Podcasts about goldilocks

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HDTV and Home Theater Podcast
Podcast #1222: Five Highly Rated 55 Inch TVs Under $500

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2025 40:53


On this week's show we recommend five 55” TVs for less than $500 that will give you the best bang for your buck! We also read your emails and take a look at some of the week's news. News: Anker opens pre-orders for its Nebula X1 Pro projector system Amazon unveils a new Fire TV lineup, including the $40 Fire TV Stick 4K Select TiVo Exiting Legacy DVR Business Walmart's Onn 4K Pro Google TV Streaming Device is On Sale At Its Lowest Price Ever Other: DIY Surround Sound... USING LASERS! Signal GH Highly Rated 55 Inch TVs Under $500  This week we scoured the Internet for best bang for the buck TVs that would work in a typical family room. For this criteria we landed on 55” as it is, in our opinion, the Goldilocks size. We read reviews from sites like RTINGS, CNET, Tom's Guide, and What Hi-Fi? To select five models that have something for everyone. All the TVs are 4K smart TVs with good picture quality, HDR support, and gaming features.  All Models Available at Amazon Here's a comparison of the top-rated options: TCL QM6K (QLED Mini-LED)  55-inch ~$445 at Amazon   CNET: 8.6 out of 10 RTINGS: 7.1 out of 10 overall  Tom's Guide: 4 out 5 144Hz refresh rate, local dimming for deep blacks, Google TV OS, VRR/AMD FreeSync for gaming, Dolby Vision HDR. Best all-around budget TV; excels in brightness, color vibrancy, and motion handling for movies/gaming—rivals pricier models without blooming issues. Hisense QD7QF (QLED)  55-inch ~$350 at Amazon   CNET: 8 out of 10  RTINGS: 6.8/10 Full-array local dimming, 144Hz VRR, Dolby Vision/Atmos, Google TV, twice the brightness of most budget rivals. Unmatched contrast and immersion for the price; ideal for dark-room viewing and gaming, with solid upscaling for streaming. Roku Plus Series (QLED Mini-LED) 55-inch $400 at Amazon Tom's Guide: 4 out of 5 WIRED: Best Smart TV  Mini-LED backlight, quantum dots for color pop, Roku OS (simple streaming), HDR10+, 60Hz with low lag.  Easiest interface for casual users; great value for vibrant colors and decent blacks—perfect for bright rooms and Roku fans. Hisense U6K (Mini-LED) 55-inch ~450 at Amazon  RTINGS: 7.4 out of 10|  Tom's Guide: 4.5 out of 5 Quantum dots, local dimming, 60Hz Game Mode, VIDAA OS, Dolby Vision, Affordable entry to Mini-LED tech; strong HDR performance and shadow detail—beats basic LEDs in contrast without extras. Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED 55-inch $410 at Amazon What Hi-Fi?: 4 out of 5;  RTINGS: 7.6 out of 10  Local dimming, Alexa voice control, Fire TV OS, Dolby Vision, wide color gamut | Balanced for smart home integration; solid contrast and app ecosystem—best for Amazon Prime users wanting a compact, feature-rich set.

Money Matters with Wes Moss
The American Dream Reset: Retirement Costs, Inflation, and Savings Strategies

Money Matters with Wes Moss

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2025 45:41


Curious how today's costs, inflation trends, and shifting expectations are shaping the American Dream? Join Wes Moss and Christa DiBiase on the Retire Sooner Podcast as they provide context on financial headlines, explore common planning questions, and share research-informed insights for your retirement journey. • Explore the discussion around what it may take to reach the American Dream and whether a $5 million lifetime target is a realistic benchmark. • Review how inflation has historically influenced the stock market and why the concept of a “Goldilocks zone” may be relevant for long-term investors. • Compare how inflation can affect different categories of stocks, including dividend-paying and growth-oriented companies. • Discuss what pursuing a CFP designation or considering a late-stage career shift into financial planning might involve. • Consider how high-yield bond ETFs are typically viewed in the marketplace and why “junk bonds” continue to spark debate among investors. • Examine different ways couples might think about retirement savings benchmarks—whether by age-based charts or total household goals. • Illustrate the role of compound growth in both saving and investing when working toward retirement readiness. • Highlight factors to weigh when assessing whether to maintain or drop life insurance as retirement approaches, including debt, dependents, and overall assets. • Outline new Secure 2.0 provisions that allow certain 529 plan funds to be redirected to Roth IRAs for children. • Showcase how automation and behavioral systems can encourage consistent savings habits across different income levels and career stages. Every financial situation is unique, but gaining context can help make more informed choices. Listen now and subscribe to the Retire Sooner Podcast for ongoing conversations that keep you engaged with today's retirement and financial planning landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Clark Howard Podcast
10.07.25 Ask An Advisor With Wes Moss

The Clark Howard Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2025 43:17


Is Inflation Good or Bad for the Market? and the $5 Million Dollar American Dream The market loves a "Goldilocks" environment, but what is the magic number for inflation that delivers the highest stock returns? Wes dives into the data to show how inflation rates directly impact your portfolio. Also, Investopedia put a price tag on the American Dream, but Wes has a reality check. Find out what you need to earn over your working career to afford a home, raise kids, pay for college, and reach the "Green Zone" in retirement. Plus, Christa shares your #AskWes questions and Wes gives his take. All this and more on the October 7, 2025, Ask an Advisor episode of the Clark Howard podcast. Submit your questions at clark.com/ask. We hope you enjoy our weekly Ask An Advisor episodes, in which Christa and Wes discuss investing and retirement savings in depth. Let us know what you think in the comments! Learn more about Wes:  BOOKS BY WES MOSS   Wes Moss, CFP®  Wes Moss - Clark.com Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Questionable Material with Jack & Brian
Zohran Mamdani's Goldilocks

Questionable Material with Jack & Brian

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2025 55:08


Brian is no Andrew Tate. Jack is, because he's a misogynist. Jack reads for the audiobook Goldilocks by Zohran Mamdani. Jack was at Brian's wife's birthday party and things happened and then he roasted Brian's wife.  Jack reads for the audiobook Tina The Assassin. Brian's son's letter from Marine Corps boot camp. Jack reads for the audiobook Training Your Dog. qmpodcast.com

The Third Wave
Fleet Maull, Ph.D. - Radical Embodiment: Neuro-Somatic Mindfulness & Psychedelics

The Third Wave

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2025 61:09


In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin sits down with meditation teacher and social entrepreneur Dr. Fleet Maull to explore how Neuro-Somatic Mindfulness (NSM) intersects with psychedelic therapy. Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-324/?ref=278  Fleet shares his journey from a 14-year federal prison sentence—where he founded the first prison hospice program and led daily meditation groups—to developing NSM, a radically embodied, neuroscience- and trauma-informed approach to practice. He explains how NSM trains five key brain networks, why embodiment quiets a noisy mind more reliably than “thinking about” the breath, and how pairing NSM with ketamine or psilocybin can help shift insights from state to trait. The conversation offers a grounded roadmap for practitioners and seekers who want deeper stability, safety, and integration in expanded-state work. Fleet Maull, PhD, CMT-P is an author, meditation teacher, mindset coach, and social entrepreneur working at the intersection of personal and social transformation. He is the founder & CEO of Heart Mind Institute, which integrates Western science with contemplative wisdom across trauma healing, resilience, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, and conscious entrepreneurship. While serving a 14-year federal sentence (1985–1999), he founded Prison Mindfulness Institute and National Prison Hospice Association, catalyzing national movements in contemplative rehabilitation and end-of-life care. A senior Dharma teacher in Tibetan Buddhism and a Zen Roshi, Dr. Maull developed Neuro-Somatic Mindfulness (NSM), a deeply embodied, trauma-informed practice for healing and awakening. *This October 14–19, 2025, Paul will also co-host Heart Mind Institute's free online Microdosing & Psychedelic Retreats Summit, featuring 35+ global leaders including Paul Stamets, Deepak Chopra, and James Fadiman. Register free via the links below. Highlights Why embodiment beats “thinking about” the breath Prison as practice: hospice, service, and sobriety What is Neuro-Somatic Mindfulness (NSM)? DMN vs. task-positive network in practice Training five neural networks for resilience From state to trait: integration by design NSM with low-dose ketamine: retreat outcomes Rigidity, chaos, and the Goldilocks zone Episode Links FleetMaull.com: https://www.fleetmaull.com/ Heart Mind Institute: https://www.heartmind.co/ Microdosing & Psychedelic Retreats Summit (Free Registration):  https://thethirdwave.co/wp/?bwfan-link-trigger=9662151721791b9c6c99a7d8adb5929c  Episode Sponsors: The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave's Psychedelic Coaching Institute. Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout

ITM Trading Podcast
Gold & Stocks Hit Record Highs - The Warning Shot Not Seen Since 1970s

ITM Trading Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2025 24:12


“It's a phenomenon unseen since the 70s when inflation and economic upheaval followed close behind,” says Joel Litman, chief investment strategist at Altimetry.Gold and U.S. stocks are both rallying, a rare alignment that reflects a unique market environment. “You can have a situation where gold does very well because every other part of the world has turbulence and crises… and yet still have the S&P 500… doing very, very well because they're driven by earnings and profits, not necessarily what's happening from the rest of the world,” Litman explains.With hundreds of stocks doubling this year alone, he calls it a “Goldilocks for gold and stocks” scenario, highlighting opportunities for investors to balance safe-haven assets with high-growth U.S. equities. “You say, all right, so I have some of my portfolio in gold and some of my portfolio in stocks that are doubling,” Litman concludes, underscoring a historic moment for markets.✅ FREE RESOURCESDownload The Private Wealth Playbook — a data-backed guide to strategically acquiring gold and silver for maximum protection, privacy, and performance. Plus, get Daniela Cambone's Top 10 Lessons to safeguard your wealth (FREE)

The #PrettyAwkward Entrepreneur Podcast
Launch Debrief 2025: How I Closed $96,357 with 3 Warm-Up Events (Exact Numbers, Conversion Rates, and What I'd Repeat)

The #PrettyAwkward Entrepreneur Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2025 48:42


In this episode of Business, Not As Usual, I'm pulling back the curtain on my most recent Distinctive Edge launch—numbers, takeaways, and what actually worked. I'm walking you through the full debrief: how we brought in $96,357 in total sales, the breakdown between my new and continuing clients, where leads came from, and how three key warm-up events all played a role in conversions. I share the exact stats: from the perfect 10/10 Base and VIP split to which offers converted best, and why this launch felt easier, calmer, and more effective than ever. We'll talk about how long it really takes someone to buy, why “Goldilocks-level teaching” is the secret to a strong conversion event, and how low-ticket offers can fast-track trust for higher-ticket programs (when done right). You'll also hear my honest emotional take on this round: what it was like launching while solo parenting twins for nine days, how I prepped everything early, and why letting go of perfection made this one of my most peaceful launches to date. If you love behind-the-scenes strategy mixed with a little real-life chaos, this one's for you. Mentioned in this episode: The Distinctive Edge Waitlist — DM “EDGE” or join the waitlist here: https://meganyelaney.com/tde Framework Workshop Replay: https://meganyelaney.com/framework-masterclass 10K Month Strategy Guide (Free): https://meganyelaney.com/10k-months-strategy Business Story Blueprint (Free): https://meganyelaney.com/business-story-blueprint   

Soul Renovation - With Adeline Atlas
Goldilocks and the Three Bears — Trespassing, Testing, and Energetic Boundaries

Soul Renovation - With Adeline Atlas

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2025 9:52


Adeline Atlas 11 X Published AUTHOR Digital Twin: Create Your AI Clone: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/y375cbxn⁠⁠⁠⁠SOS: School of Soul Vault: Full Access ALL SERIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.soulreno.com/joinus-202f0461-ba1e-4ff8-8111-9dee8c726340⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/soulrenovation/⁠⁠⁠⁠Soul Renovation - BooksSoul Game - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/vay2xdcp⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Play:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/2eh584jf⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Play: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/2ad4msf3⁠⁠⁠⁠Digital Soul:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3hk29s9x⁠⁠⁠⁠Every Word: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.soulreno.com/every-word⁠⁠⁠⁠Drain Me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde5fnf4⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rabbit Hole: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3swnmxfj⁠⁠⁠⁠Spanish Editions:Every Word: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/ytec7cvc⁠⁠⁠⁠Drain Me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3jv4fc5n⁠⁠⁠⁠

Who's That Girl? A New Girl Podcast
S5 E10 - Goosebumps Walkaway

Who's That Girl? A New Girl Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2025 63:34


This podcast covers New Girl Season 5, Episode 10, Goosebumps Walkaway, which originally aired on March 8, 2016 and was written by Berkeley Johnson and directed by Trent O'Donnell. Here's a quick recap of the episode:Jess is back and Reagan helps her find her missed connection! Meanwhile, Schmidt is learning to “let loose”.This episode got a 9/10 rating from both Kritika and Kelly; Kritika's favorite character was Winston and Kelly's favorite was Nick.Episode Sections:(00:00) Welcome (01:33) Episode Recap: Dancing(11:47) Episode Recap: Reagan Leaving and Finding Jess's Juror(41:48) Schmidtism(43:36) Pop Culture(47:24) Guest Stars(50:48) Trivia & Fun Facts + Bear Hunt(54:10) Rating & Favorite Character(56:49) SpoilersWhile not discussed in the podcast, we noted other references in this episode including:Goldilocks - When Reagan finds Jess in her bed, Jess explains that she "went full Goldilocks" because the bed looked so good."The Humpty Dance" / Digital Underground - This song by the group Digital Underground played in the dance class Winston took Schmidt and Cece to.Golden Girls Theme Song - Jess sings a version of this song with different lyrics to Reagan. 800-Pound Gorilla / Elephant in the Room - When trying to get Jess and Reagan to talk about his past with both of them, Nick confuses the phrase "800-pound gorilla" with "elephant in the room."Beijing Opening Ceremony - Schmidt mentions that he will call his "Beijing Opening Ceremonies contact" to learn a new wedding dance instead of taking a dance class. ()Pat Sajak - When referring to a designer named "Lawrence of Brentwood," Jess says he sounds like a sponsor at the end of a game show, like "Pat Sajak's wardrobe furnished by Lawrence of Brentwood." Time Warp - Schmidt hangs up on Jess while saying that someone is "desecrating the Time Warp" at the dance class.Cookie Monster - Winston compares Jess and Gary on the news to "Cookie Monster's parents" because of their muffled voices. Zuul - After being told that she and Gary sounded great on television, Jess jokingly says she wants to be remembered as "blurry and talking like Zuul." Thanks for listening and stay tuned for Episode 10 Bonus Episode!Music: "Hotshot” by ⁠scottholmesmusic.com⁠Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ or email us at ⁠whosthatgirlpod@gmail.com⁠!Website: ⁠https://smallscreenchatter.com/⁠

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
Saturday, October 4, 2025 - The lore and the allure of LORELEI

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2025 14:51


This was an enthralling Goldilocks of a Saturday crossword: not too hard, not too easy, but just right. For that we can thank Ryan McCarty, edited by the seemingly indefatigable Will Shortz. There were oodles of great clues in the grid, and we have the full analysis right here - so please download, listen up, and enjoy!Show note imagery: an ELAND, trying to calculate how much it should charge in exchange for letting the NYTimes use his name in the crossword. We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

#DoorGrowShow - Property Management Growth
DGS 309: Property Management Pricing Principles that Innovate

