Movable barrier that allows ingress and egress
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For the final episode of UFC Unfiltered in 2025, Jim Norton and Matt Serra put a bow on the year that was and look ahead to what 2026 might hold.The guys open the show by revisiting their 2025 predictions, breaking down how the season played out after a razor-thin race in their season-long picks competition. Matt finished ahead on total points, while Jim led in correctly predicted winners — setting the stage for plenty of friendly back-and-forth.From there, Jim and Matt hand out eight end-of-year awards, including four official #UFCHonors categories that fans can begin voting on December 27, along with four Unfiltered-only awards the guys add in their own annual tradition. They debate the biggest fights, knockouts, submissions, comebacks, and breakout performances of 2025 — while giving special shine to standout runs that defined the year.The conversation then shifts to the future as the guys roll out their UFC holiday wish list for 2026, discussing everything from potential superfights and divisional clarity to fighters poised for massive breakout years.Jim and Matt wrap things up by calling their shots for 2026, predicting which fighters — including possible first-time champions — could be wearing gold by this time next year, and whether the very top of the women's divisions could see major shakeups.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Finishing up our recap of the first round of the College Football Playoff; The List: Jeff Brohm/U of Michigan; Handing out Christmas Gifts to our local Sports Figures; Tell Your Story, DK Metcalf Fan.
It's Christmas.Getting through Christmas, can be an overwhelming ask for us as survivors. While many people experience joy and celebration during this time, we can feel the opposite through difficult emotions, painful memories, and feelings of isolation surfacing.Here's some ideas that may just help.From all of us here at Handing the Shame BackWe see youWe stand beside youWe believe youFor more on us, go to: handingtheshameback.orgWe are on all social media platforms:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HandingtheShameBackInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/handingtheshameback/X: https://x.com/HandinShameBackYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@handingtheshamebackTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@handingshamebackLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/handing-the-shame-back #HandingTheShameBack #HandSign4Kids #LetsSaveSomeKids #GlobalHandSign #SafeAdult
If your organization ran an "AI 101" lunch-and-learn… and nothing changed after, this episode is for you. Host Susan Diaz explains why one-off workshops create false confidence, how AI literacy is more like learning a language than learning software buttons, and shares a practical roadmap to build sustainable AI capability. Episode summary This episode is for two groups: teams who did a single AI training and still feel behind, and leaders realizing one workshop won't build organizational capability. The core idea is simple: AI adoption isn't a "feature learning" problem. It's a behaviour change problem. Behaviour only sticks when there's a container - cadence, guardrails, and a community of practice that turns curiosity into repeatable habits. Susan breaks down why one-off training fails, what good training looks like (a floor, not a ceiling), and gives a step-by-step plan you can use to design an internal program - even if your rollout already happened and it was messy. Key takeaways One-off AI training creates false confidence. People leave either overconfident (shipping low-quality output) or intimidated (deciding "AI isn't for me"). Neither leads to real adoption. AI literacy is a language, not a feature. Traditional software training teaches buttons and steps. AI requires reps, practice, play, and continuous learning because the tech and use cases evolve constantly. Access is not enablement. Buying licences and calling everyone "AI-enabled" skips the hard part: safe use, permissions, and real workflow practice. Handing out tools with no written guardrails is a risk, not a training plan. Cadence beats intensity. Without rituals and follow-up, people drift back to business as usual. AI adoption backslides unless you design ongoing reinforcement. Good training builds a floor, not a ceiling. A floor means everyone can participate safely, speak shared language, and contribute use cases—without AI becoming a hero-only skill. The four layers of training that sticks: Safety + policy (permission, guardrails, what data is allowed) Shared language (vocabulary, mental models) Workflow practice (AI on real work, not toy demos) Reinforcement loop (office hours, champions, consistent rituals) The 5-step "training that works" roadmap Step 1: Define a 60-day outcome. "In 60 days, AI will help our team ____." Choose one: reduce cycle time, improve quality, reduce risk, improve customer response, improve decision-making. Then: "We'll know it worked when ____." Step 2: Set guardrails and permissions. List: data never allowed data allowed with caution data safe by default Step 3: Pick 3 high-repetition workflows. Weekly tasks like proposals, client summaries, internal comms, research briefs. Circle one that's frequent + annoying + low risk. That becomes your practice lane. Step 4: Build the loop (reps > theory). Bring one real task. Prompt once for an ugly first draft. Critique like an editor. Re-prompt to improve. Share a before/after with the team. Step 5: Create a community of practice. Office hours. An internal channel for AI wins + FAQs. Two champions per team (curious catalysts, not "experts"). Only rule: bring a real use case and a real question. What "bad training" looks like one workshop with no follow-up generic prompt packs bought off the internet tools handed out with no written guardrails hype-based demos instead of workflow practice no time allocated for learning (so it becomes 10pm homework) Timestamps 00:00 — Why this episode: "We did AI training… and nothing changed." 01:20 — One-off training creates two bad outcomes: overconfident or intimidated 03:05 — AI literacy is a language, not a software feature 05:10 — Access isn't enablement: licences without guardrails = risk 07:00 — Cadence beats intensity: why adoption backslides 08:40 — Training should build a floor, not a ceiling 10:05 — The 4 layers: policy, shared language, workflow practice, reinforcement 12:10 — The 5-step roadmap: define a 60-day outcome 13:40 — Guardrails and permissions (what data is never allowed) 15:10 — Pick 3 workflows and choose a low-risk practice lane 16:30 — The loop: prompt → critique → re-prompt → share 18:10 — Communities of practice: office hours + champions 20:05 — What to do this week: pick one workflow and run one loop If your organization did an AI 101 and nothing changed, don't panic. Pick one workflow this week. Run the prompt → critique → re-prompt → share loop once. Then schedule an office hour to do it again. That's how you move from "we did a training" to "we're building capability". Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to get a conversation started. Agile teams move fast. Grab our 10 AI Deep Research Prompts to see how proven frameworks can unlock clarity in hours, not months. Find the prompt pack here.
A Holiday Haunting: Part 1 Jack returns home and reconnects with his old ghost crush. Based on a post by zeon 67. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. Oh. Shit! She's back. Jack had to drop everything and run to the living room; he needed to see her again. His coffee mug shattering against the kitchen floor meant little to him. Jack followed her out of the room, stumbling into the den and crashed into a chair. Any pain that he felt was instantly ignored; he just had to see her face. But she phased through the bookcase, leaving him disappointed. Ten years. It had been ten years since Jack had last seen Erin. Just a brief peek of her ghostly form, and Jack was a teenager again. The first time he met Erin, he was thirteen. Jack's parents had dragged the family from Boston to live in a stock horror mansion outside Portland, Maine. He hated everything about it, feeling depressed, isolated from his old life. Then he saw her. She appeared late one night as Jack attempted to fall asleep. His eyes widened as this woman floated in front of his bed. She wore a bulky, dark shirt with a lighter collar, a long apron over a skirt that reached her ankles and sensible shoes. Pale skin and white hair held up in a professional bun. She stood translucent and hovered a foot off the ground. Jack was freaking out, shaking under the covers and trying to release a scream. But watching her body float, her head crooked to the side with a curious smile, Jack felt an eerie calm. He sat up in his bed and examined her further. She was beautiful, an oval face with dimples, full lips, and wide, expressive eyes. He tried to guess her age, but it was impossible due to her intangible form. "Hello;" Jack said. His voice was hoarse and unconvincing. She smiled again at him before disappearing. "Fuck." Jack immediately fainted. He awoke late in the morning, still shaken. Jack ran down to his family, yelling at them in the kitchen at what he had just seen. His parents responded with blank looks. His sisters both snickered, cracking jokes about Jack's nighttime activities, and how it must have affected his brain. But as he continued, the jokes stopped, and soon Jack had weekly sessions with Dr. Miller. It was like a month until he saw her again. Jack was alone in the house and found Erin standing in between his bed. He screamed this time, but Erin just replied with a smile. She looked amused by his actions. She disappeared, and Jack had to wait another month before catching her on the stairs. But he had a plan, knowing what he should do the next time he ever saw her again. "Jack!" His mother yelled from upstairs. "What Happened!" Jack rolled his eyes. "It's nothing. I dropped my mug." He shouted back up, praying that his parents won't come down. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and Jack had returned home early, hoping just to relax and forget about Laura. Retreating into the kitchen, he ignored the mess he'd left behind. He wasn't that heartbroken about the end of the relationship; he just needed to get out of Boston for a while. Jack filled up a glass of water and took a couple of gulps, trying to steady himself. The plan was to drink, eat loads and watch football. But now, Jack was instantly consumed by the need to see Erin again. Erin's Further Revelations. Jack rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He guessed that it was probably two in the morning. He should be asleep, but restless energy had overpowered him, just like when he was a teenager. The weeks after her second appearance, Jack woke early in the morning and saw Erin staring out of the window. She turned to him and then disappeared. Every couple of weeks, he would see Erin around the house, mostly in his room, but always when he was alone. Whenever Jack saw her, Erin would disappear, fade into nothing in front of him. After a dozen or so appearances, Erin and Jack got used to seeing each other over the year. He would see her, and they would exchange brief smiles before would Erin dissolve. Jack got used to finding her in random places, occasionally pretending that she was never there when Erin materialized during family dinners. Though she mostly appeared in his room. He was also sure that he was the only one who could see her, which developed a special bond as he aged. It was just a shame they couldn't talk to each other. Whatever break in the dimensions that brought her here didn't allow them to speak or hear one another. Over the years, Jack and Erin relied on non-verbal communication, making up their own sign language while also writing out words on paper. Jack's parents were weirded out one Christmas when he asked for a dry erase board. He would come home from school and rush to his room, wondering if that day was the day she would appear. If he found her there, Jack would tell her about his day, what had changed since they last spoke, and random thoughts in his head. She would eagerly listen to him and try to respond in her own way. She had become this nonjudgmental