Podcasts about funds

Guest: Cleo Paskal. The Solomon Islands remain heavily influenced by China, leading to social decay and the suppression of democratic voices like the late Daniel Suidani. Paskal urges Australia to combat corruption by targeting funds flowing into their banks, while noting positive U.S. engagement in Palau to counter Chinese aggression.1910 PALAU

Matt and Seth unpack how capital raising has evolved from informal, often non-compliant co-GP arrangements to a more structured, scalable fund-of-funds model. Seth explains why private markets are growing roughly twice as fast as public markets, tracing the shift from the JOBS Act to today's AI-enabled infrastructure. The conversation dives into SEC compliance pitfalls, why transaction-based compensation is risky, and how separating capital raisers from operators protects both sides. They also explore how fund-of-funds structures can unlock better economics for investors while helping sponsors raise capital faster and more efficiently. Visit www.tribevestisc.com for more info. Visit bestevercrypto.com today to get started and earn up to $2,500 in bonus crypto. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to quo.com/BESTEVER Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It's free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Live Greatly podcast episode, Kristel Bauer sits down with chef, TV personality ("Restaurant Impossible"), entrepreneur, author and founder of The Robert Irvine Foundation, Robert Irvine.  Kristel and Robert discuss philanthropy, resilience building tips as well as tips for entrepreneurs. Tune in now!  Key Takeaways From This Episode: A look into the Robert Irvine Foundation Tips for entrepreneurs How to navigate high-pressure and visible positions ABOUT ROBERT IRVINE Robert Irvine is a world-class chef and entrepreneur, and a tireless philanthropic supporter of our nation's military. The host of Food Network's hit show Restaurant: Impossible, he has given struggling restaurateurs a second chance to turn their lives and businesses around in over 300 episodes across 22 seasons. He would know a thing or two about running a successful business. In addition to his restaurants—Robert Irvine's Public House at the Tropicana in Las Vegas and Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine within the Pentagon—he is the owner of FitCrunch, whose protein bars, powders, and snacks are available nationwide; Robert Irvine Foods, which makes prepared, restaurant-quality dishes available in grocery stores; and the Lansdale, PA-based Boardroom Spirits, creators of handcrafted vodka, rum, whiskey, and more. Two new signature products—Irvine's Vodka and Irvine's American Dry Gin—are in the beginning stages of a nationwide rollout. A portion of the proceeds from all of Robert's endeavors benefit the Robert Irvine Foundation. Created in 2014, the foundation gives back to our servicemen and women and first responders. Funds raised help at-need veterans and first responders in a variety of ways: training service dogs, making mental health and wellness services available to veterans in need, providing mobility devices for the disabled, and much more. For his charitable work and service on numerous USO tours, Robert is the recipient of several civilian honors, including Honorary Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy, and the Medal of Honor Society's Bob Hope Award. When not filming for television or working overseas with the USO, he can be found on tour with Robert Irvine LIVE, an unpredictable interactive cooking challenge done before a live audience in packed theaters. He is the distinguished author of four cookbooks, Mission: Cook, Impossible to Easy, Fit Fuel, and Family Table By Robert Irvine, plus the business leadership book, Overcoming Impossible: How to Lead, Build a Team, and Catapult Your Business to Success. Drawing on his vast experience both in building his own businesses and helping others fix theirs, it is the ultimate distillation of his business and leadership knowledge. Connect with Robert Irvine: Order Robert's book: https://a.co/d/6GGCaPn  Website: https://chefirvine.com/  Robert Irvine Foundation: https://www.robertirvinefoundation.org/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefirvine  About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness and performance expert, keynote speaker and TEDx speaker supporting organizations and individuals on their journeys for more happiness and success. She is the author of Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony, and Peak Performance Wherever You Work (John Murray Business November 19, 2024). With Kristel's healthcare background, she provides data driven actionable strategies to leverage happiness and high-power habits to drive growth mindsets, peak performance, profitability, well-being and a culture of excellence. Kristel's keynotes provide insights to "Live Greatly" while promoting leadership development and team building.   Kristel is the creator and host of her global top self-improvement podcast, Live Greatly. She is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur, and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. As an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant having practiced clinically in Integrative Psychiatry, Kristel has a unique perspective into attaining a mindset for more happiness and success. Kristel has presented to groups from the American Gas Association, Bank of America, bp, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Santander Bank and many more. Kristel has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine, Authority Magazine & Podcast Magazine and she has appeared on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago, Fox 4's WDAF-TV's Great Day KC, and Ticker News. Kristel lives in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area and she can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. To Book Kristel as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co  Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co  LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Click HERE to check out Kristel's corporate wellness and leadership blog Click HERE to check out Kristel's Travel and Wellness Blog Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions.  Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations.  They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.  Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests.  Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content.  Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links —Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.

Somali Ambassador To UN Tied To Ohio Medicare Fraud, Wife Of US Capitol Police Officer Who Killed Ashli Babbitt Raked In Nearly $200 Million In HHS Daycare Funds

Gov. Gavin Newsom's office repeats their ask for supplemental federal funding a year after winter wildfires killed over 30 people and obliterated thousands of structures in Los Angeles. And, state Sen. Scott Wiener calls for President Donald Trump's impeachment after Nicolas Maduro's capture.

James Clear is an expert on behavioral change and habits and the author of the bestselling book Atomic Habits. We discuss the best ways to build new healthy habits and end bad ones without relying on motivation or willpower. Rather than list off categories of tools or acronyms, James explains how anchoring the changes you want to make in your identity and physical environment allows you to make desired changes quickly and ones that stick. Whether your goal is better fitness and physical health, productivity or mental health, you'll learn actionable, zero-cost protocols to build powerful and meaningful habits. Sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Lingo: https://hellolingo.com/huberman Wealthfront*: https://wealthfront.com/huberman Joovv: https://joovv.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Timestamps 00:00:00 James Clear 00:02:57 Common Habits, Tool: Habit Success & Getting Started 00:06:16 Make Starting a Habit Easier, Tool: 4 Laws of Behavior Change 00:10:18 Sponsors: Lingo & Wealthfront 00:13:26 Writing Habits, Seasons & Flexibility; Adaptability, Tool: Bad Day Plan 00:18:42 Consistency, Flow vs Grind, Master Showing Up, Learning & Practice 00:24:54 Chunking, Getting Started at Gym 00:28:01 Flow Don't Fight, Dissatisfaction & Effort, Tool: Identity-Based Habits 00:34:10 Friction, Competition & Effort; Credentials 00:39:38 Make Effort Rewarding, Mindset, Tools: Previsualization, Emphasize Positives 00:45:59 Sponsors: AG1 & Joovv 00:48:56 Reflection & Learning, Tool: Self-Testing; Perfectionism, Tool: Curiosity 00:55:18 Striving vs Relaxation, Balance, Tool: Turn On/Off; Hiking, Nature Reset 01:04:20 Identity & Professional Pursuits; Choosing New Projects; Clinging to Identity 01:14:24 Sponsor: Eight Sleep 01:15:42 Criticism; Identity & Growth 01:21:47 Failure, Identity, Sports, Tool: Rebounding & Reaching; Public Failures 01:30:03 Daily Habits, Tools: Day in Quarters; Never Miss Twice; Meal Timing 01:38:22 Daily Habit Timing & Sequencing, Tool: Mindfully Choose Inputs 01:45:37 Creativity, Specialization vs Generalization; Books 01:51:31 Sponsor: Function 01:53:18 Habits & Context, Environmental Cues, Tools for Minimizing Phone Use 02:02:01 Bad Habits, Checking Phone, Tools for Breaking Bad Habits 02:08:21 Physical & Social Environment, New Habits, Tool: Join/Create Groups 02:18:40 Family, Habits; Kids & Parenting, Tools: Stimulus; Good Conditions 02:26:05 Impact of Habits, Habits as Solutions; Upcoming Projects 02:32:45 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter *This experience may not be representative of other Wealthfront clients, and there is no guarantee of future performance or success. Experiences will vary. The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.  Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The base APY is 3.50% on cash deposits as of November 07, 2025, is representative, subject to change, and requires no minimum. If eligible for the overall boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, your boosted rate is also subject to change if the base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period. Funds in the Cash Account are swept to program banks, where it earns the variable APY. New Cash Account deposits are subject to a 2-4 day holding period before becoming available for transfer. Investment advisory services are provided by Wealthfront Advisers LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Securities investments: not bank deposits, bank-guaranteed or FDIC-insured, and may lose value. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this REI Only episode of The FasterFreedom Show, Sam breaks down one of the most misunderstood aspects of real estate investing: private lenders. He explains what these capital sources really are, why they're often everyday W-2 professionals you already know, and how this type of funding works outside of traditional banks. Sam also shares the types of professionals who have helped him personally throughout his real estate journey and why understanding this side of capital can completely change how you approach deals.Whether you're struggling to find financing or just want to expand your investor toolkit, this episode brings clarity to a topic that most investors overlook—and shows how the right relationships can unlock your next opportunity.FasterFreedom Capital Connection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fasterfreedomcapital.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Rental Investment Training: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freerentalwebinar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