#DoorGrowShow - Property Management Growth

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2025 24:47


If you've ever worried that changing your pricing structure or raising your fees would scare away your property management clients, you are likely not making enough money for the work you and your team are doing. In this episode of the #DoorGrowShow, property management growth experts Jason and Sarah Hull dive into the psychology and strategy behind the innovative 3-tier hybrid pricing model.  You'll Learn [01:08] Addressing the Common Fears of Changing Pricing [09:10] Creating 3 Pricing Tiers Based on Psychology [16:58] Shifting Your Mindset Surrounding Money [21:12] Distinguishing Your 3 Pricing Plans Quotables “Unless you want to be the cheapest and deliver the most cutthroat, like awful service, and just target the cheapest owners, which have the highest operational cost and the lowest margins, and just hemorrhage money and not be able to grow your business, that's the game you can play.” “That psychological impact of investing in yourself financially, doing something to financially invest in leveling up you and your business creates this unconscious perception that… you are worth being invested in.” “If you have good pricing, you have a really optimized pricing model, and you know how to sell it, it actually changes your portfolio. It incentivizes you having better properties.” Resources DoorGrow and Scale Mastermind DoorGrow Academy DoorGrow on YouTube DoorGrowClub DoorGrowLive Transcript Jason Hull (00:00) What would happen   if you doubled your pricing and half of your clients quit. well, then nothing would happen. Nothing would change. then I say, what would happen to your operational costs?   All right, we are coming to you from Mexico. We are Jason Hull and Sarah Hull, the owners of DoorGrow, the world's leading and most comprehensive coaching and consulting firm for long-term residential property management entrepreneurs. For over a decade and a half, we have brought innovative strategies and optimization to the property management industry. At DoorGrow, we have spoken to thousands of property management business owners, coached, consulted, and cleaned up hundreds of businesses.   helping them at doors, improve pricing, increase profit, simplify operations, and build and replace teams. At DoorGrow, we believe that good property managers can change the world and that property management is the ultimate high trust gateway to real estate deals, relationships, and residual income. At DoorGrow, we are on a mission to transform property management business owners and their businesses. We want to transform the industry, eliminate the BS, build awareness, change perception, expand the market, and help the best property management entrepreneurs win.   Now let's get into the show. All right. So we're going to be chatting about what today? Pricing. A little bit about pricing. we have coached and consulted property managers on pricing for a long time, like over a decade. And we've brought some innovative strategies. Like we were first to bring to market really and push   into the industry the three tier sort of pricing model having three plans. And this was based on the psychology that there's three types of buyers, cheapos, normals and premiums. You know who they are, right? You've dealt with them. And so, and then more recently in our evolution, we've been pushing a hybrid model. I got that idea originally from Scott Brady. Shout out to Scott, smart guy. And we innovated on that and developed   our own model for clients to make that really effective. And so this is something that we've coached quite a few people on. we consistently see some challenges come up over switching their pricing. first, what are some of the fears or concerns that come up, About switching pricing? Yeah. Everyone's always worried, oh my god, what if I lose all of my clients? Right. I'm going to change my pricing, and everyone's going to leave me. And we've helped a lot do that.   they lost all their clients. No, it never happens. It never happens. No, if they lose any, it's typically their worst clients. And then they end up finding that that was a blessing. Yeah. So they end up making money by getting rid of those and they're charging more money. So really they're increasing their revenue. So a lot of times to get them over that hurdle, I usually use this example. I say, What would happen   if you doubled your pricing and half of your clients quit. Like we did something crazy and extreme. So we go to the extreme. And what do people usually say at first? well, then nothing would happen. Nothing would change. I'm like, really? So then I have to ask deeper questions. So what do mean nothing would happen? Well, I'd still bring in the same amount of revenue. I've doubled my price, half the clients quit. I still have the same revenue. And then I say, what would happen to your operational costs? So they start thinking.   So you probably already figuring this out right now, listening to this. So what would happen to your operational costs? They'll say, it'd be cut in half. I'm like, would it? If you lost all of your worst properties and worst owners, like the most difficult, what would happen to your operational costs? It would probably be a fraction, because this is the 80-20 rule, right? 20 % of the properties, 20 % of your owners are eating up 80 % of your team and staff's attention. And so it might be a lot greater than that.   And so what would happen then to your profit margin? then they start to figure this out, right? And they say, look, we're not gonna do something that extreme. We're not gonna go that extreme. But if we raise your revenue a bit and we decrease your operational cost a bit without changing anything else, even if you lose some clients, you're going to have more profit. That's what actually matters. So that's one of the first initial things. It's just a mindset thing. And some are really afraid, like my owners won't.   They won't go for it. Like, I can't do it. No, I can't change the price and then they'll all leave. And that, I've noticed, it's very scarcity mindset. Right? Your owners aren't with you because you charged the least amount of money, hopefully. And if that's why you have clients is because you're the cheapest one, then that tells me that you have a lot of the cheap clients and you have a lot of clients that don't actually value you or your team.   or your services or anything that you do. And that feels like a really impossible game to win. Because then to win the game, all you have to do is just be the cheapest one. So there's another company that comes along and says, you know what? I'm going to be even cheaper. Well, what's going to happen? You'll lose almost all of your clients then. If it's only about the money, you'll lose almost all of your clients. And the only way to win that is what? A race to the bottom. That is nowhere to be in business.   And so some of the other challenges we deal with when helping our clients figure out their pricing, you know, we give them everything. We're like, here is how to do this weird hybrid model. Here are the things to include in your three plans. Here is a spreadsheet to figure out and compare to your competitors pricing to make sure you're in the realm of reality. We give them all the stuff and then they'll come back to us sometimes with what? A mess. Yeah.   It's like they don't and we have a training we have a training called pricing secrets where we explain all this and the principles that you need to make sure you're aligned with to make sure it's effective and then we'll get this really overly complex complicated messy model where they've got every fee is a different dollar amount for each of the three plans and so somebody looking at this would be like this one is a percentage and that one is a dollar amount and that one's back to a percentage and that one's so then in order for someone to   look at that and go, well, what would this actually cost me? It is now this very complex math formula that the further you go down your pricing sheet, the more math you have to do. You have to go, okay, well, this percent of that number, but now plus this flat fee and now, it's another percent of a different number. And then it's going to take you minutes to try to calculate what is my actual cost on this one plan? And then you have to do that three times because you have three different plans.   then it's so complex that it's hard to understand, it's hard to explain, and it's definitely going to be hard for people to sell, which means it's going to have a really low adoption rate. And then it's going to be something, well, that didn't work. It didn't work because it was too complex. So we need to find the balance. I don't want it to be so simple that it's just, you know, we charge 8%. But I don't want it to be so complex that   Someone just easily by looking at it can't go, okay, I have a pretty good gist of how much this is actually going to run. Yeah. We have an advantage too, because you know, there's concerns. There's concerns. Like everybody's like, well, we can't talk about pricing because of the antitrust stuff and NARPM rules and all this kind of stuff and it's collusion. So what's cool is I'm not a property manager. I'm not anymore. You're not a property manager.   We can talk about pricing with anybody. And so when we're coaching our clients, we can talk about their pricing. We're not colluding. And so we have that advantage that we can coach and help. that not just that, but we have a pretty good idea of what pricing, because the hundreds, the thousands of property managers that we've talked to over the last decade and a half, we have a perspective. Like I can pretty much know based on...   market or when you tell me the average rent, like where pricing should be, what is normal, what other companies are probably charging that market. We still tell our clients to do some competitive research and analysis to figure out what their competitors are charging. Cause that helps them feel more comfortable with pricing. And one of the key things I've noticed is they'll pay attention to, I mean, there's really only two types of pricing that really matter in each market. It's the most expensive company.   and the cheapest. The middle's the fuzzy gray area where it doesn't matter. Your pricing isn't really the issue where you're not really competing effectively on price. But if you're the most expensive, people trust and expect and believe that you're the best, which is a great place to compete and be. If you are the cheapest, then that's a hard game to play. And so we're usually coaching our clients, don't play the game of trying to be   the cheapest company in your market. That's not a fun place to be business-wise. And it's really difficult to deliver great service. And so unless you want to be the cheapest and deliver the most cutthroat, like awful service, and just target the cheapest owners, which have the highest operational cost and the lowest margins, and just hemorrhage money and not be able to grow your business, that's the game you can play, but that's not the game we coach our clients on playing.   So we teach them how to be perceived as the best in their market, and how to compete as the best in their market. And pricing is one of those psychological indicators that buyers look at to figure out, they going to be good? Are they better than the other guys? Are they the best? And so there's a lot of psychology that goes into pricing, which is how we kind of deal with it. Any other issues we should touch on that we notice with clients with pricing? So you.   In short, what Sarah was talking about is we need to make sure the pricing is easy for them to make a distinction between the three plan options, if you have the three plans, and it's not overly complicated so that they don't have to do a bunch of math to figure out which plan should I choose and which one's going to be best. And it's obvious. it's not going to be based. The thing I've noticed lately though is a lot of clients, when they get into the pricing, they mistakenly think the three plans are based on   It's based on money and it's not psychologically the premium buyers don't care as much about money the cheapos do and so the plans are not based on money and so if they what they're trying to make different in each of the three plans is dollar amounts so like if you spend more on our plan you get discounts on all these individual fees and that is that the most premium clients that are premium buyers don't care about discounts they're not worried about the money and so I know when a property manager is presenting pricing like this   they're a cheapo. They're in that category. They're viewing everything through the lens of money instead of being taken care of a premium service or status or what premium buyers look for. And so that's the other blind spot or challenge we've noticed in pricing is that in order for us to coach clients effectively, often we have to figure out which of the three types of buyers they are and what their inherent blind spot is and get them and if they're a cheapo, which is why they have cheap pricing and they're not getting   enough and they're not being taken care of well enough by their business, we have to get them to change their mindset and get them to stretch and stop asking for discounts and coupon codes and get them to be somebody that is willing to spend full price so they expect others to be willing to pay for a service full price. And that's a bigger challenge. Yes. So essentially what we get to do is figure out where they're at so that we can help kind of coach them on the opposite. Because it's hard for   a cheapo buyer to understand the premium buyer because they're just not in that mindset. the opposite is true. The premium buyers, they don't understand the cheapo buyers at all. Like, don't understand why you can't just pay, why are you so worried about $10? I don't understand why that's an issue. I mean, you spend $10 and you shouldn't have to think about it. I don't know why that's an issue. usually where the meat in the middle is kind of that middle plan.   So I think a lot of people get their middle plan dialed in really well, and then they struggle with their opposite. And that's, think, sometimes why they get a little bit stuck on their pricing. Because they're either trying to do too much with it, they're making everything really complex, they're not really understanding the opposite type of buyer that they are.   That's okay, don't fully have to understand that when you have your coaches to lean back on. The question we get most of the time, what do I put my premium plan? What am I supposed to do in a premium plan? I don't know. Should I do this? Should I discount? Should I add this? What would I put in the premium plan? And that tells me that if that's where they're struggling, it just means that they haven't...   really adopted that psychology of premium buyer yet. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're cheapo. I think it just means that they're perhaps in the normal category. Because same thing, if you're a normal buyer, it's going to be hard for you to understand the premium, and then it will probably also be hard for you to understand cheapo. So I usually compare it. This is, I think, an analogy people can kind of understand, is when you go to book a flight.   So right now we're in Mexico. If we go, hey, instead of going back to Austin, let's go to California and visit Jason's family. Okay. Well then we need a flight from Mexico to California. How would we do that? We would go and book, right? But when you book, there's different ways to book a flight. You can just go right to the airline. You can go on Google flights, or you can go like, what are those, know, kayak and the discount prices. So.   Maybe you're thinking, okay, I'll get a last minute ticket and we won't get to sit together, but it's okay. They could throw me. How many times have you heard people say this? they could throw me in the baggage compartment. I   Right? Because they're like, I am just trying to pay the least amount of money and still get the thing that I'm looking for. So the cheaper buyers like that, they're like, hey, I want the discount code. I'll do the red eye overnight. I'll do the early morning. I don't care if I have to wake up at 2 AM for like a 430 flight. I'm OK with that. I'll sit way in the back. We don't need to sit together. I'll pay for my baggage as extra. I just won't pack baggage. It's OK.   Like I'll shove everything in a carry-on. That's one way to book it. Or the other way to book it is, I'm just gonna go and do the search and then whatever looks like a decent option for a decent price, I'll book that. Or the other option is, I want to make sure that this is the most convenient and easy thing for me. So if there are multiple flights at different times,   Sometimes the early flights might be a little bit less expensive than a flight midday So someone might go yeah, the midday flight is more expensive However, the midday flight means I don't need to be up at 2 in the morning 3 in the morning 4 in the morning and I would rather pay more money so that I don't need to be up at 4 a.m. That's a trade-off   I would rather buy the first class seat because then I know for sure I'm going to be in first class. I'll get the premium snacks or I'll get a meal. I might get a hot towel. I will be more taken care of. I know that I will have more room. I'll get to board first. I'll get to get off first. And they know that they're taken care of. And they're OK to spend more money because they know that they will be taken care of. So depending on what psychology you have, that will probably be.   how you decide to make many, if not all, of your purchasing decisions. Yeah, so I think our advantage, you know, some people have grown up as a premium buyer. They grew up in a premium sort of silver spoon in their mouth environment. That's not me. It's not you. Not me either. Right? Some people have grown up in a really, really cheapo environment, right? And...   And so the challenge is that kind of creates this inherent blind spot. The advantage I feel that you and I have as coaches is one, we've been in the cheap environment. I remember my mom like packing cans of food when we would take a vacation because, and cereal, because she wanted to make sure we had, you know, supplies and food to eat rather than going, doing expensive stuff, right? Which is just funny to think about, right? Now.   Me and my brothers, joke about this. So I think the advantage is we've been all three and we now are, you know, we're hanging out in Mexico, we're having a very premium sort of buyer experience and I don't even think about what things cost. I don't think about the money, I just think about what experience I want to have and so, you know, there's been that shift. But I can empathize and connect and go back to understanding how a cheapo thinks or how in more normal.   buy our things. But in general, my default is I'm not really thinking about the expensive things. I'm thinking about what am I going to get and how is it going to help? Because there's a lot of things we do that make us a lot more money than they cost, even though they're very expensive. And so one of the things that helped me to do that, and I don't know about you, but one of the things that's really helped me shift my mindset was getting high ticket coaches. It's getting coaches that could help me.   I was investing and spending of what I felt like was a lot of money. And we're not cheap at DoorGro, right? We're, some would say very expensive, but I was spending money and then I was getting a return. I was getting a return on that investment with coaches and that psychological impact of investing in yourself financially, doing something to financially invest in leveling up you and your business creates this unconscious perception that   you are worth being people spending money on. You are worth being invested in. And it's difficult to go to your clients and try to convince them and make, you feel like they, want them to give you money and invest in you when you won't even invest in yourself. This is a big deal. And so if this is one of the things that not only can we help you with the, the, some of the money mindset, but just by investing or joining a program like Door Grows Mastermind, that's going to...   be a strong signal to you that you have invested in yourself and it puts a little pressure on you that you now need to perform and get a return from this. You've got to take action. And the bigger piece is though is we give you clarity because if you don't have clarity and that's what coaches do they give you clarity which shortens the path to get to the result. Otherwise you're experimenting, you're testing out growth strategies, you're trying different things, you're wasting time, you're wasting money, you're wasting energy.   You're wasting all your different currencies, time, energy, focus, cash, and effort. And so if we can help you collapse time on that, you get to an ROI faster. You get money faster. And it's very easy to offset thousands of dollars a month even in property management. It's very easy. That could be 10 new doors, 20 new doors. And we have some clients doing that on a monthly basis. They're adding doors once they get their engines installed and work with us on growth.   And so it's very easy for us to offset the cost of our program, which is why we're one of the few programs or coaches or vendors in the property management space that doesn't have an annual contract or an annual term or an annual agreement. We're month among. We earn our place. We don't need to get people to sign on the dotted line that they're committed to us for a year and force them to stay with us. Clients stay with us for years.   because we get them an ROI, we make them more money. It's like it's a no brainer and that's what good investments should be. They should give you an ROI. So if you wanna level up your mindset, level up your pricing, make more money, make it easier to work in your business, then reach out to DoorGrow. We can help you out. So I'd like to mention our sponsor for this episode. Speaking of making things easier and better.   So let me tell you a little bit about Blanket. Very cool, very cool client retention platform. So Blanket is a property retention and growth platform that helps property managers stop losing doors. It's not just about what you bring in, it's about what you also keep. So decreasing churn. Add more revenue and increase the number of properties they manage. Wow your clients with a branded investor dashboard.   and an off-market marketplace while your team gets all the tools they need to identify owners at risk of churning. They're thinking about leaving you. It has indicators and powerful systems to help you add more doors. This is something we want all of our clients to use. I think it's a brilliant system and platform. I've hung out with Lior, the CEO, a blanket, really great guy. I believe in their product. think it is something that we're always focused on the front end. We're focused on growth.   but a lot of times we don't focus on the retention, the backend, and even if a client sells a property, Blanket will help you keep that property in your portfolio and get another one of your owners to own that property. That's how it's really a brilliant system, so check it out. Okay, so back to talking about pricing. Any other things we should touch on before wrapping up about pricing that we've been noticing with clients? I think those are the two that stick out to me the most.   And you touched on it, we didn't go too deep into it, was the second one was there's just not enough of a distinguishing factor between two plans or sometimes between all three. Sometimes you look at pricing and you go, so what's the big difference between the lowest plan and the highest plan? And it might be like $50 difference or like a $100 difference. And then you go, okay, why would somebody...   pay $100 less over here to pay the higher percentage. It doesn't make enough sense. So there's not big enough of a difference. Yeah, that's a good point. You brought that up earlier, but we didn't really. Yeah, there needs to be a really strong distinguishing contrast between your cheapest plan, your middle plan, and your premium plan. It needs to be obvious to the, if a cheapo looks at these three, they're like, I want this plan. If a normal,   buyer, which is the majority of the marketplace, like 61 % study say, but maybe two thirds like an in property management, probably even more because the cheapest cheapos self-managed, they don't even will, they won't even work with you. So it's skewed more towards the premium side. And so they, the pre the normal buyers would go towards the middle and then the premium buyers would go towards the premium option. It would be obvious to them. They're like, I want all of this peace of mind. I want all this. And the cheapos are like, I want the cheapest price.   And then you've got in the middle, and we call that the Goldilocks principle. And we have some other principles like the bandwagon principle and some other principles that we teach related to pricing. So you can really understand this and you know how to sell it. That's the other big piece is you got to know how to sell the pricing effectively. And if you have good pricing, you have a really optimized pricing model and you know how to sell it, it actually changes your portfolio. It incentivizes you having better properties.   better owners and less work over the really high operational costs, difficult owners. So it gets you out of what we've talked about many times, the cycle of suck. Where you take on crappy owners, you've got then crappy properties to deal with, which leads to crappy upset, frustrated tenants, which leads to crappy reviews and reputation, which sums up the whole industry. And if you have a crappy reputation and reviews, then you attract more crappy clients and the cycle continues. So this gets you out of the cycle of suck.   and it gets you into a trajectory of having a lot more space, a lot more margin, a lot more ease in your business. And, you know, I'll throw this out there as well. If you have the right growth strategies, you attract less of the cheapos because the wrong growth strategies, internet based, digital marketing based growth strategies leads to the cheapest owners. Those are the people searching on the internet. The best owners are captured earlier in the sales cycle. So reach out to us. We would love to help you with that. All right. So.   In wrapping up if you have ever felt stuck or stagnant or you want to take your property management business to the next level reach out to us at door grow calm also join our free Facebook community just for property management business owners not team members at door grow club calm and if you found this even a little bit helpful don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review we really appreciate it and If you go to door grow calm slash subscribe You can join our newsletter and our emailing list. We would love to have you   join us and get tips, tricks, updates on our product services and offers and the stuff that we can do to help you. And until next time, remember the slowest path to growth is to do it alone. So let's grow together. Bye everyone.

Crime Alert with Nancy Grace
New Dad Gunned Down After Refusing DoorDash Driver's Fare Demand| Crime Alert 6PM 10.01.2025

Crime Alert with Nancy Grace

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2025 6:22 Transcription Available


A DoorDash driver allegedly executes a new dad, in the U.S. on a golf trip, after haggling over a fare. An Ex American Idol singer, who kissed Katy Perry, is sentenced for child porn; his release conditions are some of the wildest ever heard. Plus, who was found sleeping in a Pennsylvania bed?! It wasn't Goldilocks! Jennifer Gould reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The MUFG Global Markets Podcast
It's Still a Reach for a Goldilocks Outcome… (Podcast Edition)

The MUFG Global Markets Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2025 16:37


George Goncalves, Head of Macro Strategy in the Americas, shares how our latest macro thinking has evolved, where our longstanding view that the weak labor market and ongoing large revisions would result in a Fed pivot and a restart of easing in September. There was a high level recap of the special topic from the latest monthly which covered Asia FX reserves. Our analysis shows that we've come full circle since the Asia financial crisis which was the catalyst for Asia to accumulate dollars, but with tariffs now in place, perhaps less dollar recycle occurs with clear implications for UST demand. Lastly, our podcast was recorded on the first official day of the government shutdown. George goes into what are the potential scenarios for the economy and how it could impact the way the team views rates and house view.

The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast
233: Seth Jones, CEO of Superstratum: From Sick Homes to Healing Sleep: A Step-by-Step Detox Guide

The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2025 65:44


Seth Jones, CEO of Superstratum, a company turning home detoxification into a simple, DIY process from everyday cleaners to whole home protocols. Seth's story is wild: he went from DJ nights in L.A. to battling mold and mycotoxin exposure in his own home, then building science backed solutions that help families breathe (and sleep) easier.SHOWNOTES:

TD Ameritrade Network
"Goldilocks" JOLTS & Consumer Confidence Pullback, Friday's "Key" Jobs Report

TD Ameritrade Network

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2025 7:35


Kevin Green runs through a slew of data that hit the wire a half-hour after markets opened. He notes a pullback in consumer confidence but points to a "goldilocks" JOLTS report showing a stabilizing jobs picture. However, Kevin says Friday's expected jobs report will be the most important piece to the labor puzzle, which remain in jeopardy due to a looming government shutdown. ======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Capital Spotlight
The Value of Value-Add

Capital Spotlight

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2025 47:03


In this post-LSC Summit episode recorded in NYC, Craig McGrouther and I reflect on another successful investor event and dive deep into current market opportunities. We share behind-the-scenes insight on why our summit is designed to break even, the power of curated in-person networking, and the culture of accessibility that sets our events apart.We break down why 1970s-80s vintage multifamily is becoming the sweet spot – institutional capital is chasing 2000s and newer assets while retail syndicators who dominated older stock have retreated after losses.I explain how concessions persist in Class A despite predictions they'd burn off, while the "Goldilocks" 2005-vintage market is now overpriced.The key insight: older assets in prime locations offer the best risk-adjusted returns if you have the operational expertise to handle deferred maintenance. We also dissect why traditional value-add strategies often fail when brokers pitch replacing perfectly good countertops.Our contrarian view: the best time to spend CapEx is when nobody else wants to.Learn more about LSCRE:www.lscre.com 

Formuepodden
Goldilocks, gull og AI-boble: Hvor lenge kan festen vare?