friend that he could bounce off from as he dealt with his new surroundings and the horror of puberty. It took two years for Jack to know Erin's name. They were together in his room; the house was empty apart from them. It felt that Erin had trained herself to emerge only when he was alone. Jack sat on his bed, talking to Erin. For the hundredth time, he had asked her name. She led him to the bathroom and pointed to the faucet. Running the hot water, he saw Erin smile as the bathroom mirror started to fog up. She clenched her jaw and pressed a finger up against the glass. Erin's face strained as her form became clearer as she wrote 'ERIN' in the mirror. The smile on Jack's face then quickly vanished as Erin faded into nothing. He wouldn't see her for another two months. Jack rolled onto his stomach, feeling his cock throb against his leg. Without any prompting, his mind cast back when he turned 18, and Erin gave him a special present. It was one of the few times that Erin appeared, when there were other people in the house. He was half-asleep, playing on his PlayStation when she materialized. Jack shuffled back and collapsed on the bed. There was something off about her that night, her body was trembling, and her face was stone-like. With great energy, her lips curled into a smile, and there was a flash. The clothing that Jack had always seen her in the last five years had disappeared into nothing, leaving her naked. A loud guttural groan escaped Jack's mouth; it was the first time he had seen a naked woman. Her body was slim, graceful, like a dancer, and perfect. He stared at her small but firm tits; Jack assumed they were B-cups and wished he could have his hands over them. Her skin then began to change, turning from a clear white to a fair skin tone. He noticed rusty-colored freckles dot around her angular nose framed by long reddish-brown hair. Then two bright green eyes stared back, overwhelming him. "Fuck," Jack whispered. His mouth dry, his stomach twisted into knots, and all the blood drained into his penis. He was in love or lust; it was all the same back then to him. Jack rolled off the bed and waddled to the bathroom, holding out the used tissue as far away from him as if it was toxic. He was only exposed to her for a few moments before she vanished. Still, Erin's naked form had been seared entirely in his brain, giving him special comfort during lonely nights. Dumping the balled-up tissue in the toilet, he started washing his hands. The general feeling of self-disgust hit him, but this time with more power. He was fantasizing about a long-dead woman. It's not right. He crawled back into his bed and reached for his laptop. Opening the browser, Jack thought to himself for a moment before going to incognito mode. He might need some privacy should anyone have a look at his search history. In the search bar, he typed 'Medium Psychic, And Portland, Maine.' Ophelia's Services. The doorbell rang, and Jack quickly set down his coffee and rushed to the door. He briefly checked himself out in the hallway mirror; he looked normal. Jack wanted to make sure that he pulled that off, a navy oxford shirt, black jeans, and white sneakers, that all screamed normal to him. Jack then mentally thought about what he was going to say to the medium. It wasn't like he had a lot of experience in this. He could tell her about Erin, maybe use her name. Also, he could say where she usually appears and does. Probably shouldn't mention Erin getting naked as some kind of birthday present. He then wished that the medium agreed a later time just so he could rationalize having a drink. During Thanksgiving dinner, Jack told his family that he wanted to stay in Maine for a while, maybe until after Christmas. He had exaggerated the effects that the disintegration of his relationship with Laura had on him. It was a blatant lie; his parents knew it, his sisters didn't care, but no one really questioned it. He prayed that none of them would ever find out that he booked a medium. This Ophelia from Portland, Jack didn't know what he wanted from her. From movies, he had been told that ghosts that roam around usually have unfinished business. If somehow the medium was legit and could talk to Erin, he didn't know if it would be best if Erin moved on. Opening the door, a young woman stood, waiting impatiently. Their eyes met, and Jack was stunned to find his assumptions shattered. He was expecting a woman in her fifties, heavy makeup, and lots of necklaces, someone like that Long Island psychic. Instead, a woman stood in front of him who looked like she was in her twenties, with blonde wavy hair and a curvy figure. She gave an impression of an Instagram influencer with tight high-waisted jeans, a simple tee, and a suede jacket. "Jack Taylor?" she said, pinching her mouth shut and curving her lips upward. "Ophelia?" Jack arched an eyebrow without thinking. She nodded and walked past him, taking in the house. A Victorian-style mansion, built in the 1860s, with five bedrooms, a parlor, a giant fireplace that could fit a body, a near-constant fog-covered backyard, and a bloody-red painted door. She looked unimpressed. Ophelia raised her hands and fluttered her fingers, doing a sort of jazz hands while slowly spinning. Jack had no idea what he was supposed to be feeling, but she's young and hot. Was this a con? Did he want it to be one? "Do you want anything to drink?" Jack asked, trying to get a read of the situation. He then glanced at the clock. His parents should be home in a couple of hours; he had time. "I'm fine." She replied, flashing another smile. "Should we deal with the money first?" Taken back, he slowly reached for his wallet and pulled $150 in cash. He looked at the money and felt grateful that he would only pay an extra fifty if the reading exceeded the hour. Handing her the folded bills, Jack felt a breeze. Then the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Erin. He had been sensing her a lot, recently. "Nice house. Really Stephen King-like." Ophelia gave another forced smile. "Can you give me a tour?" Jack nodded and he took her to the home office, explaining what he had seen the other day. Ophelia took a quick photo and hummed; she felt nothing. Jack then led her around the house, describing where he had seen Erin and what she would do. Ophelia stayed quiet for most of the tour, her phone in her hand, occasionally checking it. He then explained his relationship with Erin. Jack recounted every meeting he had with her, including how he found out her name. When Jack said that he was the only one in the house that had ever seen Erin, he noticed a quick change in Ophelia's face. She definitely assumed that he's psychotic. As they climbed the stairs to Jack's bedroom, Ophelia suddenly became talkative. She put away her phone and asked several questions at rapid-fire speed. "So, who previously owned the house before you moved in? Erin, do you know her last name? Where she's from? Was she born here? Has anyone called Erin lived in the house before?" Jack knew nothing. He had known Erin for ten years and yet knew nothing about her. The house must have been her home or where she worked. He now knew what he had to find out, but Jack had no idea how he would research such things. Speak to a local historian, maybe? He should go to the library tomorrow. They entered his bedroom, a familiar feeling of cold hit his body again. Jack eyed the psychic; there was no change in her body language. Maybe she's a fake. Ophelia wandered around the room, doing the jazz hands again and calling Erin's name. His eyes narrowed on her chest, then to her slim waist, and then to her tight ass; she looked cute. It had been some time since Jack had anything close to sex. It ended with Laura over two months ago, and since then, a brunette ghost was the only thing he had to female company. Ophelia reached in her jeans and pulled out a velvet pouch. Opening it up, a nub of chalk fell into her palm. She then bent down and drew a circle just in front of Jack's bed. The circle was about three feet wide. Ophelia then drew four smaller circles inside the ring, north, east, south, and west. Jack watched her place crystals in each circle, wondering if he would be able to clean the chalk off his floor. "What are you going to do?" Jack asked, trying not to stare at the medium's ass. "I am going to summon Erin. I am going to see if we can talk to her and find out her unfinished business." "What would her unfinished business be?" "It could be anything," Ophelia said, looking around the room. "Some want revenge, especially if they were like murdered. Others are looking for missing rings, lockets or whatever. With my help, Erin could be able to move on." Jack nodded. She was right. It was fun seeing her again, he missed talking to her, but there had to be some conclusion for Erin. After Christmas, he will be back in Boston. Maybe it was best that she moved on, got closure from this world. The psychic then took off her boots and stood inside the circle. Kneeling, Ophelia raised her arms, praying to the ceiling. "Erin; Erin; Erin;" she chanted, raising her head, "Speak to us. Speak; Erin, come to us; come to Jack and me." She sang Erin's name a couple of times with no change in her composure. "Yes, Erin, I hear you. How can we help you?" Ophelia said, lacking any emotion. "How can we help you move?" Ophelia then went silent and very still. Her back was arched, and her head pointed up. Leaning in, Jack realized that her chest wasn't moving anymore; was she even breathing? Beads of sweat flowed down her face as the rest of the body began to tremble. Something was wrong. Ophelia then shuddered and Jack could see the color disappear from her face. She then slowly stood up. Looking at Jack, she gave him a warm smile. "Jack!" Ophelia then said, emphasizing the wrong parts of the name. Jack walked around and stood in front of her. Her body language was weird, not so closed off as it was before. Her eyes then focused on her left hand, marveling how far it was extended. The tips of her fingers then ran down Jack's chest. The broad grin on Ophelia's face got even wider as she felt him up. "It is me, Jack; Erin." Ophelia grinned. "No." Jack shook his head and took a step back. This had to be some weird psychic con. Was Ophelia going to sleep with him? "Ophelia, I think you should get out." "I am Erin." She closed the distance and reached for his hand. "I can prove it. You told me everything and I listened. Once you were overly excited in your classroom by a teacher. You frequently enjoy lobster rolls. And once I removed my clothing for you on your birthday." Jack whimpered, trying to collect his thoughts. Before he called Ophelia, he had read up on cold reading, but she knew things that he had never shared with anyone. Jack hit his bed frame and toppled over, hitting the mattress. He tried to compute what was going on, justify Ophelia's insider knowledge of him. But then the blonde climbed up on the bed, her body floating as she straddled him. This was real. "Jack; I missed you." Ophelia or Erin then leaned in and kissed him forcibly. Quickly sneaking her tongue into his mouth while she rubbed her body against his. Moaning as his tongue dueled, Jack was lost in a world of teenage lust. He had dreams about this, spent countless hours awkwardly pleasuring himself to the fantasy of having sex with Erin. But as he opened his eyes and remembered the blonde hair that flowed above him, this wasn't Erin. Maybe in spirit, but not in body. He pulled his face away and sighed. "Erin; no." Jack said, trying to push the possessed medium off him. "Not like this." "What?" Ophelia screamed. She shot back up and glared at him. Her eyes became demonic and bloodshot. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, breaking his skin. She began to shake and wail. "No; No; No!" "Erin; Erin!" Jack tried to get her attention. He reached up and gently touched her face. "I just want to talk to you. Please leave Ophelia." Ophelia's face contorted into a smile. Jack could tell that something was pushing back against Erin. Maybe it was the medium's spirit wanting to regain her body. She thrashed around on top of him, going from sweating to shivering to back to sweating again. Jack snuck out of her convulsing frame and watched with concern. The medium then slammed into the mattress, bounced high up in the air, and then back down. Jack watched her breathe slowly and rolled onto her back. She looked confused and tired. "What the fuck happened?" Ophelia asked as she sat up, her frazzled hair covering her face. Researching the Franklins. Jack ended the call and rubbed his eyes. The pains of working remotely, struggling to stay productive while also being forced to over communicate just so he won't be called a slacker was too much. The only good thing about his job was that he could move back to Maine and still collect a paycheck. But yet, he hated taking calls from his bosses when it's technically his day off. He knew he shouldn't be cursing his luck. Last night, his parents gave him some excellent news. They needed to go to Springfield and help out Jack's aunt with something. Jack wasn't listening, just focusing on the part when his mom said that they will not be returning until Christmas Eve. Yes, it meant that Jack would have to prepare the house for the holidays, put up the tree, buy the food and sort out the presents. But it also meant that he would be alone in the house; he could plan and try to talk to Erin. Maybe even help her. Finishing his latte, Jack looked up the address for the library and the closing time. Since Ophelia's possession, Jack hadn't sensed Erin's presence. It was worrying. He tried to focus on absorbing as much information about the house. Jack learned that the house was built in 1860 for the Franklins. For more information, he had to drive into the city. As he walked into the library, his heart was thumping in his chest and sweat coated his forehead. Why was he so nervous? Yeah, he had created this pubescent fantasy, and Jack wasn't sure how he would react if that was cracked. What if Erin was an awful person; her death could have been just, and that she was using him. But he still had to find out. Jack sat down at the computer and entered his address and the Franklins in the search bar. Skimming through the records, he got a brief understanding of the family that built his home. Jedidiah Franklin was a local lender who had moved from Boston to Maine due to some unpleasantness. He was followed by his wife, Alice and their two children, Robert and Emma. Franklins lived a dull and typical life and died in the 1900s. "Nothing about Erin," He went through local newspapers and again found nothing odd. Going through the search results, Jack quickly realized that he had been wasting his time, and it was pointless. By the time he reached the fourteenth page, he was about to leave. But instead, he clicked on the link about a stagecoach accident involving the Franklins. Jedidiah, Alice, Robert, and their maid were returning late one night. Their stagecoach collided with a rock, and the maid was thrown out. She died instantly. The article gave the maid's name as Erin O'Ceallachain. Letting out a loud sigh and rubbing his face, Jack then searched for Erin O'Ceallachain. There was little about her. A short obituary that stated she was born somewhere in Ireland and died in 1898. She had been a maid for the Franklins for close to a year. There were no descriptions of her or any clues of her past. Jack leaned back and stared at the screen. It could be her. He had checked; there were no other women called Erin that lived in the house. This could be her. But, if she died on the road, then why was she haunting his home. The loud sound of his phone vibrating against the desk pulled him out of his thoughts. Jack saw that he got a text from Ophelia. She really wanted to speak to him. Ignoring her, Jack continued his deep-dive on the Franklins, trying to find anything. Even a morsel of information about the family would help. After another hour of research, he ended up on the website of an antique bookstore in Bangor. They had Alice Franklin's diary and it was for sale. Tomes of Inquiry. Two days later, Jack sat in the home office and stared at the five-hundred-dollar book. It was too much; he should have tried to haggle them down. Jack wasn't even sure if the diary would be useful; it could be another Alice Franklin or just a list of mundane observations. Jack finished another beer and opened the diary. His hands were trembling with every turn of the page. Either he was nervous or just drunk, he couldn't tell. The pages were filled with fine late-twentieth-century cursive writing that was hard to read. Jack slowly read out each entry, making out every second word. The diary covered the time Erin had already started working for the Franklins to her death if it was the same Alice Franklin. He skimmed through the journal until stopping at an entry made on January 28th, 1898, where Alice mentioned hiring a new maid called Erin. March Twenty-first, Eighteen Ninety-eight ; I saw Robert engaged young Erin in the library. How I wish we do not have the same story as in Boston. August Fourteenth, Eighteen Ninety-eight ; That green-eyed temptress was with my son again. The Roman whore has plans for him. Jedidiah sees nothing. He pushes his son. Then reacts in fury when Robert is in strife. November Sixth, Eighteen Ninety-eight; Constable Standish and his ghastly son shared supper with us. He has eyes for Emma. A boor. My darling daughter would never fall that low. Robert is forlorn. I see his glances at young Erin. When I call for her, the freckled-face jezebel smiles innocently. Jedidiah will end her services in the new year. Jack paused from reading, and tried to make sense. Green eyes. Freckles. It had to be Erin. Jack skipped ahead a couple of weeks, getting closer to the time when Erin died. December Twentieth, Eighteen Ninety-eight ; The Irish whore created a scene. Late in the evening, we found her under the influence. She screamed for Robert. She said she is with child. He is the father. She wants to be wed. That boy has ruined us. December Twenty-first, Eighteen Ninety-eight ; A clear-headed Erin spoke to us in the morning. She lies that she is not with child. The Catholic loves Robert, or it seems. Jedidiah and I agree to end her service. We will send her to Bangor tonight. It is clear to us. December Twenty-ninth, Eighteen Ninety-eight ; My heart is gone. Losing Emma is a great blow. They are to be wed in the next Spring. My son now lives in Boston. I pray his temperament is strong. Erin is gone, a life stopped by a stagecoach. Now I have an empty house. A lost daughter and a dead maid. Jack closed the diary and ran upstairs to his bedroom to grab his notepad, then came back down again. He needs to do more cardio. The two flights of stairs had destroyed him. He knew he had seen the name Standish somewhere. There at the family tree. After Erin's death, Emma married Nathanial Standish, son of the town constable. It made sense now; the Franklins murdered Erin and used the constable to help make it look like an accident. In return, they married Emma to his son to keep his silence. He knew what happened to Erin, but Jack wondered how he could help her. But; like what Ophelia said before, does he want her to move on to the next stage. It probably would be best for everyone. But if he could talk to her and discover her unfinished business, how could he help her. What if it meant getting vengeance on those that murdered her? What if it was on Franklin's living ancestors? The sound of the doorbell ringing jolted Jack from the thoughts of homicidal spirits. He checked his phone; it was nearly ten. Finishing another beer, Jack left the den and shuffled to the front door. He prayed that it wasn't his parents, that their stay in Massachusetts ended early, and now they wanted to talk about his future. "Ophelia?" Jack asked, opening the door. Ophelia's Admissions. She stood there in the light rain, looking like another person. Far removed from the bored, unimpressed medium he saw days ago. She looked nervous, worried, but still attractive to Jack's eyes. The skirt she had on gave him a good view of her slender legs and made Jack think. Again, it had been two months since he last had sex, and he was now feeling it. "Hi," she said, barely audible. "Can I come in?" Jack nodded and let her pass. He tried not to look at her like that anymore; he needed to stay focused on Erin. "Look, I'm going to be honest with you. I'm a fake-ish. I go to people's houses and pretend that I feel something. I do a bit of cold reading, call out the spirits and then lie that they're talking back to me." Ophelia admitted. She paced back and forth as she spoke, nervousness flowing out from her. "Oh," Jack said, looking away. He didn't know what else he was supposed to say. "So, what are you doing here?" "Also, my name isn't Ophelia, it's Lucy. I felt Ophelia looked better on the website. Make it look real." She nervously smiled. "Why are you telling me this?" "Because;" she stepped forward, "what happened that day was real. I felt it, I really did." "Yeah?" Jack noticed that she was holding on to his hand like she was pleading with him. "I used to hear voices. I thought I was going crazy, but then I found out that I was hearing the dead; and I could talk to them. But I don't know, a mix of vodka, and my own cynicism; the spirits don't want to talk to me anymore. I want to feel like that again. I want to help you." Jack paused. Again, not knowing what to say. He felt that she could still be conning him, that she was going to ask for money. He still wasn't a hundred percent sure that Ophelia or Lucy was genuinely possessed by Erin. Then again, they could have had sex, which would be a weird move to pull when conning someone. Jack needed alcohol. "Do you want anything to drink?" He asked. "Please." Lucy nodded. Jack returned from the kitchen with a bottle of red wine and two glasses. It was the only alcoholic thing left in the house. After completely filling up both glasses on Lucy's request, he grabbed the diary and his notes, and they settled in the living room. He observed the psychic read the journal, his thoughts becoming more and more concerned about her looks. She had removed her thick coat, revealing a slinky tank top that gave him a glimpse of her bra. "So, you think Erin had sex with Robert Franklin; may have gotten pregnant; and the Franklins decide to murder her, to prevent a scandal?" "Yeah," Jack said, leaning in. There were both sitting on the sofa, awkwardly close together. "I don't know much or really anything about hauntings. But I only see Erin here. She must have been murdered here, and they faked the accident." "Erin being an Irish maid, the family are rich, and you got a friendly cop who is willing to help, if he gets a favor, that's a straightforward cover-up." Lucy smiled, patting Jack on the knee. "There is something we can do. I know people in the psychic and magic world. There's one girl who told me about this ritual-like thing. It's like a s ance on steroids. We can make her appear and we can talk to her. Then we can help her." "What's the catch? There is always a catch." "Not really. The s ance is a bit complicated and there is a shopping list, also it will be for a couple of hours only." "Sounds like a plan," Jack replied, raising a glass. They quickly finished their wine and poured some more. Lucy asked him about his family and if they ever believed him. He told her about Dr. Miller, and how his dad would make the occasional jokes. When asked about their absence, Jack explained, and without realizing, underscoring that he had the whole house to himself. Jack then turned the attention on her, quizzing Lucy what happened when she first talked to a ghost; and what was the weirdest shit she had seen. As Lucy went through her backstory. Jack started picking up subtle clues about her. She was touching him more and getting close as she talked about hearing spirits when she turned thirteen. He tried to guess if Lucy was flirting with him, or was this some alcohol-induced delusion. After she finished her story about being asked to communicate with a woman's dead cat, they realized they were out of wine. Jack asked and quickly got another bottle on Lucy's insistence. "So, about you and Erin." She said, playing with the stem of her wine glass. "You were the only one to see her? What relationship did you guys have?" "Like a friendship. Growing up; Erin was like my confidante. I would talk to her about every insane thought that was going through my head that day. I didn't know if she could hear me or not. It was comforting. I miss it. Guess that's why I'm here." "That's sweet." Lucy