BITCOIN PRICE: WHAT I THINK IS ACTUALLY HAPPENINGI want to be very clear about this, because I've seen a lot of forced narratives flying around over the last couple of weeks. I don't think Venezuela, Maduro, or any single geopolitical headline is what moved Bitcoin. That kind of thinking is way too neat and honestly doesn't line up with how markets actually behave.What this looks like to me is classic end-of-year behavior. People took profits. People harvested losses. Funds cleaned up their books. A lot of capital simply didn't want exposure going into the final weeks of 2025, especially with a new administration, potential policy shifts, and tax considerations all sitting right in front of us. That's not bearish. That's cautious.From a market structure standpoint, the move higher we saw recently looks more like short covering than fresh spot demand. Open interest came down as price went up. That tells you shorts were closing, not that a wave of new buyers suddenly piled in. That's an important distinction, because rallies built on short covering don't behave the same way as rallies driven by sustained inflows.At the same time, sentiment is still weirdly negative. You've got no shortage of people calling for $40,000, talking about a full-on bear market, or claiming the cycle is over. Yet when you step back, the broader setup doesn't really support panic. Liquidity conditions are likely to improve, rate cuts are still on the table, and regulatory clarity is actually better than it was a year ago. None of that screams collapse.https://x.com/FiboSwannySo where does that leave us? Probably in a period of chop and uncertainty. Sideways, maybe lower, maybe higher. Anyone telling you they know exactly what comes next is lying to you. What I do believe is that 2026 starts with a much cleaner slate than 2025 ended with. New incentives, new leadership, and capital that's finally willing to make decisions again instead of sitting on its hands.This doesn't feel like the end of something. It feels like a reset. And those are usually uncomfortable right before they become obvious in hindsight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alliance of Women Executives founder Vicki Edelman Tate joins Kellen Coleman to discuss how AWE supports young women in Palm Beach County through scholarships, laptops, and long-term educational support.In this episode, Vicki shares how the Alliance of Women Executives started with a $150 donation, how the organization has supported 152 scholarship recipients including first-generation college students, and why donor support is urgently needed for laptops and student resources as college costs continue to rise.Vicki Edelman Tate is the President and Founder of the Alliance of Women Executives, a Palm Beach County-based nonprofit focused on helping young women begin college successfully.Alliance of Women Executives websitehttps://aweinc.orgContactvicki@aweinc.orgRecorded December 22 at 9:45am ESTPlatform DiversifiedGame.comYouTube Chapters0:00 Welcome and quick tech setup with Kellen Coleman and Vicki Tate0:49 Headshots, AI, and keeping it real about time and aging1:38 Interview setup and how Vicki approaches conversations4:55 Vicki Tate introduces herself, President and Founder of Alliance of Women Executives5:51 What AWE does, scholarships, laptops, and supporting young women in Palm Beach County6:23 How AWE started, Vicki's background and building it from scratch8:51 First donors, starting with $150 and establishing credibility10:39 Dalton School, upbringing, privilege, and perspective on giving back13:46 Measuring success, 152 scholarship recipients and first-generation impact15:55 Donors during economic uncertainty, inflation, and giving behavior17:35 Why small donations matter, time, talent, and dollars20:14 Real-life impact moment, meeting a former scholarship recipient21:49 Choosing service over writing a book and living a full life22:36 The Nias Foundation, grantmaking, compliance, and nonprofit excellence25:20 How foundations grow money, endowments, and investing strategies26:57 Debt-free living, saving first, and generational wealth principles29:17 The future of AWE, laptop needs, scholarship growth, and stability31:27 Does major matter, passion, and why college is not for everyone33:35 Student challenges, foster care, homelessness, teen moms, language barriers34:52 Why zip code does not equal wealth or stability36:42 Appearances versus reality, living above means, and money truth37:44 The importance of giving and helping your community38:14 Where to find AWE and Vicki, website, LinkedIn, and immediate needs40:02 Tech sponsorship, CES, and thoughtful donor spending42:06 Final thoughts, sharing the mission, and how to help44:04 Final urgency, laptops matter and one donor can change everythingDGP&x%

Rural Health News is a weekly segment of Rural Health Today, a podcast by Hillsdale Hospital. News sources for this episode: Ella Jeffries, “CMS approves rural health awards for all 50 states,” December 29, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/financial/cms-awards-50b-to-states-for-rural-health-transformation/, Becker's Hospital Review. CMS.gov, “CMS Announces Establishment of the Office of Rural Health Transformation,” December 29, 2025, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-establishment-office-rural-health-transformation/ Erica Cerutti, “ED boarding in 2025: 4 notes,” December 29, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/care-coordination/ed-boarding-in-2025-4-notes/, Becker's Hospital Review. Kara Gavin, “Wait times for emergency hospitalization keep getting higher,” August 4, 2025, https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/wait-times-emergency-hospitalization-keep-getting-higher, Michigan Medicine. Ella Jeffries, “Judge blocks 340B rebate pilot program,” December 29, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/pharmacy/judge-blocks-340b-rebate-pilot-program/, Becker's Hospital Review. Elizabeth S. Eaton, “'Threadbare administrative record': Federal judge stops 340B rebate pilot,” December 30, 2025, https://firstwordpharma.com/story/7022857, FirstWord Pharma. Rural Health Today is a production of Hillsdale Hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan and a member of the Health Podcast Network. Our host is JJ Hodshire, our producer is Kyrsten Newlon, and our audio engineer is Kenji Ulmer. Special thanks to our special guests for sharing their expertise on the show, and also to the Hillsdale Hospital marketing team. If you want to submit a question for us to answer on the podcast or learn more about Rural Health Today, visit ruralhealthtoday.com.