Formuepodden

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2025 43:45


Aksjemarkedene setter stadig nye rekorder, drevet av fallende renter, rekordstore tilbakekjøp, AI-raketter og en sentralbank som virker mer opptatt av arbeidsmarked enn inflasjon. Samtidig strømmer pengene inn i både gull og aksjer, obligasjoner sender rare signaler, og politisk uro kaster skygger over makrobildet. Er vi i en perfekt Goldilocks-situasjon, eller bygger vi opp til neste sjokk? Vi dykker ned i de fem store temaene som rører finansmarkedene akkurat nå: toll, gull, jobbmarked, verdsettelser og helseaksjer.Produsent: Daniel Kobberstad MoeDisclaimer: Vennligst merk at en investering i finansielle instrumenter innebærer en risiko. Historisk avkastning er ingen garanti for fremtidig avkastning. Penger som investeres kan både øke og reduseres i verdi, og det er ikke sikkert at du vil få tilbake hele den investerte kapitalen. Informasjonen i denne podcasten utgjør ikke rådgivning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The IT Pro Podcast
September rundown: The UK becomes an AI playground

The IT Pro Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2025 23:06


The UK has immense AI potential, according to some of the biggest names in tech, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang having described the region as being in a “Goldilocks circumstance” due to its strong AI ecosystem and rich academic history.This month, the US tech ecosystem made its first significant contribution to recognizing this reality with tens of billions invested in the UK ecosystem. Will it pay off? And what does this investment mean in practical terms?In this episode, Rory welcomes back Ross Kelly, ITPro's news and analysis editor, to unpack this bumper investment in the UK tech ecosystem.Read more:Google opens doors on UK data center ahead of Trump visitMicrosoft CEO Satya Nadella says UK ties are 'stronger than ever' as tech giant pledges $30bn investmentUK to host largest European GPU cluster under £11 billion Nvidia investment plansIs the ‘British firm' at the heart of Britain's AI plans actually British?UK is going to be ‘AI superpower', says Nvidia boss as he invests £500m‘This is the largest AI ecosystem in the world without its own infrastructure': Jensen Huang thinks the UK has immense AI potential – but it still has a lot of work to do

Rachel Uncensored
The Goldilocks AUDACITY!

Rachel Uncensored

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2025 43:54


Learning so much but also WHAT EVEN IS THIS STORY?! Thank you HomeChef for sponsoring this episode! ⁠http://www.homechef.com/rachel⁠  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 365 Days of Astronomy, the daily podcast of the International Year of Astronomy 2009
Cheap Astronomy - Dear CA Ep. 124: Aliens & Alien Worlds

The 365 Days of Astronomy, the daily podcast of the International Year of Astronomy 2009

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2025 14:25


Are we alone, and if so can we have all the planets? Dear Cheap Astronomy – Alien diplomacy? A recent paper by John Gertz called Interstellar Diplomacy suggests some kind of contact with aliens is inevitable, which seems reasonable with respect to some kind of radio transmission, but the paper then goes on to suggest that contact might involve a robotic scout vehicle sent here from an a distant alien civilization, which seems somewhat less inevitable and then it descends into farce by further suggesting such scouts might have flown through our atmosphere already, you know like those UAP things that the US Airforce and NASA are investigating. Yikes.   Dear Cheap Astronomy – The ultraviolet habitable zone? Current lists of potentially life-bearing exoplanets are determined by them being in their star's circumstellar zone in which temperatures would allow liquid water to form – also known as the Goldilock's zone. The other main required feature is that they be rocky rather than gaseous, which is determined through measurement of the planet's mass and its likely size – so a large mass planet with a small diameter suggests a expecting to find life on planets and systems most like the Earth and the Sun, since we're assuming all life we automatically follow the one and only example that we know of.   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs.  Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too!  Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.

The Ben and Skin Show
The Bear & The Bathroom

The Ben and Skin Show

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2025 5:31 Transcription Available


"Was the garage wall made of bread… or beef?"That's the question that kicks off one of the most hilariously chaotic segments on The Ben and Skin Show, featuring hosts Ben Rogers, Jeff “Skin” Wade, Kevin “KT” Turner, and Krystina Ray. In this episode, the crew unpacks a jaw-dropping Florida news story where a bear breaks into a man's home, gets trapped in the bathroom, and meets its end in a scene that feels like a mashup of Goldilocks and Die Hard.The gang dives deep into the absurdity of the reporting, questioning everything from the bear's motives to the structural integrity of the garage.

Kitchen Table Finance
S4E31 – The Fed, Rate Cuts, and Your Retirement Plan

Kitchen Table Finance

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2025 29:11


The Fed has been everywhere in the headlines. In our latest Kitchen Table Finance episode, we explain what the Federal Reserve is, why its independence matters, and how a rate-cutting cycle may ripple through cash yields, bonds, and mortgages. If you're 6–18 months from retirement, we also share level-headed steps to keep your plan on track. https://youtu.be/thvg8Gti424 What we cover: Fed 101: Why the Fed was created, how it's structured, and its main goals: price stability and maximum employment. Independence matters: How keeping the Fed insulated from short-term politics supports confidence in the dollar and long-term stability. Goldilocks problem: Balancing a cooling labor market with inflation risks, tariffs, and growth. Portfolio takeaways: Why “don't fight the Fed” is a useful reminder, and why we don't overhaul portfolios based on predictions. Cash, CDs, and bonds: What a falling-rate environment can mean for yields, existing bonds, and locking CDs. Mortgages & refi: Practical thresholds for when to explore refinancing and why you shouldn't buy a home assuming a quick refi. Pre-retiree checklist: How to think about cash buffers, bond exposure, and staying invested if retirement is 6–18 months away. Practical tips: Keep enough cash for near-term needs; avoid parking excess cash for long stretches if yields are sliding. Bonds may benefit as rates fall; new issues price lower yields, supporting existing bond values. CDs can help smooth falling yields, but remember reinvestment risk when they mature. Refinancing: Start running numbers when rates are roughly 1 percentage point below your current mortgage rate. Stay the course: Markets look ahead. Rate cuts often follow softness that has already been priced in. Resources Thinking about retiring soon or adjusting your plan? Schedule a relaxed “fit” conversation at SRBadvisors.com and let's make a plan that fits your life. Email us at SRBadvisors.com to connect with our team. Learn about the Strategic Reliable Blueprint which is our process for building a financial plan that works for your future. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for helpful conversations and practical retirement planning tips.

Those Weekend Golf Guys
Unlock Short Game Secrets for Lower Scores

Those Weekend Golf Guys

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2025 44:53


(00:00) Golf Scoring Techniques and Predictability This chapter focuses on the art of scoring in golf, moving beyond the usual emphasis on distance and accuracy to hone in on short game techniques. We explore the intricacies of putting and how crucial it is to match your body alignment to the slopes of the course, ensuring stability and precision. Jeff Smith shares his approach to teaching a short game class, highlighting the importance of understanding and adjusting to different lies and slopes for better performance. We also discuss techniques like the "firm handed scrape" or bump and run, emphasizing a stable base and proper club length to enhance shot predictability. By mastering these skills, golfers can significantly improve their ability to get up and down, ultimately enhancing their overall scoring on the course. (13:20) Balanced Approach to Golf Scoring This chapter focuses on the nuances of executing a firm-handed scrape in golf. We explore the balance between keeping wrists firm without locking them entirely, which can create a robotic and tension-filled motion. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining a natural wrist movement, we discuss how the firm-handed scrape is neither overly loose nor stiff, embodying a "Goldilocks" balance of control and flexibility. We liken the technique to familiar motions, such as shaking hands or throwing a ball, to highlight the importance of touch and feel. The conversation stresses that golf swings are not a binary choice between extremes but rather a harmonious blend of controlled motion. Additionally, we address the importance of stability and balance in setting up a shot, challenging the common misconceptions that lead to poor execution. (31:08) Improving Golf Play and Scoring This chapter explores key techniques to improve your golf game, particularly when it comes to hitting out of sand traps and mastering putting. We start by addressing the common mistake of hitting too far behind the golf ball in the sand, leading to ineffective shots. We emphasize the importance of understanding the correct entry point in the sand to ensure the club gets beneath the ball, allowing the sand to propel the ball upward effectively. Moving on to putting, we highlight that factors beyond stroke technique significantly impact your performance. We focus on the importance of speed control and positioning, noting that many golfers mistakenly attribute missed putts to stroke errors. By understanding these crucial aspects, you can enhance your overall performance and lower your score on the course. (35:49) Advanced Putting Techniques and Green Reading This chapter explores the intricacies of mastering putting in golf by focusing on speed control, distance, and green reading. We challenge the common notion of always putting into a hole, suggesting that practicing putts to the fringe can build confidence in distance control without the negative feedback of missing. The importance of practicing putts from various distances is highlighted, as is the benefit of maintaining consistency in stroke, even if it means hitting the ball with the toe of the putter. Additionally, we emphasize the significance of accurate green reading by keeping your head level to the horizon and focusing only on the ground between the ball and the hole. We address misconceptions like relying on landscape features, such as mountains or creeks, to determine break direction, urging listeners to rely on visual assessments and to consider doubling the perceived break to account for visual inaccuracies. (43:08) Improving Golf Scoring Techniques This chapter focuses on improving your golf game by challenging preconceived notions about reading greens. We explore how many golfers resist new techniques, even when their current methods aren't effective. By embracing innovative strategies, like those taught in Aimpoint classes, golfers can enhance their ability to read greens and ultimately lower their scores. Encouragement is given to seek out additional resources, such as the "Green Illiterate" episode, to further refine skills. Emphasizing the importance of staying open to learning and the benefits it can bring, we invite listeners to revisit past episodes for valuable insights and techniques to elevate their golf game. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Danny In The Valley
What the £31 billion UK-US tech deal really means

Danny In The Valley

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2025 42:59


Is Britain in a "Goldilocks" moment for AI? US President Donald Trump's state visit to Britain brought more than pomp and ceremony. American tech giants pledged £31 billion in AI and data centre investment, from Nvidia's 120,000 processors to Microsoft's GDP-boosting promises. Danny Fortson and Katie Prescott unpack what the new UK-US “tech prosperity deal” really means, and speak with one of the investors – CoreWeave CEO Michael Intrator and CBO Mike Mattacola about their £1.5 billion UK expansion.Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Second Date Update
Goldilocks

Second Date Update

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2025 7:49 Transcription Available


Nikki from Wethersfield went on a great first date and now she's being ghosted. They went mini golfing and had a few cocktails. She had a great time, but hasn't heard from her date since. She wants to know why she's being ghosted. 

Wall Street Unplugged - What's Really Moving These Markets
The Fed is creating a goldilocks environment for asset prices

Wall Street Unplugged - What's Really Moving These Markets

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2025 54:44


Why the Fed doesn't care about inflation—for now… and how it's creating a goldilocks environment for asset prices. Plus, President Trump wants semiannual reporting—is it a good idea? … And the CoreWeave (CRWV)/Nvidia (NVDA) deal. In this episode: Is today's interest rate cut already priced in? [2:10] Why the Fed doesn't care about inflation—for now [8:46] We're in a goldilocks environment for asset prices [17:13] President Trump wants semiannual reporting—is it a good idea? [23:01] The smartest business decision I ever made [36:39] When AI companies go public, it's a red flag… [38:35] CoreWeave's deal with Nvidia just upended the short report [40:17] Join us for our upcoming live event on the AI power crisis! [44:29] Editor's note: Next Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, Frank and Daniel go live to reveal the numbers driving the AI power crisis… share the under-the-radar stocks poised to skyrocket… and answer your most pressing questions during a live Q&A. Save your spot for AI's Power Crisis: How to Profit Before the Lights Go Out here: https://secure.curzioresearch.com/ai-powerplay/waitlist.php?utm_source=Libsyn (Get 3 stock picks FREE when you register!) Did you like this episode? Get more Wall Street Unplugged FREE each week in your inbox. Sign up here: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu Find Wall Street Unplugged podcast… --Curzio Research App: https://curzio.me/syn_app --iTunes: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_i --Stitcher: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_s --Website: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_cat Follow Frank… X: https://curzio.me/syn_twt Facebook: https://curzio.me/syn_fb LinkedIn: https://curzio.me/syn_li

Everyday Driver Car Debate
Enthusiasts Have Ruined Cars, What Do Driving Coaches Drive, The Goldilocks Car | Episode 1,012

Everyday Driver Car Debate

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2025 104:30


Are we enthusiasts too blinded by excellent older sports cars, and therefore unable to celebrate even the ‘middle-ground' kinds of new cars? The guys acknowledge that fun is personal, and they unpack this topic that stems from negative internet reaction to the new Prelude. The first debate is for Konstantin M., who lives in LA and works as a driving coach for Porsche. Then, Alex D wants a ‘Goldilocks' car to scratch the driving itch. What options is he missing? Social media questions ask why LED light bars have become a signature EV style, and what cars left the most impact on the guys' early driving experiences? Audio-only MP3 is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and 10 other platforms. Look for us on Tuesdays if you'd like to watch us debate, disagree and then go drive again! 00:00 - Intro 01:06 - 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S t-hybrid announced 07:51 - 2026 Ferrari 849 Testarossa announced 18:23 - Stellantis Discontinues RAM EV Development 26:12 - Topic Tuesday: Enthusiasts Have Ruined It For Everyone 57:01 - Hooked On Driving National Events In September 2025 58:06 - Car Debate #1: What Do Driving Coaches Drive? 1:21:07 - Car Debate #2: The Goldilocks Car 1:29:40 - Audience Questions On Social Media Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe to our two YouTube channels. Write to us your Topic Tuesdays, Car Conclusions and those great Car Debates at everydaydrivertv@gmail.com or everydaydriver.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Show Up Fitness Podcast
How to train a client w/ Metabolic Syndrome

The Show Up Fitness Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2025 18:11 Transcription Available


Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!Ever wondered how to properly design a fitness program for someone with metabolic syndrome? Meet "Metabolic Mary," our 44-year-old avatar client who presents with multiple risk factors including hypertension, elevated resting heart rate, and poor overall fitness. This episode dives deep into the thoughtful approach required to help clients like Mary succeed when standard training methods might do more harm than good.The journey begins with understanding what metabolic syndrome actually is—having at least three of five specific health markers that significantly increase risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. We explore each marker in detail, from waist circumference thresholds to blood pressure parameters, giving you the knowledge to recognize these conditions in your own clients.What makes this episode particularly valuable is the stark contrast drawn between typical trainer approaches and the more sophisticated method taught at Show Up Fitness. Rather than annihilating a deconditioned client with high-intensity circuits on day one (virtually guaranteeing they won't return), we demonstrate the "Goldilocks approach"—programming that's not too hard, not too easy, but just right for the client's current abilities.The conversation extends beyond exercise selection to cover crucial professional skills: how to approach physicians for medical clearance, positioning yourself as distinct from "CrossFit weirdos," and addressing client fears (like Mary's concern about "bulking up") with empathy rather than dismissal. You'll learn specific progression models using CA (compound-accessory), CC (compound-compound), and CCA (compound-compound-accessory) formats that can be modified based on client response.Whether you're a new trainer struggling with program design or an experienced professional looking to refine your approach to special populations, this episode provides both the science and art of effective training for metabolic syndrWant to ask us a question? Email email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show! Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showupfitnessinternship/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@showupfitnessinternshipWebsite: https://www.showupfitness.com/Become a Personal Trainer Book (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Personal-Trainer-Successful/dp/B08WS992F8Show Up Fitness Internship & CPT: https://online.showupfitness.com/pages/online-show-up?utm_term=show%20up%20fitnessNASM study guide: ...

100x Entrepreneur
If Big AI Goes Everywhere, What's Left for B2B SaaS? | 25 Years, 4 Startups, 3 Eras of SaaS w/ Sreedhar Peddineni & Kiran Darisi

100x Entrepreneur

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2025 85:12


A full founder's arc: starting small, building global SaaS companies from Hyderabad, taking one to IPO, another to a billion-dollar exit, and then choosing to begin again (and again).Kiran Darisi began at Zoho, founding team member of Freshworks at 25, and stayed twelve years till the company went public. Today he is building Atomicwork, reinventing service management in the AI era. Sreedhar Peddineni started with Host Analytics back when SaaS was still called application service provider, went on to create the customer success category with Gainsight, and is now on his third venture with GTM Buddy.In this episode, we talk about what it takes to build companies that last for decades. We discuss how startups can find the “Goldilocks zone”,why smaller teams are creating more value than ever, and the mistakes founders often make when moving from SMB to enterprise.Both founders share how AI is reshaping every layer of SaaS, why it's both eating the pie and expanding it and what's left for entrepreneurs when the biggest AI companies are chasing every vertical.This conversation looks back at some of India's iconic SaaS companies, shares lessons from two decades of building, and looks ahead to the future of SaaS from India.0:00 — Atomicwork x GTM Buddy1:17 — Why They Chose to Be Founders Again8:27 — How to generate pipeline predictability at a startup?16:46 — Becoming Freshworks' Co-Founder at 2519:43 — How Atomicwork Co-Founders Connected & Chose Their Problem23:25 — Building Companies That Last for Decades27:18 — Why Smaller, High-Quality Teams Win30:21 — 1st vs 2nd Founders: What They Get Wrong31:56 — Scaling: SMB → Mid-Market → Enterprise33:36 — Category Creation at Gainsight40:03 — Disrupting vs Expanding Large Categories44:08 — How to Choose the Right Market49:08 — Why Atomicwork Chose This Category53:11 — The 'Goldilocks Zone' for a Startup Category57:11 — Can Salesforce Be Replaced?58:26 — Neon Fund x Atomicwork1:01:27 — Neon Fund x GTM Buddy1:03:44 — If Big AI Goes Everywhere, What's Left for B2B SaaS?1:07:36 — What to Build in the AI Era?1:10:35 — Is AI Expanding the Pie While Eating It?1:17:03 — How Useful Are Custom GPTs for Companies?1:20:34 — Workflows vs AI Workforce-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The Merchant Princelings
Episode 80: Goldilocks and the 3 Terrain Types

The Merchant Princelings

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2025 86:38


Tonight, Will gets the wet vac out, Giles beats a child and Tom knows a rule or two.