ran her hand down his thigh. "Sometimes I have some weird creeps that want to speak to their old teenage crushes, like teachers or neighbors that they used to jerk off to. It's nice to have a guy who just wants to reconnect to an old friend." Jack groaned. Looking at Lucy, his mind was made up, and he was sure that she was flirting with him. He should tell her the truth and see how she takes it. "I should tell you this. I have seen her naked." "Really?" Her eyes widened. "Yeah. On my 18th birthday, Erin appeared in my room and then flash, she's nude. She stood there for like a couple of seconds and poof, gone." Jack smiled, "That was the last time I saw her." "That's some present. Making me jealous." Lucy whispered, holding her gaze. "Really?" Jack said, leaning in. Lucy looked up at him, her tongue running over her pink lips. She craned her head forward and pressed her lips against his, her hand on the back of Jack's head, pulling him into her. Both were still holding their wine glasses, and Jack awkwardly pushed his mouth down on hers. Lucy's tongue shot out of her mouth and instantly snaked into his. They both softly moaned as Jack guided her body down on the sofa, nearly spilling her wine. She then suddenly stopped her tongue movements and pulled back. "Hold on, Ghostbuster." Lucy smirked, as she pushed Jack back upright. Taking the wine from his hands, she placed both glasses on the coffee table. With a shit-eating grin, Lucy grabbed Jack and resumed her mouth attack. Jack ran his hands down from her sides to her ass, pulling her on top of his lap. Lucy reached down and pressed her palm on Jack's bulge. She moaned into his mouth, sounding like she appreciated his size. She pulled her lips away, her attention now just all on his cock. Lucy fondled the turgid shaft through his pants, prompting it to throb in her hands. Jack leaned his head and slowly kissed down her neck, feeling her tremble in his arms. "Yes," Lucy said, closing her eyes and grinning. With a single-minded focus, Lucy unbuckled his jeans and yanked out his erect cock. Jack grunted, stunned by the blonde's eagerness. No other girl he had ever been with, was like this. They kept eye-contact as Lucy softly grasped his warm rigid shaft. Their lips met again while she stroked his cock, smearing her fingers with his oozing precum. While their tongues dueled again, Lucy's hand became a blur over his cock. They broke their kiss again, and Lucy lowered her head down, kissing his deep reddened tip. He watched in unbearable anticipation as she opened her mouth, but then instead of engulfing him, Lucy looked up and smirked. "Yeah, I'm bit of a slut," she said. "Just a bit? Jack grinned. "Okay, I'm a deeply deprived slut." She chuckled. Her very pink tongue then slid out of her mouth, and she licked up of his oozing fluid. Lucy took a moment to taste his precum, loudly humming and smiling at him. She then parted her lips and engulfed the bulging head in her wet mouth, firmly constricting, once his glans ridge was encased. Her tongue rubbed his frenulum, just under the tip. She bobbed her head up and down, her firm round tits jiggling freely on his thighs, as she mouth-fucked him. "Oh; Fuck!" Jack grunted, taken by surprise by Lucy swallowing on more and more of his petrified cock. Lucy looked up and grinned at him again, before opening her mouth and engulfing him again. Her bright pink glossy lips slid up and down his shaft as she fucked him with her mouth. Then she sank til her nose rubbed his curly pubes, her teasing tongue gently caressed him as her throat muscle massaged his shaft, pushing his cock deeper. She hummed while she swallowed him, the hum of sucking filling the room. Her hands tightened their grip around his thighs as Lucy furiously pumped her lips up and down his cock. Once in a while, she would slowly pull his cock out, ever-so-gently running her teeth on the underside of his shaft while leaving huge trails of spit behind, then swallowing him again. It drove Jack mad in sexual bliss. She then wrapped her fingers firm around his meat again, lashing her tongue against his swollen cockhead, slurping up all the saliva and precum. Jack's balls were now sending messages to his brain, telling him that within seconds, he was going to cum; soon in big, bold letters. He also felt cold suddenly, and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing. He ignored that and watched the medium jerk him off, kissing his head as she worked the shaft of his phallus. Lucy stuck her tongue out and swirled it around his cock tip. But then he saw a figure near the TV. "Erin?" He said. She was right there and looked like she was in tears. A mix of fear and guilt hit him, destroying his previous horniness. But he still came, shooting thick loads into Lucy's face, hitting her in the lips and cheeks. She released her grip, but more jets of cum landed on her face. She raised her head and looked at Jack, the muscles in her face tensed, and her jaw clenched. "What the fuck, man? Give me some warning!" "Erin?" Jack said again, staring at the spirit. "Erin?" Lucy repeated. Her expression turned into an instant glare. But she followed Jack's gaze and looked over her shoulder, finding that they weren't alone. "Oh Fuck!" "No!" Erin screamed, deafening their ears. Her face was scrunched up in murderous intent. She lurched forward, and a force of wind cleared the table, sweeping the diary and notebooks off the surface. Jack and Lucy were pushed back by Erin's invisible energy, hitting the back of the couch. Erin raised her hands, maybe to strike, but felt her power evaporating. She looked at Jack, tears rolling down her cheeks, and then disappeared. Holiday Trimmings. Jack opened his eyes minutes before the alarm. It was Saturday and around ten. He sat up in his bed, his head still woozy from last night's drinking. He couldn't sleep and figured whiskey would knock him out. Also, he wanted to block out Erin's screams from replaying in his head. That face. Her expression dripping with anger and hurt. How Erin tried to attack them. He needed to say sorry. Erin probably won't believe him, Jack knew. But he had to try. Then there was what Lucy said, finding comfort so Erin can crossover. He hated thinking about that but realized that he couldn't be selfish. It wasn't about him. Jack's phone buzzed; he had gotten a text from his dad. It just said, 'Tree!'. Jack groaned, but he slipped out of the covers and took a shower. After getting dressed, Jack forced himself to eat something. He couldn't feel her. Usually, in December, he would see Erin more often than the rest of the year. Knowing that it was coming up to the day when she died, he expected to feel her. Two hours later, and overspending on a fir tree, Jack pulled into the driveway, confused. Lucy sat in front of the door, waiting for him. With a scared look on her face, she raised her hand and gave him a forced smile. Was she looking for him or for Erin? Jack climbed out of the car and slowly approached the young blonde. He never thought how she would take it, seeing Erin like that. After Erin faded away, Jack sat in silence while Lucy grabbed her stuff and bolted out of the house. "Hey," Jack muttered. "So, I have been waiting here for an hour. I walked away twice. But I really need to know. What the fuck did I see last night?" "I don't know," Jack said, looking away from Lucy's glare. "I've never seen her like this. She has never been this scary before. "Until;" "Until what?" Lucy stood up and got close. "You need to tell me." Jack sighed. "When you first came to the house, you tried to talk to her, right? Do you remember what happened next?" Lucy shook her head. "She took over your body and err; kissed me. We nearly had sex. But I stopped her. Telling her that it was wrong," Jack said, " to use your body like that." He quickly added. "Erin started shaking and going all Linda Blair. Then you woke up." "She gets rejected. Then she sees us on the couch, doing you-know-what, and takes it like a cheated-on girlfriend. That explains all the throwing." "I never knew she could do that." Jack smiled. "Can I ask you something?" Lucy stared into Jack's eyes. Jack shrugged and nodded his head. "What are you two? Is she your ghost girlfriend? Are you in love with her? What? Does she know what you are to her?" "Like I said, yesterday. Erin is my friend. Maybe there's more. I don't know, because I don't put labels on relationships with ghosts. But if I can help her, I will help her. Are you still in?" "Fuck it, yeah." He looked around, seeing his neighbors staring at him and Lucy. "Let's go inside. Can you give me a hand?" He asked, pointing to the tree. Lucy groaned but nodded her head. After undoing the bungee cords and dragging the tree off the car roof, the two of them awkwardly hauled the ten-foot fir inside the house. With Lucy leading, they pulled the tree into the living room, where the blonde suddenly stopped. Jack was about to open his mouth, but he saw Erin standing in the middle of the room, and he went quiet. Erin raised her hands to her face, covering her eyes. Her breathing short and quick. She was freaking out. Erin then dropped her hands, clenching her fists as she glared at them. Her form floated to them, but unlike last night, there was no rush of force. Erin's face dropped, shifting into a scared expression. Dropping the tree, Lucy ran to her. She raised her hands up with open palms facing the spirit. "I am sorry. I am here to help you." She said, out loud. Erin didn't react. "He wants to help you. He wants to talk to you." Lucy pleaded with the spirit. Again, Erin stayed motionless. Lucy paused and looked over her shoulder at Jack. She mouthed 'trust me' at him and turned back to the ghost. "You can take over my body and speak to him. He would love that." Erin frowned, then faded into nothing. Jack walked past Lucy, trying to sense Erin's presence. There was nothing. He glanced at the medium; she had gone stiff, just like before. Jack's eyes bulged, realizing what was happening. But it was different. There was no sweat, no change in color, or fear on her face. Lucy just let out a small pleasurable moan. "Erin?" "What?" The woman barked back at him. "I just want to tell you that I am sorry. It was a mistake." "Liar. I saw you," Erin said, with no emotion in a unique tone. "Ye enjoyed every moment with the bonnie lass. I do not wish to intrude in your relationship with that adventuress." Her voice slowly morphed from Lucy's Mid-Atlantic accent to a faint Irish brogue. Jack sighed; he knew he had to deal with this. A simple apology wasn't going to be enough. "I'm so sorry about that. It's just that for a long time, there was this small voice in the back of my mind, saying that you weren't real and I was having a psychotic episode. When you saw me and Lucy, it was just an extension of that. I doubt it will ever happen again. But I did all this research so I can help you." "Help me?" "Yeah. I want to help you deal with whatever unfinished business you have. Lucy as well. That's why she's here. So, please don't be angry with her." "Unfinished business?" the voice then went quiet. She leaned in and kissed Jack on the cheek. Lucy's body went limp and she nearly collapsed. Jack reached out and slid his arms under her. He yelled out 'Erin'; then 'Lucy'; but got no answer. He dragged the unconscious blonde to the sofa. Carefully setting her down, Jack then prodded her cheek, trying to wake her up. She groaned and opened her eyes. "So, what are we going to do?" Lucy said immediately. Business Gets Busy. Jack looked at his phone as he walked through the front door. It was another email from his bosses in Boston. He had way too many people questioning his work. Being a cloud support engineer, he should be focused on the job. But since talking to Lucy about the s ance, Jack had been doing the bare minimum, and people were noticing. He figured that after he got closure with Erin, he could move on. Dumping the sage and wormwood on the coffee table, he saw her. Erin had been appearing more and more. Jack could actually count the times that she wasn't haunting the house. But he didn't get why; it was never this frequent back before. And she wasn't just haunting if you could call it, Jack's room. He had found her in the living room, kitchen and even the bathroom. Right now, Erin was floating near the Christmas tree. It was completely bare, left