Daycare & Autism Centers Fraud Numerous daycare centers and autism facilities have received millions in state funding but have no children enrolled. Example: A daycare shut down for violations reopened under a new name and continued receiving funds. Home Healthcare Fraud A single building allegedly housed 14 Somali-owned healthcare companies, all billing the state for services that were never provided. FBI raids and investigations are mentioned as evidence of the scale of fraud. Political Corruption Minnesota politicians, including Governor Tim Walz and other Minneapolis officials, have enabled fraud for political gain. Funds were used to buy votes and maintain power, particularly by appealing to immigrant communities. Financial Impact Minnesota swung from an $18 billion surplus to a $6 billion deficit in two years, attributing much of this to fraud. Estimates fraud in Minnesota alone exceeds $9 billion, with nationwide entitlement fraud possibly Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it's freezing child care funds to Minnesota amid accusations of fraud.Jim O'Neill is Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. He announced in a social media post that the move is in response to, “blatant fraud that appears to be rampant in Minnesota and across the country.”Gov. Tim Walz's office called the move “a transparent attempt to politicize the issue to hurt Minnesotans and defund government programs that help people.”Minnesota workers gain new benefits around breaks, wages and leave policies starting this week. New laws spell out that employees are entitled to a rest break of 15 minutes or enough time to seek out the nearest convenient restroom for every four hours worked. And they'll have a 30-minute window for a meal break for every six consecutive hours they work. That's different than the “adequate time” standard currently on the books.People who make minimum wage will see a slight bump in pay after an adjustment for inflation. Statewide, the hourly wage will tick up to $11.41 per hour. Workers inside Minneapolis and St. Paul city limits have even higher minimum wages because of rules that call for increases in 2026.More Minnesota workers also qualify for paid family and medical leave starting the first of the year.And the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has given the green light to additional mineral exploration near Ely, just outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.Go deeper with the latest edition of the Minnesota Today newsletter.These new laws take effect in Minnesota as 2026 arrivesTrump administration says it's freezing child care funds to Minnesota after series of fraud schemesMinnesota DNR approves mining exploration plan just outside the Boundary WatersSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

From building LMArena in a Berkeley basement to raising $100M and becoming the de facto leaderboard for frontier AI, Anastasios Angelopoulos returns to Latent Space to recap 2025 in one of the most influential platforms in AI—trusted by millions of users, every major lab, and the entire industry to answer one question: which model is actually best for real-world use cases? We caught up with Anastasios live at NeurIPS 2025 to dig into the origin story (spoiler: it started as an academic project incubated by Anjney Midha at a16z, who formed an entity and gave grants before they even committed to starting a company), why they decided to spin out instead of staying academic or nonprofit (the only way to scale was to build a company), how they're spending that $100M (inference costs, React migration off Gradio, and hiring world-class talent across ML, product, and go-to-market), the leaderboard delusion controversy and why their response demolished the paper's claims (factual errors, misrepresentation of open vs. closed source sampling, and ignoring the transparency of preview testing that the community loves), why platform integrity comes first (the public leaderboard is a charity, not a pay-to-play system—models can't pay to get on, can't pay to get off, and scores reflect millions of real votes), how they're expanding into occupational verticals (medicine, legal, finance, creative marketing) and multimodal arenas (video coming soon), why consumer retention is earned every single day (sign-in and persistent history were the unlock, but users are fickle and can leave at any moment), the Gemini Nano Banana moment that changed Google's market share overnight (and why multimodal models are becoming economically critical for marketing, design, and AI-for-science), how they're thinking about agents and harnesses (Code Arena evaluates models, but maybe it should evaluate full agents like Devin), and his vision for Arena as the central evaluation platform that provides the North Star for the industry—constantly fresh, immune to overfitting, and grounded in millions of real-world conversations from real users. We discuss: The $100M raise: use of funds is primarily inference costs (funding free usage for tens of millions of monthly conversations), React migration off Gradio (custom loading icons, better developer hiring, more flexibility), and hiring world-class talent The scale: 250M+ conversations on the platform, tens of millions per month, 25% of users do software for a living, and half of users are now logged in The leaderboard illusion controversy: Cohere researchers claimed undisclosed private testing created inequities, but Arena's response demolished the paper's factual errors (misrepresented open vs. closed source sampling, ignored transparency of preview testing that the community loves) Why preview testing is loved by the community: secret codenames (Gemini Nano Banana, named after PM Naina's nickname), early access to unreleased models, and the thrill of being first to vote on frontier capabilities The Nano Banana moment: changed Google's market share overnight, billions of dollars in stock movement, and validated that multimodal models (image generation, video) are economically critical for marketing, design, and AI-for-science New categories: occupational and expert arenas (medicine, legal, finance, creative marketing), Code Arena, and video arena coming soon Consumer retention: sign-in and persistent history were the unlock, but users are fickle and earned every single day—"every user is earned, they can leave at any moment" — Anastasios Angelopoulos Arena: https://lmarena.ai X: https://x.com/arena Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Anastasios from Arena and the LM Arena Journey 00:01:36 The Anjney Midha Incubation: From Berkeley Basement to Startup 00:02:47 The Decision to Start a Company: Scaling Beyond Academia 00:03:38 The $100M Raise: Use of Funds and Platform Economics 00:05:10 Arena's User Base: 5M+ Users and Diverse Demographics 00:06:02 The Competitive Landscape: Artificial Analysis, AI.xyz, and Arena's Differentiation 00:08:12 Educational Value and Learning from the Community 00:08:41 Technical Migration: From Gradio to React and Platform Evolution 00:10:18 Leaderboard Delusion Paper: Addressing Critiques and Maintaining Integrity 00:12:29 Nano Banana Moment: How Preview Models Create Market Impact 00:13:41 Multimodal AI and Image Generation: From Skepticism to Economic Value 00:15:37 Core Principles: Platform Integrity and the Public Leaderboard as Charity 00:18:29 Future Roadmap: Expert Categories, Multimodal, Video, and Occupational Verticals 00:19:10 API Strategy and Focus: Doing One Thing Well 00:19:51 Community Management and Retention: Sign-In, History, and Daily Value 00:22:21 Partnerships and Agent Evaluation: From Devon to Full-Featured Harnesses 00:21:49 Hiring and Building a High-Performance Team

The Trump administration has cut off federal child care funding to Minnesota, citing alleged daycare fraud. Gov. Tim Walz calls the move political, warning that families and providers could feel the impact quickly. Plus, several states are restricting SNAP purchases of soda and candy to encourage healthier choices. Critics argue the changes could complicate shopping and stigmatize recipients. And Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of former President John F. Kennedy, has died at 35 after battling leukemia. The environmental journalist is being remembered for her work and powerful final essay. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports that Trump administration has frozen child care funds across the country.

AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports the Trump administration is freezing child care funds to Minnesota after a series of fraud schemes.