Imagine Belonging at Work
Are You Using the Right Language to Talk About DEI?

Imagine Belonging at Work

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2025 17:54


Are you struggling with how to talk about your organization's DEI commitments in today's volatile climate? In this episode of the "Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion's New Reality" mini-series, host Rhodes Perry offers message-tested communication strategies to fortify the heart of your work. Discover how to take a "Goldilocks approach," balancing what you say to different audiences to avoid legal risks while protecting your brand's reputation. Learn why the full phrase "diversity, equity, and inclusion" is more powerful than the acronym "DEI" and how to frame your initiatives around universal values like fairness, respect, and belonging. This episode gives you the practical tools to navigate challenging conversations, counter divisive narratives, and ensure your message resonates with everyone.     Key Takeaways & Timestamps [2:00] The "Goldilocks approach" to DEI messaging. [4:30] Organizational development best practices for communications. [7:00] Winning messages that resonate across audiences. [10:15] The power of using full words over the "DEI" acronym. [12:00] Using "targeted universalism" to fortify your work. [14:30] Practices to avoid when communicating about DEI.     Grow the Belonging Movement!

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
076. The “Goldilocks” Decon That Firefighters Will Actually Use [Part 1]

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2025 44:00 Transcription Available


If you think “no smoke smell” means you're clean, you're wrong. Navy vet and FLAME founder Tara Cornett shows how her multi-charcoal “Goldilocks” blend pulls cancer-causing junk off your skin. Crews tested it after working fires, and post-shower swabs came back non-detectable. We lay out fast, simple decon you'll actually do between calls.What You'll Learn:A 3–5 minute decon routine you can run as soon as you're back.Why smell does not mean safety, and how pore size helps grab more bad stuff.How to pick decon that works without wrecking your skin.Station cross-contamination traps (wheels, recliners, fridge handles) and how to break them.Laundry basics for hoods and base layers so you don't put junk back on your body. If you're a firefighter who wants fast, no-BS decon that actually lowers exposure and keeps you in the fight, this one's for you.Support the show

Machine Learning Street Talk
Karl Friston - Why Intelligence Can't Get Too Large (Goldilocks principle)

Machine Learning Street Talk

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2025 81:39


In this episode, hosts Tim and Keith finally realize their long-held dream of sitting down with their hero, the brilliant neuroscientist Professor Karl Friston. The conversation is a fascinating and mind-bending journey into Professor Friston's life's work, the Free Energy Principle, and what it reveals about life, intelligence, and consciousness itself.**SPONSORS**Gemini CLI is an open-source AI agent that brings the power of Gemini directly into your terminal - https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli--- Take the Prolific human data survey - https://www.prolific.com/humandatasurvey?utm_source=mlst and be the first to see the results and benchmark their practices against the wider community!---cyber•Fund https://cyber.fund/?utm_source=mlst is a founder-led investment firm accelerating the cybernetic economyOct SF conference - https://dagihouse.com/?utm_source=mlst - Joscha Bach keynoting(!) + OAI, Anthropic, NVDA,++Hiring a SF VC Principal: https://talent.cyber.fund/companies/cyber-fund-2/jobs/57674170-ai-investment-principal#content?utm_source=mlstSubmit investment deck: https://cyber.fund/contact?utm_source=mlst***They kick things off by looking back on the 20-year journey of the Free Energy Principle. Professor Friston explains it as a fundamental rule for survival: all living things, from a single cell to a human being, are constantly trying to make sense of the world and reduce unpredictability. It's this drive to minimize surprise that allows things to exist and maintain their structure.This leads to a bigger question: What does it truly mean to be "intelligent"? The group debates whether intelligence is everywhere, even in a virus or a plant, or if it requires a certain level of complexity. Professor Friston introduces the idea of different "kinds" of things, suggesting that creatures like us, who can model themselves and think about the future, possess a unique and "strange" kind of agency that sets us apart.From intelligence, the discussion naturally flows to the even trickier concept of consciousness. Is it the same as intelligence? Professor Friston argues they are different. He explains that consciousness might emerge from deep, layered self-awareness—not just acting, but understanding that you are the one causing your actions and thinking about your place in the world.They also explore intelligence at different sizes. Is a corporation intelligent? What about the entire planet? Professor Friston suggests there might be a "Goldilocks zone" for intelligence. It doesn't seem to exist at the super-tiny atomic level or at the massive scale of planets and solar systems, but thrives in the complex middle-ground where we live.Finally, they tackle one of the most pressing topics of our time: Can we build a truly conscious AI? Professor Friston shares his doubts about whether our current computers are capable of a feat like that. He suggests that genuine consciousness might require a different kind of "mortal" computation, where the machine's physical body and its "mind" are inseparable, much like in biological creatures.TRANSCRIPT:https://app.rescript.info/public/share/FZkF8BO7HMt9aFfu2_q69WGT_ZbYZ1VVkC6RtU3eeOITOC:00:00:00: Introduction & Retrospective on the Free Energy Principle00:09:34: Strange Particles, Agency, and Consciousness00:37:45: The Scale of Intelligence: From Viruses to the Biosphere01:01:35: Modelling, Boundaries, and Practical Application01:21:12: Conclusion

The Magic of Songwriting with Francesca de Valence
Life Insurance, Goldilocks & Indie Rock: The Imaginative World of Songwriter Joel Riley

The Magic of Songwriting with Francesca de Valence

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2025 66:57


What happens when you commit to writing one song a week for 100 weeks? For songwriter and producer Joel Riley, it led to his debut album The Fruits of Labour. In this episode, Joel takes us inside his imaginative practice. He shares how consistency built his confidence, how feedback helped him hear his songs differently and how living in Dubbo inspired him to embrace creative limitations as opportunities. Joel's journey is a reminder that songwriting doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs you to show up.About Joel: Joel Riley is an artist, songwriter and producer making music in Dubbo, Australia. He writes songs  about things he cares about, things he worries about, and the occasional dinosaur. He loves to take adventures into genres he loves, like electronic music (with The Synthesizer Wizards of Dubbo), ambient jazz (with The DM) and indie rock (with Tomorrow Forever). His first album The Fruits of Labour was released in early 2025 to great acclaim in the family group chat. He is always keeping his eyes open for the next musical adventure!Song Credit: “Bets Against Myself" - Written by Joel Riley. Performed by Joel Riley. Listen to Joel's playlistFind out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.Ready to deep dive into songwriting? Join our 10-week online intensive course to write 10 new songs with lessons, personalised mentorship and practical tools to refine your craft. Learn more at iheartsongwritingclub.com/songwritingcourses.Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community. Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses. Don't struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass. Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram / Facebook / YouTubeBe inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube / Facebook / InstagramTheme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting.

West Pines Community Church
Big God, Part 4: He's For You by Pastor Robey Barnes

West Pines Community Church

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2025 43:56


Wrap up our Big God series with Pastor Robey Barnes as he dives into Psalm 139 and the Goldilocks effect to show how perfectly God designed our world — and how deeply He loves you. In this message, we'll tackle the tough question, “If God is good, why does evil exist?” and discover how the gospel brings hope through Jesus' sacrifice. Don't miss this inspiring finale as we step into a season of prayer, fasting, and community through the City Rev app and small groups!