alone as Jack focused on work and the s ance preparations. There was some judgment he felt he was getting from Erin, like she still hadn't forgiven. Jack needed to remediate that, though he didn't really know how to regain trust with a ghost. He hunted for the Christmas decorations, taking longer than he hoped. Jack was desperate not to call his parents and deal with an endless conversation about how things were going in Springfield. Losing an hour to find them, Jack started decorating the tree, hoping that this will help him get back on Erin's good side. She carefully observed him as he decorated the tree, coating it in tinsel, lights and baubles. It appeared okay to Jack, the colors matched, and the string lights were all working. But looking at Erin, he was sure he had done something wrong. She wasn't that impressed. Jack first thought that she was still pissed at him, but then something hit him. While he saw her a lot during December, it was never on Christmas. This could be her first experience of Christmas in over a hundred years. With that, Jack opened his laptop and googled '19th century Christmas trees'. Getting an idea of what Christmas looked like in Erin's time, Jack grabbed his keys and told her that he will be back soon. Two hours later, Jack returned, and Erin looked like she was happy to see him. That's a positive sign, Jack said to himself as he emptied out his shopping bags. He bounced around a couple of stores before finding them, candle-like tree lights. Using real candles was a fire waiting to happen. And Jack didn't want to explain to his parents that he burnt the house down to impress a ghost. He then pulled out a ready-made popcorn and cranberry garland he got from a pop-up Christmas store. Looking at Erin, she approved by smiling back at him. He then added tinsel and icicle-like ornaments with Erin guiding him, pointing which branch needed something or if it was too much. Taking a step back, Jack admired his work. It looked old fashioned but still good. Seeing that Erin was happy was enough for him. He grabbed a beer from the kitchen and toasted, "That's one good-looking tree," he said, smiling at Erin. She rolled her eyes at him but then disappeared. That was getting Jack scared, her fading away just as they were bonding. It didn't look voluntary, like Erin really wanted to go to her void. She had this horrified look whenever it happened. Jack would then find her somewhere else in the house, an hour or two later. This time it was in the kitchen. He opened and closed the refrigerator door and found her there. Taking a moment to recover, Jack went back to making himself dinner. Erin hovered around him, curious at what he was doing. Jack guessed that she must have been shocked, that not many men cooked back in her time. He was also making pork chow-mein, and Jack wasn't sure how widespread Chinese food was in the 19th century. His phone began to buzz, and it was Lucy. Jack could see Erin's face turn. "She's probably asking about you," Jack said, putting his phone on speaker, "Hey Lucy." "Hey," she replied, "I got some news. We have to move the date of the s ance to the 12th. There's a full moon and it will go well with Hecate." "Hecate?" "Don't worry about it. Have you seen Erin since the other day?" Lucy asked, "Well, she is right here," Jack grinned at Erin, "She's in the room with me." "Whoa," she said, "How's that going? Wait shit, can she hear me?" Erin nodded. "Yeah." "Fuck. I mean shit. I mean I'm sorry," Lucy said, sounding like she was getting out of breath, "Anyway, I also need you to get some bundles of ash to burn. And candles, preferably black." "What is actually going to happen during the s ance?" "Hopefully, we can summon Erin properly and you guys can talk. Then maybe work out why is she here and if we can help her, somehow." Jack looked at Erin again. Her eyes were elsewhere. Jack started to doubt himself; was this something that she wanted him to do. "I will talk to you later, Lucy," Jack said, ending the call. Looking up from his phone, he saw that Erin had disappeared again. If the s ance actually works, Jack needed to ask where she goes whenever she vanishes. It didn't feel like a good place for her. Opening another beer, Jack sat down to eat and tried not to think about Erin. It was really hard. She still looked so sexy, and Jack was back replaying his eighteenth birthday present. Jack admitted to himself that with Erin randomly appearing in the house, he was feeling pent up. Redhead Videos. It was close to two in the morning when Jack knew what he had to do. He had been rolling around his bed, got up twice and tried to dull his brain by checking the news on his phone. He still couldn't sleep. The only prescription that always worked for him was either whiskey or porn. As he couldn't be bothered to go all the way downstairs, Jack powered on his laptop and went straight to Porn. Jack checked out the video thumbnails, hovering over them as he tried to decide what he was in the mood for. Sometimes, he'd be craving blondes with double D-cups, getting plowed by massive cocks. Other times, it would be two lesbians slowly seducing each other. Milfs would be a good choice, but Jack felt that the algorithm would always then suggest stepmom porn, which he wasn't in to. He searched for amateur porn with Eastern Europeans, preferring their slender body shapes and lack of bad boob jobs. Jack sat up in his bed and pulled down his shorts, slowly stroking his cock to full, rigid life. He skipped the initial setup and forwarded it to the redhead pulling the guy's dick out. She grinned at the camera then kissed the man's purple head. Her tongue swirled around the tip before she quickly swallowed the man's cock. Jack shifted his weight as the redhead stripped off her top, revealing her decent-size tits. As the action turned to straight fucking with the twenty-something waitress bent over a park bench, Jack pumped his cock. He imagined himself there, in Prague, having hot, passionate sex in public. But then he felt cold. Looking up, there she was. Erin just appeared by the wall. She was confused and pressed the back of her head. It looked as if someone had just woken up, but in a different room than they were in before. She rolled her head around before stopping, and stared at Jack, her mouth agaip. He was illuminated by his laptop, so he knew that she could see what he was doing to himself. "Oh, fuck," Jack groaned, but he didn't stop stroking his cock. He thought she would float away, or scream, or do something, but Erin just stood there and watched. She even moved closer, standing at the edge of the bed. Her eyes focusing on his throbbing cock. Jack's heart was thumping as he frantically stroked his cock. His eyes darted back and forth from Erin to his laptop; the redhead had been replaced by a different model. She said that her name is Petra and is a med student, but what really turned Jack on was how Petra resembled Erin. Reddish-brown hair, slim body with perky tits, though she had tattoos and pierced nipples. His eyes bounced from Petra being fucked in a stall, to Erin's eager look. It was getting too much for him. His imagination then brought him to Prague again, but with Erin this time. He fucked her from behind, his cock pumping her hot, wet pussy, cupping her tits and making Erin groan in deep pleasure. Jack's balls were aching, then suddenly stopped, and he intensely climaxed. His tip exploded, and shot after shot of cum raced from his cock. Jack struggled to catch all his flying cum with a tissue. After cleaning himself, Jack and Erin exchanged looks. She was embarrassed, he could tell, staring at the ground and doing her most not to make eye contact. He wanted to say something, but Erin left the room. She didn't fade through the wall or vanish into anything, just walked away slowly. Jack then instantly fell asleep, not knowing what else to do. A S ance. Jack opened the door, letting Lucy in. It was half two in the morning, and he was getting scared. A small sliver of thought wondered if she would let him down, or at least ask for $500 to proceed. For the s ance, Lucy had gone all gothic, wearing a black velvet dress and knee-high boots, also in black. She was carrying a large tote bag. There was panic in her eyes. She apologized for her lateness, saying that it took a while to get a cab. Jack was instructed by her, to get bundles of sage and wormwood for burning, plus ash. Lucy herself handled the weirder and harder to find items. She pulled out a knife that she called an athame, a ceremonial dagger Jack guessed. She also had a black bowl that she said is a water scry. It was going to help them talk to Erin. Jack led her to the kitchen and they quickly got ready. While she cut the sage and wormwood with the athame, speaking in Latin, Jack got the idea that this wasn't a con. It was real for her. That gave him hope. "So, where should we do this?" Jack asked, taking a steel bucket that she had handed him. "Your room." Lucy said, pulling more stuff out of her bag. "I've been thinking. You said you're the only one who saw her. And you normally see her in your bedroom, right? I think that's where she was murdered. By you sleeping there, a psychic link was created between you and Erin." Jack nodded. It made sense. They went to his bedroom; and with Lucy's help, he pushed his bed and everything else to one side, giving them space for the ritual. As they're going to make a fire, he opened the windows. Jack looked at the smoke alarms; if they go off, will his parents get an alert? Lucy got down on her knees and drew another circle on the floor, this time, a simple one without any other symbols. Jack lit the candles, twenty-four of them and placed them around the circle. Following her instructions, he then sat the bucket in the middle of the ring and lit the fire. Lucy took command of his bedside table and placed the porcelain bowl on top of it. She filled it with water from a special-looking bottle and dropped a crystal in it. "Take this and put it in the fire. Also, say her name in your head." Lucy said, handing him the sage and wormwood. Jack nodded and shuffled to the fire, trying not to drop the herbs. 'Erin, Erin, Erin,' he chanted in his head. He threw the herbs into the fire and was immediately overwhelmed by the aroma. It tasted sickly sweet, unnatural like. He then retreated behind Lucy; she was kneeling on the floor and speaking into the bowl. It sounded like Latin; Jack could make out the occasional word. She was calling out for Erin. The fire grew larger and smoke billowed from the bucket, looking like a volcano erupting. The smoke turned black, then blue and finally into grey. Jack took a step forward, in a trance, his mouth wide open and his hands trembling. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Lucy with her eyes clenched shut and was now calling Erin's name. Her fingers dug into the table and she frantically said 'Erin' over and over. He saw the smoke begin to clear and a body appeared above the fire. Jack gasped. Erin! She looked stunned, her hand covering her face. He opened his mouth but couldn't say a word, shocked. Color poured into her clothing, turning the transparent household dress into black. Her skin returned to its ivory color, while her hair became reddish-brown just as he saw ten years ago. Lucy had stopped chanting; she also was staring at Erin. She looked shocked, maybe a little scared. Lucy stood up and slowly shuffled towards Jack, resting a hand on his shoulder; but she kept her distance from Erin, using Jack as a possible human shield. Erin was just as surprised as the two of them. She reached out her arm, amazed by it. This was real. Erin moved forward but awkwardly stumbled as if she missed a step going downstairs. She then took a couple of more steps and touched the floor, a new sensation for her. Taking a deep breath, Erin became dazed with the menthol-like odor of burning sage. Her eyes lit up and a smile beamed from her face; she could smell. She then turned her head, focusing on the two, who had resurrected her. Her clogs banged against the wooden floor as she walked to Lucy. The psychic was trembling in her presence. Lucy flinched as she touched her arm. "Thank ye," Erin whispered. She then leaned in, and kissed the surprised blonde. Lucy moaned, instantly enjoying the kiss. Jack watched on, shocked. He didn't know if he should be terrified or turned on. Lucy wrapped her hands around Erin's waist and pushed herself against the resurrected maid. Overwhelmed by a sudden desire, Lucy slid her tongue deep into Erin's mouth. She felt good, but so tired. Erin then released the medium and watched as Lucy collapsed onto the floor in a deep sleep. She turned to Jack and grinned. "Erin?" Jack asked. His hands were trembling and he felt that he was going to sink into the floor. This is it, right? This was what he wanted, but he had no idea how to respond. "Is it really you?" He eventually spat out. "Hi, Jack," Erin smiled. "Fuck;" Jack said. He reached out and touched her hand with his. Wasn't this just supposed to be a s ance? "I can't believe I can touch you." "Me too," Erin said. "How are you?" Jack asked in a deeply sincere tone. "Confused. It felt I was being called by an unknown force. Then it took me." "I'm sorry, but I really wanted to talk to you." "I understand. Oh, it feels good to be heard and to speak with my own voice." "I need to tell you something," Jack said, "The reason we're talking is because I wanted to help you. But I never asked if you actually needed my help." She went quiet, looking like she was thinking something over, in her head. "You said about unfinished business. Bu