The Trump administration has cut off federal child care funding to Minnesota, citing alleged daycare fraud. Gov. Tim Walz calls the move political, warning that families and providers could feel the impact quickly. Plus, several states are restricting SNAP purchases of soda and candy to encourage healthier choices. Critics argue the changes could complicate shopping and stigmatize recipients. And Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of former President John F. Kennedy, has died at 35 after battling leukemia. The environmental journalist is being remembered for her work and powerful final essay. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe WSJ is predicting higher electricity costs in 2026. Trump is bringing down the cost of energy and implementing new energy sources. Electricity increased because of the the green new scam. Trump is now going after the Federal Reserve for gross incompetence, this will lead to exposing the Fed’s criminal activity. The [DS] infiltrated Congress going all the way back to 1929, the continued to present day. They made it so they have the ability to control those people they install. There are no term limits, this allows these people to stay in their positions for a very longtime. Trump is now setting the stage to return the power back to the people. This is much bigger than a few arrests. Economy Average Electricity Rates by State, What Do You Pay?  Hawaii and California have the highest rates. Idaho the lowest. Average Residential Electricity Rates by State   Electricity Cost 10 Lowest States Be Prepared to Keep Paying More for Electricity The Wall Street Journal says Be Prepared to Keep Paying More for Electricity Source:  mishtalk.com  (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2005964583727780156?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2005751158149615698?s=20  Trump claims the project has overrun by $4 billion (he mentions $4.1 billion total for “a few small buildings”), calling it the “highest price in the history of construction.” He contrasts this with his own White House ballroom project, which he says is under budget and ahead of schedule despite its cost doubling to $400 million from an earlier $200 million estimate.  Yes, discovery could occur—if the case advances past initial hurdles. This would allow Trump’s side to subpoena Fed documents, emails, financial records, and testimony related to the renovations. This could effectively let them “look into” specific aspects of what the Fed has been doing, such as budgeting, contracting, and project management for the HQ overhaul. Discovery rules under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are broad, potentially uncovering internal Fed communications or decisions tied to the alleged incompetence.    Trump could request a GAO investigation into the HQ project overruns. Political/Rights Longtime Democrat George Clooney and His Family Ditch America, Move to France, and Secure French Citizenship Hollywood elitist and longtime Democrat activist George Clooney has officially joined the growing list of wealthy, left-wing celebrities who preach “American values” while quietly distancing themselves from the United States. Clooney, along with his wife, Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two children, has reportedly obtained French citizenship through a naturalization decree. The couple's 8-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, were included in the process.  Clooney went on to explain that he feared raising his children in Los Angeles. “I was worried about raising our kids in L. A., in the culture of Hollywood. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France—they kind of don't give a shit about fame. I don't want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don't want them being compared to somebody else's famous kids.” Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/2005844962769064196?s=20 beliefs. Boycotting the Arts to show you support the Arts is a form of derangement syndrome. The arts are for everyone and the left is mad about it. https://twitter.com/Oilfield_Rando/status/2005834821503705445?s=20 DOGE Geopolitical New Report Appears to Confirm Covenant School Shooter Audrey Hale Bought Guns With Student Loan Money The FBI has just released more pages from the manifesto of Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale, which suggest that she bought the guns used in the 2023 shooting with money she had from a Pell Grant. Hale's parents suggested this two years ago and this report appears to confirm that. The Tennessee Star reports: Latest FBI Release of Covenant School Manifesto Files Appears to Confirm Trans-Identified Killer Bought Guns with Pell Grant Money The FBI on Monday released another 230 manifesto pages written by Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the biological female who identified as a transgender man on March 27, 2023, when the 28-year-old killed six at the Covenant School in Nashville, the Christian elementary school she once attended. This latest journal appears to have been written sometime in late 2021, and includes lengthy sections about the weapons the killer planned to use to commit a mass shooting at a school sometime that year. Following multiple pages full of weapons to purchase, the journal includes a page labeled “Account Savings Record,” which appears to reference the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It also records multiple payments received from Nossi during the period when Hale attended the Nossi College of Art and Design in Nashville. “FASFA [sic] grant checks started at $2,050.86,” wrote Hale at the top of the entry. The page then lists a series of apparent ledger entries, starting with, “$2,656.87 (x3 checks from Nossi).” The next ledger entry states, “+$530.00 (x1 check Nossi) ($3,186.87).” This reference to Hale's federal student aid, located in the writings next to her entries about guns she considered buying, appears to corroborate the claims made by her parents to Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) detectives in 2023, when they told law enforcement their child purchased the firearms using federal Pell Grant money.  Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/Noahpinion/status/2005425950306263265?s=20 War/Peace https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2005747398614847766?s=20 https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2005757621278761205?s=20 Trump clarifies that if Hamas do not disarm like they promised, that any number of the 59 countries who signed onto the peace deal, will completely wipe out Hamas.  Protests Erupt Across Iran As Angry People Flood Streets  The mullahs have ruled in Iran since 1979. So you had millions that went to helping to prop up the terrorist state. But the Iranians are a persistent people, it would appear, especially when you hurt them in their wallets and make it challenging to survive. We’re at another one of those moments in history where hope has sparked again in the country, and people are in the streets, calling for change. Nationwide strikes and protests by merchants continued across Iran, with shops shuttered in major commercial hubs including Tehran's Grand Bazaar, Lalehzar Street, Naser Khosrow and Istanbul Square. Demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans calling for the downfall of the ruling clerics and demanding the leadership step aside. Video circulating online showed protesters inside a major shopping complex in Tehran's Grand Bazaar chanting, “Have no fear, we are all together,” while hurling insults at security forces and calling them shameless. Source: redstate.com Crushed by inflation, soaring living costs, and a future stolen by the regime, Iranians are back in the streets to protest. In a chilling echo of Tiananmen's Tank Man, one man defiantly sits down before the riot police. Desperation has met courage. Funds have been cutoff to the Mullahs/DS. They will lose control in the end and the people will rise up and take back their country. Cyber attacks ‘tipping point' warning issued after Harrods and M&S targeted Cyber attacks surged into prominence in 2025, inflicting significant financial damage on major British businesses and exposing widespread vulnerabilities across the economy. High-profile targets included automotive giant Jaguar Land Rover, retail stalwart Marks & Spencer, and luxury department store Harrods, underscoring how firms of all sizes are susceptible to sophisticated digital threats. Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, articulated his belief that cyber attacks represent one of the most substantial threats to UK financial stability, stressing the “critically important” need for collaborative defence. He stated: “Cyber attacks are far from new, but 2025 has shown just how deeply cyber risk is intertwined with economic stability and business continuity.” Source:  uk.news.yahoo.com  President Trump Responds to the 91-Drone Attack on Putin's Residence in Novgorod region During an impromptu press availability beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump responded to a question about a drone attack against the personal residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Trump noted that he was informed of the attack by President Putin during an early Monday phone call between the two leaders. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied the accusation that Ukraine carried out this particular attack.  The attack took place while Zelenskyy was in Florida meeting with President Trump. U.S. media have said the attack on Putin may be a lie; however, with physical evidence from the defense operation, it is less likely Russia just made up the attack.  At this moment in the conflict, Putin doesn't need domestic propaganda. CONTEXT: British intelligence previously confirmed their participation in the successful Ukraine drone attack against long-range Russian bombers.  That operation, highly controversial at the time, was previously confirmed by President Trump saying the U.S. was not informed in advance. The “coalition of the willing” has also expanded.  Outside the Ukraine regime, the current group making up the “coalition of the willing” includes: the U.K, France, Germany, Canada and Australia.  It is worth noting the additions are all part of the British commonwealth (U.K, Canada, Australia).   I suspect the British did it Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2005810672672624746?s=20   and utilities have materially underperformed the broader market over the last few years. This has been fueled by the outsized gains in the US technology sector. A similar pattern occurred during the 1990s, while the opposite took place during the 2008 Financial Crisis, when global defensive stocks outperformed. Defensive sectors are lagging. Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda Soros family reportedly donated more than $71,000 to Letitia James campaigns Leftist billionaire George Soros and members of his family have donated more than $71,000 to political campaigns supporting New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James since 2019, according to a report published Sunday by the New York Post. The report, citing campaign finance records, said the total includes $31,000 contributed toward James' 2026 reelection bid. Soros personally donated $18,000 in July 2024, while his daughter-in-law, Jennifer Soros, contributed $13,000 in May. With earlier donations included, Soros and his family have provided James with roughly $40,000 more since 2019, the Post reported. The figure does not include the indirect support James has received through left-leaning organizations backed by Soros. The report said Soros' Open Society Foundations have given more than $865,000 to the New York branch of the Working Families Party since 2018. Source:  rsbnetwork.com  https://twitter.com/SteveRob/status/2005683753432351171?s=20 https://twitter.com/mazemoore/status/2005361462580011272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2005361462580011272%7Ctwgr%5E084f3c4b7bd7fa1059f91dab99d5e9dce1ab3cec%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fnick-arama%2F2025%2F12%2F29%2Fthis-didnt-age-well-what-tim-walz-said-about-child-care-providers-during-2024-debate-n2197568 in Minnesota.” Yes Tim, you sure did make it easy for people to open childcare businesses. They don’t even need to provide childcare to get paid. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2005702559239946273?s=20  admitted to the scheme and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the underlying fraud, with nearly $48 million ordered in restitution. Separate sentencing remains pending for the bribery conviction. https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2005794263091798284?s=20   in there until today. That parking lot is empty all the time, and I was under the impression that place is permanently closed,” a local said. About 20 kids were seen “streaming in and out” of the center, according to the Post. “You do realize there's supposed to be 99 children here in this building, and there's no one here?” Shirley said in his viral video. The owner’s son, Ali Ibrahim, claims Shirley came before they opened and is blaming their graphic designer for messing up the sign. “What I understand is [the owners] dealt with a graphic designer. He did it incorrectly. I guess they didn't think it was a big issue,” Ibrahim said https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2005812805786607882?s=20   children for the cameras. https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2005766571487289395?s=20   citizens.” – MN AG Keith Ellison https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2005871452562555304?s=20  shootings the morning of Saturday June 13th at approximately 2:30am and 3:30am, in around [unclear] that I will probably be dead by the time you read this letter. I wanted to share some info with you that you might find interesting. I was trained by U.S. Military people off the books starting in college. I have been on projects since that time in Eastern Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa. All in the line of duty what I thought was right and in the best interest of the United States. Recently I was approached about a project that Tim Walz wanted done, and Keith [unclear] was also aware of the project. Tim wanted me to kill Amy Klobuchar and Tina [unclear]. Tim wants to be a senator and he doesn't trust [unclear] to retire as planned and this is meant to stay in the last mile with Amy & [unclear] gone. Tim would get one of the open senate seats, and [unclear] was to be VP, and Keith Ellison would be rewarded with a lucrative governing position. I told Tim I wanted nothing to do with it and that I didn't call off that plan I would go public. He said he would call it off himself if I didn't play ball. Then he set up a meeting with me and [unclear] and [unclear] to take care of me when I refused. They had some people waiting to kill me. I was able to get away by God's mercy. So I went back a short time later and shot back at [unclear]. You should notice how I didn't fire me rounds at any police officers and by God I have plenty of opportunity. Ask for the report on how many weapons and ammunition I had with me. Cops were pulling up right next to me in unmarked vehicles and I had an AK pistol across my lap. And I could have left a pile of cops dead but I did not. Short burst towards law enforcement. You can ask them. Because I snapped the police and chose not to see them hurt. But it may end up my wife and kids next time. I won't give them a pass. If you think I'm making this up just get on the phone and tell Tim you have a few questions for him. Then ask Tim Walz if he knows me and see what he says? If he says he doesn't know me, or never met me, look in the files and you will see that Tim personally approved me to be on his Governor's workforce. Bridges are the business representatives. He is probably trying to destroy that note but it is public record. Then ask Tim Walz why they kept the shots silent from the media when they first happened. Not a word in the press and I. Why? They needed to get their stories figured out. So everyone was on the same page about what happened. Tim is probably crapping bricks right now because I'm still at large and he knows what I can disclose and that I know about all the buried skeletons are. So I will be shot on sight you can bet on that. If you want me to turn myself in it need to be directly to you and then I need to be held at a military prison or in the Middle East, or at least on a ship. These guys have military backgrounds and can get to anybody. I am willing to spill all the beans. I just want my family safe. They had nothing to do with this and are totally innocent. This was a lone person https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005811252409344411?s=20 Tim Walz is trying to bury the evidence of Somalian money laundering. His government website showing all the daycare licenses is having a mysterious “outage”. They are freaking out. https://twitter.com/feelsdesperate/status/2005736682100777121?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2005699538808697062?s=20 Trump fires 17 government watchdogs at various federal agencies President Donald Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs at various federal agencies late Friday, a Trump administration official confirmed to Fox News, as he continues to reshape the government at a blistering pace. Trump dismissed inspectors general at agencies within the Defense Department, State Department, Energy Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department of Veterans Affairs and more, notifying them by email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office, the Washington Post first reported. “It's a widespread massacre,” one of the terminated inspectors general told the Post. “Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system.” Source: foxnews.com Trump has been in office for 11 months. The Trump US Attorney has been in control of the Minneapolis Office less than that. These are programs the Biden DOJ did not investigate — they investigated “Feeding our Future” only. So the investigations of 13 other federally funded welfare programs started from scratch.   https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2005764911427731459?s=20 THREAD https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/2005688449026908544?s=20 https://twitter.com/politico/status/2005765912167911931?s=20 https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/2005851479425310785?s=20  https://twitter.com/C_3C_3/status/2005864187575128397?s=20 President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2005816218226233847?s=20 The National Guard is building a “quick reaction force” (QRF) of some 23,500 troops trained in crowd control and civil disturbance that can be ready to deploy to U.S. cities by early next year, according to a leaked memo reported by multiple outlets Wednesday.  The Oct. 8 memo, signed by National Guard Bureau Director of Operations Maj. Gen. Ronald Burkett, orders the Guard from nearly every U.S. state, Puerto Rico and Guam to train 500 service members. States with smaller populations such as Delaware will have 250 troops in its force, while Alaska will have 350 and Guam will have 100, Task & Purpose reported. Attorney General Pam Bondi Directs DOJ to Investigate Obama-Biden Era ‘Lawfare' as Ongoing Criminal Conspiracy Attorney General Pam Bondi has confirmed that the Department of Justice is actively probing what she describes as a decade-long pattern of government weaponization and “lawfare” under the Obama and Biden administrations. Bondi has directed U.S. Attorneys and federal agents to treat these actions as an “ongoing criminal conspiracy,” potentially allowing prosecutors to bypass statutes of limitations and hold high-ranking officials accountable for alleged election interference and civil rights violations. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  child-like illogic. And if you want to jump in and comment on whatever your particular axe to grind is and how disappointed you are that axe did not get ground in 11 months, please refer to the preposterous, child-like illogic mentioned above. https://twitter.com/TonySeruga/status/2005766903579701465?s=20 Look at the structure itself. 435 representatives for more than 300 million citizens. One voice per 700,000 people. The founders envisioned one per 30,000. That ratio was frozen in 1929, locked by the Permanent Apportionment Act, ensuring the number would remain manageable. Manageable for whom? One hundred senators. 535 total legislators controlling the direction of the largest economy in human history. You do not need to purchase a nation. You purchase 535 people. Or fewer. Buy the committee chairs. Fewer still. Buy the leadership. A few dozen individuals, properly leveraged through money or blackmail (it's actually both), steer everything. The bottleneck is artificial. Engineered for efficient capture. The Federal Reserve arrived in 1913, transferring monetary sovereignty from the people to a private banking cartel. That same year, the 17th Amendment removed state legislatures from Senate appointments, severing the balance between federal and state power. The intelligence apparatus emerged after World War II as a parallel government operating beyond electoral accountability. The administrative state metastasized into an unelected fourth branch writing rules with the force of law. Layer upon layer. Each generation inherits chains from contracts they never signed, bound by compromises made long before their birth. Yes, the Founding Fathers intended for the House of Representatives to expand as the population grew. The U.S. Constitution’s Article I, Section 2 established an initial apportionment ratio of no more than one representative per 30,000 inhabitants (with each state guaranteed at least one), implying that the total number would increase based on census results every ten years. the framers expected regular adjustments to maintain proportional representation as the nation expanded.  James Madison, in Federalist No. 58, directly addressed concerns that the House might not grow, arguing that the Constitution’s mechanisms—such as decennial reapportionments—would “augment the number of representatives” over time, and that political incentives (e.g., larger states pushing for increases) would ensure it happened.  This intent is further supported by the proposed (but unratified) Congressional Apportionment Amendment from the original Bill of Rights, which aimed to set a formula preventing the House from becoming too small relative to the population.  However, the House was permanently capped at 435 members by the Apportionment Act of 1929, diverging from this original vision. https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2005740095979069669?s=20   attempt instead chase smaller game, run interference, attack each other, send you down rabbit holes, and offer limited hangouts that lead nowhere. The silence is bipartisan. The silence is the tell. If your enemy acts and your ally does nothing despite holding every lever of power, you do not have two sides. WAIT… THERE'S MORE… https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2005729994782466232?s=20   our walls, with Antifa and radical Islamic terrorist groups still at large, without Trump's people in position, without the public being informed of the treasonous conspiracy, without the wars around the globe being settled, without rogue Deep State elements like Iran's nuclear capabilities being shut down, all while the public are extremely emotionally charged after the election cycle and have been repeatedly brainwashed to believe that Trump is Hitler about to unleash a military dictatorship… There's levels to this shit. Many variables must be accounted for and many pieces must be in place before we can do something of this magnitude. But if you've been paying attention, you'd see that much of these things have already been taken care of over Trump's first year. I'm more optimistic than I've ever been, and frankly I don't understand how people don't see what Trump is doing. The price to pay for striking early, could result in mass civilian casualties, the entire operation will be ruined, the Republic will fall to the Deep State, and all of us will be tax/labor slaves forever. We can't afford to miss. Everything must be perfect, and Trump is putting the pieces into place to make it happen. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys2. Carta3. Archangel and Techstars4. Current trends5. Outlook for investing for 2026Hamza Shad is an insights manager at Carta, where he analyzes data on startups and the venture capital ecosystem. He leads Carta's quarterly State of Pre-Seed report on early-stage companies and has spoken at Startup Grind, 500 Global, SOSV, the World Bank, and more. Previously, Hamza conducted research on entrepreneurship in emerging markets at Endeavor. He holds a bachelor's in economics and political science from the University of Chicago and a master's in international development from University of Oxford. ----Mellie Chow is an Engineer turned Entrepreneur / Operator turned Angel Investor / Venture Capitalist with over 25+ years of experience across multiple industries including telecommunications & cable, utilities & power generation, banking, healthcare, government, and food. She is a Board Advisor at Techstars Toronto Accelerator and a Venture Partner at Archangel Network of Funds, Axion Fund, ventureLAB EIR and University of Delaware - Horn Entrepreneurship - Venture Acceleration Lab mentor. She is also an adjunct professor at New York University SPS and Elizabethtown College of Competitive Product Strategy. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering (University of Waterloo), an MBA (Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management & Schulich). #podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