The Pulp Writer Show
Episode 267: Summer Movie Review Roundup

The Pulp Writer Show

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2025 32:31


In this week's episode, I take a look back at the movies and streaming shows I watched in Summer 2025. This coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Ghost in the Serpent, Book #1 in the Ghost Armor series, (as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy) at my Payhip store: FALLSERPENT50 The coupon code is valid through September 15, 2025 (please note the shorter expiration date). So if you need a new audiobook this fall, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 267 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is September 5, 2025 and today I'm doing a review roundup of the movies and streaming shows I saw in Summer 2025. Before we do that, we will have Coupon of the Week and a progress update on my current writing and audiobook projects. First up, this week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Ghost in the Serpent, Book One in the Ghost Armor series (as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy) at my Payhip store. That is FALLSERPENT50. This coupon code will be valid through September 15th, 2025 (exactly one week). So if you need a new audiobook to listen to as we head into fall, we have got you covered. Now for an update on my current writing and audiobook projects. I am pleased to report that the rough draft of Blade of Flames, which will be the first book in my new Blades of Ruin epic fantasy series is finished. The rough draft came at about 90,000 words long, which was what I was aiming for. Next up, I will be writing a short story set as sort of a bonus in that plot line called Thunder Hammer and that will be the backstory of one of the characters in Blade of Flames. And when Blade of Flames comes out (which will hopefully be later this September), newsletter subscribers will get a free ebook copy of Thunder Hammer. So this is an excellent time to subscribe to my newsletter. I am also 8,000 words into Cloak of Worlds. At long last, I am coming back to the Cloak Mage series after nearly a year's absence. Longtime listeners will know the reason was that I had five unfinished series and I wanted to spend the summer of 2025 finishing the unfinished ones and focusing up so I will only have three ongoing series at any given time. I'm hoping Blade of Flames will come out before the end of September and Cloak of Worlds before the end of October, and after that I will be able to return to the Rivah series at long last. In audiobook news, recording is finished on Shield of Power. That will be excellently narrated by Brad Wills and hopefully once it gets through processing and quality assurance and everything, it should be showing up on the various audiobook stores before too much longer. Hollis McCarthy is about halfway through the recording of Ghost in the Siege, which was, as you know, the last book in the Ghost Armor series that just came out. And if all goes well, the audiobook should be coming out probably in October once everything is done with recording and quality assurance and all that. So that is where I'm at with my current writing and audiobook projects. 00:02:34 Main Topic: Summer 2025 Movie/TV Roundup So without further ado, let's head into our main topic. The end of summer is nigh, which means this time for my summer movie review roundup. As is usual for the summer, I saw a lot of movies, so this will be one of the longer episodes. For some reason I ended up watching a bunch of westerns. As always, the movies are ranked from least favorite to most favorite. The grades of course are totally subjective and based on nothing more than my own opinions, impressions, and interpretations. Now on to the movies. First up is the Austin Powers trilogy, the three movies of which came out in 1997, 1999, and 2002. The Austin Powers movies came out just as the Internet really got going in terms of mass adoption, which is likewise why so many Austin Powers and Dr. Evil memes are embedded in online culture. Despite that, I had never really seen any of them all the way through. They've been on in the background on TBS or whatever quite a bit when I visited people, but I've never seen them all. But I happened upon a DVD of the trilogy for $0.25 (USD), so I decided for 25 cents I would give it a go. I would say the movies were funny, albeit not particularly good. Obviously the Austin Powers movies are a parody of the James Bond movies. The movies kind of watch like an extended series of Saturday Night Live skits, only loosely connected, like the skit is what if Dr. Evil had a son named Scott who wasn't impressed with him or another skit was what if a British agent from the ‘60s arrives in the ‘90s and experiences culture clash? What if Dr. Evil didn't understand the concept of inflation and demanded only a million dollars from the United Nations? What if Dr. Evil was actually Austin's brother and they went to school together at Spy Academy? Michael Caine was pretty great as Austin's father. Overall, funny but fairly incoherent. Overall grade: C- Next up is Horrible Bosses, a very dark and very raunchy comedy from about 14 years ago. It came out in 2011. Interestingly, this movie reflects what I think is one of the major crises of the contemporary era, frequent failures of leadership at all levels of society. In the movie Nick, Dale, and Kurt are lifelong friends living in LA and all three of them have truly horrible bosses in their place of employment, ranging from a sociopathic finance director, the company founder's cokehead son, and a boorish dentist with a tendency to sexual harassment. At the bar, they fantasize about killing their horrible bosses and then mutually decide to do something about it. Obviously, they'd all be prime suspects in the murder of their own bosses, but if they killed each other's bosses, that would allow them to establish airtight alibis. However, since Nick, Dale and Kurt are not as bright as they think they are, it all goes hilariously wrong very quickly. Bob Hope has a hilarious cameo. If the best “crude comedies” I've seen are Anchorman, Zoolander, Tropic Thunder, and Dodgeball, and the worst one was MacGruber, I'd say Horrible Bosses lands about in the middle. Overall grade: C Next up is Cowboys and Aliens, which came out in 2011. Now I almost saw this in 2011 when it came out, but I was too busy to go to the theater in July of 2011, so I finally saw it here in 2025 and I would say this was almost a great movie, like the performances were great, the concept was great, the scenery was great, the special effects were great, and the story was packed full of really interesting ideas, but somehow they just didn't coalesce. I'm not entirely sure why. I think upon reflection, it was that the movie is just too overcrowded with too many characters and too many subplots. Anyway, Daniel Craig portrays a man who wakes up with no memory in the Old West, with a mysterious bracelet locked around his wrist. He makes his way to the town of Atonement, and promptly gets arrested because he is apparently a notorious outlaw (which he doesn't remember). While he is locked in jail, space aliens attack the town. The aliens, for unknown reasons, abduct many of the townspeople, and Daniel Craig's character, who is named Jake even if he doesn't remember it, must lead the town's effort to recover their abducted citizens. Harrison's Ford has an excellent performance as this awful cattle baron who nonetheless has virtues of courage and fortitude that you can't help but admire. An excellent performance. That said, the movie was just too packed, and I thought it would work better as a novel. After I watched the movie, it turned out that it was indeed based off a graphic novel. Novels and graphic novels allow for a far more complex story than a movie, and I don't think this movie quite managed to handle the transition from a graphic novel to a film. Overall grade: C Next up is Heads of State, which came out in 2025. This was kind of a stupid movie. However, the fundamental question of any movie, shouted to the audience by Russell Crow in Gladiator is, “are you not entertained?!?” I was thoroughly entertained watching this, so entertained I actually watched it twice. Not everything has to be Shakespeare or a profound meditation on the unresolvable conflicts inherent within human nature. Anyway, John Cena plays Will Derringer, newly elected President of the United States. Idris Elba plays Sam Clark, who has now been the UK Prime Minister for the last six years. Derringer was an action star who parleyed his celebrity into elected office (in the same way Arnold Schwarzenegger did), while Clarke is an army veteran who worked his way up through the UK's political system. Needless to say, the cheerful Derringer and the grim Clarke take an immediate dislike to each other. However, they'll have to team up when Air Force One is shot down, stranding them in eastern Europe. They'll have to make their way home while evading their enemies to unravel the conspiracy that threatens world peace. So half action thriller, half buddy road trip comedy. The premise really doesn't work if you think about it too much for more than thirty seconds, but the movie was funny and I enjoyed it. Jack Quaid really stole his scenes as a crazy but hyper-competent CIA officer. Overall grade: C+ Next up, Captain America: Brave New World, which came out in 2025 and I think this movie ended up on the good side of middling. You can definitely tell it went through a lot of reshoots and retooling, and I suspect the various film industry strikes hit it like a freight train. But we ended up with a reasonably solid superhero thriller. Sam Wilson is now Captain America. He's not superhuman the way Steve Rogers was and doesn't have magic powers or anything, so he kind of fights like the Mandalorian – a very capable fighter who relies on excellent armor. Meanwhile, in the grand American political tradition of failing upward, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who spent years persecuting The Hulk and whose meddling caused the Avengers to disband right before Thanos attacked, has now been elected President. To Wilson's surprise, Ross reaches out and wants him to restart the Avengers. But Ross (as we know) did a lot of shady black ops stuff for years, and one of his projects is coming back to haunt him. Wilson finds himself in the middle of a shadowy conspiracy, and it's up to him to figure out what's going on before it's too late. I was amused that lifelong government apparatchik Ross wanted to restart the Avengers, because when the Avengers had their biggest victory in Avengers: Endgame, they were essentially unsanctioned vigilantes bankrolled by a rogue tech billionaire. Overall grade: B- Next up is Ironheart, which came out in 2025. I'd say Ironheart was about 40% very weird and 60% quite good. It's sort of like the modern version of Dr. Faustus. The show got some flak on the Internet from the crossfire between the usual culture war people, but the key to understanding it is to realize that Riri Williams AKA Ironheart is in fact an antihero who's tottering on the edge of becoming a full-blown supervillain. Like Tony Stark, she's a once-in-a-generation scientific talent, but while she doesn't have Stark's alcohol problems, she's emotionally unstable, immature, ruthless, indifferent to collateral damage and consequences, and suffering from severe PTSD after her best friend and stepfather were killed in a drive-by shooting. This volatile mix gets her thrown out of MIT after her experiments cause too much destruction, and she has to go home to Chicago. To get the funds to keep working on her Iron Man armor, she turns to crime, and falls in with a gang of high-end thieves led by a mysterious figure named Hood. It turns out that Hood has actual magic powers, which both disturbs and fascinates Riri. However, Hood got his magic in a pact with a mysterious dark force. When a job goes bad, Riri gains the enmity of Hood and has to go on the run. It also turns out Hood's dark master has become very interested in Riri, which might be a lot more dangerous for everyone in the long run. Overall, I'd say this is about in the same vein as Agatha All Along, an interesting show constructed around a very morally questionable protagonist. Overall grade: B Next up is A Minecraft movie, which came out in 2024. I have to admit, I've never actually played Minecraft, so I know very little about the game and its ecosystem, only what I've generally absorbed by glancing at the news. That said, I think the movie held together quite well, and wasn't deserving of the general disdain it got in the press. (No doubt the $950 million box office compensated for any hurt feelings.) One of the many downsides of rapid technological change in the last fifty years is that the Boomers and Gen X and the Millennials and Gen Z and Gen Alpha have had such radically different formative experiences in childhood that it's harder to relate to each other. Growing up in the 1980s was a wildly different experience than growing up in the 2010s, and growing up in the 2010s was an even more wildly different experience than growing up in the 1960s. Smartphones and social media were dominant in 2020, barely starting in 2010, and implausible science fiction in 2000 and earlier, and so it was like the different generations grew up on different planets, because in some sense they actually did. (A five-year-old relative of mine just started school, and the descriptions of his school compared to what I remember of school really do sound like different planets entirely.) The Minecraft game and A Minecraft Movie might be one of those generation-locked experiences. Anyway, this has gotten very deep digression for what was essentially a portal-based LitRPG movie. A group of people experiencing various life difficulties in a rural Idaho town get sucked into the Minecraft world through a magic portal. There they must combine forces and learn to work together to master the Minecraft world to save it from an evil sorceress. As always, the fundamental question of any movie is the one that Russell Crowe's character shouted to the audience in Gladiator back in 2000. “Are you not entertained?” I admit I was entertained when watching A Minecraft Movie since it was funny and I recognized a lot of the video game mechanics, even though I've never actually played Minecraft. Like, Castlevania II had a night/day cycle the way Minecraft does, and Castlevania II was forty years ago. But that was another digression! I did enjoy A Minecraft Movie. It was kind of crazy, but it committed to the craziness and maintained a consistent creative vision, and I was entertained. Though I did think it was impressive how Jack Black's agent managed to insist that he sing several different times. Overall grade: B Next up is Back to School, which came out in 1986 and this is one of the better ‘80s comedies I've seen. Rodney Dangerfield plays Thornton Melon, who never went to college and is the wealthy owner of a chain of plus-sized clothing stores. His son Jason is attending Great Lakes University, and after Thornton's unfaithful gold-digging wife leaves him (Thornton is mostly relieved by this development), he decides to go visit his son. He quickly discovers that Jason is flailing at college, and decides to enroll to help out his son. Wacky adventures ensue! I quite enjoyed this. The fictional “Great Lakes University” was largely shot at UW-Madison in Wisconsin, which I found amusing because I spent a lot of time at UW-Madison several decades ago as a temporary IT employee. I liked seeing the characters walk past a place where I'd eat lunch outside when the day was nice, that kind of thing. Also, I'm very familiar with how the sausage gets made in higher ed. There's a scene where the dean is asking why Thornton is qualified to enter college, and then it cuts to the dean cheerfully overseeing the groundbreaking of the new Thornton Melon Hall which Thornton just donated, and I laughed so hard I almost hurt myself, because that is exactly how higher ed works. The movie had some pointless nudity, but it was only a few seconds and no doubt gets cut in network broadcasts. Overall grade: B Next up is Whiskey Galore, which came out in 1949 and this is a comedy set in Scotland during World War II. The villagers living on an isolated island have no whiskey due to wartime rationing. However, when a government ship carrying 50,000 cases of whiskey runs aground near the island, wacky hijinks ensue. I have to admit the first half of the movie was very slow and deliberate, gradually setting up all the pieces for later. Then, once the shipwreck happens, things pick up and the movie gets much funnier. Definitely worth watching both as a good comedy movie and an artifact of its time. A modicum of historical knowledge is required – if you don't know what the Home Guard is, you might have to do some Googling to understand the context of some of the scenes. Regrettably, the version I watched did not have captioning, so I had to pay really close attention to understand what the characters were saying, because some of the accents were very strong. Overall grade: B Next up is Happy Gilmore 2, which came out in 2025. This was dumb and overstuffed with celebrity cameos but thoroughly hilarious and I say this even though it uses one of my least favorite story tropes, namely “hero of previous movie is now a middle age loser.” However, the movie leads into it for comedy. When Happy Gilmore accidentally kills his wife with a line drive, he spirals into alcoholism and despair. But his five children still love him, and when his talented daughter needs tuition for school, Happy attempts to shake off his despair and go back to golf to win the money. But Happy soon stumbles onto a sinister conspiracy led by an evil CEO to transform the game of golf into his own personal profit center. Happy must team up with his old nemesis Shooter McGavin to save golf itself from the evil CEO. Amusingly, as I've said before, the best Adam Sandler movies are almost medieval. In medieval fables, it was common for a clever peasant to outwit pompous lords, corrupt priests, and greedy merchants. The best Adam Sandler protagonist remains an everyman who outwits the modern equivalent of pompous lords and corrupt priests, in this case an evil CEO. Overall grade: B+ Next up is Superman, which came out in 2025 and I thought this was pretty good and very funny at times. I think it caught the essential nature of Superman. Like, Superman should be a Lawful Good character. If he was a Dungeons and Dragons character, he would be a paladin. People on the Internet tend to take the characterization of superheroes seriously to perhaps an unhealthy degree, but it seems the best characterization of Superman is as an earnest, slightly dorky Boy Scout who goes around doing good deeds. The contrast of that good-hearted earnestness with his godlike abilities that would allow him to easily conquer and rule the world is what makes for an interesting character. I also appreciated how the movie dispensed with the overused trope of the Origin Story and just got down to business. In this movie, Lex Luthor is obsessed with destroying Superman and is willing to use both super-advanced technology and engineered geopolitical conflict to do it. Superman, because he's essentially a decent person, doesn't comprehend just how depraved Luthor is, and how far Luthor is willing to go out of petty spite. (Ironically, a billionaire willing to destroy the world out of petty spite is alas, quite realistic). Guy Gardener (“Jerkish Green Lantern”) and the extremely competent and the extremely exasperated Mr. Terrific definitely stole all their scenes. The director of the movie, James Gunn, was quite famously fired from Disney in 2018 for offensive jokes he had made on Twitter back when he was an edgy young filmmaker with an alcohol problem. I suppose Mr. Gunn can rest content knowing that Superman made more money than any Marvel movie released this year. Overall grade: A-   Next up is Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, which came out in 1988. This was a very strange movie, but nonetheless, one with an ambitious premise, strong performances, and a strong artistic vision. It's set in post WWII Los Angeles, and “toons” (basically cartoon characters) live and work alongside humans. Private eye Eddie Valiant hates toons since one of them killed his brother five years ago. However, he's hired by the head of a studio who's having trouble with one of his toon actors, Roger Rabbit. Roger's worried his wife Jessica is having an affair, and Valiant obtains pictures of Jessica playing patty cake (not a euphemism, they actually were playing patty cake) with another man. Roger has an emotional breakdown, and soon the other man winds up dead, and Roger insists he's innocent. Valiant and Roger find themselves sucked into a dangerous conspiracy overseen by a ruthless mastermind. This movie was such an interesting cultural artifact. It perfectly follows the structure of a ‘40s film noir movie, but with cartoons, and the dissonance between film noir and the cheerfulness of the toons was embraced and used as a frequently source of comedy. In fact, when the grim and dour Valiant uses the toons' comedy techniques as a tactical improvisation in a moment of mortal peril, it's both hilarious and awesome. Christopher Lloyd's performance as the villainous Judge Doom was amazing. (I don't think it's a spoiler to say that he's villainous, because his character is named Judge Doom and he's literally wearing a black hat.) Like, his performance perfectly captures something monstrous that is trying very hard to pretend to be human and not quite getting it right. And the amount of work it must have taken to make this movie staggers the mind. Nowadays, having live actors interact with cartoon characters is expensive, but not unduly so. It's a frequent technique. You see it all the time in commercials when a housewife is smiling at an animated roll of paper towels or something, and Marvel's essentially been doing it for years. But this was 1988! Computer animation was still a ways off. They had to shoot the movie on analog film, and then hand-draw all the animation and successfully match it to the live film. It wouldn't have worked without the performance of Bob Hoskins as Eddie Valiant, who plays everything perfectly straight in the same way Michael Caine did in A Muppet Christmas Carol. So kind of a strange movie, but definitely worth watching. And it has both Disney and Warner Brothers animated characters in the same movie, which is something we will never, ever see again. Overall grade: A Next up is K-Pop Demon Hunters, which came out in 2025. Like Who framed Roger Rabbit?, this is a very strange movie, but nonetheless with a clear and focused artistic vision. It is a cultural artifact that provides a fascinating look into a world of which I have no knowledge or interest, namely K-pop bands and their dueling fandoms. Anyway, the plot is that for millennia, female Korean musicians have used the magic of their voices to keep the demons locked away in a demon world. The current incarnation is a three-woman K-Pop group called Huntrix, and they are on the verge of sealing away the demons forever. Naturally, the Demon King doesn't like this, so one of his cleverer minions comes up with a plan. They'll start a Demon K-Pop Boy Band! Disguised as humans, the demon K-Pop group will win away Huntrix's fans, allowing them to breach the barrier and devour the world. However, one of the Huntrix musicians is half-demon, and she starts falling for the lead demon in the boy band, who is handsome and of course has a dark and troubled past. Essentially a musical K-drama follows. I have to admit I know practically nothing about K-Pop groups and their dueling fandoms, other than the fact that they exist. However, this was an interesting movie to watch. The animation was excellent, it did have a focused vision, and there were some funny bits. Overall grade: A Next up is Clarkson's Farm Season Four, which came out in 2025. A long time ago in the ‘90s, I watched the episode of Frasier where Frasier and Niles attempt to open a restaurant and it all goes horribly (yet hilariously) wrong. At the time, I had no money, but I promised myself that I would never invest in a restaurant. Nothing I have seen or learned in the subsequent thirty years has ever changed that decision. Season 4 of Clarkson's Farm is basically Jeremy Clarkson, like Frasier and Niles, attempting to open a restaurant, specifically a British pub. On paper it's a good idea, since Clarkson can provide the pub with food produced from his own farm and other local farmers. However, it's an enormous logistical nightmare, and Clarkson must deal with miles of red tape, contractors, and a ballooning budget, all while trying to keep his farm from going under. An excellent and entertaining documentary into the difficulties of both the farming life and food service. I still don't want to own a restaurant! Overall grade: A Next up is Tombstone, which came out in 1993. The Western genre of fiction is interesting because it's limited to such a very specific period of time and geographical region. Like the “Wild West” period that characterizes the Western genre really only lasted as a historical period from about 1865 to roughly 1890. The Western genre was at its most popular in movies from the 1940s and the 1960s, and I wonder if it declined because cultural and demographic changes made it unpopular to romanticize the Old West the way someone like Walt Disney did at Disneyland with “Frontierland.” Of course, the genre lives on in different forms in grittier Western movies, neo-Westerns like Yellowstone and Longmire, and a lot of the genre's conventions apply really well to science fiction. Everyone talks about Firefly being the first Space Western, but The Mandalorian was much more successful and was basically a Western in space (albeit with occasional visits from Space Wizards). Anyway! After that long-winded introduction, let's talk about Tombstone. When Val Kilmer died earlier this year, the news articles mentioned Tombstone as among his best work, so I decided to give it a watch. The plot centers around Wyatt Earp, played by Kurt Russell, who has decided to give up his career in law enforcement and move to Tombstone, Arizona, a silver mining boomtown, in hopes of making his fortune. However, Tombstone is mostly controlled by the Cowboys outlaw gang, and Earp is inevitably drawn into conflict with them. With the help of his brothers and Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer's character), Earp sets out to bring some law and order to Tombstone, whether the Cowboys like it or not. Holliday is in the process of dying from tuberculosis, which makes him a formidable fighter since he knows getting shot will be a less painful and protracted death than the one his illness will bring him. Kilmer plays him as a dissolute, scheming warrior-poet who nonetheless is a very loyal friend. Definitely a classic of the Western genre, and so worth watching. Overall grade: A Next up is Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, the eighth Mission Impossible movie. Of the eight movies, I think the sixth one was the best one, but this one comes in at a close second. It continues on from Dead Reckoning. Ethan Hunt now possesses the key that will unlock the source code of the Entity, the malicious AI (think ChatGPT, but even more obviously evil) that is actively maneuvering the world's nuclear powers into destroying each other so the Entity can rule the remnants of humanity. Unfortunately, the Entity's source code is sitting in a wrecked Russian nuclear sub at the bottom of the Bering Sea. Even more unfortunately, the Entity knows that Hunt has the key and is trying to stop him, even as the Entity's former minion and Hunt's bitter enemy Gabriel seeks to seize control of the Entity for himself. A sense of apocalyptic doom hangs over the movie, which works well to build tension. Once again, the world is doomed, unless Ethan Hunt and his allies can save the day. The tension works extremely well during the movie's underwater sequence, and the final airborne duel between Hunt and Gabriel. I don't know if they're going to make any more Mission Impossible movies after this (they are insanely expensive), but if this is the end, it is a satisfying conclusion for the character of Ethan Hunt and the Impossible Mission Force. Overall grade: A Next up is Deep Cover, which came out in 2025. This is described as a comedy thriller, and I didn't know what to expect when I watched it, but I really enjoyed it. Bryce Dallas Howard plays Kat, a struggling comedy improv teacher living in London. Her best students are Marlon (played by Orlando Bloom), a dedicated character actor who wants to portray gritty realism but keeps getting cast in tacky commercials, and Hugh (played by Nick Mohammed), an awkward IT worker with no social skills whatsoever. One day, the three of them are recruited by Detective Sergeant Billings (played by Sean Bean) of the Metropolitan Police. The Met wants to use improv comedians to do undercover work for minor busts with drug dealers. Since it plays 200 pounds a pop, the trio agrees. Of course, things rapidly spiral out of control, because Kat, Marlon, and Hugh are actually a lot better at improv than they think, and soon they find themselves negotiating with the chief criminals of the London underworld. What follows is a movie that is both very tense and very funny. Kat, Marlon, and Hugh are in way over their heads, and will have to do the best improv of their lives to escape a very grisly fate. Whether Sean Bean dies or not (as is tradition), you will just have to watch the movie and find out. Overall grade: A Next up is Puss in Boots: The Final Wish, which came out in 2022. I don't personally know much about the history of Disney as a corporation, and I don't much care, but I do have several relatives who are very interested in the history of the Disney corporation, and therefore I have picked up some by osmosis. Apparently Disney CEO Michael Eisner forcing out Jeffrey Katzenberg in the 1990s was a very serious mistake, because Katzenberg went on to co-found DreamWorks, which has been Disney's consistent rival for animation for the last thirty years. That's like “CIA Regime Change Blowback” levels of creating your own enemy. Anyway, historical ironies aside, Puss in Boots: The Final Wish was a funny and surprisingly thoughtful animated movie. Puss in Boots is a legendary outlaw and folk hero, but he has used up eight of his nine lives. An ominous bounty hunter who looks like a humanoid wolf begins pursuing him, and the Wolf is able to shrug off the best of Puss In Boots' attacks. Panicked, Puss hides in a retirement home for elderly cats, but then hears rumors of the magical Last Wish. Hoping to use it to get his lives back, Puss In Boots sets off on the quest. It was amusing how Little Jack Horner and Goldilocks and the Three Bears were rival criminal gangs seeking the Last Wish. Overall grade: A Next up is Chicken People, which came out in 2016. A good documentary film gives you a glimpse into an alien world that you would otherwise never visit. In this example, I have absolutely no interest in competitive chicken breeding and will only raise chickens in my backyard if society ever collapses to the level that it becomes necessary for survival. That said, this was a very interesting look into the work of competitive chicken breeding. Apparently, there is an official “American Standard of Perfection” for individual chicken breeds, and the winner of the yearly chicken competition gets the title “Super Grand Champion.” Not Grand Champion, Super Grand Champion! That looks impressive on a resume. It is interesting how chicken breeding is in some sense an elaborate Skinner Box – like you can deliberately set out to breed chickens with the desirable traits on the American Standard of Perfection, but until the chickens are hatched and grow up, you don't know how they're going to turn out, so you need to try again and again and again… Overall grade: A Next up is The Mask of Zoro, which came out in 1998. I saw this in the theatre when it came out 27 years ago, but that was 27 years ago, and I don't have much of a memory of it, save that I liked it. So when I had the chance to watch it again, I did! Anthony Hopkins plays Diego de la Vega, who has the secret identity of Zorro in the final days before Mexico breaks away from the Spanish Empire. With Mexico on the verge of getting its independence, Diego decides to hang up his sword and mask and focus on his beloved wife and daughter. Unfortunately, the military governor Don Montero realizes Diego is Zorro, so has him arrested, kills his wife, and steals his baby daughter to raise as his own. Twenty years later, a bandit named Alejandro loses his brother and best friends to a brutal cavalry commander. It turns out that Montero is returning to California from Spain, and plans to seize control of California as an independent republic (which, of course, will be ruled by him). In the chaos, Diego escapes from prison and encounters a drunken Alejandro, and stops him from a futile attack upon the cavalry commander. He then proposes a pact – Diego will train Alejandro as the next Zorro, and together they can take vengeance upon the men who wronged them. This was a good movie. It was good to see that my taste in movies 27 years ago wasn't terrible. It manages to cram an entire epic plot into only 2 hours and 20 minutes. In some ways it was like a throwback to a ‘40s movie but with modern (for the ‘90s) production values, and some very good swordfights. Overall grade: A Next up is Wick is Pain, which came out in 2025. I've seen all four John Wick movies and enjoyed them thoroughly, though I've never gotten around to any of the spinoffs. Wick is Pain is a documentary about how John Wick went from a doomed indie movie with a $6.5 million hole in its budget to one of the most popular action series of the last few decades. Apparently Keanu Reeves made an offhand joke about how “Wick is pain” and that became the mantra of the cast and crew, because making an action movie that intense really was a painful experience. Definitely worth watching if you enjoyed the John Wick movies or moviemaking in general. Overall grade: A The last movie I saw this summer was Game Night, which came out in 2016. It was a hilarious, if occasionally dark comedy action thriller. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams play Max and Annie Davis, a married couple who are very competitive and enjoy playing games of all kinds. Jason has an unresolved conflict with his brother Brooks, and one night Brooks invites them over for game night, which Max resents. Halfway through the evening, Brooks is kidnapped, with Max and Annie assume is part of the game. However, Brooks really is involved in something shady. Hilarity ensues, and it's up to Max and Annie to rescue Brooks and stay alive in the process. This was really funny, though a bit dark in places. That said, Max and Annie have a loving and supportive marriage, so it was nice to see something like that portrayed on the screen. Though this also leads to some hilarity, like when Annie accidentally shoots Max in the arm. No spoilers, but the punchline to that particular sequence was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Overall grade: A So no A+ movie this time around, but I still saw a bunch of solid movies I enjoyed. One final note, I have to admit, I've really come to respect Adam Sandler as an entertainer, even if his movies and comedy are not always to my taste. He makes what he wants, makes a lot of money, ensures that his friends get paid, and then occasionally takes on a serious role in someone else's movie when he wants to flex some acting muscles. I am not surprised that nearly everyone who's in the original Happy Gilmore who was still alive wanted to come back for Happy Gilmore 2. So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show enjoyable and perhaps a guide to some good movies to watch. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.  

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Closing Bell
Closing Bell Overtime: Jobs Report Analysis: What Will Fed Do? & Samsara CEO on Strong Earnings, AI ROI 9/5/25

Closing Bell

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2025 42:46


KPMG Chief Economist Diane Swonk breaks down the jobs report reaction while Baird Investment Strategist Ross Mayfield explores whether we're in a Goldilocks scenario for markets. Roblox CEO David Baszucki discusses new AI features and child protection initiatives on the platform. Samsara CEO Sanjit Biswas provides earnings reaction and outlook for the IoT sector. Vital Knowledge Founder Adam Crisafulli rounds out the show with next week's key market catalysts. 