Get Access to my Workouts for only $1 use code “HANYYT” on my FST-7 App https://www.hanyrambod.com/fst7/Evogen Nutrition: Code "HANY" for 10% Off All Productshttps://www.evogennutrition.com/YoungLA: Code "HANY"https://www.youngla.com/Download The Truth Podcast here:Spotify: http://bit.ly/THETRUTH-SPOTIFYitunes: http://bit.ly/THETRUTH-ITUNESFollow Lauralie Chapados Here: https://www.instagram.com/lauraliechap Interact w/ Me:MY SUPPLEMENTS: https://bit.ly/EVOGENSUPPSHRWEBSITE: https://bit.ly/HANYWEBSITEINSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/HANYINSTAGRAMFACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/HANYFACEBOOKTIKTOK: https://bit.ly/HRTIKTOKTWITTER: https://twitter.com/hanyrambod00:00:00 Welcome & Lauralie Returns00:01:38 Setting the Stage: 2025 Olympia00:02:47 Missing the Arnold & Muscle Density00:04:23 Resetting Body, Health & Mindset00:06:00 Arnold Application & Prep Excitement00:07:30 Assessing Conditioning vs Fullness00:09:17 Pressure of Defending a Title00:10:37 Going Blind Into the Olympia00:11:16 Team Changes & Coaching Structure00:12:24 Handing the Keys to Damian00:14:09 Evolution of Bikini Criteria00:16:10 Confidence, Identity & Olympia Fallout00:18:30 Hormones, Timing & Peak-Week Reality00:19:13 Arnold Prep Strategy Breakdown00:20:42 Training Smarter, Not Longer00:22:06 Gym Anxiety & Overtraining Trap00:23:52 Carb Cycling, Diet & Cheat Meals00:25:14 Mayo, Poutine & Food Banter00:28:50 Travel Burnout & Life Hygiene Reset00:36:49 Vision, X-Factor & Bringing Her Body Back00:40:03 Stop Chasing Judges, Bring Your Best00:41:44 Processing Defeat & Mental Reset00:43:28 New Chapter, Gratitude & What's Next00:45:08 Glutes Workout & Final Sign-Off
Joe Giglio gives out five game balls to the players he thinks played the biggest roles in the Eagles' 31-0 win over the Raiders on Sunday. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Come on and join us this week as we have fun just laying out some Driveway talk, like JP says, "Handing out some knowledge".
Donald Trump's push to strengthen US borders could get tougher on Kiwi travellers, who might have to hand over years of social media posts if they want to enter America. The Trump administration wants to make visitors that don't need a visa to disclose five years' worth of social media history before they're allowed in. New Zealand is among dozens of countries that'll could be affected if proposed changes go through and one former diplomat is worried he won't make the cut. Kim Baker Wilson reports.
The 2025 high school football season ended last weekend with the PIAA championships in Mechanicsburg. Our insiders, high school sports coordinator Keith Barnes and veteran writer Mike White, break down what happened in the state final games involving PIAA champions Clairton and Avonworth, as well as Central Catholic's loss to La Salle College High School. In their second segment, they discuss who they would invite to a proverbial WPIAL Heisman dinner, plus Coach of the Year candidates, top plays from the season and games to remember, all on the Varsity Xtra podcast, sponsored by Dave & Busters. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Let's talk about SCOTUS handing Trump an approved gerrymandered map....
Teaching on 1 Timothy 1:20
Handing over a project is one of the most underestimated and misunderstood phases in manufacturing and industrial automation. In this episode of Manufacturing Hub, Vlad and Dave sit down to break apart real stories from the field covering MES rollouts, line commissioning, SCADA and ignition development, operational adoption, and the very real consequences of poor knowledge transfer. Most conversations online focus on the technical build, but very few people emphasize the point where engineering lets go and the operations team becomes the true owner of the system. This episode brings forward examples of both well executed handovers and catastrophic failures that every engineer, integrator, or manager can learn from.Vlad begins by walking through his experience building MES and data collection systems for food and beverage facilities where each plant had different architectures, legacy systems, undocumented networks, and obsolete PLCs. These initiatives required deep assessments, phased modernization, server deployments, KPI development, and the long journey from data collection to actual operational use. The most important insight is that success rarely comes from the technology alone. It comes from the extent to which operators, supervisors, and CI teams are trained, empowered, and aligned to use what has been built.Dave then shares a story from a multi year track and trace project that technically worked but failed at the operational handover stage because the one scheduler refused to schedule inside the system. The entire project was mothballed despite millions of dollars invested. The lesson is simple. Technology cannot compensate for missing stakeholder alignment and poor discovery. Human influence can halt even the most well engineered solution.Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and episode setup 01:20 Host introductions and backgrounds 04:00 Vlad's MES and data rollout projects across multiple plants 18:10 Biggest wins and failures from MES handovers 26:20 Dave's chocolate factory MES and traceability project 29:30 The scheduler says no and a multi million project gets mothballed 36:40 Lessons learned about scope creep and realistic timelines 42:00 Vlad's multimillion packaging line rollouts and OEE based handover 49:20 Internal versus external teams and who really owns change 58:50 Connected workforce at an orange juice plant and knowledge capture 01:15:00 Where project handovers are heading in the next three to five years 01:19:00 Career advice, books, and final thoughts HostsVladimir RomanovFounder of Joltek. Electrical engineer with an MBA from McGill University. More than a decade of experience across Procter and Gamble, Kraft Heinz, Post Holdings, and multiple systems integration roles. Specializes in OT systems, industrial data architecture, MES, SCADA, modernization, and digital transformation. Works with manufacturers to unlock value through data and operational decision support.https://www.joltek.com/team-members/vladimir-romanovDave GriffithFounder of Kaplan Solutions. Seventeen plus years of experience across aerospace, automation, system integration, MES delivery, and enterprise manufacturing systems. Dave specializes in ignition development, operations consulting, and project delivery frameworks that reduce risk and increase adoption across manufacturing teams.References Mentioned in the EpisodeNever Split The Difference by Chris Vosshttps://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/0062407805How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegiehttps://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034Traction by Gino Wickmanhttps://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerberhttps://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280Understanding Plant NetworksManufacturing Execution SystemsManufacturing Digital Maturity and AssessmentsControl System ModernizationEngineering Project Management EssentialsManufacturing Consulting and Change Management
The New Zealand retail experience, as summed up by a frustrated Katherine Hawkesby as of yesterday. She visited half a dozen shops - one was decent and the rest were useless. They were useless for a variety of reasons, but the common theme was service, or lack of it. How is it continually possible that we have a sector crying out for support and yet so unable to offer something worth spending money on, and a country with a lot of people allegedly happy to go find a job and yet the people with the jobs are so fantastically incompetent? We all know the story. It's not unique to Katie yesterday, on the early burst of Christmas shopping. Retail, tragically, is filled with hopelessness, lack of stock, lack of desire and a lack of professionalism. Which is why the good ones are so welcome and why I have been able to tell you many times in the past few months, and can name you a decent number of operators in a variety of fields, that have weathered these past few years with no real issues at all. They are good at what they do. They want to do well. Word of mouth and reputation travels far and fast and they are fine, thank you very much. Yesterday's highlight was at a liquor shop. It's a large one and is part of a chain. The woman behind the counter, slovenly, full of tattoos and on the phone with no interest in service or acknowledging a customer. When asked, because she didn't offer any help, she didn't know what Prosecco was. How can you work in a shop that sells nothing but wine and spirits and not know what Prosecco is, or where in the shop you find it? Who employed her, and why? And why was there no training? This is a big brand and a brand, I would have thought, that would be interested in reputation and a decent customer experience. How does a person with clearly no knowledge or interest in the thing they are selling actually get work? Are you telling me the people who can't get work are even worse than her? The resentment, Katie fumed, is based on the idea that we all work hard for the dollars. Handing them over would be easier, nicer and more fulfilling if you thought the recipient, just for a moment, was even slightly grateful. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We, the AIM Board and outgoing CEO Joey Savoie, are delighted to announce that Samantha Kagel has been selected as AIM's new CEO, effective December 1, 2025. Over the last few months, we have been engaged in a highly important activity: finding AIM's next CEO. This was not an easy position to fill, as we sought someone who could lead the organization to high growth and impact while retaining the core elements that have made AIM unique. We were committed to conducting a thorough search and put out a public call for candidates, considering over 100 applicants from both public applications and referrals. We evaluated external candidates, internal team members, and past charity graduates, and ultimately identified Samantha as the candidate whom we believe will best execute the next stages of AIM's development. About Samantha Samantha has served on AIM's executive team as Chief Programs Officer for the past 1.5 years, leading the strategy and delivery of our Charity Entrepreneurship function. In this role, she has demonstrated exceptional capability across multiple dimensions: building collaborative teams, driving strategic execution, and maintaining unwavering focus on impact. Before joining the executive team, Samantha successfully filled nearly every role across our organization [...] ---Outline:(01:00) About Samantha(02:13) A note from our incoming CEO, Samantha Kagel --- First published: December 1st, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/r8GSGnay6scK7Jmb5/announcing-the-new-aim-ceo --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO. ---Images from the article:Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try Pocket Casts, or another podcast app.
Joe Ostrowski and Sam Panayotovich hand out their Monday Moon Awards for the past week, including Ben Johnson, Vanderbilt Football, the Eagles burying Paul in Survivor and more!
Recap of the game.
Sometime what seems like a roadblock or delay, can actually be a part of God's sovereign design. Visit rollinghills.org/worship to learn how you can interact with other listeners on the Soul Care Blog.
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Dan and Jacob are BACK giving their fantasy awards and handing out their 2025 Fantasy Football MVP. (0:00) Intro (5:00) Fantasy Rookie of the Year (23:45) Fantasy RB of the Year (44:40) Fantasy QB of the Year (49:00) Fantasy TE of the Year (56:51) Fantasy WR of the Year (1:10:18) Comeback Player of the Year (1:25:13) Coach of the Year (1:41:40) Handing out awards!! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
There's revelations a rise in top grades at universities may not be down to New Zealanders getting smarter. Analysis by the New Zealand Initiative reveals 'A ' grades have increased from 22 percent to 36 percent of all grades since 2006. B grades have fallen from 47 percent to 38, while C grades have dropped from 20 percent to 17. NZ Initiative research fellow Dr James Kierstead says 'A' grades are becoming the most common grade for university assignments and that shouldn't be the case. "It's not really something we want to follow the US in, because grade inflation's been a big deal in the states and it's helped undermine half a dozen universities there." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The 94 WIP Morning Show does the Bad to the Bone Awards after Eagles games, but after losses, they assign Blame Balls. Who was most to blame for the horrible loss to the Cowboys?
Dana In The Morning Highlights 11/21Livingston PD teamed up with an insurance company to hand out gift cards for the holidays2 Houston students were chosen to be in the big Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYCFEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Tomball woman helps make special needs school possible for students
Handing out the inaugural Morning Rush SEC Awards, gauging what a win over rival Horns would do for Hogs. The last forest in Fayetteville. Guests: Tom Murphy! #Arkansas #ArkansasRazorbacks #Hogs #Hawgs #WPS #ArkansasRazorbacksPodcast #GoHogs #HitThatLine #WooPigSooie #RazorbackPodcast #ArkansasPodcast #HogPodcast #espnarkansas #morningrush #tyerichardson #tommycraft #coltonlittle Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
RainTech founder Andrew Jahnke reveals why he rejected millions in private equity to give 100% of his company's profits to his employees. In this episode, we explore how he's using AI to implement a 32-hour work week, why he believes "People First" is a lie, and his blueprint for building a business that puts people over profit—period.
Key Topics Covered:1. From Furlough to Property FreedomHow COVID and furlough ended Athena's high‑performing travel career overnight.Using that pause to ask, “Is this the life I want for the next 5–10 years?”Buying her first flat in Bournemouth, getting the numbers wrong, and why she still calls it her “baby” and best teacher.2. Rent‑to‑Rent, Burnout and Pivoting StrategyMoving into rent‑to‑rent HMOs and serviced accommodation to generate cashflow.The reality of late‑night calls, guest issues and stress – including the Sunday night window incident.Handing back all rent‑to‑rent properties and feeling as free returning the keys as when she first got them.Pivoting to simpler, long‑term strategies: buy‑to‑lets and buy–refurbish–refinance, with flips and land development as future options.3. Building Girls in Property: Community, Recurring Income and SupportWalking into a networking room of 45 people with only three women and thinking, “That's a shame.”Finding no UK‑based female property networks or podcasts, then launching Girls in Property in 2023.Growing from a passion project that made no money for over a year into:A sponsored weekly podcast.A £30/month online membership (two live calls a month: “prosperity” and property strategy).A national community hosted on Circle, plus summer/winter parties and an annual training event.How Girls in Property now replaces and exceeds her old salary as a recurring revenue stream.4. Education, Strategy Choice and Market Opportunities“Don't rush to buy a course”: only invest if you can implement from day one.Use free education first (podcasts, YouTube, books) and do due diligence on paid training.Choosing strategy based on four resources: knowledge, money, time, energy – plus personality and end goal.Example of a mentee who came for rent‑to‑rent but was better suited to partnering with an investor on flips.Why today's market, with older landlords exiting, offers opportunities if you talk to people and build relationships with agents.5. Health, Wealth and Your Own Version of SuccessAthena's view of financial freedom as choice – the ability to respond to life, travel and allocate time where it matters.Burning out twice and realising “health is wealth” – long‑term wealth is pointless if you destroy yourself getting there.Her guiding question: “What does your version of success look like – and who's standing next to you on that hill?”Current focus: simplifying businesses, building cashflow and wealth, and aiming to be retired by 50 with businesses that don't rely on her daily presence.Actionable Takeaways:Assess your knowledge, money, time and energy before choosing a strategy.Use free education first; only buy courses you're ready to implement immediately.Document your journey from day one to build trust with future investors and partners.Avoid shiny penny syndrome – simplify down to strategies that fit you and your goals.Protect your health and pace yourself; wealth building is a long‑term game.Resources & Next Steps:Girls in Property Community & MembershipGirls in Property PodcastWealthBuilders Membership: Free access to guides, webinars, and communityConnect with Us:Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms.Next Steps On Your WealthBuilding Journey: Join the WealthBuilders Facebook CommunitySchedule a 1:1 call with one of our teamBecome a member of WealthBuildersIf you have been enjoying listening to WealthTalk - Please Leave Us A Review!
Episode Summary:We kick off with an impressive AI-generated intro from Suno's newly released V5 model, showcasing how far AI music creation has come. The conversation quickly shifts to hands-on hardware reviews, with Will sharing his one-week impressions of the iPhone 17 Pro Max (in orange) and both of us discussing the new AirPods Pro 3. From iOS 26 performance quirks to the practical realities of running beta software on production devices, we cover the full spectrum of Apple's latest releases. The episode wraps with an extended discussion on electric vehicle charging strategies, vehicle-to-grid technology, and why Brandt might finally be warming up to those Rivian headlights.Discussions Include:Suno's V5 model release and whether the $20/month subscription is worth it for better AI music generationReal-world impressions of iPhone 17 Pro Max and iOS 26 after a week of daily useAirPods Pro 3 features, including hearing aid functionality and adaptive transparency modeElectric vehicle charging economics and the future of vehicle-to-grid technologyQuotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):"You handed a caveman a flame- and then took it away from him." - Will Curran"I noticed that iOS 26 just runs better on it. This is what I'm noticing- with my being in the iPhone upgrade program is that I'll do the beta, I run it on my 16 Pro or Pro Max, whatever it is, and I notice slight performance issues." - Will Curran"Every time [a Rivian] drives by me and I'm like, well, it's actually not that bad looking. It's like, it's wearing me down... I can't get past the headlights. Weeelllll, I might be able to get past the headlights." - Brandt Krueger"So the guy basically insinuates 'I'm on the employer's dime. I'm going to be charging my car and then I'll just go back and sell it back to the grid and make a profit,' heheh..." - Will Curran
The Philadelphia Eagles defense dominated the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football and Joe Giglio is giving out five game balls to the players who made the biggest difference in the victory. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
From 'WIP Daily' (subscribe here): The Philadelphia Eagles defense dominated the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football and Joe Giglio is giving out five game balls to the players who made the biggest difference in the victory. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Recap of the game.
Joe Giglio reacts to the Eagles' nail-biting win over the Packers on Monday night and hands out five game balls to the players he thinks are most responsible for the victory. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Get the stories from today's show in THE STACK: https://justinbarclay.comJoin Justin in the MAHA revolution - http://HealthWithJustin.comProTech Heating and Cooling - http://ProTechGR.com New gear is here! Check out the latest in the Justin Store: https://justinbarclay.com/storeKirk Elliott PHD - FREE consultation on wealth conservation - http://GoldWithJustin.comTry Cue Streaming for just $2 / day and help support the good guys https://justinbarclay.com/cueUp to 80% OFF! Use promo code JUSTIN http://MyPillow.com/JustinPatriots are making the Switch! What if we could start voting with our dollars too? http://SwitchWithJustin.com
Today is Tuesday, November 11. Here are the latest headlines from the Fargo, North Dakota area. InForum Minute is produced by Forum Communications and brought to you by reporters from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and WDAY TV. For more news from throughout the day, visit InForum.com.