China has allocated 62.5 billion yuan, or over 8.8 billion U.S. dollars, in ultra-long special treasury bond funds in advance to support the trade-ins of consumer goods for 2026.

Chicago Tribune reporter Jeremy Gorner joins John Williams to break down his new article, co-written with A.D. Quig, on findings that hundreds of Illinois government employees tapped into pandemic relief funds meant for small businesses.

Chicago Tribune reporter Jeremy Gorner joins John Williams to break down his new article, co-written with A.D. Quig, on findings that hundreds of Illinois government employees tapped into pandemic relief funds meant for small businesses.

Chicago Tribune reporter Jeremy Gorner joins John Williams to break down his new article, co-written with A.D. Quig, on findings that hundreds of Illinois government employees tapped into pandemic relief funds meant for small businesses.

*Previously aired episode* Ash Patel goes full-send on authenticity in real estate and social media, calling out clickbait growth hacks and the hollow vanity metrics behind them. He unpacks why “generational funds” and decade-long holds often mask weak deals, and why infinite banking is just expensive life insurance dressed up with fancy marketing. Ash also takes aim at sloppy capital raising, urges investors to prioritize net worth over door count or passive-income theatrics, and shares how being real on LinkedIn helped him move capital quickly. The throughline is simple and spicy: authenticity wins, and anything less will cost you. Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It's free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the end of the year, so we decided to talk about some books we read in 2025 that weren't Pynchon. Of course, we decided to do this after we finished recording a 4+ hour episode for Against the Day, so we were admittedly all a bit spacey. Anyway, hopefully you'll recognize some of these books or come away with some new stuff to add to your never-ending TBR pile.If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneIf you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:As always, thanks so much for listening!Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Merch: mapping-the-zone.myspreadshop.comShow art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit)bradspersecond.com

From mining Bitcoin as a PhD student to running four funds across Asia and beyond — Jademont Zheng of Waterdrip Capital shares why BTCFi, AI, and public equity are the next wave.Zheng breaks down the essentials for anyone tracking crypto venture capital in Asia.

A computer system created by Tyler Technologies failed to distribute property tax funds to local governments. Now, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas says she is using an emergency action to distribute 2.3-billion dollars in property tax funds via a bank-to-bank automated clearing house transaction to 500 Cook County governments to pay their bills. Pappas calls Tyler Technologies' errors "unacceptable".

A computer system created by Tyler Technologies failed to distribute property tax funds to local governments. Now, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas says she is using an emergency action to distribute 2.3-billion dollars in property tax funds via a bank-to-bank automated clearing house transaction to 500 Cook County governments to pay their bills. Pappas calls Tyler Technologies' errors "unacceptable".

A computer system created by Tyler Technologies failed to distribute property tax funds to local governments. Now, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas says she is using an emergency action to distribute 2.3-billion dollars in property tax funds via a bank-to-bank automated clearing house transaction to 500 Cook County governments to pay their bills. Pappas calls Tyler Technologies' errors "unacceptable".

Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak has been convicted of abuse of power and money laundering in the biggest case to emerge from the 1MDB state fund scandal. The seventy-two year old, who is already in jail for other charges linked to 1MDB, is sentenced to a further 15 years. His lawyer says he will appeal. Also: there have been demonstrations outside the Delhi High Court against the decision to suspend a life sentence for rape imposed on a former governing party official, Kuldeep Sengar; heavy rain storms across large parts of California have triggered floods and mudslides and left at least three people dead; President Zelensky says he'll meet President Trump this Sunday to discuss the latest peace plan for Ukraine; and hopes for finding a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Ex-Malaysia PM Najib Razak has been jailed for 15 years for abuse of power and money laundering - Bisi Adebayo looks at the details.Japan approves a record-breaking budget with defence spending at a new high.And we head to to Nigeria, where 'Detty December' is proving to be big business, a point echoed by Nigerian singer and event co-founder Darey Art Alade.

John Cole Scott, President of CEF Advisors, climbs his mountain of data to get a great view on the year ahead, and he's forecasting no recession, lower inflation and modest GDP growth for 2026, with less volatility coming from the rate picture but more market tension due to the global macro picture. Scott, who also serves as chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, also discusses what he sees happening in the closed-end fund industry, from the growth he expects to see in assets to the activism picture, down to what he foresees in leverage, return of capital and more. Plus, he's got five funds he's expecting big things from in the new year.  

Long before World War II, the U.S. forced Native Americans onto reservations. After the Pearl Harbor bombing in 1941, the U.S. forced Japanese Americans into camps. In Arizona, the federal government once again looked to Indian reservations. In part two of his series on World War II internment camps in Arizona, KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has more. None of the eight other internment camps in the U.S. were on tribal lands, so why here in Arizona? UCLA anthropology professor Koji Lau-Ozawa has an answer. “John Collier, who was the commissioner of Indian Affairs at the time, advocated for all of the camps to be put on reservation lands. He thought that the Office of Indian Affairs was well suited to this task of managing these confined racialized populations.” The “Indian New Deal”, as FDR called it, was part of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and tried making amends for past treatment by investing in tribal infrastructure. That was, until the war effort began. “Funds were starting to dry up. This presented an opportunity.” An opportunity to turn Japanese Americans into a source of prison labor to develop tribal resources, as shown by a 1943 propaganda film narrated by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower's brother, Milton, about an internment camp in western Arizona. Brian Niiya says the U.S. embraced a stereotype. “Japanese Americans, with their supposed expertise and farming and agriculture, could help build up the land that would allow for the Native Americans to benefit from – without the consent of the tribes themselves, of course.” Niiya is editor of Densho Encyclopedia, which chronicles the camps' history. Without much legal representation or political clout at that time, the Gila River Indian Community and Colorado River Indian Tribes both tried fighting camp construction, but failed. “Through the Office of Indian Affairs, I think there was just a thought that we could bulldoze our way through.” Once again, today's federal government is butting up against tribal land. The Trump administration's “Alligator Alcatraz” is being built near the Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park. “We're right in the middle of it. We have members that live within 500 feet of the detention center. You know, it's not like this distant thing that it is for a lot of Floridians in Naples or Miami.” Talbert Cypress is chairman of the 600-member Miccosukee Tribe, which brought Alligator Alcatraz to a halt. “We don't go to war anymore with the tomahawk or anything like that. You know, we go to courtrooms now, and we go to meetings with politicians.” (Photo courtesy Maxpixel / Boise City Archives, John Hardy Family Collection, MS084) Children across the country are being raised by relatives or close family friends. The Mountain West News Bureau's Daniel Spaulding has more on a new report highlighting the challenges facing these kinship families, which are more common within Indigenous communities. According to the U.S. Government of Accountability Office (GAO), these households are more likely to experience poverty and mental health issues. Kinship families are common in Mountain West states with high Indigenous populations like New Mexico and Arizona. Kathy Larin at GAO says kin caregiving is an important part of tribal culture, but because many Indigenous caregivers are outside the formal foster care system, they often receive less financial support. “One of the biggest challenges that we heard across the board for grandparents and other relatives that are raising, you know, their relative children is just the financial burden of it.” Larin says states could adopt standards and programs designed to better support kinship families. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling https://www.nativeamericacalling.com/wednesday-december-24-2025-2025-in-native-books/

Episode Summary:In this powerful keynote-turned-podcast from Connect 2025, Marc Canton and Steve Saltzgiver tackle one of the most overlooked but financially devastating issues in fleet management: inadequate fleet replacement planning. Drawing from decades of experience and real-world consulting insights, Steve and Marc make a compelling case for why fleet managers must stop kicking the can down the road.They go beyond the typical capital vs. operating cost debate, diving into the hidden costs of poor replacement planning: technician shortages, downtime, liability risks, and loss of stakeholder trust. Using vivid analogies (like rental car companies and depreciation curves), they break down exactly how aging assets cripple performance, and what to do about it.This is a must-listen episode for government fleets, enterprise organizations, and anyone who feels stuck in the cycle of reactive maintenance. Key Takeaways:Good fleet replacement equals good fleet management. Full stop.Aging assets increase M&R costs, downtime, and liability risk, and reduce availability.The capital cost of an asset is NOT what you paid; it's the purchase price minus resale.Fleets with high replacement backlog (25%+) are in crisis and need immediate intervention.Leadership must be educated on the economics of replacement vs. repair.A strategic, data-backed plan gets stakeholders on board and secures funding. Speaker Bios:Steve Saltzgiver is an award-winning fleet executive and consultant with decades of leadership in both the public and private sectors. Known as the "Fleet Whisperer," Steve helps fleets transform their operations by aligning strategy with data-driven performance.Marc Canton is a fleet management strategist and speaker, passionate about connecting operational excellence to financial outcomes. At RTA, he works closely with government and enterprise fleets to implement impactful fleet success strategies. 

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to return more than $230 million in Homeland Security and FEMA funding that had been withheld from states with sanctuary policies. The judge ruled the cuts were arbitrary and lacked a legal basis, emphasizing the money supports critical public safety and emergency preparedness programs. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gnosis Chain executes a hard fork to recover funds from the Balancer hack. The Ethereum Foundation announces the venue for Devcon 8. And Growthepie adds support for Polygon PoS. Read more: https://ethdaily.io/849 Sponsor: Arkiv is an Ethereum-aligned data layer for Web3. Arkiv brings the familiar concept of a traditional Web2 database into the Web3 ecosystem. Find out more at Arkiv.network Content is for informational purposes only, not endorsement or investment advice. The accuracy of information is not guaranteed.

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links —Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.

You've been doing the “right things” with your money - paying off debt, saving consistently, maybe even investing - but there's a quiet question that keeps coming up: what is all of this actually for? Erin Skye Kelly and Keri Blakeney talk once again with their favourite Money Machine expert, Mel Abraham, to unpack what happens after the debt is gone and why most people misunderstand retirement entirely. If you've ever wondered when your money starts working for you this conversation will change the way you think about building wealth. Find Mel Abraham online here: https://melabraham.com/ Get Mel's book “Building Your Money Machine” here: https://amzn.to/4p7cncf  Join our online community: www.getthehelloutofdebt.com  For more information on Transformation Weekend, visit transformationweekend.ca  Today's episode is brought to you by Quince. Treat yourself to bedding that lasts. Go to quince.com/skye and receive free shipping and 365 day returns.  Thanks to our sponsor, AirDoctor. Get $300 off using the promo code: ERIN when you visit https://airdoctorpro.com/  Leave us a voicemail message here: www.speakpipe.com/erinskyekelly  Purchase Get The Hell Out Of Debt and Naked Money Meetings online or from your favorite bookstore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Real Estate Investing School Podcast, host Joe Jensen sits down with Mike "Big Mike" Zlotnik—CEO of TF Management Group, host of the Big Mike Fund podcast, and author of How to Choose a Smart Real Estate Investment Fund. With over two decades of experience as a passive investor and full-time fund manager since 2009, Mike shares how he navigates market cycles with logic, discipline, and data—not emotion or speculation. He breaks down his core principles for evaluating deals, including cap rate vs. interest rate spreads, discounts to replacement cost, and recognizing signs of distress-driven opportunities in today's commercial market. Joe and Mike also dive into the differences between syndications and funds, the pros and cons of each, and how investors can leverage asymmetric risk opportunities for consistent cash flow and long-term growth. Whether you're a passive investor or active operator, Mike's approach is a masterclass in removing emotion from investing and letting the numbers lead. If you've ever wondered how fund managers evaluate deals, or how to truly protect downside while growing wealth, this episode is packed with tactical insights, timeless principles, and plenty of "Big Mike" wisdom. Book a free real estate investing strategy call! No experience necessary. Check out the Real Estate Investing School Youtube Real Estate Investing School Instagram Brody's Instagram Joe's Instagram Brent's LinkedIn