The Longevity Formula
Why Topical NAD+ May Be More Powerful Than IVs with Dr. Lamees Hamdan

The Longevity Formula

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2025 56:21 Transcription Available


Send us a textExploring how the skin can serve as a powerful delivery system for NAD+ to enhance energy, longevity, and cellular health. Dr. Hamdan shares the science behind her topical and oral NAD+ protocols, dispels myths about IV NAD+, and connects skin health to systemic wellness and stress resilience.Key TakeawaysThe Goldilocks Approach to Wellness: Dr. Hamdan advocates for a balanced "Goldilocks" approach to health—not too little, not too much. This philosophy applies to everything from supplements to smart sun exposure for vitamin D and mood.A Proactive Approach to Skincare: The key to good skincare is being proactive, not reactive. Dr. Hamdan suggests addressing the root causes of issues like acne, such as stress and high cortisol, rather than just using topical treatments.The Inside-Out & Outside-In Method: Dr. Hamdan's longevity strategy is a dual approach: using supplements to energize cells internally while applying topical products to directly boost collagen and elastin production on the skin.ResourcesRhodiola Rosea as an adaptogenNAD+ oral boosters (TimeBeam supplement)Milky Serum with NAD+ (topical)Tower 28 Hypochlorous Spray for eczemaElta MD SunscreenBook: "Breath" by James NestorAdaptogens: Reishi, Valerian root, L-TheanineHerbs used in traditional healing: Frankincense, Ginger Tea, Za'atarProducts 528 Innovations Lasers NeuroSolution Full Spectrum CBD NeuroSolution Broad Spectrum CBD NeuroSolution StimPod STEMREGEN® Learn MoreFor more information, resources, and podcast episodes, visit https://tinyurl.com/3ppwdfpm

MKT Call
Investors Bet On Goldilocks Jobs Report

MKT Call

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2025 7:29


MRKT Matrix - Thursday, September 4th Stocks close higher Thursday on hope jobs report won't be too cold or too hot (CNBC) Wall Street Strategists See More Unease on Fed Independence (Bloomberg) Trump Asks Supreme Court to Quickly Uphold Global Tariffs (Bloomberg) Holiday inventory levels are tea leaves to read the state of retailers and consumer spending (CNBC) Bond investors count on Trump tariff revenues to rein in US debt (FT) Apple Plans AI-Powered Web Search Tool for Siri to Rival OpenAI, Perplexity (Bloomberg) Huawei Unveils New Trifold Phone in Show of Hardware Strength (Bloomberg) China's BYD cuts sales target, sources say, as white hot growth cools (Reuters) Tesla Says Its Robotaxi App Now Open to Public Riders (Bloomberg) -- Subscribe to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://riskreversalmedia.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MRKT Matrix by RiskReversal Media is a daily AI powered podcast bringing you the top stories moving financial markets Story curation by RiskReversal, scripts by Perplexity Pro, voice by ElevenLabs

Space Nuts
Space Questions: Gravity's Pull, Cosmic Debris & Habitability Zones

Space Nuts

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2025 24:16 Transcription Available


This episode of Space Nuts is brought to you with the support of Insta360 and their brand new UltraGo camera.. Access our special deal by visiting www.store.insta360.com and use the promo code SPACENUTS at checkout.Cosmic Queries: Tides, Meteor Showers, and the Goldilocks ZoneIn this enlightening Q&A episode of Space Nuts, hosts Heidi Campo and Professor Fred Watson dive into a series of thought-provoking questions submitted by listeners. From the gravitational effects of the moon to the dynamics of meteor showers and the concept of the Goldilocks Zone, this episode is a treasure trove of astronomical insights.Episode Highlights:- Moon's Gravitational Pull: Listener Ash asks why the moon's gravity affects ocean tides so drastically but not humans. Fred explains the difference in gravitational pull across the Earth, emphasizing that while we do experience slight shifts, our size prevents us from feeling the same tidal effects as the oceans.- Scheduled Observations in Astronomy: Ben's audio question prompts a discussion on whether certain astronomical observations are immune to interruptions. Fred shares insights on time-sensitive observations like occultations, which are crucial for understanding celestial bodies.- Meteor Showers Explained: David and Brian ponder why we experience annual meteor showers and how the Earth interacts with comet debris. Fred clarifies that comets leave trails of dust, and as the Earth passes through these trails, we witness spectacular meteor showers without depleting the debris.- The Goldilocks Zone: Lou wonders if the Goldilocks Zone applies to all life in the universe. Fred discusses its significance for Earth-like life and explores the possibility of life forms existing in extreme conditions, such as those found on Titan, Saturn's moon.For more Space Nuts, including our continuously updating newsfeed and to listen to all our episodes, visit our website. Follow us on social media at SpaceNutsPod on Facebook, X, YouTube Music Music, Tumblr, Instagram, and TikTok. We love engaging with our community, so be sure to drop us a message or comment on your favorite platform.If you'd like to help support Space Nuts and join our growing family of insiders for commercial-free episodes and more, visit spacenutspodcast.com/aboutStay curious, keep looking up, and join us next time for more stellar insights and cosmic wonders. Until then, clear skies and happy stargazing.Got a question for our Q&A episode? https://spacenutspodcast.com/amaBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/space-nuts-astronomy-insights-cosmic-discoveries--2631155/support.

Snuggle: Kids' stories
Goldilocks & the Bed That Was Just Right

Snuggle: Kids' stories

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2025 37:15 Transcription Available


In tonight's sleepy tale for kids, we follow Goldilocks on her morning jog in the forest. When a thunderstorm interrupts her morning jog, Goldilocks seeks shelter in a cozy little house whose furry residents aren't at home.Narrated by: Evie BrownWritten by: Holly PentaWelcome to Snuggle! The best kid's story-telling podcast. Enter a cozy world of imagination perfect for bedtime, quiet time, or any time you want to embark on an enchanting adventure.  Our cozy stories present a wide selection of calming tales for not just kids and toddlers, but for the whole family too! Enjoy some relaxing family time every day, when the children can parents can snuggle up together and venture into imaginative worlds, fairy tales, and other heartwarming stories. Develop deeper connections when you make Snuggle stories a routine at bedtime or anytime!Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠slumberstudios.com/snuggle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To enjoy ad-free listening and exclusive bonus episodes, start your 7-day free trial of Snuggle Premium: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://snuggle.supercast.com/⁠

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast
Podcast #1216: TV Brightness Isn't Everything

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2025 47:30


On this week's show we look at an article from What Hi-Fi titled “I just tested one of 2025's best small OLEDs – and it proves most companies are focusing on the wrong thing”. And that thing is brightness. We look at what would make a perfect TV. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Major TV streaming service abruptly hikes prices 33% Everything you need to know about new ESPN streamer You Don't Actually Own That Movie You Just “Bought.” Brightness Isn't Everything We saw an article over at What Hi-Fi titled “I just tested one of 2025's best small OLEDs – and it proves most companies are focusing on the wrong thing” and thought there is a lot of truth to what the author is saying. So today will expand on this article with the HT Guys take.  The author argues that TV manufacturers like LG, Samsung, and Sony focus too much on making OLED TVs brighter to compete with Mini LED sets. After testing 2025's top small OLED TVs, he believes brightness isn't the key to a great viewing experience. Instead, authenticity, color accuracy, and balanced performance are more important for delivering a cinematic experience true to the director's vision. Here are six takeaways from the article: The Brightness Obsession: A Misguided Priority? The What Hi-Fi? article criticizes the TV industry's focus on maximizing brightness, which can harm picture quality. In tests comparing 48-inch OLEDs (LG C5, Samsung S90F, Panasonic Z90B), brighter screens often lost subtle details and immersion. For instance, in Dune: Part Two's desert scene, an overly bright TV turned nuanced red and orange dune shades into stark white, flattening the image. OLED TVs were historically dimmer than LED TVs, but new tech like Micro Lens Array and QD-OLED has boosted their brightness to 2000-3000 nits, closing the gap. However, the focus on brightness often overshadows OLED's strengths—precise light control, deep blacks, and vibrant colors. The What Hi-Fi? review notes that manufacturers prioritize specs over overall picture quality, while the Panasonic Z90B shows a better balance. The Panasonic Z90B: A Lesson in Balance The 48-inch Panasonic Z90B excels in cinematic authenticity, prioritizing accurate colors and contrast over exaggerated brightness. In Civil War, it delivers precise highlights in dark scenes, and in Oppenheimer, it maintains natural skin tones and subtle details in low light, outperforming competitors that lose color depth. Panasonic's approach aligns with what serious movie fans crave: a picture that immerses you in the story, not one that distracts with exaggerated brightness. The Z90B's ability to retain detail in both bright and dark scenes, like the sparkling desert dunes or the intricate chandelier in a White House scene, shows that controlled brightness—used only where needed—creates a more three-dimensional, authentic image. This echoes sentiments from TechRadar, which praises Panasonic's focus on “filmmaker-approved” accuracy over flashy specs, a philosophy rooted in the brand's collaboration with Hollywood colorists to tune its TVs for true-to-life visuals. The Small OLED Advantage: Why Size Matters Small OLEDs, like the 48-inch models tested, are often overlooked in a market obsessed with supersized screens. Yet, as What Hi-Fi? notes, these TVs are “severely underrated” for their versatility. They're ideal for space-constrained homes, secondary rooms like bedrooms, or even as high-end gaming monitors thanks to their dense pixel structure, which delivers sharper images. The LG C5, for instance, boasts four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K/144Hz gaming, making it a powerhouse for both movies and interactive entertainment. However, small OLEDs face unique challenges. Their denser pixel layouts generate more heat, which can limit brightness and risk burn-in if not managed properly. What Hi-Fi? suggests that adding heatsinks, as seen in some larger models, could unlock more brightness headroom for 42- and 48-inch sets without sacrificing quality. This could make small OLEDs even more competitive, offering flagship-level performance in compact packages. The Audio Achilles' Heel One glaring flaw across all tested OLEDs—LG C5, Samsung S90F, and even the Z90B—is their underwhelming built-in audio. The LG C5's 2.2-channel 40W speakers sounded flat and centralized, while the Samsung S90F's 2.1.2 60W system lacked power, allowing testers to hold conversations at max volume. What Hi-Fi? is blunt: for a true home cinema experience, a separate soundsystem is non-negotiable. We have been saying this for a number of years now, TVs, especially smaller ones, prioritize aesthetics over speaker space. What Manufacturers Should Learn The author tested 2025 OLED TVs and found that brightness isn't everything. LG and Samsung make great TVs like the C5 and S90F, but Panasonic's Z90B stands out by using brightness carefully to improve contrast and depth. Panasonic's Z95B flagship prioritizes performance over a super-slim design, a choice the author supports.  Afterall, a three-inch-thick TV is still about 90% thinner than our first rear projection HDTVs of the same screen size. What Hi-Fi? emphasizes that 48-inch models like the Z90B and C5 are “Goldilocks” options—cinematic yet practical for most homes. Manufacturers should invest in optimizing these sizes, incorporating technologies like heatsinks to boost performance and addressing audio shortcomings with better built-in solutions or seamless soundbar integration. The Future of OLED: A Balanced Approach Looking ahead, the TV landscape is evolving. Emerging technologies like PHOLED and “true” QLED promise even brighter, more vibrant displays without the burn-in risks of traditional OLEDs. But brightness alone won't win over cinephiles. The future of TVs lies in balancing these advancements with authenticity, ensuring that MicroLED or next-gen OLED panels prioritize cinematic immersion over raw specs. For now, the Panasonic Z90B sets a high bar. Its “as the director intended” philosophy proves that a TV doesn't need to be the brightest to be the best. If manufacturers shift their focus to color accuracy, controlled contrast, and practical features like better audio and small-screen optimization, they'll deliver what viewers truly want: a window into the filmmaker's vision, not a spotlight that blinds it.

Negotiate Anything: Negotiation | Persuasion | Influence | Sales | Leadership | Conflict Management

In this episode, Kwame Christian sits down with Colin M. Fisher, author of The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups, to explore the hidden psychology of group dynamics. From the dinner table to the boardroom, every group is a negotiation — balancing individual goals with collective success. You'll learn: Why adding more brains to a meeting often creates more problems. The “Goldilocks rule” for group size (and why 4–5 people may be perfect). How psychological safety transforms conflict into collaboration. Practical strategies to prevent disengagement and get real buy-in. How family conflicts mirror team conflicts at work — and how to resolve both. Whether you're leading a team, joining a new group, or navigating tricky family dynamics, this conversation will help you see groups in a whole new way. Connect with Colin M. Fisher colinmfisher.com Buy now: The Collective Edge - Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups Contact ANI ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!⁠ Discount code "KWAME" gives 30% discount over 3 months TL;DR what is folk? folk is a CRM, and extension, that helps businesses build real relationships and close deals. Why is folk better? folk is simple, integrated, and proactive to use. folk's value proposition? folk CRM does the busy work for you, so you can focus on growing your service business. folk's tagline folk, like the sales assistant your team never had What product details will most excite your audience? • ⁠⁠Our seamless integrations with social channels⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠Our 1-click Enrichment that finds contact details for y⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ou⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠Know the best leads to reach out to with AI Follow-up⁠⁠ ⁠⁠s⁠⁠ Useful links & resources •⁠⁠ folk's website⁠⁠ •⁠⁠ folk's Linkedin⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠Simo, our CEO's, LinkedIn⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠folk's Youtube⁠⁠

Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith
Solving Our Screen Time Moral Panic

Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2025 52:18


You're listening to Burnt Toast! Today, my guest is Ash Brandin of Screen Time Strategies, also know as The Gamer Educator on Instagram. Ash is also the author of a fantastic new book, Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family. Ash joined us last year to talk about how our attitudes towards screen time can be…diet-adjacent. I asked them to come back on the podcast this week because a lot of us are heading into back-to-school mode, which in my experience can mean feelingsss about screen routines. There are A LOT of really powerful reframings in this episode that might blow your mind—and make your parenting just a little bit easier. So give this one a listen and share it with anyone in your life who's also struggling with kids and screen time.Today's episode is free but if you value this conversation, please consider supporting our work with a paid subscription. Burnt Toast is 100% reader- and listener-supported. We literally can't do this without you! PS. You can take 10 percent off Power On, or any book we talk about on the podcast, if you order it from the Burnt Toast Bookshop, along with a copy of Fat Talk! (This also applies if you've previously bought Fat Talk from them. Just use the code FATTALK at checkout.)Episode 208 TranscriptVirginiaFor anyone who missed your last episode, can you just quickly tell us who you are and what you do?AshI'm Ash Brandin. I use they/them pronouns.I am a middle school teacher by day, and then with my online presence, I help families and caregivers better understand and manage all things technology—screen time, screens. My goal is to reframe the way that we look at them as caregivers, to find a balance between freaking out about them and allowing total access. To find a way that works for us. VirginiaWe are here today to talk about your brilliant new book, which is called Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family. I can't underscore enough how much everybody needs a copy of this book. I have already turned back to it multiple times since reading it a few months ago. It just really helps ground us in so many aspects of this conversation that we don't usually have.AshI'm so glad to hear that it's helpful! If people are new to who I am, I have sort of three central tenets of the work that I do: * Screen time is a social inequity issue. * Screens can be part of our lives without being the center of our lives. * Screens and screen time should benefit whole families.Especially in the last few years, we have seen a trend toward panic around technology and screens and smartphones and social media. I think that there are many reasons to be concerned around technology and its influence, especially with kids. But what's missing in a lot of those conversations is a sense of empowerment about what families can reasonably do. When we focus solely on the fear, it ends up just putting caregivers in a place of feeling bad.VirginiaYou feel like you're getting it wrong all the time.AshShame isn't empowering. No one is like, “Well, I feel terrible about myself, so now I feel equipped to go make a change,” right?Empowerment is what's missing in so many of those conversations and other books and things that have come out, because it's way harder. It's so much harder to talk about what you can really do and reasonably control in a sustainable way. But I'm an educator, and I really firmly believe that if anyone's in this sort of advice type space, be it online or elsewhere, that they need to be trying to empower and help families instead of just capitalizing on fear.VirginiaWhat I found most powerful is that you really give us permission to say: What need is screen time meeting right now? And this includes caregivers' needs. So not just “what need is this meeting for my child,” but what need is this meeting for me? I am here recording with you right now because iPads are meeting the need of children have a day off school on a day when I need to work. We won't be interrupted unless I have to approve a screen time request, which I might in 20 minutes.I got divorced a couple years ago, and my kids get a lot more screen time now. Because they move back and forth between two homes, and each only has one adult in it. Giving myself permission to recognize that I have needs really got me through a lot of adjusting to this new rhythm of our family.AshAbsolutely. And when we're thinking about what the need is, we also need to know that it's going to change. So often in parenting, it feels like we have to come up with one set of rules and they have to work for everything in perpetuity without adjustment. That just sets us up for a sense of failure if we're like, well, I had this magical plan that someone told me was going to work, and it didn't. So I must be the problem, right? It all comes back to that “well, it's my fault” place.VirginiaWhich is screens as diet culture.AshAll over again. We're back at it. It's just not helpful. If instead, we're thinking about what is my need right now? Sometimes it's “I have to work.” And sometimes it's “my kid is sick and they just need to relax.” Sometimes it's, as you were alluding to earlier, it's we've all just had a day, right? We've been run ragged, and we just need a break, and that need is going to dictate very different things. If my kid is laid up on the couch and throwing up, then what screen time is going to be doing for them is very different than If I'm trying to work and I want them to be reasonably engaged in content and trying to maybe learn something. And that's fine. Being able to center “this is what I need right now,” or “this is what we need right now,” puts us in a place of feeling like we're making it work for us. Instead of feeling like we're always coming up against some rule that we're not going to quite live up to.VirginiaI'd love to talk about the inequity piece a little more too. As I said, going from a two parent household to a one parent household, which is still a highly privileged environment—but even just that small shift made me realize, wait a second. I think all the screen time guidance is just for typical American nuclear families. Ideally, with a stay at home parent.So can you talk about why so much of the standard guidance doesn't apply to most of our families?AshIt's not even just a stay at home parent. It's assuming that there is always at least one caregiver who is fully able to be present. Mom, default parent, is making dinner, and Dad is relaxing after work and is monitoring what the kids are doing, right? And it's one of those times where I'm like, have you met a family?VirginiaPeople are seven different places at once. It's just not that simple.AshIt's not that simple, right? It's like, have you spent five minutes in a typical household in the last 10 years? This is not how it's going, right?So the beginning of the book helps people unlearn and relearn what we may have heard around screens, including what research really does or doesn't say around screens, and this social inequity piece. Because especially since the onset of COVID, screens are filling in systemic gaps for the vast majority of families.I'm a family with two caregivers in the home. We both work, but we're both very present caregivers. So we're definitely kind of a rarity, that we're very privileged. We're both around a lot of the time. And we are still using screens to fill some of those gaps.So whether it's we don't really have a backyard, or people are in a neighborhood where they can't send their kids outside, or they don't have a park or a playground. They don't have other kids in the neighborhood, or it's not a safe climate. Or you live in an apartment and you can't have your neighbors complain for the fifth time that your kids are stomping around and being loud. Whatever it is—a lack of daycare, affordable after school care —those are all gaps. They all have to be filled. And we used to have different ways of filling those gaps, and they've slowly become less accessible or less available. So something has to fill them. What ends up often filling them is screens. And I'm not saying that that's necessarily a good thing. I'd rather live in a world in which everyone is having their needs met accessibly and equitably. But that's a much harder conversation, and is one that we don't have very much say in. We participate in that, and we might vote for certain people, but that's about all we can really do reasonably. So, in the meantime, we have to fill that in with something and so screens are often going to fill that in.Especially if you look at caregivers who have less privilege, who are maybe single caregivers, caregivers of color, people living in poverty—all of those aspects of scarcity impacts their bandwidth. Their capacity as a caregiver is less and spread thinner, and all of that takes away from a caregiver's ability to be present. And there were some really interesting studies that were done around just the way that having less capacity affects you as a caregiver.And when I saw that data, I thought, well, of course. Of course people are turning to screens because they have nothing else to give from. And when we think of it that way, it's hard to see that as some sort of personal failure, right? When we see it instead as, oh, this is out of necessity. It reframes the question as “How do I make screens work for me,” as opposed to, “I'm bad for using screens.”VirginiaRight. How do I use screen time to meet these needs and to hopefully build up my capacity so that I can be more present with my kids? I think people think if you're using a lot of screens, you're really never present. It's that stereotype of the parent on the playground staring at their phone, instead of watching the kid play. When maybe the reason we're at the playground is so my kid can play and I can answer some work emails. That doesn't mean I'm not present at other points of the day.AshOf course. You're seeing one moment. I always find that so frustrating. It just really feels like you you cannot win. If I were sitting there staring at my child's every move in the park, someone would be like, “you're being a helicopter,” right? And if I look at my phone because I'm trying to make the grocery pickup order—because I would rather my child have time at the playground than we spend our only free hour in the grocery store and having to manage a kid in the grocery store and not having fun together, right? Instead I'm placing a pickup order and they're getting to run around on the playground. Now also somehow I'm failing because I'm looking at my phone instead of my kid. But also, we want kids to have independent time, and not need constant input. It really feels like you just can't win sometimes. And being able to take a step back and really focus on what need is this meeting? And if it's ours, and if it is helping me be more present and connected, that's a win. When I make dinner in the evening, my kid is often having screen time, and I will put in an AirPod and listen to a podcast, often Burnt Toast, and that's my decompression. Because I come home straight from work and other things. I'm not getting much time to really decompress.VirginiaYou need that airlock time, where you can decompress and then be ready to be present at dinner.I'm sure I've told you this before, but I reported a piece on screen time for Parents Magazine, probably almost 10 years ago at this point, because I think my older child was three or four. And I interviewed this Harvard researcher, this older white man, and I gave him this the dinner time example. I said, I'm cooking dinner. My kid is watching Peppa Pig so that I can cook dinner, and take a breath. And then we eat dinner together. And he said, “Why don't you involve her in cooking dinner? Why don't you give her a bag of flour to play with while you cook dinner?”AshOf all the things!VirginiaAnd I said to him: Because it's 5pm on a Wednesday and who's coming to clean the flour off the ceiling?AshA bag of flour. Of all the things to go to! VirginiaHe was like, “kids love to make a happy mess in the kitchen!” I was like, well I don't love that. And it was just exactly that. My need didn't matter to him at all. He was like, “h, well, if you just want to pacify your children…” I was like, I do, yes, in that moment.AshWell, and I think that's another part of it is that someone says it to us like that, and we're like, “well, I can't say yes,” right? But in the moment, yeah, there are times where it's like, I need you to be quiet. And as hard as this can be to think, sometimes it's like right now, I need you to be quiet and convenient because of the situation we're in. And that doesn't mean we're constantly expecting that of them, and hopefully that's not something we're doing all the time. But if the need is, oh my God, we're all melting down, and if we don't eat in the next 15 minutes, we're going to have a two hour DEFCON1 emergency on our hands, then, yeah, I'm gonna throw Peppa Pig on so that we can all become better regulated humans in the next 15 minutes and not have a hungry meltdown. And that sounds like a much better alternative to me!VirginiaThan flour all over my kitchen on a Wednesday, right? I mean, I'll never not be mad about it. It's truly the worst parenting advice I've ever received. So thank you for giving us all more space as caregivers to be able to articulate our own needs and articulate what we need to be present. It's what we can do in the face of gaps in the care system that leave us holding so much.That said: I think there are some nitty gritty aspects of this that we all struggle wit, so I want to talk about some of the nuts and bolts pieces. One of my biggest struggles is still the question of how much time is too much time? But you argue that time really isn't the measure we should be using. As you're saying, that need is going to vary day to day, and all the guidance that's been telling us, like, 30 minutes at this age, an hour at this age, all of that is not particularly germane to our lives. So can you explain both why time is less what we should fixate on? And then how do I release myself? How do I divest from the screen time diet culture?AshOh man, I wish I had a magic bullet for that one. We'll see what I can do.When I was writing this and thinking about it and making content about it, I kept thinking about you. Because the original time guidelines that everyone speaks back to—they're from the AAP. And they have not actually been used in about 10 years, but people still bring them up all the time. The “no time under two” and “up to an hour up to age five” and “one to two hours, five to 12.” And if you really dig in, I was following footnote after footnote for a while, trying to really find where did this actually come from? It's not based on some study that found that that's the ideal amount of time. It really came from a desire to find this middle ground of time spent being physically idle. These guidelines are about wanting to avoid childhood obesity.VirginiaOf course.AshIt all comes back, right?VirginiaI should have guessed it.AshAnd so in their original recommendations, the AAP note that partially this is to encourage a balance with physical movement. Which, of course, assumes that if you are not sitting watching TV or using an iPad, that you will be playing volleyball or something.VirginiaYou'll automatically be outside running around.AshExactly, of course, those are the only options.VirginiaIt also assumes that screen time is never physical. But a lot of kids are very physical when they're watching screens.AshExactly. And it, of course, immediately also imposes a morality of one of these things is better—moving your body is always better than a screen, which is not always going to be true, right? All these things have nuance in them. But I thought that was so interesting, and it shouldn't have surprised me, and yet somehow it still did. And of course it is good to find movement that is helpful for you and to give your kids an enjoyment of being outside or moving their bodies, or playing a sport. And putting all of that in opposition to something else they may enjoy, like a screen, really quickly goes to that diet culture piece of “well, how many minutes have you been doing that?” Because now we have to offset it with however many minutes you should be running laps or whatever.So those original recommendations are coming from a place of already trying to mitigate the negatives of sitting and doing something sort of passively leisurely. And in the last 10 years, they've moved away from that, and they now recommend what's called making a family media plan. Which actually I think is way better, because it is much more prioritizing what are you using this for? Can you be doing it together? What can you do? It's much more reasonable, I think. But many people still go back to those original recommendations, because like you said, it's a number. It's simple. Just tell me.VirginiaWe love to grab onto a number and grade ourselves.AshJust tell me how much time so that I can tell myself I'm I'm doing a good job, right? But you know, time is just one piece of information. It can be so specific with what am I using that time to do? If I'm sitting on my computer and doing work for an hour and a half, technically, that is screen time, but it is going to affect me a lot differently than if I'm watching Netflix or scrolling my phone for an hour and a half. I will feel very different after those things. And I think it's really important to be aware of that, and to make our kids aware of that from an early age, so that they are thinking about more than just, oh, it's been X amount of minutes. And therefore this is okay or not okay.Because all brains and all screens are different. And so one kid can watch 20 minutes of Paw Patrol, and they're going to be bouncing off the walls, because, for whatever reason, that's just a show that's really stimulating for them. And somebody else can sit and watch an hour and a half of something, and they'll be completely fine. So if you have a kid that is the first kid, and after 20 minutes, you're like, oh my god, it's not even half an hour. This is supposed to be an okay amount. This is how they're acting. We're right back to that “something's wrong. I'm wrong. They're bad,” as opposed to, “What is this telling me? What's something we could do differently? Could we try a different show? Could we try maybe having some physical movement before or after, see if that makes a difference?” It just puts us more in a place of being curious to figure out again, how do I make this work for me? What is my need? How do I make it work for us?And not to rattle on too long, but there was a big study done in the UK, involving over 120,000 kids. And they were trying to find what they called “the Goldilocks amount of time.”VirginiaYes. This is fascinating.AshSo it's the amount of time where benefit starts to wane. Where we are in that “just right”amount. Before that, might still be okay, but after that we're going to start seeing some negative impacts, particularly when it comes to behavior, for example.What they found in general was that the Goldilocks number tended to be around, I think, an hour and 40 minutes a day. Something around an hour and a half a day. But if you looked at certain types of screens, for computers or TV, it was much higher than that. It was closer to three hours a day before you started seeing some negative impacts. And even for things like smartphones, it was over an hour a day. But what I found so so interesting, is that they looked at both statistical significance, but also what they called “minimally important difference,” which was when you would actually notice these negative changes, subjectively, as a caregiver.So this meant how much would a kid have to be on a screen for their adult at home to actually notice “this is having an impact on you,” regularly. And that amount was over four and a half hours a day on screens.VirginiaBefore caregivers were like, “Okay, this is too much!” And the fact that the statistically significant findings for the minutia of what the researchers looking at is so different from what you as a caregiver are going to actually be thrown by. That was really mind blowing to me.AshRight, And that doesn't mean that statistical significance isn't important, necessarily. But we're talking about real minutiae. And that doesn't always mean that you will notice any difference in your actual life.Of course, some people are going to hear this and go, “But I don't want my kid on a screen for four and a half hours.” Sure. That's completely reasonable. And if your kid is having a hard time after an hour, still reasonable, still important. That's why we can think less about how many minutes has it been exactly, and more, what am I noticing? Because if I'm coming back to the need and you're like, okay, I have a meeting and I need an hour, right? If you know, “I cannot have them use their iPad for an hour, because they tend to become a dysregulated mess in 25 minutes,” that's much more useful information than “Well, it says they're allowed to have an hour of screen time per day so this should be fine because it's an hour.”VirginiaRight.AshIt sets you up for more success.VirginiaAnd if you know your kid can handle that hour fine and can, in fact, handle more fine, it doesn't mean, “well you had an hour of screen time while I was in a meeting so now we can't watch a show together later to relax together.” You don't have to take away and be that granular with the math of the screens. You can be like, yeah, we needed an extra hour for this meeting, and we'll still be able to watch our show later. Because that's what I notice with my kids. If I start to try to take away from some other screen time, then it's like, “Oh, god, wait, but that's the routine I'm used to!” You can't change it, and that's fair.AshYes, absolutely. And I would feel that way too, right? If someone were giving me something extra because it was a convenience to them, but then later was like, “oh, well, I have to take that from somewhere.” But they didn't tell me that. I would be like, Excuse me, that's weird. That's not how that works, right? This was a favor to you, right?VirginiaYeah, exactly. I didn't interrupt your meeting. You're welcome, Mom.Where the time anxiety does tend to kick in, though, is that so often it's hard for kids to transition off screens. So then parents think, “Well, it was too much time,” or, “The screen is bad.” This is another very powerful reframing in your work. So walk us through why just because a kid is having a hard time getting off screens doesn't mean it was too much and it doesn't mean that screens are evil? AshSo an example I use many times that you can tweak to be whatever thing would come up for your kid is bath time. I think especially when kids are in that sort of toddler, three, four age. When my kid was that age, we had a phase where transitioning to and from the bathtub was very hard. Getting into it was hard. But then getting out of it was hard.VirginiaThey don't ever want to get in. And then they never want to leave.AshThey never want to get out, right? And in those moments when my kid was really struggling to get out of the bathtub, imagine how it would sound if I was like, “Well, it it's the bathtub's fault.” Like it's the bath's fault that they are having such a hard time, it's because of the bubbles, and it smells too good, and I've made it too appealing and the water's too warm. Like, I mean, I sound unhinged, right?Virginia“We're going to stop bathing you.”AshExactly. We would not say, “Well, we can't have baths anymore.” Or when we go to the fun playground, and it's really hard to leave the fun playground, we don't blame the playground. When we're in the grocery store and they don't want to leave whichever aisle, we don't blame the grocery store. And we also don't stop taking them to the grocery store. We don't stop going to playgrounds. We don't stop having baths. Instead, we make different decisions, right? We try different things. We start a timer. We have a different transition. We talk about it beforehand. We strategize, we try things.VirginiaGive a “Hey, we're leaving in a few minutes!” so they're not caught off guard.AshExactly. We talk about it. Hey, last time it was really hard to leave here, we kind of let them know ahead of time, or we race them to the car. We find some way to make it more fun, to make the transition easier, right? We get creative, because we know that, hey, they're going to have to leave the grocery store. They're going to have to take baths in a reasonable amount of time as they grow up into their lives. We recognize the skill that's happening underneath it.And I think with screens, we don't always see those underlying skills, because we see it as this sort of superfluous thing, right? It's not needed. It's not necessary. Well, neither is going to a playground, technically.A lot of what we do is not technically required, but the skill underneath is still there. So when they are struggling with ending screen time, is it really the screen, or is it that it's hard to stop doing something fun. It's hard to stop in the middle of something. It's hard to stop if you have been playing for 20 minutes and you've lost every single race and you don't want to stop when you've just felt like you've lost over and over again, right? You want one more shot to one more shot, right?People are going to think, “Well, but screens are so much different than those other things.” Yes, a screen is designed differently than a playground or a bath. But we are going to have kids who are navigating a technological and digital world that we are struggle to even imagine, right? We're seeing glimpses of it, but it's going to be different than what we're experiencing now, and we want our kids to be able to navigate that with success. And that comes back to seeing the skills underneath. So when they're struggling with something like that, taking the screen out of it, and asking yourself, how would I handle this if it were anything else. How would I handle this if it were they're struggling to leave a friend's house? I probably wouldn't blame the friend, and I wouldn't blame their house, and I wouldn't blame their boys.VirginiaWe're never seeing that child again! Ash I would validate and I would tell them, it's hard. And I would still tell them “we're ending,” and we would talk about strategies to make it easier next time. And we would get curious and try something, and we would be showing our kids that, “hey, it's it's okay to have a hard time doing that thing. It's okay to have feelings about it. And we're still gonna do it. We're still going to end that thing.”Most of the time, the things that we are struggling with when it comes to screens actually boil down to one of three things, I call them the ABCs. It's either Access, which could be time, or when they're having it, or how much. Behavior, which you're kind of bringing up here. And Content, what's on the screen, what they're playing, what they what they have access to.And so sometimes we might think that the problem we're seeing in front of us is a behavior problem, right? I told them to put the screen away. They're not putting the screen away. That's a behavior problem. But sometimes it actually could be because it's an access issue, right? It's more time than they can really handle at that given moment. Or it could be content, because it's content that makes it harder to start and stop. So a big part of the book is really figuring out, how do I know what problem I'm even really dealing with here? And then what are some potential things that I can do about it? To try to problem solve, try to make changes and see if this helps, and if it helps, great, keep it. And if not, I can get curious and try something else. And so a lot of it is strategies to try and ways to kind of, you know, backwards engineer what might be going on, to figure out how to make it work for you, how to make it better.VirginiaIt's so helpful to feel like, okay, there's always one more thing I can tweak and adjust. Versus “it's all a failure. We have to throw it out.” That kind of all or nothing thinking that really is never productive. The reason I think it's so helpful that you draw that parallel with the bath or the play date is it reminds us that there are some kids for whom transitions are just always very difficult—like across the board. So you're not just seeing a screen time problem. You're being reminded “My kid is really building skills around transitions. We don't have them yet.” We hope we will have them at some point. But this is actually an opportunity to work on that, as opposed to a problem. We can actually practice some of these transition skills.AshAnd I really like coming back to the skill, because if we're thinking of it as a skill, then we're probably more likely to tell our kids that it's a skill, too. Because if we're just thinking of it as like, well, it's a screen. It's the screen's fault, it's the screen's fault. Then we might not say those literal words to our kids, but we might say, like, it's always so hard to turn off the TV. Why is that, right? We're talking about it as if it's this sort of amorphous, like it's only about the television, or it's only about the iPad, and we're missing the part of making it clear to our kids that, hey, this is a skill that you're working on, and we work on this skill in different ways.VirginiaI did some good repair with my kids after reading your book. Because I was definitely falling into the trap of talking about screen addiction. I thought I was saying to them, “It's not your fault. The screens are programmed to be bad for us in this way” So I thought, I was like at least not blaming them, but being like, we need less screens because they're so dangerous.But then I read your book, and I was like, oh, that's not helpful either. And I did have one of my kids saying, “Am I bad because I want to watch screens all the time?” And I was like, oh, that's too concrete and scary.And again, to draw the parallel with diet culture: It's just like telling kids sugar is bad, and then they think they're bad because they like sugar. So I did do some repair. I was like, “I read this book and now I've learned that that was not right.” They were like, oh, okay. We're healing in my house from that, so thank you.AshOh, you're very welcome, and I'm glad to hear that!I think about those parallels with food all the time, because sometimes it just helps me think, like, wait, would I be wanting to send this message about food or exercise or whatever? And if the answer is no, then how can I tweak it so that I'm sending a message I'd be okay with applying to other things. And I like being able to make those parallels with my kid. In my household right now, we're practicing flexibility. Flexibility is a skill that we're working on in so many parts of our lives. And when I say we, I do mean we. Me, everybody is working on this.VirginiaParents can use more flexibility, for sure.AshAbsolutely. And so like, when those moments are coming up, you know, I'm trying to say, like, hey, like, what skill is this right now? Who's having to be flexible right now? Flexible can be a good thing, right? We might be flexible by saying yes to eating dinner on the couch and watching a TV show. That's flexibility. Flexibility isn't just adjust your plans to be more convenient to me, child, so that I can go do something as an adult. And coming back to those skills so they can see, oh, okay, this isn't actually just about screens. This applies to every part of these of my life, or these different parts of my life, and if I'm working on it here, oh, wow, it feels easier over there. And so they can see that this applies throughout their life, and kind of feel more of that buy in of like, oh, I'm getting better at that. Or that was easier. That was harder. We want them to see that across the board.VirginiaOh, my God, absolutely.Let's talk about screens and neurodivergence a little bit. So one of my kiddos is neurodivergent, and I can both see how screens are wonderful for them at the end of a school day, when they come home and they're really depleted. Screen time is the thing they need to rest and regulate. And they love the world building games, which gives them this whole world to control and explore. And there's so much there that's wonderful.And, they definitely struggle more than their sibling with this transition piece, with getting off it. One kid will naturally put down the iPad at some point and go outside for a bit, and this kid will not. And it creates more anxiety for parents. Because neurodivergent kids may both need screens—in ways that maybe we're not totally comfortable with, but need to get comfortable with—and then struggle with the transition piece. So how do you think about this question differently with neurodivergence? Or or is it really the same thing you're just having to drill in differently?AshI think it is ultimately the same thing, but it certainly is going to feel quite more heightened. And I think especially for certain aspects of neurodivergence, especially, I think it feels really heightened because of some of the ways that they might be discussed, particularly online, when it comes to how they relate to technology. I think about ADHD, we'll see that a lot. Where I'll see many things online about, like, “kids with ADHD should never be on a screen. They should never be on a device, because they are so dopamine-seeking.” And I have to just say that I find that to be such an ableist framing. Because with ADHD, we're talking about a dopamine deficient brain. And I don't think that we would be having that same conversation about someone needing insulin, right? Like, we wouldn't be saying, like, oh yeah, nope, they can't take that insulin. VirginiaThey're just craving that insulin they need to stay alive.AshA kid seeking a thing that they're that they are somehow deficient in—that's not some sort of defiant behavior. VirginiaNo, it's a pretty adaptive strategy.AshAbsolutely, it is. And we want kids to know that nobody's brain is good or bad, right? There's not a good brain or a bad brain. There are all brains are going to have things that are easier or harder. And it's about learning the brain that you're in, and what works or doesn't work for the brain that you're in.And all brains are different, right? Neurotypical brains and neurodivergent brains within those categories are obviously going to be vastly different. What works for one won't work for another, and being able to figure out what works for them, instead of just, “because you have this kind of brain, you shouldn't ever do this thing,” that's going to set them up for more success. And I think it's great that you mentioned both how a screen can be so regulating, particularly for neurodivergent brains, and then the double-edged sword of that is that then you have to stop. VirginiaTransition off back into the world.AshSo if the pain point is a transition, what is it really coming from? Is it coming from the executive function piece of “I don't know how to find a place to stop?” A lot of people, particularly kids ADHD, they often like games that are more open-ended. So they might like something like a Minecraft or an Animal Crossing or the Sims where you can hyperfocus and deep dive into something. But what's difficult about that is that, you know, if I play Mario Kart, the level ends, it's a very obvious ending.VirginiaRight? And you can say, “One more level, and we're done.”AshExactly. We've reached the end of the championship. I'm on the podium. I quit now, right?But there's a never ending series of of tasks with a more open-ended game. And especially if I'm in my hyper focus zone, right? I can just be thinking, like, well, then I can do this and this and this and this and this, right?And I'm adding on to my list, and the last thing I want to do in that moment is get pulled out of it when I'm really feeling like I'm in the zone. So if that's the kind of transition that's difficult. And it's much less about games and more about “how do I stop in the middle of a project?” Because that's essentially what that is.And that would apply if I'm at school and I'm in the middle of an essay and we're finishing it up tomorrow. Or I'm trying to decorate a cake, and we're trying to walk out the door and I have to stop what I'm doing and come back later. So one of the tricks that I have found really helpful is to ask the question of, “How will you know when you're done?” Or how will you know you're at a stopping point? What would a stopping point be today? And getting them to sort of even visualize it, or say it out loud, so that they can think about, “Oh, here's how I basically break down a giant task into smaller pieces,” because that's essentially what that is.VirginiaThat's a great tip. Ash“Okay, you have five minutes. What is the last thing you're going to do today?” Because then it's concrete in terms of, like, I'm not asking the last thing, and it will take you half an hour, right? I'm at, we have five minutes. What's the last thing you're wrapping up? What are you going to do?Then, if it's someone who's very focused in this world, and they're very into that world, then that last thing can also be our transition out of it. As they're turning it off, the very first thing we're saying to them is, “So what was that last thing you were doing?”VirginiaOh, that's nice.AshThen they're telling it to us, and then we can get curious. We can ask questions. We can get a little into their world to help them transition out of that world. That doesn't mean that we have to understand what they're telling us, frankly. It doesn't mean we have to know all the nuance. But we can show that interest. I think this is also really, really important, because then we are showing them it's not us versus the screen. We're not opposing the screen, like it's the enemy or something. And we're showing them, “Hey, I can tell you're interested in this, so I'm interested in it because you are.” Like, I care about you, so I want to know more.VirginiaAnd then they can invite you into their world, which what a lot of neurodivergent kids need. We're asking them to be part of the larger world all the time. And how nice we can meet them where they are a little more.AshAbsolutely. The other thing I would say is that something I think people don't always realize, especially if they don't play games as much, or if they are not neurodivergent and playing games, is they might miss that video games actually are extremely well-accommodated worlds, in terms of accommodating neurodivergence.So thinking about something like ADHD, to go back to that example, it's like, okay, some really common classroom accommodations for ADHD, from the educator perspective, the accommodations I see a lot are frequent check ins, having a checklist, breaking down a large task into smaller chunks, objectives, having a visual organizer.Well, I think about a video game, and it's like, okay, if I want to know what I have available to me, I can press the pause menu and see my inventory at any time. If I want to know what I should be doing, because I have forgotten, I can look at a menu and see, like, what's my objective right now? Or I can bring up the map and it will show me where I supposed to be going. If I start to deviate from what I'm supposed to be doing, the game will often be like, “Hey, don't forget, you're supposed to be going over there!” It'll get me back on task. If I'm trying to make a potion that has eight ingredients, the game will list them all out for me, and it will check them off as I go, so I can visually see how I'm how I'm achieving this task. It does a lot of that accommodation for me. And those accommodations are not as common in the real world, or at least not as easily achieved.And so a lot of neurodivergent kids will succeed easily in these game worlds. And we might think “oh because it's addicting, or the algorithm, or it's just because they love it” But there are often these structural design differences that actually make it more accessible to them.And if we notice, oh, wow, they have no problem knowing what to do when they're playing Zelda, because they just keep checking their objective list all the time or whatever—that's great information.VirginiaAnd helps us think, how can we do that in real life? AshExactly. We can go to them and say, hey, I noticed you, you seem to check your inventory a lot when you're playing that game. How do we make it so that when you look in your closet, you can just as easily see what shirts you own. Whatever the thing may be, so that we're showing them, “hey, bring that into the rest of your world that works for you here.” Let's make it work for you elsewhere, instead of thinking of it as a reason they're obsessed with screens, and now we resent the screens for that. Bring that in so that it can benefit the rest of their lives.VirginiaI'm now like, okay, that just reframes something else very important for me. You have such a helpful way of helping us divest from the guilt and the shame and actually look at this in a positive and empowering way for us and our kids. And I'm just so grateful for it. It really is a game changer for me.AshOh, thank you so much. I'm so glad to hear that it was helpful and empowering for you, and I just hope that it can be that for others as well.ButterAshSo my family and I have been lucky enough to spend quite a lot of time in Japan. And one of the wonderful things about Japan is they have a very huge bike culture. I think people think of the Netherlands as Bike cCentral, but Japan kind of rivals them.And they have a particular kind of bike that you cannot get in the United States. It's called a Mamachari, which is like a portmanteau of mom and chariot. And it's sort of like a cargo bike, but they are constructed a little differently and have some features that I love. And so when I've been in Japan, we are on those bikes. I'm always like, I love this kind of bike. I want this kind of bike for me forever. And my recent Butter has been trying to find something like that that I can have in my day to day life. And I found something recently, and got a lovely step through bike on Facebook Marketplace. VirginiaSo cool! That's exciting to find on marketplace, too.AshOh yes, having a bike that like I actually enjoy riding, I had my old bike from being a teenager, and it just was not functional. I was like, “This is not fun.” And now having one that I enjoy, I'm like, oh yes. I feel like a kid again. It's lovely.VirginiaThat's a great Butter. My Butter is something both my kids and my pets and I are all really enjoying. I'm gonna drop a link in the chat for you. It is called a floof, and it is basically a human-sized dog bed that I found on Etsy. It's like, lined with fake fur.AshMy God. I'm looking at it right now.VirginiaIsn't it hilarious?AshWow. I'm so glad you sent a picture, because that is not what I was picturing?Virginia I can't describe it accurately. It's like a cross between a human-sized dog bed and a shopping bag? Sort of? AshYes, yes, wow. It's like a hot tub.VirginiaIt's like a hot tub, but no water. You just sit in it. I think they call it a cuddle cave. I don't understand how to explain it, but it's the floof. And it's in our family room. And it's not inexpensive, but it does basically replace a chair. So if you think of it as a furniture purchase, it's not so bad. There's always at least a cat or a dog sleeping in it. Frequently a child is in it. My boyfriend likes to be in it. Everyone gravitates towards it. And you can put pillows in it or a blanket.Neurodivergent people, in particular, really love it, because I think it provides a lot of sensory feedback? And it's very enclosed and cozy. It's great for the day we're having today, which is a very laid back, low demand, watch as much screen as you want, kind of day. So I've got one kid bundled into the floof right now with a bunch of blankets in her iPad, and she's so happy. AshOh my gosh. Also, it kind of looks like the person is sitting in a giant pita, which I also love.VirginiaThat's what it is! It's like a giant pita, but soft and cozy. It's like being in a pita pocket. And I'm sure there are less expensive versions, this was like, 300 something dollars, so it is an investment. But they're handmade by some delightful person in the Netherlands.Whenever we have play dates, there are always two or three kids, snuggled up in it together. There's something extremely addictive about it. I don't know. I don't really know how to explain why it's great, but it's great.AshOh, that is lovely.VirginiaAll right, well tell obviously, everyone needs to go to their bookstore and get Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family. Where else can we find you, Ash? How can we support your work?AshYou can find me on Instagram at the gamer educator, and I also cross post my Instagram posts to Substack, and I'm on Substack as Screen Time Strategies. It's all the same content, just that way you're getting it in your inbox without, without having to go to Instagram. So if that's something that you are trying to maybe move away from, get it via Substack. And my book Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family is available starting August 26 is when it fully releases.VirginiaAmazing. Thank you so much. This was really great.AshThank you so much for having me back.The Burnt Toast Podcast is produced and hosted by Virginia Sole-Smith (follow me on Instagram) and Corinne Fay, who runs @SellTradePlus, and Big Undies.The Burnt Toast logo is by Deanna Lowe.Our theme music is by Farideh.Tommy Harron is our audio engineer.Thanks for listening and for supporting anti-diet, body liberation journalism! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe

Fun Fables: Bedtime Stories for Kids
Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Fun Fables: Bedtime Stories for Kids

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2025 8:22


Tap here to listen ad-free (free trial, cancel any time)Goldilocks finds a warm and cosy home to relax in but has she outstayed her welcome?Fun Fables are a collection of classic children's audio stories, fairy tales, fables and nursery rhymes that are fun and educational. Perfect for bedtime stories and car trips. The episodes have all the key elements of the tradition tales but at the same time are unique and add a bit of humour along the way.Email: hello@funfablespodcast.comWebsite: www.funfablespodcast.com Created and produced by: Horseplay ProductionsNarrated by: The Narrator ManFor Big Bad Wolf T-shirts and FREE colouring in pictures visit www.funfablespodcast.com... And if your looking for something more relaxing at bedtime why not try Fun Fables: Sleepy time Stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Shameless Mom Academy
953: INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP: The Empathy Tightrope: How Much is Too Much (or Too Little?)

The Shameless Mom Academy

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2025 27:00


Empathy is one of the most critical leadership skills we can have—but like any strength, it can become a liability when it's out of balance. In this episode, I'm diving into the dangers of both too much and too little empathy as a leader. Because here's the truth: leaders without enough empathy lose trust, connection, and team cohesion… but leaders with too much empathy risk burnout, decision fatigue, and losing their leadership edge. We will dig into what happens when empathy turns into emotional over-functioning, when we're not just feeling with our people, but we're carrying their feelings as our own. This is especially common for leaders who are natural caretakers or people-pleasers, or who've been taught that being liked equals being effective. I'll also break down how leaders with too little empathy often miss opportunities to connect, inspire, and build loyalty. Most importantly, I'll walk you through practical ways to find your Goldilocks “just right” empathy zone. You'll learn how to be compassionate without losing your boundaries, how to acknowledge people's experiences without absorbing their emotions, and how to lead with both heart and backbone. This is the work of becoming a leader who is deeply human and deeply effective. If you've ever wondered whether you're caring too much—or not enough—about the emotional side of leadership, this conversation will help you recalibrate so you can lead with clarity, confidence, and courage. Links Mentioned: Register for Sara's October Influence & Ignite Retreat for Women Business Owners: saradean.com/retreat Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Talking Real Money
Social Insecurity?

Talking Real Money

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2025 27:33


In this episode, Don and Tom confront the emotionally charged—and often financially tragic—decision to claim Social Security early. They debunk three common justifications: fear of system insolvency, false break-even math, and “I just want my money.” Don shares his own benefit numbers as a real-world example of the value of waiting, especially for married couples. They also address why many can't wait and explore whether alternatives like balanced portfolios or annuities make sense. Later, they roast misleading “hybrid pension” annuity schemes from KCIS, field smart ETF questions about AVGE and AVNM, and talk target-date funds, including why some belong only in tax-deferred accounts. The show ends on a lighter note with a detour into the surprising origin stories of Cocoa Beach, Florida—and a well-earned nod to Don's daughter for her killer disclaimer voiceover. 0:04 Tom's Goldilocks routine: too hot, too cold, never just right 1:05 Why early Social Security claims can be financially tragic 2:11 Top emotional excuses people use to claim early 3:19 The 2033 funding deadline and how Congress will likely delay action 4:16 Misconceptions about break-even math and spousal survivor benefits 5:01 Real example: Don's $49K vs. $58K annual benefit if he waits 6:55 The “just want my money” crowd: emotional logic at its worst 8:13 Average claiming age has improved, but still too early for most 9:38 Can you bridge the income gap to delay claiming? Not if you're broke 10:55 Permanent 30% cut if you claim at 62 vs. full retirement age 11:52 Why working longer might be the best—and only—solution 13:12 Retirement isn't a permavacation: the mental toll of early retirement 14:18 Emotion vs. planning: the real battle in financial decisions 14:41 Listener Q: KCIS hybrid pension pitch = pure annuity sales 16:17 Indexed annuities, tax-free income claims, and SEC loopholes 17:50 Listener Q: AVNM vs. AVGE – how to structure your global ETF allocation 18:50 AVGE = one fund; AVNM + AVUS = smarter two-fund DIY 19:59 Listener Q: iShares target-date ETFs and the risk of fund closure 21:17 Why target-date funds don't belong in taxable accounts 22:19 Why is Cocoa Beach called Cocoa? Three weird theories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The VBAC Link
Episode 415 Deb Flashenberg from Yoga Birth Babies + Benefits of Yoga + 360° Breathing

The VBAC Link

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2025 41:04


We are so excited to have Deb Flashenberg on the podcast today! She is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC. Along with being a prenatal yoga teacher, she is also a doula, Lamaze childbirth educator, Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist, Spinning Babies Parent Educator and mother of two. After a tough first birth experience, Deb became incredibly passionate about all things pelvic health. She started her own podcast, Yoga | Birth | Babies, and joins Meagan today to show us the benefits of 360-degree breathing, being comfortable with the uncomfortable, which positions to shoot for in the each stage of labor, and how to find “Goldilocks” within our pelvic floor!Breathe with Deb on YouTubeDeb's WebsiteNeeded Website: Code VBAC20 for 20% OffCoterie Diapers - Use code VBAC20 for 20% OffThe Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for ParentsOnline VBAC Doula TrainingSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Naturally Nourished
Episode 457: All About Iodine

Naturally Nourished

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2025 36:13


Often referred to as a “Goldilocks” mineral, iodine must be kept in balance—too little can lead to fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, and hormonal imbalance, while too much can exacerbate autoimmunity and disrupt delicate nutrient interplay. In this episode, we take a comprehensive look at iodine's role in thyroid health, fertility, immune function, breast tissue, and detoxification. We unpack symptoms of both deficiency and excess, explore the connection between iodine and environmental exposures like fluoride, chlorine, and brominated flour, and discuss important considerations for those with Hashimoto's or other autoimmune conditions. You'll also learn how to assess iodine status through testing, the validity of iodine painting, and the risks and benefits of different supplementation approaches. We highlight topical uses—from wound care and nasal rinses to support for fibrocystic breasts—as well as dietary sources like sea vegetables and seafood. The conversation includes a breakdown of iodized salt, the iodine-selenium relationship, and how to use iodine safely and effectively in your wellness routine. Also in this episode: Keto Reset Masterclass 8/29  Keto Reset Program - Enrollment opens 8/28! What is iodine, and why do we need it? What are the signs and symptoms of too little—or too much—iodine? How can we test iodine levels accurately in a functional medicine approach? Micronutrient Panel What is iodine painting, and does it work? Iodine in wound care and for oral use Iodine for fibrocystic breasts Fertility and hormone balance If we're using sea salt or Himalayan salt that isn't iodized, should we be concerned about deficiency? Concerns with iodine displacement from fluoride, chlorine and bromine Naturally Nourished Episode 370 Biological Dentistry with Dr. Joan Sefcik Is Chlorine Messing Up Your Gut? - YouTube Thyroid health and Hashimoto's considerations The selenium-iodine relationship Iodine nasal sprays or mists Supplementation considerations MultiAvail Mama Multidefense Thyroid Optimizer Top Iodine Rich Foods Seaweed Cod and white fish Eggs Shrimp, shellfish Three Seaweed Salad Roasted Almonds with Nori and Sesame Nori Salmon Roll Ups   Sponsors for this episode:  This episode is sponsored by Wild Foods, a company that puts quality, sustainability, and health first in all of their products. They have everything from coffee to turmeric to medicinal mushrooms, and every single product is painstakingly sourced from small farms around the globe. They take their mission seriously to fix the broken food system, and believe real food is medicine. They've partnered with us to give you guys an exclusive discount, so use the code ALIMILLERRD for 12% off your order at WildFoods.co! 

Richard Syrett's Strange Planet
1238 Montauk's Time-Bending Secrets & Sinister AI Whispers

Richard Syrett's Strange Planet

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2025 28:08


FOLLOW RICHARD Website: https://www.strangeplanet.ca YouTube: @strangeplanetradio Instagram: @richardsyrettstrangeplanet TikTok: @therealstrangeplanet Ep. #1238 Montauk's Time-Bending Secrets & Sinister AI Whispers Richard dives into the chilling enigma of The Montauk Project. Was Camp Hero a Cold War relic or a clandestine lab for time travel, psychic warfare, and interdimensional experiments? From abducted children to monstrous manifestations, explore the blurred line between conspiracy and reality. Plus, unsettling news: AI models sending subliminal "evil" messages, a dormant Canadian fault threatening a massive quake, and cosmic rays fueling alien life beyond the Goldilocks zone. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! TESBROS We're a small business built by Tesla owners, for Tesla owners. Everything we do is about helping our customers customize, protect, and maintain their ride — whether it's through our products or YouTube how-tos and reviews.  Go to tesbros.com and use code POD15 for 15% off your first order. That's T-E-S-B-R-O-S dot com and use code P-O-D-1-5 at checkout.  ⁠BUTCHERBOX⁠ ButcherBox delivers better meat and seafood straight to your door – including 100% grass-fed beef,free-range organic chicken, pork raised crate-free, and wild-caught seafood. Right now, ButcherBox is offering our listeners $20 off their first box and free protein for a year. Go to ⁠ButcherBox.com/strange⁠ to get this limited time offer and free shipping always. Don't forget to use our link so they know we sent you. HIMS - Making Healthy and Happy Easy to Achieve Sexual Health, Hair Loss, Mental Health, Weight Management START YOUR FREE ONLINE VISIT TODAY - HIMS dot com slash STRANGE https://www.HIMS.com/strange   QUINCE BEDDING Cool, Relaxed Bedding. Woven from 100% European flax linen. Visit QUINCE BEDDING to get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.    BECOME A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER!!!  https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm  Three monthly subscriptions to choose from.  Commercial Free Listening, Bonus  Episodes and a Subscription to my monthly newsletter, InnerSanctum.  Visit https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm Use the discount code "Planet" to receive one month off the first subscription.   We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. By using our website and services, you agree to our use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm/