronger than ever about their music as they each reach their mid-50s is documented in the fascinating film Soul Boys Of The Western World. Here, Gary Kemp, drummer John Keeble and multi-instrumentalist Steve Norman (the man responsible for that sweet sax solo in "True") sit down to reminisce and look forward.  Enjoy! -LM Go to SpandauBallet.com - follow them on Twitter @SpandauBallet - Like 'em on Facebook Above, trailer for the excellent doc about the band Soul Boys of the Western World and, below, my personal fave Spandau song... "Gold" We reference in the podcast a new film starring Tom Hardy as the infamous British gangsters, but in 1991 it was Gary and Martin Kemp who portrayed The Krays in this excellent film...

For American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham, what started out as a relaxing, once-in-a-lifetime anniversary getaway at an exotic island resort turned into one of the most horrific nightmares imaginable.

For American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham, what started out as a relaxing, once-in-a-lifetime anniversary getaway at an exotic island resort turned into one of the most horrific nightmares imaginable.Kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group with ties to Osama bin Laden, the Burnhams were snatched away from friends and family and thrust into a life on the run in the Philippine jungle. During a perilous year in captivity, they faced near starvation, constant exhaustion, frequent gun battles, coldhearted murder—and intense soul-searching about a God who sometimes seemed to have forgotten them.

A woman is said to have completed natural menopause when she has not had a period for 12 consecutive months. For American women, this typically happens at around age 51 or 52. Menopause occurs immediately if the uterus or both ovaries are surgically removed, or if the ovaries are damaged in cancer treatment with radiation therapy or certain drugs.- NIH.Join us as we discuss Natural Remedies for Hormonal Imbalances.This show is  intended for general information purposes only. It is not designed to provide listeners with specific and personal, medical, counseling, professional service or any advice. This program is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

A woman is said to have completed natural menopause when she has not had a period for 12 consecutive months. For American women, this typically happens at around age 51 or 52. Menopause occurs immediately if the uterus or both ovaries are surgically removed, or if the ovaries are damaged in cancer treatment with radiation therapy or certain drugs.- NIH.Join us as we discuss Natural Remedies for Hormonal Imbalances.This show is  intended for general information purposes only. It is not designed to provide listeners with specific and personal, medical, counseling, professional service or any advice. This program is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.