Most people think wealth is built by picking the right stock, the right deal, or the right time. In reality, wealth is built by understanding the rules of the game before everyone else does. And those rules are changing fast. In this episode, we sit down with Bridger Pennington to break down the new framework for building wealth in a world being reshaped by funds, blockchain, and artificial intelligence. This conversation is about zooming out and seeing what most people miss. How capital actually moves. Why institutions play a different game than individuals. And how everyday investors and entrepreneurs can position themselves on the right side of the biggest financial shift of our lifetime. We unpack how investment funds really work and why they are the preferred vehicle of the ultra-wealthy. Bridger explains how hedge funds, private equity, and real estate funds are far more accessible than people think, and why learning to think like an allocator instead of a lone investor changes everything. We also dive deep into blockchain and crypto beyond the headlines, breaking down real-world use cases, institutional adoption, and why volatility shakes out retail while long-term conviction creates generational upside. This episode also explores how artificial intelligence is accelerating every part of the economy, why multiple technological waves are colliding at once, and what that means for growth, opportunity, and inequality over the next decade. We talk about how to build a portfolio that is resilient through uncertainty, why chasing fast money destroys compounding, and how to approach stocks, crypto, real estate, and alternative investments as one cohesive strategy instead of disconnected bets. This is not about hype or predictions. It is about understanding the systems behind wealth so you can make better decisions with your time, money, and energy. If you want clarity in a noisy world, a higher-level way to think about investing, and a framework that actually holds up as the future unfolds, this episode will stretch how you see money forever.Book your call with Neo Home Loanshttps://www.neoentrepreneurhomeloans.com/wealthjuice/ Book your mentorship discovery call with Cory RESOURCES

Dennis O'Connell, President ERC-3643, sat down with me at Chainlink SmartCon to discuss how the ERC3643 Association, a non-profit organization, is helping to standardize the tokenization market via ERC-3643.Brought to you by ✅ VeChain is a versatile enterprise-grade L1 smart contract platform https://www.vechain.org/

In late 2022, the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) reached a landmark settlement with the estate of Jeffrey Epstein to resolve its civil racketeering claims under the territory's Criminally Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (CICO), which is similar to a RICO statute. The government, led by then-Attorney General Denise George, had argued that Epstein's estate and associated entities used his properties and corporate structures in the territory as tools in a criminal enterprise that enabled sex trafficking, sexual servitude, and fraud. Under the settlement, the estate agreed to pay $105 million in cash and turn over half of the proceeds from the sale of Little St. James — Epstein's infamous private island where many crimes allegedly occurred — to the USVI. The agreement also included payment of roughly $450,000 for environmental remediation on another Epstein-owned island, and the estate pledged to wind down operations in the territory and provide documents to assist ongoing investigations. No admission of liability was made by the estate or its co-executors.As part of the settlement framework, the USVI government earmarked proceeds to benefit survivors and the territory more broadly. Funds from the island sale were designated for a trust to support local victims of sexual abuse, trafficking, and misconduct, as well as for counseling, advocacy, law enforcement, and public safety programs. The settlement also required the return of more than $80 million in economic development tax benefits that Epstein's companies had allegedly fraudulently obtained to fuel his enterprise. While the deal brought one major chapter of litigation to a close, some observers noted that it concluded without full discovery or depositions that might have further exposed details of Epstein's network and enablers — a point of lingering frustration among critics despite the financial restitution achieved.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

EUROPE SCROUNGES FOR FUNDS AMID RUSSIAN ASSET DISPUTES Colleague Michael Bernstam. The UK threatens to seize proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC for Ukraine aid, while the EU struggles to finance a $135 billion shortfall for Kyiv. European leaders propose leveraging frozen Russian assets for loans, but financial markets remain skeptical of the EU's ability to guarantee such debt. NUMBER 15 1963

A recent study found that 42% of American adults lack an emergency fund. In this Greatest Hit of 2025, Art breaks down the study, uncovering other surprising statistics about emergency savings and sharing essential tips on what not to use your emergency fund for.

NATO AND EU SEEK DEFENSE FUNDS AMID FEARS OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION Colleague Anatol Lieven. European nations like Finland are demanding funds to counter perceived Russian threats, despite a lack of historical aggression toward them. Lieven argues that plans to spend billions on tanks are misguided, as the Ukraine war demonstrates that expensive armor is easily destroyed by cheaper drones and defensive lines. NUMBER 2 1897 BRUSSELS

This episode is for the girl who is waiting, & waiting, …& waiting for her dreams to come true.  The girls are joined by Holly Scurry Todd whose story will inspire you, give you hope, & keep you on the edge of the seat. Whether you're waiting for marriage or something else, this episode is for you. As always, dm us w questions.  We love you holy babes,  Laura & Nico Please consider supporting the mission of Call Her Holy at  https://venmo.com/u/callherholy . Funds from your donations go directly toward changing out overheating cameras, filming & editing of the podcast, & other costs associated with podcast production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Security Hour with Col. Mike and Dr. Mike – The paper calls for enhanced security in the Western Hemisphere to build economic cooperation, create stronger democracies, and remove foreign influences. This plan amounts to a reinvigoration of the early 19th Century's Monroe Doctrine, which has been dead for at least half a century. Originally designed to prevent European efforts to...

It's … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today's episode: Nvidia chips OK'd for China, a sticky frozen Russian asset situation, and a lot of you seem to be stealing from self-checkout. Related episodes: The tower of NVIDIA How to get Russia to pay Ukraine Why the U.S. cut China off from advanced chipsFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez and Corey Bridges. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Whistleblower Allegations Over 400 employees from the Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services claim they warned Governor Walz about the fraud early but faced retaliation instead of cooperation. Allegations include monitoring, threats, and discrediting of fraud reports. Nature of the Fraud Fraud reportedly involved members of the Somali diaspora misappropriating millions from Medicaid autism programs. Funds allegedly sent overseas to terrorist organizations like Al-Shabaab. Nearly 100 autism clinics investigated for fraudulent billing. Political Dimension Walz ignored the issue for political gain, citing the Somali community’s voting power. Democrats were prioritizing votes over accountability. Media Criticism Mainstream media downplayed the scandal. NBC’s interview with Walz was “softball” at best, allowing him to deflect blame and attack Donald Trump. Governor’s Response Walz acknowledges responsibility for prosecuting offenders but rejects demonizing an entire community. Minnesota’s prosperity and social programs were blaming federal cuts for oversight challenges. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast and Verdict with Ted Cruz Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.