Joe Ostrowski and Sam Panayotovich hand out their Monday Moons Awards for the weekend, headlined by Drake Maye, Jonathan Taylor, back Quarterbacks, the Chicago Bulls, Omar Cooper and more!
With 9 of the 18 weeks in the 2025 NFL Regular Season in the books it's time to hand out some midseason awards.Jeff Chadiha (NFL Network/NFL.com/@JeffriChadiha), Sam McDowell (Kansas City Star/KCStar.com/@SamMcDowell11) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810 - WHB/810whb.com/@SorenPetro) hand out the midseason awards for the Kansas City Chiefs and the entire NFL.- Chiefs Biggest Surprise/Disappointment.- Chiefs MVP.- KC Offensive/Defensive Player of the Year.- Chiefs Best/Worst Offseason Move.- NFL MVP.- NFL Coach of the Year.- NFL Offensive/Defensive Player of the Year.
A wild Game 7 unfolds live as the panel digs into the hobby's toughest question: what do you do when your PC cards moon—sell, trade, or hold? Jeremy, Joe, John, Chris, and Josh unpack the collector's conundrum (profit vs attachment), price anchoring to what we paid years ago, and strategies like keeping a single “time-capsule” card when you move on. We also hit the joy of binders and 90s/00s inserts (Pacific, Pinnacle, Topps Mystery Finest), giving cards to kids, and finding budget-friendly lanes that still look amazing—while the Dodgers clinch Game 7 in real time. Highlights Sell, trade, or hold? How rising prices pressure even die-hard collectors, and ways to decide without future regret Keep a token: Preserving one piece of a set/player run as a memory anchor when consolidating Beat price anchoring: Reset expectations by switching lanes (new players/eras) or trading horizontally into cards you value more Low-pop = high regret: Why letting go of scarce cards can sting—and how to choose sell candidates you can realistically reacquire Affordable beauty: Binders of Pacific/Pinnacle/Mystery Finest; why many inserts from that era deliver premium look at modest prices Hobby goodwill: Handing out cards to kids, camp giveaways, and keeping the joy in collecting—beyond comps Follow & Subscribe Watch live on YouTube (@SportsCardsLive) and catch replays on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you enjoyed this segment, subscribe, drop a like/review, and share—it really helps more collectors find the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ken Carman and Anthony Lima discuss someone handing out Ramen noodles during Halloween trick-or-treat, as well as the Game 7 ratings for World Series dominating the Game 7 ratings for the NBA Finals.
Joe Ostrowski and Sam Panayotovich hand out their Monday Moon awards for this past weekend, including a shoutout to the Bills for their upset win over the Chiefs, the player who cost his team the World Series and more!
Our Browns beat reporter Daryl Ruiter joined Jonathan Peterlin and Jake Vulinec giving the state of the team and why HC Kevin Stefanski giving up playcalling to OC Tommy Rees was a move of desperation.
Hour 2 of A&G features... Ai possibilities & sceptics Doing away with the filibuster Handing out potatoes to trick or treaters & Biden was out of touch Sending a text to the wrong person See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is it better to commit to being the house that hands out big candy bars?
More details on the woman detained in the Issaquah ICE raid last week. Seattle businesses worry about the trickle down effect of the Amazon layoffs, which have reached 14k jobs. Washington and Oregon are among the dozens of states suing the USDA over SNAP funding drying up. // LongForm: GUEST: Seattle City City Council president Sara Nelson on what's at stake for Seattle in her reelection bid. // Quick Hit: Please stop handing out candy corn on Halloween.
00:00 - What at night of sports!03:23 - Overall feeling at the Eagles' Bye Week07:26 - Offensive MVP13:52 - Defensive MVP16:11 - Biggest pleasant surprise18:57 - Biggest disappointment23:53 - Play of the year26:50 - Rookie of the year31:01 - Random Eagles instant reactions
A century ago, Jeff Braverman's grandfather opened a peanut shop in Newark, New Jersey. By the early 2000s, the family business was doing $1M in sales and struggling to stay afloat. Jeff had a high-paying job in finance, but walked away from it to reinvent the business. His strategy? The internet. Something his dad and uncle knew nothing about.What happened next is wild: an AdWords experiment that blew the doors off the budding online business; a slip on national TV where Rachael Ray accidentally renamed the company; 40,000 pounds of protest peanuts that crashed servers and landed them in the New York Times; a hilariously polarizing rap jingle; and a COVID surge that tested leadership—and humanity—every single day.This is the blueprint for transforming a dusty, low-margin business into a profitable, $100M+ direct-to-consumer brand—while keeping it family-owned. It's also a masterclass in earning trust, making risky bets, and scaling without losing your soul.You'll learn:The mechanics of a paid-search playbook that 10x'd orders overnightHow to win over skeptical family members (and when to demand the keys to the store)The exploding-deal etiquette of buying a premium domainHow an improvised rap-jingle can be stickier than a professional ad How Nuts.com built a robust B2B business alongside DTCCrisis leadership lessons from the COVID floor When and how a leader should hire their replacementTimestamps:00:07:08 — Cash registers, code words, and a Newark childhood inside the peanut shop00:13:42 — The “build a website” pitch at a Jersey diner 00:29:40 — December 4, 2003: from 3 orders/day to 30 00:31:19 — Dad panics –”shut it off!”– Jeff doubles down on demand and ops00:35:26 — Losing the storefront to a hockey arena—and going all-in online00:42:29 — Jericho fans send 40,000 lbs of peanuts to CBS: press, links, and leverage00:48:38 — Rachael Ray calls them “Nuts.com” by accident… and the $700k domain deal that followed01:00:51 — The notorious Nuts.com rap jingle: how an earworm took hold01:03:11 — Offices, microbreweries, and building a sticky B2B engine01:05:08 — COVID hits: 70% call-outs, factory safety, and leading from the floor01:10:18 — Handing the reins to a new CEO: leaning into strengths, not egoThis episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant with research help from Olivia Rockman. Our engineers were Patrick Murray and Jimmy Keeley.Follow How I Built This:Instagram → @howibuiltthisX → @HowIBuiltThisFacebook → How I Built ThisFollow Guy Raz:Instagram → @guy.razYoutube → guy_razX → @guyrazSubstack → guyraz.substack.comWebsite → guyraz.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Joe Giglio reacts to the Eagles' dominant win over the Giants and hands out five game balls to the players he thinks contributed most to the team's sixth win over the season. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this week's episode of Cosmic Cousins, Jeff Hinshaw is joined by Rebecca Scolnick, writer, witch, numerologist, and author of The Witch's Book of Numbers. Together, we dive into the Libra New Moon at 28°, exploring the healing intersection of astrology, numerology, and personal myth. Rebecca shares how her relationship with numbers began as a form of reclamation, transforming math anxiety into a practice of meaning-making, and how her recent healing journey through cancer has unfolded in rhythm with Jupiter's transit through Cancer. We explore the Sabian symbol for this New Moon, “Handing down wisdom from generation to generation,” as an invitation to bridge knowledge and lived experience, weaving ancient insight into modern healing. If you've been feeling the call to restore balance, listen deeply, and find beauty in transition, this Libra New Moon conversation offers emotional medicine and actionable ritual for the weeks ahead. Tune in for reflections on synchronicity, name magic, and New Moon wishes for inspiration to honor your own cycles of renewal. Big love!
Joe Ostrowski and Sam Panayotovich hand out their Monday Moon awards for the weekend, including Shohei Ohtani after his all time great performance, and why we never want to see Justin Fileds play Quarterback ever again.
What if the founder of one of the internet's most enduring brands… never wanted to run a company?In 1995, Craig Newmark was a 42-year-old computer programmer in San Francisco who simply wanted to share local tech meetups with friends. He started an email list that became Craigslist—a website that reshaped how we find jobs, apartments, and community.In this conversation, Craig opens up about how not having a grand vision (or a taste for power) led to one of the most popular platforms in the world. With fewer than 50 employees, Craigslist still generates hundreds of millions in revenue—while looking like a website frozen in 1996.This is the story of an “accidental entrepreneur” who built a global brand by being in the right place at the right time—and why he now calls himself the Forrest Gump of the Internet.In this episode, you'll learn:Why keeping things simple is often the smartest design choice.How knowing your weaknesses can be the ultimate superpower.Why community beats marketing every time.How to monetize minimally—and still build a wildly profitable company.Why luck and timing matter more than you might think.Timestamps:07:10 Craig's childhood struggles with social situations—and how local Holocaust survivors shaped his worldview16:15 Discovering the early internet and becoming an “evangelist” at Charles Schwab20:07 The simple email list that broke at 240 addresses—and became “Craig's List”29:16 Why Craig refused banner ads and said no to early monetization35:00 Handing the CEO role to Jim Buckmaster—and how that decision led to Craigslist's success49:44 eBay buys a stake in Craigslist, then launches a competitor—sparking a messy legal battle53:46 Was Craigslist really responsible for killing newspaper classifieds? Craig reveals his opinion58:08 Why Craig gave hundreds of millions of dollars to support journalism, veterans, and… pigeons1:03:10 Craig on money, meaning, and why billionaires are often miserableFollow How I Built This:Instagram → @howibuiltthisX → @HowIBuiltThisFacebook → How I Built ThisFollow Guy Raz:Instagram → @guy.razX → @guyrazSubstack → guyraz.substack.comWebsite → guyraz.com This episode was produced by Chris Maccini with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei.It was edited by Kevin Leahy with research by Sam Paulson. Our engineers were Patrick Murray, Maggie Luthar and Robert Rodriguez.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.